Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyler Starkey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Tyler thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Well… It started with a $200 pressure washer from a garage sale.

At the time, I wasn’t chasing some grand entrepreneurial dream. I actually had a pretty comfy corporate job in the food & beverage industry. I was simply trying to create space in my life, space to be present with my family, to stop trading hours for dollars, and to build something that was mine. It was really something that started out as a side hustle that I could do ont he weekends.

I remember walking through a garage sale one weekend and spotting that pressure washer. It wasn’t much, but in my gut, I could feel something shift. I remember doing my first job with it. It was a simple 2 car driveway that would now take us about 20 min to take care of. I priced it at $45 – it took me about 6 hours and I’m pretty sure I spent $50 in fuel alone. But I knew one thing, I absolutely loved it! From there I started diving head first into marketing, branding and pricing.

At first, it was just driveways and sidewalks. But I quickly realized something, this wasn’t just about spraying water. This was about presentation, about curb appeal, and more than anything, about trust. Homeowners weren’t hiring me for water pressure, they were hiring me for professionalism, reliability, and peace of mind.

That’s when I saw the gap.

In my area, exterior cleaning was often treated like side work, unbranded trucks, no systems, no follow-up, no consistency. I saw an opportunity to do things differently. To turn a gritty, blue-collar trade into a white-glove experience. Branded trucks. Uniformed techs. Automated communication with incredible software. I was able to create a customer experience that felt more like a high-end service than a side hustle.

But it wasn’t just about cleaning houses, it was about building a business. I became obsessed with the model: close rates, route efficiency, margins, compensation structures. I mapped it all out on whiteboards and napkins. I knew if I could systemize the service and build a technician-first culture, it could scale.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Tyler Starkey, I’m the founder of TS Services – Pro Exterior Cleaning & Washing With a Purpose. I’m also a 2x Amazon Best-Selling Author, sharing the lessons I’ve learned about entrepreneurship, leadership, and building something from nothing.

I didn’t come from a business background. I came from blue-collar roots – the kind where you solve problems with your hands, your head, and your heart. I started my company with humble beginnings and a vision for something better. What began as a side hustle quickly became a calling.

Today, we offer residential and commercial window cleaning, gutter cleaning, pressure washing, and more. But what we really provide is peace of mind. We show up on time, communicate clearly, do incredible work, and treat every property like it’s our own. Clients hire us because we’re trustworthy and they rehire us because we deliver.

Washing With a Purpose is our non-profit initiative dedicated to giving back to individuals and families actively battling cancer. Through this program, we provide free exterior cleaning services to households facing the emotional, physical, and financial strain of cancer treatment. It’s our way of bringing relief, dignity, and a sense of care to those who need it most. At TS Services, we believe that clean windows and bright exteriors can do more than improve curb appeal, they can lift spirits. Washing With a Purpose exists to remind people that they’re seen, supported, and not alone.

What I’m most proud of is that we’ve built a business that doesn’t just serve clients, it transforms lives. We’ve created opportunities for our team to grow into careers they’re proud of. We’ve built something my family can be part of. And we’ve done it all debt-free, with integrity and a deep commitment to doing things the right way.

As a 2x Amazon Best Seller, I’ve also had the privilege of telling this story and helping others learn from my journey. Whether someone is just starting out or scaling their third business, I want to be a voice that reminds them: you don’t need permission to build something incredible. I love asking new entrepreneurs and kids coming out of high school – “how big would you dream if you knew you couldn’t miss?”

In addition to running my company, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to travel the country speaking at conferences and mastermind groups, sharing what I’ve learned about building businesses that serve your life, not consume it. I speak on topics like sustainable growth, systems that scale, blue-collar entrepreneurship, and designing a business around freedom and purpose. My goal is to help other owners avoid burnout, reclaim their time, and build something that fuels both their bank account and their lifestyle. Nothing lights me up more than watching a founder realize they can grow without grinding themselves into the ground.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about our brand, it’s this: We’re not just in the exterior cleaning business, we’re in the business of setting a new standard.

And we’re just getting started.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

A few years ago, I was wearing every hat in the business: technician, sales rep, scheduler, bookkeeper, marketer, even after-hours customer support. We were growing fast, but it was the kind of growth that feels like you’re being pulled apart, but also where you’re excited and exhausted at the same time.

There was a season where I would finish a full day out in the field – cleaning gutters, washing windows, troubleshooting equipment – then come home, tuck my kids into bed, and open my laptop until midnight to send quotes, process payroll, and follow up on leads. I was pouring everything I had into the business, but it felt like I was barely staying afloat. Most people see a successful company and assume it was built clean. Mine was built in chaos, with calloused hands and sheer refusal to quit. I was relentless with the vision of what this business could be one day. It just required the right amount of lead flow, systems & recurring revenue.

What got me through was a vision. I wasn’t building a job, I was building a vehicle. One that would eventually create freedom for my family, for my team, and for others who would follow this same path. That mindset gave me the strength to push through the 18-hour days, the lonely decisions, and the weight of having everyone rely on me.

That season taught me something critical: resilience isn’t about being unbreakable, it’s about being unshakeable in your commitment to what you’re building, even when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Now, years later, we’ve built something that runs with systems, not stress. But I’ll never forget the days when I was running it all and I’m proud I didn’t fold under the weight of it.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

Yes! I bought Tulsa Pros – Window & Gutter Cleaning, and it was one of the most intentional moves I’ve made to expand our footprint in the Tulsa market.

At the time, TS Services was growing steadily, but I saw the opportunity to accelerate growth through acquisition instead of just organic marketing. I wanted to expand our route density, absorb additional recurring customers, and eliminate some of the overlap and competition in key service areas. Tulsa Pros had a solid book of business and good brand awareness, but they were under-leveraged operationally. That told me there was major potential if the systems and leadership were put in place.

🔹 The Why:

I wasn’t buying revenue, I was buying momentum. Tulsa Pros had hundreds of residential clients, an established online presence, and good review history. But like many small service companies, it lacked the backend infrastructure to scale. They weren’t using CRM tools. Their quoting and scheduling were mostly manual. Their follow-up systems didn’t exist. I knew if I plugged them into our proven framework: automated quoting, Jobber, Gusto, KPI dashboards, technician performance pay, I could make that book of business 2–3x more profitable overnight.

🔹 The Process:

The acquisition process started with a quiet conversation between me and the owner, someone I’d built a relationship with over the years. There was no broker, no formal listing – just two local operators having an honest discussion. I asked a lot of questions: How many active clients? What’s your average ticket size? Do you have client emails or just phone numbers? Is your revenue seasonal or consistent year-round? What does the EBITDA look like over a 5-year span etc..

Once I had the data, I ran the numbers and made an offer that valued the client list, brand assets, domain, and goodwill – not just equipment. I structured it as an asset purchase with full payment based on retention and handoff support. That minimized my risk while keeping the seller incentivized to help transition clients smoothly.

🔹 The Transition:

I rebranded the internal systems first, but we kept the Tulsa Pros name active while migrating customers into our TS Services infrastructure. We retained most of the recurring clients by over-delivering right out of the gate: fast scheduling, better communication, and white-glove service. The first 60 days were intense & I personally handled a lot of the onboarding and technician training. But within 90 days, we’d stabilized the revenue and increased customer lifetime value significantly.

🔹 The Impact:

Buying Tulsa Pros allowed us to fast-track route density, increase repeat business, and secure market share in zip codes we were already servicing. It gave us a second brand to test pricing models, offers, and backend tools before pushing them company-wide. And maybe most importantly, it gave me the confidence to explore future acquisitions and even franchising down the road.

Buying a business isn’t about numbers, it’s about integration. You have to know what you’re absorbing, where the value is hidden, and how to fold it into something bigger without losing the personal touch that customers expect. For us, this acquisition was a textbook win and we’re just getting started.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tsservicesok.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylerjstarkey/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tsservicesok
• Other: Google Business Page https://share.google/7LbRfAAgcACLfgUNV

Image Credits
Holly Button Photography