The Koerner Office – Ep. #236

“You Can Make $1K/Hour With This Seasonal Side Hustle”
Host: Chris Koerner
Guests: Wesley Parkin (Owner, Grounds Guys of Keller) and Jeremy (Production Manager)
Date: October 20, 2025

Overview of Episode

In this episode, serial entrepreneur Chris Koerner dives deep into the lucrative business of installing Christmas lights as a seasonal side hustle. He interviews Wesley Parkin, owner of a landscaping and holiday lighting franchise in Texas, and Jeremy, his production manager. Together, they explore how the Christmas light business works, the economics, the seasonal rhythms, operational tips, and how it can be scaled from a side hustle to a million-dollar enterprise. The tone is friendly, practical, and focused on real-world insights and actionable advice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Business Model & Entry Point

• Franchise vs. Independent: Wesley started his business as part of the “Grounds Guys” franchise for its multi-vertical approach (landscaping, holiday lighting, irrigation, etc.).
  • “We chose [a franchise] that had multiple verticals we could add to the business as we grow.” (01:05)
• Seasonality Advantage: Christmas lights provide a high-margin, seasonal revenue stream alongside landscaping.
• Startup Costs:
  • Materials: $400–$5,000, depending on scale (26:04).
  • Safety gear, ladders, and insurance are main other expenses.
  • “You might only be $4 or 500 as far as material and then a couple pieces of equipment, safety equipment, ladders.” (26:05)
• Barriers to Entry:
  • Minimal licensing for landscaping, but Christmas lights require higher insurance due to risk (11:21).
• Potential:
  • Million-dollar businesses are possible—Wesley cites a peer doing $1.25M/year just in lights (26:26).

2. Pricing, Margins, and Growth

• Residential Pricing:
  • Typical home: $1,500-$2,000 for install (09:40).
  • Linear foot pricing—measured with a wheel and priced per foot.
• Commercial Accounts:
  • Can be worth “100 times more than a home,” e.g., $40–50k accounts (08:15).
• Margins:
  • Lawns: 10–15% (05:41)
  • First year lights: ~20–25% (initial materials purchase)
  • Year three: 50–60% (materials reused, mainly labor) (10:56)
• Growth Trajectory:
  • First season: 5–6 installs.
  • Second season: 10–15.
  • Steady, manageable growth as business and skills increase (07:03).

3. Finding and Closing Customers

• Landscaping:
  • Local Service Ads, Google PPC, referrals, word of mouth.
  • “A lot of LSAs, we have PPC that we use. Word of mouth helps a lot.” (03:44)
• Holiday Lighting:
  • “For holiday lighting, we use a lot of Facebook... it's more visual.” (04:02)
  • Paid Facebook ads work best.
  • Door hangers, especially in neighborhoods during installs (“box nine” strategy).
  • Yard signs (now mostly illegal in Texas; fine risk at $500 per sign).
• Competitive Edge:
  • Higher pricing justified by better service, responsiveness, and having insurance.
  • Communication is key to customer retention.
  • “When they call us, they get to talk to somebody on the phone. And then if a screw up happens, we fix those screw ups.” (02:46)
• Lead Quality:
  • Early years relied on Thumbtack/Angie leads; moved to higher-quality sources as business grew (05:11).

4. How the Service Works (Logistics & Operations)

• Business Models:
  • Leasing: Company cuts and owns the lights, installs and stores them for clients (preferred—allows reuse, simplifies storage, and ensures recurring revenue).
  • Customer Ownership: Some companies let customers buy/own custom-cut lights.
  • “We cut the lights and we keep the lights and we're essentially leasing them to them.” (09:04)
• Service Flow:
  • Initial consult & measurement → Shop prep (building custom lengths, attaching bulbs/clips, etc.) → Install (ideally <90 minutes per house) → Takedown (10 minutes, using painter’s pole) → Storage off-season at company’s site.
  • Route Density: Routing multiple jobs in the same area improves margins by reducing transit time (21:11).

5. Tools, Safety, and Team

• Minimal Tools Needed:
  • Wire clippers, measuring wheel, zip ties, painter’s pole for takedown, 30-foot ladder, specialty boots/climbing gear (Cougar Paws), pitch wedges (17:35, 24:50).
• Safety Focus:
  • Key: Don’t skimp on insurance and safety equipment.
  • “I would say watch videos on safety, because that's the number one thing. You don't want to get hurt.” – Jeremy (22:55)
• Team Structure:
  • At least two people per job, especially on two-story homes (18:13).
  • Production manager handles scheduling, crew oversight, and, crucially, rapid, friendly communication.

6. Marketing Tips & Timelines

• Peak Marketing:
  • Christmas in July campaign—get early commitments/discounts, spread workload.
  • Heaviest push: October–early November, right after Halloween when customers’ minds shift (13:28).
• Install Windows:
  • Most clients schedule installs for November; takedowns start ~second week of January (14:20).
• Marketing Methods:
  • Door hangers work for both services; Facebook ads drive most seasonal lighting leads.
  • Yard signs are effective but now often prohibited (12:08).

7. Customer Service & Retention

• Communication:
  • Over-communicate, especially if something goes wrong.
  • “Communication covers a multitude of sins.” – Chris (23:53)
  • Starting each customer relationship as a “friend” vs. just a vendor.
• Maintenance & Callbacks:
  • Service anytime issues arise—replacing bulbs, fixing storm/wind/squirrel damage.
  • Annual discount for returning customers; extra revenue from add-ons (wreaths, landscape lighting).

8. Common Pitfalls & Advice for Beginners

• Start Small, Practice on Your Own Home:
  • Get a feel for the work and safety.
• Insurance Is Nonnegotiable:
  • Prospective customers should never hire non-insured installers (11:11).
• Don’t Fear Competition:
  • Many “cheap” competitors are uninsured, part-time, and don’t offer service/repairs.
• Be Selective with Staff:
  • Not everyone is comfortable working on roofs—screen for this early (24:25).
• Supplies:
  • Don’t buy lights at big box stores—find a pro supply store for quality, cut-to-fit materials (25:26).
• Minimum Price:
  • $800 is the company’s current minimum to ensure profitability (17:50).
• Permanent Lighting:
  • Not preferred—one-time fee, less recurring revenue.
• Commercial Is More Complicated:
  • Higher rewards, but more complexity (insurance, equipment, scale).

9. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On scaling:

  • “Do you think it's possible if someone were to go all in on this... This could be a million-dollar business?” – Chris
  • “Yeah, very easily. One of the grounds guys... he does a million and a quarter.” – Wesley (00:04, 26:26)

• On customer retention:

  • “As long as we did a good job... there's really no reason to re-shop it.” – Wesley (06:18)

• On route density:

  • “You could easily spend more time driving than you spend on the entire job site.” – Chris (21:11)

• On safety:

  • “I would say watch videos on safety, because that's the number one thing. I mean, one, you don't want to get in trouble, but two, you don't want to get hurt.” – Jeremy (22:55)

• Customer communication:

  • “Just be open. Be willing to talk to them... They want almost a friend.” – Jeremy (23:21)
  • “Communication covers a multitude of sins.” – Chris (23:53)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Million-Dollar Potential: 00:00, 26:26
• Wesley’s Background/Franchise Model: 01:00–01:25
• First Year Struggles: 01:46
• Service Pricing: 02:17, 09:40
• Customer Acquisition: 03:44–04:29
• Holiday Light Marketing: 04:02, 13:28
• Margins Breakdown: 05:41–06:13, 10:56
• Leasing vs. Customer-Owned Model: 08:49–09:32
• Growth Numbers: 07:03
• Insurance & Safety: 11:21, 17:35, 24:50
• Team & Operations: 18:13, 21:11
• Customer Retention: 06:18, 23:39
• Tools & Equipment: 17:35, 19:03, 19:25
• Install/Takedown Process: 15:04–20:47
• Door Hangers & Neighborhood Marketing: 12:42
• Common Pitfalls/Advice: 24:23–25:14
• Startup Costs: 25:44–26:18
• Horror Stories: 22:22, 26:52
• Goals for Growth: 27:23

Conclusion

This episode presents a clear, actionable guide for aspiring entrepreneurs interested in seasonal home services, especially Christmas lights. Wesley and Jeremy share practical know-how, pricing, operational workflows, safety tips, marketing strategies, and candid advice for getting started and scaling. Chris Koerner’s probing questions prompt rich stories and tactical advice, making this a valuable listen (or read) for anyone serious about building a home services side-hustle—or even a million-dollar business.

Find Wesley's business at:
Grounds Guys of Keller – groundsguys.com/calrtx

Final note from Chris:
“I’ve never really said this out loud before, but my mission with this channel is to inspire 1 million entrepreneurs to start or grow their business. So if you’ve been inspired by this, please just say thanks by hitting subscribe and it would mean the world to me.” (28:12)