⭐️ Get More Google Reviews On Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt 

🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/local

College Dropout to 100 Clients in 9 Months | Built Local Podcast

What does it take for a 22-year-old college dropout to launch a business, hit 100 clients in under a year, and keep pushing toward 500+? In this episode of the Built Local Podcast, I sit down with Max Newcombe, founder of Pooch Scoop near Philadelphia.

Max shares how he went from delivering pizzas and losing $30,000 day trading to finding a YouTube video that changed his life. Within three weeks of watching, he launched his poop scooping business—and by April, he hit 100 clients.

We break down his free initial cleanups strategy, the $3–4K per month he invested in Facebook ads, how seasonality impacts the scooping business, and why building relationships (handwritten notes, gift bags, dog toys!) is the key to retention.

We also cover how Review Harvest helped him jump from 88 to 122 Google reviews in just one month and why he believes working together with competitors grows the whole industry.

If you’re looking for inspiration, marketing tactics, or just an inside look at how a young entrepreneur is building from scratch, this episode is for you.

Timestamps
0:00 Intro – Meet Max Newcombe
0:38 College dropout to poop scooper
1:14 The YouTube video that sparked it all
2:22 From idea to first client in 3 weeks
3:58 First 9 clients through Facebook groups
5:21 From 9 clients in January → 100 clients by April
6:45 Why is scooping busiest in the winter/spring
8:33 Handling churn & retention in summer
11:55 Spending $3–4K/month on Facebook ads
12:31 Working sunup to sundown during spring rush
14:26 Why Max does initial cleanups for free
17:14 Hiring his first employee in May
19:46 Max’s dropout story & losing $30K day trading
22:19 The YouTube video that changed everything
23:37 Crazy story: the dead possum
25:24 Competitors popping up & his approach to collaboration
28:09 Why competitors actually grow the market
31:17 Ranking on Google & early review strategy
35:09 From 88 → 122 reviews with Review Harvest
36:59 Favorite part of using Review Harvest
37:48 Retention strategy: handwritten notes & dog toys
39:32 Shooting for 500+ clients next year
40:50 Advice for new service business owners
41:42 Clay recaps Max’s customer gift campaign
42:32 Closing

About Pooch Scoop
Founded in 2023, Pooch Scoop provides professional pet waste removal services near Philadelphia. Built by 22-year-old founder Max Newcombe, the company is known for reliability, personal service, and explosive growth—scaling to 100 clients in less than a year.

👉 Learn more about Pooch Scoop: https://poochscoop.com