Welcome Back to Lean and Mean Academy – Let’s Talk About Why New Guys Quit
It’s been a while since I’ve done a Truck Talk, and man, I used to do these all the time! But today, I want to dive into something I’ve been thinking about a lot—why so many new pressure washing business owners quit.
I get messages from guys struggling every single day. Some are just starting, some have other businesses like landscaping, and some are just trying to make ends meet. A few of these guys are really close to throwing in the towel. If you’re in that boat, let’s break down the main reasons people give up—and how you can avoid becoming one of them.
1. Underestimating Year One, Overestimating Year Three
Most new pressure washing business owners drastically underestimate how hard the first year will be—and they overestimate how hard year two or three will be.
Year one is a grind. It’s brutal. You have to hustle just to get momentum. If you don’t have an existing client base, you’ll be knocking on doors, making calls, and scraping together jobs.
Sure, you might hear about guys making six figures in their first year, but most of them already had a built-in network—maybe they own a janitorial or landscaping business and can cross-sell pressure washing to existing clients. If you’re starting from scratch, expect to work harder than you ever have. Accept it. Own it. Push through it.
It gets easier. By year two or three, if you’ve put in the work and built a solid marketing foundation, you’ll see more leads coming in automatically. But you’ve got to get through that first year without quitting.
2. Fear of Leaving a Steady Paycheck
A lot of guys start this business because they see a YouTube video about pressure washing and think, “That looks easy. I’ll start my own business.”
Then reality hits. They’ve never run a business before. They’re used to getting a steady paycheck, and now they’re in an environment where they have to hunt for every dollar.
I get it—losing the security of a paycheck is scary. But the longer you stick with it, the easier it gets. Stay in the fight. You’ll develop confidence, your skills will improve, and eventually, the jobs will start coming in more predictably.
If you’re afraid, good. Use that fear to fuel your hustle. Be willing to sell harder, close better, and market smarter than anyone else in your area. That’s what separates winners from quitters.
3. Not Setting Up Marketing Foundations Early
Some guys rely solely on yard signs and organic Facebook posts for leads. While those methods can work, they’re not scalable. By year two, they’re still struggling to find jobs because they never invested in a real marketing system.
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Get a website early—don’t put it off because of a “monthly bill.”
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Run Google Ads and let them optimize over time.
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Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing.
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Start building SEO so you rank higher in searches.
I know guys who spend $1,500/month on a marketing agency, and they’re getting less than what Footbridge Media does for $200/month. Imagine if you took that extra $1,300 and put it into Google Ads—that’s easily $10,000-$12,000 in new jobs.
Quit thinking of marketing as an expense. It’s an investment that pays off massively if you do it right.
4. Quitting Their Job Too Early
I see this mistake all the time. A guy gets excited, quits his job immediately, and suddenly realizes, “Oh crap, I have no money.”
If you’ve got a family to support, don’t quit your job right away. Start pressure washing on weekends, evenings—whatever it takes. Tell your family, “I’m going to be busy for this whole first year.”
If you grind on nights and weekends, you can build up your income to match your job’s salary before making the leap. That way, you’re not putting yourself (or your family) in a financial crisis.
5. Bad Money Management
Some guys will drop $10,000 on a bass boat but refuse to spend $1,300 on Google Ads. That’s just bad business.
If you want to win in this industry, reinvest in your business. Pay for good marketing. Get the right equipment. Set money aside for maintenance and unexpected expenses.
When I started, I lived on almost nothing—beans and rice. But I reinvested every penny into growing my business. That’s what it takes to make it.
Bonus: A Scarcity Mindset Will Kill Your Business
Cheap guys undercut prices because they’re scared of losing a job. I never did that. I always tried to be the highest-priced guy in my market. Why? Because when you charge more, you can afford to do better work, offer better service, and actually make money.
Plus, when high-priced companies set the standard, it raises the industry for everyone. The only guys who win in this game are the ones who price confidently and believe in the value of their service.
Final Thoughts: Stick With It, Keep Learning, and Invest Wisely
If you’re in your first year and struggling, you are not alone. Everyone who makes it in this industry has been exactly where you are.
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Hustle hard in year one—it gets easier.
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Keep your job while building your business if you need to.
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Set up your marketing early so you don’t struggle later.
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Reinvest in your business—don’t be cheap when it comes to growth.
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Believe in your value and never undercut.
Want to Start Your Business the Right Way?
Cody Yarbrough over at Southeast Softwash is having an equipment sale until August 31st. If you need a rig and want to save thousands, go check out SoutheastSoftwash.com.
Also, if you’re serious about starting a pressure washing business, check out the Softwash 101 class from Southeast Softwash. It covers everything—mixing chemicals, applying them properly, and running your business efficiently. Don’t waste a whole year figuring things out when you can learn it all upfront.
See you in the next Truck Talk! 🚀
