What funding programs actually helped your business grow and which ones should you avoid?
I own a residential/commercial cleaning and interior painting company in Indiana and I’m trying to grow responsibly. Between equipment, payroll, insurance, marketing, and vehicle costs, expenses add up quickly. I’m looking for legitimate grants, low-interest funding, or small business assistance programs that actually helped your company grow — especially for service businesses. Any real experiences, recommendations, or programs to avoid would be appreciated.
Scaling a Commercial Cleaning Business – What’s Working for Landing Larger Contracts?
I run a commercial and post-construction cleaning company operating across NYC, Connecticut, and New Jersey. We focus on long-term facility maintenance rather than one-time jobs, and I’m currently pushing to scale into larger commercial accounts and consistent contracts. I’ve been doing direct outreach, building internal systems, and focusing on service quality and retention. At this stage, I’m looking to refine what’s actually working for others when it comes to landing and maintaining higher-value contracts. For those operating at scale: – What has been most effective in securing larger commercial clients? – Are you seeing better results from direct outreach, partnerships, or platforms? – Any specific strategies that helped you move from smaller jobs to consistent contract work? Appreciate any insight from those who have already made that jump.When is it time to hire an accountant?
I am wondering at what point some of you guys have hired an accountant? Did you hire one to grow? To maintain what you have? Or are you simply using one to file taxes at the end of the year? I am thinking about hiring an accountant to manage my finances for me and see where things go, but wondering when is the right time.How can I create an invoice for the deposit?
When doing certain commercial work the client will ask us to send them an invoice for the deposit. This isn't typically how Jobber works as the invoice isn't created until the job is closed usually. What is the best way to send a customer an invoice before having the quote signed, deposit paid, or the job completed? Hope that makes sense. Thanks in advance!How Much Should You Really Be Charging?
The number one question I receive is tied directly to the fact, most contractors are still guessing when it comes to pricing. Overhead. Profit. Labor rate. Trip fees. They think just because they throw a number they hear their competitors use, thats all that they need. It may work, but how and what do you divide these funds is just as important for your business health. If you don’t know how to do the math, you’re not building a business. You’re surviving check to check and think you need more work, when you do not. So here’s the plan: This Tuesday & Thursday on IG, I’m walking you through our Contractor Price Builder Worksheet FREE on instagram live. We will cover: - How to calculate your real hourly rate - The difference between markup and margin - Why profit is a non-negotiable - And how to price with confidence Join the session. Bring your numbers.What do I need to know/have prepared in order to get better business loans?
Have been using Jobber Capital for years to help grow my business. However, it is expensive and really sucks for cash flow purposes. At least in my experience. Is there a better way to do that, or should I be trying to get financing somewhere else that is cheaper? If you recommend the Jobber Capital/ Stripe Loan, then how much have you taken? I have been approved for a little over $100K but I haven't wanted to take that risk. Let me know what you have done and options I may not be thinking of. Thanks!
