The Jeremy Hanson Podcast / Optimized Entrepreneur

If your service business isn’t where you want it to be—more profit, better crews, fewer fires, real growth—this episode forces the most important question: why, exactly, are you still stuck? Not the polished answer. Not the supply-house answer. The honest one. In Part 1 of the Expert Problem Solver series, Jeremy Hanson breaks down the excuse contagion—how “reasonable” explanations like “I can’t find good help,” “the economy is terrible,” “I don’t have the capital,” “my market is too competitive,” and “I’m waiting for the right time” become a cultural virus in the trades. These narratives often contain partial truth… and that’s why they’re so dangerous. They quietly remove your agency. You’ll learn why smart business owners rationalize failure better than anyone, how industry groupthink makes excuses feel like “common sense,” and why the question isn’t whether your explanation sounds true—but whether it’s useful. Jeremy confronts the most common contractor myths head-on, including the “good help” fallacy, the waiting-for-timing trap, and the perfectionism alibi that keeps owners planning forever while competitors pass them. This episode is the Mirror Moment: the line between owners who stay stuck and owners who get results. Not motivation. Not fluff. Ownership, diagnosis, and operational maturity—the foundations of building a business where good people stay, customers return, and growth becomes repeatable. You’ll also get a practical assignment to end the episode: identify your top three excuses, then write the three actions you’d take if those excuses were no longer allowed. Next episode (Part 2): Root Cause Diagnosis—why most fixes fail, why problems repeat, and how expert problem solvers cure systems instead of reacting to symptoms. Primary keywords expert problem solver service business coaching contractor mindset business excuses ownership mindset leadership in trades scaling a service business blue collar business growth operational systems for contractors hiring and retention for service companies Secondary keywords “no one wants to work anymore” myth trades business leadership how to build a great team training systems for technicians pay progression system scheduling systems for crews perfectionism in business how to stop procrastinating in business contractor pricing strategy (setup for later episodes) root cause analysis (teaser for Part 2) Long-tail phrases (high-intent search phrases) how to stop making excuses in my service business why contractors can’t find good employees and how to fix it how to build a company culture that retains good technicians what to do when “no one wants to work” in the trades service business leadership systems that prevent chaos contractor onboarding and training checklist system how to create a pay progression ladder for technicians how to stop waiting for the right time to grow my business perfectionism is keeping me from launching a service business offer how to take ownership when business results are bad why my service business is stuck even though I work 70 hours how to build a service business that runs without the owner how to turn average employees into high performers with systems why blaming the economy keeps contractors broke how to audit my business like an expert problem solver Short-tail phrases (high-volume targets) contractor coaching service business growth hiring for contractors employee retention business systems leadership mindset stop procrastinating perfectionism in business scaling a trades business contractor leadership See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most service business owners don’t fail because they aren’t skilled enough. They fail because they never make The Shift. In this episode of The Jeremy Hanson Podcast, Jeremy breaks down the exact moment every tradesman hits—the moment when working harder stops working—and explains how staying stuck in technician mode quietly caps income, destroys time freedom, and turns a business into a high-stress job. If you’re a pressure washer, HVAC tech, electrician, plumber, roofer, cleaner, or contractor who feels constantly busy but never ahead, this episode exposes why—and shows the way out. Jeremy walks through the core mindset and operational shift required to move from being the business to owning the business, including:Why technician skill does not translate to business growthThe difference between busy work and CEO-level workHow the “Dirty Truck Trap” keeps owners stuck in constant executionThe CEO Rate vs. Tech Rate—and why most owners sabotage their earning powerHow underpricing creates volume dependency and burnoutThe Stop-Doing List that frees up time and restores leverageHow to build systems that allow your business to function without youWhy delegation feels risky—but staying indispensable is worseThe emotional identity shift from “hero” to “architect”How to build a service business that can scale, absorb pressure, and breatheThis episode is not about motivation, hustle culture, or generic business advice. It’s a tactical, field-tested breakdown of what actually separates overwhelmed operators from owners who control their time, margins, and future. If you’ve ever asked yourself:Why am I so busy but still stressed?What happens if I get sick or injured?Why does my business fall apart when I step away?This episode gives you the answer—and the path forward. PRIMARY SEO KEYWORDS technician to owner service business owner mindset working in the business vs working on the business trades business growth blue collar business ownership service business systems stop being busy in business how to scale a service business CEO rate vs technician rate SECONDARY SEO KEYWORDS pressure washing business growth HVAC business owner advice plumbing business scaling electrician business systems contractor business leadership small service business operations pricing strategy for tradesmen delegation for business owners service business burnout AEO / VOICE SEARCH & AI-FRIENDLY LONG-TAIL PHRASES how do I stop being busy in my service business what is the difference between a technician and a business owner why service business owners burn out how to work on your business instead of in it when should a tradesman stop doing the work himself how to build systems in a service business why being busy doesn’t mean your business is growing how to scale a blue collar business without burnout what is CEO work for a small business owner how to delegate without losing quality PODCAST PLATFORM TAGS / METADATA (Optional Add-On) Categories: Business Entrepreneurship Careers Management Ideal Episode Placement Tags: Service Business Growth Trades Entrepreneurship Small Business Systems Leadership for Contractors Eat real, chef-crafted meals without losing time. Tempo delivers fresh, ready-to-heat meals in just two minutes—no prep, no cleanup, no compromise. https://tempomeals.com/hanson Stop doing repetitive work. Zapier connects your apps and automates the busywork so you can focus on what actually makes money. https://zapier.com/jeremy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’re a service business owner who’s constantly busy but still broke, exhausted, and stuck in your truck, this episode is for you. In this hard-hitting episode of The Jeremy Hanson Podcast, Jeremy breaks down the “Dirty Truck Trap”—the mindset that convinces blue-collar entrepreneurs that nonstop hustle equals success, while quietly destroying margins, health, family time, and long-term business value. This isn’t hustle porn. It’s real, field-tested truth. Jeremy speaks directly to contractors, tradesmen, and service business owners who are booked out, working 60–70 hour weeks, and still wondering why the bank account feels tight. He explains the dangerous difference between being busy and being effective, why so many owners unknowingly build jobs instead of businesses, and how staying in “technician mode” keeps you trapped as the highest-paid employee in your own company. You’ll learn:Why being busy feels productive—but actually prevents growthHow the “dirty truck” becomes a prison instead of a toolThe cultural traps that keep blue-collar owners under-earningThe hidden costs of hustle on your health, marriage, and kidsWhy most service businesses collapse the moment the owner steps awayThe mindset shift required to move from technician to operatorThis episode is raw, honest, and uncomfortable in the best way—designed to challenge the beliefs that keep hard-working people stuck for decades. If you own a service business and feel like you can’t slow down without everything falling apart, this episode will help you finally understand why—and what needs to change next. dirty truck trapblue collar business ownerservice business ownertrades business growthtechnician to operatorblue collar entrepreneurshipcontractor burnoutbusy vs effectiveservice business scalingsmall business trades self employed vs business ownertradesman burnoutservice business systemscontractor business mindsetpricing problems in tradesservice business marginsblue collar burnoutcontractor overworkedsmall service business growthworking in the business vs on the business why being busy is killing my service businesshow to get out of the truck as a contractorwhy contractors work so hard and make no moneyhow to stop being the bottleneck in my businesstechnician to operator transition for tradesmenservice business owner burnout symptomshow to scale a blue collar businesswhy my service business depends on mehow to build systems in a service businesswhy hustle doesn’t work for contractors See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Jeremy Hanson Podcast, Jeremy Hanson delivers a raw, no-nonsense breakdown of when—and if—you should start a business in 2026. This is not motivational fluff or startup fantasy. It’s a grounded, real-world analysis of entrepreneurship in today’s economy, covering risk, timing, discipline, and the uncomfortable truth most people avoid when thinking about business ownership. Jeremy explores why so many people feel paralyzed right now, how inflation, AI, and economic uncertainty have distorted decision-making, and why 2026 is not a boom year—but a sorting year where disciplined operators quietly win while others hesitate. You’ll learn:Why most people never fail in business—they simply never startWhat the 2026 economy actually looks like beyond headlines and hypeWhy service businesses and skilled trades are outperforming digital fantasiesThe lie about confidence that keeps would-be entrepreneurs stuckWho should absolutely start a business in 2026—and who should notWhether the “juice is worth the squeeze,” and what that squeeze really costsThis episode is designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, service professionals, and anyone questioning whether now is the right time to take control of their income and future. The Jeremy Hanson Podcast focuses on entrepreneurship, business systems, life optimization, and real execution—helping listeners move from thinking to doing with clarity and honesty. Learn more and explore additional resources at www.optimized1.com. 🔑 SEO KEYWORDS & PHRASES (Use in ART19 backend, PodSEO, Podpage, and metadata) Primary Keywordsstart a business in 2026entrepreneurship podcastbusiness podcastsmall business growthservice businessbusiness ownershipSecondary Keywordsshould I start a businessbusiness risk vs rewardstarting a service businessentrepreneur mindsetbusiness systemsbuild wealthself-employmentAEO / Voice Search Queries“Is it worth starting a business in 2026?”“When should I start my own business?”“Best entrepreneurship podcast for real advice”“Should I quit my job and start a business?” This episode is sponsored by Zapier—automate your work with AI and get started for free at zapier.com/jeremy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jeremy Hanson breaks down what it really takes to start and scale a business in 2026, focusing on entrepreneurship, smart systems, online presence, and building sustainable growth without burnout.