Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business

204 - Building an Eight-Figure Empire from a Window Washing Business with Brandon Vaughn

• Nikolas Hulewsky • Season 1 • Episode 204

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Join me, Nik (https://x.com/CoFoundersNik), as I interview Brandon Vaughn, a true entrepreneurial force! We dive deep into his incredible journey, from starting a window washing business with his dad at just 13 to building an eight-figure empire with 12 companies.

You'll hear how a life-changing event forced him to grow beyond the owner-operator mindset, leading to the rapid scaling of Wise Coatings from zero to seven figures in its first year and now 39 locations. Discover how Brandon channels his undying optimism to embrace being extremely uncomfortable as an entrepreneur.

We also explore his latest venture, Hirebus, an AI recruiting company that’s transforming how businesses find and vet talent, and a mind-blowing AI-powered marketing app achieving an astonishing 40x ROAS!

Questions This Episode Answers:

How can an owner-operator business scale to eight figures and 39 locations?

What is the concept of a "bus score" and how does it relate to building a stable business?

How are AI tools currently revolutionizing hiring, from candidate sourcing to final interviews?

Can personalized marketing campaigns, like those using Google Street View and AI-generated video, achieve an incredible 40x return on ad spend?

What core mindset shifts and strategies, like embracing uncomfortable growth and delegation, are essential for serial entrepreneurs?

Enjoy the conversation!

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This week we covered:

00:00 – From Window Washing to Entrepreneurship

02:49 – Buying His Dad’s Failing Business

07:33 – Scaling to 70 Employees

12:43 – Launching a Business on YouTube

14:48 – Wise Coatings: $1M in Year 1

19:35 – Building Teams While Working Full-Time

21:59 – Hiring with AI: Birth of Hirebus

36:15 – AI-Powered Postcard Marketing

41:04 – $100 CAC for $4K Jobs

43:24 – Fighting Serial Startup Syndrome

People on this episode