Chris McManus started mowing lawns in 2019 with a $600 trailer, his van, and equipment borrowed from his dad. Today, his landscaping and pool businesses generate around $350K to $400K per month combined.

In this episode of Boring Business Blueprints, Chris breaks down how he built the business, why he acquired a pool company, and how his recurring maintenance customers sometimes turn into six figure backyard projects.

We also get into his marketing strategy, what changed when he started investing in paid advertising, and how he manages a team of more than 20 people.

Chris also shares his biggest hiring mistakes, what he'd do if he had to start over with just a few thousand dollars, and his plan to eventually build a $25 million company.

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What if one of the best boring businesses to start was something most people overlook completely?

In this episode of Boring Business Blueprints, I sit down with Walt, who runs a highly specialized gardening business that typically generates around $250,000 per year.

This isn’t landscaping. They don’t mow lawns, build patios, or try to do everything. They focus almost entirely on rescuing and maintaining gardens — and charge around $80 per hour for the work.

The wildest part? Around 60–70% of their customers still come from a local newspaper, and another 10–15% come from simple yard signs.

We break down:

• How the business originally started with a car, some gardening tools, and a $25 newspaper ad
• Why specializing helped them charge more
• Who their best customers actually are
• How they price and estimate jobs
• Why wealthy homeowners aren’t always the best customers
• How they find and hire part-time gardeners
• Why paying workers more can actually make the business easier to run
• How repeat customers and larger jobs naturally turn into more revenue
• What Walt would do if he had to start the business again with only $1,000

  If you’re interested in boring businesses, local service businesses, small business ideas, entrepreneurship, or businesses you can start without millions in capital, this episode gives you the full blueprint.

This is Boring Business Blueprints — where we break down real businesses, how they get customers, how they make money, and how you could build something similar yourself.

Introduction to the show.