Podcasts

Built to Grow Podcast: How to scale a home service business with Evan Ritchey

Evan Ritchey, founder of Coconut Cleaning, talks with Ryan Naylor about franchising, SOPs, customer retention, and the numbers that matter when you scale.

The AvaHR TeamUpdated October 2026 · 3 min read

In this episode of the Built to Grow Podcast, Ryan Naylor sits down with Evan Ritchey, founder of Coconut Cleaning, to talk about what it takes to turn a local home service business into a multi-million-dollar franchise brand.

Evan shares the decisions and systems that helped Coconut Cleaning grow to approximately $50 million in annual revenue. From choosing to franchise the business to documenting processes and getting clearer about the numbers that matter, the conversation looks at what needs to change when a company is ready to grow beyond its original operation.

Listen to the episode

What Ryan and Evan cover

The conversation covers the systems and numbers behind a growing service brand. Here's what they get into:

How to recognize when a business may be ready for franchising
Why SOPs and documented best practices become essential as you scale
Why revenue alone doesn't tell you how well a business is performing
How customer acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV) can guide better decisions
Ways to identify and fix the "leaky buckets" that lead to customer churn
How strategic customer touchpoints can improve retention and lifetime value
What it takes to enter and compete in crowded markets
Why choosing the right customers and franchisees matters for long-term growth
How AI can help connect marketing, CRM, and operational data

The people side of scaling

Evan also talks about the people side of scaling, from investing in your team to building relationships and putting in the sweat equity that still matters even as a company gets bigger. His experience shows why sustainable growth depends on more than simply bringing in more revenue.

Who this episode is for

If you're running a home service business, considering franchising, or trying to build systems that can support your next stage of growth, this episode offers practical lessons on profitability, customer retention, operations, and leadership.