Critical Mass Business - Home Front Success

What is the ‘Primary Purpose’ of your Home Services Business?

KickStart: Examine building a Critical Mass Business to bring you the elusive ‘Personal Freedom’!

We’ve recently discussed the why and how of creating a work atmosphere that is 1) safe, 2) sane, and 3) stable. (More important than ever in these CRAZY TIMES!) However…

While happy, engaged and committed workers are incredibly important they shouldn’t be the Primary Purpose of your business. NOTE: Please don’t focus ONLY on ‘getting big’. After all, I’ve consulted with Home Service entrepreneurs who have 100’s of employees and are totally enslaved by their business!

Of course, I (of all people) am a big fan of money! After all, I tell every class, “All things being equal… it is better to have more money than no money!” Why? Because financial success is a tool- to help others and bring you (and your family) freedom! (More on this in a bit.) But first, a warning…

The ‘Triple-S’ Work Environment (Part 2)

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: Reliable people (the ones you want to hire) will only stay long-term in a sane, non-crazy work routine.

All businesses are desperately searching (praying?)🙏 for safe, sane (no-drama), and stable (reliable) employees.💖 You too? Of course you are! After all, your business growth (and inevitable turnover) means you should constantly be ‘recruiting’!

WARNING: For you as a Home Services Pro sane and stable employees are critical! Why? Because you’re sending your workers into your customer’s ‘inner sanctum’, their home!

How a 3-letter Acronym Can Transform your Business!

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: Get your entire company focused on their ‘Triple A’s’ (Appearance, Actions and Attitude) and profits will soar!

I admit it. I truly love inventing acronyms for routine daily activities. (This drives Sioux nuts!)🙄 But my staff used abbreviations in my residential services business all the time. For example…

We invented and implemented a PDS (Production Day Sheet), IQC (Immediate Quality Check calls) and an EEB (Employee Efficiency Bonus program), etc. You get the idea, right?

Break Free From the ‘Low Price’ Service Trap Forever!

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: Benefit from our current run-away inflation rates to justify your new (large) price increases.

In ‘normal times’ (is there such a thing any more?) I’m a huge proponent of small (3% to 4%) yearly price increases. Here’s why:

1) A small yearly increase will ‘fly under the radar’ of your clients. (Most customers can’t remember what they paid last time.)

In Praise of Creative Procrastination!

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: When you honestly don’t know what to do… WAIT!

Motivational speakers constantly exhort you to “git ‘er done” and “get moving”! But since Steve Toburen isn’t a ‘goo-roo’ I’ll remind you that sometimes ‘Procrastination Pays’! Say what, Steve?😲

Yep, when I’m honestly perplexed on what to do going forward I’ll engage in what I call…

‘Creative Procrastination’: Waiting on events (or just plain ‘serendipity’) to show you the next step.

Let me be clear on what Creative Procrastination (CP) is NOT! CP doesn’t mean slacking off and then complaining that a) the economy is bad, b) competition is too fierce or c) there are too many ‘Price Shoppers’ out there! (Our industry is full of excuses like these and so many more!)

Six Steps to Build a ‘Critical Mass Business’

by Steve Toburen

Find the elusive Personal Freedom by creating a Critical Mass Business that runs smoothly without you. Follow step by step instructions for a real business.

How Good is Your ‘Life Jacket’?

by Steve Toburen

All Home Services entrepreneurs are navigating murky (and very treacherous ) waters! Frankly, working with stressed out homeowners has always been ‘challenging’.🙄 But today…

When you add in increasing competition, the brutal hiring crisis (especially the shortage of front-line technicians) AND the ongoing issues of this stubborn COVID pandemic PANIC can strike! Is it time to… ABANDON SHIP?😲 No! However…

As a prudent ‘captain’ you should be making disaster preparations now while constantly looking downstream for both your business and your family. A good place to start?

How to Keep ‘Floating Through’ Business Challenges. (Part I)

by Steve Toburen

KickStart: Your company WILL take ‘surprise hits’. Set up systems now to see these blows coming to defend your business.

As entrepreneurs we’re all incurable optimists. (Negative thinkers tend to stay ‘comfortably trapped’ in dead-end jobs their entire lives.) Heck, if you hadn’t focused on the positive you never would have opened your residential Home Services business!

What Is ‘Perfection’ in Your Residential Services Business?

by Steve Toburen

KiskStart: Learn to ‘let go’ (and discover ‘Personal Freedom’) by redefining the word “perfect”.

I’ve been accused (unjustly in my opinion) of being ‘a bit OCD’!😲 OK, OK! I’ll admit I liked things to be ‘perfect’ in my home services business and especially for my much-loved customers! Sound like anyone you know?🤔

Here’s the deal. If you are serious about growing your company into a ‘Critical Mass Business’ (one that will run smoothly without you being there 24-7) you MUST tweak your definition of ‘perfection’. Here’s why…