OWNR OPS Podcast

💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownrops

What happens when a $30M company replaces consultants with AI chatbots?

Or when a snow plow business owner uses GoPros, Descript, and ChatGPT to build scalable SOPs?

In this no-theory, boots-on-the-ground episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, Nik of Nikonomics walks through:

• Real-world AI use cases in manufacturing, sales, and onboarding

• How to document your processes and train AI like an employee

• Using ChatGPT to create SOPs, hire an assistant, and even outline job descriptions

• The importance of learning AI before the inflection point hits

• Tools like Limitless, OpenPhone, Descript, and custom GPTs
  

If you're a small business owner looking to scale or streamline your ops with AI, this episode is your playbook.

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥

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

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

📚 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📰

Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownrops

Can you really scale a handyman business to $1M in under 12 months? Tim Leary did—and he breaks down exactly how.

Tim shares how he transitioned from real estate to handyman services and turned a few small jobs into a thriving local business in Salt Lake City. 

From TV mounting and fencing to automated follow-ups, learn how he used Google LSA, a VA, and simple SOPs to unlock scale.

You’ll hear:

• Why TV mounting might be the easiest $300/hour service today

• His conversion-boosting strategy: from 25% to 55%

• How one full-time estimator cut lead spend by 75%

• The tech stack powering his business (Go High Level, Housecall Pro, more)

• The truth about pricing, branding, and customer experience

• Why he’s open-sourcing his playbook and building niche software
  

  
  

Whether you're a solo operator or building your first crew, this episode gives you tactical advice you can apply today. 

And if you’ve ever said, “I just want a business I can start this week,”—this is your sign.

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥

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

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

📚 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownrops

How do you turn one viral auction post into a thriving $5 mastermind, multiple digital products, and high-ticket coaching? 

Shannon Jean—serial entrepreneur and liquidation pro—breaks down his entire Whistle → Workhorse → Whale system:

• The “auction whistle” that rocketed him from 500 → 39K followers
  

• Crafting a simple PDF lead magnet that captured 1,000+ emails
  

• Pricing (& repurposing) digital products on Gumroad and Kajabi
  

• Building a global team and using Content OS to 10× content output
  

• Creating the $5 Mastermind community as a low-friction funnel
  

• When to raise prices on coaching and manage client demand
  

• Delegation tips: freeing yourself from sales & ops to chase bigger plays
  

If you’re ready to transform attention into scalable revenue—whether through newsletters, courses, or community—this episode is your playbook.

Links & Resources

• Follow Shannon on X: @ShannonJean

•OWNR OPS Newsletter & tools: ownerops.com

Rate ★★★★★ and follow the show to never miss a founder’s firsthand growth story!

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥

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

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

📚 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownrops

Trades businesses often believe branding is just a logo or a truck wrap—but what if your brand could become your biggest growth driver?

Austin Gray interviews Brian Sooy, a certified brand architect, StoryBrand consultant, and 30-year branding veteran who has helped hundreds of blue-collar businesses build brands that stand out, scale, and sell.

Together, they explore:

• • The biggest branding mistakes service companies make
  • Why your brand starts with messaging—not visuals
  • How to reposition your brand without starting from scratch
  • The power of storytelling, emotional hooks, and customer-driven messaging
  • Brian’s CARE framework: Clarity, Alignment, Relevance, Experience
  • How Bear Claw is evolving from “land services” to “land beautification”
  • Why branding is the foundation for premium pricing and team attraction
• 
  

Whether you're just getting started or refining your message after years, this episode is packed with branding clarity and practical direction for the trades.

Ready to make your brand famous? Tune in now.

🔗 Follow Brian Sooy:X (Twitter): https://x.com/briansooy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansooy

🎁 Free Resources from Brian:

✅ Blue Collar Branding Checklist + Ella: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1veFd4KPXgltFxFnvS4y3L-6KX140H6YF/view?usp=sharing

📘 Brian Sooy’s book Blue Collar Branding drops July 22 — a clear guide to help blue-collar businesses stand out.

🚀Try Ella AI for free for 14 days: https://www.atomicelevator.com/bluecollarbranding

🚀 Try StoryBrand AI – 7-Day FreeTrial: https://go.aespire.com/sbai/

🔗 Follow Austin Gray:

X (Twitter): https://x.com/theownerop

Have a business question? Text 970-585-OWNR and we'll answer in live Q&A in a future episode!

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥

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

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

📚 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownrops

In this episode of OWNR OPS Podcast, Austin Gray sits down with Asa Hunt, the founder of Big Horn Painting, who transformed a layoff from his tech sales job into a thriving local business. 

From growing his revenue to over $300K in his first year to scaling with a mix of Facebook Ads, networking, and smart referrals, Asa opens up about the early struggles and key strategies that led to success.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of building referral relationships with roofers and property managers

• Asa’s approach to Facebook Ads and why simple videos work

• How to scale smarter with commercial jobs

• Tips for creating high-converting email drip campaigns to nurture leads

• Overcoming the fear of failure and finding success in entrepreneurship
  

If you’re a local business owner or thinking of starting your own service-based business, don’t miss Asa’s actionable insights into building a business from scratch. 

This episode is packed with real-world advice and inspiration for any entrepreneur aiming to make the leap to six figures—and beyond.

Have a business question? Text 970-585-OWNR and we'll answer in live Q&A in a future episode!

📚 Recommended Watch: Want to dive deeper into understanding Lifetime Value vs. Customer Acquisition Cost? Watch this breakdown by Alex Hormozi

👉 https://youtu.be/jzKpAtzKQ54?si=uyw4jDxiRA2UlWZa

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥

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

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

📞 QUO- Business Phone System That Scales With You: Get 20% off your first 3 months. ⁠http://quo.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 on Google with Stryker Digital SEO: ⁠https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo⁠

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

Tim Leary is building the coolest handyman company in America—and he did it in just 12 months. 

On this episode of OwnerOps, he breaks down how Handies Handyman scaled from $0 to $83K/month using sharp branding, fast service, and a ruthless focus on what actually works.

Tim shares:

• Why he said no to remodels, electrical, and big projects
  

• How TV mounting became a secret goldmine at $300+ per job
  

• His VA system for turning mistakes into SOPs
  

• How switching to a dedicated estimator doubled close rates
  

• His vision for building software specifically for the handyman industry
  

If you’re thinking about starting a local service business—or want to scale from chuck-in-a-truck to $1M/year—this is your blueprint.

🛠️ Follow Tim: @TimFlynnLeary

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥We use Jobber to manage our quoting, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off your first 6 months here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops-youtube📚 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownropsDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

In this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, Austin Gray talks with Tanner Mullen—a founder who helped build and sell a business for a jaw-dropping 9-figure exit. 

Now on his next mission, Tanner is building a startup in public and sharing everything he’s learned about hiring, delegation, scaling, and letting go of ego.

This episode is packed with real-world founder lessons—from how Tanner built culture at scale, to why he let people quit, to the questions he asks in every final interview.

Whether you’re just starting out or hiring your 20th employee, you’ll want to hear this.

HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00 – Intro: 9-figure exit and what’s next

02:15 – Tanner’s biggest regret: Not slowing down after the sale

03:40 – How ego held him back as a founder

05:10 – Letting go: “People should quit if it’s not a fit”

08:20 – Scaling culture while scaling teams

11:30 – Why he stopped chasing growth for growth’s sake

14:00 – The one question he asks in every final interview

17:15 – Tanner’s next chapter: Building in public

20:00 – Hiring advice: What he looks for in operators

22:45 – Coaching, mental health, and founder identity

26:00 – Advice for founders who feel stuck or lonely

29:10 – How much freedom do you really want?

—

🔗 Connect with Tanner Mullen on Twitter: https://x.com/tannerdripjobs

🔥 Mentioned in This Episode 🔥

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

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

📚 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → ownrops.com/newsletter

💰 Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz: ➡️ https://skool.com/ownrops

In this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, Austin Gray sits down with Tyler Griffin, founder of Swift Pro, a service-based business specializing in HVAC and plumbing.

Tyler shares his journey of launching Swift Pro after a successful exit from another business, offering insights on business strategy, values, and the hard work behind entrepreneurship in a competitive market.

If you’re starting or scaling a blue-collar business, this episode is packed with tactical tips and personal lessons.

HIGHLIGHTS:

01:10 – The importance of professional presentation in business

05:00 – How Tyler built and exited his first business in the home services industry

08:30 – Pivoting from solar to HVAC and plumbing

11:50 – Key lessons learned from the previous business venture

15:00 – Why mission and values alignment matter in building a strong team

20:00 – The importance of reviews & leveraging brand legitimacy

23:15 – Building a solid marketing & sales engine from day one

28:00 – Recruiting the right people for your business growth

32:00 – The role of finance and operations in scaling

35:00 – What it’s like to transition from an owner/operator to CEO

40:00 – The struggles and rewards of being "all-in" on your business

45:00 – Tyler's vision for Swift Pro’s future and growth plans

🔗 Connect with Tyler GriffinTwitter (X): @_scrappystartup LinkedIn: Tyler Griffin

Mentioned in This Episode🔥

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

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

📖 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter

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

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!

In this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, Mike Compton of SWVA Stump Co. joins Austin Gray to discuss the journey of starting a stump grinding business from scratch. 

Mike shares how he transitioned from a W2 job to becoming an owner-operator, his approach to pricing jobs, and the ups and downs he encountered in his first five weeks of business. 

They also talk about the importance of taking fast action, learning from mistakes, and building credibility in a local market.

Mike’s journey is a perfect example of how entrepreneurs can start small, make mistakes, and grow through persistence and hard work. 

If you're thinking about starting a service-based business or just want some motivation, this episode is for you. 

Tune in for insights into equipment purchasing, marketing strategies, and overcoming challenges as a new business owner.

Text us your questions about starting your business at 970-585-OWNR!

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

📖 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

💰Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz:➡ https://skool.com/ownrops

Thanks for listening to the OWNR OPS Podcast, where we help entrepreneurs start and grow local service businesses. 

Join us every Friday for new episodes!

In this solo episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, I’m sharing some powerful insights I’ve been learning about how to scale a service-based business the right way. 

From mastering paid ads to building systems that actually work for growth, I break down the key strategies I’m using to grow my business, Bearclaw, and how you can apply them to your own local service business.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to optimize what you’ve already got, these actionable tips will help you level up and push your business forward.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Austin Gray — owner of Bearclaw Land Services, specializing in land clearing, forestry, and snowplowing. 

I’m also the host of OWNR OPS, where I share my journey and learn from other seven-figure service business owners so we can all grow together.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The importance of building strong systems before scaling.
  

• How paid advertising and sales funnels are critical to growth.
  

• Why tracking and analyzing leads through tools like Google Tag Manager is essential.
  

• How tagging customers in your CRM can increase long-term customer value.
  

• Austin’s top tips for generating better leads and optimizing marketing efforts.
  

Tune in and learn from Austin’s journey to growing a successful service business!

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

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

🔥 Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops

🔥 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker Digital⁠ SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo

Want to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?

📰 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → [ownrops.com/newsletter](http://ownrops.com/newsletter)

💰Join our Free OWNR OPS Skool Community to grow your local service biz:➡ https://skool.com/ownrops

Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and success stories!