Simple Scales – Complex Fails
Want to know about building a million-dollar restoration business WITHOUT wanting to set it on fire every other day?
Let’s dive in!
First things first – let me introduce myself. I’m Shane, and I’ve been in the trenches of the restoration business. And let me tell you, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows at the start.
I’m what you’d call a professional mistake-maker. Seriously, if there was a Ph.D. in screwing up, I’d have a wall full of degrees. I was a C student in school, and that was with busting my ass. Life lessons? I learned them the hard way – trial and error, rinse and repeat. And because the universe has a sense of humor, I’m also a slow learner. So yeah, I got to enjoy making the same mistakes multiple times before the lightbulb finally flickered on.
But here’s the thing – all those face-plants and “what the hell was I thinking” moments? They taught me invaluable lessons. And now, I’m here to share that hard-earned wisdom with you. Consider this article your cheat sheet to avoid the pitfalls I stumbled into.
The Million-Dollar Dumpster Fire
Let’s talk about building and scaling a restoration business. And I’m going to hit you with some truth right off the bat: You need to be damn careful.
It’s not just about raking in the dough. You’ve got to pay attention to every aspect of your business – the types of jobs you take on, who you bring onto your team, how big you let that team get, who your customers are. All of it matters.
If you’re not intentional about this stuff, you might wake up one day and realize your company is a chaotic mess. Sure, you might be making millions, but deep down, you resent your own business. That beautiful little money-printing butterfly you started with? It’s morphed into a time-eating beast that has you chained to your desk.
I remember walking into my office one day and thinking, “Do I even like anyone here?” I felt like I was surrounded by a bunch of entitled crybabies. It didn’t take long for me to clean the house and start over.
Here’s a hard truth: There is such a thing as a miserable rich business owner. And trust me, you don’t want to be that guy.
The 136Method: Your Lifeline in the Chaos
So, how do we avoid this nightmare scenario? Enter the 136Method. It’s not rocket science, folks. It’s a simple, straightforward approach to scaling your restoration business to $1M per truck without wanting to set your hair on fire every other Tuesday.
Here’s the breakdown:
- 1 Job Per Week: Start small and steady. Aim for one solid job each week.
- 3 Jobs Per Week: Once you’ve got a handle on things, ramp it up to three jobs weekly.
- $6k+ Average Job Value: Focus on increasing the value of each job.
Simple, right? But don’t let the simplicity fool you. This method is powerful because it gives you clear, achievable goals to shoot for. It’s not about chasing every job that comes your way or trying to be everything to everyone.
Why the 136Method Works
- It’s Achievable: One job a week? Anyone can do that. Three jobs? Still manageable. It doesn’t overwhelm you or your team.
- It Forces Focus: By limiting the number of jobs, you’re forced to focus on quality and value rather than quantity.
- It’s Scalable: Once you’ve nailed the process with one truck, you can replicate it. It’s like having a blueprint for success.
- It Prevents Burnout: By keeping the job numbers manageable, you avoid overworking yourself and your team.
- It Emphasizes Profitability: The focus on job value ensures you’re not just busy, but profitable.
Implementing the 136Method when building a restoration business
- Start With One Job Per Week:
- Focus on getting this right.
- Build relationships with reliable sources of jobs (plumbers, insurance agents).
- Nail your processes for this one job.
- Scale to Three Jobs Per Week:
- Only move to this step when you’ve consistently hit one job per week for at least a month.
- Hire your first tech if you haven’t already.
- Invest in the right equipment to handle the increased workload.
- Boost Your Average Job Value:
- Learn to estimate properly. Undervaluing your work is a fast track to resentment.
- Offer additional services that add value (and cost) to each job.
- Focus on educating your clients about the full scope of work needed.
The Million-Dollar Question
Now, you might be thinking, “Shane, this all sounds great, but will it get me to $1M per truck?”
Let’s do some quick math:
3 jobs per week x 52 weeks = 156 jobs per year 156 jobs x $6,700 average job value = $1,045,200
Boom. There’s your million bucks.
The Warning Label
Here’s my final piece of advice, and consider this the warning label on the bottle:
Don’t try to scale your business until it’s giving you what you want. It needs to be profitable, and it needs to be able to run without your input every 5 seconds. Scaling something that eats your time and energy is like supersizing a shit sandwich. You’re just making a bigger version of your problems. To read more about how to scale your restoration business, read this article when you’re done here.
Wrapping It Up – building a restoration business
The 136Method isn’t just about making money. It’s about building a restoration business that you enjoy running. One that makes you money without sucking the life out of you.
Remember:
- Start small (1 job per week)
- Scale smartly (3 jobs per week)
- Focus on value ($6k+ per job)
Do this, and you’ll be on your way to a $1M per truck business that doesn’t make you want to pull your hair out.
Now get out there and start building the restoration business you’ve always wanted. And for God’s sake, try not to make as many mistakes as I did.
Your future self will thank you.