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Google Business Profile suspended? What to do in the first 48 hours
Your Google Business Profile was suspended or video verification failed. What it means, what not to do, how to appeal with the right documents, and how to keep getting calls while you wait.
Lead apps · 6 min readHow to cancel Angi, Thumbtack or Yelp ads and stop the charges
Stuck paying for leads you do not want? How to cancel Angi, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack and Yelp advertising, what to check in your contract, how to dispute charges, and what to do instead.
Reviews · 6 min readGot a fake or unfair review? What a small business can actually do
How to handle fake, unfair or competitor reviews on Google and Yelp: what you can report, how to reply without making it worse, and how to bury one bad review with good ones.
Website · 6 min readLocked out of your website because your web person disappeared?
Your web designer stopped answering and you cannot log in to your website, domain or hosting. How to find out who controls what, recover access, and make sure it never happens again.
Google profile · 5 min readLost access to your Google Business Profile? How to get it back
A former employee, agency or old email owns your Google Business Profile. How to request ownership, what to do if no one responds, and how to keep control for good.
AI search · 5 min readChatGPT has my business info wrong. How do I fix it?
AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Perplexity showing the wrong phone, hours or services for your business? Where they get their data and how to correct it.
Protect your business · 10 min readDirectory Listing Scams: How to Spot Fake Invoices and "Verification" Calls
How business directory scams work, the warning signs (urgent invoices, "just verifying your address" calls, look-alike logos), what to do if you are targeted, and how to train your team.
Starting a business
How to start a small business in Oregon: the steps, in order
The order to do things when starting a small business in Oregon: name, LLC, EIN, licenses, insurance, bank account, city license, and your first customers. Plain English with official links.
Oregon · 8 min readHow to start a house cleaning business in Oregon
Start a house cleaning business in Oregon: no state license needed, but here is what you do need, from LLC and insurance to bonding, pricing and your first ten clients.
Oregon · 8 min readHow to start a landscaping or lawn care business in Oregon
Start a lawn care or landscaping business in Oregon: what needs an LCB license and what does not, insurance, pricing and your first customers.
Oregon · 8 min readHow to start a handyman business in Oregon
Start a handyman business in Oregon: why you need a CCB license, the under-$1,000 exemption trap, what you cannot do without a trade license, pricing and first customers.
Oregon · 8 min readHow to start a pressure washing business in Oregon
Start a pressure washing business in Oregon: licensing questions, insurance, water and runoff rules, pricing, equipment and first customers.
Explainer · 5 min readLicensed, bonded and insured: what each one actually means
Licensed, bonded and insured explained in plain English for small business owners and customers: what each one covers, what it costs, and how to check.
License guidesBusiness license guides, state by state
Plain-English license guides for small businesses and their customers: who needs a license, how to get one, what it costs, and how to look one up in Oregon, Washington, California and Florida.
Get paid and get organized
Copy-and-paste texts for small business owners
Ready-to-send text messages for small business owners: following up on an estimate, asking for payment, requesting a review, replying to a bad review, and raising prices.
Pricing · 5 min readHow to raise your prices without losing customers
A plain-English guide for small service businesses: how to know it is time to raise prices, how much, how to tell customers, and a ready-to-send price increase text.
Getting organized · 5 min readDo I need a CRM? A plain-English test for small business owners
What a CRM actually is (your customer notebook, upgraded), the signs you need one, what it should do for a small service business, and a free option with no monthly fee.
Getting organized · 4 min readNotebook, spreadsheet or app: the best way to keep track of customers
Comparing a paper notebook, a spreadsheet and a customer app for keeping track of customers, jobs and invoices in a small business: costs, pros, cons and when to switch.
Free toolsFree tools for small business owners
Free, no-signup tools for small business owners: estimate maker, invoice maker, mileage log, job price calculator, lead cost calculator and review request texts.
Get found by more customers
Angi and Thumbtack Alternatives: How to Get Local Customers Without Paying for Shared Leads
Why so many contractors and service businesses are frustrated with pay-per-lead apps, what owners say actually works instead, and a simple plan to get customers calling you directly.
Grow your business · 10 min readHow to Get More Local Customers for Your Small Business (Without Paying for Leads)
A plain-English playbook for local service businesses: how customers actually choose who to call, and 10 practical ways to get found, look trustworthy and turn searches into booked jobs.
Owner's guide · 8 min readHow to Get Your Business on Google Maps for Free: Step by Step (2026)
The free way onto Google Maps, what to expect at verification, why profiles get suspended, and six ways to show up higher.
AI search for local businesses · 12 min readHow to Get Your Small Business Recommended by ChatGPT and AI Search
Nearly half of consumers now ask AI tools for local business recommendations. Here is how ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and other assistants find businesses, and 9 practical steps to show up.
Directory comparison · 12 min readBusiness Directories Compared: Where Should a Small Business Get Listed?
A fair, plain-English comparison of Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Yelp, Facebook, Nextdoor, BBB, Angi, Yellow Pages and PITHE: what each costs, what it is best for, and where to start.
Owner's checklist · 11 min readFree Business Listing Checklist: 12 Questions to Ask Before You Sign Up
Before you list your business anywhere, ask these 12 questions about cost, contracts, auto-renewal, leads, editing, cancellation and data. A practical checklist for small business owners.
Website designSmall Business Website Design: Free Mockup & Quote
Why customers check your website before they call, what a good local business website includes, and how to get a free mockup.