How an Overlooked Service Business & Dirty Job Makes Money with Mark Regan

S6:E86

The businesses people overlook may be the ones worth examining. Especially those ew - yucky - services! Entrepreneurship culture gives enormous attention to innovation, technology, and businesses that sound impressive. Mark Regan built something very different: a recurring-revenue company around a simple problem many people do not want to solve themselves.

In this episode of Small Business Stories, Mark and Dr. LL unpack what it actually takes to turn an unglamorous idea into a durable service business from pricing and route density to customer retention, franchising, and the unexpected challenge of getting AI to understand what kind of business you actually are.

If people don't understand what you do, they may underestimate its value.

If AI doesn't understand what you do, you may never surface when someone is looking for it.

Loralyn Mears, PhD, aka "Dr. LL," brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here.

👤 Guest Mark Regan

Co-founder, Poop Away

Service-business operations, recurring revenue, customer retention, and franchising

⚠️ Core Problems • Looking past viable businesses because they lack status or glamour

• Mistaking revenue for profitability without understanding the operating math

• Getting categorized incorrectly when a business crosses traditional industry boundaries