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$59,798.23 Month Case Study
The case study behind my best month, December 2024.
Owner-operator I do the installs
High-Ticket Service Academy · for home service owners
A small Minneapolis TV mounting business. A $59,798.23 month.
I'm Marshall Wayne. I own The Mounting Man in the Twin Cities, and I do the installs myself. Google Ads, local SEO, and pricing for high-ticket work built the business. Here I teach that system to other home service owners, two ways: a $497 course you work through on your own, or six weeks working with me directly at $1,997 paid in full.
Checkout is on Skool. Both are one payment.
Have a question before you pick? Ask MoneyPenny, my AI assistant.
MoneyPenny Mr. Wayne's AI chief of staff
I'm MoneyPenny, Mr. Wayne's AI chief of staff. Tell me your trade and city, like "HVAC, Dallas" or "plumbing, Scottsdale," and I'll walk you through which high-ticket jobs and neighborhoods Mr. Wayne would look at first. Or paste your website and I'll tell you what I'd fix.
Prefer to talk? Start a live voice call.
Connecting to MoneyPenny…
MoneyPenny is live.
$6,458.10
Best day, Sep 23, 2025
$17,456.84
Best week, Dec 1-7, 2024
$59,798.23
Best month, December 2024
$512,022.13
Best year, 2024
These numbers come from The Mounting Man, my Twin Cities TV mounting business, where I hang Frame TVs, mount over mantels, drill into porcelain tile, and hide cables inside the wall. They are my business results, not student results.
Open books
My numbers, straight from Square.
These are the Square sales reports for The Mounting Man, my TV mounting company. Total Collected is the top line on each one. Tap any report to see it full size.
My numbers are my proof, not a promise of yours.
Swipe to see all 4 reports
Who this is for
You run a home service business and you're good at the work. Your customers are happy. But the money doesn't match the skill, and you've started to think marketing is the gap. You don't want hacks. You want to understand how it works: how to get found, how to price, and how to look like the business people pay more for.
This probably isn't a fit if you want someone to run your marketing while you stay out of it. Everything here is done by you, or done with you.
I was the agency guy. Then I built my own.
For years I ran a marketing agency for home service businesses: SEO, Google Ads, content, the map pack. My clients grew. But I was taking a management fee while they kept what I built, and that math kept bothering me. So I stopped and used every bit of it on my own company.
That company is The Mounting Man. I mount Frame TVs, hang TVs over mantels, drill porcelain tile, and run cable inside the wall. In 2024 I grew fast and learned that volume isn't the goal: I made the money, but contractors ate the profit. So I pruned back, and now I keep more. That's the version of the business I teach.
Google Ads
Google Ads came first.
Before I ranked for anything, Google Ads was the only thing bringing me jobs. Since 2020 I've spent $389,631.54 on Google Ads for The Mounting Man, testing what works so you don't have to. 2024 was the peak, and that year taught me where the waste was. Today my account blocks more than 2,000 negative keywords, which are searches I refuse to pay for. I spend about a third of what I did at the peak, and my profits are better. SEO is huge for me now, but the ads carried the business while it was building.
Step 1
Bid on the high-ticket searches.
Samsung Frame installation, mantel mounts, corporate TV mounting. The jobs that pay well, not the cheapest click.
Step 2
Aim at the neighborhoods that pay.
Put the budget in the premium suburbs and skip the zip codes that don't produce high-ticket work.
Step 3
Cut the waste.
Block the searches that never book. That's where the more than 2,000 negative keywords came from, and now my agents check the search terms for me.
What I learned the expensive way
1
Keep your name in its own campaign.
People searching your business name already found you. Those ads book cheap, so if they're mixed in with everything else, they hide what it really costs to win a new customer.
2
Plain searches book.
The searches that kept booking my appointments were plain ones: the service, "near me," and the city. Build around those before anything clever.
3
Negative keywords cut both ways.
They block the searches that never book. Set too broad, they also block the ones you want. Mine get checked for that too.
4
A booked appointment isn't a paid job.
Google counts booked appointments. Before you call a campaign a winner, check it against the jobs you actually got paid for.
That's money I already spent finding out what works. In the Six-Week Coaching Program, we put that playbook to work in your account. See the six weeks →
Map proof
#1 on the map where the money is.
These are BrightLocal ranking grids for The Mounting Man, my Twin Cities company. Each circle is a spot on the map, and the number is where we come up on Google Maps when someone searches from there. On the high-ticket searches (Samsung Frame installation, mantel mount installation, corporate TV mounting, and TV mounting service Minneapolis) we're #1 at all 81 points. The broad searches are where everyone competes, and we still hold #1 across the core of the metro. The two orange spots on the "near me" map, around Apple Valley and Rosemount, are zip codes we don't chase because they don't produce high-ticket jobs. We put the effort where the money is, and that's what I'll show you how to do in your trade.
Swipe to see all 6 maps
Indexed pages
From about 25 pages on Google to 516.
I rebuilt The Mounting Man site with a page for every service and city, plus install posts. These are the pages Google has indexed, from Google Search Console.
before the rebuild
Jun 29, 2026
Sep 3, 2026
About 25 pages indexed before the rebuild, 344 pages on June 29, 2026, and 516 pages on September 3, 2026. Google Search Console.
The last moat
AI can take the corner office. It can't mount the TV.
A lot of office work is going to AI agents: reports, scheduling, bookkeeping, research. I put one to work in my own business. MoneyPenny runs the office while I run the jobs.
Now ask her to mount a TV over a stone fireplace. She can't. AI can't plumb a house, run a circuit, or get a roof on before the rain. That still takes someone who knows the craft and shows up.
For years the trades got sold as the backup plan. I think they're the part of the economy software can't reach, and the people who do the work should be the ones who get paid for it. The craft is half of it. The other half is the business: ads that bring in the right customers, SEO that keeps them coming, prices that match the work, and AI that handles the office so you can stay on the job. That other half is what I teach.
Inside the course
What's inside the course
Included in the High Ticket Service Academy Course and in the Six-Week Coaching Program.
01
Positioning (James Bond or Average Joe)
Pick the kind of pro you really are, the luxury name or the friendly expert, and make everything about your business match the price you charge.
See the 6 lessons
- Why Luxury Positioning Matters
- Archetypes: Luxury Icon vs. Relatable Pro
- Building the Persona
- Wrapping Services in Luxury Packaging
- Visual & Verbal Consistency
- Implementation
02
Google My Business Domination
Your Google Business Profile is where local customers find you. Point it at the work that pays, with a real brand name, reviews that name the job, and posts that work like a billboard.
See the 7 lessons
- The Mission: Why GMB Rules Local Search
- Core Setup
- Profile Optimization
- Reviews That Sell
- Posting: Turning GMB Into a Billboard
- Tracking & Scaling
- Advanced Tactics: The Secret Weapons
03
Core 30 (High Level SEO Strategy)
Back the map pack with a real website: a page for every service and city you want, written for the buyer, linked together, cited around the web, and filled with photos from the job.
See the 8 lessons
- What is the Core 30?
- Why the Core 30 Works
- The Core 30 Site Map Blueprint
- Copywriting Formula for Each Page
- Internal Linking Strategy
- Backlinks & Citations
- Visual Authority with Photos & Media
- Tracking & Iteration
04
Paid Traffic Foundations
Ads are the faucet you can open this week while SEO builds: Google for people already searching, campaigns matched to how they search, and the math to know when a campaign is worth turning up.
See the 8 lessons
- Why Paid Traffic Matters
- Google Ads as Your Core Engine
- Example Campaign Breakdowns
- Retargeting Foundations
- Omnipresence: Becoming the Local Celebrity
- Omnipresence: Expanding to Facebook/Instagram
- Paid Traffic ROI Math
- Next Steps and Scaling
05
Retargeting & Omnipresence
Stay in front of the people who already looked, on Google, YouTube, and Facebook, with simple creative and a modest budget.
See the 6 lessons
- Why Retargeting is the Secret Sauce
- The Retargeting Platforms You Need
- Creative That Converts in Retargeting
- The Omnipresence Effect
- Setting Budgets & Scaling Smart
- Real-World Examples & Templates
06
Conversion & Sales Systems
Answer fast, let a call script and your proof do the selling, hand the office follow-up to a bot, and tie the profit math together.
See the 7 lessons
- The Psychology of the Close
- The High-Ticket Call Script
- Speed-to-Lead: The Golden Rule
- Sales Assets That Sell For You
- Upsell & Ascension Strategy
- Systematizing Sales
- Profit Math: Tying It Together
The Six-Week Coaching Program
Six weeks. Your system built the way I built The Mounting Man.
I built a TV mounting business to a $512,022.13 year with no employees. I do the installs. AI agents handle much of the back office. The High Ticket Service Academy six-week coaching program is where we set up your agents and your whole system the same way — so you cut waste and charge what the job is worth. My numbers are my proof, not a promise of yours.
What you get
- Six weeks with me. Weekly live calls, Mondays at 6 PM Central, one hour each, plus help between calls.
- The HTSA curriculum delivered to your AI agent. The moment you pay, you get Skool access to the academy so you can go through the course yourself and learn. At the same time, MoneyPenny emails your agent (Grok Bot, Muse, ChatGPT, or similar) the full academy pack by agent mail, and it can start implementing right away. If you already have Facebook, Muse is a free and easy way in. Your agent can start replicating how The Mounting Man runs, often within a day or two, sometimes sooner, instead of you working through every lesson by hand.
- A private Notion workspace for your business — your plan, deliverables, and progress in one place.
- Done-with-you help on what matters most: branding, SEO, AEO (showing up in AI answers), Google Ads, Facebook ads, building your own AI agents, city location pages from your real install data, and creative help (design, image ads, video ads).
Six weekly outcomes
By the end of each week, something real exists or is live.
- Week 1Your luxury persona is chosen and your core service is repackaged with premium naming.
- Week 2Your GMB profile is verified, fully optimized, and posting on schedule.
- Week 3Your call script, speed-to-lead process, and follow-up sequences are written and running.
- Week 4Pixels are installed, retargeting audiences are building, and your omnipresence foundation is in place.
- Week 5Your Core 30 site map is built and your highest-value service+city pages are live.
- Week 6Your Google Ads are structured, tracking is live, and at least one campaign is running on the pages you built.
Your agent and the academy
The moment you pay for the six-week program, you get Skool access so you can learn the academy yourself. At the same time, MoneyPenny emails your agent the full academy pack by agent mail, and it can start implementing right away. If you already have Facebook, Muse is a free and easy way in. Your agent can start replicating how The Mounting Man runs, often within a day or two, sometimes sooner, instead of you grinding through every lesson by hand.
Ticket growth
I raised my prices every year. My calendar opened up and my tickets went up.
Every year I raised my prices at The Mounting Man, and I set out to master the harder jobs that pay more for about the same time on the wall. Higher rates meant fewer people booking the small jobs, so I wasn't buried in them. That left room on my calendar for the jobs that pay more, like Samsung Frame installs and MantelMounts over the fireplace. I made more per job, and I had more time.
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026 (through Oct 3)
Average ticket, from my Square account. Totals include tips, sales tax, and the card-fee line.
- My average ticket went from $316 in 2022 to $492 in 2026, up 56%.
- A typical single-TV job went from about $239 to about $315 before tip.
- My best year was $512,022.13 in 2024.
2026 runs through Oct 3.
| Year | Average ticket | Median ticket | Paid tickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 (first full year) | $316 | $270 | 930 |
| 2023 | $355 | $285 | 912 |
| 2024 | $426 | $344 | 1,202 |
| 2025 | $446 | $361 | 908 |
| 2026 (through Oct 3) | $492 | $398 | 597 so far |
Why raising prices worked
- I mastered the harder jobs. Stone, fireplaces, Samsung Frame, and MantelMount pay more for about the same time as a basic mount.
- That changed who I went after. I started targeting richer neighborhoods and the more expensive services, not the lower-priced TV jobs.
- Higher rates thinned out the small jobs. Fewer people competed for my calendar.
- The open time went to the bigger jobs. Samsung Frame, MantelMount, and the whole-wall installs fit in on the day the customer wanted.
- Every job pays more. I price the whole wall, not just the bracket: hidden cords, the soundbar, the outlet, and the right mount.
- Every price is posted. The customer sees the same price on my site and at booking, so there's no haggling.
TV mounting is a low-ticket trade
TV mounting is about as small as tickets get in home services, and raising prices still changed my business.
If you're in plumbing, HVAC, roofing, or another trade where tickets already start in the thousands, the moves are the same: raise your rates, master the harder jobs that pay more for the same time, price the whole job, post it, and make room for the work that pays. What that does for your business is yours to find out.
My numbers are my proof, not a promise of yours.
For the full pricing system, see the two ways in below: the High Ticket Service Academy Course or the Six-Week Coaching Program.
Two ways in
Charge what the job is worth.
The high-ticket system I used to build a service business, now in two ways to get it.
Two ways in. Start where you are.
Some owners want the map and the quiet to work it themselves. Some want me in their corner while they build. Both are good ways to grow.
- If you want me working on your business with you for six weeks: the Six-Week Coaching Program, $1,997 paid in full.
- If you want the whole system and you'd rather work it on your own: the High Ticket Service Academy Course, $497 once.
With coaching · done with you
$1,997 paid in full.
High Ticket Service Academy Six-Week Coaching Program
Six weeks working with me directly, plus the full course. This is the only option that includes access to me.
Join the High Ticket Service Academy Six-Week Coaching Program at $1,997Checkout is on Skool. One payment.
Weekly live calls, Mondays at 6 PM Central, one hour each, plus help between calls.
What you get
- Six weeks with me: weekly live calls plus help between calls.
- Skool access the moment you pay, and the full pack emailed to your AI agent at the same time so it can start building out The Mounting Man playbook, often within a day or two.
- A private Notion workspace for your plan, deliverables, and progress.
- Done-with-you help on what matters most: branding, SEO, AEO, Google Ads, Facebook ads, your own AI agents, city pages, and creative.
See the six weeks, week by week ↑
This is launch pricing. Launch pricing reflects where the High Ticket Service Academy coaching program is today. The price goes up as member results come in. Results shown are my own. My numbers are my proof, not a promise of yours, and your results depend on your market and your work. This program is done with you, not done for you.
Course only · on your own
$497 one-time. Lifetime access.
High Ticket Service Academy Course
The full system, without a call with me.
Get the High Ticket Service Academy Course, $497Checkout is on Skool. One payment.
- The full system I use to win high-ticket jobs, from pricing to Google Ads to SEO, start to finish.
- How I moved from cheap jobs to the work wealthier clients book, step by step.
- Pay once and keep it for life. No monthly bill.
- Work through it at your own pace, on your own schedule.
- Built for owners who want the plan and are ready to do the work themselves.
- You get Skool access and go through the course yourself. No agent mail, no agent-to-agent delivery, and no agent implementation help. That's only in the six-week program.
- Just so you know: this course doesn't include access to me. That means no coaching, no calls, no DMs, and no Q&A.
How the two compare
| Feature | Six-Week Coaching Program $1,997 paid in full | High Ticket Service Academy Course $497 one-time |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The full course plus six weeks working with me | The full course, self-paced, lifetime access |
| Full course (intro, beginners track, Modules 0–6) | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly live calls with me (Mondays, 6 PM Central) | Yes, for six weeks | No |
| Skool course access | Yes, the moment you pay | Yes. You go through it yourself |
| Full pack sent to your AI agent by agent mail, so it starts implementing (often within a day or two) | Yes | No. Human only, no agent delivery or agent help |
| Done-with-you help: branding, SEO, AEO, Google Ads, Facebook ads, your own AI agents, city pages, creative | Yes | No |
| Access to me | Yes, six focused weeks | No (course only, no coaching) |
| How you pay | One payment | One payment |
Questions
Do I have to be in TV mounting?
No. TV mounting is my trade, so that's where my proof comes from. The system is pricing, Google, ads, and AI for the office, and it's built for home service owners in any trade.
Which one should I start with?
Start where you are. If you want the whole system and like to work on your own, the High Ticket Service Academy Course is $497 once. If you want me working on your business with you for six weeks, the Six-Week Coaching Program is $1,997 paid in full.
What's the difference between the coaching program and the course?
The course is the High Ticket Service Academy by itself: every lesson, self-paced, $497. You get Skool access and go through it yourself, with no coaching, no access to me, and no agent delivery. The six-week coaching program is the same course plus six weeks working with me directly, plus the full pack sent to your AI agent, for $1,997.
Will I make what you made?
My best year with The Mounting Man was $512,022.13. My numbers are my proof, not a promise of yours. Your results depend on your market and your work. What I can promise is the same system I used and my help putting it to work in your business.
What happens in the six weeks?
Each week ends with something real in your business: your positioning and premium service names, then your Google Business Profile, then your call script and follow-up, then pixels and retargeting, then your city and service pages, then your Google Ads. We have a live call every Monday at 6 PM Central, and you get help between calls.
How does the AI agent work?
The agent part is only in the Six-Week Coaching Program. The moment you pay, you get Skool access so you can go through the course yourself. At the same time, MoneyPenny emails your agent the complete academy pack by agent mail, and it can start implementing right away. If you already have Facebook, Muse is a free and easy way in. Once it has the playbook, your agent can start replicating how The Mounting Man runs, often within a day or two, sometimes sooner. The $497 course doesn't include any of this. You get Skool access and work through it yourself.
How do the agents find Google Ads waste?
You give my agents access to your Google Ads account. They go through your spend and search terms and flag clicks and budget that aren't booking jobs. We go over what they find together and decide what to cut, one thing at a time.
Do I have to hand over control of my Google Ads?
No. Any change to your account is one we agree on together, and you approve it before it happens.
What if I don't run Google Ads yet?
We start with your prices, your brand, and your Google profile. Sales systems and pixels come before ads. The six-week map is built in order for exactly that reason.
Is this done-for-you?
No. It's done with you. We pick one thing at a time, whatever matters most for your business right now, and work on it together until it's handled. Then we move to the next one.
What else can I get help with?
SEO, AEO (showing up when people ask AI for a recommendation), Facebook ads, building your own AI agents, city location pages from your real install data, and creative help: design, image ads, video ads. Anything in the High-Ticket Service Academy or in how I built The Mounting Man.
What happens after six weeks?
You leave with a working system. If you want ongoing help after that, an optional continuation is available, and I'll talk it through with you.
Is there a contract or a monthly bill?
No. Both are one payment: $497 for the course, $1,997 for the six-week coaching program.
Do I need to apply or book a call first?
No. You can join directly.
What happens when I click a join button?
You go to Skool, where HTSA lives, and check out there. The course and the six-week coaching program each have their own page in the Skool classroom.
Do you offer discounts or trials?
No. The price on this page is the price everyone pays.
Meet MoneyPenny
Every operator needs a MoneyPenny.
MoneyPenny is my AI right hand. She keeps the office, the numbers, and the details in order so I can stay on the job, and she'll answer your questions about the Academy the same way: straight, and without wasting your time.
Pick a door and start where you are.
Six-Week Coaching Program
$1,997 paid in full. Six weeks working with me.
Join the High Ticket Service Academy Six-Week Coaching Program at $1,997High Ticket Service Academy Course
$497 one-time. The full course, on your own.
Get the High Ticket Service Academy Course, $497Checkout is on Skool. Both are one payment.
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