
OWNR OPS Podcast
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.
Latest episodes

Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 8min
How To Brand Your Service Business Like A Pro
How do you build a recognizable brand in the home service space—from scratch?Alex Lathery shares his journey from zero clients and free projects to co-founding the now-thriving Cincinnati Painting Co. This episode is a must-listen if you're building in the local service space and want real talk on:How to pick a business name that helps you rank on GoogleBalancing bold branding with simple clarityWhy your website should convert in 5 secondsThe 3-month process behind one of the cleanest service biz websites we've seenWhen to not spend money on websites, logos, or SEOWhether you're at $0 or $1M+, there’s something in this episode for you.🎙️ Guest: Alex Lathery | Founder, Blue Collar Builds + Co-owner, Cincinnati Painting Co. 📍 Based in Cincinnati | Focus: Branding, Web Design, Local SEO💡 Ready to brand smarter? Tune in.This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter#HomeServices #Entrepreneurship #LocalBusiness #SEO #ServiceBusiness #OwnerOps #Podcast

29 snips
Apr 11, 2025 • 55min
Sam's Strategy To Double His $25M Roofing Business In 2025
Sam Allsop, a successful roofing entrepreneur who built a $25 million business, reveals his ambitious plans to double it by 2025. He dives into key strategies such as smart hiring, optimizing lead generation, and leveraging data for business growth. Sam emphasizes adapting marketing budgets seasonally and utilizing PPC campaigns effectively. He also discusses the critical role of referral programs in boosting customer acquisition and integrating them into company culture. Packed with real-world insights, his journey inspires anyone looking to elevate their business success.

Apr 4, 2025 • 48min
MASTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP: INSIGHTS ON GROWING A SERVICE BUSINESS
Welcome to another episode of the Owner Operator Podcast! In today's episode, I sit down again with Kriss Bergethon, a seasoned entrepreneur and the founder of SMB Uni, to discuss all things entrepreneurship, business growth, and practical advice for those starting out in the home services industry.Kriss has built multiple successful businesses, and in this conversation, we dive deep into the strategies that helped him grow his ventures—from starting in the trenches to scaling rapidly. Whether you're considering entering the home service industry or you're already in it, we share invaluable insights that can help you fast-track your success.📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook🔑 Here’s what we cover in this episode:✅How an aging workforce in industries is opening up new opportunities for fresh entrepreneurs.✅How leveraging relationships with contractors, property managers, and subcontractors expands business.✅Why digital marketing, delivering five-star service, and leveraging reviews are essential for getting your business off the ground.✅How hiring back-office support and outsourcing key tasks helped grow the business without burning out.✅Kriss’s approach to using remote workers for tasks like marketing and bookkeeping.✅His new platform, SMB Uni which offers courses, resources, and a community to support business growth.✅Our strategies, challenges, and how we navigated early-stage growth.This episode is a great mix of sharing stories, asking the tough questions, and offering practical, real-world advice that will help any entrepreneur succeed.#entrepreneurship #homeservices #smallbusiness #businessgrowth #owneroperator #startups #businessadvice #digitalmarketing #delegation #workforce #entrepreneurjourney #contractors #marketingtips #businesssuccess #offshorehiring #subcontractors #businessstrategy #companyculture #hiringtips #remotework #smbuni #grit #startupadvice #scaleyourbusiness #five-starservice #businessinsights #entrepreneurtips #teamwork📺 Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like and subscribe!This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

Mar 31, 2025 • 27min
Launching A Business In A New Market: Day 1
Join me as I share my journey of launching a land-clearing business. With years of experience as an entrepreneur, I'll take you step-by-step through my approach to starting a home service business—from identifying my ideal customer to creating a solid plan for operations, sales and marketing, and finance.📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbook🔑 Here’s what we cover in this episode:✅Why understanding your target market and creating a customer avatar is crucial✅How I break down my business into three main areas: operations, sales and marketing, and finance✅The role hiring plays in the early stages of your business and how I approach it strategically.✅How I stay focused on "scoring touchdowns" and driving revenue in my businessDon’t miss the first episode of this series on starting a service-based business. Whether you're just getting started or looking to take your business to the next level, these episodes are packed with real advice and insights from my experience as an owner-operator.📺 Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like and subscribe!This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

Mar 31, 2025 • 56min
HOW TO BUILD COMPANY CULTURE
In this episode, Simon Turner, who is a very seasoned and savvy entrepreneur. He has built and sold two companies over the last two decades, and he's the type of person who, whenever he commits to something, sees it through and does it. Simon also shares the theme of building company culture, his thoughts on creating a positive and productive work environment, and how to foster a sense of community and teamwork within an organization.📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbookHere’s what we covered:✅The importance of going all-in and making a long-term commitment to a business✅Simon's approach to dealing with challenges and setbacks✅Building company culture: focus on people and creating a positive work environment✅The role of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurshipSimon is an expert at finding the right people for his organizations. Don’t miss out on his powerful insights—listen now and get inspired to achieve success in both your personal and professional life! #entrepreneurjourney #servicebusiness #entrepreneurship #localbusiness #businessowner #businesstransformation #successstory #worklifebalance #businessgrowth #businessculture #companyculture #entrepreneur #business 🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

Mar 21, 2025 • 39min
TURNING A STRUGGLING BUSINESS INTO A $7 MILLION SUCCESS
Nolan Gore, owner of Top Choice Lawn Care, shares his inspiring journey of growing his business from $1.6 million to $7 million in annual revenue. He discusses the challenges of acquiring a struggling landscaping company and the strategies he used to transform it. Nolan balances the demands of entrepreneurship with family life, providing insights into his daily routine and leadership lessons. He emphasizes the importance of effective marketing, customer engagement, and choosing the right tools for business management.

Mar 14, 2025 • 1h 9min
THIS EX COFFEE ENTREPRENEUR STARTED A 7 FIGURE DEMOLITION BUSINESS
On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Kent Sheridan, owner of Swift Demo, who pivoted from running a high-end instant coffee startup to building a $1.5M demolition business in just a few years.Kent shares his unconventional journey from struggling with negative cash flow in a complex manufacturing business to finding success in a simple, service-based trade. We dive into how he scaled Swift Demo, built a highly profitable team, and overcame the challenges of starting from scratch—twice.📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbookHere’s what we covered: ✅ How Kent transitioned from the coffee industry to selective demolition and why simplicity wins. ✅ The B2B sales approach that helped him land key remodeler contracts and grow his client base. ✅ The importance of persistence in cold outreach—how he turned multiple rejections into a $40k+ client. ✅ Why Kent keeps his business model lean with low overhead, high margins, and premium pricing. ✅ The "Valley of Despair" in business—how to push through slow seasons and trust the process.If you’re looking to start or grow a service business with high-profit potential, this episode is full of practical insights from someone who’s built a thriving company from the ground up.🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

Mar 7, 2025 • 1h 2min
HOW TO BUILD A $6MM EXCAVATION BUSINESS
On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Andy Garrett, owner of Garrett Excavating, who grew his excavation business from a truck, trailer, and skid steer to a $6M operation in just a few years.🚜 Learn How To Grow Your Excavation Business In The Dirt Crew Skool Group ➡️ https://www.skool.com/bluecollarbuilders/about?ref=cb4b78efab814a368045faa98d07c76aAndy shares how he and his dad started the company, the pivotal moments that accelerated their growth, and the key hires that allowed them to scale without burning out. From bidding on their first big commercial project to building a strong leadership team, this episode is packed with lessons for service business owners.📙Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbookHere’s what we covered:✅ How Andy and his dad went from small residential jobs to landing six-figure commercial projects. ✅ The first key hires that helped him step out of day-to-day operations and focus on growth. ✅ The importance of building a repeatable lead generation system (SEO, Google reviews, and cold outreach). ✅ Why he shifted to a full-site development model and how he strategically uses subcontractors to scale. ✅ How Andy structures his leadership team, pays his key employees, and fosters a strong company culture.If you’re looking to grow your excavation or service business the right way, this episode is full of actionable insights. 🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

Mar 6, 2025 • 56min
CLEANING BUSINESS PLAN TO HIT $1 MILLION
On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Logan, who built a six-figure Airbnb cleaning business but realized he needed to pivot to scale further. After going all-in on short-term rental cleaning and hiring a full-time operations manager, he found himself stuck—until a game-changing dinner with industry expert Johnny Robinson pushed him to rethink everything.Logan shares how he’s restructuring his business, replacing high overhead with a leaner, more profitable model, and leveraging marketing and outreach to hit a $1M run rate. If you’re growing a service business or considering a shift in strategy, this episode is packed with insights.📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbookHere’s what we covered:✅ Why Logan initially focused only on Airbnb cleaning—and why he’s expanding now.✅ The costly mistake of hiring too soon & how VAs are replacing his full-time manager.✅ How he’s using Google LSAs, cold outreach, and networking to land bigger contracts.✅ The mindset shift from operator to owner & focusing on high-leverage tasks.✅ Lessons learned from a brutally honest dinner with Johnny Robinson.Whether you’re launching, pivoting, or scaling, Logan’s journey offers valuable takeaways on making smarter business decisions.🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter

Feb 21, 2025 • 45min
HOW TO ESTIMATE SEPTIC SYSTEM JOBS PROFITABLY!
On this week’s podcast episode, I sit down with Brock Peel, owner of Canadian Sanitation. Brock and his crew of three have built a highly profitable septic business, hitting $2.3M in revenue last year.Brock shares his step-by-step process for estimating septic jobs, pricing for profitability, and streamlining operations to maximize efficiency. If you’re in the excavation or septic industry—or just looking to sharpen your estimating skills—this episode is packed with actionable insights.📙Free Service Startup Playbook To Generate Your First $100k: https://www.ownrops.com/playbookHere’s what we covered:✅ How to accurately calculate daily operating costs and overhead.✅ The importance of local material pricing when estimating jobs.✅ Smart strategies for accounting for inspections and mobilization time.✅ Why speed in estimating gives you a competitive edge.✅ How to set pricing that ensures healthy profit margins on every job.Whether you’re new to septic work or looking to improve your estimating process, you’ll walk away with key takeaways from Brock’s expertise.#septictankinstallation #septicsystem #entrepreneurship #servicebusiness #septictanks #smallbusiness #makemillions #generateincome #business #localbusinessEnjoying the podcast? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify! Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like and subscribe.This episode is brought to you by:📈Home Service Software: Jobber is the all-in-one business management software for service businesses. Get 20% off your first 6 months: https://go.getjobber.com/ownerops-spotify🚀Local SEO: Stryker Digital helps service businesses rank high on Google Search Results: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=oo✉️Weekly Newsletter: Want to get the most actionable tips from this episode?🔔Subscribe for free here: https://www.ownrops.com/newsletter
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