Lincoln Snyder

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Lincoln Snyder, and I am the CEO and Founder of Sunshine Exteriors in Denton, Texas. We offer window cleaning, gutter cleaning, pressure washing, house washes, and other exterior house cleaning services to help homeowners protect their investment (their home). I am currently a Senior in high school, but started when I was just a junior. I began by using my sister's car to haul my equipment around my neighborhood, getting jobs by going door to door.

In recent years we have expanded into a 3+ man crew, servicing over 200+ homeowners in 2024 alone. I first hear about the idea of home services on social media when pressure washing videos and door to door became popular. I figured, why couldn't I do that. The first few months I barely made any money (less than $5k), but with the persistence of wanting to grow, I kept pushing and now Sunshine Exteriors is quickly growing.

What did it take/how did you get started?

The biggest reason for starting my business was because of the opportunity for uncapped earning potential. In 2023 I was 16 years old, stuck being a cashier at Walmart for $14 an hour. It didn't matter how much more effort I put in, I was stuck. I decided to start pressure washing on the side because I had seen other teenagers online sharing their success stories. During the summer of my Junior year I took my dad's pressure washer and started going door-to-door. This got me through my first couple customers giving me the knowledge and capital to expand.

What does the future look like for you and your business?

Looking forward I see lots of exciting opportunities for growth on a personal level and in my business. The biggest factor on my business is the limits of what I know. Being able to get enough capital to bring in people who are smarter than me will play a key role in national expansion and multiple locations.

Short term I will continue to grow my Denton, Texas location, once I have created a system as to how we were able to scale the first location, franchising will be next. Learning how to franchise a business will be a major challenge, but will pay off in spades. Long term I see Sunshine Exteriors always being seen as the local business. Lots of franchises have been taken over by private equity which suck the soul out of the business. I hope to see us steer clear of investors who are in it for the wrong reasons.

What drives / motivates you on a daily basis?

My drive stems from growth and building. This is a common trait among entrepreneurs. I want to push myself every day to see what I can build. For me a boring life would be one without challenges. I enjoy the pursuit of a large goal.

What advice would you give someone interested in doing what you do?

Anyone looking to get into the home service sector first needs to establish a strong brand. When I think about building a brand, I generally refer to 2 things. The first is being creative, the second is differentiation. Both will help consumers recognize you and separate you from the crowd. Recently home service businesses have started to lean heavier into branding especially digitally. This has allowed them to establish their brand before even bringing their locations to market. This is something we will pursue at Sunshine Exteriors.

What has been the hardest part of your business journey?

By far the hardest part of any business I started is belief and persistence. Business is a roller coaster and controlling your emotions and trusting the journey is crucial. There have been many times where I questioned whether or not Sunshine Exteriors would be the right business. What I have learned is that there is not necessarily a "right" business. The key is picking something and sticking with it.

How have you managed burnout thus far?

A saying I live by is "work hard, play hard". I found that in order to squeeze the most out of my working hours, it means putting away all distractions. That means that when I am not working it means putting away all work. Separating my time with this "100% in" approach has allowed me to create a work life balance despite the amount of hours I spend working.

What are a few resources that you'd recommend?

Social media will be the most powerful tool to the upcoming generations. In the past knowledge was passed down directly by a mentor or in a book. In the age of social media kids and adults are closer than ever to having a "personal mentor" online. People like Alex Hormozi, Gary V., and others share their playbooks for free online. I am always learning online whether it be podcasts, social media, ebooks, newsletters, etc.