Caleb recently had Doug Ryan, owner of DRE Landscaping, on his podcast to discuss Doug's experience growing his lawn care business from a small neighborhood operation to servicing over 140 residential properties. Doug started mowing lawns as a kid in middle school and steadily took on more customers over the years.

By age 20, Doug decided to pursue landscaping full-time after seeing the money potential in the business. He now runs a three-man crew focused on mowing, seasonal maintenance, and some commercial snow removal accounts. Doug shared that efficient routing has allowed him to scale his residential mowing business significantly. He aims to hit 300 lawns serviced by next season.

One challenge Doug discussed was keeping customers happy, as even small mistakes can lead to complaints. He's also learned that while he enjoys doing the work, he can only scale the business by bringing on additional employees. Doug recently invested in a larger shop space and equipment like a skid...

On a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, host Caleb Auman welcomed Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), to discuss the highly influential Equip Expo trade show. As the leader of both OPEI and Equip Expo, Kris provided invaluable insight into the history and impact of the annual event.

Kris detailed how Equip Expo, formerly known as GIE Expo, has grown over its 40 year history to become one of the largest trade shows in the country. Attracting over 50,000 industry professionals each year, Equip Expo is a one-stop shop for the latest equipment, technology, educational opportunities and networking events. Kris also shared how the show generates significant economic benefits for its host city of Louisville, cementing its importance for professionals across the outdoor power equipment and green industries.

Listeners gained a behind-the-scenes look at the immense coordination required to put on such a massive trade show....

In a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast we discussed a common mistake contractors make when presenting and pricing lighting packages. John Kerzelis of Green Foundry Co emphasized that charging per fixture is a big no-no that puts contractors at a disadvantage.

Charging per fixture doesn't account for the different levels of labor and difficulty associated with installing various lighting types. A low-voltage path light installed in a garden bed takes much less effort than a fixture requiring core drilling or mounting high off the ground. It also doesn't allow for customizing a system based on a homeowner's specific needs and property.

Instead, John recommends taking a more holistic approach by considering lighting design, types of fixtures used, and installation challenges posed by the project site. Factors like access, elevation changes, base material conditions, and more need to be part of the pricing calculation. This approach gives contractors...

Building Your Company's Reputation Through Image and Brand One of the most important factors for any business' long term success is establishing a strong reputation and brand identity in the marketplace. On a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Brian Fullerton joined Caleb Auman for an in-depth discussion about how contractors can craft an image that portrays competence, confidence and value to their customers.

Brian shared his experience choosing a builder for his custom home project. He looked for a company that displayed past work on their website that fit the style he wanted. During conversations, he wanted to feel reassured that the builder had experience with projects of that scale and complexity. Making the right choice was important since it was a significant investment. Brian didn't want it to be a builder's "crown jewel" project but rather something within their normal scope and capabilities.Delivering an excellent product is key to building reputation. Customers...

In a recent episode of Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb talked about how as the construction season starts winding down, it's important to begin focusing on securing work for the winter months ahead. In the episode, Caleb shares some valuable tips for landing winter projects and building a strong backlog. He recommends having earlier conversations with clients in the fall about potential winter work. Selling the benefits of scheduling drainage projects or land clearing for February or March can help clients save on pricing too. It's also key to qualify clients who may be willing to work on designs over the winter for a spring start. Maintaining a wide funnel of leads all year helps you find opportunities to frontload next season. With the right planning, you can stay busy right through the winter. Be sure to listen to the full discussion here!

In a recent episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, AJ and Alicia from Brex Landscaping discussed strategies for maintaining momentum in a business. They talked about how initiatives they had implemented recently, such as employee development days and quarterly meetings focused on quality of life, had helped build up a lot of positive energy and progress.

However, they also acknowledged that it can be difficult to keep that momentum going over the long term. When asked by Caleb about their approach, AJ said it's important to continuously feed motivation by keeping up with training events and seminars. Taking breaks from learning opportunities can cause momentum to stall.

They also mentioned that while taking regular breaks to recharge is valuable, it's crucial to dive back into goals, processes and initiatives upon returning instead of letting things slide. Maintaining structures and accountability helps prevent hard-earned momentum from fading away.

In summary, AJ and Alicia advised...

In a recent episode of The Kid Contractor Podcast, Alicia and A.J. Brentzel joined the show. During the episode, Alicia shared a new business she has launched called Boss Side Hustle. Alicia explained it was created to help other business owners grow their companies. With over 13 years of experience running her own successful construction firm, Alicia is now offering one-on-one coaching to provide clarity, purpose, and accountability. For a low introductory price, entrepreneurs can work directly with Alicia to develop customized plans to improve processes, people management, and business performance. Her goal is to help clients achieve their goals through clear direction and regular check-ins. Boss Side Hustle offers an affordable way for businesses of any size to gain valuable guidance from a seasoned professional.

Reach out to Boss Side Hustle for your business: @bosssidehustle

On the latest episode of the Kid Contractor Podcast, Caleb interviewed Nick Caliva of Earthworks Landscaping in Wisconsin. Nick discussed running the family business started by his father in 1978. He recruited college athletes seasonally and uses technology like a tilt rotator to increase efficiency. Nick balanced high-end and smaller projects while working with family. The episode provided business advice and insight into evolving a multi-generational company over time. To hear more insights from Nick on running a multi-generational landscape business, balancing family and work, and his outlook on the industry, be sure to listen to the full interview on the latest Kid Contractor Podcast episode. Nick provided a lot of valuable lessons learned over his career. The full conversation provides great context and is worth a listen.