How to run your service business on one mobile app

Ange Dove (00:01)
Okay, welcome to You're the Boss podcast. Today’s guest is Mark Roesler, President and Chief Executive Officer at HubSpark, a fast-growing SaaS fintech platform.

Mark Roesler (00:15)
Thank you.

Ange Dove (00:16)
HubSpark empowers small and medium-sized businesses by simplifying operations, automating customer communications, driving local SEO visibility, and centralising CRM and marketing tools into one unified experience. And they don’t charge you for it, which is definitely out of the norm—so I’m keen to find out more about that today.

At HubSpark, Mark leads revenue strategy and growth, bringing over three decades of experience in scaling business solutions and helping entrepreneurs unlock their business potential.

As someone deeply passionate about how technology and automation can transform day-to-day workflows, he’s here to share insights on what small businesses really need to thrive, the power of integrated platforms like HubSpark, and how leaders can leverage data-driven tools to win in today’s competitive environment.

So Mark, welcome.

Mark Roesler (01:20)
Thanks, Ange. Quite the introduction—I appreciate it.

Ange Dove (01:22)
So as mentioned, your platform really helps entrepreneurs, especially in the service industry. Let’s start with SEO. Can you explain what SEO is and why it’s important for businesses?

Mark Roesler (01:47)
Sure. SEO is how people find you on the internet. If someone needs a plumber, they’ll type “plumber near me” into Google. Where you rank determines how many calls you get.

If you’re in the top three results—the “three-pack”—67% of calls go there. That’s where you want to be.

The problem is many small business owners aren’t technical. SEO can feel overwhelming. You might be the best plumber in town, but not the loudest—and that’s why you’re missing out on leads. HubSpark helps solve that.

Ange Dove (02:59)
And you mentioned everything being on one platform. Some people say don’t put all your eggs in one basket—others say convenience. What’s your take?

Mark Roesler (03:12)
When you duct-tape platforms together, they don’t work seamlessly. You’ll miss leads.

We built HubSpark so you can run your entire business—SEO, marketing, communications—in one app. And it’s completely free.

Ange Dove (03:46)
What features are available on the platform?

Mark Roesler (03:53)
One key feature is the unified inbox. Messages from your website, Google Business Profile, texts, and email all come into one place—so you never miss anything.

You can reply via text, email, or chat. There’s also an AI-powered website chat widget available 24/7.

It includes a CRM, payment processing (Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards), estimates, and customer reactivation campaigns.

But the standout is SEO and marketing automation happening in the background—so users don’t have to worry about complexity.

Ange Dove (08:01)
That ease of use is so important. I’ve used software before that’s honestly turned my hair white.

Mark Roesler (08:10)
Exactly. Our onboarding takes under 10 minutes. Anyone can do it.

Ange Dove (10:50)
So everything is done for you—and it’s available on mobile?

Mark Roesler (10:57)
Yes, mobile and desktop. Everything syncs. Whether you’re on a ladder or at your desk, it works seamlessly.

Ange Dove (11:41)
That’s great—it removes the need to search for tutorials.

Mark Roesler (11:27)
We’ve built 61 in-app tutorial videos. If you’re stuck, help appears instantly inside the app.

Ange Dove (12:37)
This seems ideal for service-based businesses working on-site.

Mark Roesler (12:44)
Absolutely. But it also works for mechanics, dog groomers, barbers—many industries.

Ange Dove (13:04)
Walk me through a typical day using the app.

Mark Roesler (13:13)
You check your synced calendar, go to your job, complete it, and send a review request via text.

The app uses AI to route customers to leave reviews easily. Reviews are critical for rankings.

Then you log the job with a quick “check-in” (photo + short description), and the app creates SEO content automatically.

If you don’t have jobs, you can send SMS campaigns with booking links—bringing in new business.

Ange Dove (15:56)
How long does it take to send an invoice?

Mark Roesler (16:00)
About a minute. Payments can be made instantly, which improves cash flow.

Ange Dove (18:05)
AI is changing everything. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle.

Mark Roesler (18:27)
Exactly. It’s a powerful assistant, and some industries will disappear—but others, like trades, will thrive.

Ange Dove (19:26)
You were a roofer yourself, right?

Mark Roesler (19:25)
Yes—and our team has hands-on experience in these industries, so we built HubSpark to solve real problems.

Ange Dove (20:02)
And affordability is key too.

Mark Roesler (20:05)
Other platforms charge $600/month. Ours is free—we make small margins on transactions instead.

Ange Dove (24:15)
What makes you so passionate about this?

Mark Roesler (24:26)
We genuinely want to help small businesses succeed. We believe this will change how small businesses operate.

Ange Dove (26:20)
Affiliate marketing is a great growth strategy—like digital word of mouth.

Mark Roesler (26:29)
Exactly. It’s a major focus for us moving forward.

Ange Dove (27:05)
There’s never been a better time to start a business.

Mark Roesler (27:31)
I agree. Everyone should consider building something of their own.

Ange Dove (28:25)
People don’t wait around anymore—if they can’t reach you, they move on.

Mark Roesler (28:36)
Exactly. Speed wins the job.

Ange Dove (28:53)
Mark, thank you so much. This has been really insightful. I’m looking forward to HubSpark going global.

Mark Roesler (29:10)
Keep an eye out—it’s coming.

Ange Dove (29:16)
I’ll include a link below for listeners in the U.S. to try it out. Thanks again!

Mark Roesler (29:27)
My pleasure. Thank you.