224. Best Marketing Tips to Scale to $20M/year in Revenue in Home Services

Feb 2, 2026

Aaron Steed, founder of Meathead Movers and builder of a $20M-a-year moving company known for its athlete-first culture. He recounts running a pay-what-you-want model, guerrilla parking-lot marketing with a $200 plan, the jogging standard that creates visible value, hiring for grit and helping employees move on to new careers, and surviving multiple near-death crises.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

From Teen Hustle To $20M Business

Aaron started Meathead Movers at 17 with no trucks, no money, and no safety net, growing it into a $20M company.
Early moves were for friends' parents and paid in cash, which gave him gratitude and momentum.

INSIGHT

Make Hustle A Visible Competitive Edge

Meathead positions itself as an 'athlete moving company' and requires jogging when not carrying items to create visible value.
That visible hustle builds trust and differentiates the brand in a low-margin industry.

ADVICE

Use Trust-First Pricing To Jumpstart Demand

Try a 'pay what you think we're worth' offer only if your costs are low and you can absorb risk.
Switch to set pricing once you need stability or get burned by low payments.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

At 17 years old, Aaron Steed started a business with no trucks, no money, and no safety net. Today, Meathead Movers generates $20 million annually, employs 350 people, and has landed on the Inc. 5000 list for eight straight years.

In this episode of UpFlip, Aaron reveals how he disrupted a "boring" industry by turning hustle into a visible competitive advantage. He explains why his movers jog whenever they aren’t carrying boxes, how he used a "Pay What You Want" model to build early trust, and why he actively helps his employees leave the company to pursue their dream careers.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The "Jogging" MO: How Meathead Movers disrupted the industry by requiring employees to jog when not carrying items—creating visible value for the customer.
The "Pay What You Want" Strategy: The risky pricing model Aaron used for the first three years to build an undeniable reputation (and when he finally stopped using it).
Guerrilla Marketing 101: The exact script Aaron used in Home Depot and Costco parking lots to land jobs with zero ad spend.
The "Stepping Stone" Culture: Why Aaron calls his employees' future employers to recommend them, and how this reduces turnover and attracts top talent.
The Money-Back Guarantee: How to structure a refund policy based on the customer's perceived value of each individual employee.
From Friend to Boss: The leadership transition required when scaling from a high school side hustle to a corporate organization.
The "Engine vs. Mechanic" Mindset: Why you must stop being a piece of the engine (working in the business) and start being the mechanic (working on the business) to scale.
Hiring for Grit: How to identify candidates who have the physical and mental endurance for hard labor while maintaining a smile.
Surviving Near-Death: Aaron shares how the company survived four separate events that almost wiped them out completely.
The $200 Marketing Plan: Why business cards and eye contact still beat digital ads for local service businesses starting out.

Tags: Trucking, Service & Consulting, Business leadership, Side hustle, Meathead Movers, Delivery business, Boring Business

Resources:

Grow your transportation business today:
https://www.upflip.com/course/moving-and-junk-removal-blueprint

Connect with Aaron: https://www.instagram.com/meatheadmovers/?hl=en