The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing

The Heavy Lifting Podcast is where moving company owners come to grow. Hosted by Brian and Vincent Moulton, former movers turned agency founders, we sit down with operators in the trenches sharing what's actually working in their businesses. Just a couple guys talking about operations, hiring, and building a moving company that lasts.

  1. 1d ago

    How to Run a Full-Service Moving Company Without Owning a Truck

    In 2020 Tavon was waiting tables. A year later he was running a full-service moving company without a single truck of his own. What This Episode Covers You'll hear how Tavon runs full-service moves out of rented Penske and U-Haul trucks across DC, Maryland and Virginia, and why he still hasn't bought one. He breaks down what a Penske commercial account gets you and when he picks U-Haul instead. He also explains what happens when a rental breaks down mid-job. If you've been weighing a truck loan against renting, or wondering whether HireAHelper's fee is worth it, this one is for you. What You'll Walk Away With - How a Penske commercial account locks your rate for three months, and why his mileage sits around 29 cents - When to rent U-Haul (short local jobs) and when to rent Penske (long distance) - The real case for renting: no truck payment, no maintenance bill, and if it breaks down you call Penske for another truck instead of a tow - Why he pays HireAHelper a 29% cut when Moving Help only takes 15% - How Moving Help's last-ten-reviews ranking pushed him off the platform - How he pairs movers by their strengths so the crew works as a team - What he does when a stuck elevator turns into a two-star review About Tavon Tavon went from restaurant server to owner of All Aboard Moverz within months of COVID hitting, after learning the trade on Moving Help labor jobs. He now runs two- to six-person crews across the DMV and has over 100 five-star reviews on Google. Timestamps (pre-edit, confirm against the final Descript cut) 00:00 From waiting tables to owning a moving company 03:00 Running full service without owning a truck 07:52 Mindset and learning from other movers 14:12 Reviews, bad days and building crews 19:00 HireAHelper vs Moving Help: why he pays 29% Connect with Tavon and All Aboard Moverz Website: https://www.allaboardmoverzdmv.com/ Call: 202-365-4090 Book on HireAHelper: https://www.hireahelper.com/movers/waldorf_md/all-aboard-moverz/ Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 If you're about to sign a truck loan, watch this first.

  2. 5d ago

    His Moving Company Grew 75% a Year After Hope Center Changed His Life

    The second time Brett Clark blew out his knee, he got hooked on pain pills and had to step away from his own moving company for a full year. What This Episode Covers You’ll hear how Brett went through the 12-month program at Hope Center Ministries, came back to Tennessee Country Boys Moving, and grew it 75 to 100% a year. He explains why he’d rather be the best than the biggest, and why once a day is booked, it stays booked. You’ll find out how he books about 92% of the people who call on a day he has open, and why the biggest billboard in Nashville didn’t pay for itself. Brandon Hembry, a Hope Center recovery pastor, also joins to talk about the program that turned Brett’s life around. What You’ll Walk Away With -Why he hires experienced movers and sends brand-new guys to learn somewhere else first -His one calendar rule: no crew gets sent to a second job after the first one -How he books about 92% of callers with no sales pressure -The real reason his best guys have stayed for years (it isn’t only the pay) -Why he puts money into school sports sponsorships instead of ads in peak season -How he and his wife send customers back and forth between his moving company and her cleaning company -What he’d tell a five-year-old moving company that has stopped growing About Brett Clark Brett Clark started as a mover and crew leader in 2012. Today he owns Tennessee Country Boys Moving in Sumner County, Tennessee, which won 2026 Best of Music City for moving companies after we recorded this episode. He’s also the director of a Hope Center Ministries center, part of the same 12-month recovery program that helped him get his life back. Timestamps 00:00 From crew leader to business owner 04:37 Quality over quantity: why booked means booked 12:48 The billboard that didn’t pay off, and what did 16:58 Hope Center Ministries and Brett’s recovery 28:00 How his wife’s cleaning company sends him jobs Connect with Brett Clark Website: https://tennesseecountryboysmoving.com/ Facebook (Brett Clark): https://www.facebook.com/brett.clark.75033 Facebook (Tennessee Country Boys Moving): https://www.facebook.com/TNcountryboys Google Business Profile: https://share.google/cajHtIcbUDAfN4pyE Learn More About Hope Center Ministries https://www.hopecm.com/ Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 If people keep telling you “must be nice,” Brett’s story shows what it really took to get there.

  3. Oct 13

    How Shaun Gebo Turned $2,000 Into 3 Moving Trucks In 3 Years

    In 2023, Shaun Gebo started a moving company with about $2,000, a hand truck from his fiancee’s grandfather, one dolly and 20 beat-up blankets. What This Episode Covers You’ll hear how Shaun went from passing for 16 on a moving crew at age 14 to running three trucks a day in Syracuse, New York. He explains how he gets a team of 12 to 14 movers to treat every customer the way he would, and it starts before they’re even hired. You’ll get the full marketing mix he uses, including the realtor outreach that cost him nothing. And if you’re busy every day but the money isn’t there, his take on pricing and valuation is the part you’ll want to replay. What You’ll Walk Away With -Why his job interviews are sales calls, not background checks -The three numbers every mover on his crew is measured on: damage on fewer than 5% of customers, five-star reviews from 40%, and showing up on time -The Facebook message he sent local realtors back when nobody was referring him -Why LSA is his pick for any company under two years old, and why you need a CRM before you spend thousands on ads -Leads from ChatGPT and AI search book for him at about 56%, not far off his referral rate -The real cost of a $25-an-hour mover (closer to $34) -How valuation coverage added about $10,000 with almost nothing attached to it About Shaun Gebo Shaun Gebo spent about 10 years as a mover and crew lead before he started First Class Moving and Removal in Syracuse, New York, in 2023. The company now owns two trucks and an enclosed trailer, runs three trucks a day in peak season, and has 12 to 14 movers on the team. Timestamps 00:00 Hired on a moving truck at 14 05:37 How to build a crew that reflects you 11:10 Starting with $2,000 and one dolly 25:31 The marketing that fills his calendar 38:00 Where moving companies leak profit Connect with Shaun Gebo Website: https://www.firstclass-moving.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094207107809# Google Business Profile: https://share.google/knyAmiJ4sa66Skg1G Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firstclassmovingllc2023 Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 If you’re out there right now with one truck and a pile of old blankets, Shaun’s story says that’s enough to start.

  4. Oct 9

    Why Diversity Moving Swapped 9 Labor Jobs a Day for Luxury Moves

    In 2008, Ronnie rented a U-Haul for $100 a week to deliver phone books, and the front end buckled before he ever left the warehouse. If your schedule is full of small jobs and you've wondered whether fewer, bigger moves would serve you better, this episode is for you. You'll hear why Ronnie stepped back from nine labor only moves a day and rebuilt Diversity Moving Company around full service clients who match how thorough his crews are. He walks you through the intake form that tells him what's in the house before he ever sends a quote. You'll also hear how he learns from his competitors' reviews, where his leads come from, and how he's writing SOPs so the business can run without him. What you'll walk away with: -Why he moved away from nine labor only moves a day, and why he still takes them when the schedule has room -The questions on his intake form: bedrooms, gun safes, baby grand pianos, long walks -"I want a client that reads." Why a longer form attracts better clients -How hourly pricing with a minimum works under Pennsylvania PUC rules, and when flat rate kicks in -Reading competitors' bad reviews as a free training manual -Why he runs Google Ads and Yelp but skipped LSAs for moving -The ID-check SOP he added after a third-party chargeback About Ronnie: Ronnie started moving in Columbus, Ohio in 2008 with no moving company experience, and his first job was a four-bedroom house for $160 that ran from 7am to 1am. Today Diversity Moving Company serves the Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Youngstown area and has 350+ five-star Google reviews. Timestamps: 00:00 A broken U-Haul and a $160 first move 09:47 From 9 labor-only moves a day to full service 12:33 How he pre-qualifies every lead 19:09 Where his leads come from: Google Ads, Yelp and SEO 22:41 Building SOPs so the business runs without him Connect with Ronnie and Diversity Moving Company: Website: https://mydiversitymovers.com/ Google Business Profile: https://share.google/v2vZEeXsaDRMBurKn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mydiversitymovers/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/412diversitymover/ Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 If your calendar is full but your margins aren't, take a hard look at who you're saying yes to.

  5. Oct 8

    Alex Taught Himself SEO. Now Pittsburgh Moving is at $2.5M.

    In 2018 Alex was renting U-Hauls, when COVID hit he spent $6,000, about half of everything he had, on a course that taught him SEO. In this episode you'll hear how Alex went from Bellhops side jobs to running Pittsburgh Moving, a seven-truck company on track for about $2.5M this year with most of its leads coming from organic search. He walks you through exactly what he did: on-site content and service pages first, around 800 Google reviews, and checking his rankings both in software and by searching from different neighborhoods himself. You'll also hear why he picked his new office for the map pack, and why his most important hire was an operations manager who used to be a recruiter. What you'll walk away with: -Why on-site content and service pages did more for his rankings than blog posts, including pages for profitable niches like hot tub moves -How he got to roughly 800 Google reviews, with his crew now asking customers on their own -A free way to check your map pack ranking: go to a neighborhood, open an incognito window, and search your keyword -How he chose his office location using income maps and where fewer movers are based -When paying for SEO makes sense (once it costs less than your leads are worth) -His seasonal hiring plan: two new guys a month in January and February, then about four a month in March and April -Why the whole crew gets every Sunday off, and why he hires the person over the experience About Alex: Alex moved to Pittsburgh from central Pennsylvania with $10,000 to his name and started moving in 2018 after delivering beds for Sleep Number and picking up side jobs with Bellhops. Today Pittsburgh Moving runs seven trucks and a crew of around 25, has about 800 Google reviews, and has grown from roughly $500K in 2021 to about $2.5M this year. Timestamps: 00:00 From Bellhops side jobs to his own moving company 04:30 The $6,000 SEO course he bought during COVID 10:46 What actually moved his Google rankings 16:59 Tracking rankings and picking an office for the map pack 23:15 Hiring an ops manager and staffing for busy season Connect with Alex and Pittsburgh Moving: Website: https://www.extrahandspgh.com/ Google: https://share.google/5jcu4jIUpsKjidAfD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pittsburghmovingpgh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pittsburghmoving/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pittsburghmoving Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 Every lead Google sends you for free is money you can put back into your crew.

  6. Oct 5

    What 125 Years in a Moving Family Taught This Mover

    Joey's family has been moving people since the horse and carriage days, and at 14 he was hauling fireproof file cabinets out of a ten-office law firm on his very first job. In this episode you'll hear what three generations of movers taught Joey, owner of Good Guy Movers in Worcester, Massachusetts. You'll hear how he went from box boy to starting his own company in 2006 with Craigslist ads and business cards handed out at U-Haul. He explains why labor-only moving help is outpacing full service right now, and how two-to-four-hour pod loads let his crews do two jobs a day and still beat Boston traffic home. If you want a crew that sticks around for years, pay attention to how he treats his. What you'll walk away with: -Why customers are choosing labor-only. -What U-Haul and HireHelper take in commission (roughly 10 to 15 percent vs. around 30 percent) and why Joey still thinks they're worth it -How to fit two jobs into a crew's day without anyone working until dark -The local referral partners he networks with: realtors, brokers, storage facilities, property managers, and cleaning services -Why no-shows from other movers turn into a steady stream of last-minute jobs for companies that actually show up -How he rewards his guys, from Christmas bonuses to a deep sea fishing trip -What Boston's September 1st college move-in day looks like, and how Joey lets his crew freelance it About Joey: Joey is a third-generation mover with 30 years in the industry. He started as a box boy in New Jersey in 1995 and founded Good Guy Movers in 2006 after relocating to Boston. Today his crew of 9 to 13 covers Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, handling residential moves, labor-only jobs, and commercial work like installing filtration units in schools for Honeywell during COVID. Timestamps: 00:00 Three generations and 125 years of moving 06:57 How the moving industry changed in 30 years 13:37 Why labor-only moves are booming 18:34 Taking care of your crew like family 23:10 Getting referrals from realtors, storage, and property managers Connect with Joey and Good Guy Movers: Website: https://goodguymoversboston.com/ Google: https://share.google/a2BXEvgWcaEYxkrSN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063890560209# Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 Show up, take care of your guys, and the reputation takes care of itself.

  7. Sep 29

    How a Firefighter Grew to 100 Moves a Month by Sticking With SEO

    Nick Orr bought a moving company in April 2019 without researching the industry first, and he still works 24-hour shifts at the fire station. In this episode you'll hear how Nick went from picking up side jobs with a fellow firefighter to owning ATX Firefighter Moving in Austin, and how he runs it around a one day on, two days off fire schedule. You'll hear why he signed with an SEO company heading into a slow season, when he wasn't sure he could afford it the next month, and what happened once he stuck with it. The business doubled, then doubled again the following year. You'll also hear why he stepped back when his twins were born, and how he and his co-owner Ryan, another firefighter, are building a team that can run the day to day without them. What you'll walk away with: -Why Nick has kept the same SEO company since 2020, and how it "paid dividends" in the first two years -How to split the work when both owners have full-time careers on different shifts -Why having a second career takes the money fights out of a partnership -The way Nick passes a customer-first culture down to his crews: show up, get on the truck, and let your lead teach the new guys -What losing 20 to 30 pounds working both jobs taught him about asking for help -His plan to turn the company into a path into firefighting, EMS and police for kids coming out of high school About Nick: Nick Orr has been a firefighter since 2013 and took over ATX Firefighter Moving in April 2019, bringing on fellow firefighter Ryan as co-owner in 2020. Today the company runs 75 to 100 moves a month on two to three trucks, and Nick wants to double that by next year. Timestamps: 00:00 From firefighter to moving company owner 07:45 Running a moving company around 24-hour fire shifts 12:07 Stepping back for family and rebuilding the team 16:04 Keeping a customer-first culture across every crew 21:57 How SEO doubled the business, then doubled it again Connect with Nick: Website: https://www.atxfirefightermoving.com/ Google: https://share.google/I7BX1rpMcHna9nK0C Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atx.firefighter.moving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atxfirefightermoving/ Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 If you run a moving company and you're tempted to cancel your SEO before it's had time to work, watch this one first.

  8. Sep 29

    How Responders Became The Go-To Mover For Maine's Millionaires

    It started with one summer home move for the former CEO of a major bank, and the referrals kept coming. In this episode, you'll hear how Ely built Responders Moving and Storage in central Maine into the company high net worth homeowners call when they don't want to think about their move at all. You'll see how he stacked moving, packing, storage, portable trailers and dumpsters under one roof so a customer never has to call anyone else. You'll learn how he got a new company to five jobs a day in under two years, and what he did to stop answering every sales call himself. And you'll hear what five years of professional poker in Los Angeles taught him about keeping wealthy customers happy. What you'll walk away with: - The Responders one-stop model: full service moving, packing, a 15,000 sq ft climate controlled storage facility, 8 enclosed portable storage trailers from 12 to 28 feet, and 40 roll-off dumpsters - How a VIP move manager, paid a percentage of the move total, takes a wealthy client's move from A to Z so they never have to worry - How one job for a bank CEO's property manager led straight to an actor's move - Ely's networking rule: don't bring up your business, ask people why they're at a chamber event at six o'clock on a Wednesday - Why he treats local sponsorships as pure branding and expects nothing back - How he handed sales to a full-time hire using his own call recordings and a checklist, starting her on Mondays and Wednesdays - Why Google Local Services Ads beat every other paid channel they tested About Ely: Ely co-founded Responders Moving and Storage in central Maine, which ran its first move on September 26, 2024 and now runs five or six trucks a day in peak season. Timestamps: 00:00 Starting Responders After a Business Deal Fell Through 07:57 Scaling to Five Jobs a Day and Handing Off Sales 14:17 The White Glove VIP Model and One-Stop Services 21:22 Winning Maine's Millionaires Through Networking and Branding 30:15 What Professional Poker Taught Him About Customer Service Connect with Ely and Responders Moving and Storage: Website: https://respondersmoving.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567336800018 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responders_moving_storage Connect With Heavy Lifting Marketing: Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571 Phone: (754)799-7626 If you want clients who pay for the experience instead of shopping on price, this is the episode to watch.

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About

The Heavy Lifting Podcast is where moving company owners come to grow. Hosted by Brian and Vincent Moulton, former movers turned agency founders, we sit down with operators in the trenches sharing what's actually working in their businesses. Just a couple guys talking about operations, hiring, and building a moving company that lasts.