Handyman Startup

You’ve probably heard that word of mouth is the best way to get new customers and grow your business.  In fact, you’ve probably heard handymen or other contractor’s claim that they’ve built their business on word of mouth (WOM) alone.

I have no doubt that is true….for a select few.

Unfortunately, these stories leave new handymen with the idea that if they simply “do good work” and treat the customer right, their business will explode with new referrals leaving them picking and choosing between highly profitable and enjoyable jobs.

From my experience that is just not the case and I have a feeling I’m not alone.

Here’s the deal.

Relying on word of mouth alone will significantly limit your business success.  It may even cause you to fail.

Here’s why. [continue reading…]

Hire artists for contracting?

That’s what Nick May, founder of Walls By Design, did.

He’s a successful interior painting contractor with over 14 years of experience and get this, he only hires artists!  Surprised?  Be sure to listen to this episode to find out why.

Here are some other topics we cover in this interview:

• Why targeting high end customers actually brings in a wide variety of customers and gets your phone to ring.
• A unique way that Nick builds relationships with industry partners in order to get into those million dollar homes.
• How hiring employees makes you better at what you do.
• How to hire your first employee (more specifically, how I should hire my first employee.)  Where to look, who to hire, and when. [continue reading…]

Welcome to my 24th monthly income report. That means I’ve officially been a handyman business owner for 2 years!

It’s crazy how fast the time has gone and also how much my mindset has changed since I started. I mean, I went from charging $25/hour to demanding a minimum of $60/hour. I had no idea that was possible and I’m so thankful that I was able to achieve this success.

If you are new to the blog, I write these reports each month to detail my successes and failures. Not only that, I also share how much money I made, how much I spent, and what marketing methods brought me my new customers.

Basically, I’m giving you the roadmap to create a successful home service business for yourself.

If you’re tired of working for a boss you hate, or not being in control of your schedule, this content is for you.  Or, if you are already operating a home service business and want to gain the edge over your competition, this is for you, too. [continue reading…]

In this episode of the Handyman Startup Podcast, I bring on Chris Maxwell-Gaines, co-founder of Innovative Water Solutions in Austin, TX.

Chris started his home service business back in 2004 and has since grown it to the point of having 14 employees and over a million dollars in revenue.  He’s got a lot to share from his 10 years of experience.  So, I brought him onto the show so you can benefit from his knowledge and grow your business.

I love Chris’s story because he started his business without a plan and was literally wingin’ it in the beginning.  He had his first customer sold before he even had a service to offer!  10 years later he’s reaping the benefits of his courage.  A great example of why you should just get started.

Here are a few highlights from the interview:

• How crafting a story can jumpstart your business.
• A powerful way to use web based content marketing.
• Strategic partners and what they can do for your business.
• Why wingin’ it is sometimes the best option and why you should just get started. [continue reading…]

Welcome to my 23rd monthly income report for my handyman business!

I write these every month and this one marks my 23rd month in business as a handyman.  In these reports I share how much money I made in the last month, how I made that money, and anything else interesting that happened along the way.

I also share quality tips to help you either start or grow your own handyman business.

If you are new to the blog, I’m no millionaire (not even close).  In fact, this is my first business venture and I’m still learning a lot along the way.  What I do have is the desire to succeed and grow as an entrepreneur, learn everything I can about marketing, and most importantly, enjoy myself along the way.

I’m hoping that my story can help you do the same (if you’re interested).  If you are still working that job you hate and wake up un-exited every morning, these reports are written for you.  Also, if you are a home service provider looking to dominate the competition, these reports are for you, too. [continue reading…]

Having the right tools not only makes a job easier, it makes you feel like a badass.

[continue reading…]

Yes, you read that right. I’m going to show you a simple and effective action that you can take to increase your hourly rate by $5, $10, or even $20 while actually increasing your customer’s satisfaction. (Hint: It doesn’t cost any money or extra time)

The secret is in managing the expectations of your customers.

Whenever a customer hires a handyman or other service provider, the customer has certain baseline expectations. These expectations are derived from that customer’s previous interactions with other service providers.

Now, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that your service isn’t exactly like everybody else’s. That means it’s your job to align customer expectations with what you are actually going to deliver.

You may be thinking this is pretty obvious, and it is. Yet, I’ve screwed this up countless times and see it happen everyday with people I hire or products I buy.  New handymen are especially prone to making mistakes regarding communication with customers.

Ever had an unhappy customer? Ever received a bad review online? Ever had a customer say “Oh, that’s more than I thought it would be?” That’s because you didn’t communicate well enough.  Those customers were expecting A, and you gave them B.

Think back to the last time you were pissed off or even just mildly unhappy from a service or product you bought.  Was it because you were expecting something else?  Hopefully, otherwise you bought something you knew you wouldn’t be happy with, and that’s flat out dumb.

So, what can you do as a service provider to properly manage expectations, charge more, and get only excellent online reviews? [continue reading…]

It’s been a while since my last podcast, so I wanted to bring The Handyman Startup Podcast back with a bang!

In this episode, I interview Jim Copenhaver, a successful handyman business owner from Chicago, IL.

Jim has successfully built Punch List, a thriving handyman business that currently employs at least 4 full-time handymen.  But get this, he’s only been in business for a about a year and a half!

He obviously knows what he’s doing, that’s why I asked him to join me on the Handyman Startup Podcast so I could pick his brain and share his secrets with you.

Here are some of the things we cover in this episode:

• Why finding a mentor can skyrocket your success.
• The challenges of having employees.
• How to hire and keep good employees.
• Why milking the clock will actually lose you money in the long run.
• Why Jim charges hourly for most of his services.
• How to use the power of online reviews to grow your business faster than ever.
• and much more. [continue reading…]

Welcome to my monthly income report for September 2013!

What’s a monthly income report you ask?

It’s a monthly article where I share my handyman business experiences including everything from how much I made to where I get my customers. I share what I learned, anything interesting that happened along the way, and tips to help others succeed.

If you are a handyman, plumber, electrician, contractor, or other home service provider, these reports are for you.

If you are a handy person that hates your desk job and wants something more, these report are for you, too. There’s an incredible amount of opportunity out there and I’d love to help you see that.

Here’s what I’ll cover in this month’s report:

• How I use my handyman business to accelerate the achievement of my goals.
• My plans for increasing my hourly rate.
• How to judge a customer by their expectations.
• Plus a featured service for this month. [continue reading…]