Ep. 365 | From Technician to CEO: Optimizing & Scaling Service-Based Businesses

In this episode of Small Biz Florida, recorded live at the 2025 Small Business Success Summit in Tampa, host Tom Kindred is joined by Michelle Partridge, founder of Pear Tree Consulting. Michelle shares her journey from owning an appliance repair business in Raleigh to launching a consulting firm in Tallahassee that focuses on helping service industry entrepreneurs streamline operations and reclaim their time. Drawing on real-world experience, she dives into the most common challenges faced by owner-operated businesses—from inefficient route planning to uncertainty around hiring and financial planning. Michelle’s hands-on, personalized approach helps business owners shift from working in the business to working on it. Whether you're looking to scale, optimize your systems, or finally figure out your break-even point, this episode delivers strategies you can put into action today. This podcast episode was recorded live at the 2025 Small Business Success Summit hosted at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. This podcast is made possible by the Florida SBDC Network and sponsored by Florida First Capital. Connect with Our Guest: peartreeconsulting.net