Handyman Startup

In this session of the Handyman Startup Podcast, I share five of my most valuable time saving tips that I use every day in my business.

As a handyman or other home service provider, you get paid for your time.  Time is a form of currency, with one major difference from other currencies – you can never get more time.

That being said, it’s obvious why saving a few seconds, minutes, or even hours each day is extremely valuable – in fact, it’s priceless!

That’s why I’ve decided to share these 5 tips with you so you can enjoy the many benefits of more time.  Who doesn’t want more time?

Here are some of the highlights of this podcast: [continue reading…]

Welcome to my monthly income report!

If you’re a new reader of the Handyman Startup Blog, here’s what my income reports are all about.

At the end of each month, I gather all of my income and expense data to include in these reports. I include information like how much money I made, how much it cost me to make that money, and where I got my customers. I also share a ton of insight, tips, and lessons learned along the way to help you with your business.

So, if you run a home service business, there is sure to be some valuable insight to be gained!  I’m so open and share all of this because I want to help you (or somebody you might know) get more customers, make more money, and most importantly, enjoy what you do. 

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

• Super-customers and what they mean to your business.
• Featured Service:  Honey-do lists.
• The results from tracking all of my time for the month.
• An update on my new video course. [continue reading…]

HomeAdvisor PRO (now called Angi Leads) is a fast and easy way to get customers and grow your business. In fact, it’s where I found some of my best clients for my handyman business. [continue reading…]

Welcome to my 20th monthly income report – July 2013!

I’ve officially been in business for 20 months now and it’s time to share my lessons and income for this month.

If you’re a new reader of the Handyman Startup Blog, I’ve been writing these monthly reports since I started my business.  I include a ton of information about my handyman businesses like how much money I made, where my new customers came from, and any lessons or struggles I encountered along the way.

I’m a strong believer that you should enjoy what you do for a living.  So, If you are interested in creating a business that provides you with fulfillment and freedom from horrible bosses and the drudgery of the 9-5, then these reports are for you.

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

• A new product I’m working on to help you get new customers.
• How I charge $60/hour to a customer that is used to paying $20/hour.
• A featured service for this month.
• Finally, closure on my court battle! [continue reading…]

Branding your work vehicle is an easy form of advertising that works.

Not only can throwing some vinyl graphics on your work truck gain you a few leads here and there, but it also helps to build authority and trust with your customers – two things that should be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

But just like anything else, it will only be effective if executed properly.

In this article, I discuss the many benefits of branding your vehicle and what to consider before you do. I’ll then discuss available options and offer insights that I have gained through the experience of branding my handyman truck. [continue reading…]

As a home service professional, developing new skills to keep up with the competition is necessary.  For handymen, learning new skills is basically our job description.

Not only is learning new skills important, but learning how to learn new skills efficiently is getting ever more important.  We are now in what is commonly known as the information age.  That means it is easier than ever to get starting with your business, but it also means that more people have access to quality information.  That means more competition.

This tells me that in order to get ahead and pull away from the pack, developing a system for learning rapidly could mean the difference between success and failure.

In this podcast, I discuss: [continue reading…]

The way I see it, there are three types of handymen out there.  The ones that make a great income doing something they enjoy, the ones that barely get by, and the ones scattered in the middle.

What is it that separates these really successful handymen from the ones that only bring in $20/hour?  Is it their home repair knowledge?  Is it how many years of experience they have?  Is it their ability to build trust with customers?

The answer is….Yes.

However, even if you are knowledgeable, experienced, trustworthy, professional, and answer your phone on time, you may still find yourself eating Ramen noodles for dinner.  Now I don’t know about you, but I prefer steak.

Do you like steak?  If so, you’ll want to avoid these common handyman business pitfalls… [continue reading…]

Welcome to my June 2013 monthly income report!

This marks the end of my 19th month in business as a handyman and also my 19th report.

Just in case you’re a Handyman Startup first timer, I write these reports each month discussing my business in detail.  I share how much money I made, what marketing methods brought me that money, my expenses, and other useful insight for all you handymen who want to go pro and dominate the home service industry.

If you want to make more money while only working for customers you like, these reports are for you.  If you don’t enjoy your current 9-5 job and desperately want to quit, these reports are for you, too.

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

• Record Profits for my Handyman Business and an awesome hourly rate.
• How my truck graphics paid for themselves twice over this month.
• Another reason to treat your existing customers like gold.
• Why I failed at my goal and what I plan to do about it. [continue reading…]

I’m taking the entire week off from my handyman services to celebrate Independence Day, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity.

This excitement about the ability to control my schedule and take time off at will has my brain turning with all of the benefits of owning a small business, specifically, a handyman business.
[continue reading…]