Getting the Phone to Ring When Work Dries Up | Steve Leigh
from Unlocking Business Podcast
Steve started E-Maintain two years ago with zero residential experience. He is still on the tools, has three staff, and is building something the right way without burning through a Google ads budget to do it. Kane and Steve cover the real story of starting a small electrical business in Perth with no residential background and figuring it out on the fly. They get into hiring your first apprentice vs your first sparky and why most people get that wrong, how to build consistent work through property managers and commercial relationships instead of chasing leads, why a VA might be your best early hire, and how to get the phones ringing without blowing your budget on advertising. Full write-up, links and transcript: https://www.hypotential.com/podcast/e-maintain-steve-leigh/ If you are in the first few years of running a trade business and trying to figure out how to get consistent work without it costing you everything, this one is for you. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRiS0buPoGY Follow me: Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok
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Chapters
- 0:00 Intro and meet Steve
- 1:01 Why Steve started his own business
- 2:02 From oil and gas to residential work
- 3:06 A detour into facilities management
- 5:11 What facilities managers actually do
- 8:16 Working at Smartfix first
- 9:18 Being upfront about starting a business
- 11:25 Why business owners share openly
- 13:30 Early challenges: Xero and back on the tools
- 15:36 Balancing the tools with quoting and admin
- 16:39 Should your first hire be an apprentice?
- 19:47 No five-year plan
- 21:51 When work dries up
- 24:59 Hipages and community Facebook groups
- 27:05 Hiring a VA in the Philippines
- 32:17 A small office in Clarkson
- 37:29 Mum and dad margins vs consistent work
- 39:35 Google Ads and after-hours spend
- 42:43 Property managers and general maintenance
- 46:50 Steve asks: how do you get the phone ringing?
- 48:54 Finding the right Google Ads consultant
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