Guides
Starting a trade business, on paper
The business half of going out on your own, written in plain English: what to file, what to buy, what to charge, and what order it all goes in.
How to start a lawn care business
Register the business, get an EIN, get insured, check the license question, price off your real hourly cost, and go get ten customers. The steps in order, with worked-example numbers for startup cost and break-even.
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How to start an HVAC business
Confirm your license path, get EPA 608 certified techs, register the business, get insured, price flat-rate off your real hourly cost, and build maintenance agreements. The steps in order.
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How to start a plumbing business
Confirm your master license path, register the business, get insured, price service work off your real hourly cost, and take deposits on fixture jobs. The steps in order.
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How to start a roofing business
Check your state's licensing rule, register the business, get comp priced into every job, write a scope on every quote, and build referral sources that outlast the storm. The steps in order.
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How to start a painting business
Register the business, get insured, get RRP certified for pre-1978 homes, measure every bid, and price prep like the job it is. The steps in order.
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How to start a pressure washing business
Register the business, get insured, learn your local water rules, price per job with real minimums, and sell annual schedules instead of one-and-done washes. The steps in order.
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How to start a cleaning business
Register the business, get insured and bonded, write the scope checklist, price recurring visits off your real hourly cost, and build a route of weekly clients. The steps in order.
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