Hose & Hustle Podcast

Plenty of couples talk about going into business together. Almost nobody talks about what happens in year two when the money is tight, the equipment keeps breaking, and you are arguing with your spouse in the same room you sleep in. Mike and Monica give this one to that conversation, and they do not soften it.

It starts back at "chucking the truck," when Monica would come off shift and help Mike unload the pressure washer for his dad's jobs. Then 2013, when Mike set a quit date. The hang up was not money, it was insurance and retirement, the thing Monica says stops most people from ever leaving a W-2. She worked the ER from 2014 to 2017 to cover it, went part time, then PRN, then quit entirely when a bleach vendor named Eddie Willis told them about Medishare.

The honest part is what came next. Mike and Monica fought about technicians, about Mike wanting to be the boss when Monica wanted to be the buddy, about being harder on your wife over printer cartridges than on a tech who lost two $700 surface cleaners in a day. There is a text message fight where Mike fired her. What fixed it was MAPS, marketing, admin, production, sales, which turned husband and wife arguments between eight and five into production manager and office admin disagreements. They also set a five o'clock rule and told their kids to enforce it.

They close with a rapid fire gut check they answer separately and unrehearsed. Would you do it again. What has the business given your marriage that nothing else could. What would you protect at all costs. Both land on the same word without conferring. If you are a couple weighing this, or already in it and wondering if the friction is normal, this is the episode to send to your spouse.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com
📌 Firehouse Franchise: www.firehouse-franchise.com
📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]
📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Books mentioned:

1. 10X by Grant Cardone
2. Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
3. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
   

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:51 Chucking the truck, and whose idea the business was
2:14 What Monica needed to hear before she could say yes
5:34 The ER years, Medishare, and finally quitting in 2017
7:36 What the first year of working together did to the marriage
9:45 "Augury" and the slow season that still stings in 2026
10:41 What they fought about that they had never fought about before
11:46 The text message fight where Mike fired Monica
13:54 Why you are harder on your spouse than on your technicians
14:54 MAPS explained, the system that changed everything
17:10 The five o'clock rule and letting the kids hold you to it
20:25 "We do in a week what we did in a month"
23:39 The kidnap test: would the business survive without you
27:32 What every couple should put in writing before day one
33:01 The warning signs a couple is not ready for this
35:03 Would you do it again, answered separately

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Nobody in the franchise world gives you real numbers. Mike and Monica open the books in this one and go line by line through what it costs to start, what it costs to run, and how long before you actually make money.

Startup is the franchise fee at $38,500, a truck and equipment package up to $85,000, and roughly $1,000 in administrative costs for LLC registration, insurance, and licensing. Mike explains what they financed versus paid cash for, how Section 179 works on an F-550 flatbed, and why the diamond plate firehouse bed runs separate from the truck. Then he gets into the cost nobody budgets for: $1,000 a month in local advertising on top of everything else.

Ongoing is where it gets real. Shop rent, a 750 gallon bleach delivery at roughly $1,900, fuel at $50 to $75 a day to produce a $2,000 day, uniforms, DOT numbers, Jobber, workers comp audits, and about $300 a month in Amazon parts. Mike also gets into a Fayette County business personal property tax bill for the desk he was given in 1994, which he pays $400 a year on and once threatened to settle in pennies.

The revenue conversation is the honest part. Monica pulls the actual numbers on air: $15,236 in March 2015 against a typical March now of $60,000 to $80,000. From $149,000 in 2015 to $587,000 by 2019, five years without knowing what they know now. Mike's expectation for a new franchisee in year one is $100,000 to $150,000, with the goal of $500,000 in two to three years. They also get into the most expensive mistake they ever made, which was full time staff, and why that is now not allowed anywhere in the system.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com
📌 Firehouse Franchise: www.firehouse-franchise.com
📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]
📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Books mentioned:

1. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger's book on evaluating your time in 15 minute increments
   

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Opening the books, and listeners on multiple continents
1:55 The $38,500 franchise fee and where that money comes from
3:14 Real startup costs from first call to first job
4:57 What to finance, what to pay cash for, and Section 179
8:11 The cost everyone forgets to budget: $1,000 a month advertising
9:40 Real monthly costs: shop, bleach, fuel, uniforms, DOT
15:53 Maintenance versus repair, and why you are the mechanic
21:09 When you actually take your first paycheck
22:42 The Fayette County tax bill on a desk from 1994
27:19 Month one versus month twelve, with the real numbers
29:40 Realistic year one expectations and why location decides it
36:35 From $149K to $587K in five years
40:33 The most expensive money mistake they ever made
47:46 The FPW Finance Sheet and how Profit First actually runs
57:04 The one purchase every new owner overspends on

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

Most people looking at a franchise are really asking one question they never say out loud: if I hand over the money, does the system carry me? Mike and Monica spend this episode answering that honestly, and the answer is no. Back after a summer off, they open Season 2 with everything nobody tells you before you sign.

Mike walks through what a Franchise Disclosure Document actually is, why he spent six months with consultants studying at least five competitor FDDs before writing his own, and why the eight-question prequal form at firehouse-franchise.com is built to turn people away. The one that eliminates most applicants: can you attract, employ, and retain firefighter technicians? If you do not know any firefighters, that is a no, and Mike explains why a non-firefighter cannot lead a firefighter crew through months of washing work.

He breaks down the 9 percent all in, 7 percent royalty, 1.5 percent brand fund, half a percent nonprofit, and what that buys you. A 300 page operations manual that took him ten years and a lot of consultant money to build. IntelliView territory screening that tells him in an hour whether your market will work. A five day boot camp with NPQ style checkoffs. Friday coaching calls where you are treated like a station officer, not an employee. There is also a first: Firehouse is bringing rig building in house so every truck gets custom built for the operator's market.

Monica pushes back on the passive income fantasy throughout, and the two of them get into the stuff that only comes from doing it. The scarecrow trick with cones and day glow vests. Why you park on the street for a driveway job. The black metal barn that turned into a company policy. Why they will not take track home builders anymore. If you are a firefighter, veteran, or first responder wondering whether this is your way out, or a small business owner who wants the systems thinking without the franchise, this one delivers.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com
📌 Firehouse Franchise: www.firehouse-franchise.com
📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]
📌 General inquiries: [email protected]
📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org
📌 Office: (770) 468-0014

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Season 2 is here, what happened over the summer
3:28 What an FDD actually is and how to get any franchise's
5:30 Studying five competitor FDDs before writing their own
7:23 Why the prequal form is built to say no
8:52 The question that eliminates most applicants
13:05 Subway, McDonald's, and what a franchise really is
17:17 What a franchisor can and cannot legally do for you
19:21 Territory screening and why some markets fail
21:08 Franchising is not passive income
23:24 Announcement: Firehouse is building its own rigs
36:48 The ChatGPT plus operations manual hack
42:44 Why AI search now rewards reviews over ad spend
50:45 Who should absolutely not buy a franchise
56:22 The black metal barn job that became a policy
1:04:08 Discovery Day and the first step to take this week

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

Season 1 ends where every good journey does — looking back at the road that actually got you here. In the finale, Mike and Monica reflect on 12 episodes of building Firehouse Power Washing out loud: what they feared going in, what surprised them along the way, and the one thing they both wish someone had handed them on Day One. The answer, without hesitation: Profit First.

Mike pulls back the curtain on the Employee Scorecard System he spent nearly three years building — and the moment it went live, two underperforming employees walked themselves out the door exactly like the book predicted. He now hires, fires, gives raises, and makes cuts based solely on the scorecard. Tenure doesn't matter. The data does. Monica's reflection is quieter but just as sharp: they've accomplished far more than they gave themselves credit for, and a lot of it only became visible when they started saying it out loud on this show.

The Firehouse franchise is officially in motion. Mike shares the target: 3–5 locations in Year 1, 5–7 in Year 2, and 20–50 per year after that. The USP is clear — the only first-responder-oriented exterior cleaning franchise in the country, with discounts for firefighters and first responders built into the model. ChatGPT is loaded with the FDD, franchise agreement, and 200-page ops manual. The team is small but sharp: Monica on quotes, Mike on ops, Eunice on office and franchise support, and a US-based Internal Sales Rep coming soon.

Season 2 is weekly, guests every 3–4 episodes, and more of what made this season work. If you've been listening since Episode 1 — you already know what's coming is worth staying for.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: firehouse-franchise.com

📌 Contact: [email protected] / [email protected]

📌 PWNA Elevate 2027: Kalahari Resort, Austin TX — February

📌 The HUGE Convention: Gaylord Hotel, Orlando FL — August

📌 Books mentioned:

1. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

2. The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz

3. Traction by Gino Wickman

4. Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Season 1 recap — a year of building Firehouse out loud

1:30 What would you tell yourself on Day One?

4:00 The fears that were unfounded — and the ones you should have had

6:00 The myth about other operators having it figured out

7:39 What this season taught Mike and Monica about themselves

9:30 The daily revenue bar graph — 5 years of data on one screen

11:00 The one thing Mike changed his mind on: business coaches

12:00 Firehouse franchise — timeline, targets, and the AI team of attorneys

17:42 Roles, team structure, and hiring an Internal Sales Rep

23:40 Profit First in practice — 30% saved during spring, banked for winter

25:00 The Employee Scorecard System and what happened when it went live

29:05 Season 2 format: weekly, guests, and what's coming next

30:32 Finish the sentence: "What I wish someone had told me on Day One"

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

Year one of any business is expensive — not just in money, but in the mistakes you don't even know you're making until years later. In this episode, Mike and Monica get brutally honest about what 2014 actually looked like at Firehouse Power Washing: Monica holding onto her ER nursing shifts for the insurance paycheck while Mike washed solo with the kids in the backseat, and four full years of paper estimates left on doorsteps with no follow-up, no record, and no way to close.

Mike calls the paper system a "$100,000 a year mistake" — not because the system was hard to fix, but because it took him four years to fix it. They walk through what finally changed it: Jobber for digital quoting and follow-up, zone scheduling to stop the trucks from bouncing across the county, and a payroll switch from 1099s to W-2s before a workers' comp issue became a legal one.

The episode also goes deep on two habits that Mike credits for more growth than almost anything else: the work journal (he has ~75 throughout the house, subscribe-and-save on Amazon) and back-engineering every goal from the finish line. If you don't know where you're going, he says, you're rowing into open ocean with no direction. The books that shaped this season — *The Science of Scaling* by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and *Buy Back Your Time* by Dan Martell — both come up in a way that actually makes sense in context.

Whether you're in year one or year ten, this is the episode to send to anyone who still thinks paper systems and 1099s are good enough. They're not — and Firehouse learned that the hard way so you don't have to.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]

📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Jobber: jobber.com

📌 Books mentioned:

1. The Science of Scaling by Dr. Benjamin Hardy

2. Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

3. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Monica's Year 1 mistake: holding onto nursing for the paycheck

2:36 Mike's Year 1 mistake: paper estimates with no follow-up

9:01 Saying no to protect your time — The Science of Scaling

11:15 Zone scheduling and keeping techs out of gas stations

12:12 Back-engineering goals from the finish line

14:51 1099 vs. W-2 — the warning every operator needs to hear

15:49 The work journal habit and what gets measured gets improved

22:53 Going digital: Jobber and never looking back

26:00 Communication lanes in a marriage-and-business partnership

29:28 Bonus mistakes: the trailer, the single phone, the paper calendar

30:53 The AI wrap design problem and what great branding actually looks like

37:58 When to hire a business coach (and what to look for)

44:23 Market conditions and why this moment will thin the herd

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

Most pressure washing operators are running their business on memory, a group chat, and a prayer. In Episode 10, Mike and Monica pull back the curtain on the complete Firehouse tech stack — physical gear, software, and AI tools — and break down exactly what made the cut and what was a waste of money.

On the gear side, Mike gets specific: Honda GX690/800 EFI engines, Comet or General pumps, Titan 18-inch electric reels, Water Dragon chem tanks, and a parts locker stocked like an EMS closet. He calls out the Instagram lures — zero-turn surface cleaners and turbo nozzles — for what they are. Core philosophy: standardize one engine and one pump across every truck.

Software-wise, everything runs through Jobber — from the first inquiry handled by their VA in the Philippines, to zone scheduling, to the morning muster before trucks roll at 9 AM. The ChatGPT deep dive is worth the price of admission alone: Mike uses it like a $60K/year office manager, with Projects loaded with the franchise ops manual, FDD, and training docs. Their VA runs AI-voiced ads using Mike's cloned voice. HeyGen handles TikTok content.

The Signature Segment: the tools that reduced the most couple conflict weren't apps — they were boundaries. Separate phones, business line off at night, VA handling all calls through Uma. "You will not get to a million operating the way you are right now."

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]

📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Jobber: jobber.com

📌 HeyGen: heygen.com

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 From carbon-copy invoices to Jobber

6:00 Full rig breakdown: engines, pumps, reels, chem tanks

14:00 Gear that was a waste of money

19:00 Three must-have tools for new operators

24:00 In-house oil changes and parts locker system

29:00 Customer journey inside Jobber

36:00 Zone scheduling and morning muster meeting

41:00 Day-to-day communication system

46:00 ChatGPT deep dive — Projects, Google Drive, real use cases

53:00 AI in home services and Mike's 2030 prediction

58:00 Tools that reduced couple conflict

1:03:00 Quickfire: Jobber vs. competitors, best tool for franchisees

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

"Pressure washing is a seasonal business" is the excuse a lot of operators use when January hits and the phone stops ringing. Mike and Monica disagree — and they've got years of Firehouse Power Washing's real revenue curve to back it up. This episode is about turning predictable slow periods into a strategy instead of a crisis.

Mike maps out Firehouse's actual year: low in January, ramping through spring, peaking around June 15–20, a second slow stretch in August, a spike with Christmas lights in October–November, then flatline by December 15. Once you can see it clearly, you can plan around it. He covers how to read your own lead flow two weeks ahead of actual bookings, how to protect market share during slow periods by adjusting price without killing your margins, and why discounting your way through a slow season is like putting wet firewood on a fire.

The episode gives an honest take on the two most common off-season plays: Christmas light installation (great for existing clients, not recommended as a standalone startup) and maintenance plans. Mike shares the details of Firehouse's Chief's Clean Plan — a quarterly package combining roof wash, house wash, concrete, and gutter service — and what killed it temporarily. He also makes the case for roof cleaning as the easiest high-value add-on in the industry and points to dryer vent cleaning as a future recurring revenue play that fits the Firehouse brand perfectly.

The Couples Corner section is one of the most practical in the series. Mike and Monica break down their *Profit First* system: splitting daily revenue into predetermined percentages across payroll, savings, and COGS accounts every single day during the busy season so that when January comes, there's no panic. If you've ever felt like your bank account runs your emotions, this conversation is for you.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]

📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Guru Gutters: SuckMyGutters.com

📌 Book mentioned:

1. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

2. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

3. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Live field call interruption — real operations in real time

3:00 Busting the seasonal business myth

5:30 Firehouse's real year-round revenue curve

7:30 Competitive pricing strategy to protect market share in slow months

12:00 How to track lead flow and spot slowdowns two weeks early

18:00 Honest assessment of Christmas light installation as a revenue add-on

29:30 Roof cleaning, gutter brightening, and easy add-on services

30:00 The Chief's Clean Plan — maintenance plans for recurring revenue

32:30 Dryer vent cleaning as a future brand-aligned revenue stream

35:00 Profit First in practice — how Mike and Monica split daily revenue

40:00 Marriage, money discipline, and not panicking in January

51:00 Quick-fire round: Christmas lights, maintenance plans, discounting

53:30 #1 reason pressure washers go broke their first winter

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

Most pressure washing operators hire their first employee when they're desperate, not when they're ready — and that's exactly where it goes wrong. In this episode, Mike and Monica share the real story of their first hire, a fellow firefighter named Haider, and break down the actual math and mindset behind knowing when it's time to bring someone on.

Mike gets into the numbers: if you're booked out two to four weeks, you're leaving money on the table. He walks through how to calculate your true monthly capacity (one rig, $1,000 a day, 20 working days = $20K ceiling) and explains why your labor rate target should sit between 10 and 30 percent before you ever post a job listing. He also shares the "one is none, two is one" rule — a solo operator with a twisted ankle has no business.

The hiring system Mike lays out is specific and repeatable: build an employee avatar before you advertise, source through word of mouth and referrals instead of job boards, screen candidates before the interview even starts, and onboard with two shadow days before putting anyone on a rig alone. He also shares his Employee Scorecard System — drawn from *Traction* by Gino Wickman — which removes emotion from performance reviews by rating attitude, work ethic, attendance, callbacks, upsells, and Google review percentage every month.

Monica adds the part most couples in business never talk about: the lanes. Operations and production are Mike's. Marketing, admin, and client relationships are hers. Without that boundary, hiring decisions become arguments. Whether you're still solo or already leading a small crew, this episode gives you a framework to hire smart the first time — and keep the people worth keeping.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]

📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Article: "How to Attract, Employ and Retain A Players" — firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Interview questionnaire: email [email protected] to request

📌 Book mentioned:

1. Traction by Gino Wickman

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 The first hire story — Haider and watching the taillights disappear

6:00 Signs you're ready to hire vs. just exhausted

11:00 Capacity math: calculating your monthly revenue ceiling

15:30 Tech first, admin later — who to hire and when

20:00 Where to find A-players (and why Indeed isn't it)

26:00 Building your employee avatar and hiring advertisement

30:00 The interview process and one-sheet questionnaire

36:00 Onboarding: two shadow days, no ladders, no driving

41:00 Employee Scorecard System from Traction

46:00 Daily pay vs. hourly — and why Firehouse uses daily

52:00 Full-timers in a seasonal business (the expensive lesson)

57:00 Hiring as a couple — defining lanes to protect your marriage

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

Starting a pressure washing business from scratch sounds exciting until you realize how many mistakes are waiting for you. In this episode, Mike and Monica break down the real difference between going independent and buying into a franchise, without the polished sales pitch most people expect.

They get honest about what franchising actually costs, what you gain in return, and why systems matter way more than most new business owners think. From SOPs and training programs to royalties and scaling, this episode dives into the stuff people usually don’t talk about publicly.

Mike also explains the mindset behind building Firehouse Power Wash into a franchise model, including how firefighter culture, branding, and operational systems all tie together. Monica brings the practical side of the conversation, asking the same questions most spouses and future business owners would ask before signing anything.

Whether you’re thinking about launching your own home service business or trying to figure out how to grow the one you already have, this episode gives a raw look at the trade-offs behind both paths.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]

📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

📌 Book mentioned:

1. Change Your Habits, Change Your Life by Tom Corley
2. The Book on Mental Toughness by Andy Frisella
3. The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham
4. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
5. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
6. Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
7. Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
8. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
9. Think Big by Donald Trump
10. Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly
11. The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
12. Book mentioned: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
13. Book mentioned: Profit First by Mike Michalowicz

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Independent vs franchise business ownership

6:05 What a franchise actually gives you

11:56 Breaking down franchise fees and royalties

15:06 Why 343 to NYC matters to Firehouse

21:02 How royalties actually work

28:29 Inside the Firehouse training program

32:22 What makes someone successful in business

36:12 The biggest myth about franchising

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥

This episode breaks down why building a brand in a smaller market can actually give you a massive advantage. Mike and Monica get into the real difference between being known online versus being known in your community, and why local trust beats big city marketing every time.

From sponsorships and school partnerships to turning one-star reviews into loyal customers, this conversation is packed with practical lessons for anyone building a service business. They also get honest about contractor stereotypes, customer psychology, and why responsiveness matters more than being the cheapest quote.

A big theme throughout the episode is community presence. Whether it’s showing up at local events, sponsoring youth sports, or simply having recognizable trucks in town, the Firehouse team explains how consistency compounds over time in smaller markets.

They also dive into growth strategy, pricing jobs outside your territory, and why trying to compete with a massive metro area can drain your business fast if you’re not careful. If you run any type of home service company, there’s a lot here you can apply immediately.

📌 Firehouse Power Washing: www.firehousepowerwash.com

📌 Franchise inquiries: [email protected]

📌 PWNA: www.pwna.org

⏱️ Episode Breakdown

0:00 Building a brand in a small market

2:49 What makes a brand memorable

5:22 Why small markets are easier to win

11:29 Using sponsorships and community events

13:59 When to stop chasing big city jobs

17:34 Why local brands beat national companies

20:30 Partnering with real estate agents

25:00 The Firehouse customer journey

27:59 Why responsiveness wins customers

32:55 Building recognition with wrapped trucks

35:17 Turning a one-star review into a five-star review

Follow Hose & Hustle so you never miss an episode. And remember, no one is better with water than a firefighter on their day off. 🔥