The Remote Local Podcast: Financial & Location Freedom: Recent Episodes
Neel Parekh
The Remote Local Podcast lets you dive into the minds of two 7-figure entrepreneurs, Neel Parekh and David Lahav, who have figured out how to run their LOCAL businesses completely remotely and travel the world.
We talk about all things that are at the intersection of travel and entrepreneurship. The goal is to allow you to run your own remote local biz and experience total financial and location freedom.
Summary
Winslow Marshall, founder of Neoteric Brands, shares his journey from corporate to entrepreneurship and the challenges he faced along the way. He discusses the benefits of gaining experience in a fully formed company before starting his own business and the value of starting earlier in entrepreneurship. Winslow also talks about his experience as a digital nomad and the freedom it provided. He explains how he decided on his business model and the importance of community in growing CPG brands. He shares the challenges of entrepreneurship, including the scarcity of attention and the need for cash flow management. Winslow emphasizes the flexibility and focus that entrepreneurship brings to his day-to-day life and the concept of freedom in entrepreneurship.
Takeaways
- Gaining experience in a fully formed company before starting your own business can provide valuable knowledge and skills.
- Starting earlier in entrepreneurship can have benefits in terms of gaining experience and taking risks.
- Being a digital nomad offers a unique sense of freedom and the opportunity to explore different locations.
- Community is important in growing consumer goods brands and leveraging community can be a successful business model.
- Entrepreneurship comes with challenges such as the scarcity of attention and the need for cash flow management.
- Entrepreneurship provides flexibility and the ability to work on your own terms, but also requires focus and intensity.
- Freedom in entrepreneurship includes location independence, time independence, and the ability to work on your interests.
Winslow Marshall, founder of Neoteric Brands, shares his journey from corporate to entrepreneurship and the challenges he faced along the way. He discusses the benefits of gaining experience in a fully formed company before starting his own business and the value of starting earlier in entrepreneurship. Winslow also talks about his experience as a digital nomad and the freedom it provided. He explains how he decided on his business model and the importance of community in growing CPG brands. He shares the challenges of entrepreneurship, including the scarcity of attention and the need for cash flow management. Winslow emphasizes the flexibility and focus that entrepreneurship brings to his day-to-day life and the concept of freedom in entrepreneurship.Takeaways- Gaining experience in a fully formed company before starting your own business can provide valuable knowledge and skills.- Starting earlier in entrepreneurship can have benefits in terms of gaining experience and taking risks.- Being a digital nomad offers a unique sense of freedom and the opportunity to explore different locations.- Community is important in growing consumer goods brands and leveraging community can be a successful business model.- Entrepreneurship comes with challenges such as the scarcity of attention and the need for cash flow management.- Entrepreneurship provides flexibility and the ability to work on your own terms, but also requires focus and intensity.- Freedom in entrepreneurship includes location independence, time independence, and the ability to work on your interests.Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like it, leave a comment and subscribe to our podcast for more amazing content.Want to stay connected? Follow me on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes insights:➙ Visit www.maidthisfranchise.com➙ Instagram: @neelbparekh➙ X (Twitter): @neelbparekFollow Winslow here: ➙ X (Twitter): @winslowmarshall➙ https://www.neotericbrands.com/
Akila, the owner of MaidThis McKinney, shares her journey of starting her own location and leaving her nine-to-five job. She discusses her background in project management and her desire for more hustle and productivity. Akila talks about her fears and lifestyle changes when starting her business, as well as the support she received from her friends and family. She also shares her experiences with training, marketing, and community outreach, highlighting the success she has found in the vacation rental industry. Akila emphasizes the importance of joining a franchise like MaidThis for the support and collaboration it provides.
Takeaways
- Starting a business requires embracing the fear of the unknown and being willing to make lifestyle changes.
- Joining a franchise like Made This provides support, training, and collaboration opportunities.
- Community marketing, such as joining the Chamber of Commerce and creating meetup groups, can be an effective way to generate leads and build relationships.
- Embracing a niche market, such as vacation rentals, can lead to success and expertise in that industry.
- Having a strong support system, both within the franchise and from friends and family, is crucial for entrepreneurial success.
Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like it, leave a comment and subscribe to our podcast for more amazing content.Want to stay connected? Follow me on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes insights:➙ Visit www.maidthisfranchise.com➙ Follow me on Instagram: @neelbparekh➙ Follow me on Twitter: @neelbparekh
In this episode of the Freedom Formula podcast, Neel talks with Erik Van Horn, a franchise expert and host of the Franchise Secrets podcast. Erik shares his journey in the franchise world, from starting as a real estate investor to becoming a successful franchisee and investor in multiple franchise brands. He emphasizes the importance of learning from top-performing franchisees and hiring for your weaknesses. Erik also discusses the value of being part of a franchise system and the opportunities for expansion and exit that it provides.
Takeaways
- Franchising offers the opportunity to be a true entrepreneur and benefit from the support and knowledge of other franchisees.
- Successful franchisees understand their strengths and weaknesses and hire for their weaknesses.
- Expansion in franchising can be achieved by buying out existing franchisees or opening new locations.
- Hiring the right talent is crucial for growth and success in franchising.
- Franchisees should take advantage of the knowledge and support of other franchisees in the system.
- Paying for great help and investing in talented employees can lead to scalability and increased profitability.
Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like it, leave a comment and subscribe to our podcast for more amazing content.Want to stay connected? Follow me on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes insights:➙ Visit www.maidthisfranchise.com➙ Follow me on Instagram: @neelbparekh➙ Follow me on Twitter: @neelbparekhCheck out Erik's social media for more great content:➙ Podcast Spotify: Franchise Secrets➙ Podcast Apple: Franchise Secrets Podcast➙ X (Twitter): @RealErikVanHorn
A different and fun podcast were Neel Parekh gets interviewed by Nik from Nikonomics. his journey in the cleaning industry and the unique aspects of his business model. He shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of running a cleaning company, particularly in the residential and vacation rental niches. Neel emphasizes the importance of recurring revenue and customer retention in the cleaning industry. He also talks about the benefits and support provided to franchisees and the potential for scalability in the business.
Takeaways
- Recurring revenue and customer retention are crucial in the cleaning industry.
- The residential and vacation rental niches offer opportunities for growth and stability.
- Customer acquisition costs and lifetime value vary depending on the niche.
- Franchising can provide support and scalability for cleaning businesses.
- Automation and delegation are key to freeing up time and growing the business.
Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel for more amazing content.
Want to stay connected? Follow me on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes insights:
➙ Visit www.maidthisfranchise.com
➙ Follow me on Instagram: @neelbparekh
➙ Follow me on Twitter: @neelbparekhCheck out Nik's social media for more great content:➙ Podcast Spotify: tinyurl.com/5avyu98y➙ Podcast Apple: tinyurl.com/bdxbr284➙ X (Twitter): twitter.com/CoFoundersNik
In this episode of the Freedom Formula podcast, Neel Parekh chats with Bryant Amundson, the CEO of Nautical Bowls, a franchise brand specializing in acai bowls. Bryant shares his journey of starting his first location and eventually franchising the business. He emphasizes the importance of being all-in as a franchisee and the need for coaching and mindset upgrades. Bryant also discusses the support system needed for franchisees and the focus on franchisee success. He highlights the goal of creating time freedom and financial success for franchisees. To learn more about Bryant and Nautical Bowls, you can find him on LinkedIn or visit the Nautical Bowls website.
Takeaways
- Starting a franchise requires being all-in and willing to do the work.
- The success of a franchisee is determined by their level of engagement and willingness to take ownership.
- A support system for franchisees should focus on coaching and mindset upgrades.
- Franchisees need to be guided in the right direction and helped to solve the root problems.
- The goal of a franchise should be to create time freedom and financial success for franchisees.
- Building a successful franchise requires a focus on franchisee success and a commitment to their growth and development.
In this episode, Neel chats Freddy Lansky, a digital nomad and entrepreneur who has traveled to nearly 100 countries. Freddy shares his journey from backpacking through Europe to starting his own successful e-commerce business, iChess. He discusses the importance of taking risks, making pivots, and not getting stuck in analysis paralysis. Freddy also talks about the challenges of running an internet business and the opportunities in the freelance and consulting space. He emphasizes the need to go hard and give it a fair shake before deciding to pivot. Freddy's story is a testament to the power of lifestyle design and pursuing your passions.
Takeaways
- Take risks and don't be afraid to make pivots in your career or business.
- Go hard and give your ventures a fair shake before deciding to pivot.
- Don't get stuck in analysis paralysis; take action and learn from your failures.
- Consider the opportunities in the freelance and consulting space, especially in the digital marketing field.
Neel sits down with Ray Blakney, an accidental entrepreneur, who shares his journey from working in corporate America to starting his own businesses. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear why and setting realistic expectations when starting a business. Ray introduces his business, Productized Education, which helps individuals turn their skills and knowledge into educational products. He offers an Accelerator program to develop and sell the first product, a Scale program to replace day-to-day income, and guidance on scaling the business to the desired level. Ray's approach focuses on achieving financial stability, maintaining relationships, prioritizing health, and having fun.
Takeaways
- Have a clear why and set realistic expectations when starting a business
- Turn your skills and knowledge into educational products
- Focus on achieving financial stability, maintaining relationships, prioritizing health, and having fun
- Productized Education offers an Accelerator program, a Scale program, and guidance on scaling the business
In this episode, Neel talks with Itamar Marani, a mindset coach with a diverse background in the military, private security, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The conversation covers topics such as living in Thailand, the experience of working for a Russian billionaire, the pursuit of wealth, and the mindset of successful entrepreneurs. The conversation delves into the psychological barriers and limiting beliefs that entrepreneurs face, exploring the impact of fear, comfort, and the need for approval. Itamar discusses the importance of taking action, making peace with discomfort, and reworking limiting beliefs at different stages of entrepreneurship. The conversation also covers the process of identifying and addressing unconscious beliefs, and the impact of emotions on logical decision-making.
Takeaways
- The pursuit of wealth and success should be balanced with personal growth and self-awareness.
- Adaptability and mental flexibility are crucial for achieving new goals and breaking through limitations.
- External success does not always equate to internal fulfillment and happiness.
- The journey from pain to freedom is a powerful motivator for personal and professional growth. The impact of fear, comfort, and the need for approval on entrepreneurial decision-making.
- The importance of taking action and making peace with discomfort in the entrepreneurial journey.
- The process of identifying and reworking limiting beliefs at different stages of entrepreneurship.
- The impact of unconscious beliefs and emotions on logical decision-making in entrepreneurship.
In this conversation, Neel chats with Hansel from the Coder School, discussing Hansel's background, journey into entrepreneurship, and the franchising model of the Coder School. They explore the importance of passion in business, marketing strategies, and the traits of successful franchisees.
Takeaways
- Passion for the business and its impact on the community is more important than passion for the end product.
- Successful franchisees exhibit traits such as relatability, communication skills, and a 'gunslinger' approach to marketing tactics.
- Experimentation and testing are crucial in entrepreneurship, and systematic approaches may not always work in marketing strategies.
Neel sits down with Jeff Hill shares his journey from corporate America to location independence, discussing the struggles, mindset shifts, and the decision to raise a family outside the US. He emphasizes the importance of multiple sources of income and the freedom to live life on one's terms.
Takeaways
- Transitioning from corporate America to entrepreneurship requires courage and a willingness to work hard for oneself.
- Creating multiple sources of income is essential for achieving location independence and financial freedom.
- Raising a family outside the US provides cultural exposure and the ability to live life on one's terms.
- The journey to location independence involves mindset shifts, discipline, and the pursuit of freedom and abundance.
Buddy Rathmell, a former anti-human trafficking operative, shares his journey of entrepreneurship, nonprofit work, and the pursuit of a fulfilling lifestyle. From running anti-trafficking operations in Southeast Asia to starting Map Winners, Buddy's story is one of impact, values, and the pursuit of contentment.
Takeaways
- Buddy Rathmell's journey is a testament to the pursuit of a fulfilling lifestyle driven by impact and values.
- Entrepreneurship and nonprofit work can coexist, serving as fuel for a life of purpose and fulfillment.
- The pursuit of financial freedom does not guarantee internal contentment; living according to one's values is key to finding fulfillment.
- Map Winners, founded by Buddy Rathmell, focuses on helping businesses improve their Google Maps rankings, providing a simple and effective service that makes a positive impact on clients' lives.
In this episode of the Freedom Formula podcast, Neel Parekh sits down with Ben McAdam, a business coach who helps entrepreneurs increase their profits by analyzing their numbers. Ben shares his journey from being a classical pianist to becoming a business owner and explains how he discovered the power of numbers in growing a business. They discuss the mindset shifts required for entrepreneurship, the importance of prioritizing spending, and the role of mindset in achieving lifestyle design. Ben also shares his personal lifestyle design choices and offers insights into common objections and challenges faced by entrepreneurs.
Takeaways
- Analyzing numbers is crucial for growing a business and increasing profits.
- Entrepreneurs often struggle with mindset issues that prevent them from achieving their goals.
- Prioritizing spending and creating space for reflection and rest are essential for lifestyle design.
- Many entrepreneurs use busyness as an excuse to avoid addressing mindset issues.
- Coaching and accountability can help entrepreneurs overcome mindset barriers and achieve their goals.
Mitchell Sorkin, known as the ATM guy, shares his journey of building a portfolio of almost a thousand ATMs across the country. He explains how he got into the ATM business and the qualities he looked for in a business, such as low labor intensity. Mitchell discusses the business model of ATMs, including the risks and benefits. He also talks about the negotiation process with store owners and the potential income generated by ATMs. Mitchell emphasizes the importance of finding a business that suits your personality and interests.
Takeaways
- The ATM business can be a profitable source of passive income, with low labor intensity and low overhead costs.
- The cash in the ATM machine is not owned by the ATM operator, reducing the risk of robbery.
- ATM fees can vary depending on the location and type of business, with some high-volume locations generating significant income.
- Negotiating agreements with store owners is a key aspect of the ATM business, with fees and revenue sharing arrangements varying.
- Finding a business that aligns with your personality and interests is important for long-term success.
In this episode, Neel chats with Bobby Hobert, host of The Bearded Man podcast and a lifestyle design coach. They discuss Bobby's journey from driving for Uber to becoming a full-time creator and coach. Bobby explains that lifestyle design is about being intentional with every moment and designing a life that aligns with your goals and priorities. He shares his four-step process for helping clients design their lives, which includes a personal audit, mapping out the dream life, creating a custom calendar, and setting personal boundaries. They also discuss the common limiting belief of not feeling deserving of living a life by design.
Takeaways
- Lifestyle design is about being intentional with every moment and designing a life that aligns with your goals and priorities.
- To design your life, start with a personal audit to identify what's working and what's not working.
- Map out your dream life by envisioning how you want to spend your time and what activities bring you fulfillment.
- Create a custom calendar to schedule your priorities and eliminate decision fatigue and overwhelm.
- Set personal boundaries to protect your peace and freedom and prioritize what matters most to you.
- A common limiting belief is feeling undeserving of living a life by design due to external expectations and judgments.
Jesse Schoberg, CEO of Dropinblog, shares his experience living as a digital nomad in Thailand and the benefits of the lifestyle. He discusses the cost of living in Thailand compared to major cities like New York and London, highlighting the affordability and quality of life. Jesse emphasizes the safety, quality of service, and availability of amenities in Thailand. He also talks about his journey from living in Wisconsin to moving to Panama and eventually settling in Thailand. Jesse reflects on the success of his business and the impact of his location on its growth. The conversation explores the concept of chasing money and the pursuit of financial success. It delves into the diminishing returns of increased income on happiness and the psychological factors that drive people to keep pushing themselves to earn more. The discussion also touches on the cultural differences in hustle mentality between the US and other countries. The importance of finding a balance between work and lifestyle, as well as the need to define and pursue personal freedom, is emphasized.
Takeaways
- Living as a digital nomad in Thailand offers a high quality of life at an affordable cost compared to major cities.
- Thailand provides excellent safety, quality of service, and availability of amenities.
- Jesse's journey from Wisconsin to Panama to Thailand highlights the opportunities and benefits of living and working remotely.
- The success of Jesse's business, Dropinblog, is influenced by his lifestyle choices and location. There are diminishing returns on happiness as income increases beyond a certain point.
- The pursuit of money is often driven by societal conditioning and the desire to win.
- People may feel trapped in the cycle of chasing money due to complacency and a lack of direction.
- The hustle culture and the mentality of constantly pushing oneself to work harder is prevalent in American society.
- Finding a balance between work and lifestyle is crucial for overall well-being and fulfillment.
- Taking breaks and going on vacations can help recharge and provide new experiences.
- Defining and pursuing personal freedom, which includes freedom of time and freedom from stress, is essential for a fulfilling life.
Peter Murphy Lewis shares his journey of designing his own freedom lifestyle through entrepreneurship and career changes. From living abroad in Chile to starting his own travel company, Peter has embraced different opportunities and made bold decisions to create the life he wants. He discusses the challenges and rewards of making career transitions and emphasizes the importance of spending less than you make to have the freedom to make choices. Peter also talks about his current role as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer and how he balances his own business with working for the zoo.
Takeaways
- Designing your own freedom lifestyle through entrepreneurship and career changes is possible.
- Making the first big career change can be the hardest, but subsequent changes become easier.
- Spending less than you make is crucial for creating the freedom to make choices.
- Being picky and saying no to what you don't want can lead to more options and opportunities.
- Balancing multiple roles and businesses can provide flexibility and fulfillment.
Ryan Knoll and Neel Parekh discuss their backgrounds and experiences in the home service industry. They talk about their early days, growth trajectories, and the marketing tactics that worked for them. They emphasize the importance of networking and traditional marketing methods, in addition to digital marketing strategies like SEO and Google ads. They also discuss the structure of their teams and the use of remote staff. The conversation covers topics such as managing a cleaning business, handling overflow, and building systems for growth. The speakers discuss the challenges of managing a cleaning business, particularly in the Airbnb market. They share their experiences with hiring and training cleaners, as well as strategies for maintaining quality and customer satisfaction. They also discuss the importance of tracking capacity and implementing systems to support growth. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the systems and processes that the speakers have implemented to improve their businesses.
Takeaways
- Starting a business as a side hustle while working a day job can provide financial stability and allow for gradual growth.
- Traditional marketing methods like networking and sending postcards can still be effective in generating leads and building brand awareness.
- Digital marketing strategies like SEO and Google ads are important, but they require time and investment to see results.
- Having a remote workforce can provide flexibility and cost savings, but it's important to hire the right people and establish effective communication channels. Managing a cleaning business requires careful planning and organization.
- Hiring and training reliable cleaners is crucial for maintaining quality and customer satisfaction.
- Tracking capacity and implementing systems can support business growth.
- Building systems and processes is essential for scaling a cleaning business.
In this episode, Neel chats with David Lahav, a former locksmith company owner turned meditation teacher. They discuss David's journey in entrepreneurship, his mindset shift towards finding purpose and freedom, and the role of meditation in his life. David emphasizes the importance of being an importer of happiness rather than an exporter, and how meditation helps reduce stress and improve decision-making. He also explains how entrepreneurship and meditation are not mutually exclusive, but rather work together to create a fulfilling life. The episode concludes with a discussion on the definition of freedom and the relevance of engaging with the world.
Takeaways
- Entrepreneurship can be a funding mechanism for pursuing one's passion and purpose.
- Meditation can help reduce stress, improve decision-making, and provide mental clarity for entrepreneurs.
- Happiness and fulfillment should not be dependent on external achievements or material possessions.
- The goalpost of success and accomplishment will always move, so it's important to find internal contentment.
- Engaging with the world and sharing one's knowledge and experiences can bring a sense of relevancy and fulfillment.
Follow David on X: @Heydavidla
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode, Neel Parekh sits down with John Seiffer, author of Output Thinking and founder of CEO Bootcamp. They discuss John's entrepreneurial journey, starting with a failed waterbed store business in the 70s. They explore the differences between B2B and B2C business models and the importance of building a business like an asset. John introduces the concept of output thinking and explains how to identify and develop systems in a business. They also discuss common issues faced by new businesses and how to find your zone of genius. The episode concludes with information about CEO Bootcamp and a free coaching session offer.
Takeaways
- Building a business like an asset involves systemizing and scaling operations.
- Identifying and defining outputs is crucial for managing employees and improving performance.
- Outsourcing tasks that you hate doing allows you to focus on your core competencies.
- Start implementing output thinking and systemization from the beginning of your business.
- Consider joining CEO Bootcamp for personalized coaching and guidance in systemizing your business.
Follow John on X: @BetterCeoIf you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode, Neel reunites with his old friend Jon to discuss Jon's unique lifestyle and career transitions. Jon shares his journey from being a residential advisor to working in startups and spearfishing. They delve into the challenges of making career pivots and the importance of unlearning limiting beliefs. Jon also talks about his experience as a stay-at-home dad and the impact it had on his business. They explore the balance between career goals and prioritizing experiences, and the value of simplicity and time freedom. The episode concludes with John sharing where listeners can find him.
Takeaways
- Making career pivots can be challenging, but it's important to listen to your gut and know when it's time to move on.
- Unlearning limiting beliefs and societal expectations is crucial for personal and professional growth.
- Balancing work and family life requires making tough decisions and prioritizing what truly matters.
- Building a lifestyle that prioritizes experiences and time freedom can be more fulfilling than chasing financial success.
In this episode, Ryan Sneddon shares his journey of starting a successful local email newsletter business. He discusses how he came up with the idea, experimented with different business models, and eventually found success with his current business. Ryan explains the process of monetizing the newsletter through advertising and the importance of targeting the right advertisers. He also shares his plans for scaling the business and partnering with others to expand into different cities. Ryan emphasizes the value of sharing knowledge and helping others succeed in the local newsletter space.
Neel and Ryan discuss:
- Starting a local email newsletter can be a profitable business model.
- Targeting the right advertisers and providing valuable content are key to monetizing the newsletter.
- Engaging with the local community and being present in the town can help build a successful newsletter.
- Sharing knowledge and teaching others can be a valuable way to grow the business and create partnerships.
In this episode, Neel sits down with Jon Matzner about his entrepreneurial journey and the launch of Sagan Passport.
Jon emphasizes the importance of iterative experimentation and finding variations on a theme.
He shares his mindset when testing new ideas and the value of being flexible and adaptable.
Jon also explains the concept of Sagan Passport, which offers a suite of hard and soft benefits for hiring global talent.
Neel and Jon discuss:
- Iterative experimentation and finding variations on a theme can lead to successful business ideas.
- Being flexible and adaptable is crucial in entrepreneurship.
- Identify business opportunities by following your passion and looking for areas where people are already spending money.
- Sagan Passport offers a suite of hard and soft benefits for hiring global talent.
Follow Jon on X: @MatznerJon
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode, Neel chats with Khe, a former finance professional who quit his high-paying job to pursue a more fulfilling life.
They discuss Khe's background, his career journey, and the midlife crisis that led him to reevaluate his priorities. They also explore the concept of lifestyle creep and how Khe managed his spending habits.
The conversation delves into the psychological hurdles and money beliefs that often hold people back from making significant life changes.
They touch on generational trauma and the fear of losing money, as well as the concept of golden handcuffs and the optimal lifestyle.
Finally, they discuss the decision to quit and the importance of owning one's time and pursuing activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
Neel and Khe Hy discuss:
- It's important to consider the trade-off between money and security when making decisions about work and lifestyle.
- Financial planning can help provide for future goals and expenses, such as college tuition for children.
- Flexibility and simplicity can be valuable aspects of a lifestyle, allowing for freedom and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
- Generational wealth and inheritance may not always be the best approach, as it may not align with the values and goals of the next generation.
- Optimizing for lifestyle can involve creating a daily routine that prioritizes personal well-being and enjoyment.
- Achieving lifestyle before wealth can be a mindset shift that focuses on living a fulfilling life rather than accumulating material possessions.
- Diversifying income streams can contribute to financial independence and provide stability.
- The pressure to grind and stay focused on financial success can be challenging to overcome, especially when surrounded by others who prioritize wealth.
- Personalized journeys to freedom involve defining and pursuing one's own version of a fulfilling and meaningful life.
- To learn more about lifestyle optimization and financial independence, visit radreads.co and listen to the Examine Life podcast.
Follow Khe Hy on X: @khemaridh or check out his Examined Life podcast. If you can't get enough, you can also find his newsletter here.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to https://maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode, Neel chats with Aaron Harper, CEO of Rolling Suds, about his journey in the franchise industry.
Aaron shares his background in the film industry and his transition to entrepreneurship.
He explains his approach to acquiring Rolling Suds and turning it into a franchise.
Aaron discusses the importance of building a strong franchise system and the support provided to franchisees.
He also emphasizes the need for commitment and effort from franchisees and the challenges of part-time franchise ownership.
Neel and Aaron discuss:
- Transitioning from a traditional job to entrepreneurship requires the necessary skills and experience.
- When acquiring a business to franchise, it is important to partner with owners who have the intellectual capital and successful systems in place.
- Building a franchise system involves condensing years of knowledge into training programs and ongoing support.
- Marketing and lead generation are crucial for franchise success, and a combination of inbound and outbound strategies can be effective.
- Franchisees should be committed to building a multimillion-dollar enterprise and be willing to invest the necessary time and effort.
Follow Aaron on X: @AaronHarperCEO LinkedIn: Aaron Harper
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to http://www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode, Neel sits down with Connor Loftus from Mike's Fences and dive into his entrepreneurial journey, exploring the fusion of passion, family influence, and market opportunity that led to the creation of his company.
Takeaways:
- Entrepreneurship often involves seizing opportunities where one's passion aligns with market demand.
- The journey to building a successful business may involve trial and error, but perseverance and adaptability are essential.
- Embracing uncertainty and taking calculated risks can lead to unexpected growth and fulfillment.
Way back in Episode 41 Neel interviewed Mike Loftus whose business is unsurprisingly called, Connor's Landscaping.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode, Neel Parekh interviews Cole Simpson, owner of a roofing company, about his journey in entrepreneurship.
Cole shares his background and how he got into the roofing business. He discusses the challenges and lessons he learned along the way, including his experience with franchising and acquisitions.
Cole shares his motivations and goals, and how he approaches business as a game.
Takeaways:
- Entrepreneurship requires risk mitigation and the ability to make asymmetrical bets.
- Experience in entrepreneurship is gained by making decisions and learning from them.
- Focus on growth and revenue in the early stages of a business, and then shift to profitability.
- Consider franchising as a way to speed up scaling and gain credibility in a specific industry.
- Approach business as a game and enjoy the process, while also being a good steward of the opportunities and resources.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:36 Getting into Entrepreneurship
03:27 Franchising and Acquisitions
05:02 Current Business Performance
08:23 Risk Mitigation and Decision Making
10:33 Focus on Growth and Profitability
12:07 Full-Time Commitment
15:10 Franchising vs. DIY
18:01 Motivations and Goals
21:30 Approaching Business as a Game
23:49 Where to Find Cole Simpson: @jcolesimpson
In this episode Neel sits down for the second time with Stephen Heiner, who previously appeared on episode 108, when he had just newly moved into a Catholic seminary after having been location independent for a decade. This was Neel's "6 month checkup" on Stephen.
Neel and Stephen discuss:
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Stephen's frame for freedom, i.e. discipline = freedom, and how stability has given him productivity, but also another way to do what it is he wants to do
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how much the Four Hour Work Week influenced Stephen's trajectory since he first read it in 2008, and why it's still the number one book he recommends to this day
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the relative recent appearance of "retirement" as a concept and how if you're doing what you love and you know why you are doing it, retirement will not be something that preoccupies you
If you enjoyed hearing Stephen's views, you might enjoy his YouTube channel, where he does book reviews.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode Neel sits down with Logan Robison who just quit his job in the last few weeks to go full-time on his business.
Neel and Logan discuss:
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a side hustle he started in February 2020: a photo booth which he made 5X on upon exit despite starting the month before Covid hit
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how a big project at his full-time job forced a crisis and a niche move in his then rapidly-growing cleaning business...and just how hard it was to turn down jobs as a result
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how a text message autoresponder helped him still serve leads even while he was at his 9-5
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode Neel sits down with Martijn Reintjes, who is currently three months into a 7-month trip with his wife and three kids. And this isn't the first time he's done this, either.
Neel and Martijn discuss:
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how they had to fiscally exit the Netherlands, their home base, so that they wouldn't be fined for homeschooling their kids on the road
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how much richer the education is for his kids on the road, not just for experiences and food, but for languages too
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how Martijn used geoarbitrage to get a nanny to help with the kids and other details at a fraction of what it would normally cost
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode Neel sits down with the one and only Donald Spann.
Donald has been a guest on the pod before (listen here if you'd like to check it out)
Neel and Donald discuss:
-
his initial success selling Cutco knives (and Neel pondered some kind of index of people who sold Cutco and success in life)
-
his journey through servicing different needs for cleaning companies which started from building websites to then answering phones
-
how Donald realized early on that money wasn't the actual motivator, but control of his time and life, and why he wanted a business which required endless consistent delivery rather than a business that had the need to endlessly innovate
If you enjoyed this episode, you can learn more via his YouTube channel on running a call center (it's the only one of its kind).
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode Neel sits down with Danny Miranda of the Danny Miranda Podcast.
Danny is currently a full-time podcaster and is one of the few that managed to bag a dream guest, Gary Vee, through a viral social media thread.
Neel and Danny discuss:
-
what a big role meditation plays in his life; Danny says that his life is divided in two: before he began meditating and after
-
why he used to do 5-10 hours of research per guest...and why he currently does zero
-
his love of the journey and being present and how that allows him to be fear from the fear of change
If you enjoyed this episode, you can get a lot of Danny's tips in his Art of Interviewing course.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
In this episode Neel chats with Renee Aafjes of Organized Garage, a company that helps people upgrade their garages to make them look and function better.
Neel and Renee discuss:
-
the unique (and supportive) environment America offers in building businesses from the ground up (and how New Zealand, where Renee hails from, deals with Tall Poppy Syndrome by contrast)
-
Renee's entrepreneurial journey, which included an injury which forced him to change into a business that didn't require as much physical activity
-
the collaborative approach his company takes with customers, making them feel much more invested in the process and the outcome
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel sits down with Paul Tran, owner of 11 Halal Guys stores in the Orange County, California area.
Neel and Paul discuss:
-
how what you don't know can really be a secret weapon in entrepreneurship
-
what sort of people make good franchisees (and who can sometimes come with baggage)
-
how Paul's personal love for the brand led him to jump back into the restaurant space after sitting on the sidelines for a decade
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Walker Drewett of NuBrakes, a mobile brake-repair business that grew out of a mobile car detailing business he started while going to school.
Neel and Walker discuss:
-
not sitting on your laurels: despite growing the car detailing business to $1M in revenue, Walker found out customers really wanted help with maintenance and service, so he pivoted accordingly
-
why it is nerve-wracking to trust employees with company vehicles they can take home, but that becomes easier if you build a culture of trust
-
how another business (Super Talent) came about when Walker tried to share how game-changing offshore talent was
If you enjoyed hearing from Walker, feel free to connect with him on X.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Chris Schwab of Think Maids (remote cleaning business) and Inova Local (a virtual assistant company).
Chris originally wanted to get to Japan to be with his long-distance girlfriend and realized starting a business was the only way he could do that. That paved the way for everything else.
Neel and Chris discuss:
-
the cleaning "revenue valley of despair" in which you are bringing in a lot of revenue but are not yet profitable enough to hire full-time help
-
the importance of staying balance once you've made the jump to your remote life: don't get comfortable or your business will go stagnant
-
how he and his team connect marketing and sales through specific and personalized funnels.
If you enjoy this episode, you can get even more from Chris in his Local Business MBA course.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel speaks with Ben Davis of The Gents Place (which he describes as speakeasy meets barber shop meets country club) and Rascal Man about his journey from the corporate life to being a remote local business franchisor.
Neel and Ben discuss:
-
how he chose what kind of business to start, which included asking "where could I work 80 a week and still love it."
-
why someone would choose a $600 annual membership to The Gents Place instead of just paying $30 each time he needs a haircut.
-
Operation Gentlemen, a nonprofit that helps homeless veterans eat and re-enter and new veterans enter the workforce
If you enjoy this episode, you can get even more from Ben on his Untrapped Entrepreneur podcast.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel chats with Brian Leubben, host of the Action Academy Podcast and author of the forthcoming book From Passive to Passionate: How to Quit Your Job, Grow Your Wealth, & Turn Your Passions into Profits.
Neel and Brian discuss:
-
his entrepreneurial path which started as a college DJ, then to corporate sales, then to creating a Vivid Vision for this future.
-
how "house hacking" brought him $4k a month in passive income, until he discovered affiliate income, which added another $12-19k a month.
-
why Brian believes that information should be as available and free as possible. He's all about helping with the execution.
That execution happens over in his exclusive mastermind. You can learn more here.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel chats with Seonaid Beckwith of Perfect English Grammar, a very popular website that helps non-native English speakers improve to whatever level they want, for personal or professional reasons.
Neel and Seonaid discuss:
-
how what started as a resource for her in-person students became a side hustle and then eventually allowed her to quit her job.
-
how she just kept learning what she didn't know to give options to the people who were coming to the site (which now number 1-2M a month).
-
her limiting beliefs about money and how she was able to evolve to a more positive outlook and why they both agree that entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful vehicles for personal development out there.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Costa Kapothanasis of Costa 10 Minute Oil Change. Costa has scaled an oil change franchise to 100+ locations.
Neel and Costa talk about:
-
how working in family-owned restaurants gave him a sense of the importance of not having single points of failure in a business and how that helped him have the right mindset to build a remote local company.
-
his journey from buying a single oil change shop on a 100% seller-financed note (and getting fired from his day job) to his current growing empire of oil change locations.
-
how he zagged the business from what everyone else in the industry was doing to create an "oil change only" space.
If you like what Costa has to say you can also check him out on YouTube.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Katrin Krakovich of Lahav Media.
Neel and Katrin discuss:
-
the power of blogging for local services business (here's a blog she wrote about it if you want to learn more)
-
what she would do if she was starting a local services business today as far as keyword research
-
what are the most important aspects of GMB (Google My Business) that every business owner needs to handle
If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to reach out to Katrin on LinkedIn or by email to follow-up.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Robby McClung of McClumsy.com to talk about how you sometimes have to pivot several times to find yourself going the right way in business.
Neel and Robby discuss:
-
how Robby first got started in entrepreneurship, which was through training as a sommalier and learning that some of his colleagues did cellar management for restaurants
-
creating an event in an isolated area, then growing in a large way because of the success of it
-
but also how an event business really struggled during Covid, what he did to pivot during that time, and where he is now
If you liked what Robby had to say you can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this short episode, Neel takes a look at four businesses you should be nowhere near this year.
The list includes:
-
Amazon FBA (though he does offer you an alternative platform should you really want to sell products)
-
Faddy franchises like Crumbl (which are for sale everywhere these days after franchisees realized this was a fad)
-
Pool routes (though Neel does offer a tweak that could make this work)
Neel's all for starting businesses...he just prefers the tried and true, the types that have been around and are proven.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode, a rebroadcast of episode 34, Neel and David sit down with Derek Dodds and have a leisurely conversation about how Derek found his calling.
Derek currently runs WaveTribe, an ecological surf company, has an interest in Naked Armor, a wet shaving company, and serves an advisor to a publishing company he co-founded, 2 Seas Agency. The path he took to get to those projects is anything but conventional.
Derek also shares:
-
Going from having a gun in his hand at the age of 5 and being a hunter to becoming a vegan
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How following women he loved led to big changes in his personal and professional life
-
The influence of Jidda Krishnamurti on his life
-
How getting a flyer while on a self-study visit led him to give up everything he was building in Europe to come back to America, where he never thought he would return.
Enjoy the episode!
If you want to connect with Derek you can find him on Facebook or Instagram or on his personal site.
In this episode Neel and chats with Jenny Ness-Hunkin, a former franchisee of Tutor Doctor and now the Franchise Success Manager at MaidThis.
A ten-year franchisee herself before a successful exit, Jenny believes in franchising in part because she's had such positive experiences with it. Now she helps MaidThis franchisees scale and exit their businesses, just like she did with hers.
Neel and Jenny discuss:
-
why she decided to start a business in the first place even though she had a decent job
-
why she considers people to be the best and worst part of owning a business
-
why she now considers "begin with the end in mind" as a crucial part of any business journey
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
It's a simple but perhaps not-often-repeated truth: not all business models are created equal.
In this episode, Neel talks about local services businesses he would avoid buying/starting as well as what was the one factor he looked at recently when considering a cleaning service acquisition. You'll get the scoop on:
-
Why high ticket, low recurring businesses are just as desirable as low ticket, high recurring businesses
-
How you could make low ticket, low recurring businesses work (if you had to)
-
The importance of building "need to have" businesses, particularly in recessions
Enjoy the episode.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel talks with one of his very own MaidThis franchisees, Chris Rodriguez.
Chris has been running MaidThis Miami for just about four months now and gives us the lowdown on how he got here.
Neel and Chris discuss:
-
why a franchise fee was at first a stumbling block, then a recognition of value for Chris
-
what his main motivation was in starting a business when he already had a solid-paying 9-5 (and how his spouse reacted)
-
how often Chris posts in the MaidThis slack, which is like a superpowered version of the Facebook group which was where he first heard about Neel and MaidThis
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel speaks with Ujwal Velagapudi, who has had a fascinating and unusual journey building businesses in many different industries.
One of the more interesting ideas Ujwal shares in the pod is his lack of concern with "maximizing profit." He's okay leaving some money on the table once he has spent time optimizing the business when he first acquires it.
Neel and Ujwal also discuss:
-
Ujwal's attempted retirement in South East Asia
-
What drives him (hint: it's not money)
-
Why he now only looks at 7-figure cash flowing businesses
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
https://twitter.com/UjwalVelagapudi
In this episode Neel and sits down with freelance sales coach Jeff Lundeen of Strong Jaw Sales. Jeff had a good career in a well-paying (though stressful) field: air traffic control. Reading books like Tim Ferriss' Four Hour Work Week awakened a desire to escape the 9-5.
Neel and Jeff discuss:
-
the effect of a one-way ticket to Colombia on kickstarting the entrepreneurial journey
-
why coming back to the job after that travel only made Jeff more resolved to break out of the 9-5
-
why Jeff thinks copywriting and sales are so fundamental to entrepreneurship (even though he only really likes to do one of them)
What is perhaps most inspiring about Jeff is his mindset of abundance, which allows him to even teach others how to start a business exactly like his.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Omar Santana, President of Launch27, a SaaS for cleaning companies.
Neel and Omar talk about:
-
the concerns that any customer has for a SaaS when a private equity group comes in (as happened to Launch27 in 2019)
-
how many of the solutions in the cleaning company space are similar and why that makes switching even more difficult than normal (no feature to encourage you to jump)
-
what new features Omar and the team are working on rolling out
Omar was also kind enough to give us his email address (omars@launch27.com) as the fastest way to get a hold of him.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
As Neel looks back on previous years, he knows he's spent too much time focusing on the "scaling" aspect of marketing.
In this episode, he goes the other way, talking about marketing that doesn't scale, but delivers big results, including:
-
Apartment Complex Infiltration: just as stealth as it sounds, but is all about quietly building relationships
-
Neighborhood Blitz
-
Networking groups, i.e. becoming the "go-to" among a group of fellow business owners
Neel notes that this kind of non-scalable marketing can win against the lazy paid marketing that he favored in years past but is now more crowded than ever.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Chris Bergethon, known as the "Car Wash Guy" on Twitter.
Interestingly, while Chris is known for car washes, it's actually a side hustle for him. He's full time in the supplements and natural medicine space.
Neel and Chris discuss:
-
how trying to get in on the self-storage craze led to buying his first car wash
-
the major tax benefits that a car wash can offer, including Chris' first refund in more than a decade
-
why banks love car washes and why they are a great avenue of investment for your business earnings
If you enjoy this episode, you can get the full course on how to find and run your first car wash at Tax Free Cash Cow.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Stephen Heiner, who moved to France ten years ago after selling a business. Stephen worked hard to build a dream life, and recently gave all of it up to move to become a volunteer at a religious house.
Neel and Stephen discuss:
-
his path to France and what he did when he arrived
-
the importance of asking yourself what it is you want at the end of the rainbow
-
always being ready to re-evaluate where you are, never accepting that you have "arrived"
If you enjoy this episode, you can also catch Stephen reviewing books on his YouTube channel.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Andy Agrawal of Weekend Maids, who is also part of the CCDRA (California Coalition of Domestic Referral Agencies). Andy has been running the company for the last 15 years, but it's a family business that has been around for 36 years.
Neel and Patrick discuss the importance of compliance, particularly in regards to cleaning companies and properly classifying themselves as referral agencies rather than employers. Among other things, they talk about:
-
the importance of a solid contract with your service providers and why you don't just want to pull a form off Legalzoom
-
why separate bank accounts for operations and for collecting fees and paying contractors is crucial in the eyes of the IRS
-
the rights of contractors, which includes the ability to decline work you offer them or to renegotiate directly when they arrive on the job
You'll also hear about the reality of fines and audits and why these matters have to be taken seriously for anyone who wants to stay in business long-term.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel sits down with Sean O'Dowd of The O'Dowd Group.
Sean was just looking to pay off the loan he took out to buy an engagement ring for his then-fiancee when he decided to consult on the side. His very first gig was through Upwork and involved proofreading an email for $30.
Neel and Sean discuss:
-
how having a Wharton degree may have helped him land some clients, but how easily his mom, who was a simple librarian without that elite college pedigree, was able to land a $30k consulting gig with his help
-
what sort of income you can hope to attain as a one-person shop
-
platforms like Catalant and Uncommon Elite that have helped to power Sean's growth
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
Neel recently had to interview a number of SEO vendors in preparation for making a change, and felt like he became a bit of an expert in thinking through what agencies can and should provide for you.
Neel talks about what you can expect to pay for decent SEO service ($750-$1500 depending on quality) as well as:
-
Map Pack ranking and the importance of reviews that mention your key words
-
The importance (and limits) of blogs
-
The difference between on-page and technical SEO and why you need both
Neel also talks about link building and why it is a key part of an overall SEO strategy.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
As part of his ongoing coaching call series, Neel chats with Dan Kats of Shorely Clean who is building his cleaning business as a side hustle and is looking to grow it quickly but sustainably.
Neel offers helpful answers to Dan's questions, including:
-
The importance of hiring that first employee to help you as soon as possible
-
The inbound sales conversion rates he expects from his team
-
The importance of "extending your season" to combat seasonality
-
Different ways of dealing with add-on services requested by customers.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Dan Blaker, a MaidThis franchisee in the Myrtle Beach market.
It's been just under two years that Dan has been a franchisee in the MaidThis system and he looks back on his journey to share:
-
how MaidThis provided a path for him to quit a 6-day-a-week, 12-hour-a-day job
-
just how much "remote" he's put into his remote local business.
-
what a pleasant surprise it has been to get to know fellow business owners
You'll also hear Dan talk about the power of door-knocking when you're in your local market and how much franchise systems help you to grow with a safety cushion and framework.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
You've heard Neel talk about pros and cons of different marketing tactics over the last six months. This episode brings all of those reflections together in one valuable episode so be ready to take notes on:
-
What's working and what isn't in the Google LSA space
-
What to look for when researching PPC advertising to see if it will be worthwhile for your company
-
The power of community marketing, including the hyper-local neighborhood blitz strategy
Neel also talks about Thumbtack, a platform that is really doing well for his franchisees at the moment, as well as non-scalable, but valuable opportunities in BNI and EO.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel chats with Shaina Denny, Co-Founder and CEO of Dogdrop.
It's a rare discussion with a fellow franchisor, and Neel and Shaina discuss:
-
how Dogdrop works and its capitalization on America's obsession with pets and their well-being
-
why Shaina decided to use an FSO (franchise sales organization) instead of using an internal resource
-
why Neel stopped using Google ads to advertise for franchise leads (he found that social media leads were more qualified)
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
It got here even faster than we might have thought, but here is episode #100.
For this special episode, Neel shares a talk that he gave about his travel journey. You'll learn:
-
that hunter/gatherer tribes in Africa will tell the same fart jokes you do at home
-
the power of a smile and how strangers can help you see who you really are
-
how you can opt-out of the American Dream
Neel also shares how he started his journey with fear but ended it with courage powered by serendipity.
In this episode Neel and chats with Simone, Founder of House Mum Home Services, based out of Brisbane, Australia.
Simone has a successful business and is so full up with clients she has a waiting list.
But she doesn't even have a website! She's a master at community marketing and was kind enough to share some of her tactics and ideas with us.
Neel and Simone talk about:
-
how posting on Facebook to find employees led her to gain customers
-
what kind of Facebook groups she joins and how she interacts in them
-
how she used a customer survey to expand partnerships and give clients exactly what they were looking for
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Anna Scherbyna, owner of Remotivate, a company that helps entrepreneurs and business owners hire for executive and management roles.
Neel and Anna discuss:
-
what it was for Anna to work in (and build a company in) the remote space in 2017, before it was cool
-
why growing companies won't only need one type of ops person, they'll need three, each with different price points
-
the crazy discrepancy at the moment between employers on LI offering remote jobs (13%) and the employees on LI looking for remote jobs (53%)
You'll also hear Anna's perspective on geographies, including her rule of thumb that for higher level managers, you need to look further west when you are outside of the North American geo.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Johnny Robinson and Sergio Silesky for a quarterly roundup of what they are seeing in the Remote Local space. Topics covered include:
-
the effectiveness of Google LSA, both now and in the long term, along with some strategies that can help lift your performance if you're lagging
-
the "Grand Opening Method" which is about continuing to build a solid lead funnel over time using community marketing
-
Neel and Sergio's thoughts on keeping your hiring funnel as full as possible.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In another of his coaching series, in which he offers free coaching on a specific problem, Neel chats with Austin, owner of Denver's Dalmaidtion Cleaning, a residential cleaning service with a focus on pet owners.
Neel and Austin discuss:
-
Ways to surprise and delight and offer a "6 star service"
-
The importance of top-notch cleaners — it is they, more than thank-you notes and gifts, that will retain customers long-term
-
Leaning into your niche, in Austin's case, making sure new customers get some pet-oriented incentives early on
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this episode Neel and sits down with Patrick Findaro, author of How to Buy a Franchise: Employee to Entrepreneur in 12 Weeks and owner at VettedBiz.com
Patrick hosts a podcast, Franchise Findings, in which he talks about all things related to franchises, including conversations with new and experienced business owners as well as overall reports on industry trends.
Neel and Patrick discuss:
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a little known visa classification that Patrick didn't find out about for some time that offers non-citizen entrepreneurs a path to residence in the US
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what sort of people buy franchises, including what kind of incomes they already have and are expecting
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how Patrick was able to write a book in 90 days (hint: he used information he had on hand already)
If you enjoy this episode, you can get even more from Patrick on his YouTube channel.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
In this first of a new series in which he offers free coaching on a specific problem, Neel chats with Gordon, a new cleaning services business owner, about why he decided to start franchising.
Gordon was also interested in expanding to a new city, and Neel drilled down to ask:
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What was the endgame for expansion?
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Why did Gordon think expanding was a good strategy?
He then went on to give some tips on KPIs that all cleaning services should be checking every week, like
- Total number of cleanings, average ticket price, phone inquiries, conversion rate, etc.
If you want to start your own MaidThis Franchise in your market & skip years of trial-and-error, go to www.maidthisfranchise.com
If you want a foundations do-it-yourself course on how to start your own remote local business model, check out blueprint.beremotelocal.com
As the simple days of "turn on LSA and watch the leads roll in" seems to recede into the distance, those willing to put in the work on community marketing are going to win.
Neel shares some tactics he's employed to success, allowing you to get brand visibility and cash in on people in the neighborhood who need your services, including:
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EDDM, a USPS postcard service allowing you to blanket a community
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Yard signs, an easy way to get visibility over a weekend
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Doorhangers, one more opportunity for people to see your brand
Neel also talks about the specific things you should say on your postcards and yard signs, helping you to win leads based on different needs.
In another installment of "fighting traffic by dropping knowledge" Neel shares some thoughts on how to deal with seasonality in your business, whether that's a season of the year or a financial season, like a recession.
Neel discusses:
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How the challenge in high season, like summer, is often lack of supply to meet demand, which is why businesses need to be hiring now
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Why you can't count on a recession to make hiring easier: you need to be focused on optimizing your recruiting funnel
While others are fearful, be greedy. Prepare now for the season ahead.
In this episode Neel has a conversation with Bunty SomRoy.
In 2016 Bunty left the US to try to find a way in to the digital marketing world and spent three years living in Thailand and Indonesia, nose to the grindstone, trying to build his business. As it grew he's been able to travel a lot more and he's "making up for lost time."
Some interesting parts of the discussion include:
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Regrets: Bunty wants others to enjoy the journey more and not be as heads-down in their businesses as he was early on
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Remote Year: Bunty got to meet an entirely different species of remote worker, including high-level executives
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India: Bunty raced across India in a tuk tuk and found healing he didn't know he needed in his identity as an Indian-American
Enjoy the episode!
Even though the word "remote" is part of a "remote local" business, that doesn't mean you have to start it remotely.
In this episode Neel makes arguments for both sides, for starting a remote local business in your hometown and for starting it completely remotely. He covers things like:
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Why sometimes a local presence can help you win, particularly with community marketing
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Why sometimes a local presence can slow your growth — Neel shares how he could have systematized remote hiring faster had he not fallen back on the ease and comfort of local presence
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Why time zones play a much bigger role, even within the US, than people can imagine.
Neel argues for both sides and points out that ultimately, it's about what the individual business owner's priorities are that will determine the best place to start the business.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel interviews PJ McGeary of Arbor Trail Cleaning.
PJ has had a lot of success using Facebook groups to get the word out about his cleaning business and shares his tactics and ideas, including:
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the power of city-based groups, which post about all sorts of topics, not just those related to home services
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the cadence you can use when posting — and why copy/paste works fine across all the groups you are part of
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the type of post to use (always use photos!) and what to include in it
PJ even shares the types of messages you can use on holidays. He's got a great one for Valentine's Day that he shared.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss what they've been seeing on the ground for Remote Local Businesses:
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What's happening with Google Local Service Ads (LSA) and how to guard against big swings with them
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The power of what Neel calls "community marketing" which can include some tedious — but rewarding — work
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A "we're in the neighborhood anyway" tactic that can help you pick up new customers
You'll also hear Neel share a story of a woman in Australia who is doing $1M in revenue for cleaning and has no website: she's working off Facebook groups alone!
Enjoy the episode!
As Google tweaks its algorithm and its Local Services ads to deal with AI-created content, you might need to find new ways of reaching customers.
In this episode Neel shares five avenues he's exploring right now (and are working). Some include:
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Hypertargeting local Facebook groups using discounts, testimonials, and tagging
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Using B2B cold emails in your niche
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Getting on the ground with flyers and door-knocking in neighborhoods where you already have clients (or want to)
To get detailed tactics for these and other channels Neel is acquiring new customers through, listen to the episode.
In this episode Neel offers five different side hustles with low barriers to entry and low cost to startup.
While he understandably gives a plug for residential cleaning (hey, if it works, it works) he also shares:
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Vending machine routes (get started for around $2500)
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Mobile rim repair (he found out about one company doing $20,000 a day in repairs!)
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Knife sharpening (door-to-door still works)
But wait, there's more. Weekend puppy training! Enjoy the episode.
In the episode Neel sits down with Daniel Thompson of Salt Water Digital.
Daniel has been in SEO for many years and took some time to share some insights into SEO for local services businesses, like:
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Why Google My Business is harder to get verified now, and why some legitimate reviews are getting flagged and hidden.
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The proof of work your agency should be showing you.
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Whether local service businesses should be using Reddit, TikTok, Facebook, or Instagram ads.
Enjoy the episode!
When you pay for someone else's experiences you can move farther and faster than you would have on your own, allowing you to leapfrog the competition.
In this episode, Neel shares a few of the key practices he's gotten through business coaching (see more here), including:
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The need to delegate, automate, and systematize (he sets aside time every day to do all three)
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Why proactive planning helps you start working on your 10 year goals now
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How its often the small effort on key levers in your business that lead to the biggest results
There's not often that you get $50,000 of value in just a few minutes. Enjoy!
During a break from the Conquer Summit Neel took a few moments to share some tactics he plans to implement to push his sales up at the MaidThis location in California this year.
One of the pain points driving this change is an increased cost of labor, which Neel had not kept a close eye on. In the episode he discusses:
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The difference between recurring customers and re-occurring customers (and why he'll be chasing more of the latter this year)
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The ideal ceiling for labor costs in a home services business
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How little changes can lead to big results
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny talk about the different hires you need to make as you grow your remote local business. They discuss:
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the first hire you make and what areas they need to help with
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how roles have to change as you move past $100k to $500k in annual revenue: people need to be more specialized
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why the biz owner should be a marketing strategist, not a marketing executor
You'll also hear them discuss margins and how many team members you'll need to hit $1M in annual revenue
Enjoy the episode!
On this episode, Neel sits down with Weh'yee Barkon of Internally, a firm that helps connect organizations with talented people in Africa.
Neel and Weh'yee discuss:
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the lack of opportunities available to well-educated, multi-lingual workers in Africa
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the consumer education necessary to overcome the bad "brand image" of the continent
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the absolute bargains to be had for workers (a full-time 40-hour/week worker can cost $500-$1000 USD a month!)
Even though he was born and raised in the US, Weh'yee's parents were from Liberia and he feels called back to Africa to make a difference. He's currently based in Dakar, Senegal.
In this episode Neel and Johnny share three books that they enjoyed reading in 2022.
— They both show love for Alex Hormozi's $100M Offers, which they've mentioned multiple times on the pod this year.
— Johnny mentions his tendency to reread books, one of which is Scaling Up.
— Neel mentioned Prisoners of Geography, a book that's helped him see the world a bit differently on his travels.
You'll also hear both Neel and Johnny reflect on Russell Brunson's Trilogy of books and the funnel-hacking that his way of thinking inspires.
Enjoy the episode
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss in detail what it's been like for Johnny to scale Home Services Academy.
They chat about:
— The importance of marketing and sales being in sync, particularly in the early days of the business.
— How appointment setters can help drive a greater show rate for prospecting calls (Johnny also shares his pay rate).
— How Johnny and his team learned by doing when it came to qualifying leads.
Johnny also shares how his dramatic growth over peers who have been in the industry much longer than he has is a good reminder of not getting complacent and being willing to learn by doing when getting started (instead of getting paralysis analysis).
Enjoy the episode!
Some years ago Neel met Itamar Marani, a former Israeli Special Forces soldier, who in the course of conversations shared risk analysis and mitigation tactics he had been taught.
This includes looking at the magnitude, immediacy, and probability of an event happening, as well as mitigating tactics that can be used to deal with that event, like:
— distance
— barriers
— deterrence
— countermeasures
Neel walks through these using a hypothetical "man has a knife and wants to hurt you" scenario and then goes on to share a real-life case study, which was how he and MaidThis reacted to the threat of new legislation in Los Angeles which threatened Airbnbs, which at that time represented 80% of that market's business for the company. You'll see how the template for defending yourself from dangers in real life applies equally as well to dangers in business.
It's a bit of a switch up this week, as I get interviewed by Chase Warrington of the About Abroad pod.
For those who get my newsletter or listen to the pod regularly, this episode will be a great summary of the last few months and what I do at MaidThis Franchise, but also serves as a great conversation between Chase and me, covering:
— Some of the most important lessons travel can give you.
— Sustainable remote work and creating community (something Chase works on every day).
— When the "nomadic life" may start and end.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel shares his experience of hiring and working with dozens of remote team members since 2013.
He shares:
— Which platforms you can use to find remote talent (Upwork, Dynamite Jobs, We Work Remotely)
— What countries he's had great experiences with (South Africa, Honduras)
— Which countries have talent "on sale" because of inflation (Venezuela, Argentina)
— Why all great hires start with solid job descriptions (learn more here)
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny answer the question: "Should everyone go into entrepreneurship?" (Short answer: No.)
Entrepreneurship has been so glamorized lately that it's made to seem that everyone can and should be an entrepreneur. Neel and Johnny offer some thoughts on why that's a bad idea:
- People with low risk tolerance won't do well — every day involves some kind of risk in entrepreneurship.
- People who have a 9-5 for a very long time (though a franchise might be a good fit in that case)
- Those who can't deal with constant setbacks will struggle — some weeks and months it feels like everything is going wrong.
Both Neel and Johnny advocate for everyone having a side hustle as a de-risking strategy, however, and even give a few quick side hustle ideas to get the ideas flowing.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel sits down with Jon Matzner to talk about his journey to small business ownership and eventually a type of franchising Jon calls "affiliating."
Jon bought a garage upgrade business and grew it really quickly but when he looked at the franchising landscape he didn't like what he saw and didn't want to create a scenario where franchisees had to come to him with "may I" requests all the time. So, instead he created lots of resources and allowed others to leverage his knowledge to create their own versions of his business. He just sold the business the week before sitting down with Neel.
They also discuss some of the exciting projects up ahead with one of Jon's partners, Codie Sanchez, and Jon's passion for offshoring and the lives that get changed by working with offshore teams.
Enjoy the episode!
In the experimental episode (literally recorded on the road), Neil discusses the differences between being a business builder and a business investor.
Neel has long tried to do both, but has recently realized that means he's only doing half as well in each field. He thinks it makes more sense for him to pick one and make the other more passive.
Since it's rare to find someone who can excel in both building and investing, it makes more sense for people to pick, and either is good, but it probably makes sense to lean into what you enjoy.
In this episode, Neel gives reviews of software he has used to run his remote local businesses in a more automated fashion.
Neel starts by breaking down software into core vs. spoke. Core software includes companies like Launch27, BookingKoala, ZenMaid, Jobber, and Housecall Pro. Neel shares what he likes and doesn't like about them and also reminds listeners to consider whether they want a more industry-specific or industry-agnostic platform.
Neel also discusses Slack, Zapier, G-Suite, Active Campaign, and the necessity of a VOIP system (after different trials, MaidThis has settled on Dialpad.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny tackle the question of how entrepreneurs feel about what their business does.
While Johnny delves into the idea of what your goals/endgame are and how that can create different answers at different times in your entrepreneurial journey, Neel unapologetically says that you do not have to like what your business does, as long as you don't hate it (people who don't like donuts shouldn't open a donut shop).
They also discuss:
- how sometimes working in your business instead of working on your business can make you dislike your business faster
- why sometimes the business, whatever it is, is just a vehicle for you to make money, help others, and develop personally
- the danger of making your passion your business
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny welcome Sergio Silesky and Chris Munn to discuss different ways to deploy cash.
Sergio is a business partner of Johnny and is in "cash stack" mode so all the income they are earning is getting reinvested into the business.
Chris has often used his active income to invest in more passive businesses like real estate or already-running businesses doing between $1-5M in EBITDA.
They also discuss:
- Why buying and renting out a single family home is a terrible idea (Chris calls it "a low-paying job")
- How syndicate deals offer people a way into better returns in real estate without having to have significant capital on hand
- Why having some form of passive income matters if you ever plan to retire or stop doing active businesses.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss the business of gurus and how they've both changed their attitude on them over time.
Johnny was formerly a hater until he himself became a "guru" by sharing information in free and paid form. As for Neel, he used to be anti-guru too, until he learned to simply "respect the funnel" and see that these guys did work really hard, even if their style wasn't for everyone.
They also discuss:
- Some of their favorite gurus — both Neel and Johnny are Alex Hormozi guys.
- Their process of "vetting" gurus and their claims.
- The danger that some people will (incorrectly) see these gurus as models for entrepreneurship.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny give four proven tactics that they have used to drive hundreds of thousands of dollars of sales for their respective cleaning businesses.
Those tactics are:
- Local Facebook Groups (Johnny explains his method of guerrilla marketing in these groups)
- Cold Email (Neel highlights the template for this underrated way to get new clients)
- Giveaways (Johnny harnesses the social power of Instagram to get a huge list of new leads)
- Postcards (Neel shares a brand that allows specific targeting...his favorite target? People who've just moved into the neighborhood)
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss the benefits of a $50,000+ mastermind that Johnny and his business partner joined.
Originally Johnny had hired this company to help with sales and in classic "value ladder" style the company overdelivered on the entry-level product so that Johnny was primed to hear an upsell. Things had gone so well with the original sales help they asked for that it was a no-brainer to join the mastermind (even though they had to split up the payments). Johnny's loved all that has happened since, including a training weekend he recently attended.
Neel and Johnny also discuss:
- why mission, vision, and values is key to taking your company to $100k MRR
- why Johnny's e-learning business is now actively disqualifying 70% of their leads
- the power of fellowship being with other entrepreneurs making a lot of money online
You'll also hear Johnny share some of his company's values and why they're really important as you grow your company beyond 3-5 employees.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Johnny catches up with Neel about his recent visit with the Hazda tribe in Tanzania. Neel got the special government permission necessary to go out there and learned a lot.
Neel's day started with joining some of the members of the tribe hunting for food. He was blown away at how fast the tribal members moved through the bush and how accurate they were with the bow and arrow.
Neel and Johnny also discuss:
- what an average day is like for the Hazda
- why the Hazda reject newer technologies and convenience in general
- Neel's observations of the tribe's happiness
You'll also hear about the inside joke Neel built with the tribe around his name, an extracurricular activity of the hunt that brought him back to his college days, and why some Hazda who enter the civilized world end up coming back.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny revisit the old quote about the five closest people to you and talk about proactively upgrading those people.
They discuss:
- the power of groups like EO, EOA, and the Dynamite Circle
- why it's worth paying to join some groups (Johnny paid $50,000+ to join one particular group focused on e-learning businesses)
- the power of meeting people in Facebook groups and on Twitter.
Neel and Johnny also talk about how easy it is to reach out to people on Twitter but how few people actually make the effort to connect, even via a voice message or Loom.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode, Neil gives listeners a step-by-step guide to starting their own vacation rental biz.
He starts by highlighting the opportunity: people prefer vacation rentals to hotels now, and there is a huge demand for hotel-level cleaning services and a massive lack of companies to fulfill that need.
Steps which Neel outlines includes:
- Your website: it doesn't need to be perfect...it just needs to get up ASAP
- Your booking system: will be different for residential cleaning and vacation rental (Neel gives recommendations for both)
- Your labor: how to get and retain them (insider tip: their ability to clean is NOT their most important quality)
- That corner tuck: what Airbnb guests look for when checking in and what you need to take care of
Neel also discusses other ways you can monetize your business...after you get started!
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss opportunity vehicles: what you are doing in your career, and how is it helping you achieve your life goals?
Things they consider include:
- different "levels" of opportunity
- how those levels can be completely different for people with different skill sets and personalities
- the undesirability of low margin businesses with lots of moving parts
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny chat with Sergio, Johnny's business partner in Orange Window Cleaning, about their recent sale of the business.
While Sergio and Johnny had always had a goal of growing a business to $10M, they realized over time that the vehicle they had built was not going to get them there without a much higher commitment of money and time. By contrast, another business they had built did have that potential, and they realized over time that they couldn't succeed in that business, an e-learning platform, without selling the business they had already built to maturity.
Other points covered:
- the danger of "shiny object syndrome" for entrepreneurs
- the terms of the deal Johnny and Sergio struck with the employee they sold the business to
- why youth makes failure not seem so scary
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel sits down with Dan Andrews of the Tropical MBA podcast.
Neel reveals that Dan is the one who first used the phrase "remote local business" to describe what Neel was doing at MaidThis. Alas, there will be no royalty payouts if the podcast ever sells for a billion dollars :-)
Neel and Dan discussed:
- how to disconnect your location from your earnings to live remotely
- why remote-first businesses should really spend time on their first few job postings
- how Dynamite Jobs (one of Dan's companies) is different from other remote job boards
Neel and Dan also talk about what the funnel looks like (from both the job poster and the job board platform's perspectives) from job posting to offering someone a job.
In this solo episode, Neel offers 8 Pillars he uses to audit and improve his personal life.
A couple years ago Neel was happy with how systematized his business was, but was shocked as to how not-systematized his personal life was. Inspired by Gary Keller's The One Thing, he created a monthly and weekly system to help him level up in:
- Health and Vitality
- Friends and Family
- Productivity and Performance
- Lifestyle and Wealth
If you want the other four, and how you too can consistently level up in these areas using a simple system, tune in to this short episode!
In this episode Neel interview Mike Grigery of ClickCallSell.com to get the scoop on how to market your local services business.
Mike has helped hundreds of companies execute thousands of marketing campaigns and he's been Neel's business coach for sometime. He definitely knows what he's talking about when it comes to home services and how to properly market them.
Tune in to learn:
- The importance of LTV
- The relationship of brand awareness and online reviews to conversion rates
- The power of social proof in getting your early customers
You'll also hear Mike share his thoughts on platforms like Yelp and Angie's List, as well as the value of social media and marketing through services like Groupon.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and Johnny talk about the impact of sharing what you've learned in business.
After five years of grinding and building a window cleaning business, Johnny packaged what he learned to create Home Service Academy, which is an e-learning platform that helps people build their own home services business. Neel packaged what he learned after years of building MaidThis in a single location to go the franchisor route.
It's important to share the information you learn, because
- You can end up building a second business, which might be even more profitable than the first one
- You might find you're a better fit for courses/teaching/mentoring
- You can build a personal brand
- You're more likely to remember what you've shared
Both Neel and Johnny also reflect on how game-changing sharing information publicly can be, as it can lead to all kinds of unexpected opportunities.
In this leisurely spitball episode, Neel and Mitko Karvoshki talk all things remote work and digital nomad as it applies to different spots around the world: who's winning, who's losing, and who's underrated.
If you don't know Mitko, you're missing out! He runs Parable, which produces HBR-style case studies on online bootstrapped businesses and has a weekly newsletter called Remote Insider (subscribe here).
You'll hear Neel and Mitko rap about:
- Who's winning lately (Bankso, Portugal, and Mexico)
- Who's losing (unpopular opinion: Bali, Chiang Mai)
- Who's underrated (Medellin, Tbilisi, Madeira)
- Why some places never take off in reputation, but are still worthy trying anyway
You'll have to listen to the episode to get both Neel and Mitt's personal favorite remote working locations, but here are hints, they are in Guatemala and Bulgaria (no, not Bansko), respectively.
If you enjoyed Mitko's perspectives you'll also enjoy him on his own podcast, That Remote Life. Catch up with him on Twitter @mitkoka.
In this episode Neel and Johnny discuss various pieces of software that they use to run their businesses.
There was clear agreement on some of the big hitters today, like Slack (can't live without it), G-Suite (tons of tools), and Loom (great for training).
But there were also some different companies and use-cases discussed:
- Neel shared his love for Launch27 as his CRM with ActiveCampaign as the email outreach arm of that CRM
- Johnny loves BookingKoala and uses integrations from NiceJob to get lots of reviews
- VOIP broke down into Dialpad (Neel) and 3CX (Johnny)
Johnny closed by reminding listeners about the importance of a growth mindset and not to sweat the price of software: it's usually going to help you grow the business. It's not worth agonizing over.
In this episode Neel and new co-host Johnny Robinson offer a blueprint for earning your first $10k from scratch without reference to cleaning companies, a sector both of them have had a lot of success in.
Neel and Johnny outline:
- where to find subcontractors and how to pay them
- the importance of the "money milestone," earning that first dollar on the Internet
- why there really is no such thing as "market saturation"
They both also recommend $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi to give you outlines and ideas for making compelling offers to subcontractors and companies.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss David's three-month meditation teacher training course and what his future looks like. His last appearance featured his explaining what he had to do in order to be gone that long from his businesses.
This podcast originally began as a co-hosted effort between Neel and David but this is the final episode of that era, as David moves on to what's next in his life (which does not include running a podcast).
David shares
- what his teacher training was like (which included 14 hours of meditation per day for almost a month)
- how Vedic meditation changed his life and why he decided to pursue it as a mission
- why entrepreneurs shouldn't get attached to that role as an identity
If you want to follow David's journey you can find him on Instagram or see what he has going on at his new meditation website.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel offers thoughts on how to make your Remote Local business better prepared for recessions.
Neel takes a two-pronged approach to preparing for recessions.
First, he focuses on insulating the business, which can include estimating a percentage dip (25% at MaidThis) and adjusting accordingly, which can include cutting expenses, speeding up receivables, and getting promos ready for email and phone reach out to existing customers.
Once that's secure, you can look at opportunities, which can include grabbing up some higher quality labor which may now be available in the workforce as a result of layoffs and possible distressed acquisitions which may be offered at a lower multiple.
Neel also discusses the difference between "need to have" and "nice to have" in business models and why he always prefers having the former.
Enjoy!
In this episode Neel welcomes Keith Levenson of Angela Coté Inc. to talk about franchising.
Keith got his start in franchising by actually helping a family entertainment center go through the process themselves. He then took an opportunity to become a franchise advisor, helping dozens of brands grow by focusing on franchisee growth.
Neel and Keith also discuss:
- Who should franchise (and who shouldn't)
- the differences between an emerging franchise business and an established one (and who should get involved in either)
- What a franchisee should look for in a franchise system
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel is joined by Johnny Robinson to whiteboard some Remote Local business ideas.
Johnny has been on the pod before but we kick off the episode with a brief bio to catch up listeners who may not have heard him before.
Neel and Johnny then go back and forth, trading possible ideas with their pros and cons, including:
- mobile car detailing (both Neel and Johnny love this idea, but the low average ticket amount is a concern
- painting (there are some challenges in making this remote, particularly around in-person biddings, but this can be developed)
- smart home setup (Johnny points out that this is a niche subset of A/V contractors and since it's so new, you can "make" the market)
- the role of "nice to have" vs "need to have" in the services/products you're offering
Enjoy the episode, including Neel and Johnny's "disagreement" on the future of drone window washing. :-)
In the second of an ongoing series on EOS, Neil shares his adaptation of Gino Wickman's Entrepreneurial Operating System, and how he's used it to great success at MaidThis.
In this episode Neel gives strategic tips for how to deal with specific aspects of "EOS Lite," including:
- creating vision (dump the fluff, focus on what's real)
- developing KPIs via scorecards (lagging, not leading metrics that matter) and rocks (measurable quarterly goals that are reported on each week)
- running Level 10 Meetings (a highly structured meeting that doesn't waste time and makes sure everyone is getting what he/she needs consistently)
If you want to read more of Neel's thoughts on these issues, check out this Twitter Thread on performance evaluation and/or this one on vision.
In the first of an ongoing series on EOS, Neil shares his adaptation of Gino Wickman's Entrepreneurial Operating System, and how he's used it to great success at MaidThis.
Things Neel learned in the process of creating an "EOS Lite" include:
- how to have quarterly meetings that ran like clockwork and had clear and measurable KPIs
- how an org chart can help you figure out which roles really matter
- how clarity on core values in concert with the org chart led him to clear out some poor fits
- the GWC ("get it, want it, capacity") rubric he now uses to make sure the right people are doing the right work
If you want to read more of Neel's thoughts on this, check out this Twitter thread.
In this episode Neel shares what he learned catching up with dozens of digital nomads (past, present, and future) at a Dynamite Circle conference in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
He found out that:
- Travel is definitely back (except for parts of Asia, which remain closed)
- The Western Hemisphere, particularly Mexico and Latin America, have profited from Asia being closed
- Many used the last two years to create permanent home bases where they travel from
- There are still plenty of new nomads entering the scene.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel sits down with Donald Spann to look over the pros and cons of the various remote local business models he has tried.
Like Neel, Donald was part of the Launch27 crew, aka the "cleaning company mafia," which came out of a subreddit thread back in 2013. While Neel has continued to grow his cleaning business, Donald has exited his and iterated around remote local concepts.
Neel and Donald chat about
- How Donald started Vicki Virtual, a fully remote call center service, from observing a pain point that cleaning companies had
- The challenges of running multiple companies at the same time
- The reality that just because competition already exists doesn't mean they are competent (that's opportunity for you!)
- Why Donald would never do Y-Combinator again (despite a successful exit from a business incubated there)
Enjoy the episode, and if you want to learn about the $3B call center industry, which is growing 7% a year, with businesses in the space averaging $2M annually in revenue, check out Donald's course, Call Center Cash, his YouTube channel, or find him on Twitter.
In this episode Neel shares different ways to think about exiting your business, including his own current plans for MaidThis.
While some might say that you need to know what your exit plan is before you even start your business, Neel very much advocates for starting first and thinking more short-term, in terms of one year.
He goes on to share four frames to use when thinking about exiting a business:
- No strategy (buying a job)
- Scale and sell to private equity
- Legacy (pass on to family)
- Automated asset (this is Neel's current choice for MaidThis)
You'll also hear Neel explain why you want your business to be a cow, not a pig and why he would rather make less money and work less, than the opposite (and why that also makes sense when it comes to business valuations).
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel chats with Amar Ghose, Founder and CEO of ZenMaid.
Neel and Amar have managed not to meet, despite being the only two in their digital entrepreneur group in the cleaning space over the past few years. One time Amar left Chiang Mai for a few weeks and Neel happened to show up during the same time (everyone said it was just a swap out! :-) ).
Neel and Amar discuss:
- the importance of "owning" the career ladder instead of climbing it
- choosing between lifestyle design and high growth
- why the four day work week doesn't work for startups
Amar also shares when it might be time to listen to Gary Vee to hustle for your biz vs listening to Tim Ferriss to design your life.
Neel recently came back from a ten-day desert island survival experience. As he switched back into work mode, he saw so many connections between what he had just experienced and how a daily business grind works.
He has five lessons he learned, including:
- Getting your key work done when you have the most energy: stack your tasks to take advantage of when you're at your most energetic
- Play to your strengths to survive: lean into what you're good at
- You can't do it by yourself: the power of one other person provides exponential growth
- Cut the weakest link in the tribe: sometimes you have to be ruthless
And the last one...well you'll have to listen to the episode to hear it!
In this episode Neel and David discuss the classic question of how to deal with angry customers.
As with so many great business (and life) tactics, this starts with having the right mindset. In this case, learning how to deal with irate customers can help you develop a superpower, something that can help you walk into any confrontational situation with confidence, helping you get what you want, and defusing the problem in the process.
Neel and David also discuss:
- Not taking the criticism personally
- How to de-escalate situations
- The importance of validating the customer's feelings and deploying empathy
You'll also hear Neel's hack for how he issues refunds without feeling the pain of "losing money" in the process. Enjoy!
In another of the Remote Local Podcast's ongoing series of entrepreneurial interviews, Need chatted with Mike Loftus of Connor Landscape.
Mike got a finance degree but found out he hated working inside. He took $10k of his own savings and started knocking on doors, building a landscaping company from scratch. After building it to $750k in revenues, he started acquiring others, three so far and more in the pipeline!
Neel and Mike also discuss:
- All the things you have to learn when starting a business ("what's an EIN, bro?")
- The keys to making good acquisitions
- The importance of being clear on what you want, not what books/influencers tell you you should want
If you'd like to catch up with Mike, you can find him on Twitter, under a handle which is an homage to his father's entrepreneurial spirit.
In the last of a three-part series, Neel gives you an ultimate guide to hiring, from his own successful playbook!
This episode focuses tweaking your flywheel to make sure it's working at its best.
Neel also shares:
- What he does on screening calls
- The purpose of a test job
- How many cleaners he actually ends up with from 20 applicants (shockingly low!)
Collect all three! If you haven't listened to the first two episodes in this mini-series, do so now!
In the first of a three-part series, Neel gives you an ultimate guide to hiring, from his own successful playbook!
This episode focuses on the mindset (and a few tactics) for hiring in general and putting up your job ad.
Great tips which are included:
- How much an employee leaving can cost you
- How much an A-team player can make you each year
- Why you should ABC (always be 'cruiting...hey, close enough!)
- How to make your job ad STAND OUT
There's plenty more here. This is the sit down and take notes kind of episode.
In the second of a three-part series, Neel gives you an ultimate guide to hiring, from his own successful playbook!
This episode shares the six places that MaidThis posts jobs ad to find talent for their local services business.
Those places include:
- Indeed.com
- ZipRecruiter
- Craigslist (yes, really!)
- Facebook (not just ads, but in groups)
Oh, did you want the other two? You'll have to listen to the episode :-)
In this episode Neel interviews Chris Munn, a fellow remote local entrepreneur.
Chris grew up in Detroit, now lives in LA (though he lived in Paris for a while), but has a cleaning business based in Tampa. Neel connected with him on Twitter and they had a chance to meet and connect in real life and decided to continue on some of the themes they had a chance to discuss when together, including:
- Chris' start in business via residential real estate
- Why Chris prefers the multiples on offer in real estate vs those in small business
- How world events shaped the work choices of a rising generation
- Things to consider during due diligence when you buy a business.
Enjoy the episode, and if you want to catch up with Chris on Twitter you can find him here.
In this episode Neel interviews Jodie Cook, who recently exited her remote local business (and is getting ready to start another!).
Jodie knew from an early age that she wanted to work and earn her own money and be independent, and that hustle meant sometimes two jobs as she figured out what she wanted to do. Turns out that was a social media digital marketing agency that began from the desire to travel and work. It would be some time before she realized that travel/work relationship in her business, but when she did, it was one month away, two months back in the UK for five years before her 7-figure exit.
Jodie also shares:
- Her philosophy on creating useful people (watch her TEDx talk on the subject if you want to go deeper)
- How her team adapted from being completely in-office to entirely remote after March 2020
- The genesis of her book Stop Acting Like You're Going to Live Forever
If you want more Jodie you can find her website here and check her out on Twitter here.
In this episode Neel and David talk about limiting beliefs, how to identify them, and how to replace them with empowering beliefs.
David has been preparing to leave for 90 days off the grid and was worried one of his businesses would implode and Neel was battling the idea that more growth = worse life. Both of them share how these limiting beliefs paralyzed them for a while and how they moved past them.
They also discuss:
- Why it can be hard to identify those beliefs
- Why you can't just eliminate them, you must replace them with empowering beliefs
- The importance of identifying the "worst-case scenarios" and living with those possibilities
Neel also points out that sometimes a friend who is an exact refutation of one of your beliefs can be right next to you. In his case, a friend had 400+ employees but did not seem to have a crappy life..
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David sit down with Derek Dodds and have a leisurely conversation about how Derek found his calling.
Derek currently runs WaveTribe, an ecological surf company, has an interest in Naked Armor, a wet shaving company, and serves an advisor to a publishing company he co-founded, 2 Seas Agency. The path he took to get to those projects is anything but conventional.
Derek also shares:
- Going from having a gun in his hand at the age of 5 and being a hunter to becoming a vegan
- How following women he loved led to big changes in his personal and professional life
- The influence of Jidda Krishnamurti on his life
- How getting a flyer while on a self-study visit led him to give up everything he was building in Europe to come back to America, where he never thought he would return.
Enjoy the episode!
If you want to connect with Derek you can find him on Facebook or Instagram or on his personal site.
In this episode Neel and David brainstormed, putting the podcast itself into the frame that they discussed in Episode 32: the three levels of entrepreneurship. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, do so, so that this episode will make more sense!
Neel and David consider the podcast to be still at Level 1, aka "Podcasting for Dummies." They discussed the origins of the podcast, why they prefer a conversation/co-host format, and why they keep the episodes short in length.
They also discuss:
- Different ways they could grow the podcast
- The importance of an email list (and using it)
- How the podcast itself has shaped this current stage of their entrepreneurial journeys
- Not being in a rush to get to Level 3
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David share the ONE BIG SECRET of successful remote local business owners.
Okay, so the secret is...well you're going to have to listen to the episode to get it, but here are some of the other things Neel and David talk about:
- "Level 1" entrepreneurship, which is essentially like building and working in your own job
- "Level 2" entrepreneurship, which involves trying many different things while you develop a secret sauce
- "Level 3" entrepreneurship, in which you strive to be the "dumbest person in your company"
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel interviews Johnny Robinson and Sergio Silesky, co-founders and owners of Orange Window Cleaning.
Johnny and Sergio didn't grow up as entrepreneurs...in fact it wasn't until college when they found out that "anyone" could start a business and started a side hustle in residential and commercial window cleaning. That side hustle became a real-deal business when they found out that they hated jobs that they had been trained to get after going to college. And now they are on their way to amazing things.
Some knowledge they drop includes:
- How a good partnership can really accelerate a business
- Why they decided to bring in a full-time content person to storytell about building a remote local business
- The importance of automated systems
- How to pick up subcontractors (hang out where they hang out and stalk them!)
Enjoy the episode and find Sergio and Johnny on Twitter and let them know we sent you :-)
In this episode Neel and David discuss his upcoming disappearing act: he's going to be totally off-grid for the first three months of 2022.
David has been doing meditation for 6-7 years now and sees a three-month off-the-grid training to be a teacher in the Vedic meditation tradition as the next step. But he has a portfolio of businesses...what to do?
Neel quizzes David on:
- What his endgame is
- How David used delegation, promotion, and partnership to prepare for this
- What "growth" looks like with his being away
- What things might look like when he comes back
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David tell you why they think New Year's Resolutions are no good and what they have planned for 2022.
David is starting 2022 with a three month off-grid meditation teacher training. Neel will be spending 10 days in Panama in the first quarter of 2022 doing some survival training. They talk about the methodology they use to make plans for big events like these and what else they have planned for the year.
They also discuss:
- Jesse Itzler's calendar hacking
- Tactics to make the end of your year thoughtful and reflective
- The concept of de-averaging: moving away from a 5 day on/2 day off schedule to something that fits better for you
- Measuring your impact for the coming year in numbers: how many jobs you will create, how many people you will reach, etc.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David build on their "New Year's Resolutions Suck" episode by reflecting on 2021.
Both Neel and David built strong romantic relationships this year, and also started this podcast.
For Neel, that meant getting out of his comfort zone and engaging more on social media and elsewhere. But it was also part of something that David had introduced him to the last time they spent a lot of time together: meeting people that are very different from himself. He's curious about replicating that through maybe joining an online community in the next year.
David has been building up to taking a three-month teacher training that is going to transform his life personally and professionally. He's enjoyed recovering from a traumatic end to a long-term relationship and has taken those personal lessons to heart, alongside some hard-learned business lessons as well.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss how emotions play into personal and business decisions, and a system for how to avoid making poor decisions.
When Neel isn't running MaidThis he enjoys buying and selling real estate on the side and he recently got to closing day with a buyer that ended up being dishonest. He recorded this episode on the day he got the news that the buyer was trying to change the deal at the last moment so we recorded this as a time capsule of this thoughts.
David asks:
- How Neel feels at the moment
- What he thinks he will do
- What Neel has done in the past to deal with emotions in business decisions
David and Neel also game out a process to help negotiate these sorts of situations to get the best results possible.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss their recent deeper dives into social media and why it's been a challenge for them.
David has really been very active on Instagram and Neel has spent more time on Twitter. Both of them have been less willing to be involved in social media in the past simply because they weren't entirely comfortable on various platforms. But both of them have come to separately realize that there are opportunities to engage with people in a real way that doesn't need to focus on follower count or number of likes.
They also discuss:
- Why people aren't just interested in what Gary Vee or Tim Ferriss has to say
- What a freedom it is to be your authentic self on social media instead of a "safe corporate" version
- How much people appreciate being exposed to the daily grind in a way other than "everything is amazing always" mode
- Hacks they have developed to make sure they don't get sucked into social media and become consumers instead of contributors
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss the stress of running a remote local business.
David begins the discussion philosophically by asking what the function of stress is within an evolutionary framework: it's there to give us tools to deal with a threat. While we might not have to deal with a tiger chasing us, sometimes our body can still react as if that's the case, and we need to reframe that thinking.
They also discuss:
- situations that lead to stress in modern businesses, particularly the remote local variety
- whether businesses are more stressful than jobs
- how you should react when you get that first 1-star review
- the role travel plays in de-stressing
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss the well-known abundance vs. scarcity dichotomy.
Both Neel and David came from immigrant backgrounds which had a certain amount of scarcity baked into their upbringing and have had to unlearn some of that programming. David notes that one of the ways he knew he was embracing an abundance mindset was the willingness to invest in himself.
They also discuss:
- How you can't save your way to financial independence
- The inability of fear or scarcity to add any value to your business and personal lives
- Why chasing your dreams and playing offense always takes you further than playing defense and hoarding
- Why you should watch who you spend time with, what you read, and what you listen to and watch
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David talk about how to get started in acquiring a remote local business.
While it can feel intimidating to get into the world of "buying a business" the reality is that like anything else, it's a learning curve but isn't nearly as complicated as it looks like from the outside. One of the things David, who has gone through 16 acquisitions at the time of this recording, stresses is the importance of the "investor" mindset when looking at businesses.
They also discuss:
- Tactics for finding businesses, from BizBuySell to business brokers to FB groups to Twitter
- How to use your LinkedIn profile to signal you are on the lookout for deals
- Using a VA to create a crib sheet in a geographic area for a particular type of business acquisition
- The importance of creating deal flow so you can afford to be selective
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David give the BIG SECRET to taking your business to the next level.
That secret is...being less available to your team!
This helps:
- Empower your team
- Free you up from doing less valuable work so you can add greater value
- Give you the space to take three month mediation training retreats (like David wants to do next year)
- Level up your quality of life as a business owner
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss how to build your marketing strategy when you're just starting out.
David sets the stage for the discussion by pointing out that every business wants a consistent, profitable stream of customers without too high of an acquisition cost. How do you do that?
Neel and David explain:
- Different channels (both online and offline) available to businesses
- Using your competition to reverse engineer a marketing plan
- The importance of testing and budgeting in different channels
- The need to stay focused on one or two channels at a time in the early days
- Why what works in one city may not work in another
They also share some stories about what didn't work and what you can learn from that.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David interview Giuseppe Grammatico, the Franchise Guide about all things franchise-related.
Giuseppe was once a corporate executive who hated his job and looked for an exit strategy in becoming a business owner. He chose to hire a coach to help him choose a franchise and in the process decided that's exactly what he wanted to do. He runs the Franchise Guide and has a book and podcast to help educate those who, just like he was years ago, want more control of their financial lives through owning a franchise.
Giuseppe also shares:
- Who is a good fit for a franchise (and who isn't)
- The pros and cons of franchising instead of starting your own business
- What business models are the most "remote local"
- What business models are the most popular in franchising at the moment and why
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss how timezones affect your remote local business, whether you are traveling for business or pleasure.
David was running his business in Colorado for a few years before deciding to live in Israel for a year, and he was sometimes answering the phone in the middle of the night. Neel wasn’t ever that crazy and brought on someone pretty early to help with calls and even when he did go away, it was to time-compatible Latin America.
They also discuss:
- Stories and challenges working in Europe and Asia with American-based businesses
- The pros and cons of being “in the future” in relation to your team
- The existence of the digital nomad “graveyard shift” in Asia
David also shares his recipe of being purposely less available to his team when he’s abroad to help them develop their autonomy and resilience.
Enjoy the episode!
In this episode Neel and David discuss the impact of where you live in relation to your entrepreneurial growth.
Neel begins by stating his own preference for a larger city, where he will get access to more activities and a community that will push him to work harder. He characterizes this as “big city energy.”
David’s own preferences are split: he enjoys being out in nature, near the mountains or the beach, but also enjoys the momentum and energy that can come from being in a bustling and busy environment.
As the discussion continues they found common ground around the idea of a community: wherever you choose to live for most of the year, the key is having access to a strong community. That community can be digital or physical.
Neel and David also discuss:
- Whether you can live in Bali or Chiang Mai and still build big businesses
- How Covid-19 affected some Asia-based entrepreneurs
- The Dynamite Circle, a digital community where they first met
- The idea that countries, not just cities, have their own energy
- The balance of “happiness” and “success”
Enjoy the episode!
If you're looking to start a local business or expand in your current business, your local market and competition matter a lot. Trying to rank on Google in New York is going to be very different experience than trying to rank in Omaha, and the competition and rewards differ from market to market as well.
Neel pulls from his experience with analyzing franchise territories and David pulls from his acquisition experience to provide a play-by-play on how you can analyze any geographic market and see if its a good fit for your business.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How to analyze local markets and assess what is the BEST market to open up a service-based business in
- Mega Cities vs Small Markets: How to analyze the tier of the city to see its a good territory
- How to analyze the Google results & rankings
- Identifying the quality of website: funnels, lead capture, website speed, etc
In this episode, we have a super special guest - Rohan Gilkes, Founder of Launch27 and MaidsInBlack.
After 10 years working in corporate, Rohan got laid off from his banking job and starting a local cleaning company on a whim just to find some extra cash to afford his car payment. After scaling the business to over $20,000 in PROFIT per month within 8 months, Rohan decide to posted his story on a Reddit forum, which inspired thousands of people to start their own local business (including Neel).
Rohan's fully-remote local business currently generates millions of dollars in annual revenue with less than 1 hour of work per month. In addition to the cleaning business, he also started and recently sold a software company he founded.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Rohan's origin story and how he came across the entrepreneur path
- Scaling his business and how he managed to grow so quickly
- Rohan's definition of "success" as an entrepreneur and goals now
You can find out more about Rohan here:
https://www.rohangilkes.com/
https://twitter.com/rohangilkes
Have you ever wondered if a motivated entrepreneur can have zen-like calmness? In today's society, being very calm and highly driven seem to be at odds with each other.
Today's episode is about dispelling that myth and discussing how mediation and spirituality can drastically improve your entrepreneurial journey and help you live a more meaningful live.
Neel & David discuss:
- The current “hustle culture” mentality portrayed in social media
- David's journey in meditation & spirituality
- How meditation has helped David level up his business and go bigger
- David's key takeaways from his 5-day meditation retreat and lessons to be shared
Cam Woodsum left the tech world in Silicon Valley and found himself on the digital nomad path. Within a handful of years, he was able to achieve 'financial retirement' through his affiliate website businesses and other ventures.
Cam is obsessed with world impact, freedom, happiness and entrepreneurship, and now runs FreedomIsEverything.com and Nomad Impact Ventures. Before his nomad life, Cam ran the special projects group at DoorDash, a Silicon Valley company backed by ~$1B from the early investors in Apple, Google, Facebook, and Amazon. While at DoorDash, he launched and managed two business lines that generated $1M+ in yearly profit.
In this interview with Cam, you'll hear about:
- What type of businesses Cam started to achieve his freedom and why
- Building a "mercenary" business model to achieve your own goals
- Using the idea of short sprints to quickly find your passion, and then double-down on it
You can learn more about Cam at www.FreedomIsEverything.com and https://nomadimpactventures.com/
Dating while traveling can be one of the most exciting experiences of your journey....but can also have some serious drawbacks.
In this episode, David & Neel discuss their experiences in finding romance while on the road and how you should be evaluating it yourself.
You'll hear about:
- What types of people you’ll run into while dating and their mentality: travelers, expats, nomads, vacationers, locals
- Long-term dating difficulties when you have an international romance
- Cultural differences and how to navigate them
- Where to meet people and how
Many entrepreneurs start off being "solopreneurs", meaning you're the only one managing everything and work only for yourself. As business owners scale, many want to start adding teammembers and building a team, which is when the shift happens to become the "CEO" of your company.
In this episode, David & Neel dissect:
- Why is it so hard to go from solopreneur to CEO? Is it even worth it?
- Mindset needed to transition from Solopreneur to CEO
- Lessons from David’s coaching client about this
- Current stage Neel is in on this journey
If you've ever struggled to find your tribe of like-minded people, this episode is for you.
David recently moved into a coliving community in Boulder and has been experiencing the joys of building his own community at home with new people.
In today's episode, David & Neel discuss:
- What is a coliving community and why you should live in one
- How to vet & find a coliving community that suits you
- Types of people who stay in Coliving places
Today's episode is final episode (Part 3 of 3) in what we call the "Acquisition Series".
David & Neel dive into two recent acquisition opportunities, one of which closed successfully, and discuss the closed sale, the diligence process, and lessons learned.
You'll learn about:
- An acquisition opportunity for Neel and the plan for how he would immediately increased value overnight
- What multiples local service businesses sell for
- How to identify value-adds to immediately improve your bottom-line
Often times entrepreneurs think about their business as their career, main source of income, or source of passion.
What would happen if we shifted our mentality and thought about our business as simply another asset to manage?
In today's episode, Neel & David discuss the pros and cons of thinking about your business as an "Asset", and how that shift in mentality can lead to many positive benefits.
We discuss:
- Why people get an emotional attachment to their business
- Pros / Cons of thinking about your business as an Asset
- How to analyze return-on-investment (both dollars and time!) from your asset
- How to shift your mentality towards your business to reap the most rewards
Today's episode is Part 2 of 3 in what we call the "Acquisition Series".
David is working on an acquisition of another local business right now, and David & Neel dive deep into the potential acquisition so the audience can understand how the entire process works and the thought process behind analyzing the deal.
In this episode, you'll learn about:
- The structure of the acquisition
- What items to look at with diligence
- How to increase the value of the company overnight
Have you ever dreamed of quitting your day job and traveling the world?
On the show, Neel shares how he started MaidThis.com, and why he quit his lucrative finance job to start a cleaning business..and how he has never looked back since.
Neel was traveling the world for the last 5 years while scaling his own business and is now franchising this "remote local" business model to motivated entrepreneurs.
What You’ll Learn * Where the idea for MaidThis came along * How Neel managed his side hustle while working full-time with long hours * Neel’s top tips for aspiring location independent entrepreneurs
Ever wondered about the pros / cons of BUYING an existing business versus starting your own business FROM SCRATCH?
Today's episode is Part 1 of 3 in what we call the "Acquisition Series". David & Neel dive deep into the benefits and risks of both scenarios by comparing their own experiences and go over a live acquisition.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Basic on how to structure local business acquisition deals
- How to find businesses to acquire
- How the entire process works at a high level
Probably the most common fear for solo travelers is "How will I meet people while traveling?"
The answer: its way easier than you think.
Through their experiences solo traveling for years, Neel & David discuss the traveler community and break down their best tips for making friends and meeting people while globetrotting.
In this episode, Neel & David discuss:
- Best places to meet like-minded people while traveling
- What kind of people/communities exist in the traveler world and what to look for
- The worry of being lonely while traveling to a new place alone
- Mentality of meeting people in the U.S. vs Traveler Community
Ever dreamed of finally quitting your day job?
Want to start a side hustle but not sure how to manage your time between your full-time job?
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How to manage your time to run your side hustle while working corporate
- Timeline to scale and when you should decide to pull the trigger to quit your full-time job
- Mental hurdles you'll come across and how to overcome them
If you're wondering the true benefits (and drawbacks) of living remotely full-time, this is the episode for you.
Neel & David have both lived abroad for extended periods while managing their local business.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
- Cost of living out of country versus in the United States
- Amenities to think about: Wifi speed, coworking spaces, etc
- Pros/Cons of living abroad and how it impacts your business
After listening to Episode 01, you now know the pros and cons of a remote local business model. How the heck do you identify a local business near you that might be a fit?
In this episode, Neel & David deep dive into the key aspects that make a business model a good fit to be remote local, so you can travel the world. They discuss everything you need to watch out for in an ideal business models and things you should avoid.
What even is a "remote local" business?
In the FIRST episode of the new Remote Local podcast, David & Neel dive into the business model that allows them to travel the world while running a completely local business.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- How to identify a good business model to be "remote local"
- Why this hidden gem business model gives you a HUGE untapped competitive edge
- How to can start your own remote local business
The Remote Local Podcast lets you dive into the minds of two 7-figure entrepreneurs who have figured out how to run their LOCAL businesses completely remotely and travel the world.
We talk about all things that are at the intersection of travel and entrepreneurship. The goal is to allow you to run your own remote local biz and experience total financial and location freedom.