Curriculum · Operations
Tools, Gear, and the CraigslistHack.
Bretton and Dan on building the professional kit without burning your margin — what you actually need on day one, what to upsell, and why you should never drop $1,000 at Home Depot before checking Craigslist.
- Hosts
- Bretton Auerbach · Dan Hunter
- Runtime
- ~15 min
- Topic
- Operations
“Your first five jobs need gloves and a utility knife. Everything else, you'll know you need it after you couldn't find it on the truck. Don't pre-buy a warehouse you haven't earned.
— Bretton & Dan, LocalMovers.com
In this episode
- 01
Starting on a Budget
Your first five jobs need only gloves and a utility knife. Run them lean — you'll learn exactly which gear actually saves time before spending a dime on it.
- 02
The Essentials
Build the core kit deliberately: utility knives, tape, boxes, and the dolly question — piano dollies for tight turns vs. pro-grade 2x4 dollies for everything else.
- 03
Protecting the Cargo
Used furniture blankets, high-contrast branding, tape guns, and stretch wrap. The cheap stuff is fine — what matters is having it on the truck when you need it.
- 04
Saving Your Back
High-quality moving straps and shoulder harnesses are non-negotiable. The investment that pays for itself the first time you carry a fridge up three flights.
- 05
The Handyman Toolkit
A small mobile toolkit — dead blow hammer, impact drill, Allen keys — turns reassembly into a billable upsell instead of a 20-minute favor.
- 06
Consumables vs. Reusables
Master the upsell on consumables (mattress protectors, bubble wrap) while keeping your reusable inventory organized so it survives the year.
- 07
Scaling with SOPs
Turn the routine you've built by hand into checklists — Standard Operating Procedures — so future crews execute the same job without you on it.
- 08
The Craigslist Hack
Don't drop $1,000 at Home Depot on day one. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are full of high-quality used gear from companies that scaled or folded. Margin lives in the markdown.