1 to 30 Staff Roadmap

Scale Your Trade to $10M Revenue

The proven playbook to grow from solo operator to 30-person contractor. Build systems, hire right, and scale profitably without burning out.

Proven by 500+ trades
Step-by-step playbook
1→15
Team Growth Path
$10M
Revenue Target
20%
Net Profit Goal
35%
Annual Growth

92% of Trades Never Break $1M Revenue

Most contractors stay stuck in the owner-operator trap, working 70+ hours per week with no exit plan. The difference between the 8% who scale and the 92% who don't? Systems, delegation, and strategic growth. Without a scaling plan, you'll be swinging hammers at 65.

The 4 Stages of Trade Business Growth

Where you are now and what's next

Stage 1: Owner-Operator

1-3 people$200K-500K
1

Key Challenges

  • Doing everything yourself
  • No time for growth
  • Feast or famine cycle

Focus Area

Systems & delegation

Next: Hire first full-time employee

Stage 2: Small Crew

4-8 people$500K-1.5M
2

Key Challenges

  • Quality control
  • Cash flow management
  • Finding good workers

Focus Area

Process standardization

Next: Add office manager

Stage 3: Growing Business

9-15 people$1.5M-3M
3

Key Challenges

  • Managing multiple crews
  • Maintaining culture
  • Competitive pressure

Focus Area

Leadership & delegation

Next: Add operations manager

Stage 4: Established Contractor

16-30 people$3M-10M
4

Key Challenges

  • Scaling profitably
  • Market expansion
  • Succession planning

Focus Area

Strategic growth

Next: Multi-location or acquisition

6 Proven Growth Levers

Pull these levers to accelerate growth

Recurring Revenue

Medium

Maintenance contracts & service agreements

How to implement

Offer annual service packages

+40% predictable revenue

Premium Services

Easy

Emergency & after-hours work

How to implement

24/7 hotline with premium rates

+60% margins on emergency work

Geographic Expansion

Hard

New service areas

How to implement

Satellite crews in adjacent suburbs

+35% market reach

Service Line Extension

Medium

Add complementary services

How to implement

Partner or acquire capabilities

+25% per customer value

Commercial Contracts

Hard

B2B & government work

How to implement

Tender for larger projects

+3x average job size

Franchise/License Model

Very Hard

Scale through others

How to implement

Package your system

10x growth potential

Overcome Scaling Roadblocks

Solutions to the challenges every growing trade faces

Can't find good workers

Solution

Build apprentice program + retention bonuses

90% retention rate

Quality drops with growth

Solution

Documented SOPs + quality checklists

Consistent 4.8★ rating

Cash flow crunch

Solution

Progress billing + faster collections

Positive cash flow always

Owner burnout

Solution

Delegate operations + focus on strategy

Work ON not IN business

Real Growth Story: Brisbane Premier Plumbing

From 3 to 18 staff in 5 years

2019 Starting Point

Team Size3 plumbers
Revenue$420K
Net Profit12%
Owner HoursWorking 70 hrs/week

2024 Current State

Team Size18 staff
Revenue$4.2M
Net Profit22%
Owner HoursWorking 35 hrs/week

Key Growth Moves

1

Year 1: Implemented ServiceM8 + automated admin

2

Year 2: Hired ops manager, added maintenance contracts

3

Year 3: Expanded to commercial, added 2nd location

4

Year 4: Acquired competitor, launched emergency service

5

Year 5: Systemized everything, owner semi-retired

Calculate Your Scaling Potential

Business Scaling ROI Calculator

Project your growth potential

310 staff30
$50$85/hr$150
525 jobs50
10%20%50%
Monthly Savings
$0
Annual ROI
0%
Payback Period
0 months
Efficiency Gain
+0%
Revenue Increase
$0
Annual Savings
$0

Your Personalized Results:

  • Save $0 every month in operational costs
  • Achieve 0% return on investment within first year
  • Recover your investment in just 0 months
  • Increase team efficiency by 0%

Ready to Scale to $10M?

Get your personalized scaling roadmap and join the 8% who break through

Free assessment includes growth audit, scaling roadmap, and revenue projections