The Side Hustle Show – Episode 713

Title: I Made $50k Flipping Lawnmowers and Graduated Debt-Free
Host: Nick Loper
Guest: Dave Wilson (“Money Coach Dave”)
Aired: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this inspiring and tactical episode, Nick Loper sits down with Dave Wilson, aka "Money Coach Dave," who shares how he made over $50,000 flipping used lawnmowers during college—enough to graduate debt-free. The discussion explores step-by-step flipping practices, sourcing strategies, building repeatable systems, and how Dave applied his entrepreneurial mindset to other reselling niches. The episode concludes with a donated business idea, Dave’s current marketing tactics, tools, and his recommended book for entrepreneurs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dave’s Flipping Genesis: The $900 Day

• Story Highlight: At age 21, Dave spots a riding mower on Facebook Marketplace for $2,700, buys it, washes it, relists, and sells it the same day for $3,600—netting $900 cash.
  • "I messaged the guy as soon as possible... picked up the mower, stopped to power wash it, listed it, and then same day sold it for $3,600 bucks. $900 in my pocket." (01:00, Dave)
• Key to Success: No repairs—just a thorough cleaning, smart photos, and optimized listing title/description.

2. Why Lawnmowers? And Why Riding Lawnmowers?

• Origin Story: Dave started by selling his family’s unused riding mower before college, then reinvested profits into more inventory.
• Typical Purchase Price: Most mowers bought at $500–$800; the example above was atypical.
• Niche Advantage: Margins and churn are best with riding/zero-turn mowers, not small push-mowers.

3. Flipping Lawnmowers vs. Cars: Regulations and Logistics

• Fewer Barriers: No title registration/license needed for mowers, unlike flipping cars.
• Risk & Inventory Storage: Key bottleneck is space (garage/backyard or rentable storage).
• Transport: Used a $500 Ford Escape and $300 small trailer. Truck rentals are viable for larger loads.

4. Where to Source Lawnmowers

• Platforms: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, dealership trade-ins.
• Secret Weapon: Local lawnmower dealerships' trade-in inventory. Build trust by visiting in person.
  • "I told them what I was doing, very transparent and said I can pay cash, I won’t call you if it breaks afterwards." (08:49, Dave)
• Free Inventory: Find non-working/free mowers on Craigslist or Facebook, fix, and flip for <$200.

5. Best Brands and Models to Flip

• Top Brands: John Deere (“the green paint sells”), Husqvarna, Ferris, Kubota, Bad Boy, Cub Cadet Zero-Turn.
• Key Specs to Note:
  • Engine type/size (24hp Briggs & Stratton mentioned)
  • Deck size and construction (welded, commercial-grade better)
  • Machine hours (<500 ideal, like mileage on a car)

6. Target Margins & Risk Management

• Goal: Minimum $300 per flip, aiming for $100/hour to exceed traditional summer job earnings.
• Risk: Low—mowers are mechanically simple. Repairs usually require only basic troubleshooting (fuel, spark, air), and YouTube/forums suffice even with minimal experience.
  • “If you can figure out the SUMIF formula in Excel, you can figure out how to make a lawnmower tick and pretty much resolve any issue.” (18:27, Dave)

7. Systematizing for Scale

• Expert Sourcing: Dave’s CS-major roommate built a Facebook scraper to alert him of new “zero turn” listings in real time (may violate TOS).
• Repeat Business: Focus on reputation and customer service for positive reviews, which helps close deals faster and at better prices.
  • “The customer service that you provide on Facebook Marketplace is what will allow you to sell more than the average person.” (26:09, Dave)
• Negotiation Hack: When selling a mower, ask buyers if they have an old one to trade or get rid of, keeping inventory fresh.

8. Cosmetic Upgrades are Key

• Top Tip: Power washing mowers yields the highest ROI—presentation directly impacts saleability.
  • “The power washer made me so much money because I could just clean things quickly in my backyard.” (31:28, Dave)
• Easy Value-Add: Replace ripped seats (inexpensive), as buyers are put off by cosmetics even when the machine works fine.

9. Expanding Arbitrage: Flipping Phones

• Off-Season Side Hustle: When at college (without mower storage), Dave sourced iPhones from his internship employer and resold them, mainly using Swappa, making ~$6,000 in a year.

10. Building Repeatable Systems

• Sustained Sourcing: Set up steady inventory flows by becoming the go-to buyer for dealers and trade-ins; leverage existing business streams (e.g., phone trade-ins).
• Market Positioning: Built high-rated marketplace profiles by persistently requesting reviews and communicating directly (prefer phone calls over message threads).

Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–06:22: Dave’s first big flip, why lawnmowers, and business origins
• 06:22–14:02: Logistics, dealership strategies, sourcing best inventory
• 14:02–21:49: Margins, risk management, mechanical repairs, expanding to new products
• 21:49–28:59: Reputation, customer service tactics, flipping phones, system-building
• 28:59–32:06: Tools, systems, and value-adding touches in flipping
• 33:29–37:20: Donated business idea: LinkedIn Video Marketing Agency
• 40:59–52:19: Dave’s marketing tactics, content process, tools, and platforms
• 53:26–56:07: Book recommendation and what’s next for Dave

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Quick Flipping:
  "Cleaned it up, took some nice pictures, did a little SEO on the title, the description, and relisted it. And yeah, very, very minimal work on my part." (01:38, Dave)
• On Sourcing Secret:
  "The best place to find deals on used lawnmowers where you'll find margin is by actually going to lawnmower dealerships and asking them for their trade in inventory." (08:49, Dave)
• On Simplicity of Repairs:
  "If you can figure out the sumif formula in Excel, you can figure out how to make a lawnmower tick and pretty much resolve any issue." (18:27, Dave)
• On Presentation:
  "The power washer made me so much money because I could just clean things quickly...if I didn't power wash it, which was the cheapest thing out of all those things to do, it wouldn't sell." (31:28, Dave)
• On System Building:
  "I treated it very much like a business in that I was trying to get good reviews to serve people well. And because of that, have a very high ranked marketplace profile that allowed me to stand out and sell more mowers." (25:37, Dave)

Bonus Section: Business Idea Donation

"LinkedIn Video Marketing Agency"

• Opportunity: High-paid execs, CEOs, and sales pros want personal branding via video on LinkedIn—but don’t want to create the content themselves.
• Pitch: Partner with ghostwriters (who already serve these clients) to offer 4 videos/month as a white-labeled add-on. Scripts are written in advance, the client films ~15 minutes using a teleprompter, then you handle all editing and posting.
• Estimated Rate: ~$1,000/month per client.
• Execution Tip:
  "If I was to do this, the easiest lift, I would partner with a ghostwriter who already has clients..." (35:21, Dave)

Triple Threat Round

1. Marketing Tactic That’s Working Now

   • Short-form video at scale:
     Dave posts 120 videos/month (30 unique, cross-posted to TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook).
     • "Just sheer volume has been working for me...I was able to figure out a formula with that sheer volume that works for me." (41:46)
   • Comment engagement: Prompt conversations, reply quickly and keep people coming back for higher visibility.
     • "The best advice I've ever been given...when someone comments something, I will find a way to ask them another question that they then have to reply to." (46:32, Dave)

2. Favorite Tool

   • TikTok Creator Search Insights:
     Use TikTok’s built-in tools for content idea generation—see trending searches, script outlines, hooks, and now paid traffic from search.
     • "TikTok has just gotten next level in its ability to help you create content...They’ll outline your script as well. So you can really just pull the full structure." (49:30, Dave)

3. Favorite Book

   • The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
     • "It gave me perspective on how to view problems and then how to take on those problems just with the obstacles that I have and then also just continuing to persist and lean into those problems because it's typically the path forward." (53:26, Dave)

What’s Next for Dave?

• Goal: Replace W2 income as a full-time content creator and entrepreneur.
• Next Steps: Systematize content creation, diversify content formats, and further optimize monetization.
  • "The main goal will be finding a way to fully replace my W2 income...developed the email funnel...Now looking forward content wise..." (54:57, Dave)
• Fallback: “Worst case, you always go back to flipping lawnmowers.”

Summary Takeaways

• Find high-margin, low-competition niches: Riding mowers proved a sweet spot.
• Build repeatable systems: Both in sourcing and sales (dealership trade-ins, reputation-building, alert tools).
• Focus on presentation: Cleaning, minor cosmetic fixes, and detailed listings win deals.
• Community & reputation matter: Asking for reviews, responsive communication, and “overdelivering” in service sets you apart.
• Transferable flipping skills: The same value arbitrage methods worked in other verticals (cellphones).
• Expand and systemize everything—don’t just hustle, build processes.

Connect with Dave:
@MoneyCoachDave on all platforms

Free Listener Bonus:
Nick’s “20 Best Items to Flip for a Profit” – sidehustlenation.com/lawnmowers

For all the hustlers looking for actionable, creative income streams, Dave’s story is proof anyone can build significant income—even while in school—if you systematize, focus, and don’t mind a little dirt under your fingernails.