The Heavy Lifting Podcast

How He Fully Booked His 2nd Moving Location in 90 Days | Ep 013 | The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 22 May 2026 20:10:15 GMT

He had zero jobs booked, two trucks, and a warehouse in a city he'd never operated in.

You'll see exactly how Max Labarbera launched his second moving company location in Charleston, SC and ran those trucks nearly every day within 90 days, without Google Ads, without a big budget, and without a playbook handed to him.
Max breaks down the full marketing mix he used to hit the ground running in a brand new market, how his Myrtle Beach operation generates 15 to 20 leads daily on $50 in Facebook ads, the hiring approach that keeps quality high as he scales, and why he still gets in the trucks himself at 27 with eight on the road.

What you'll walk away with:
-The postcard and billboard strategy Max used to build brand recognition in Charleston from week one
-Why he matched his billboard creative exactly to his direct mail design and what that did for recall
-How to build a realtor and mortgage broker referral network in a market where nobody knows your name
-The Facebook ad setup generating 15 to 20 leads a day in Myrtle Beach on $50 spend
-Why Max fires within the first 15 minutes if a hire isn't right and how that protects the whole team
-How he handles the pressure of 100+ five-star reviews and what he does when something goes wrong
-The eco-friendly tote program that separates him from every other mover on a local job

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:53 The Origin Story, From 0 Trucks to a Full Fleet
10:52 Building a Team That Holds the Standard
21:56 Opening the 2nd Location, The Charleston Playbook

Connect with Max Labarbera
https://www.facebook.com/labarberamovers/
https://www.instagram.com/labarberamovers/
https://labarberamovers.com/

Connect with Heavy Lifting Marketing
heavyliftingmarketing.com
https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571

If you run a moving company and you're thinking about your second market, this one is for you.

46 Years in the Moving Industry: What I Wish Someone Told Me on Day One | Ep 012

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 15 May 2026 21:43:21 GMT

Sean Stein has been in the moving business since the early 80s, back when a bread truck and 15 pads was a full operation. Today he runs A Mother's Touch Moving in Melbourne, Florida, a $4M+ company with nothing but 5-star reviews, and he's now franchising the model across the Southeast.
In this episode, Sean breaks down everything he's learned across 46 years, from hiring and retaining great movers, to grassroots marketing that still works today, to why bigger isn't always better when it comes to growing your fleet.

If you own a moving company and want to know what actually separates the businesses that last from the ones that don't, this is the episode.

What we cover:
00:00 - The Origin Story
06:36 - Building The Team
15:51 - Giving Back as a Growth Strategy
22:49 - Marketing That Actually Works
43:18 - Legacy, Risk and Franchising

Connect with Sean Stein:
A Mother's Touch Moving - Melbourne, Florida
https://www.motouchmovers.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AMothersTouchMovers/
https://www.facebook.com/people/Boxes-of-Love/61584219412348/

Subscribe to the Heavy Lifting Podcast for weekly conversations with moving company owners across the US who are building real businesses and sharing exactly how they do it.
📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571
🌐 https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/

The Heavy Lifting Podcast is brought to you by Heavy Lifting Marketing, the only marketing agency built exclusively for moving companies.

How to Become the #1 Mover in a Small Town | Tukker Watson's Story | Ep 011

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 08 May 2026 16:07:22 GMT

Tukker Watson started The Moving Guys Alabama with $700 and a car that broke down when you put it in reverse. Seven years later he has 400+ Google reviews in one of the smallest markets in the South.
This is how he did it.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Tukker Watson and The Moving Guys
03:01 The Journey of Starting a Moving Business
06:09 The Importance of Customer Experience and Word of Mouth
09:08 Systems for Generating Reviews and Referrals
12:07 Investing in Equipment for Success
17:47 Scaling Smart: Managing Overhead and Growth
23:59 Marketing Strategies: Social Media and Local Partnerships
29:55 Team Management and Involvement in Daily Operations
39:05 The Importance of Leading By Example
42:38 Navigating Slow Season
46:10 Military Moves and Community Impact
49:34 Quality Over Quantity in Business Growth
55:24 The Journey of a Serial Entrepreneur
59:56 Future Aspirations and Business Goals

How to connect with Tucker:
https://www.instagram.com/the_movinguys/
https://www.facebook.com/tukker.watson.2025
https://themovingguys.co/

Want results like Tukker in your market?
Book your free strategy session with us today. https://calendly.com/heavyliftingmarketing/strategy-session

How Dan John Built a $760k Moving Company in 3 Years | Ep 010 | The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 01 May 2026 18:25:17 GMT

Dan John started Mover Dan Savannah because he needed to pay rent.

Three years later he's pulling $760K in annual revenue with two wrapped trucks, a growing crew, and a waiting list of realtors who call his personal cell.

In this episode you'll hear how Dan went from odd jobs and furniture assembly to running one of the most trusted moving companies in Savannah, and the exact systems he built along the way to keep his crew, his customers, and his margins intact.

What you'll walk away with today:
-The group interview method that filters out no-shows before you waste a single hour
-A referral bonus structure that turns your best guys into recruiters ($100 at 30 days, $300 at 90)
-Why Dan pays above market, runs bi-annual profit-share bonuses, and still keeps his margins healthy
-How a $3 yard sign and one cold call to a top realtor changed his revenue trajectory
-The Gentle Giant lesson that shapes how Mover Dan hires and trains to this day
-Why Dan skipped digital advertising and what he does instead at $760K in revenue
-What he took home from the Moving Titan Retreat and implemented the following week

About Dan John:
Dan John is the owner of Mover Dan Savannah, a local independent moving company he founded three years ago after nearly a decade working with Gentle Giant Moving and Storage in Boston. He built the business from a single truck and a need to pay rent to a $760K operation known for white-glove service, wrapped trucks, and four consecutive Best of Savannah awards.

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction to Dan John
1:29 What Working at Gentle Giant Actually Teaches You
17:07 Branding on a Budget: Wrapped Trucks, Yard Signs, and Looking Legit
38:30 The Realtor Cold Call Script That Changed His Revenue
47:28 $760K in Year Three: What the Numbers Actually Look Like

Connect with Dan John:
Mover Dan Savannah website: https://www.moverdansavannah.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoverDanSavannah
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moverdansavannah/
Google: https://share.google/aIIitMin57cghr7rg

Connect with Heavy Lifting Marketing:
Website: https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571600552571#
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heavy-lifting-marketing/

If you run a moving company and you're still figuring out how to grow without burning through your guys or your margins, this one is worth the full hour.

3 Mistakes That Are Killing Your Moving Company's Growth in 2026 (and how to fix them) | Ep 009

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:44:56 GMT

This episode of The Heavy Lifting Podcast is packed with first hand experience from Brian and Vincent of the same common mistakes they see working with moving companies every day and an how you can start fixing them today to see real improvements to your bottom line.

Brian and Vincent Moulton co-owned and operated Moulton Brothers Movers in Miami from 2021 to 2024. They now work hand in hand with moving companies across the US and see the same three mistakes come up every single time.

What you'll walk away with:
-Why your website is probably losing you leads before a customer picks up the phone, and the structural fixes that change that
-The exact elements that belong on a high-converting moving company landing page and the ones that quietly kill conversions
-How to clean up your Google Business Profile so it ranks for the specific neighborhoods you actually serve
-Why posting to your GBP once a week compounds over time in a way most paid ads never will
-What speed to lead really means for your LSA performance and the response-time metric Google shows customers that most movers don't know exists
-How to automate your first response so no lead goes cold while you're on the job

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction to the Founder of Heavy Lifting Marketing
02:48 Mistake #1: Landing Pages
15:39 Mistake #2: GBP Profile
29:18 Mistake #3: Speed to Lead
37:12 Outro and How We Can Help

Connect with Heavy Lifting Marketing:
Website: heavyliftingmarketing.com
Book a free strategy call: calendly.com/heavyliftingmarketing/discovery-call
For a free heat map of your local GBP rankings, reach out through the website.
If your trucks aren't as busy as they should be, this is where you start.

Direct Mail for Moving Companies in 2026 | Ep 008 | The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:38:55 GMT

Paxton Taylor has been running Ready to Move in Macon, Georgia since 2005.

Amongst his different marketing funnels, he's an expert in one, direct mail.
He does not spray and pray. He sends 40 to 50 highly targeted cards a month and gets roughly half of them calling him back.
This episode breaks down exactly how he does it, how he finds the right addresses, what goes on the cards, why he hand-writes every recipient's name, and why sending fewer cards gets him better results than mass mailers ever did. Plus how he fills slow weeks with commercial contracts, why he scaled back from 6 trucks to 3, and how 30% of his volume comes from repeat customers.

What you will walk away with:
-How to find high-intent homeowners on Zillow before you spend a dollar on postage
-Why hand-writing the recipient's name on a postcard changes everything
-The case for 50 targeted cards over 5,000 spray-and-pray drops
-How to land commercial contracts with hospitals and large buildings that need movers almost every day
-Why scaling back from 6 trucks to 3 was the best decision Paxton ever made
-The CRM follow-up sequence that brings customers back 11 to 12 months after their last move
-The reading list Paxton recommends for anyone trying to grow

About Paxton Taylor:
Paxton Taylor founded Ready to Move in Macon, Georgia in 2005. Twenty years in, he runs residential, commercial, and long-distance moves across 48 states. He has built and sold a lawn care company and a flooring business, and is currently developing an AI-powered insurance policy analysis application.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Paxton and Ready To Move
02:50 Using AI in The Moving Industry
05:50 Paxton's Tech Stack
09:44 Direct Mail: How to Find and Land Clients From Day 1
18:02 Landing Commercial Contracts
22:50 Reading List for Self Improvement

Connect with Paxton Taylor:
https://readytomovellc.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554272482646
https://www.instagram.com/readytomovellc1/

If you own a moving company and you have written off direct mail as too old school or too expensive, this episode will change your mind.

Why Cheap Movers Lose and How to Stop Competing on Price | Ep 007 | The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:26:46 GMT

Jeremy Thompson has been running Swift Moves in St. Petersburg, Florida for over 10 years. He's never lowered his rates to beat a competitor. He's done it on purpose.

When COVID hit and the moving industry got flooded with new entrants, Jeremy watched competitors race each other to the bottom. He went the other direction. He tells it simply, he wants to be the Rolls Royce, not the Toyota. You can drive a Toyota. That's fine. Just don't call him when you want the best.

In this episode you'll hear how a 10-year local mover built 650 near-five-star, kept his crew motivated through the slow season by giving them room and not micromanaging the moves, survived Hurricane Milton and the Pinellas County population drop that hit harder than almost anywhere in the country, and is now building realtor relationships one Saturday open house at a time.

What you'll walk away with:
-Why holding your rate is a long-term business decision, not stubbornness, and what happens to the companies that don't
-The three-prong framework he uses to diagnose why his business is slow at any given moment: jobs, employees, trucks. When one is off, the other two don't matter
-Why he recommends a dispatcher or ops person as the first office hire over a general manager, and exactly what to look for
-The realtor outreach plan he's building for 2026 and why he thinks four open houses every Saturday is the right cadence
-What owning a moving company looked like before phone books died, and why he thinks the operators who survive the next five years will be the ones willing to show up in person

Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction to Swift Moves
(00:57) The Evolution of the Moving Industry
(02:56) Competing on Quality, Not Price
(08:51) The Reality Behind Storage as a Business Model
(15:04) How to Remove Yourself From The Business
(24:58) Goal Setting and The 1% Rule
(40:24) Future Aspirations and Travel Plans

Connect with Jeremy Thompson:
https://www.instagram.com/swiftmovesstpete/
https://www.facebook.com/swiftmovesllc
https://www.swiftmovesllc.com/

Every episode of the Heavy Lifting Podcast is built for moving company owners who want to run a better business, not just a bigger one. If that's you, subscribe.

From Felon to Founder: How Justin Perez Built a Moving Company From Rock Bottom | Ep 006

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:30:19 GMT

Justin Perez was 21 when he went to prison.
He got out on April Fools Day 2020 with a felony record, no industry experience, and nowhere obvious to go. Within two years he was running a 28-person moving company as general manager. Then the owner vanished, the trucks got repossessed, and an eviction notice showed up on the warehouse door.

So Justin went home, told his wife they were starting their own company, and went to work with less than $10,000, a rented U-Haul, and two guys he trusted. Perez Moving Co. is now ranked #1 on Google in Valdosta, Georgia, sitting at 4.9 stars across 100 reviews.
In this episode, Justin talks about how Gary Palmer, a retired Pepsi regional sales manager turned moving GM, taught him to quote jobs correctly, document everything on the road, and deal with clients who make every move harder than it needs to be. He talks about honoring deposits for eight jobs that belonged to a company that no longer existed. And he talks about what it actually feels like to have everything to lose and know you cannot afford to mess up once.

What we cover:
-How Justin went from $10 an hour mover to GM of a 28-person company in under two years
-What Gary Palmer taught him about quoting, time management, and client handling
-How he launched Perez Moving Co. overnight with a U-Haul and under $10k
-Why he honored eight deposits from a company that went under before he ever owned it
-His plan to franchise into Tallahassee after dominating Valdosta

Connect with Justin:
https://perezmovingco.com/
https://www.facebook.com/p/Perez-Moving-Co-61552582357311/
https://www.instagram.com/perezmovingco/

Connect with Heavy Lifting Marketing:
https://www.heavyliftingmarketing.com

0:00 - Intro
0:54 - From Trouble to Prison: How It All Started
2:57 - Learning the Moving Industry From the Ground Up
14:14 - The Company Collapsed Overnight, So He Started His Own
28:23 - The Mentor Who Changed Everything
37:10 - Where Perez Moving Co. Is Headed Next

How He Built a $200k/Month Moving Empire at 21 | Ep 005 | The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 17:37:02 GMT

John Farrell started his moving company, BC Brothers Moving, out of his dad's lawn care trailer at 17 years old, during COVID, with no experience and no money, and crossed $200k/month in revenue before he even turned 22.

This episode covers how John built BC Brothers Moving from a high school side hustle into a legitimate operation with 40 employees and 75% SEO market share in Savannah, Georgia.
You will hear why he walked away from a market he had already dominated and relocated to Austin to do it again from scratch.

What you will walk away with:
- Why LSA changed everything for John at $9K/month, and the one mistake that will tank your LSA ranking overnight.
- How he structured his Savannah location to run on two meetings a week so he could leave and build somewhere new.
- The exact framework he used to pick Austin: population size, growth rate, SEO competition, and lead cost before spending a dollar.
- Why he hires zero-experience movers over experienced ones every time, and what happened when he didn't.
- How he embedded an AI agent into Discord that answers SOP questions, tracks VA hours, and generates end-of-day reports through conversation.
- The meta ads angle he borrowed from e-commerce brands doing 3,000 new creatives a month, and how he is applying it to moving.
- His closing line on goals that will change how you think about your week.

About John Farrell: John built BC Brothers Moving starting at 17 out of Savannah, Georgia. In five years he went from two lawn care trailers and a buddy to 40 employees, a second location in Austin, and $2 million in annual revenue. He is 22.

Connect with John Farrell:
https://www.instagram.com/japemaster/
https://www.instagram.com/bcbrothersmoving/
https://www.youtube.com/@japemaster
https://www.bcbrothersmoving.com/

How Your Moving Company Can Win More Commercial Contracts | Ep 004 | The Heavy Lifting Podcast

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:45:42 GMT

Marvin Williams built a six-truck moving company in Fort Myers without a marketing agency, without a big ad budget, and without waiting until conditions were perfect.

You'll hear how Marvin went from 19 years delivering furniture for someone else to running MWR Mover with six trucks, 13 crew members, and over 100 five-star Google reviews.
He breaks down exactly how he landed his first commercial contract with Scan Design, how he said yes to Tampa and Fort Myers routes before he had the trucks to cover them, and why he credits yard signs, nursing home coordinators, and a phone call he almost didn't make for building the business he has today.

What you'll walk away with:
- How to land commercial furniture delivery contracts by leveraging the reputation you've already built at a previous job
- The specific moment Marvin knew it was time to buy a second truck, and why $40K in savings is his personal threshold before pulling the trigger
- Why nursing home moving coordinators are one of the most overlooked referral sources in this business, and how to get past the front desk to reach the right person
- Yard sign strategy: 100 signs for $100, where to place them (storage facilities, US 41, new developments), and why you can't expect the phone to ring the same day
- How Marvin prices jobs, hourly vs. flat rate, his two-guy baseline at $195/hour, and how he reads a customer in the first minute to figure out what number will get a yes
- Why one bad Google review can undo a hundred good ones, and what Marvin does to keep his team locked in on five-star work
- The truck buying framework: start with a GMC Savannah 16-footer, graduate to a Freightliner or International with a Cummins engine, and always bring a mechanic before you sign anything

About the guest: Marvin Williams is the owner of MWR Mover and Delivery based in Fort Myers, Florida. He spent 19 years in furniture delivery before starting his company in 2017 with a rusted GMC Savannah he bought off Craigslist, that truck still runs today.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mwrmover
Website: https://residentialmovingservicelehighacres.com/

00:00 From Delivery Driver to Owner
02:46 Finances and Getting Your First Truck
07:31 Going Solo In The Moving World
09:29 Rock Bottom Fueled Him To Push Harder
17:51 Door Knocking and The Rebel Flag House
20:57 Landing Scan Designs: Marvin's First Commercial Contract
25:51 Building a 5* Team
31:23 What To Pay Your Guys
37:12 When To Buy Your Next Truck
43:06 Yard Signs, Storage Facilities and Nursing Homes
50:48 How To Show Up On The Job
51:51 Outro

If You've Never Had a Customer Book a Second Move, Please Watch This

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:51:50 GMT

If you run a moving company and every job feels like a one-time transaction, this episode is for you.

Fernando Levario with Pro Movers of Cape Coral has built something most moving company owners think is impossible, a moving business where customers actually come back. 16% of his active clients are repeat customers, and that number only grows the longer he's in business.

You can find Fernando and his team here.
https://www.instagram.com/promoversofcapecoral/
https://www.facebook.com/1ProMovers/
https://promoversofcapecoral.com/

In this episode we get into exactly how he does it:

- How he closes customers in a way that builds loyalty from the first phone call
- The $99 Wednesday delivery program that keeps his crew busy and his brand top of mind
- How he locks in repeat rates at the close so customers have no reason to call anyone else
- Why his 4,000-person client database is his most valuable business asset
- The email blast strategy that stays in front of past customers without annoying them
- How sending the same crew back to the same customers drives retention

Whether you're a moving company owner, operator, or just getting started in the moving industry, this episode will change the way you think about customer retention.

🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — The Heavy Lifting Podcast
📞 Want more moving leads? Visit heavyliftingmarketing.com

00:00 Introduction
00:46 Fernando's Story
04:59 Google Ads Momentum
07:51 Sales Approach for Movers
21:42 Hiring and Keeping A Players
36:05 Maximizing Repeat Business
50:33 Aspirations for The Future

Happy Ending Movers: The #1 Way To Get More 5* Reviews

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:46:23 GMT

In today's episode I sit with Anthony Amato, owner of Happy Ending Movers out of NJ. Having worked his own way up at a local moving company to become the general manager, he's learnt all the tricks of the trade and applied them to his own moving company. Now boasting over 200+ 5* reviews only being in business for a little over 6 months, there's a lot to learn!

If you’re a moving company owner (or thinking of becoming one), this episode is packed with practical insights on:
-Landing your first clients
-How to constantly improve your crew
-Finding your first truck & decal
-The playbook for generating consistent 5-star reviews
-Keeping your crew motivated
-And what Anthony has planned for the next 3 years of Happy Ending Movers

At Heavy Lifting Marketing we've made turning moving companies into 7 figure business' our reality.
Reach out to us today to see how we could do the same for your moving company!
https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/
https://heavyliftingmarketing.com/

Anthony with Happy Ending Movers
https://www.instagram.com/happy_ending_movers_llc/
https://njhappyendingmovers.com/

00:00 Introduction
04:02 Review Incentives
16:35 Happy Ending Movers
25:36 Getting The Best Deal on Your First Truck
31:36 Decaling The Truck
39:40 What The Next 3 Years Look Like
44:00 How Heavy Lifting Marketing Can Help You

From $5/Hour to 6-Figure Moving Company Owner | Alejandro Pinto’s Story

Heavy Lifting Marketing — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:45:19 GMT

In this episode, I sit down with Alejandro Pinto, owner of Prime Movers, to break down his journey from humble beginnings to running a 6-Figure moving business.
We dive into the challenges, the lessons, and the exact steps that helped him grow Prime Movers into a trusted brand in the industry.

If you’re a moving company owner (or thinking of becoming one), this episode is packed with practical insights on:
-How to get your first truck and first jobs
-Hiring & keeping the best crews
-The playbook for generating consistent 5-star reviews
-Which marketing strategies are actually working in 2025
-The hard lessons most movers overlook
-And where Alejandro wants to take Prime Movers next

At Heavy Lifting Marketing we've made turning moving companies into 7 figure business' our reality.
Reach out to us today to see how we could do the same for your moving company!
https://www.instagram.com/theheavyliftingmarketing/
https://heavyliftingmarketing.com/

Alejandro with Prime Movers
https://www.instagram.com/primemoversmiami/
https://primemovers.pro/

00:00 Introduction
01:06 Pinto's Story
07:03 The Start of Prime Movers
11:15 First 6 Months
14:05 Paid Marketing (Google Ads, SEO, LSA)
21:55 Getting Your First Truck
27:58 5* Reviews
32:38 Finding and Keeping A+ Players
39:00 Prime Movers in 5 Years Time
44:10 Thanks and Outro