Jon Sanders took one of the more unusual roads into the trades. He went from full-time firefighter, to church-planting pastor, to running Dakota Small Jobs, a professional handyman business in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that crossed $400,000 in revenue last year and is chasing seven figures in 2026.

What makes his story worth your drive time is that he built it on the least glamorous stuff in business. Show up when you say you will. Answer the phone. Do good work. Treat your team like they matter. As Jon puts it, that alone puts you head and shoulders above most of the trades.

In this episode:

• The "three F's" Jon used to land his first jobs with zero budget, plus the Facebook and Nextdoor move most guys get wrong
• Why he doesn't make his crew clock out for lunch, and how he builds a team that keeps the business running while he's on vacation
• Revenue vs profit, requiring 50% deposits for cash flow, and the Profit First system that changed how he sees his money (with Coby's hard-earned warning about spending money you haven't earned yet)
• When to make your first hire (hint: sooner than you're comfortable) and how to hand off work without becoming the bottleneck
• Turning van wraps, a strong Google Business Profile, and word of mouth into a lead engine you can dial up when you need it

Whether you're booking your first jobs off your personal Facebook page or trying to get off the truck for good, Jon's story is full of practical, do-it-this-week ideas.

Connect with Jon and his Handyman Starters community at handymanstarters.com.

Hosted by Jason Call and Coby McManaman of Handyman Marketing Pros

👉 Schedule a free, no-pressure strategy call: go.handymanmarketingpros.com
👉 Grab the free 3-in-1 Handyman Playbook Bundle: go.handymanmarketingpros.com/playbook-form
👉 Connect with us:
💻 Website: handymanmarketingpros.com
✉️ Email: sales@handymanmarketingpros.com

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