Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At 28 years old, Darren from Lent Excavating, Landscaping & Forestry has built a business doing roughly $300K–$350K a year after starting from scratch just four years ago.

But his path to becoming a successful excavation, landscaping, tree, and boulder contractor was anything but straightforward. Darren started working on a dairy farm at just 13 years old, spent years job hopping, learned to operate heavy equipment, and eventually discovered his ability to sell while door knocking for a tree company.

After years of working for other companies, Darren finally decided to bet on himself and start his own business. He quickly learned that owning equipment and knowing how to do the work doesn't automatically mean customers will show up.

His first year brought in roughly $90K in revenue, but he only took home around $15K. He bought equipment he didn't need, took whatever work he could find, and spent thousands of dollars on lead services that produced little in return.

Over the next few years, Darren figured out how to find better work, price jobs properly, generate his own leads, and build a more profitable business. Revenue grew from roughly $90K in year one, to $135K–$140K in year two, over $200K in year three, and more than $300K in year four.

You’ll discover:

• How Darren went from working on a dairy farm at 13 to running a $300K+ home service business
• How door knocking taught him the sales skills that helped build his company
• Why his first year generated $90K but only put about $15K in his pocket
• The expensive lessons he learned from buying equipment before having the work to justify it
• How he got into the boulder business and turned rocks into a major source of opportunity
• Why spending thousands on Angi and other lead services was one of his biggest mistakes
• How door knocking helped him generate a consistent flow of tree work
• Creative ways to find leads through township meetings, auctions, sales barns, and estate sales
• How Darren grew from $90K to $300K+ while remaining a lean operation
• Why getting rid of unnecessary equipment actually made the business MORE profitable
• The importance of working ON the business instead of constantly working IN it
• What happened when Darren tipped over a 65-size excavator on a job site
• The crazy customer story that involved a backpack blower, a sheriff, and a wealthy family
• How a customer dispute eventually turned into a lawsuit
• Why treating customers with respect and simply picking up the phone can have a massive impact

Today, Darren runs a leaner, more profitable business focused on tree work, excavation, boulder walls, lot clearing, and agricultural work.

His story is a raw look at what building a home service business actually looks like: bad jobs, slow seasons, bad investments, lawsuits, expensive lessons, and plenty of mistakes.

But through all of it, Darren kept hustling, kept learning, and kept moving forward.

As he says: block out the haters, do your homework, treat people right, and keep going.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At 16 years old, Rob from FYI Landscaping started mowing lawns and doing small landscaping jobs for neighbors. Today, at 30, he has 7–8 employees, a fleet of heavy equipment, has completed projects north of $200K, and is on track to do roughly $1.4M this year.

Rob's journey wasn't built overnight. After earning a construction management degree, an internship opportunity fell through, which led him to realize he could turn his landscaping business into a full-time career. What started as roughly $50K–$100K on the side eventually grew into a seven-figure operation.

One of the most interesting parts of Rob's business is his four-day work week. Rather than building a company around nonstop grinding, he created a culture focused on productivity, quality work, and giving his employees a life outside of work. The result? A team that keeps coming back, works efficiently, and helped the company grow from just over $1M last year toward $1.4M this year.

Rob also shares the mistakes that shaped the business, including a $30K project that went south because of poorly documented change orders, and how he learned to gradually move from $5K patios to $30K, $80K, $100K+ and eventually $200K+ projects.

You’ll discover:

• How Rob went from mowing lawns at 16 to building a $1.4M landscaping company
• How he grew the business organically while staying largely debt free
• Why smaller $5K–$30K projects can be extremely profitable
• How he built a four-day work week without sacrificing growth
• The $30K mistake that taught him a massive lesson about change orders
• How he gradually worked his way into $100K–$200K+ projects
• Why over-communication is critical when managing large jobs
• How he finds and keeps great employees
• Why taking responsibility for employee mistakes can transform your company culture
• How knowing your numbers helps you make smarter decisions
• Why investing in people and equipment mattered more than buying flashy trucks

Today, Rob has built more than just a seven-figure landscaping company. He's built a business focused on efficiency, strong people, profitability, and work-life balance.

His story proves you don't have to grow overnight. You can start small, reinvest into the business, learn from your mistakes, and build something far bigger than you originally imagined.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At 28 years old, Ethan from Homebeam Outdoor Lighting is on pace to do roughly $800K this year with a niche landscape lighting business. Just last winter, he was nearly $70K in debt. Now, he's paid it off, paid himself, and is on track to finish the year with six figures in the bank.

But three years ago, Ethan was working a $70K–$75K engineering job.

After spending three years behind a desk, Ethan realized he didn't want to spend the rest of his career waiting for small raises and eventually becoming a supervisor. When his wife became pregnant, he decided it was time to bet on himself and build a business that could support his family.

He started Homebeam in 2023 while still working full-time. His first major project was around $10K, but he severely underpriced it because he didn't understand overhead or true job costs.

Then things got worse.

After quitting his job in 2024, Ethan generated roughly $125K in revenue while spending $45K–$55K on advertising. He lost money, burned through his savings, and was told to spend even more on ads.

Eventually, he realized the problem wasn't his market. It was how he was running the business.

After joining the Blue Collar Business Accelerator, Ethan drastically reduced his ad spend and focused on pricing, sales, branding, social proof, referrals, and better lead generation.

The result? His revenue jumped from roughly $125K to $450K.

Now in year three, he's on pace for $750K–$800K and believes he could eventually build a $1.5M business within his current 45-minute service area.

You’ll discover:

• How Ethan went from a $70K engineering job to an $800K landscape lighting business
• Why a niche trade doesn't mean your market is too small
• How underpricing his first $10K project taught him the importance of understanding overhead
• Why spending $45K–$55K on ads produced only $125K in revenue
• How he nearly 4X'd revenue from $125K to $450K
• Why raising his prices actually improved his profitability
• How door hangers became one of his most reliable lead sources
• Why referrals, Google, repeat customers, and organic marketing became more important than paid ads
• How he paid off nearly $70K of debt while still paying himself
• Why taking calculated risks and getting out of analysis paralysis changed his business
• How he went from believing his market was too small to believing $1.5M is possible

Today, Ethan has a growing team, a profitable niche business, and a completely different perspective on what's possible.

The biggest lesson from his story?

Your market might not be the problem.

For years, Ethan believed his market was too limited and customers wouldn't pay higher prices. Once he improved his pricing, sales process, branding, and customer experience, he discovered that people were willing to pay far more than he thought.

Three years ago, he was behind a desk making $70K–$75K.

Today, he's building an $800K business.

Sometimes the biggest thing holding your business back isn't the market. It's what you believe is possible.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

Jeff from Clean and Seal started his business during the 2008 recession with little experience, no roadmap, and plenty of reasons to quit.

After getting into trouble as a teenager, working dead-end jobs, and working for his dad’s landscaping company, Jeff decided to build something of his own. He started Clean and Seal around 2008–2009, learning paver sealing through trial and error when almost nobody even knew what the service was.

The early years were brutal. Jeff worked constantly, made plenty of mistakes, and came close to quitting multiple times. Instead, he kept grinding, educated contractors, and eventually landed larger projects that changed the trajectory of the business.

From there, Clean and Seal expanded into abrasive blasting, coatings, masonry, industrial work, and multiple locations. Jeff also acquired competing companies, built a real estate portfolio, got into aviation, and created new business opportunities through networking.

In this episode, Jeff breaks down:

• Starting a business during a recession
• Going from almost quitting to building a multi-location company
• Why grinding matters more than choosing the “perfect” trade
• How he found and acquired competing businesses
• How to properly vet subcontractors
• Why commercial work can destroy businesses without cash flow
• The importance of hiring great people
• How he transitioned out of the day-to-day
• Building wealth through real estate and diversification
• Why networking has created some of his biggest opportunities
• How aviation became part of his business strategy
• Why surrounding yourself with successful people changes everything

Jeff’s story is a reminder that success rarely happens overnight. It comes from years of hard work, learning from mistakes, taking risks, and refusing to quit.

If you’re building a blue-collar business, this episode is packed with lessons you can put to work immediately.

Violent action towards the goal.

Apply to join the Accelerator
➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website
➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At just 27 years old, Logan from Kittock Landscape Services is on pace for roughly $750K this year. But just a few years ago, he never planned on owning a business.

Logan started working at a sod farm at 16, became a foreman at 18, and eventually began taking small side jobs while his wife was in school. What started with selling leftover sod on Facebook quickly turned into sod installations, landscaping, patios, and hardscaping.

One $940 sale of leftover sod made him realize he could make more money on his own than at his job. Before long, he was taking Fridays off just to keep up with side work. His first year in business brought in roughly $100K, followed by around $360K–$370K the next year.

You’ll discover:

* How Logan went from laying sod at 16 to building Kittock Landscape Services toward $750K
* How a $940 side-job paycheck convinced him to take his business seriously
* Why he started taking Fridays off from his job because he had too much side work
* How he grew from roughly $100K in his first year to $360K–$370K the following year
* How buying his first skid steer and bringing his brother into the business changed everything
* Why starting with smaller $2K–$5K projects helped him learn how to build a real business
* How he hand-dug a roughly 900-square-foot patio without a skid steer
* How moving to a new market forced him to rebuild his customer base from scratch
* How social media, quality work, and stacking projects helped generate leads
* How he built a team of five employees during the busiest part of the season
* What it really costs to operate a landscaping company with nearly $15K in monthly fixed expenses
* How he landed a massive project involving 102 pallets of wall block and 135 tons of river rock
* The nightmare customer situation that cost him nearly $5K in extra work
* Why Logan believes quality of work should always come before chasing money

Today, Kittock Landscape Services has a shop, heavy equipment, a growing team, and roughly $727K on the books.

From a $940 side-job paycheck to a landscaping business approaching $750K, this is a story about taking action, learning as you go, and building something bigger one project at a time.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At just 21 years old, Luke from Erlandson Hydroscapes in Brainerd, Minnesota is on track for roughly $550K this year after doing just under $200K his first year.

But Luke didn’t start with a big bankroll or years of business experience. He started with roughly $8,000 in the bank, put it down on an $18,000 hydroseeder, quit his job with no work lined up, and bet on himself.

After a slow start, Luke joined the Blue Collar Business Accelerator and began focusing on the business side of his trade. Today, he runs three crews, averages $7K–$10K hydroseeding projects, works with major contractors and lake-home builders, and has virtually no direct competition in his market.

Even more impressive, Luke entered this year with his accounts essentially at zero after spending aggressively on equipment. Now, he's approaching $200K in profit.

You’ll discover:

• How Luke went from landscaping at 16 to running a $550K hydroseeding company at 21
• Why he put $8K down on an $18K hydroseeder before having jobs lined up
• How Facebook Marketplace helped him land his first customers
• How he went from under $200K to roughly $550K in revenue
• How he went from nearly $0 in the bank to nearly $200K in profit
• How he built a business with virtually no direct competition
• Why answering the phone and getting reviews can give you a huge advantage
• How contractor relationships helped him land bigger projects
• Why profitability matters more than simply chasing revenue
• How learning the business side transformed his company

Luke's story is proof that you don't need everything figured out before you start. He took a massive risk at 21, learned from his mistakes, and turned a hydroseeding side hustle into a highly profitable business.

If you've been waiting for the perfect time to bet on yourself, this episode is for you.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At 27 years old, Sam from Gatz Home Renovations is on track to do roughly $550K in revenue this year after starting his business almost by accident. With a degree in law enforcement and no real plan to become a remodeler, Sam’s path into the trades started during COVID when he and his wife bought a house to flip after getting inspired by HGTV.

That first project turned into a much bigger journey. Sam realized he needed his GC license, passed the test on his second attempt, and began learning the trades through a three-and-a-half-year stretch working alongside an experienced contractor. He learned how to build houses, decks, basements, and structural projects before eventually stepping away to take on his own jobs.

Sam went from relying almost entirely on friends, family, and community connections to landing projects in the $50K–$100K range, including a roughly $325K–$350K renovation and addition for his parents. But when those community leads started drying up, he found himself stuck without a clear plan for how to consistently generate business.

After discovering the Blue Collar Business Accelerator, Sam finally started building the business side of his company. His online presence improved, Google began generating leads, his confidence grew, and he started feeling like a legitimate business owner instead of someone simply waiting for the next referral.

You’ll discover:

• How a law enforcement degree eventually led Sam into the remodeling industry
• Why an HGTV-inspired house flip completely changed the direction of his career
• How Sam passed his GC test after failing his first attempt
• What he learned from spending three and a half years working under another contractor
• How he went from friends-and-family jobs to $50K–$100K remodeling projects
• How he landed and completed a roughly $325K–$350K renovation and addition
• Why relying on community and family referrals eventually left him feeling stuck
• How improving his online presence started generating leads from Google
• Why confidence can be just as important as lead generation when growing a business
• How Sam went from not knowing what to do next to finally having a clear trajectory for his company
• Why being a great remodeler isn't enough anymore — you also need to understand business
• How Sam is building a remodeling company around a better client experience

Today, Sam runs a true general contracting business with no employees, managing subcontractors, schedules, finances, and entire remodeling projects himself. His goal isn't simply to do more jobs — it's to create an experience where clients finish a project thinking, “Wow, that was easy.”

His story is a great example of what happens when someone stops waiting for things to happen and starts learning the business side of the trades.

From a law enforcement degree to flipping a house, learning the trades for three and a half years, and eventually building a remodeling company on pace for $550K, Sam's journey proves you don't have to start with a perfect plan to build something real.

You just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At just 20 years old, Jadon from Elevated Curb Appeal is on track to do over $600K in revenue with a concrete curbing business he started with almost no experience.

At 19, Jadon quit his asphalt job, took out a $100,000 SBA loan, and bought a curbing operation with only about $1,000 in work lined up. He barely knew how to operate the equipment, had no real marketing system, and had no idea what he was getting himself into.

His first year was filled with mistakes. He underbid jobs, struggled with concrete mixes, dealt with cracked projects, and had almost no leads. He tried Facebook Marketplace, Google Ads, billboards, and yard signs just to keep the business moving.

Then things started to snowball.

After joining the Blue Collar Business Accelerator, Jadon went from roughly 1–2 leads per week to 3–4 leads per day. His close rate went from around 20–30% to roughly 75%, and he stopped competing on being the cheapest contractor.

Today, most of his leads come from Google and referrals, he has a full-time employee he trusts, and he's built a business on pace for over $600K.

You’ll discover:

• How Jadon went from dropping out of high school to building a $600K concrete curbing business at 20
• Why he took out a $100K SBA loan with almost no experience and only $1,000 in work booked
• How Facebook Marketplace generated roughly 90% of his leads during his first year
• How a simple Marketplace lead eventually turned into a $60K HOA project
• Why one damaged mailbox led to a landscaping job and multiple referrals
• How he went from closing only 20–30% of jobs to roughly 75%
• Why being the cheapest contractor isn't always the best way to win work
• How reviews, professional presentation, and fast follow-up transformed his lead flow
• Why your customers are worth far more than just the check they give you
• How learning to delegate and trust employees is helping him scale

Jadon's story is a perfect example of what can happen when you stop waiting until you're ready and simply take action.

He didn't have the experience. He didn't have the perfect plan. He made plenty of mistakes and had plenty of people question his decision.

But he kept moving forward.

Now he's 20 years old with a $600K business and a goal of reaching $3–5 million.

As Jadon puts it: dedicate everything to what you want to do, put your head down, and make it happen.

Apply to join the Accelerator

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website

➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At just 23 years old, Daniel from Two Rivers Lawn & Landscape has gone from mowing $15 lawns on rollerblades to building a company on pace for roughly $750K–$800K this year.

Daniel started mowing lawns at 12 years old and eventually began rollerblading around his neighborhood handing out flyers to get customers. At 16, he hired his younger brother, bought a small trailer, and grew the business to roughly $20K in revenue.

For years, the business stayed relatively small while Daniel played junior hockey. At 21, he decided to take the business seriously. His first year going all in brought in roughly $115K, but he was still learning how to price jobs, generate leads, and actually grow a profitable business.

Last year, the company passed $300K. After attending a Blue Collar Business Accelerator event, Daniel's entire mindset around growth changed. Instead of thinking growth meant buying more trucks and equipment, he focused on branding, reviews, community involvement, and generating consistent leads.

Now, Two Rivers has four employees, handles roughly 100 residential lawns a week, takes on $10K–$20K landscape projects, and is on pace for $750K–$800K this year.

You’ll discover:

• How Daniel went from $15 lawns and rollerblades to an $800K landscaping company
• Why handing out thousands of flyers became the foundation of his business
• How he went from roughly 3–10 leads a month to 25–50+ landscape leads
• What changed when he stopped believing growth meant buying more trucks and equipment
• How the Blue Collar Business Accelerator changed his mindset around business growth
• Why branding, reviews, and getting involved in his community created a massive increase in leads
• How more leads allowed him to become more selective with customers and projects
• How he transitioned from being in the field constantly to running a hybrid role between the field and the business
• Why becoming a better leader and communicator is his next step toward building multiple crews
• Why you should never compare your business to what you see on social media
• Why dropping your ego, asking questions, and connecting with other contractors can change your trajectory

Today, Daniel has a lean, profitable operation and a company on pace for nearly $800K.

But his story is proof that you don't need a massive fleet, a huge marketing budget, or years of experience to build a successful business.

Sometimes you just need a push mower, a pair of rollerblades, and the willingness to hustle.

And Daniel's biggest piece of advice? Watch your own bobber. Don't compare your business to the guy next to you or the contractor you see on Instagram. You have no idea what's actually happening behind the scenes.

If you're building a landscaping business and feel like you're behind, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

Apply to join the Accelerator
➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.info/apply-336997

Check out our website
➡️ https://bluecollarbusinessaccelerator.com

At just 20 years old, Matthew from Brothers Landscaping Services is on track to do roughly $1.3M–$1.5M this year after doing just $20K his first year. In only a few years, he went from shoveling rock into an F-150 for an $800 job to running multiple crews, managing roughly 18 employees across two companies, and completing six-figure landscaping projects.

Matthew shares how he and his brother started as teenagers with almost no money, experience, or idea how to price jobs. Their first major project was an $800 rock removal job that took three days and left them with almost nothing after dump fees. Instead of quitting, they kept knocking doors, posting online, taking jobs, and figuring things out as they went.

By year two, the company had reached roughly $674K in revenue. The following year they hit around $1.2M, and now Matthew is expanding into excavation, utilities, lawn maintenance, and snow removal.

You’ll discover:

• How Matthew went from an $800 rock job at 16 to building a business on pace for $1.5M
• How the company went from roughly $20K to $674K and then $1.2M in just a few years
• Why doing the things other contractors won't do can create a massive competitive advantage
• How subcontracting for larger companies helped them get experience and scale
• The biggest mistake Matthew made on a major project by building without proper plans
• Why detailed plans and SOPs can completely change how your crews perform
• How he successfully completed a nearly $100K retaining wall after learning from an earlier project
• Why asking questions and learning from experienced contractors has helped him take on projects he didn't initially know how to do
• How he built a team of hungry employees who actually want to work and grow
• Why repetition is one of the biggest factors in building confidence in sales
• How branding, clean job sites, wrapped trucks, and professional crews have directly generated new leads
• Why maintenance contracts could become a $1M revenue stream and a lead source for larger projects

Today, Matthew is running a rapidly growing landscaping company while building a second excavation and utilities business.

But the biggest lesson from his story isn't just the revenue.

It's the mindset.

He didn't start with years of experience or everything figured out. He asked questions, took action, made mistakes, surrounded himself with the right people, and kept executing.

If you're young, inexperienced, or waiting until you feel "ready" to take your business to the next level, this episode is for you.

As always, violent action towards the goal.