Student-Style Direct Mail

A high school senior runs a successful local home services business (Sunshine Exteriors) offering window cleaning, gutter cleaning, power washing, fence staining, and holiday lighting installation. The business generated $60,000 in revenue with 50% margins last year, and he plans to grow to $150,000 this year.

Business Model:

• Uses NextDoor platform as primary customer acquisition channel
• Positions services as "helping homeowners protect their investment"
• Operates as manager with two 1099 subcontractors doing the actual work
• Acquired approximately 90 customers in one neighborhood through NextDoor

Growth Strategy Recommendations:

• Direct Mail Campaign:

  • Print 1,000 copies of a typed, non-professional letter
  • Make it look authentic from a high school student
  • Distribute to homes in nearby neighborhoods
  • Consider using the "Gary Halpert dollar letter" approach (attaching a dollar bill to get attention)

• Expand to Adjacent Neighborhoods:

  • Replicate the successful NextDoor strategy in surrounding areas
  • Find representatives in other neighborhoods to post on their local NextDoor
  • Scale the business by duplicating what worked in the original neighborhood

• Leverage NextDoor Advertising:

  • Contact NextDoor marketing team or executives (CMO, Director of Marketing)
  • Share success story as a high school entrepreneur
  • Request first-time customer ad credits ($1,000-$2,000)
  • Offer to be a testimonial for their platform

• Scale Potential:

  • Business could potentially 3-4x in one year by expanding to more neighborhoods
  • At current trajectory, could build a million-dollar business within a few years
  • Value of the business would be significantly higher than just the annual income