November 23, 2025 – Daily Recap

I woke up still battling this cold, but the job didn’t care — it had to get done. Being sick doesn’t pause the rental world, and today was one of those “show up anyway” days that ended up teaching me a lot about margins, emotions, and boundaries.

The Pop-Up Tent Job That Looked Better on Paper

I had one main task today: pick up the 10x20 pop-up tent we set up on Friday. On the surface, it looked like a win — a ~$700 job for a pretty straightforward setup.

Except… we barely made any money.

Between the tent, six tables, two chairs, and sandbags, the actual rental value was only about $300. The rest came from delivery and fees, which normally would’ve carried the job. But this one had history attached to it.

Last year, a freak mini storm destroyed this client’s tent — the only tent I’ve ever lost — and I’ve felt indebted ever since. So this year, when they reached out, I tried everything to help:

• I waived the $100 rush fee.

• I cut the weekend pickup fee by 50%.

• I even tried connecting them with two other companies — no luck.

So I took the job.

Two of us handled the delivery in 15 minutes. I did the pickup solo in about 30. The real punch came from the distance: 40+ miles away, 174 miles total, four hours of driving, and done on a Sunday.

When I ran the numbers, the profit ended up around $200 — less than a 30% margin.

It stung more than I expected.

Long-distance jobs have taught me to expect slimmer margins, but this one showed just how thin they get when emotions play a role too. If you’re in the rental world, let this be a reminder: your heart might lead the decision, but your books will always deliver the truth.

Staying Connected to the Business

The rest of the day was lighter — fielding requests, keeping an eye on website traffic, and making sure nothing slipped through the cracks.

Even on low-energy days, staying plugged in helps me keep momentum.

Until next time
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