#63 List-B-Done – Garin Wright (Part 2)

The first 30 minutes of Garen Wright’s story gave us how to start strong. The next part of his interview reveals how to run, refine, and grow a handyman business with professionalism, efficiency, pricing confidence, and systems that scale.

Here are the most practical tips you can put into action today:

✅ 1. Charge What You Need — Not What You Think People Will Pay

Garen recently raised his hourly rate to $145/hour—and customers are still saying yes.

Here’s why:

• He built trust through a professional experience
• He knows his numbers and what he needs to earn
• He presents confidently

💡 Tip: Don’t fear rate increases. When you communicate value—process, responsiveness, and professionalism—clients will respect your price.

“If you’re scared about losing clients by raising your price — it’s not true.”
— Garen

✅ 2. Professional Appearance Supports Premium Pricing

How you show up matters:

• Polos with logo
• Branded, clean van
• Organized tools
• Boot covers inside clients’ homes

One client said they chose Garen because of his process, even if he was “more expensive.”

💡 Tip: Small impressions build big trust. Dress sharp, drive a clean vehicle, and treat every job like a showcase.

✅ 3. Systemize Your Processes with a CRM

Garen emphasizes using a CRM (he uses Markate) to professionalize and automate:

• Estimates with e‑signatures
• Work orders
• Invoices
• Review requests
• Customer records

This makes the business look bigger and run smoother, even as a solo operator.

💡 Tip: A CRM helps you:
✔ Track jobs easily
✔ Avoid losing details
✔ Automate follow‑ups
✔ Save hours each week

✅ 4. Estimate Smarter — Not Harder

Garen’s estimating insights are gold:

• Ask for pictures before visiting (when possible)
• Only do in‑person visits when you really need to
• Ask the right questions upfront
• Use your CRM’s lead form to gather structured info

💡 Tip: If you can estimate based on photos and details before the site visit, you save big on drive time and admin work.

✅ 5. Plan for Efficiency — Don’t Waste Trips

Garen noticed something important:

“Trips to Lowe’s and drive time are creeping into all my margins.”

To fix that:

• Batch material runs
• Pre‑plan weekly supplies
• Cut unnecessary store trips

💡 Tip: Use a calendar block for supply planning—just like you’d set aside time for estimates or invoicing.

✅ 6. Delegate Admin Work to Buy Back Time

Garen is actively buying back his time by adding help:

• Ruby call answering service to catch every phone lead
• Virtual assistant for admin tasks

Why it matters:

• You don’t stop production to answer calls
• Communication stays professional and responsive
• You free up your schedule to do more high‑value work

💡 Tip: If you’re losing jobs because you’re on the ladder instead of answering the phone, it’s time to delegate.

✅ 7. Commercial Clients Are Real Opportunities

Garen has landed commercial accounts by:

• Making his website easy to find and trust
• Having W‑9, insurance, and documentation ready
• Being prompt and professional

Commercial work often pays better, even with net‑30 terms, and leads to repeat contracts.

💡 Tip: Have your documentation folder ready before you pitch commercial clients:
✔ Insurance certificate
✔ W‑9
✔ Terms of service
✔ References or reviews

✅ 8. Profit Margin Awareness = Better Growth Decisions

Garen targets a 20–30% net profit margin—a strong goal for owner‑operators.

To get there:

• Price with profit built in
• Know your true cost of doing business
• Track overhead like insurances, tools, subscriptions, travel time

💡 Tip: If you don’t track your profit margins, you can’t confidently hire, price, or grow.

✅ 9. Take Photos Early and Often

Photos protect you:

• They support accurate estimates
• They document existing conditions
• They reduce scope disputes
• They help with material orders

Garen and the hosts repeatedly stress this: Take more photos than you think you need.

💡 Tip: When you’re on site—snap first, ask questions later.

✅ 10. Manage Time Like a Business Leader — Not Just a Handyman

Garen and the podcast hosts recommend:

• Planning admin/estimate days
• Making the most money in fewer days
• Reducing inefficiencies before hiring technicians

The idea: Make your business run like a business, not just a series of jobs.

💡 Tip: If you can make 5 days’ worth of money in 4, you’ve bought yourself a management day. That’s growth power.

🧠 Final Reflection: What Clients Really Pay For

According to the hosts, the top feature premium clients want is:

Comfort with you in their house—even when they’re not home.

That comes from:

• Professional appearance
• Clear communication
• Trustworthy systems
• Responsive service

💡 Ask yourself:
Would your clients feel comfortable leaving you alone in their home? If not, here’s where to start improving.

🏁 Bottom Line

To take your handyman business from “busy” to professional and profitable, focus on:

✔ Pricing with confidence
✔ Systems that look professional
✔ Delegation that protects your time
✔ Efficiency that protects your margins
✔ Documentation that builds trust

Grow thoughtfully. Build systems early. And run your business like the professional service it is.