I call them the 5 P’s. Miss one, and your business might survive. Nail all five, and you build something that thrives.

1. People: Your Greatest Asset or Your Biggest Expense

I don’t care how good your marketing is or how shiny your trucks are. If your team sucks, your business will bleed. Period.

You need to build a culture that attracts A-players—people who hustle, who care, who take pride in their work. You train them, invest in them, and hold them accountable. In return, they’ll help you scale, protect your brand, and make you money while you sleep.

2. Process: The Blueprint for Scaling Without Chaos

Too many businesses grow fast... and then implode. Why? No process.

Everything should have a system: how calls are answered, how estimates are built, how jobs are completed, how callbacks are handled. Systems create predictability, which leads to profitability. It’s not about micromanaging. It’s about creating a machine that runs with or without you.

Document your playbook. Train to it. Enforce it. That’s how you go from self-employed to business owner.

3. Product: What You Sell Has to Work

In the home service industry, our "product" is the service we deliver. Whether it’s a roof, a door, a tune-up, or a total system replacement, it needs to solve the customer’s problem the first time.

Cheap materials, half-done work, and “good enough” attitudes kill your brand. Your product has to be good enough that your team is proud of it and your customer won’t think twice about referring you to their neighbor.

4. Perceived Value: What You Charge vs. What You’re Worth

Here’s the deal: customers don’t pay based on your cost. They pay based on how they perceive the value.

Do your trucks look sharp? Are your techs in clean uniforms? Is the estimate clear and confident? Do you follow up like a pro? All of these things build trust, and trust raises your value. That’s how you charge more than the guy down the street without blinking.

Stop competing on price. Start delivering an experience that justifies the number.

5. Profit: The Oxygen of Your Business

Let’s be real, this is not a hobby. It’s a business. And if you’re not making strong, healthy profit, you’re going to burn out or stall out.

Profit gives you options. It lets you invest in better trucks, hire the right people, upgrade your tools, and market like a beast. Profit is not greed. It’s what allows your business to grow and survive in any economy.

You Can’t Fake This Stuff

The 5 P’s are simple, but they’re not easy. Most people get distracted by shiny tools or temporary wins. But if you want to build something that lasts, focus here:

• Build the right team

• Lock in your processes

• Deliver a killer product

• Elevate the customer experience

• Protect your margin

Do these consistently, and you’ll have a business that wins.