How My Friend Turned a 10% Payment Hold Into a Business Win

Imagine this: you’re running your home service business, and suddenly, your payment processor decides to put a 10% hold on all your transactions. That means 10% of every dollar is “held” until next year.

Annoying, right? A friend of mine recently faced this exact situation with his business. He’d built his company to run lean, so every cent mattered. When he first saw that 10% was being withheld, he was understandably frustrated.

He spent hours on the phone with customer support, hoping they’d lift the hold, only to be told, “Funds will be released in January.” So, he had two options:

He chose the second option. Over time, he shifted his mindset from irritation to resilience, and he saw this as a challenge to make his business even better.

Here’s what he learned—and why he now calls that 10% reserve a “blessing in disguise”:

1. Efficiency Pays Off: The 10% hold forced him to rethink every part of his operation. He and his team found ways to do more with less, making each dollar go further.

2. Revenue Boost: They focused on improving upsells and refining the customer journey. Now, each service call brings in higher value, so the 10% hold became just a bump in the road.

3. Long-Term Mindset: Sure, waiting for that money isn’t ideal, but he now sees it as a reward waiting for him down the line.

We’ve all had setbacks in business, but every challenge is a chance to get stronger. And if you’re in the home service industry, where margins can be tight, building an operation that’s resilient and adaptable to any cash flow hiccup is a huge advantage.

Want to experience this shift in mindsets? Check out Bravo Company Digital now!