OWNR OPS Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast!

In today's episode, I sit down again with Kriss Bergethon, a seasoned entrepreneur and the founder of SMB Uni, to discuss all things entrepreneurship, business growth, and practical advice for those starting out in the home services industry.

Kriss has built multiple successful businesses, and in this conversation, we dive deep into the strategies that helped him grow his ventures—from starting in the trenches to scaling rapidly. Whether you're considering entering the home service industry or you're already in it, we share invaluable insights that can help you fast-track your success.

💰 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free OW⁠NR OPS Skool Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to grow your local service biz

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

🔑 Here’s what we cover in this episode:

✅How an aging workforce in industries is opening up new opportunities for fresh entrepreneurs.

✅How leveraging relationships with contractors, property managers, and subcontractors expands business.

✅Why digital marketing, delivering five-star service, and leveraging reviews are essential for getting your business off the ground.

✅How hiring back-office support and outsourcing key tasks helped grow the business without burning out.

✅Kriss’s approach to using remote workers for tasks like marketing and bookkeeping.

✅His new platform, SMB Uni which offers courses, resources, and a community to support business growth.

✅Our strategies, challenges, and how we navigated early-stage growth.

This episode is a great mix of sharing stories, asking the tough questions, and offering practical, real-world advice that will help any entrepreneur succeed.

#entrepreneurship #homeservices #smallbusiness #businessgrowth #owneroperator #startups #businessadvice #digitalmarketing #delegation #workforce #entrepreneurjourney #contractors #marketingtips #businesssuccess #offshorehiring #subcontractors #businessstrategy #companyculture #hiringtips #remotework #smbuni #grit #startupadvice #scaleyourbusiness #five-starservice #businessinsights #entrepreneurtips #teamwork

📺 Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like and subscribe!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join me as I share my journey of launching a land-clearing business. With years of experience as an entrepreneur, I'll take you step-by-step through my approach to starting a home service business—from identifying my ideal customer to creating a solid plan for operations, sales and marketing, and finance.

💰 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free OW⁠NR OPS Skool Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to grow your local service biz

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

🔑 Here’s what we cover in this episode:

✅Why understanding your target market and creating a customer avatar is crucial

✅How I break down my business into three main areas: operations, sales and marketing, and finance

✅The role hiring plays in the early stages of your business and how I approach it strategically.

✅How I stay focused on "scoring touchdowns" and driving revenue in my business

Don’t miss the first episode of this series on starting a service-based business. Whether you're just getting started or looking to take your business to the next level, these episodes are packed with real advice and insights from my experience as an owner-operator.

📺 Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like and subscribe!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Simon Turner, who is a very seasoned and savvy entrepreneur. He has built and sold two companies over the last two decades, and he's the type of person who, whenever he commits to something, sees it through and does it.

Simon also shares the theme of building company culture, his thoughts on creating a positive and productive work environment, and how to foster a sense of community and teamwork within an organization.

💰 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free OW⁠NR OPS Skool Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to grow your local service biz

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅The importance of going all-in and making a long-term commitment to a business

✅Simon's approach to dealing with challenges and setbacks

✅Building company culture: focus on people and creating a positive work environment

✅The role of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurship

Simon is an expert at finding the right people for his organizations. Don’t miss out on his powerful insights—listen now and get inspired to achieve success in both your personal and professional life!

#entrepreneurjourney #servicebusiness #entrepreneurship #localbusiness #businessowner #businesstransformation #successstory #worklifebalance #businessgrowth #businessculture #companyculture #entrepreneur #business

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here:https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, Nolan Gore, the owner of Top Choice Lawn Care, joins the podcast to discuss his journey into entrepreneurship, his experiences balancing work and family life, and the challenges of managing a growing business.

From early morning recording sessions to navigating the complexities of business ownership, Nolan offers a candid look into his personal and professional life. 

💰 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free OW⁠NR OPS Skool Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to grow your local service biz

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

🔑 Here’s what we cover in this episode:

✅Nolan’s daily routine, managing work and family life with four kids.

✅Buying a struggling landscaping business in 2016 and the challenges that came with it.

✅How his company grew from $1.6M to $7M and the leadership lessons he's learned along the way.

Discover how Nolan balances building a thriving business with prioritizing family. Don’t miss out on his powerful insights—listen now and get inspired to achieve success in both your personal and professional life! 

#fromstrugglestomillions  #7msuccess  #businesscomeback  #entrepreneurjourney  #turningfailureintosuccess  #businesstransformation  #successstory  #worklifebalance  #familyandbusiness

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Kent Sheridan, owner of Swift Demo, who pivoted from running a high-end instant coffee startup to building a $1.5M demolition business in just a few years.

Kent shares his unconventional journey from struggling with negative cash flow in a complex manufacturing business to finding success in a simple, service-based trade.

We dive into how he scaled Swift Demo, built a highly profitable team, and overcame the challenges of starting from scratch—twice.

💰 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free OW⁠NR OPS Skool Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to grow your local service biz

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅ How Kent transitioned from the coffee industry to selective demolition and why simplicity wins.

✅ The B2B sales approach that helped him land key remodeler contracts and grow his client base.

✅ The importance of persistence in cold outreach—how he turned multiple rejections into a $40k+ client.

✅ Why Kent keeps his business model lean with low overhead, high margins, and premium pricing.

✅ The "Valley of Despair" in business—how to push through slow seasons and trust the process.

If you’re looking to start or grow a service business with high-profit potential, this episode is full of practical insights from someone who’s built a thriving company from the ground up.

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Andy Garrett, owner of Garrett Excavating, who grew his excavation business from a truck, trailer, and skid steer to a $6M operation in just a few years.

💰 Join our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free OW⁠NR OPS Skool Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to grow your local service biz

🚜 Learn How To Grow Your Excavation Business In The Dirt Crew Skool Group

Andy shares how he and his dad started the company, the pivotal moments that accelerated their growth, and the key hires that allowed them to scale without burning out. From bidding on their first big commercial project to building a strong leadership team, this episode is packed with lessons for service business owners.

📙Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅ How Andy and his dad went from small residential jobs to landing six-figure commercial projects.

✅ The first key hires that helped him step out of day-to-day operations and focus on growth.

✅ The importance of building a repeatable lead generation system (SEO, Google reviews, and cold outreach).

✅ Why he shifted to a full-site development model and how he strategically uses subcontractors to scale.

✅ How Andy structures his leadership team, pays his key employees, and fosters a strong company culture.

If you’re looking to grow your excavation or service business the right way, this episode is full of actionable insights.

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Logan, who built a six-figure Airbnb cleaning business but realized he needed to pivot to scale further.

After going all-in on short-term rental cleaning and hiring a full-time operations manager, he found himself stuck—until a game-changing dinner with industry expert Johnny Robinson pushed him to rethink everything.

Logan shares how he’s restructuring his business, replacing high overhead with a leaner, more profitable model, and leveraging marketing and outreach to hit a $1M run rate.

If you’re growing a service business or considering a shift in strategy, this episode is packed with insights.

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅ Why Logan initially focused only on Airbnb cleaning—and why he’s expanding now.

✅ The costly mistake of hiring too soon & how VAs are replacing his full-time manager.

✅ How he’s using Google LSAs, cold outreach, and networking to land bigger contracts.

✅ The mindset shift from operator to owner & focusing on high-leverage tasks.

✅ Lessons learned from a brutally honest dinner with Johnny Robinson.

Whether you’re launching, pivoting, or scaling, Logan’s journey offers valuable takeaways on making smarter business decisions.

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Brock Peel, owner of Canadian Sanitation. Brock and his crew of three have built a highly profitable septic business, hitting $2.3M in revenue last year.Brock shares his step-by-step process for estimating septic jobs, pricing for profitability, and streamlining operations to maximize efficiency. If you’re in the excavation or septic industry—or just looking to sharpen your estimating skills—this episode is packed with actionable insights.

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: ⁠https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅ How to accurately calculate daily operating costs and overhead.

✅ The importance of local material pricing when estimating jobs.

✅ Smart strategies for accounting for inspections and mobilization time.

✅ Why speed in estimating gives you a competitive edge.

✅ How to set pricing that ensures healthy profit margins on every job.

Whether you’re new to septic work or looking to improve your estimating process, you’ll walk away with key takeaways from Brock’s expertise.

#septictankinstallation #septicsystem #entrepreneurship #servicebusiness #septictanks #smallbusiness #makemillions #generateincome #business #localbusiness

Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify! Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like and subscribe.

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Septic Pro Academy: https://www.skool.com/septic-pro-academy

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠

🔥 Stump Guy Ty uses Jobber to send fast quotes, schedule jobs, & send easy-to-pay invoices to his clients

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Tyler Mumford, founder of Grind Time Stump Grinding. Tyler left a $175K/year tech sales job to start a stump grinding business, and in just a few months, he’s already hit $75K in revenue.

Tyler shares how he validated demand, secured jobs before purchasing equipment, and leveraged cold outreach to grow fast. If you’re considering starting a local service business or looking for ways to scale, this episode is full of actionable insights.

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅ How Tyler tested demand before making big investments.

✅ Smart strategies for financing and renting equipment.

✅ Leveraging cold outreach to secure consistent work.

✅ Simple upsells that increase revenue without extra labor.

✅ Effective pricing strategies for maximum profitability.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining your processes, you’ll gain valuable takeaways from Tyler’s journey.

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠

On this week’s podcast episode, I share an exciting update about a new partnership with Jobber, the all-in-one software management solution for home service and trade businesses. I break down how Jobber transformed Bear Claw's operations, from simplifying customer management to streamlining job scheduling and payment collection, all while saving time and reducing stress. If you’ve ever wondered how to optimize your service business, adopt game-changing technology, or manage multiple crews more efficiently, this episode is packed with actionable insights and valuable lessons.

📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook

Here’s what we covered:

✅ How Jobber helps capture and organize customer information for streamlined operations.

✅ The power of automation in invoicing, job scheduling, and payment collection.

✅ Tips for effectively managing multiple crews using Jobber’s scheduling features.

✅ Why adopting modern software is essential to staying competitive in today's market.

✅ The role of Bear Claw Media in scaling service businesses with proven marketing strategies.

Whether you're just starting or looking to make your service business more efficient and scalable, this episode offers practical strategies and inspiration to help you on your journey.

🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!

This episode is brought to you by:

🔥 We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing

➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📞 We moved our phone line to OpenPhone so that we can record calls, summarize & tag customers with AI, and integrate with Jobber.

➡️ Get 20% off OpenPhone here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://get.openphone.com/ownr-ops⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀 Get 50% DISCOUNT DialedIn Bookkeeping⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🚀Local SEO Stryker Digital: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: Weekly growth tips from real 7-figure service OWNRS → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ownrops.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠