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.