Turning a local service into a nationwide success isn't easy, but HomeCleanse shows it's possible with the right strategy. This mold remediation company has grown from a small New Jersey operation to a trusted name across the country.
HomeCleanse's story is impressive and full of practical ideas that could change how you grow your business. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand, their journey offers valuable lessons you can apply.
Let's dive into this business's story and the five key strategies that contributed to their success.
Scaling Success: Turning Niche Expertise into Widespread Growth
Building and scaling a business is no small feat, especially when you're dealing with a specialized service.
Yet some companies manage to break through, expanding far beyond their initial scope. HomeCleanse, a mold remediation company, offers a prime example of how to turn a niche expertise into a thriving nationwide operation.
What's their secret? It boils down to multiple strategies that have propelled their growth – and you’re going to learn some of them today.
These takeaways aren't just specific to mold remediation; they're universal principles that can apply to businesses across various industries, including yours.
You’ll get to learn about this business from their Chief Marketing Officer’s lens. Scott Broschart pivoted from politics to marketing and now works with the HomeCleanse team to help free houses all over America from mold.
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"We started out as a small company in New Jersey and over the last couple of years have expanded nationwide. We’ve continued to grow as we’ve seen the demand" -- Scott Broschart
Of all the case studies we’ve done, this is the biggest business (in terms of numbers) we’ve spoken to so far.
The best part? Their online business has been built with Thrive Suite, with our tools helping boast a stellar online presence as they land more leads and sales.
Whether you're a startup looking to expand or an established business looking to reach new markets, these lessons could be the catalyst you need.
Practical Steps to Hacking Business Growth: Five Lessons
Scott's key business principles can be broken down into 5 core takeaways. Keep reading to learn how to create a valuable business in your industry:
1. Use Your Past to Power Your Business Growth
Scott's move from political campaigns to leading marketing for a mold remediation company might seem like a big leap. But it's a great example of how your past can fuel your future success.
In politics, Scott learned how to connect with all kinds of people - a skill that's proving just as valuable in his current role. His unique background helps him approach marketing in fresh ways that his competitors might not think of.
Scott Broschart
"I actually traveled the country working on political campaigns, on every level from local city council all the way up to presidential races.
Over time, that led to my segue into marketing. At every stop along the way, I've continued to learn and thrive. I've tried to learn as many different techniques as I can and educate myself along the way. And here I am in the position I'm in now.
We're growing our company tremendously year over year. We're doing amazing things, pushing the envelope in our industry, and we're going to keep pushing it forward."
What about you? Take a moment to think about your own journey. What have you learned along the way? Maybe you've picked up skills or insights that could give your business an edge.
Your varied experiences aren't just interesting stories - they're proof that you can adapt and learn. That's valuable in any industry. It shows you bring a wealth of real-world know-how to the table, which can help you stand out from the crowd.
So don't brush off your past experiences. They're not just where you've been - they're clues to where your business could go next. Use them wisely, and they could become your secret weapon for growth.
2. Pick Tech Tools that Help Your Business Grow
Your choice of technology can significantly impact your business’s performance.
Scott understood this long before HomeCleanse, and dove into learning web design on his own.
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“I've been designing websites on and off since 1995. You know, I started making websites via AOL back in the day, building one for my high school band, building a personal website. It was actually websites that led me into politics, strangely enough. My town in 2001 did not have a municipal website. So here I was, an aspiring web developer. I offered to make them a website for free. I was like, 'Hey, we don't have a website. Let me make you this website. And in turn, if you'd like it, pay me to update it.'
My first WordPress website that I actually built was my wedding website in 2012. I didn't want one of those generic ones. I put together a nice URL, I think it was GinaAndScottTiedTheKnot.com. I found a wedding theme. There were elements of it that I didn't like, so I just started. I basically retaught myself CSS, and started going through and just changed elements of it and made it look the way I wanted.”-- Scott Broschart
And along his journey, as he familiarized himself with a variety of website builders, he came across Thrive Themes.
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“I discovered Thrive Themes probably right when Thrive Architect was rebranded from Thrive Content Builder.
I was trying to find a good front-end page builder for WordPress, and I landed on a nulled version of Thrive Architect, the original one, off of a YouTube video. I was like, 'Oh, this seems pretty cool.'
So I downloaded that, used it, and I'm like, 'Wow, this is amazing.' I was building a website for a local pizzeria with it, and then quickly realized, 'Hey, I need this in my life.'”-- Scott Broschart
For Scott and HomeCleanse, having a website built with the right tools meant they could create a site that really works for their business. It looks good and it helps them land new prospects and customers.
The bottom line? The tools you use to build your site can make a big difference in how well your business does online. They affect how easy your site is to use, how well it shows up in search results, and how good it is at turning visitors into customers. So, like Scott, it pays to find the tools that work best for you and stick with them.
3. Always Go the Extra Mile in Your Business
Doing the bare minimum in business doesn't cut it these days. The real magic happens when you surprise people by doing more than they expect. This isn't just about being nice - it can really help your business grow and make people remember you, no matter what you do.
HomeCleanse exemplifies this principle and, as a result, have become a go-to solution in the mold remediation industry.
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“We often use this analogy: If you're taking a bath and the tub is overflowing with the water still on, what's the first thing you're going to do? You're going to turn the water off. But most people in the mold industry don't do that. They don't address the root cause of what's causing water to spill out. They'll just throw some towels down on the floor instead of actually addressing the source of the problem.
That's a big issue - people simply ignore the root cause of mold, where it's coming from, and just try to gloss over it. They try to fix where the mold was without addressing why it's there in the first place. If you do that, what's going to happen? Maybe the person will feel better for a short period of time, but the mold is going to come right back.” -- Scott Broschart
Here's the thing: going above and beyond doesn't always mean grand gestures. It could be as simple as adding depth to your services.
Where other businesses in HomeCleanse’s niche chose to focus on surface-level solutions, the team focused on getting to the root of the problem to help their customers experience long-lasting results.
Think about it from a customer's perspective. Would you prefer a service that just meets the basics, or one that consistently gives you more than you expected? HomeCleanse opts for the latter, and it pays off. Their customers are happier, they come back, and they spread the word about their great experience.
So, take a look at your business. Where can you add that little extra? What small changes might wow your customers?
4. Use Interactive Elements to Engage Your Audience
Static websites with plain text and images often fall short in engaging visitors.
That's where interactive elements come into play.
These elements can transform your website from a passive information source into an engaging, dynamic experience that keeps visitors coming back for more.
And one of the best ways to engage your visitors and drive their interest in your business is through a quiz. Scott has seen how powerful this web element can be for growing a brand – and he even has a favorite tool to get the job done.
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"Thrive Quiz Builder is my favorite plugin. I use it on a site and it’s a tremendous lead magnet for me." -- Scott Broschart
Instead of just giving visitors a wall of text about mold, the HomeCleanse team gets them actively involved. Their quiz makes learning about mold risks personal and interesting. Visitors aren't just reading - they also get to figure out how mold might affect their own homes.
And based on the results, if they have a problem, they know who to reach out to.
It's a great way to learn about potential customers. What are people worried about? What kind of mold problems might they have? The quiz answers give the HomeCleanse team that valuable info.
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"On the founder’s website – themichaelrubino.com – we have a very advanced mold quiz. Essentially, it’s a series of questions someone goes through, answers, and gets graded on. Based on all the answers, the grade you get determines the likeliness that you may or may not have mold in your home." -- Scott Broschart
Think about how you could add something like this to your own website.
Maybe a quiz, cost calculator, or some kind of tool that helps people understand your business better.
The goal is to help keep people on your site longer and give you more leads to work with.
5. It Pays Off to Niche Down
The marketplace is crowded with businesses trying to be everything to everyone.
A lot of small business owners fear that niching down will limit their reach and block them from attracting a wider audience. But HomeCleanse proves this fear unfounded.
When you look at this business, you know exactly what they do – mold remediation. They've carved out a distinct niche, allowing them to develop deep expertise and become the go-to solution for a specific problem across the nation.
As a result, they’ve been able to transform many homes and help people gain their health back.
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"We deal with people who are sensitive and sick, with underlying issues caused by toxic mold exposure. We started out as a small company in New Jersey, and over the last couple of years have expanded nationwide as we've seen the demand grow. We've worked with homes across the country, helping people with minor issues all the way up to major celebrities." -- Scott Broschart
Focusing on one area has some real advantages. When you specialize, people tend to trust you more. You stand out from businesses that try to do everything. It's also easier to find and connect with the right customers - you understand their needs and challenges better.
When you concentrate on one thing, you get pretty good at it. You figure out efficient ways to work and improve your service. And here's a nice bonus: when you solve problems well, happy customers often spread the word. That's valuable word-of-mouth marketing.
Don't think that focusing on one area limits you. It can actually help you grow. Look at HomeCleanse - they started small with mold remediation and now they're nationwide. By being experts in one specific field, they've grown more than if they'd tried to cover everything
It's Your Turn to Go the Extra Mile
There's a lot to take away from this case study — and this is just the written summary. You can watch the full conversation between Scott and Tony right here:
HomeCleanse's journey from local business to countrywide success is inspiring. It also shows us that every part of a business strategy matters — from educating and engaging your target audience, right down to the tools you use to build your business.
For Scott and the team, Thrive Suite helped them build a professional online presence that resonated with their customers.
Scott Broschart
"So I became a (Thrive) subscriber and started powering forward. And essentially any site that I build now is built with Thrive Themes"
Thrive Suite goes far beyond the basics, helping business owners create an online platform that easily adapts to their growth.
Start Your Journey with Thrive Suite
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