Working With Subcontractors, What Nobody Tells You Ep. #493
Release Date: 04/27/2026
Profits with Pajak
Most lawn care and landscape companies don't have a marketing budget problem. They have a messaging problem. If your advertisement simply says, "Licensed, Insured, Free Estimates," congratulations, you just created a business card. But you didn't give a homeowner a reason to care. In this episode of Profits with Pajak, John breaks down why the green industry struggles with marketing, how to create ads that actually capture attention, and why the answer to "Should I use Facebook, Google, postcards, or yard signs?" might just be… yes. Learn how to write better copy, connect with customer...
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A recent trip to Texas gave John a front-row seat to two powerful examples of growth. One was a day spent learning alongside experienced business leaders. The other was a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating a husband-and-wife team's dream becoming reality. In this episode, John shares the surprising lesson connecting both experiences and explains why the most successful business owners never stop seeking wisdom, perspective, and guidance from others. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit Accelerator LIVE (June 26–27,...
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Every business owner eventually faces a difficult question: How much risk should you tolerate before it's time to part ways with a customer? In this episode, John shares a real-world story from one of his coaching clients involving a $2,000 chargeback, attorney letters, missed treatments, customer complaints, and the fear of negative reviews. Through this case study, you'll learn how to recognize when a customer relationship has become a liability, why fear often keeps us holding on too long, and how to protect your business while maintaining your professionalism. Episode Links: Apple Podcast...
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Getting your first workers’ compensation policy can feel confusing, expensive, and intimidating, but it is a necessary step when you start hiring employees. In this episode, John breaks down how workers’ comp works, what it may cost, why payroll matters more than headcount, how audits work, and why getting classified under the wrong lawn care class code can quietly cost you thousands. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit Accelerator LIVE (June 26–27, 2026, Richmond, VA):An intensive experience designed to help...
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Your equipment is working harder than ever right now. Hot temperatures, dust, grass clippings, long hours, and heavy workloads all take a toll on engines and hydraulic systems. In this Technical Tuesday episode, John shares simple maintenance habits that can dramatically extend equipment life, reduce downtime, and protect your profits during the busiest part of the season. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit Accelerator LIVE (June 26–27, 2026, Richmond, VA):An intensive experience designed to help lawn and...
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A real-world lawn care situation turns into a bigger lesson on expectations, communication, and doing what’s right for the turf. John breaks down a conversation with Joe DiPace about a nimblewill-infested lawn, exploring the tough decision between full renovation and a phased recovery plan. This episode highlights how to guide clients when the solution is more involved than they expected, and why proper communication can make or break the outcome. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit Accelerator LIVE (June 26–27,...
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Google Local Services Ads promise high-quality leads, but do they actually deliver? After spending $2,200 and landing just one client, John breaks down how LSA works, shares his real-world experience, and explains why it wasn’t the right fit for his lawn care business. This episode isn’t about bashing the platform, it’s a cautionary look at why LSA may not be the silver bullet many operators expect, especially when building a route-dense, profitable service business. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit...
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Most lawn care businesses think growth comes from more customers, but that’s not always the answer. In this episode, John breaks down why adding more clients can actually increase stress and inefficiency, while barely improving profit. Instead, he shows how increasing your average revenue per customer can unlock tens of thousands of dollars already sitting in your business. If you want to grow smarter, not harder, this episode is for you. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit Accelerator LIVE (June 26–27, 2026,...
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After a no-nonsense episode that stirred things up, John addresses the feedback and doubles down on the truth, being busy doesn’t mean you’re profitable. In this episode, he breaks down how inefficiency, poor routing, and wasted time are quietly draining your bottom line, even when your schedule is packed. If you feel like you’re working nonstop but not seeing the results, this episode will help you identify where your time and profit are slipping away, and how to fix it. Episode Links: Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser. Upcoming Events: Profit...
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A lot of lawn care businesses aren’t struggling with pricing, they’re struggling with collection and cash flow In this episode, John breaks down how 2–5% of revenue is often never collected, and another 5–15% sits in limbo due to missed invoices, declined cards, and poor systems. Using real-world examples, he shows how thousands of dollars can slip through the cracks each season without you even noticing. If you feel like you’re working hard but not seeing the profit, this episode will help you identify where the money is going and how to fix it. Episode Links: Apple Podcast...
info_outlineSubcontractors can help you grow faster, reduce overhead, and expand your services, but they also come with trade-offs. In this episode, John Pajak breaks down the realities of subcontracting from both sides, sharing real-world experience as both a subcontractor and a general contractor. Learn the pros, the pitfalls, and how to use subcontractors the right way in your business.
Listener Takeaways
· The true trade-off between control and growth
· When subcontracting makes sense and when it doesn’t
· How to protect your reputation while using subcontractors
· Why communication and scope of work are everything
· How to decide if you should be a subcontractor or a general contractor
Episode Links:
Apple Podcast Listeners- Copy and paste the links below into your browser.
Upcoming Events:
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