He Built a No-Employee Business on Track for $1 Million in 2 Years — Find Out How
Written by
Marc Guberti
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Not every business owner makes money by performing services. Some entrepreneurs act as middlemen who connect clients with service providers. They manage the relationships, ensure tasks are completed, and then keep part of the earnings.
Chris Koerner from “The Koerner Office Podcast” recently interviewed Jeff, a concrete leveling service provider, who is on pace to gross more than $1 million in revenue within two years of starting his business. Jeff doesn’t have any employees, and subcontracts all of the work while maintaining his W-2. His margins range from 20% to 40% per job, and he currently earns 5-figures in monthly cash flow after three months of starting the company.
Jeff shared in the interview how he built his concrete leveling business and ways business owners can capitalize on the opportunity.
Subcontracting Reduces Initial Costs
According to Jeff, he subcontracts the work because it saves time and allows him to focus on prospecting. He also doesn’t have to pay the upfront costs of getting into the concrete leveling business since his subcontractors have their own equipment, materials and insurance.
Having other people perform the services can reduce overhead and make it easier to serve more clients. Jeff said most solopreneurs in the industry work on concrete leveling projects until they hit their income goal and simply view anything else as a bonus. While that works well for some , Jeff noted he’s focused on scaling his services to take on more projects and boost his earnings.
Subcontractors are happy to work with Jeff because he provides them with additional projects. Some people are good at doing the work, yet bad at prospecting, while others excel at prospecting but don’t know everything about fulfilling the service. It’s a good match that helps Jeff scale his operations while working a traditional job and raising his family. Jeff said he has worked with plenty of great subcontractors and believes it’s optimal to work with those who have a military background or a soft spot for veterans.
How Jeff Gets Clients for His Concrete Leveling Services
Jeff operates in a competitive market. Houston, Texas is filled with concrete leveling service providers, but what makes Jeff stand out is prioritizing quality services and excellent communication. That’s the foundation he uses when pitching his services. He texts property managers and HOA managers to see if they need his services. These managers can give him a lot of projects since they oversee multiple properties that need regular work.
Jeff also runs Facebook ads and spent $5 to get his first lead. That lead converted and became a $2,500 client. While that sounds like an incredible ROI, Jeff noted he didn’t make any margin on that job because he underestimated the cost. He doesn’t make that mistake anymore since he has more experience and knows what expenses to expect when setting prices.
Nextdoor and Google organic search have also worked well for him. He gets some inbound leads through his website, and referrals also attribute to some of his growth. He isn’t leaning heavily into a single marketing tactic. A mix of inbound efforts and outreach have kept him busy.
Jeff said that the market has been growing, especially the residential market. He suggested that people who are just getting started with a bunch of small jobs build case studies to give them more experience with quoting their services.
The Upcoming Opportunity for Concrete Leveling Services
Jeff wins jobs in Houston and Dallas, but said he believes smaller cities present better opportunities. These cities still have large populations, but fewer concrete leveling service providers operate in those areas. Meanwhile, big metropolises like Houston and Dallas have stiff competition, which can result in tighter margins and lower conversion rates. That combination can result in bidding wars, but Jeff said he avoids those types of jobs because those customers tend to be more difficult to work with.
Jeff’s drop servicing model lets him expand to multiple cities. He isn’t tied to one location like solopreneurs in the industry. Jeff had no experience before getting started in the industry and said he is on pace to do $100,000 in profits over the first six months. He’s in the process of winning bigger jobs to boost his earnings and achieve $1 million in gross revenue within two years of launching his business.
Regardless of your line of business, you still need ways to stand out. In addition to a quality service and effective communication, Jeff throws in a free power wash for each client that is factored into the quote. The power washing professional will do the driveway and also complete the sidewalks as a bonus. Jeff tells clients the power washing provider can also do the backyard for an extra $100. This payment reduces his losses on this bonus service, and he said he can find some power washers in the area who will complete this entire service for under $100.
Jeff likes the opportunity because concrete leveling is a service that has been proven for centuries. He also lives in Texas, where 20% of U.S. concrete pourings take place.
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