Admin is the thing most tradespeople hate most about running their own business. It’s not why you started – you started because you’re good at the work. But somehow you’re spending every Sunday evening catching up on invoices, quotes, and emails instead of actually switching off. Here’s how to cut that time down significantly –…
Managing one job well is straightforward. Managing five at the same time – different customers, different sites, different stages – is where most tradespeople start to struggle. Things get missed, customers get ignored, and you end up stressed and reactive instead of in control. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to run…
Most tradespeople undercharge. Not because their prices are too low – but because they’re not tracking their time properly. A job you quoted three hours for runs to five, and you eat the difference. Do that a few times a week and it costs you thousands a year. A decent time tracking app fixes that….
Time is the one thing you can’t get back. And for most tradespeople, a big chunk of every working day gets swallowed up by things that aren’t billable – admin, phone calls, chasing invoices, driving back to the depot for something you forgot. None of that earns you a penny. If you’re working long hours…
Turning down work goes against every instinct when you’re running your own trade business. You’ve worked hard to build a reputation, the phone is ringing, and saying no feels like leaving money on the table. But not all work is good work. Some jobs cost you more than they make you. Some customers cost you…
Most tradespeople think the way to make more money is to take on more work. More jobs, more hours, more income. But if your margins are thin, more work just means more of the same problem at a larger scale. You end up busier, more stressed, and still not significantly better off. Improving your profit…
You’re booked solid for weeks. The phone doesn’t stop. You’re leaving the house at 7am and getting back at 6pm. And yet at the end of the month there’s barely anything left in the bank. If that sounds familiar you’re not alone, and you’re not doing something wrong. You’re doing something common. Being busy and…
Most tradespeople set their day rate by looking at what the person down the road charges and going similar. The problem with that approach is that the person down the road might be undercharging too, and now you’re both working harder than you need to for less than you deserve. Your day rate shouldn’t be…
Most tradespeople know they should be charging more. Materials are up. Fuel is up. Insurance is up. Van costs keep climbing. But the day rate hasn’t moved since 2021. That gap between what things cost and what you’re charging is where your profit disappears. Raising your prices feels risky, but staying where you are is…
No matter how good your work is, at some point a customer is going to complain. It might be justified. It might not be. Either way, how you respond matters more than the complaint itself. A complaint handled badly becomes a negative Google review, a dispute, or worse, a small claims court claim. A complaint…