OWNR OPS Podcast

Hosted by Austin Gray @theownerop

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

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Episodes

138

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The OWNR OPS Podcast is for land‑clearing and forestry‑mulching owner‑operators who want a real business, not just a busy machine. If you’ve got at least one real machine and you’re stuck under ~$100k/month, we break down the Price–Pipeline–Playbook OS: - PRICE – crew‑day math, bids, and minimums - PIPELINE – Google, Facebook, and follow‑up - PLAYBOOK – weekly scoreboards, scheduling, hiring Real numbers, teardown episodes, and simple frameworks you can steal and install.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 12, 202647 min

How Owner Operators Can Hire Better

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorIn this episode of the OWNR OPS Podcast, I sit down with Patrick Murphy of Qualified Hires to talk about how land clearing, forestry mulching, and home service business owners can actually find, hire, and keep good people.Patrick has helped me build out the hiring process at Bear Claw, and in this conversation we break down what most operators get wrong when hiring, why good people are out there, and how to build a process that attracts crew members who show up, do quality work, and take ownership.If you’re tired of being the only reliable person in your business, this episode will help you rethink hiring and start building a team the right way.In this episode, you’ll learn:📌 Why “there are no good people” is usually the wrong belief📌 How to find better crew members for your business📌 What most owner-operators get wrong in the hiring process📌 Why good people need the right system to succeed📌 How I improved hiring at Bear Claw📌 How to stop doing everything yourself and start building a real teamHiring is not just about finding people.It’s about creating a process that finds the right people.Watch the full episode to learn how to hire better and build a team that can help your business grow.🔥 Services We Use 🔥📞 We use Quo (formerly OpenPhone) for all business calls & texts — AI answers after hours so you never miss a lead➡️ Get 20% off your first 3 months: http://quo.com/ownropsWe use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing ➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

June 5, 2026Episode 2345 min

The Decision Filter Every Land Clearing Business Owner Needs

Too many decisions. Not enough clarity. Sound familiar?💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorIn this episode, I sit down with Jacob Neffendorf of Rise Online Ads to talk about one of the biggest things that holds owners and operators back — chasing the wrong problems. I share the story of the 6 weeks I spent building a custom app to replace Jobber and GoHighLevel, and why I shut the whole thing down before it ever launched. Jacob pulls real data from 460 land clearing companies that shows exactly where operators are losing deals.What you'll learn:📌 Why you keep going back to equipment research instead of fixing your leads problem📌 The only 3 things that matter right now: Leads, Sales, Hiring📌 How many calls on average to reach a lead 📌 How many follow-ups to close a deal.📌 Is AI a shiny object or a real tool for your business right now?🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterJoin our FREE Skool community → skool.com/ownropsDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

May 29, 2026Episode 2249 min

OWNR vs. Operator: The Mindset Shift for Scalable Growth

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorIn this episode, Jacob Neffendorf lays out the data-backed difference between operators stuck at low six figures and owners building multiple seven-figure land clearing companies. If you've been wondering whether to hire — and whether you can afford to — this episode answers that question with real numbers.What you'll learn:The 3 walls every land clearing business hits (leads, sales, talent) and how to move through themWhy close rates average 6% across the industry — and how top performers hit 24%The true cost of staying booked out past 4–6 weeks without hiringHow to run the hiring math and know when to pull the triggerWhether to hire an operator, a closer, or admin first — and why it depends on your weaknessWhether you're running land clearing, forestry mulching, or any field service business, this episode covers the owner mindset, hiring decisions, close rate tracking, and business systems you need to scale past the operator ceiling.🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

May 22, 2026Episode 2045 min

How This 24 YR Old Tree Service OWNR Grew $400k to $850k

Colby McArthur bought Clifton Tree Service at 22 years old and ran it as a solo owner operator for the first year — climbing trees, answering calls with a headset at 100 feet, estimating on weekends. He finished that year at $400K. One year later: $850K. In this episode, Colby breaks down the three things that drove that growth and what he's focused on as he targets $1.3M in 2026.What you'll learn:Why undercharging is the most common and most costly mistake owner operators make — and how to fix it fastThe first hire Colby made that changed everything (hint: it wasn't a climber)How to build an opener/closer sales model even when you're still in the fieldHow Colby uses Claude and ChatGPT to build a pricing tool, estimate from photos, and build SOPsWhat Colby would tell himself at $100K if he could go backTo contact Colby McArthur: colby@cliftontreeservice.com🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

May 15, 20261 hr 6 min

Why Your Ads Aren't Working (And How to Fix Them)

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorIf you're spending money on Facebook ads and getting tire kickers ‚or nothing at all ‚this episode is for you.I brought Jacob Neffendorf back on the show. He runs ads for over 300 land clearing companies across the US. We broke down exactly why most ads fail and what you can do right now to fix it.Here's what we cover:👉 Why filming your equipment is hurting your cost per lead👉 The simple 45-second ad formula that's working right now👉 Why most tire kicker complaints come down to your creative ‚not your market👉 How calling a lead back in under 5 minutes changes everything👉 The 4 numbers you need to know to understand if your ads are making you moneyIf you don't know your cost per lead, close rate, or average job size ‚this episode will change that.🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

May 8, 2026Episode 1936 min

The Decision-Making Framework Every Owner-Operator Needs

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorYou're not stuck because you're not working hard enough. You're stuck because you're working hard on the wrong thing. I know because I've done it — and I still catch myself doing it. This episode is the framework I use to stop.What we cover:The 3 questions to ask before spending time on any decision in your businessLeads, sales, hiring, pricing/cash — the four constraints and how to know which one is yours right nowWhy shiny object syndrome shows up as new equipment, new services, and new businesses — and how to recognize it fastDocument, demonstrate, delegate — the hiring system that lets you get off the machineI've made every one of these mistakes myself — chasing new equipment before my schedule was full, adding services before I had the hiring figured out, avoiding the uncomfortable thing by going back to what I already knew how to do.🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletter

April 30, 2026Episode 1848 min

Solve These 3 Things To Go 0-$1M in Land Clearing

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorMost land-clearing owner-operators are wearing 4 hats at once — and wondering why nothing's scaling.In this video, I break down the 3 things every business 0–$1M has to nail: Price, Pipeline, and Playbook.In this video:✅ The 3 hats every owner-operator wears — and which one to delegate first✅ Facebook vs. Google ads: real return on ad spend data from actual accounts✅ Why the Andromeda update changed everything about Facebook ad creative✅ Why being booked out 9 weeks means it's time to raise your prices✅ Price. Pipeline. Playbook. — the system I use to help operators hit consistent 80–100k monthsStop guessing and start building a business that actually pays you. This episode breaks down the exact playbook I use to go from owner-operator to seven figures.🔥 Service We Use 🔥📞 Quo (formerly OpenPhone) — one app for all your business calls and texts, plus an AI assistant (Sona) that answers questions, captures leads, and summarizes conversations. Stop missing calls. Start booking more jobs.➡️ Get 20% off your first 3 months: http://quo.com/ownropsWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

April 24, 2026Episode 1750 min

How Much It Costs to Get a Customer With Facebook Ads

Want a real land‑clearing business doing $20k–$40k months instead of random jobs? Join the free OWNR OPS Skool group for land clearing & forestry mulching owners. Inside you'll get: – The OPS Kickstarter roadmap to your first consistent $10k–$20k months – Real pricing examples & bid breakdowns from our own jobs – Weekly live trainings and Q&A specific to land clearing.Apply here: https://www.skool.com/ownropsMost land-clearing operators running Facebook ads are tracking the wrong metric. In this episode, Austin Gray sits down with Jacob Neffendorf — founder of Rise Online, a growth agency for land clearing businesses — to break down the real math behind paid advertising: customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and the ratio that tells you if your ads are actually working.What you'll learn:How to calculate your true cost to acquire a paying customerThe CAC-to-LTV ratio every operator should knowWhy speed to lead has a bigger impact on revenue than most realizeHow to grow without touching your own moneyWhat to look for when setting up your first Facebook ad campaignLand clearing business has some of the best margins out there — but only if you know your numbers. Stop guessing and start growing on purpose. 🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing ➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business? 📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!

April 17, 2026Episode 1625 min

How To Use Jobber for Land Clearing / Forestry Mulching Business

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorGet 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownropsWondering if Jobber is right for your land clearing or forestry mulching business? This video shows you exactly how to use it.I walk Ryan from Clear View Brush Control through the four things that will change how you run your operation: sending quotes, scheduling jobs, sending invoices, and collecting Google reviews — all inside Jobber.What's covered:✔️ Sending quotes with before/after photos, deposits, and contracts built in✔️ Scheduling jobs so your crew has the full scope without calling you✔️ Closing jobs and sending invoices in one click✔️ Adding Google reviews to your quotesIf you've been running your business out of text messages and spreadsheets, this video gives you the exact workflow to look more professional, get paid faster, and stop losing track of jobs. Watch it once and you'll know exactly how to set Jobber up the right way from day one.

April 11, 2026Episode 1553 min

Stuck On The Seat: Why You Can't Sell More

💰Apply for OPS Accelerator ➡️ https://ownrops.com/acceleratorIf you don't have a predictable lead engine, you're just running around like a chicken with your head cut off.In this episode, Jacob Neffendorf and I break down the 3 constraints every land clearing operator hits — leads, sales, and talent — and exactly what to do at each phase. I also share the mistake I made in the early days of Bear Claw.If you're doing $0–$250K a year and trying to figure out how to grow, this one's for you.In this episode:✅ The 3 constraints every land clearing business hits ✅ How to get your first consistent leads without spending a dime on ads✅ The Rule of 100 and how it changes everything✅ Speed to lead and why it separates guys who win from guys who quit✅ Crew day rates, production rates, and how one underbid job can nearly destroy a business✅ Shiny object syndrome — and how to know when you're avoiding the real problemYou've got two options — throw in the towel and make excuses, or go figure it out. If you're still watching, I already know which one you are. Now go call your leads fast.🔥 Services We Use 🔥We use Jobber to handle our estimates, scheduling, & invoicing➡️ Get 20% off Jobber here: https://go.getjobber.com/ownrops💰 Bookkeeping: Get 50% off bookkeeping for 3 months with the Home Service Bookkeeping Pros: https://dialedinbookkeeping.com/ownrops🚀 Get ranked #1 On Google With Stryker SEO: https://stryker-digital.com/?el=ooWant to learn more about starting and scaling your own service-based business?📩 Sign up for the OWNR OPS Newsletter: → https://ownrops.com/newsletterDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes with blue collar entrepreneurs sharing their best insights and growth tips!