From hating life on a Sydney construction site to building a $57K/month agency from Bali, Tom Richards—founder of PlumbElec Marketing—has lived the remote founder arc. In this episode, he shares how niching into plumbing and electrical businesses helped him scale fast, why Google Maps still dominates local SEO, and how he balances agency life with lifestyle design.
You’ll hear Tom’s take on ChatGPT use cases, the best tools for founder efficiency, and whether he’s ready to scale or keep things lean and profitable. Plus, Dan breaks down what might be the most reliable location-independent income roadmap in 2025.
LINKS:
Connect with Tom
Daily Huddle template
The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
Share your story/sponsor the pod
22 free resources for founders
Connect with 1,000+ generous global entrepreneurs
Read Dan’s book “Before the Exit”
CHAPTERS:
(00:02:18) From Plumber to Agency Founder
(00:04:07) How Tom Built His First Client Base
(00:04:58) $57K MRR and the Current Team
(00:07:23) Why Tradespeople Are the Best Clients
(00:09:51) Transitioning from Daily Huddles to Weekly Calls
(00:12:14) The Real Numbers Behind Tom’s Retainer Model
(00:13:38) Hormozi’s 1-1-1 Model in Real Life
(00:18:50) Surviving the SEO Upheaval in 2025
(00:19:25) Why Google Maps is Still Gold for Local SEO
(00:23:34) How to Use Case Studies to Supercharge Cold Outreach
(00:25:59) Should You Scale Your Agency or Stay Lean?
(00:31:31) The Most Reliable Remote Income Roadmap
(00:35:31) What Agency Life is Really Like
(00:39:28) Tom’s Favorite ChatGPT and AI Tools
(00:41:04) Bali vs Thailand: Which Is Better in 2025?
CONNECT:
Dan@tropicalmba.com
Ian@tropicalmba.com
Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Lucy Bella.
PLAYLIST:
The Changing Landscape of SEO and the Influence Equation
The Brutal Truth About Business Exits with Rob Walling
1,000 Customers from One Channel
The First 1,000 Days of Running an Agency
