Built Local

Clay

The Built Local Podcast interviews local business owners and community leaders to share specific strategies they’ve used to grow, market, and operate successfully. Each episode focuses on actionable insights listeners can apply to build stronger, more resilient local businesses.

  1. Oct 19

    How She's Growing Her 400+ Customers Poop Scooping Business pricing, retention, route denisity

    💸 Get More Customers From Google: https://www.reviewharvest.com/local-authority/ ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews On Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt  🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 Emily from Big Business Scoopers shares how she took over her family’s New Jersey pooper scooper business, started in 2003, and now serves 400+ recurring customers across three service areas. She explains why she raised prices and tightened her routes even though she knew she’d lose customers, how she survived losing two scoopers in one week, and why customer care and community events drive her growth. She also reveals how Review Harvest helped take Big Business Scoopers from 60–70 Google reviews in May to nearly 200. Check them here: https://www.bigbusinessscoopers.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bigbusinessscoopers https://www.facebook.com/bigbusinessscoopers/ What This Video Covers 🏡 Taking over and growing a 20+ year family pet waste removal business 🗺️ Spotting when your routes get messy and tightening them for better route density 👥 Surviving a sudden staffing crisis and hiring three new scoopers fast 💰 Why a small price increase can double your profit, even if some customers leave 🤝 The “happy goodbye” and handling cancellations professionally 🐶 Using pet adoption events and local pet businesses to drive referrals ❤️ Keeping customers for years with fast, warm, personal customer service ⭐ How Review Harvest grew Big Business Scoopers from 60–70 reviews to nearly 200 Timestamps 00:00 — Surviving a staffing crisis 00:47 — Meet Emily from Big Business Scoopers 01:12 — How Emily’s family got into poop scooping 04:44 — From temporary helper to owner 05:49 — Commuting to scoop and launching South Jersey 08:03 — From paper binders to 400+ customers 10:01 — Signs it’s time to tighten routes and raise prices 11:34 — How routes get messy over time 15:01 — Restructuring routes while hiring three scoopers 17:06 — Doing the next thing under pressure 18:44 — Knowing when to raise prices 20:30 — Why a 10% price increase can double your profit 21:50 — Why you shouldn’t fear losing customers 23:17 — The happy goodbye 24:08 — Where Big Business Scoopers gets customers 25:37 — Restarting Google Ads 26:17 — Pet adoption events and community marketing 29:09 — Building relationships with local pet businesses 30:24 — Doing one marketing channel well 32:05 — Keeping 400+ customers happy 36:22 — Part business owner, part therapist 37:31 — Common poop scooping misconceptions 39:55 — Emily’s Review Harvest experience 41:55 — Where to connect with Big Business Scoopers #PooperScooper #PetWasteRemoval #DogPoopRemoval #HomeServiceBusiness #FamilyBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Pricing #CustomerRetention #RouteDensity #CustomerService #Hiring #LocalMarketing #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #Entrepreneurship #BigBusinessScoopers

  2. Oct 13

    Get Customers By Placing Thousands of Door Hangers with a Few Clicks (Cody from HangSnap)

    💸 Get More Customers From Google: https://www.reviewharvest.com/local-authority/ ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews on Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt 🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 Cody, owner of HangSnap, shares how he grew his lawn care business to 150+ clients with door hangers, yard signs, and Google reviews. He then built HangSnap, a done-for-you door hanger platform. HangSnap recruits local canvassers, targets the neighborhoods you pick on a map, and gives you photo proof of every door. Cody covers door hanger design, offers that convert, targeting, and using door hangers to build route density. Check them here: https://hangsnap.com/ What This Video Covers 🚪 Why door hangers stand out when Facebook ads and mailboxes are crowded 🗺️ Targeting specific neighborhoods instead of blasting a whole city 📸 Getting photo proof that every door hanger was delivered 👥 Running door hanger campaigns without hiring and managing a canvassing team 🎯 What makes a high-converting door hanger: headline, branding, and offer 🔁 Why consistency and repeated touches beat one-time blasts 🚛 Using door hangers to fill gaps in your routes and improve profitability ⭐ Why door hangers, yard signs, and Google reviews were Cody's three pillars of growth Timestamps 00:00 — Why door hangers still work 00:44 — Meet Cody from HangSnap 01:17 — How Cody got his first lawn care clients 03:06 — From lawn care to HangSnap 04:30 — Building a software platform with AI 05:33 — How HangSnap recruits canvassers 06:44 — How the HangSnap process works 08:34 — Mapping your target neighborhoods 09:10 — What a door hanger campaign costs 10:04 — Which industries see the best results 12:45 — What makes a high-converting door hanger 14:22 — Consistent branding and multiple touches 15:05 — Offers that work on door hangers 15:58 — Why volume and frequency matter 17:27 — Hyper-local targeting vs. Facebook ads 19:20 — Saturating a few neighborhoods vs. spraying everywhere 20:12 — Building route density with door hangers 21:48 — Five-arounds and freeing up your crew 24:17 — How canvassers cover a neighborhood 26:44 — How to get started with HangSnap #DoorHangers #LocalMarketing #GuerrillaMarketing #HomeServiceBusiness #LawnCare #PressureWashing #PestControl #PetWasteRemoval #LeadGeneration #RouteDensity #SmallBusinessMarketing #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #Entrepreneurship #HangSnap

  3. Oct 8

    From 0 to 2,700 Customers Poop Scooping?! (How he makes millions scooping dog sh*t)

    💸 Get More Customers From Google: https://www.reviewharvest.com/local-authority/ ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews on Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt 🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 William from Swoop Scoop shares how he grew a pooper scooper company from zero to 2,700 customers across multiple states. He covers Facebook and Google ads, yard signs, hiring, pay for performance, annual billing, price increases, upsells, and premium positioning. He also explains why he founded Poop Scoop Millionaire and how Review Harvest makes it easy to collect reviews as Swoop Scoop opens new locations, with 1,600+ reviews and counting. Check them here: https://swoopscoop.com/ https://www.skool.com/poop-scoop-millionaire https://www.youtube.com/@poopscoopmillionaire What This Video Covers 🚀 Growing a pet waste removal business from 0 to 2,700 customers 📈 Using Facebook ads, Google ads, SEO, truck wraps, and yard signs to build a marketing flywheel 🎯 What to focus on to grow from 15 customers to 100+ 👥 Hiring, training, and paying scoopers on performance 💰 Using quarterly and annual billing to boost cash flow and reduce churn 📬 Raising prices without losing customers 🏆 Positioning as the premium, least risky company in your market ⭐ How Review Harvest keeps reviews coming in as Swoop Scoop opens new locations Timestamps 00:00 — The brutal early days 00:19 — Meet William from Swoop Scoop 00:58 — How William got into pooper scooping 02:27 — Getting the first customers 03:51 — Professionalizing the business 04:56 — Top marketing channels and the flywheel 05:33 — Growing from 15 to 100+ customers 06:47 — Current customer count and growth goals 07:13 — How Poop Scoop Millionaire started 08:24 — Biggest mistakes and growth plateaus 10:25 — What makes a business partnership work 11:36 — Hiring and training for scale 12:53 — Recruiting and pay for performance 14:28 — The customer journey from ad to recurring client 16:21 — How to raise prices without losing customers 17:13 — Keeping customers happy and reducing churn 18:36 — When to add upsells 19:56 — The future of the pet waste removal industry 20:49 — The marketing moves that paid off most 22:27 — Reactivation campaigns that work 23:47 — Positioning as the premium, least risky option 25:41 — William's Review Harvest experience 26:07 — Where to connect with William #PooperScooper #PetWasteRemoval #DogPoopRemoval #HomeServiceBusiness #BusinessGrowth #Marketing #LeadGeneration #FacebookAds #GoogleAds #Hiring #CustomerRetention #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #Entrepreneurship #SwoopScoop #PoopScoopMillionaire

  4. Sep 14

    How 1 Post Exploded His Poop Scooping Business (30-100 Google Reviews in 30 days)

    ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews on Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt  🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 From getting laid off during COVID to building 180 recurring customers, Derek from Poo Patrol shares how one Facebook post launched his dog poop removal business—and how Review Harvest helped him go from roughly 35 to 114+ Google reviews in just over a month. Check Derek here: https://www.facebook.com/PooPatrolWI/# https://www.poopatrol608.com/ What This Video Covers 💩 How Derek started a dog poop scooping business during COVID 📈 Turning 40 spring cleanups into 180 recurring customers 📱 How consistent Facebook posting and referrals drove growth 🚗 Growing a business after being hit by a car 👥 Hiring employees and transitioning to payroll 🎯 Responding to leads within 30 minutes and selling through problem-solving ⭐ Growing from ~35 to 114+ Google reviews in just over 30 days 🌐 Using customer reviews and a website to strengthen local marketing Timestamps 00:00 — Getting laid off and discovering dog poop removal 00:59 — How Poop Patrol got started 03:26 — The Facebook post that generated 40+ spring cleanups 04:52 — Growing from 18 to 180 recurring customers 07:50 — Turning a side hustle into a real business 11:14 — Derek gets hit by a car and worries about his customers 14:53 — Growing the team and hiring employees 16:47 — Facebook, referrals, and paid ads 18:05 — How Derek responds to new leads 20:08 — Keeping customers happy through communication 22:35 — Review Harvest results 24:14 — Going from 35 to 114+ Google reviews 24:46 — Building a website for the business #DogPoopRemoval #PoopScoopingBusiness #PetWasteRemoval #LocalBusiness #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #LocalMarketing #FacebookMarketing #BusinessGrowth #RecurringRevenue #DogWasteRemoval #HomeServiceBusiness #PoopPatrol

  5. Aug 18

    How He Grew to 100 Customers in 12 Months (Poop Scooping Success Story)

    ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews On Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt  🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 In this episode of The Local Podcast, Clay interviews Chris Reents, the founder of Rover Scoopers, a fast-growing pet waste removal company serving the Portland metro area. With over 20 years in the tech world, Chris shares how he transitioned from corporate life and a stressful junk-hauling business into the booming poop-scooping industry—and how he built a scalable, system-driven operation from scratch. Chris breaks down the realities of running a profitable pet waste removal business, including route planning, advertising, sweep-and-go automations, customer retention, building trust, and managing seasonal fluctuations. Clay also dives into how Google reviews and consistent online reputation management can accelerate growth for local service businesses. Whether you're an aspiring scooper, an active operator, or a local business owner searching for marketing clarity, this episode is packed with insights, mindset shifts, and practical business strategy. About Roover Scoopers Website: https://roverscoopers.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567136984335 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rover.scoopers/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RoverScoopers/shorts 🔥 What This Episode Covers • Chris’s journey from tech to service entrepreneurship • Why poop scooping is more scalable and less stressful than junk hauling • How he launched his business on January 1st and hit 100+ clients • Seasonal trends and the realities of the “spring rush” • Route building across a major metro and how density compounds • Ad strategy: Facebook, YouTube, omnipresent campaigns, and creative refreshes • Sweep & Go + HighLevel workflow for automations • Customer psychology, common misconceptions, and the REAL value of waste removal • Handling negativity online and responding with kindness • How reviews impact rankings and conversions • Fear of scaling and how to invest confidently in growth • What newcomers need to know before starting a scooper business • Building toward 300 clients and scaling beyond • Clay’s breakdown of how Review Harvest accelerates local business success ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Meet Chris Reents from Rover Scoopers 00:20 – Chris’s background & transition from tech 00:51 – Discovering the poop-scooping industry 02:10 – Scooping vs. junk hauling 03:39 – Starting the business & early systems 04:05 – First jobs and the “spring rush” 05:18 – Client growth and marketing strategies 06:57 – Portland market breakdown 07:08 – Route planning & density 08:43 – Challenges of scaling 09:12 – Advertising strategy & ad spend 10:06 – Using Sweep & Go + HighLevel 12:15 – Learning ads & running YouTube/Facebook campaigns 13:03 – Why video ads convert better 16:35 – Seasonal performance shifts 17:19 – Common misconceptions about scooping 18:48 – Customer value stories 20:01 – Chris’s most meaningful client experience 21:17 – Review Harvest’s impact on growth 22:42 – Customer service, kindness & community 25:06 – Seasonal challenges & scaling fears 26:33 – Preparing for growth & hiring 27:23 – Review Harvest dashboard insights 28:42 – Why Google reviews matter 30:00 – Future goals & scaling to 300 clients 31:49 – Advice for new scoopers 32:48 – Reinvesting for consistent growth 34:19 – Final thoughts

  6. Aug 17

    The Pen Strategy That Grew His Poop Scooping Business (0-240 Google Reviews)

    ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews On Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt  🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 Rick from The Poop Valet shares how he grew a pet waste removal business from 1 client to 100+ recurring customers and nearly 240 Google reviews through branding, networking, exceptional communication, and smart systems. He also breaks down how Review Harvest helped accelerate his review growth, why pricing and AI-friendly website content matter, and how he's using AI to build a more automated business. Check Rick here: https://www.thepoopvalet.ca/ https://www.facebook.com/ThePoopValet https://www.instagram.com/ThePoopValet https://www.youtube.com/@UCAiuvU8X5AT9FKk2T-mlk_A  What This Video Covers 🐕 From disability to building a successful poop scooping business 📰 How one local newspaper story brought 12–13 new clients overnight 🖊️ The simple branded pen strategy that keeps his business top-of-mind 🤝 How networking, BNI, Chamber events, and local partnerships drive growth ⭐ Growing from under 100 to nearly 240 Google reviews with Review Harvest 🌐 Why adding pricing, FAQs, and structured data can improve AI/LLM visibility 🤖 How a non-technical business owner is using Claude and AI to automate his business 📞 The #1 advice for new pet waste removal businesses: communicate and answer the phone Timestamps 00:00 — From disability to starting a poop scooping business 01:51 — Discovering the pet waste removal opportunity 02:47 — First client and the newspaper story that changed everything 03:58 — Getting early customers through Facebook groups 05:41 — Branding, networking, and local community marketing 07:07 — Why branding became a growth strategy 07:49 — Communication and the “Poop Report” 08:49 — Hiring and rewarding great employees 10:05 — Educating customers about pet waste removal 11:45 — Future goals and building a business that runs without you 13:38 — Automating ads and rebuilding the website with AI 15:16 — Why putting pricing on your website matters for AI search 18:25 — Rick's first steps into using AI 20:32 — Networking and Chamber of Commerce strategy 22:46 — How to get more from networking events 23:49 — The branded pen marketing strategy 25:02 — Rick's Review Harvest results 26:33 — Google reviews and local rankings 27:57 — Rick's advice for new pet waste removal businesses #PetWasteRemoval #PoopScoopingBusiness #PetWasteBusiness #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #LocalBusinessMarketing #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessAutomation #AIForBusiness #LocalSEO #GoogleBusinessProfile #PetWasteRemovalBusiness #Entrepreneurship #BusinessBranding

  7. Aug 14

    How 1 Post Exploded His Poop Scooping Business (30-100 Google Reviews in 30 days)

    ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews On Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt  🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 From getting laid off during COVID to building 180 recurring customers, Derek from Poo Patrol shares how one Facebook post launched his dog poop removal business—and how Review Harvest helped him go from roughly 35 to 114+ Google reviews in just over a month. What This Video Covers 💩 How Derek started a dog poop scooping business during COVID 📈 Turning 40 spring cleanups into 180 recurring customers 📱 How consistent Facebook posting and referrals drove growth 🚗 Growing a business after being hit by a car 👥 Hiring employees and transitioning to payroll 🎯 Responding to leads within 30 minutes and selling through problem-solving ⭐ Growing from ~35 to 114+ Google reviews in just over 30 days 🌐 Using customer reviews and a website to strengthen local marketing Timestamps 00:00 — Getting laid off and discovering dog poop removal 00:59 — How Poop Patrol got started 03:26 — The Facebook post that generated 40+ spring cleanups 04:52 — Growing from 18 to 180 recurring customers 07:50 — Turning a side hustle into a real business 11:14 — Derek gets hit by a car and worries about his customers 14:53 — Growing the team and hiring employees 16:47 — Facebook, referrals, and paid ads 18:05 — How Derek responds to new leads 20:08 — Keeping customers happy through communication 22:35 — Review Harvest results 24:14 — Going from 35 to 114+ Google reviews 24:46 — Building a website for the business #DogPoopRemoval #PoopScoopingBusiness #PetWasteRemoval #LocalBusiness #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #LocalMarketing #FacebookMarketing #BusinessGrowth #RecurringRevenue #DogWasteRemoval #HomeServiceBusiness #PoopPatrol

  8. Jun 29

    How 200+ New Google Reviews Exploded This Tree Service Business

    ⭐️ Get More Google Reviews On Autopilot — Start Free Today: https://link.reviewharvest.com/yt  🧲 Join our free community for 1-on-1 help getting more customers on Google: https://www.skool.com/10-minute-marketer-6759 How did one tree service business grow from around 40 Google reviews to nearly 300 in less than a year? In this episode, Jeff from Adam's Apple Tree Service shares how buying an established tree company, improving customer experience, leveraging Google reviews, and using smart systems helped them dominate local search. Learn practical tips for growing a home service business, avoiding costly mistakes, improving customer satisfaction, and generating more referrals. What This Video Covers 🌳 How Jeff successfully took over and grew an existing tree service business ⭐ How 200+ new Google reviews boosted local SEO and Google rankings 📈 Proven strategies for generating referrals and repeat customers 🪵 Common tree care mistakes homeowners should avoid 💰 Lessons on pricing jobs correctly and avoiding costly underbids 📅 Managing seasonality in a home service business 🤝 Building a customer experience that creates five-star reviews 📲 Using automation and Jobber CRM to streamline operations Timestamps 00:00 Biggest challenges of growing a tree service business 00:23 Meet Jeff from Adam's Apple Tree Service 00:38 Buying an existing tree service company 02:36 First business improvements after the acquisition 04:29 Advice for buying a home service business 05:35 Biggest mistakes homeowners make with tree care 07:26 How Review Harvest helps businesses get more Google reviews 07:42 What happens when trees are pruned incorrectly 08:23 Signs your trees need professional attention 09:17 How to consistently deliver five-star customer service 10:48 Growing through Google reviews, SEO, and referrals 12:14 The biggest challenge: seasonality in tree service 14:46 Adam's Apple Tree Service customer journey walkthrough 18:16 Costly estimating mistakes every contractor should avoid 20:34 Future plans for expanding tree care services 22:01 Results after using Review Harvest for nearly a year 25:11 Jeff's best business growth advice for home service owners 26:15 Final thoughts and closing Hashtags #TreeService #Arborist #GoogleReviews #ReviewHarvest #LocalSEO #HomeServiceBusiness #SmallBusiness #GoogleBusinessProfile #CustomerReviews #BusinessGrowth #LeadGeneration #Jobber #LocalMarketing #TreeCare #Entrepreneurship

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The Built Local Podcast interviews local business owners and community leaders to share specific strategies they’ve used to grow, market, and operate successfully. Each episode focuses on actionable insights listeners can apply to build stronger, more resilient local businesses.

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