Starting a business by offering a service to your local community is one of the greatest entrepreneurial opportunities of our time. While most people search for a remote job and try to build the next tech unicorn, you can start a business in your own back yard. Join your host, Austin Gray, as he shares tips from behind the scenes of starting and growing his own local service businesses in bite sized 10 min episodes. PLUS, tune in for special guest interviews, where Austin hosts other entrepreneurs who have started local service businesses in markets across the US.
Too many decisions. Not enough clarity. Sound familiar?
Colby McArthur bought Clifton Tree Service at 22 years old and ran it as a solo owner operator for the first year — climbing trees, answering calls with a headset at 100 feet, estimating on weekends. He finished that year at $400K. One year later: $850K. In this episode, Colby breaks down the three things that drove that growth and what he's focused on as he targets $1.3M in 2026.What you'll learn:Why undercharging is the most common and most costly mistake owner operators make — and how to fix it fastThe first hire Colby made that changed everything (hint: it wasn't a climber)How to build an opener/closer sales model even when you're still in the fieldHow Colby uses Claude and ChatGPT to build a pricing tool, estimate from photos, and build SOPsWhat Colby would tell himself at $100K if he could go backTo contact Colby McArthur: colby@cliftontreeservice.com
Want a real land‑clearing business doing $20k–$40k months instead of random jobs? Join the free OWNR OPS Skool group for land clearing & forestry mulching owners. Inside you'll get: – The OPS Kickstarter roadmap to your first consistent $10k–$20k months – Real pricing examples & bid breakdowns from our own jobs – Weekly live trainings and Q&A specific to land clearing.Apply here: https://www.skool.com/ownropsMost land-clearing operators running Facebook ads are tracking the wrong metric. In this episode, Austin Gray sits down with Jacob Neffendorf — founder of Rise Online, a growth agency for land clearing businesses — to break down the real math behind paid advertising: customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and the ratio that tells you if your ads are actually working.What you'll learn:How to calculate your true cost to acquire a paying customerThe CAC-to-LTV ratio every operator should knowWhy speed to lead has a bigger impact on revenue than most realizeHow to grow without touching your own moneyWhat to look for when setting up your first Facebook ad campaignLand clearing business has some of the best margins out there — but only if you know your numbers. Stop guessing and start growing on purpose.
Most contractors rely on word of mouth — and it creates a cycle of being slammed with work one month and completely slow the next.In this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, I sit down with Jacob from Rise Online Ads to talk about how contractors can stay booked year-round without burning out.Jacob also shares a story about spending $15,000 on ads and getting zero clients — and why not quitting ended up being one of the best decisions he made.In this episode we cover:• Why most contractors quit marketing too early• How paid ads compound over time• The mistake of relying only on referrals• How to stay busy during slow seasons• How to create offers that bring in better jobs• The 5 levels of customer awareness in marketingIf you run a land clearing, excavation, tree service, or home service business, this episode will help you build a more consistent pipeline of work.
In this episode, I sit down with Marlena from G&M Companies to talk about how she's using Jobber to run a $5.5M excavation, residential, commercial, snow, and boulder business — and where it works really well (and where it doesn't).We get into:How she protects margins with deposits and final paymentsHow quotes flow straight into jobs and invoicesBuilding simple checklists so sales → ops handoffs don't breakTracking time, payroll, and job costsManaging 100+ snow visits without nonstop phone callsThe real pros and cons of Jobber as you growWhy progress billing gets tricky in commercial dirt workIf you're in land clearing, excavation, snow, tree work, or residential services, this is a practical systems conversation you'll want to hear.
In this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, Bodhi Gallo from Stryker Digital shares about his biggest lesson from 2025:Go from player to coach — and delegate at the right time.We cover:✅ When to delegate (and when NOT to)✅ How to stop being the bottleneck✅ Simple SOPs that actually get used (short videos + quick memos)✅ How Bodhi trains sales reps faster using AI✅ AI tools they're using: ChatGPT, Claude, Replit (+ Whisper Flow)✅ Why building a brand matters more than ever for home service businessesIf you own a local service business — this will help you build systems, train your team, and get more done without burning out.
WELCOME TO SEASON 3 of the OWNR OPS Podcast.
Welcome to Season 3 of the OWNR OPS Podcast
What's the real math behind profitable growth in home services? In this episode, Austin Gray talks with Andy Walker (Stryker Digital) about using LTV : CAC (LTGP : CAC), Average Order Value, and speed-to-lead to scale—without racing to the bottom on price.Andy shares:His practical $2K podcast/production mindset applied to service marketing.A step-by-step speed-to-lead framework (3-minute call, 7-day follow-up, long-tail nurture) Facebook vs Google Ads for high-ticket services (roofing, mitigation, remodeling) Bonus-stacked offers, guarantees, and timeline commitments to win without discounting.How weekly manual reporting builds data discipline and sharper decisions Why focus beats shiny objects—and when to expand.Whether you're in the trenches scaling a local service brand or optimizing your acquisition flywheel, this episode gives you the playbook to raise AOV, improve LTGP : CAC, and outspend competitors profitably. Listen in to turn your marketing into a durable growth engine.
What's holding you back from scaling your service business? In this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, Austin Gray interviews Steven Nash—private equity operator and partner to dozens of HVAC businesses. Steven shares how he helps business owners go from $800K to $100M+ by solving one bottleneck at a time.You'll learn:Why small businesses stay small—and how to break throughHow to calculate your exact growth targets using simple mathThe difference between working on vs. in your businessHow systems, SOPs, and hiring checklists unlock freedomWhat founders need to understand about finance and cash flowThe visionary vs. executor framework: when to pick your laneIf you're a service-based business owner ready to scale with intention and accountability, this is the episode you've been waiting for.
What happens when a college dropout takes massive action—twice a year?In this episode, Austin Gray talks with Andrew Rampulla, the founder of two seasonal service businesses: a softwash company in New York and a Christmas lights company in Florida.Andrew shares:How he got his first client from a Facebook postWhy he alternates between NY and FL to maximize revenueHow he hires and builds systems for repeatable successHis content & review strategy to attract local leadsThe key mindset shifts that helped him cross 6 figuresThis episode is a must-listen for anyone building or scaling a local service business—especially if you're tired of 9-to-5 and want to take control of your calendar.Listen now and learn how to stack seasons, scale smart, and simplify your hustle.
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