Trade
Painting
Articles for painting shops running 1-10 people. Pricing, hiring, customer disputes, and the parts of the business they never teach you.
Your Break-Even Number Is Wrong (And It's Killing Your Prices)
If you're pricing jobs off last year's overhead, your break-even is already wrong. Here's how to calculate the real number before you quote another job.
Stop Using Multiple Phone Numbers to Track Your Marketing
Call tracking numbers hurt your Google rankings and confuse customers. Here's how to track lead sources without fracturing your phone presence.
Word of Mouth Isn't a Marketing Strategy. It's a Risk.
Relying on referrals feels safe until the phone goes quiet. Here's why word of mouth is a liability — and how to build a system that doesn't depend on you.
Your Labor Burden Rate Is Wrong — Reprice Before You Hire
Hiring your next tech will break your pricing unless you recalculate labor burden first. Here's the math most trade owners skip.
Markup vs. Margin: Why Your Pricing Math Is Wrong
You priced at '40% margin' but you're broke. The markup vs. margin confusion is costing small shops thousands. Here's the one formula that fixes it.
1099 vs W-2 for Trade Workers: What It Really Costs You
Most small shops default to 1099 subs to save money. A former plumbing contractor explains why that math is usually wrong — and risky.