Franchise Info
Home inspection franchise owner reflecting on the first 6 months of business with a whiteboard breakdown of wins, lessons, and growth plans.

Week 26 – Halfway In: What's Working, What’s Not, and What’s Next

Six months in, here’s what I know for sure:

I’ve got some wins under my belt. I’ve got a few bruises. I’ve got a little money in the bank—and more clarity than I’ve ever had about what it takes to build a real business from scratch.

This week felt like a natural pause. A halftime huddle. A chance to look up from the daily grind and ask: What’s working? What’s not? And where do we go from here?

What’s working (and working *really* well):

  • Messaging: Realtors are repeating my pitch *back* to me—thermal imaging, warranties, drone footage, videos in reports. That tells me the brand is landing.
  • Reputation: I’ve got reviews stacking up, and they’re not just “good”—they’re specific. People mention how thorough, professional, and calm I was. That’s the goal.
  • Referrals: I’ve now gotten multiple clients through past clients and past Realtors. That’s the beginning of real momentum.
  • Cash Flow: I’ve paid myself, covered my expenses, and even built a small emergency fund. It’s not “retire early” money, but it’s real and growing.

Where I’ve stumbled (and where I still need work):

  • Consistency in outreach: I know I need 42 Realtor meetings a month. Some weeks I crush it. Some I coast. Coasting = no pipeline.
  • Follow-ups: I’ve left a few warm leads hanging. Not because I forgot, but because I let busy days become a reason to delay.
  • Time blocking: I’m still too reactive with my calendar. If I don’t block time for outreach, admin, and even thinking—I end up feeling behind.

Where to spend marketing dollars (and where not to):

What’s worth it:

  • Realtor events & happy hours: Small sponsorships = face time + visibility.
  • Targeted print materials: Leave-behinds that actually reflect the brand (not clip art junk).
  • Website SEO help: Not flashy, but long-term gold. I’m finally showing up for “[my city] home inspector.”

What’s not:

  • Lead-gen services that promise the moon: They drain money and give me mismatched clients.
  • Generic digital ads: Without targeting or strategy, they’re a black hole.

The biggest lesson so far:

Doing the work isn’t enough. You have to *direct* the work. That means knowing what matters most and protecting time for it. Systems help. So does coaching. But ultimately, it’s on me to stay focused when the distractions pile up.

The franchise edge I feel most grateful for right now:

I’ve been spared 100+ painful mistakes because I had someone to call before guessing. Pricing guidance, messaging help, tool recommendations—it’s all added up to momentum I never could’ve built alone this fast.

What’s next: structure and scale

My goal for the next 26 weeks: lock in structure. Sharpen my daily/weekly rhythm. Build consistency in outreach, delivery, and systems. Then? Look at scaling. First hire. Bigger reach. And maybe—finally—some margin in the calendar to think like a CEO.

What I’ll keep doing (without question):

Build slowly. Market clearly. Deliver thoroughly. And never pretend I’ve got it all figured out. Because the truth is—I’m halfway in, and just getting warmed up.

→ Next up: Week 27: I Hit My Monthly Revenue Goal. Here’s How.

← Catch the resource that saved me dozens of mistakes: Week 25: The Most Valuable Franchise Resource So Far

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