He Improved His Mindset To Improve His Business
Joseph Gillingham is a tree surgery, tree planting and tree removal, specialist. He’s the owner of Heritage Tree Care in Toronto, Canada, and won a $20,000 grant from Jobber . Jobber is software that helps service businesses with estimating, quoting, invoice and getting paid.
In this discussion with Ramon Ray, small business expert and founder of SmartHustle.com, they unpack what it takes to start and grow a business.
They discuss how important it is to ensure you, the business owner, are mentally and emotionally fit to run your business. Listen to our podcast here or below.
Tactics of Business Success
Heritage Tree Care has a lot of things going for it. It’s been a journey and didn’t happen overnight. However, a few things Joseph is doing right, that you should aim for is:
- Be high in Google search rankings, in particular for LOCAL searches, if you’re a local service provider
- Lots of good photos and a great website
- Leveraging the power of Facebook and sites like Houzz where people are searching for all things home design
- Have a great service, which enables you to generate good reviews
- Blog regularly
Joseph said that although he started his business pre-internet and didn’t even have a cell phone when he started, he’s done his best to leverage online marketing, as it’s matured and grown.
[Smart Hustle Resources –How a Christmas Tree Business Grew]
Business is a journey
We business owners don’t know everything. It takes time to learn and it’s important to get help.
However, as Marie Forleo says in her namesake book, “Everything Is Figuroutable”.
We can hire an expert and get help from others. However, early on you have to learn many things yourself. As your business grows and matures you can hire help. Understand that often times you don’t have the money to get help as you’re starting out. That’s ok.
Your Personal Life Impacts Your Business
If your personal life is messed up, then it’s gonna be hard to build a business.
Joseph suffered from being sober and other addictions. Until he sorted his life out, with the help of his wife, he didn’t truly have success.
Having a team is so important. However, you can’t lead others and be a great “boss” if your personal life is not aligned.
Do Business The Right Way
It’s important to do everything by the book, be legal. Pay your taxes and don’t wing things and hope everything works out.
Part of ensuring you’re business is moving in the right direction is understanding that you CAN DO THIS.
Joseph, referenced “The eMyth” by Michael Gerber, a wonderful book that outlines the path of small business success.
He credited Jobber, which has transformed his business and helped him organize his business.
Going from a pickup truck to a thriving business is not easy, but Joseph did it.
He had to “fix himself” and be a better human, with his wife’s help. He also had to do the tactical things of business success, such as marketing and leading his team.
[Smart Hustle Resources – Build a Community and the Sales will Follow]
Creating a thriving business
One of the challenges Joseph experienced, on his journey to business success, was starting a second business and spreading himself too thin.
Getting on a subway train with a leaky chain saw, and getting Uhaul trailers to pick up the brush, is how Joseph first started. The start is often messy and a challenge and it is doable.
Part of Joseph’s success is using Jobber. He explained how it’s a software tool that lets you put everything in order and schedule jobs.
He used to do a lot of phone calls and have to manually remember things. But now, thanks to Jobber, all the details about the client (or future client) theat he needs to run his business is all in one place.
There’s no cognitive overload when you use software to help you manage the day-to-day needs and future growth of your business.
If you’re in business only to have it work for “today”, you’re short-sighted. Instead “build the business beyond you”
[Smart Hustle Resources – Finding Purpose In your Job While You Grow Your Side Hustle]
How to have a great company culture?
Having staff who will best represent your business, especially when you’re not there, is so important. How does Joseph do it?
He offers 4 day work weeks, he pays the best, has one week off in the summer and overall, Heritage Tree Car is an appealing place to work.
From fun training days, a big Christmas party and trusting his managers, Joseph has unlocked the keys to growing a successful business.