The Remote Local Podcast: Financial & Location Freedom
By Neel Parekh
We talk about all things that are at the intersection of travel and entrepreneurship. The goal is to allow you to run your own remote local biz and experience total financial and location freedom.
The Remote Local Podcast: Financial & Location FreedomFeb 09, 2022
117. Finding Your Calling, an interview with FBI Agent Turned Serial Entrepreneur Derek Dodds
In this episode Neel and David sit down with Derek Dodds and have a leisurely conversation about how Derek found his calling.
Derek currently runs WaveTribe, an ecological surf company, has an interest in Naked Armor, a wet shaving company, and serves an advisor to a publishing company he co-founded, 2 Seas Agency. The path he took to get to those projects is anything but conventional.
Derek also shares:
- Going from having a gun in his hand at the age of 5 and being a hunter to becoming a vegan
- How following women he loved led to big changes in his personal and professional life
- The influence of Jidda Krishnamurti on his life
- How getting a flyer while on a self-study visit led him to give up everything he was building in Europe to come back to America, where he never thought he would return.
Enjoy the episode!
If you want to connect with Derek you can find him on Facebook or Instagram or on his personal site.
116. Exiting a Remote Local Tutor Doctor Franchise, feat Jenny Ness-Hunkin
In this episode Neel and chats with Jenny Ness-Hunkin, a former franchisee of Tutor Doctor and now the Franchise Success Manager at MaidThis.
A ten-year franchisee herself before a successful exit, Jenny believes in franchising in part because she's had such positive experiences with it. Now she helps MaidThis franchisees scale and exit their businesses, just like she did with hers.
Neel and Jenny discuss:
- why she decided to start a business in the first place even though she had a decent job
- why she considers people to be the best and worst part of owning a business
- why she now considers "begin with the end in mind" as a crucial part of any business journey
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
115. Business Models to AVOID and What Makes a Good Business Model
It's a simple but perhaps not-often-repeated truth: not all business models are created equal.
In this episode, Neel talks about local services businesses he would avoid buying/starting as well as what was the one factor he looked at recently when considering a cleaning service acquisition. You'll get the scoop on:
- Why high ticket, low recurring businesses are just as desirable as low ticket, high recurring businesses
- How you could make low ticket, low recurring businesses work (if you had to)
- The importance of building "need to have" businesses, particularly in recessions
Enjoy the episode.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
114. Using WFH 9-5 Job to Launch a Maid Service Side Hustle, an interview with Chris Rodriguez
In this episode Neel talks with one of his very own MaidThis franchisees, Chris Rodriguez.
Chris has been running MaidThis Miami for just about four months now and gives us the lowdown on how he got here.
Neel and Chris discuss:
- why a franchise fee was at first a stumbling block, then a recognition of value for Chris
- what his main motivation was in starting a business when he already had a solid-paying 9-5 (and how his spouse reacted)
- how often Chris posts in the MaidThis slack, which is like a superpowered version of the Facebook group which was where he first heard about Neel and MaidThis
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
113. Acquiring 9 Businesses for $1M+ in Passive Income, with Ujwal Velagapudi
In this episode Neel speaks with Ujwal Velagapudi, who has had a fascinating and unusual journey building businesses in many different industries.
One of the more interesting ideas Ujwal shares in the pod is his lack of concern with "maximizing profit." He's okay leaving some money on the table once he has spent time optimizing the business when he first acquires it.
Neel and Ujwal also discuss:
- Ujwal's attempted retirement in South East Asia
- What drives him (hint: it's not money)
- Why he now only looks at 7-figure cash flowing businesses
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
https://twitter.com/UjwalVelagapudi
112. Quitting the 9-5 and Starting a High Ticket Sales Closing Biz, with Jeff Lundeen
In this episode Neel and sits down with freelance sales coach Jeff Lundeen of Strong Jaw Sales. Jeff had a good career in a well-paying (though stressful) field: air traffic control. Reading books like Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Work Week awakened a desire to escape the 9-5.
Neel and Jeff discuss:
- the effect of a one-way ticket to Colombia on kickstarting the entrepreneurial journey
- why coming back to the job after that travel only made Jeff more resolved to break out of the 9-5
- why Jeff thinks copywriting and sales are so fundamental to entrepreneurship (even though he only really likes to do one of them)
What is perhaps most inspiring about Jeff is his mindset of abundance, which allows him to even teach others how to start a business exactly like his.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
111. Scaling a Maid Service Software Company, with President of Launch27 Omar Santana
In this episode Neel and sits down with Omar Santana, President of Launch27, a SaaS for cleaning companies.
Neel and Omar talk about:
- the concerns that any customer has for a SaaS when a private equity group comes in (as happened to Launch27 in 2019)
- how many of the solutions in the cleaning company space are similar and why that makes switching even more difficult than normal (no feature to encourage you to jump)
- what new features Omar and the team are working on rolling out
Omar was also kind enough to give us his email address (omars@launch27.com) as the fastest way to get a hold of him.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
110. How to have 0 competition: Do Marketing That DOESN'T Scale
As Neel looks back on previous years, he knows he's spent too much time focusing on the "scaling" aspect of marketing.
In this episode, he goes the other way, talking about marketing that doesn't scale, but delivers big results, including:
- Apartment Complex Infiltration: just as stealth as it sounds, but is all about quietly building relationships
- Neighborhood Blitz
- Networking groups, i.e. becoming the "go-to" among a group of fellow business owners
Neel notes that this kind of non-scalable marketing can win against the lazy paid marketing that he favored in years past but is now more crowded than ever.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
109. Turning Digital Cashflow into Real Estate Gold, with Car Wash Guy Kriss Bergethon
In this episode Neel and sits down with Kriss Bergethon, known as the "Car Wash Guy" on Twitter.
Interestingly, while Kriss is known for car washes, it's actually a side hustle for him. He's full time in the supplements and natural medicine space.
Neel and Kriss discuss:
- how trying to get in on the self-storage craze led to buying his first car wash
- the major tax benefits that a car wash can offer, including Kriss' first refund in more than a decade
- why banks love car washes and why they are a great avenue of investment for your business earnings
If you enjoy this episode, you can get the full course on how to find and run your first car wash at Tax Free Cash Cow.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
108. Achieving Financial and Location Freedom...and What Happens After, with Stephen Heiner
In this episode Neel and sits down with Stephen Heiner, who moved to France ten years ago after selling a business. Stephen worked hard to build a dream life, and recently gave all of it up to move to become a volunteer at a religious house.
Neel and Stephen discuss:
- his path to France and what he did when he arrived
- the importance of asking yourself what it is you want at the end of the rainbow
- always being ready to re-evaluate where you are, never accepting that you have "arrived"
If you enjoy this episode, you can also catch Stephen reviewing books on his YouTube channel.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
107. 1099 vs W-2: Compliance and Contracts for Cleaning Businesses with Andy Agarwal from CCDRA
In this episode Neel and sits down with Andy Agrawal of Weekend Maids, who is also part of the CCDRA (California Coalition of Domestic Referral Agencies). Andy has been running the company for the last 15 years, but it's a family business that has been around for 36 years.
Neel and Patrick discuss the importance of compliance, particularly in regards to cleaning companies and properly classifying themselves as referral agencies rather than employers. Among other things, they talk about:
- the importance of a solid contract with your service providers and why you don't just want to pull a form off Legalzoom
- why separate bank accounts for operations and for collecting fees and paying contractors is crucial in the eyes of the IRS
- the rights of contractors, which includes the ability to decline work you offer them or to renegotiate directly when they arrive on the job
You'll also hear about the reality of fines and audits and why these matters have to be taken seriously for anyone who wants to stay in business long-term.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
106: $500K Consulting Side Hustle with Sean O'Dowd
In this episode Neel sits down with Sean O'Dowd of The O'Dowd Group.
Sean was just looking to pay off the loan he took out to buy an engagement ring for his then-fiancee when he decided to consult on the side. His very first gig was through Upwork and involved proofreading an email for $30.
Neel and Sean discuss:
- how having a Wharton degree may have helped him land some clients, but how easily his mom, who was a simple librarian without that elite college pedigree, was able to land a $30k consulting gig with his help
- what sort of income you can hope to attain as a one-person shop
- platforms like Catalant and Uncommon Elite that have helped to power Sean's growth
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
105. Local SEO for Dummies
Neel recently had to interview a number of SEO vendors in preparation for making a change, and felt like he became a bit of an expert in thinking through what agencies can and should provide for you.
Neel talks about what you can expect to pay for decent SEO service ($750-$1500 depending on quality) as well as:
- Map Pack ranking and the importance of reviews that mention your key words
- The importance (and limits) of blogs
- The difference between on-page and technical SEO and why you need both
Neel also talks about link building and why it is a key part of an overall SEO strategy.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
104. Coaching Call Series: Taking Your Home Service Biz to the Next Level with Dan Kats of Shorely Clean
As part of his ongoing coaching call series, Neel chats with Dan Kats of Shorely Clean who is building his cleaning business as a side hustle and is looking to grow it quickly but sustainably.
Neel offers helpful answers to Dan's questions, including:
- The importance of hiring that first employee to help you as soon as possible
- The inbound sales conversion rates he expects from his team
- The importance of "extending your season" to combat seasonality
- Different ways of dealing with add-on services requested by customers.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
103. 2 Years as a MaidThis Franchisee: Dan Blaker of MaidThis Myrtle Beach Shares His Story
In this episode Neel and sits down with Dan Blaker, a MaidThis franchisee in the Myrtle Beach market.
It's been just under two years that Dan has been a franchisee in the MaidThis system and he looks back on his journey to share:
- how MaidThis provided a path for him to quit a 6-day-a-week, 12-hour-a-day job
- just how much "remote" he's put into his remote local business.
- what a pleasant surprise it has been to get to know fellow business owners
You'll also hear Dan talk about the power of door-knocking when you're in your local market and how much franchise systems help you to grow with a safety cushion and framework.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
102: Top Marketing Tactics in 2023 (Paid, Free, Semi-Free)
You've heard Neel talk about pros and cons of different marketing tactics over the last six months. This episode brings all of those reflections together in one valuable episode so be ready to take notes on:
- What's working and what isn't in the Google LSA space
- What to look for when researching PPC advertising to see if it will be worthwhile for your company
- The power of community marketing, including the hyper-local neighborhood blitz strategy
Neel also talks about Thumbtack, a platform that is really doing well for his franchisees at the moment, as well as non-scalable, but valuable opportunities in BNI and EO.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
101. Journey to Becoming a Franchisor with Shaina Denny of Dogdrop
In this episode Neel chats with Shaina Denny, Co-Founder and CEO of Dogdrop.
It's a rare discussion with a fellow franchisor, and Neel and Shaina discuss:
- how Dogdrop works and its capitalization on America's obsession with pets and their well-being
- why Shaina decided to use an FSO (franchise sales organization) instead of using an internal resource
- why Neel stopped using Google ads to advertise for franchise leads (he found that social media leads were more qualified)
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
100. Exiting the Matrix: My 7-Year Travel Journey
It got here even faster than we might have thought, but here is episode #100.
For this special episode, Neel shares a talk that he gave about his travel journey. You'll learn:
- that hunter/gatherer tribes in Africa will tell the same fart jokes you do at home
- the power of a smile and how strangers can help you see who you really are
- how you can opt-out of the American Dream
Neel also shares how he started his journey with fear but ended it with courage powered by serendipity.
99. Community Marketing Using Facebook Groups with Simone of House Mum Home Services
In this episode Neel and chats with Simone, Founder of House Mum Home Services, based out of Brisbane, Australia.
Simone has a successful business and is so full up with clients she has a waiting list.
But she doesn't even have a website! She's a master at community marketing and was kind enough to share some of her tactics and ideas with us.
Neel and Simone talk about:
- how posting on Facebook to find employees led her to gain customers
- what kind of Facebook groups she joins and how she interacts in them
- how she used a customer survey to expand partnerships and give clients exactly what they were looking for
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
98. Recruiting Top-Level Remote Talent For Your Local Biz, with Anna from Remotivate
In this episode Neel and sits down with Anna Scherbyna, owner of Remotivate, a company that helps entrepreneurs and business owners hire for executive and management roles.
Neel and Anna discuss:
- what it was for Anna to work in (and build a company in) the remote space in 2017, before it was cool
- why growing companies won't only need one type of ops person, they'll need three, each with different price points
- the crazy discrepancy at the moment between employers on LI offering remote jobs (13%) and the employees on LI looking for remote jobs (53%)
You'll also hear Anna's perspective on geographies, including her rule of thumb that for higher level managers, you need to look further west when you are outside of the North American geo.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
97. Early 2023 State of the Union for Remote Local Businesses, with Johnny & Sergio
In this episode Neel and sits down with Johnny Robinson and Sergio Silesky for a quarterly roundup of what they are seeing in the Remote Local space. Topics covered include:
- the effectiveness of Google LSA, both now and in the long term, along with some strategies that can help lift your performance if you're lagging
- the "Grand Opening Method" which is about continuing to build a solid lead funnel over time using community marketing
- Neel and Sergio's thoughts on keeping your hiring funnel as full as possible.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
96. Coaching Call Series: The Power of Niching Down, with Austin of Dalmaidtion Cleaning
In another of his coaching series, in which he offers free coaching on a specific problem, Neel chats with Austin, owner of Denver's Dalmaidtion Cleaning, a residential cleaning service with a focus on pet owners.
Neel and Austin discuss:
- Ways to surprise and delight and offer a "6 star service"
- The importance of top-notch cleaners — it is they, more than thank-you notes and gifts, that will retain customers long-term
- Leaning into your niche, in Austin's case, making sure new customers get some pet-oriented incentives early on
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
95. Little-Known Business Path to a US Visa and Finding the Perfect Franchise Brand, with Patrick Findaro
In this episode Neel and sits down with Patrick Findaro, author of How to Buy a Franchise: Employee to Entrepreneur in 12 Weeks and owner at VettedBiz.com
Patrick hosts a podcast, Franchise Findings, in which he talks about all things related to franchises, including conversations with new and experienced business owners as well as overall reports on industry trends.
Neel and Patrick discuss:
- a little known visa classification that Patrick didn't find out about for some time that offers non-citizen entrepreneurs a path to residence in the US
- what sort of people buy franchises, including what kind of incomes they already have and are expecting
- how Patrick was able to write a book in 90 days (hint: he used information he had on hand already)
If you enjoy this episode, you can get even more from Patrick on his YouTube channel.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
94. Coaching Call Series: When to Expand to a Second City
In this first of a new series in which he offers free coaching on a specific problem, Neel chats with Gordon, a new cleaning services business owner, about why he decided to start franchising.
Gordon was also interested in expanding to a new city, and Neel drilled down to ask:
- What was the endgame for expansion?
- Why did Gordon think expanding was a good strategy?
He then went on to give some tips on KPIs that all cleaning services should be checking every week, like
- Total number of cleanings, average ticket price, phone inquiries, conversion rate, etc.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
93. Neighborhood Blitz: HYPER Target Neighborhoods and Crush Local Marketing
As the simple days of "turn on LSA and watch the leads roll in" seems to recede into the distance, those willing to put in the work on community marketing are going to win.
Neel shares some tactics he's employed to success, allowing you to get brand visibility and cash in on people in the neighborhood who need your services, including:
- EDDM, a USPS postcard service allowing you to blanket a community
- Yard signs, an easy way to get visibility over a weekend
- Doorhangers, one more opportunity for people to see your brand
Neel also talks about the specific things you should say on your postcards and yard signs, helping you to win leads based on different needs.
92. Prepare Now for the Next Season In Your Business
In another installment of "fighting traffic by dropping knowledge" Neel shares some thoughts on how to deal with seasonality in your business, whether that's a season of the year or a financial season, like a recession.
Neel discusses:
- How the challenge in high season, like summer, is often lack of supply to meet demand, which is why businesses need to be hiring now
- Why you can't count on a recession to make hiring easier: you need to be focused on optimizing your recruiting funnel
While others are fearful, be greedy. Prepare now for the season ahead.
91. Slow and Fast Travel: A Conversation with Bunty SomRoy of Red Pine Digital
In this episode Neel has a conversation with Bunty SomRoy.
In 2016 Bunty left the US to try to find a way in to the digital marketing world and spent three years living in Thailand and Indonesia, nose to the grindstone, trying to build his business. As it grew he's been able to travel a lot more and he's "making up for lost time."
Some interesting parts of the discussion include:
- Regrets: Bunty wants others to enjoy the journey more and not be as heads-down in their businesses as he was early on
- Remote Year: Bunty got to meet an entirely different species of remote worker, including high-level executives
- India: Bunty raced across India in a tuk tuk and found healing he didn't know he needed in his identity as an Indian-American
Enjoy the episode!
90. Start a Remote Local Biz in Your Hometown or Elsewhere?
Even though the word "remote" is part of a "remote local" business, that doesn't mean you have to start it remotely.
In this episode Neel makes arguments for both sides, for starting a remote local business in your hometown and for starting it completely remotely. He covers things like:
- Why sometimes a local presence can help you win, particularly with community marketing
- Why sometimes a local presence can slow your growth — Neel shares how he could have systematized remote hiring faster had he not fallen back on the ease and comfort of local presence
- Why time zones play a much bigger role, even within the US, than people can imagine.
Neel argues for both sides and points out that ultimately, it's about what the individual business owner's priorities are that will determine the best place to start the business.
Enjoy the episode!
89. Community Marketing Using Facebook Groups, with PJ McGeary of Arbor Trail Cleaning
In this episode Neel interviews PJ McGeary of Arbor Trail Cleaning.
PJ has had a lot of success using Facebook groups to get the word out about his cleaning business and shares his tactics and ideas, including:
- the power of city-based groups, which post about all sorts of topics, not just those related to home services
- the cadence you can use when posting — and why copy/paste works fine across all the groups you are part of
- the type of post to use (always use photos!) and what to include in it
PJ even shares the types of messages you can use on holidays. He's got a great one for Valentine's Day that he shared.
Enjoy the episode!
88. Remote Local Biz State of the Union
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss what they've been seeing on the ground for Remote Local Businesses:
- What's happening with Google Local Service Ads (LSA) and how to guard against big swings with them
- The power of what Neel calls "community marketing" which can include some tedious — but rewarding — work
- A "we're in the neighborhood anyway" tactic that can help you pick up new customers
You'll also hear Neel share a story of a woman in Australia who is doing $1M in revenue for cleaning and has no website: she's working off Facebook groups alone!
Enjoy the episode!
87. 5 New Marketing Tactics to Survive a Looming Recession (and Google's SEO Reset)
As Google tweaks its algorithm and its Local Services ads to deal with AI-created content, you might need to find new ways of reaching customers.
In this episode Neel shares five avenues he's exploring right now (and are working). Some include:
- Hypertargeting local Facebook groups using discounts, testimonials, and tagging
- Using B2B cold emails in your niche
- Getting on the ground with flyers and door-knocking in neighborhoods where you already have clients (or want to)
To get detailed tactics for these and other channels Neel is acquiring new customers through, listen to the episode.
86. 5 Easy Side Hustles To Make an Extra $500 a Month
In this episode Neel offers five different side hustles with low barriers to entry and low cost to startup.
While he understandably gives a plug for residential cleaning (hey, if it works, it works) he also shares:
- Vending machine routes (get started for around $2500)
- Mobile rim repair (he found out about one company doing $20,000 a day in repairs!)
- Knife sharpening (door-to-door still works)
But wait, there's more. Weekend puppy training! Enjoy the episode.
85. Inside Tips on Google My Business and Local Services SEO with Daniel Thompson of Salt Water Digital
In the episode Neel sits down with Daniel Thompson of Salt Water Digital.
Daniel has been in SEO for many years and took some time to share some insights into SEO for local services businesses, like:
- Why Google My Business is harder to get verified now, and why some legitimate reviews are getting flagged and hidden.
- The proof of work your agency should be showing you.
- Whether local service businesses should be using Reddit, TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram ads.
Enjoy the episode!
84. I Spent $50,000 on Business Coaching So You Don't Have To
When you pay for someone else's experiences you can move farther and faster than you would have on your own, allowing you to leapfrog the competition.
In this episode, Neel shares a few of the key practices he's gotten through business coaching (see more here), including:
- The need to delegate, automate, and systematize (he sets aside time every day to do all three)
- Why proactive planning helps you start working on your 10 year goals now
- How its often the small effort on key levers in your business that lead to the biggest results
There's not often that you get $50,000 of value in just a few minutes. Enjoy!
83. How I Will Increase Sales by $300,000 This Year
During a break from the Conquer Summit Neel took a few moments to share some tactics he plans to implement to push his sales up at the MaidThis location in California this year.
One of the pain points driving this change is an increased cost of labor, which Neel had not kept a close eye on. In the episode he discusses:
- The difference between recurring customers and re-occurring customers (and why he'll be chasing more of the latter this year)
- The ideal ceiling for labor costs in a home services business
- How little changes can lead to big results
Enjoy the episode!
82. Staffing Needs as You Grow Your Remote Local Business from 0 to $2M
In this episode Neel and Johnny talk about the different hires you need to make as you grow your remote local business. They discuss:
- the first hire you make and what areas they need to help with
- how roles have to change as you move past $100k to $500k in annual revenue: people need to be more specialized
- why the biz owner should be a marketing strategist, not a marketing executor
You'll also hear them discuss margins and how many team members you'll need to hit $1M in annual revenue
Enjoy the episode!
81. Discovering Investment and Remote Hiring Opportunities in Africa
On this episode, Neel sits down with Weh'yee Barkon of Internally, a firm that helps connect organizations with talented people in Africa.
Neel and Weh'yee discuss:
- the lack of opportunities available to well-educated, multi-lingual workers in Africa
- the consumer education necessary to overcome the bad "brand image" of the continent
- the absolute bargains to be had for workers (a full-time 40-hour/week worker can cost $500-$1000 USD a month!)
Even though he was born and raised in the US, Weh'yee's parents were from Liberia and he feels called back to Africa to make a difference. He's currently based in Dakar, Senegal.
80. Johnny & Neel Top Books in 2022
In this episode Neel and Johnny share three books that they enjoyed reading in 2022.
— They both show love for Alex Hormozi's $100M Offers, which they've mentioned multiple times on the pod this year.
— Johnny mentions his tendency to reread books, one of which is Scaling Up.
— Neel mentioned Prisoners of Geography, a book that's helped him see the world a bit differently on his travels.
You'll also hear both Neel and Johnny reflect on Russell Brunson's Trilogy of books and the funnel-hacking that his way of thinking inspires.
Enjoy the episode
79. A Short List of Business Ideas (Feel Free to Steal Them)
Neel recently moved a lot of stuff into Notion.
One of those things was an ongoing list he keeps of business ideas. In this episode he shares a few of them and why he thinks they might be good bets, including:
— Drone window cleaning
— Full service mancave setup
— Snowbird homewatch services
— Hoarder/crime scene/meth house cleanup (seriously!)
Believe it or not, there's even a real estate play in those hoarder/meth home examples.
78. Scaling Marketing, Sales, and Operations: A Look Inside a Fast-Growing E-Learning Biz
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss in detail what it's been like for Johnny to scale Home Services Academy.
They chat about:
— The importance of marketing and sales being in sync, particularly in the early days of the business.
— How appointment setters can help drive a greater show rate for prospecting calls (Johnny also shares his pay rate).
— How Johnny and his team learned by doing when it came to qualifying leads.
Johnny also shares how his dramatic growth over peers who have been in the industry much longer than he has is a good reminder of not getting complacent and being willing to learn by doing when getting started (instead of getting paralysis analysis).
Enjoy the episode!
77. Using Israeli Special Forces Tactics to Help You Deal with Risks in Life and Business
Some years ago Neel met Itamar Marani, a former Israeli Special Forces soldier, who in the course of conversations shared risk analysis and mitigation tactics he had been taught.
This includes looking at the magnitude, immediacy, and probability of an event happening, as well as mitigating tactics that can be used to deal with that event, like:
— distance
— barriers
— deterrence
— countermeasures
Neel walks through these using a hypothetical "man has a knife and wants to hurt you" scenario and then goes on to share a real-life case study, which was how he and MaidThis reacted to the threat of new legislation in Los Angeles which threatened Airbnbs, which at that time represented 80% of that market's business for the company. You'll see how the template for defending yourself from dangers in real life applies equally as well to dangers in business.
76. Motorcycling Through Africa While Running a Remote Local Biz, an interview on the About Abroad podcast
It's a bit of a switch up this week, as I get interviewed by Chase Warrington of the About Abroad pod.
For those who get my newsletter or listen to the pod regularly, this episode will be a great summary of the last few months and what I do at MaidThis Franchise, but also serves as a great conversation between Chase and me, covering:
— Some of the most important lessons travel can give you.
— Sustainable remote work and creating community (something Chase works on every day).
— When the "nomadic life" may start and end.
Enjoy the episode!
75. Hidden Gems for Remote Talent (and How Much to Pay)
In this episode Neel shares his experience of hiring and working with dozens of remote team members since 2013.
He shares:
— Which platforms you can use to find remote talent (Upwork, Dynamite Jobs, We Work Remotely)
— What countries he's had great experiences with (South Africa, Honduras)
— Which countries have talent "on sale" because of inflation (Venezuela, Argentina)
— Why all great hires start with solid job descriptions (learn more here)
Enjoy the episode!
74. Who Should NOT Go into Entrepreneurship
In this episode Neel and Johnny answer the question: "Should everyone go into entrepreneurship?" (Short answer: No.)
Entrepreneurship has been so glamorized lately that it's made to seem that everyone can and should be an entrepreneur. Neel and Johnny offer some thoughts on why that's a bad idea:
- People with low risk tolerance won't do well — every day involves some kind of risk in entrepreneurship.
- People who have a 9-5 for a very long time (though a franchise might be a good fit in that case)
- Those who can't deal with constant setbacks will struggle — some weeks and months it feels like everything is going wrong.
Both Neel and Johnny advocate for everyone having a side hustle as a de-risking strategy, however, and even give a few quick side hustle ideas to get the ideas flowing.
Enjoy the episode!
73. Scaling with Partnerships and Extreme Outsourcing, with Jon Matzner
In this episode Neel sits down with Jon Matzner to talk about his journey to small business ownership and eventually a type of franchising Jon calls "affiliating."
Jon bought a garage upgrade business and grew it really quickly but when he looked at the franchising landscape he didn't like what he saw and didn't want to create a scenario where franchisees had to come to him with "may I" requests all the time. So, instead he created lots of resources and allowed others to leverage his knowledge to create their own versions of his business. He just sold the business the week before sitting down with Neel.
They also discuss some of the exciting projects up ahead with one of Jon's partners, Codie Sanchez, and Jon's passion for offshoring and the lives that get changed by working with offshore teams.
Enjoy the episode!
72. Are You a Builder or an Investor?
In the experimental episode (literally recorded on the road), Neil discusses the differences between being a business builder and a business investor.
Neel has long tried to do both, but has recently realized that means he's only doing half as well in each field. He thinks it makes more sense for him to pick one and make the other more passive.
Since it's rare to find someone who can excel in both building and investing, it makes more sense for people to pick, and either is good, but it probably makes sense to lean into what you enjoy.
71. The Exact Tech Stack Needed To Run Your Remote Local Business on Auto-Pilot
In this episode, Neel gives reviews of software he has used to run his remote local businesses in a more automated fashion.
Neel starts by breaking down software into core vs. spoke. Core software includes companies like Launch27, BookingKoala, ZenMaid, Jobber, and Housecall Pro. Neel shares what he likes and doesn't like about them and also reminds listeners to consider whether they want a more industry-specific or industry-agnostic platform.
Neel also discusses Slack, Zapier, G-Suite, Active Campaign, and the necessity of a VOIP system (after different trials, MaidThis has settled on Dialpad.
Enjoy the episode!
70. Do You Have to Like Your Business or Nah?
In this episode Neel and Johnny tackle the question of how entrepreneurs feel about what their business does.
While Johnny delves into the idea of what your goals/endgame are and how that can create different answers at different times in your entrepreneurial journey, Neel unapologetically says that you do not have to like what your business does, as long as you don't hate it (people who don't like donuts shouldn't open a donut shop).
They also discuss:
- how sometimes working in your business instead of working on your business can make you dislike your business faster
- why sometimes the business, whatever it is, is just a vehicle for you to make money, help others, and develop personally
- the danger of making your passion your business
Enjoy the episode!
69. Moving Capital from Active Sources into Passive Investments: Roundtable Featuring Chris Munn and Sergio Silesky
In this episode Neel and Johnny welcome Sergio Silesky and Chris Munn to discuss different ways to deploy cash.
Sergio is a business partner of Johnny and is in "cash stack" mode so all the income they are earning is getting reinvested into the business.
Chris has often used his active income to invest in more passive businesses like real estate or already-running businesses doing between $1-5M in EBITDA.
They also discuss:
- Why buying and renting out a single family home is a terrible idea (Chris calls it "a low-paying job")
- How syndicate deals offer people a way into better returns in real estate without having to have significant capital on hand
- Why having some form of passive income matters if you ever plan to retire or stop doing active businesses.
Enjoy the episode!
68. Gurus like Grant Cardone and Gary Vee: Love 'em or Hate 'em?
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss the business of gurus and how they've both changed their attitude on them over time.
Johnny was formerly a hater until he himself became a "guru" by sharing information in free and paid form. As for Neel, he used to be anti-guru too, until he learned to simply "respect the funnel" and see that these guys did work really hard, even if their style wasn't for everyone.
They also discuss:
- Some of their favorite gurus — both Neel and Johnny are Alex Hormozi guys.
- Their process of "vetting" gurus and their claims.
- The danger that some people will (incorrectly) see these gurus as models for entrepreneurship.
Enjoy the episode!