Ep 332. Why Contractors Need to Get Serious About LinkedIn!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Side Hustle Squad Ep 332 – "Why Contractors Need to Get Serious About LinkedIn!"

Host: Mike Garvey
Date: May 7, 2026
Main Theme:
How and why contractors, especially those in the lawn care and landscaping industries, should be leveraging LinkedIn to expand their businesses, build connections, and unlock new opportunities in 2026.

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Episode Overview

In this solo episode, host Mike Garvey reflects on his own efforts and discoveries as he gets more strategic with LinkedIn for his contracting business and new ventures. Mike challenges the conventional focus on Instagram and Facebook, sharing why LinkedIn is a critical, underutilized tool for contractors seeking quality business leads, networking, and growth—especially in the commercial sector. He offers real-world examples, actionable tips, and motivational anecdotes to encourage fellow contractors to take the platform seriously.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. LinkedIn as an Underrated Platform for Contractors

• Mike emphasizes that most contractors gravitate toward Instagram and Facebook, but LinkedIn is a "business conversation" hub where real commercial deals and partnerships happen.

  "I think LinkedIn is an underrated tool for contractors, and I want to talk about why I think more contractors, landscapers, lawn care professionals, entrepreneurs should start paying more attention to it." (01:50)

• The platform is less saturated and noisy, offering a direct line to business-minded individuals and decision-makers within companies.

2. Access to Decision-Makers & B2B Opportunities

• Contractors can use LinkedIn to connect with commercial accounts, property managers, facility directors, and those who hold hiring or vendor authority.

  "It's where you can find those commercial accounts, those property managers, those people that make the decisions at the level of hiring you, especially on commercial or even residential..." (02:30)

• Networking on LinkedIn leads to more than just new business—it can also help with recruiting, brand partnerships, and sponsorships.

3. Standing Out with Blue Collar Content

• Mike encourages contractors to “level up” the platform with more blue-collar content, which is still rare on LinkedIn and thus more likely to get noticed.

  "More blue collar content I think stands out on LinkedIn. I think there's a lot of opportunity that we should be leveling up and engaging with these people." (03:30)

4. Practical Application: Real Life Example

• Mike shares a recent experience of visiting a local business (Bob’s Discount Furniture) whose lawn was neglected. This led to an initial conversation with the general manager and a subsequent follow-up on LinkedIn, which became a genuine business lead—demonstrating how LinkedIn can cement in-person connections.

  "I ended up stopping in there talking with the general manager and then ended up getting his name and everything and then found him on LinkedIn and just… furthered the conversation." (05:00)

5. Step-by-Step: How to Get Started

• Advice for new users:
  1. Create a LinkedIn profile if you don’t have one.
  2. Set a small goal: “Take a month and make a hundred connections.” (06:00)
  3. Don’t overthink your posts—share content like job-site photos, equipment setups, before-and-afters, and relatable stories.

     "It's like, get a lot of engagement, especially different things that you could post—photos from the field, equipment, your equipment setup, before and afters, you know, lessons learned, failures, wins, thoughts of the day and just being consistent." (06:40)

  4. Regular posting: Aim for daily content, even if not perfect.
  5. Use LinkedIn for outreach—search for facility managers or the staff responsible at companies and start conversations that may lead to commercial work.

6. Forward-Looking Motivation

• Mike is committed to sharing his ongoing journey on LinkedIn, especially as he builds out his robotic equipment dealership and looks to grow his commercial presence.
• Closing words of encouragement for listeners to give LinkedIn a shot, as their next big break, partnership, or employee could come from the platform.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On shifting focus to LinkedIn:

  “There’s less noise on LinkedIn than other platforms. It’s more business-oriented, business-minded, and decision-makers for these companies—they’re here.” (03:00)

• On contractor visibility:

  “Contractors are underrepresented on LinkedIn—a lot of companies, especially small ones, ignore it. And I think there’s a lot of opportunity.” (03:20)

• On actionable first steps:

  “I encourage you to at least explore LinkedIn. Make one, start engaging. Take a month and make a hundred connections. I’m slowly building mine.” (06:00)

• On content ideas:

  “Don’t really overthink the content. I posted some robotic stuff—it gets a lot of engagement. Post photos from the field, your equipment setup, before and afters, lessons learned, failures, wins, thoughts of the day, and just being consistent.” (06:40)

• On future opportunities:

  “Your next partnership, your customer, sponsor, employee, some opportunities might be on LinkedIn. You just really haven’t posted it yet.” (07:30)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:22 – 03:00: Why LinkedIn is overlooked but valuable for contractors
• 03:00 – 04:00: How blue collar professionals stand out on the platform
• 05:00 – 06:00: Real-life example of LinkedIn turning an in-person lead into a business conversation
• 06:00 – 07:30: Step-by-step suggestions for contractors to get started on LinkedIn and content ideas
• 07:30 – 08:05: Motivational wrap-up and call-to-action

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Tone & Style

Mike’s delivery is conversational, friendly, and practical—he shares both personal stories and tactical advice in a way that’s approachable and relatable for hardworking contractors and aspiring entrepreneurs.

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Takeaway

If you’re a contractor or lawn care pro looking to grow your commercial business, recruit, or land partnerships, LinkedIn offers immense untapped potential with surprisingly little competition. Start small, be consistent, and use the platform to connect directly with the decision-makers your business needs.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

or use the link in the podcast description. Save 50% off your registration when you apply the code. Side Hustle at Checkout Are you ready

[A]

to kick back and get inspired? Grab your favorite drink, pop the top and join the side Hustle Squad with Mike Garvey. This podcast is the perfect resource for anyone who's already started their side Hustle or is just considering taking the leap. With in depth interviews featuring guests from the green industry and beyond, you'll gain valuable insights and learn what it takes to succeed in running a business while juggling a full career. From personal stories to practical tips, the Side Hustle Squad podcast has everything you need to turn your passion into a thriving business. Now here's your side Hustle Squad host, Mike Garvey.

[B]

Hey, what's going on guys? It's your host, Mike Garvey with the side Hustle Squad podcast coming at you from the Branded Bull Studio here in a Thursday. Hope everybody's having a good week again. We are doing it, getting our jobs done, cruising right along. Some exciting things coming down the line, a little bit of travel coming in. We're coming coming up. I should say we're headed to Louisville. Louisville in I can't say it right in next weekend to get to the Relco event. Breaking the Guinness Book of World record, mowing a field, a American football field in under an hour with six, six inches of grass. It's going to be a cool event. Paul Jameson will be there so stay tuned on all the socials looking at that or if you're in the area, come say what's up. But I wanted to jump on. Not a incredibly long one by any means, just something to think about and I'm getting more involved with it. I is is is taking LinkedIn more serious in in 2026. That's my goal and why maybe you should also because I think LinkedIn is an underrated tool for contractors and I want to talk about why I think more contractors, landscapers, lawn care professionals, entrepreneurs should start paying more attention to it. Um, I think a lot of us are super focused on Instagram, Facebook, but I think business conversations is where LinkedIn is happening, where those conversations are happening. And I'm Seeing it especially on the robotic outdoor power equipment distributor, the roped business that I'm working on reaching out to different people to connect with them to have do demos with the battery powered equipment. So I think it's where you can find those commercial accounts, those property managers, those people that make the decisions at, at the, at the level of hiring you especially on commercial or even residential because they're gonna, they own businesses, they need them properly cared for or snow plowed or trimmed or cut or everything else. And it's really, it's not all just about like a corporate only platform. I think I'm really start try to post more and be more diligent about interacting with people on there. I feel like again there's less noise on LinkedIn than other platforms. It's more business oriented, business minded and decision makers for these companies they're here. So I think again contractors are misunderstanding are not misrepresented underrepresented on LinkedIn in a lot of companies, especially small ones ignore it. And I think there's a lot of opportunity that we should be leveling up and engaging with these people. More blue collar content I think stands out on LinkedIn. So again there's opportunities out there. There's people looking for, they're digesting their content the content and then oh I want I know that guy's from my area. Oh and he's connected to this person and that one. It's gonna again lead to networking, it's gonna lead to more commercial accounts. It's gonna be helpful with recruiting employees, different brand partnerships or if you're looking for sponsorships. So again I think that I'm going to touch on this again keep sharing my journey with being on LinkedIn with the robotic stuff and being the crest dealer at the Jersey Shore to what's going to lead to it. I'm doing different searches and finding who is this manager at this place or who's in charge of facilities at, at this college and just get into the conversation even there was a Bob's Discount Furniture by me that their foot, their grass was a foot high. Like their guy just stopped showing up and I ended up stopping in there talking with the general manager and then ended up getting his name and everything and then found him on on LinkedIn and just had a you know to further the conversation. The guy ended up did showing up did. I think they got their got their ass in gear and you know lit a fire under, under them to to. To see what's up and see what's going on with this company, but it still led to a conversation, a lead, so you know, you'll be able to pop. And I talked about last year, you know, we made a little push on the commercial end, stopped in with some, stopped into some locations. Hey, they got a ton of weeds, their lawn looks like garbage. Like stop in there, drop a card. You know, hey, I'd love the opportunity to take care of your property and then follow up with them on LinkedIn, which they're you're probably going to find them. So I encourage you to at least explore LinkedIn. Make one, start engaging. Take, take, take a month and get a make a hundred connections. I'm slowly building mine. I wanted to post more and just don't really overthink the content. I mean I posted some robotic stuff. It's like get a lot of engagement, especially different things that you could post photos from the field, equipment, your equipment set up before and afters, you know, lessons learned, failures, wins, thoughts of the day and just being consistent. I'm going to try to post, you know, once a day on there and it's hard, you know, like, am I the best at Instagram? No, not even close. I have a couple accounts and you know, generating the content is tough but I think if you think about it, your next partnership, your customer, sponsor, employee, some opportunities might be on LinkedIn. You just really haven't posted it yet.

[A]

Thanks for tuning in to the side Hustle Squad podcast with Mike Garvey. We hope you enjoyed this episode and gained valuable insights to help you succeed in your Side Hustle journey. Connect with Mike using the links in the podcast description. If you love the show, please leave us a well worded five star review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback and support help us grow and continue to provide you with the best content. And don't forget to follow the show to be notified when the next edition of the Side Hustle Squad Podcast is available. We have many exciting guests and topics lined up so you won't want to miss a single episode. Thanks again for listening and we'll catch you next time on the side Hustle Squad podcast.

[C]

Hey guys, Adam Fullerton here with Branded Bull As a proud sponsor of the Side Hustle Squad podcast, we're all about helping lawn care and landscaping businesses make their mark and stand out from the competition. Visit [e-mail] to learn more about our professional branding website and graphic design services and how we can help your business look awesome and grow.