HoldCo Bros are back! In this episode, Nik and I discuss the world of sales and unexpectedly profitable business models, such as pest control, a field I have personal experience in. We examine how high incomes can be achieved through door-to-door sales, as well as the financial dynamics of the pest control industry. We also discuss the compensation structure of sales crews and the potential of renting out specialized licenses. We explore the idea of pest control as a convenience service rather than a necessity, and share the story of an entrepreneur who achieved remarkable success with a Christmas lighting business.

Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik

Share your ideas with us:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
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00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdotes
03:37 The Economics of Pest Control
06:46 Insights on Sales Ethics and Practices
11:38 Personal Experiences in Pest Control
15:16 Questioning the Effectiveness of Pest Control
16:08 Revelation: Pest Control is a Scam
17:00 The Convenience Business Model
18:15 Success Story: Christmas Lighting Business
23:39 Entrepreneurial Spectrum: Different Approaches
25:55 Learning from Mistakes: The Importance of Knowledge

This is part 2 of a two-part conversation with Daniel. Be sure to listen to part 1 (aired Jan 27, 2025, Ep. #123) to hear how he got started, found the right niche, and set up the systems to grow and succeed.

I sat down with Daniel Cronauer (LinkedIn), to continue our conversation about his entrepreneurial journey. In this episode, Daniel shares his unique strategies for acquiring customers, using rock flyers and yard signs. Daniel also talks about how he expanded his business with Christmas lights, and discusses his experience building his own gym from the ground up. He also touches on his experience with permanent light installations and their drawbacks as a business.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
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Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
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---

00:00 Introduction: Acquiring Customers
01:06 The Power of Yard Signs
01:35 Handling Complaints and Mental Toughness
01:49 Success Stories and Testimonials
02:51 Rock Flyers: A Unique Marketing Strategy
03:54 Operation Carpet Bomb: Aggressive Marketing
05:33 The Importance of Visibility and Branding
11:27 Networking and Personal Connections
16:23 Gym Anecdotes and Personal Stories
18:50 Vigilante for Good: Sneaking into Gyms
19:48 Building a Gym from Scratch
20:06 Entrepreneurial Lessons and Challenges
23:46 Navigating Competition in the Gym Business
30:15 Expanding to Multiple Locations
33:33 Permanent Light Business Insights
36:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, I'm sharing my mind-blowing experience using OpenAI's new ChatGPT Operator, where I ran 10 AI agents simultaneously. I'll discuss how I used the Operator to perform 10 business tasks, like finding underpriced items and scraping product reviews. I’ll explain how the AI opened multiple tabs, and completed tasks like a human, and even how it learned from its mistakes, and how it was able to reverse Google image search to find a supplier. I'll share how it can watch videos on Instagram, and how I had ChatGPT talk to ChatGPT for me. I’ll also mention the glitches I found, but also why I'm so excited about the future of AI in business.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
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Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
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---

00:00 Introduction to AI Operator and Excitement
03:00 Exploring the Capabilities of AI Operator
05:53 Practical Applications and Results of AI Tasks
08:51 Challenges and Limitations Encountered
12:07 Innovative Uses and Future Implications of AI
14:59 Conclusion and Reflections on AI's Impact

HoldCo Bros are back! This episode, Nik and I explore how AI is changing the world and talk about cool AI business ideas. We talk about digital detox, po*nography addiction, and phone addiction - real issues that also present business opportunities. We cover creating info products and selling AI prompts on platforms like PromptBase.com, showing how a simple prompt can serve as the foundation for an entire business, including a SaaS product. We also discuss how prompts are becoming the new SEO and how AI wrappers can simplify complex tools. Lastly, we introduce the concept of a tool that helps entrepreneurs find business ideas by analyzing their data and personal experiences. 

Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik

Links and Resources:

• https://promptbase.com - Buy and sell prompts for AI tools.
• https://replit.com - Make a chatbot.
• https://www.cursor.com - Tool that helps you coding and creating apps.

Share your ideas with us:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os
---
00:00 Exploring Business Opportunities in AI
02:51 Digital Addiction and Its Impact
06:08 The Role of po*nography in Modern Society
09:00 Creating Retreats for Digital Detox
11:54 Leveraging AI for Business Ideas
14:50 The Power of Prompts in AI
18:14 Building SaaS Products from Prompts
21:04 Understanding the Concept of Wrappers
23:57 Real-World Applications of AI in Business
26:46 Accountability and Idea Validation with AI

Check out the tools I use for my newsletter business:
➡ Beehiiv – Build and monetize your newsletter: [https://www.beehiiv.com?via=chris-koerner]
➡ SparkLoop – Grow your list with co-reg: [https://dash.sparkloop.app/signup?aff=b0c6f403]

Using these links gets you a discount and helps support this podcast. 🚀

I'm back with another Q&A episode! This week, I advise Dustin on recovering from business failure, suggesting he consider buying a business and exploring local opportunities. Then, I help Demetrius focus his many ideas, suggesting he validate them with online tools rather than launching them right away. I also talk about focusing on improving your current business and getting more customers. Finally, I discuss the power of newsletters with an anonymous listener, explaining the benefits of co-registration and using Facebook ads to drive traffic, as well as recommending Beehiiv and SparkLoop.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os
---
00:00 Introduction
00:31 Dustin’s $500K Business Vanished—What Now?
04:58 Demetrius’ ‘Uber for Trees’ Idea—Can It Work?
09:29 Newsletter Writer Goes Solo—Will It Succeed?
23:58 Conclusion

I sat down with Daniel Cronauer (LinkedIn), an entrepreneur who built his success by starting and scaling service-based businesses. In this episode, Daniel shares practical advice on getting started, finding the right niche, and setting up systems to grow and succeed. If you’re thinking about starting your first business, this episode is packed with clear, actionable steps to help you hit the ground running.

This is part 1 of a two-part conversation with Daniel. Be sure to tune in next week for part 2, where we explore advanced strategies for acquiring customers and other home service niches that really no one's talking about.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
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---
00:00 Introduction to Power Washing Business
01:29 Danny's Journey: From Gym Teacher to Entrepreneur
07:14 The Power of Marketing and Customer Acquisition
12:21 Diversifying Services: From Roof Cleaning to Commercial Power Washing
19:01 Niche Opportunities: HVAC Coil Cleaning
27:37 Scaling the Business: Predictable Revenue Streams
35:54 Christmas Lights: A Seasonal Revenue Stream

Get a free 30 day trial of HL with this link only! https://www.gohighlevel.com/chris-koerner

HoldCo Bros are back! In this episode, Nik and I are diving into marketing with a look at the "OG" internet marketing guru, Frank Kern. We talk about his 8-step sales process, from overwhelming with value to creating scarcity, and explore how these methods remain relevant in the AI age. We also talk about how to reverse engineer successful marketing funnels and the importance of copying what works, adapting it to your unique experiences, and how Frank Kern learned from the likes of Gary Halbert and Claude Hopkins. Finally, we discuss two AI investment strategies - the "cigarette butt" approach and a long-term view focusing on human interaction and authenticity, while also discussing the concept of rebundling and how what’s old becomes new again.

Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
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---
00:00 The Origins of Internet Marketing and Frank Kern
10:10 Frank Kern's Eight-Step Selling Process
19:58 The Importance of Scarcity in Marketing
30:10 Investment Strategies in the Age of AI

In this episode, I share my thoughts on why I love home service businesses, including their potential for binary outcomes, recurring revenue, and recession resistance. Then, I interview Doug Steel (parkcitiespowerwash.com), a home service business owner in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, about his journey building his power washing company and expanding into other services like Christmas lights and window washing. Doug shares advice on how to start a home service business, how to get your first customers and how to price jobs. This episode is a mix of a monologue and an interview.

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os
---
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:40 Why Home Services?
01:14 The Binary Outcome Business Model
01:50 High Demand and Recurring Revenue
03:32 AI and Home Services
05:19 Interview with Doug: Starting a Power Washing Business
06:25 Expanding Service Lines
11:32 Challenges and Advice for Home Service Businesses
22:52 Conclusion and Contact Information

I sat down with Darryl Knight, the owner of From Porch Flora (https://frontporchflora.com), a seasonal flower subscription business, about how he built his company. We start by discussing Darryl's background in landscaping and horticulture, and how that led him to this idea. Darryl shares the story of his initial business idea, which involved greenhouses growing plants in "plant pies" and delivering them to nurseries, then he explains how he pivoted to buying plants from greenhouses, pre-assembling them into inserts, and swapping them out seasonally for his customers, which made his business far more scalable. Darryl also shares insights on the financial side, including his revenue, costs, and net margins, and the challenges of managing a seasonal business with fluctuating labor needs. Finally, we talk about the surprising way that he started offering pumpkins, based on my previous episode, and lastly his great idea to expand by partnering with realtors.

Links for Front Porch Flora's Social Media
Follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/frontporchflora
Follow them on Instagram: www.instagram.com/frontporchflora  

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
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---
00:00 Highlights 
00:35 Introduction and Guest Background
00:42 Inspiration Behind the Business
01:17 Business Model Evolution
01:57 Guest's Professional Background
04:42 Challenges and Pivots
07:42 Current Business Model
14:35 Customer Base and Marketing Strategies
20:16 Seasonal Operations and Labor
22:53 Scalability and Future Plans
27:33 Customer Retention and New Ideas
29:06 Conclusion and Contact Information

HoldCo Bros are back! In this episode, Nik and I are discussing "IGenius," a segment where we analyze business ideas found on Instagram, focusing on how to turn viral trends into real-world opportunities. We brainstormed various ideas, including experiential businesses, such as a coffee shop with a sandbox, a kids' play area with a high-end parent area, and a live fish vending machine.

We also explored mobile businesses like a mobile bookstore, and the importance of being "indistractable" in the physical world. Additionally, we considered unique product businesses such as a wart removal kit, and the business potential of the microplastics trend. We also discussed frameworks for creating businesses that capture attention, and ways to make it harder for parents to say no to their kids when making purchases.

Learn more about Nik here: http://linktr.ee/cofoundersnik

Timestamps below. Enjoy!
---
Watch this on YouTube instead here: tkopod.co/p-yt
Ask me a question on or off the show here: http://tkopod.co/p-ask
Learn more about me: http://tkopod.co/p-cjk
Learn about my company: http://tkopod.co/p-cof
Follow me on Twitter here: http://tkopod.co/p-x
Free weekly business ideas newsletter: http://tkopod.co/p-nl
Share this podcast: http://tkopod.co/p-all
Scrape small business data: http://tkopod.co/p-os
---
00:00 Introduction to the New Episode Format
00:55 Evaluating Instagram Business Ideas
01:36 Sandbox Coffee Shop Concept
03:32 Experiential Business Models
08:46 Cold Wet Socks Therapy
10:46 Marketing and Monetizing Simple Ideas
16:33 Micro Peas and Immaturity
16:38 Live Fish Vending Machine
19:07 Business Ideas for Kids
22:14 Mobile Bookstore Concept
27:00 Jerry Springer and Attention Economy
31:46 Parenting and Technology