September 8, 2025 – Daily Recap

Today felt like one of those days that dragged on forever, but when I zoom out, it actually went pretty well. The big task on the calendar was taking down that keder tent we set up on Friday (check out that recap if you missed it). The plan was simple enough: me and my guy would show up early, get everything out from under the tent, then link up with our friendly competitor to handle the teardown.

And honestly, that’s pretty much how it went. We had about an hour head start to clear the space, then three hours of wrestling with pins, pipes, and pieces before the tent was finally down. For our first run with this product, I think that’s a respectable showing—even if I was silently questioning my life choices mid-way through.

The Keder Tent Marathon

This tent was no joke. So many moving parts, so many pins, and just enough frustration to test my patience. But the reality is, it was a great learning experience. And we got paid for it (sort of).

Because this job called for a bigger stage and a tent we don’t own, I had to subrent a chunk of items. That meant extra coordination, extra site visits, extra loading/unloading, and the biggest cost of all—time. By the numbers, we cleared just over a 50% margin. Not amazing, but honestly better than I expected given all the moving pieces.

We even spent extra time (and broke some tools) wrestling with a stubborn stake that refused to come out. It took every single one of us to finally pry it loose. Safe to say I’m adding a heavy-duty wrench to the truck shopping list.

Job #2: Tables, Chairs, and… a Big Tip

After unloading, I was exhausted and already late picking up the kids, but the grind doesn’t stop. Job #2 was nearby at a business close to my house, so I went solo—truck parked there instead of heading back to the warehouse.

This was a last-minute booking, but since it was a repeat client, I waived the rush fee. Even so, the margins came out surprisingly high—around 85%. Cocktail tables were the MVP here. Those things are sneaky high-margin items.

And to top it off? The client left a generous tip. So generous that I actually pushed back and said, “Hey, this is way too much.” But they insisted, and I wasn’t about to argue too hard. Repeat clients, high margins, and a little bonus at the end? That’s how you keep the momentum going.

Until next time
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