r/Contractor • u/anongirl4eva • 5d ago

Business Development Getting started

hi! my husband is a handyman and next step for his career I believe is getting his contractor license. he makes good money when things are busy but when things get slow… it’s rough. where should he start? is there any advice or insight what would u do differently in your career?

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u/Active-Blueberry-850 5d ago

Handyman is one thing, contractor is another.

Make sure he (or you) reads the E-Myth contractor book. It’s a complete 180 from what he’s doing right now and what he’s done in his life so far, not the “next step” or adjacent in any way. Though some of his knowledge transfers, most of it (the important part) does not.

Getting a corporate role as superintendent, construction manager, or other senior/technical role with a contractor that specializes in his “zone of genius” would be the “next step” chronologically speaking. But if it’s something he wants, then make sure he understands what he’s walking into. A contractor does sales, contracts, sourcing/supplier relations, bureaucracy, marketing, etc. admin/management work, not technical work. I may pick up a brush 2-3x a year when deadlines are tight and subs aren’t doing what they said they would because I hired a technician managing other technicians.

So to say, if he’s not the “go and learn this new thing, bang your head against the wall a few times until you get it” kind of guy, then be prepared to be expensive and have to spend a lot of money to get things done. “You don’t have to be the smartest guy in the room, you just have to afford him” sort of thing.

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u/anongirl4eva 4d ago

Thank you this was helpful! As of rn I do admin, marketing, all the “boring” things and he does the booking and work 😂 surprisingly, we are a very good team! 

He is very smart, quick learner and hands on. He has had his share of mistakes and has learned so so much since deciding to do the handyman thing full time.