Side Hustle Squad – Ep 311: Sharpen the Blades, Clean the Books: 30 Days to Spring Success!
Host: Mike Garvey
Date: February 24, 2026
Episode Overview
In this solo episode, Mike Garvey delivers an energetic, practical guide for lawn care business owners—especially side hustlers—preparing for the spring rush. Drawing from personal experience, recent company developments, and actionable advice, Mike lays out a comprehensive checklist and mindset reset for optimizing operations, cleaning house (literally and metaphorically), and setting the stage for the most profitable season yet.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Company Updates and New Ventures
Timestamps: 00:53 – 03:40
- Mike opens with recent developments at Coastal Fertilization, including the launch of a new branch in Warren County, New Jersey—a return to startup roots and a chance to replicate prior successes.
- Highlights growing involvement as an authorized Crest Dealer (Robotic Outdoor Power Equipment Distributors—ROPED), including plans for event appearances and new equipment demos.
Quote:
"We're launching a new branch...baby steps on that. That doesn’t need to be launched until middle of April—just because of the client base. It’s gonna be like how we were when we started out Coastal of Ocean county. And, you know, we’re going to see if we can replicate this again."
—Mike Garvey (02:10)
2. Cleansing Your Customer List
Timestamps: 03:43 – 05:35
- Eliminate low profit, headache clients: Drop accounts that don’t buy extras, don’t participate in upsells (e.g., spring/fall cleanups, aeration), or are logistical outliers.
- Mike recounts dropping 30 clients, describing it as “the best thing we ever did”—closing the gap with more profitable, local clients.
- Tough decisions: Sometimes includes letting go of friends if they hurt the business financially.
Quote:
"We did that about two years ago...eliminated 30 clients and it was the best thing we ever did. We gained 30 more clients in the area and it took off a lot of stress. Initially it was very difficult...but it was totally worth it."
—Mike Garvey (04:37)
3. Spring Preparation Checklist
Timestamps: 07:27 – 15:06
a. Pricing and Profit (07:45)
- Review and raise prices: Mike shares his company’s 7% price increase—and why not to worry about losing a few clients at higher rates.
- Analyze profit margins: Assess last year’s numbers, adjust for changes in costs (fuel, labor, insurance). Don’t absorb rising expenses passively.
Quote:
"Are you looking at your last year's margins, adjusting your price before the season? Start talking about fuel, labor, insurance increases...We just changed carriers this year, saved about $7,000 in our insurance."
—Mike Garvey (08:01)
b. Financial Hygiene
- Consulting tip: Hire a financial expert (shout-out to John Pajak, “Profits with PayJack”), who can do a “budgets, break evens, bottom lines” analysis for you.
c. Scheduling and Route Optimization
- Tighten your routes: Condense work into tight geographic clusters to save time, fuel, and headache.
- Drop the outliers: Optimize efficiency by working in the same neighborhoods each day.
d. Cash Flow Management
- Prepays and discounts: Offer discounts (e.g., 5%) for prepayments on annual services.
- Banking systems: Mike uses Relay Financial with 20 different subaccounts to earmark money for payroll, supplies, emergencies, insurance, and more.
e. Equipment & Inventory Readiness
- Maintenance: Oil changes, blade sharpening, belt and filter checks, greasing, stocking first aid, and ensuring you have a “backup for your backup.”
- Inventory: Place fertilizer and chemical orders early; check and restock PPE and fuel cans; ensure all trucks and mowers are operational.
Quote:
"Are you getting your equipment ready? Are you doing your oil changes, blade sharpening, belts, filters, greasing your fittings, making sure you have a backup for your backup for your backup? Do you have a backup truck? ...Just be ready for it."
—Mike Garvey (10:33)
f. Personal & Team Readiness
- Accept the grind: Spring gets busier each year; plan for stress and schedule recovery time.
- Communication: Set expectations with your family about spring workload; hold regular meetings and safety reviews with your team.
- Growth and incentives: Use Zoom to keep admin and operations teams connected; pursue better internal communication each year.
Quote:
"My winter gets shorter every single year. We work later in the fall and then we start earlier in the spring. So I think a lot of us have to accept that it’s busy, know that we’re going to be stressed, make sure we book in a day of rest, something to look forward to, a mini vacation..."
—Mike Garvey (12:04)
g. Marketing & Client Communication
- Preseason outreach: Email blasts, upsell pitches, renewal reminders, and price increase announcements.
- Social media: Post consistently; pursue Google reviews and testimonials.
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On ditching unprofitable clients: "Are you wasting time traveling hours or just to help a friend? ... it just wasn't making sense financially." (05:10)
- On raising prices: "Some people say we're high, that's fine. I'm okay with that because if I lose 7% of my customer base at the new rate, well, I'm still doing the same amount of work... less work, same amount of money." (05:17)
- On team communication: "We’re looking to get more better at communicating with our team each year. We’re starting to hold more zoom meetings. It’s so easy now..." (13:32)
Action Items: The 30-Day Spring Readiness Playbook
- Audit your customer list—prune out unprofitable accounts (04:10–05:30)
- Review and increase prices/profit margins, as necessary (07:45–08:30)
- Compare insurance and seek savings opportunities (08:08)
- Optimize scheduling and geography for fuel/time efficiency (08:45)
- Secure cash flow—get prepays, set up sub-accounts if possible (09:50)
- Get all equipment and inventory ready—check, order, organize (10:33)
- Prioritize self-care and clear, consistent team/family communication (12:04–13:50)
- Fire up marketing—reach out, upsell, and remind clients for renewals (14:20)
Final Thoughts
Mike reiterates the importance of comprehensive, incremental preparation, setting clear financial goals, and maintaining strong communication—both with your team and your loved ones. He encourages listeners to act now despite weather setbacks and to reach out via the website or Instagram for deeper connection and ongoing support.
Quote:
"You gotta be a little bit good at everything and do a little bit of everything." (14:41)
Connect with Mike Garvey:
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