Mike McQueston: From Busy and Broke to Profitable Excavation Work

Mike McQueston: From Busy and Broke to Profitable Excavation Work

Most guys in dirt work hit that point where they’re slammed with jobs, but the bank account doesn’t match the workload. That was Mike McQueston—busy, worn out, and wondering where the money was going. In this episode, he breaks down how tightening up pricing, choosing better jobs, and leaning into landfill mowing turned his excavation business from “just getting by” into a real profit-maker.

If you’ve ever looked at your books and thought, “Something’s not right here,” this episode is worth your time.

Takeaways:

✅ How Mike used landfill mowing contracts to create steady, repeat work.

✅ Simple pricing shifts that stopped him from working long hours for thin margins.

✅ Why he now says no to bad-fit jobs—even when the work is there.

✅ The mindset shift from “I need more jobs” to “I need the right jobs.”

✅ How protecting family time keeps him from letting the business run his life.


If you’re an excavation or land management contractor who’s constantly busy but not seeing the profit, this episode shows you how to tighten up your business so the numbers finally make sense.


Links:

➡️ Follow Mike and see what he’s building with Muddy Brook Enterprises: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083094322062

➡️ Shop Attachments: Build your business with the right attachments. ⁠https://www.skidsteernation.com⁠

➡️ Marketing Help: Marketing built for blue-collar contractors. https://getthrottledup.com/

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