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Are you ready 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 lead. 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 time career. From personal stories to practical tips, the Soc 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.
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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 on a Thursday. Hope everybody is doing well. We're cruising another week ahead, another, another week down. Getting a lot of getting our mosquito apps in before Memorial Day, working on the coastal fertilization of North Jersey, getting everything synced up up there, routing. I'm actually heading up there today to, to get some apps done and do some work with Rob, who's our guy up there. A lot of interesting, fun things. Shop build is we, we have our permits and we are ready to go to move some dirt, get some curbs in, get some driveway aprons in, get a driveway in. And that's also some super exciting stuff. So got a lot going on again a lot with the robotics still going on. You know, did a episode on how, how all that is changing the game and how we're getting involved. So but I just wanted to jump on, talk about because I'm going through this at the North Jersey branch to, to really start getting customers and making a name for ourselves out there. So again, all of it, you know, phones are ringing right. It's non stop down here. But the companies that grow the fastest aren't really just for, for, for leads. We are actively trying to get new customers every single day. And the branch down here in Ocean county, it is feeding itself really. Our trucks are out there, our, our signage is out there, our name is out there at this point and you know, Nordstrom is a bit of a different, you know, we're, we're, we're new, we're, we're, we're, we're breaking in up there. But I want to talk about some practical ways to get more custom, not just hey, you know, I want things to talk about things that actually really work that I've found and do I land every Lead? No. Do I. Am I getting every customer? No. Do I have it all figured out? No, not at all. But I think you need to start thinking, just being out there and hunting for work. They just sit, sit behind a desk and hope, you know, Google gets you the leads that you need. There's so many things that come down to the branding of your truck to, to every interaction that you have to when you're out at again, driving around at filling up gas, getting gas at the gas station. Every customer interaction, every neighbor walking by your property that you're doing, that is the opportunity and training yourself to think that and your crew that you're always marketing. Your truck, your uniform, your hoodie, everything. The way you answer your phone, the way you leave a property, the way you do everything is really marketing and everything matters. Again, we, we've done talked about. We have, I've talked extensively on it. I'm a big proponent of wrapping trucks and I have had literally somebody stop me multiple times, a couple times to I'd say get the QR code right off my truck. This stuff works. And don't underestimating. Oh, we already have a logo. We don't need anything else. Right? But having clean trucks, clean equipment, matching shirts, professional invoicing, professional estimates, a good website, multiple Google reviews. This is all of the things that people are looking for that make you look established, especially in lawn care. Customers get nervous about, do you only have one review and it's like three stars or you don't have a website. So if you're looking professional, you are separating yourself from the others. Let's take a quick break here from the show sponsors and we'll come right back. 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 us@brandable.com to learn more about our professional branding website and graphic design services and how we can help your business look awesome and grow. Hey, what's going on, guys? With Jobber, you can easily manage jobs, track your team, get paid faster, all from one simple app. Join thousands of satisfied lawn care professionals who trust Jobber to keep their business growing strong. Visit the link in the bio today and start your free trial. One of the best ways to generate more work is to ask your existing customers for more work. And are they doing, do they do the spring cleanup? Do they do the hedge trimming? Are you fertilizing? And you see something else in the Lawn going on? Are you doing weed control in the beds? So your customer, honestly, your current customers already trust you. And I think this is one of the big missed opportunities in our business is that we're always chasing strangers and never really talking about your existing client base. And spring is the perfect time to upsell. We are looking at our current customers for robotics. Are you already mowing their lawn? Okay, offer them mulch. Are you doing their fertilizer? Offer a coreation and seeding. In the fall, the easiest customer to sell to is the one that you is already buying from you. I think some people forget that all it takes is to ask to make phone calls to if you have 30 customers, call every one of them, say, hey, you looking for any head trimming? Blah, blah, blah, blah. Or this xyz. Go to your current customer base already. Another thing people forget, and I have to start doing this with North Jersey is to ask my customers that we already have up there for Google reviews. So if you're not actively getting reviews in the spring, you're kind of falling behind because Google is ranking where you come up and people are looking at the reviews. It's the word of mouth. When people don't have word of mouth of somebody that they know and trust, they go to Google reviews and it shouldn't be. It's not uncomfortable to ask current customers. Hey, Mrs. Smith, I just finished up at the property. I hope you love it. Oh my God, I love it. Would you do me a favor and just here's this link. Just click this link in your text and could you just fill me. Fill out a review. Doesn't need to be too crazy or anything that helps me so much. So every job completed and I'm talking to myself too now. I'm going up North Jersey today to do 10 jobs I want. I'm going to ask a review for every single one of them. Because every happy customer should be asked for a review. Text them, email them, do it through jobber, whatever it takes. Let's get it done. And I'm talking to myself because these reviews really matter. Another thing is a lot of people are afraid to go walking into commercial properties, walking into local businesses, talking to property managers. Someone's lawn looks a foot high. And I saw it again this year on the property that I went into last year and they must have just got their guy to come do it because I went in there and said, your lawn's a foot high. This is like crazy. Let me tab it. I'm going back in there again today to Pop in there to say, hey, what are we doing here? I'm back. And you, you want something, go in there, make a face to face interaction. What's the bet? What's the worst thing that could happen? That they say get out but go to churches, daycares, businesses, little leagues. Who One of my biggest, I have the Tom's River Little League. I wanted them six years ago I talked with someone there, I made, went to a board meeting, made books of what we do about us, bounded books and handed them out to everyone there so they can look at what we do. And six years later I still have the contract. And the lawns never look better. And countless opportunities from people that are on the coaches there, on the board there, all that I have their homes too. Because people are looking for better people and they want it easy. They want things looking good. They don't want to think about it, they want things done. So I think just creating momentum through the years and this is what I've noticed, momentum creates visibility. More signs in yards, more trucks on the roads, more online reviews leads to more referrals, more customers watching. So spring matters. This, we are in it. Don't wait till it's over and don't wait until you're ready. A lot of people think that I'll get more when I have a better website, when I get better equipment, when I get a better employee. I'm not ready for the work. I need a better, I need to work on my logo. No you don't. You need to start now. And I'm doing this and I'm got me all pumped up especially for the North Jersey branch to go out and get the reviews, to go out and be visible and to jump into a couple places and say, hey, I'd love to take care of your property, your commercial property, but start now and let's get some growth, even if it's a little bit. And we'll figure it out. So if you're listening to this right now, I want you to get more customers this spring. And don't just do the work, talk to people, ask for reviews, upsell your current customers, brand your trucks, be professional, answer the phone or get somebody who's going to answer the phone and just stop waiting for opportunities and let's create them. So I challenge you and I'm going to be doing it myself. Ask for online reviews, get more work, go into some commercial properties and go get it. That's all I got. We will catch you guys out in Louisville, Kentucky for the Relco World record event coming up this weekend. We're heading out tomorrow. Can't wait to be with Paul Jameson, Cornell Mack. Follow us on Instagram. We're going to be having some great episodes come out of there. Going to be able to speak with some the great folks at Relco and also some other content creators. Other people if you're in the area come by. It's going to be very really awesome experience. Looking forward to it. Something totally different. It's great to be in Louisville. Not. Not normally when we're there a little. I'll always. I'm always down to go to Louisville but not during the crazy equip. It's pretty cool. So really looking forward to that. Can't wait to grab some content and share it with all of you guys and our experience. Larry and I are going down there. We're going to crush some podcasts out and really looking forward to it. So we'll leave it at that. Go get those customers. We are right in it in the middle of May. Let's build our businesses together. Catch you guys on the next one.
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Thanks for tuning in to the side Hustle Squad podcast with Mike Garvey. We hope you enjoyed this episode and gained valuable insight 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. I'm going to make this simple. If you run a landscape or outdoor power equipment business, Equip Exposition needs to be on your calendar October 20th through the 23rd in Louisville. This isn't a trade show where you walk around collecting pins. This is where you get hands on with equipment, find software that actually fits your operation, level up your cruise training, and invest a few days in your own growth as a business owner. The contractors building real systems are the ones winning right now and Equip is where everything comes together. The super early rate is $25 before May 31st. Go to equip exposition.com today to register.
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Register now at equipexposition.com or use the link in the podcast description. Save 50% off your registration when you apply the code. Side hustle at checkout.
Title: Spring Rush: How We're Getting More Customers Right Now!
Host: Mike Garvey
Date: May 14, 2026
In this episode, host Mike Garvey dives deep into practical, actionable strategies for acquiring more lawn care customers during the crucial "spring rush" period. Drawing on his own expanding business experiences—especially with the new North Jersey branch—Mike shares real-world tips, personal stories, and motivational insights to help fellow entrepreneurs in the lawn care industry boost their customer base. The episode focuses on visibility, branding, customer engagement, and the power of momentum—emphasizing that hustle and proactivity are key to success.
[01:00 – 04:50]
“The way you answer your phone, the way you leave a property, the way you do everything is really marketing and everything matters.”
— Mike Garvey [03:20]
[06:10 – 08:30]
One of the best ways to generate more work is to ask your current clients for additional services:
Call each client and simply offer the new service; the easy sales are right under your nose.
Quote:
“The easiest customer to sell to is the one that is already buying from you. I think some people forget that all it takes is to ask.”
— Mike Garvey [07:30]
[08:30 – 10:00]
Actively collecting Google reviews is crucial every spring, as these boost your local search ranking and credibility.
Mike shares his own plan for the North Jersey branch:
He also notes how reviews serve as modern word-of-mouth for new customers comparing providers.
Quote:
“If you’re not actively getting reviews in the spring, you’re kind of falling behind… It’s not uncomfortable to ask. Every job completed… ask for a review.”
— Mike Garvey [09:00]
[10:00 – 12:20]
Mike breaks down his tactics for winning commercial properties:
He shares a memorable anecdote about winning and retaining the Tom’s River Little League contract by personally attending a board meeting and distributing branded portfolios—resulting in years of business and lots of referrals.
Quote:
“Momentum creates visibility. More signs in yards, more trucks on the roads, more online reviews, leads to more referrals, more customers watching. So spring matters.”
— Mike Garvey [11:45]
[12:20 – 13:30]
Mike addresses common excuses entrepreneurs make about not feeling “ready” to grow until they improve their logo, website, or team.
He advocates for immediate action: “Start now, and we’ll figure it out as we go.” The best time to build your business is always now, not later.
He ramps up the energy with a call to action for listeners to stop waiting and go hustle.
Quote:
“Don’t just do the work, talk to people, ask for reviews, upsell your current customers, brand your trucks, be professional, answer the phone… Stop waiting for opportunities and let’s create them.”
— Mike Garvey [12:51]
Mike wraps up with a motivational charge to listeners: take the initiative this spring by pursuing new customers, engaging with your current ones, and making your business as visible and professional as possible. If you want more customers, don’t just wait for the phone to ring—go out and create your own opportunities.