Meet Liam Lark

We were lucky to catch up with Liam Lark recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Liam, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re very focused on here – improving our ability to make decisions. Everyday, we’re faced with decisions that can impact the future of our careers, businesses, relationships and more and so one of the most impactful areas for personal development, in our view, is decision-making. Can you talk to us about how you developed or improved your decision-making skills?

How I Sharpened My Decision-Making Muscles – *Mr. Backflow’s* Story

I used to think good decisions were just a gut feeling plus a wrench.

I went home, opened a legal pad, and wrote the three questions that now filter every decision:

1. **Does it protect water and people?**
2. **Does it build or erode trust?**
3. **Is it profitable *long-term*, not just today?**

If the answer isn’t “yes, yes, yes,” I pivot.

Frameworks in My Pocket
1. 70 / 30 Rule (adapted from Bezos)** – Gather 70 % of the info, decide, then iterate. Waiting for 90 % is just fear wearing a technician’s hat.
2. Margin of Safety** – If a choice can blow up water quality, I default to the safer, sometimes pricier path. My reputation ROI beats the cost difference every time.
3. Tiny Experiments** – New software? I run it on *one* route for a week, measure time saved, then roll out. Fail cheap, learn fast.

End Result
Today, decision-making at Mr. Backflow is **a repeatable process, not a coin toss**. It boils down to:

– Clear values (safety • trust • long-term profit)
– Quick data loops
– Humble outside input
– Willingness to test-and-tweak

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Hi BoldJourney readers, I’m Liam—better known around North County as “Mr. Backflow.”
I run a hyper-specialized home-service company that keeps contaminated water from sneaking back into people’s drinking lines. Picture that brass gadget by your hose bib or soda machine: if it fails, fertilizer, soap, or soda syrup can siphon straight into the public supply. We test, repair, and rebuild those silent guardians so everyone can sip safely.

What Makes Backflow Work Exciting (Yes, Exciting!)
1. Instant impact. A 30-minute test can protect an entire neighborhood’s water. The stakes are real, local, and immediate.
2. Education over upsell. Most clients don’t know a check valve from a check-espresso, so we translate code jargon into Instagram reels, photo-rich “device health cards,” and neighborly humor. Watching an HOA board go from “What is that thing?” to “Schedule us annually” never gets old.
3. Blend of tech + trade. We carry gauges and grease, but also tablets that generate on-the-spot reports and file paperwork with the city in minutes. It’s blue-collar work powered by smart tools.

The Brand Vibe
Imagine if Bill Nye ran a plumbing truck—equal parts expertise, curiosity, and dad jokes. We show up in clean, branded gear, shoot a quick before/after photo, explain exactly what went wrong, and leave customers feeling wiser, not worried.

What’s New & Next
• “Total Flow” Annual Plans – launching this fall, bundling the state-required test with a mid-year check, priority scheduling, and a discount on emergency calls.
• Tech Upgrade – rolling out QR-coded service tags. Scan the tag on your device and your entire service history pops up—no more digging for paperwork when the city inspector shows.
• Hiring & Mentorship – bringing on a second certified tester and launching a paid apprenticeship to help the next wave of tradespeople see that water safety is a rewarding career, not just a line item.

At the end of the day, clean water is everyone’s business—but backflow is mine. If you’re curious, follow our “Leak Freak Fridays” series on Instagram, where we showcase the week’s gnarliest valve and how we brought it back to life. Thanks for letting me share the flow!

Stay safe, stay compliant, and keep the water moving the right way. 💧

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The Three Game-Changers in My Backflow Journey
*(and how newcomers can level up faster than I did)*

1. Plain-English Communication**
• Why it mattered: Early on I could recite test gauge numbers in my sleep, yet clients still looked at me like I’d asked them to decode Morse. Once I learned to translate “relief-valve differential” into “the part that keeps fertilizer out of your coffee,” jobs closed themselves and five-star reviews poured in.
• How to build it:
– Practice the “Grandma Test.” Explain your service to a non-expert until they can explain it back.
– Record a 60-second selfie video after each job; watch it, cut the jargon, tighten the story.
– Read great explainers (NASA’s kids site, Wired’s pop-science pieces) and copy their simplicity.

2. Micro-Data Mindset*
• Why it mattered: I used to price jobs by vibes. Now I track prep time, miles driven, O-ring costs, and callback frequency. That mini-spreadsheet turned guesswork into profit and flags problems before Yelp does.
• How to build it:
– Start tiny: log three metrics that truly move the needle (e.g., hours on site, parts cost, customer rating).
– Review them weekly—no fancy software required, Google Sheets is enough.
– Ask “why” when numbers swing; the story behind the spike teaches more than the spike itself.

3. Reputation Engineering
• Why it mattered: In a price-race industry, my license and spare parts don’t sell the next job—my reputation does. Consistent branding, instant follow-up, and public proof (photos, filed paperwork) built a moat no bargain bidder can cross.
• How to build it:
– Treat every job like a case study: snap before/after photos, log the fix, request the review.
– Define your “non-negotiables” (mine: response time < 24 h, branded uniform, filed compliance docs). Stick to them even when no one’s watching. – Collect testimonials the minute the customer says “wow.” Future you will thank current you. Bottom line: Speak human, measure something, and guard your reputation like it’s your retirement fund. Master those three early, and the rest of the entrepreneur roller-coaster feels a whole lot smoother. 💧🔧

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

When Competitors Race to the Bottom: How Mr. Backflow Can Push Back—Without Slashing Prices

The Pain:
Backflow work has become a Craigslist price-war: unlicensed techs quote 30 % below cost, plumbers toss in “freebies” to win a bigger job, and customers—squeezed by the economy—grab the cheapest line item they see. Result: we’re pitching value while they’re slinging bargain stickers, and it feels like we’re getting chopped at the knees.

1. Reframe the Conversation: Risk, Not Price
Cheap tests rarely file the proper city paperwork, install OEM parts, or carry liability insurance.
• **Script flip:** “Happy to match any *licensed* competitor’s quote—just send their certification and proof of reporting. If they’re missing either, it’s not apples-to-apples.”
• **Leave-behind**: a one-page “What a Failed Backflow Costs” (fines, contamination liability, voided insurance).

Price-picky clients self-select; value-minded clients upsell themselves.

3. Minimum Job Floor—No Haggling
Post a public “Minimum Service Fee” on website & quotes. It filters tire-kickers before they clog your inbox. When someone asks for a discount:
“Honestly, the only way to go lower is to skip steps I’m legally required to perform. I won’t cut corners on your water safety.”

4. Pre-Qualify Leads Up-Front
Quick form or phone script:
• “When was your last documented test?”
• “Do you need the city compliance form filed?”
If they hesitate, they’re shopping purely on price—redirect energy elsewhere.

5. Showcase Proof of Value
• Before/after photos of rebuilds on Instagram.
• Five-star reviews that mention “filed paperwork” and “explained everything.”
• Case study: cheap competitor missed debris, valve failed, client paid triple.

6. Play Where They Can’t
• **Niche ≠ commodity**: focus on HOAs, commercial kitchens, or irrigation districts that *must* use certified pros.
• Offer annual contracts bundled with irrigation inspections—recurring revenue shields you from one-off price wars.

7. Track Lost Bids & Follow Up
Keep a “Lost to Low Price” list. Email those prospects in 11 months:
“Your retest is due. If you’d like a compliant test and full report this year, we’re ready.”
You’ll be shocked how many circle back once the bargain tech ghosts them.

Measuring Success
1. **Bid-Win Rate** on *qualified* leads (goal: >60 %).
2. **Average Ticket Value** (should rise once low-margin jobs fall off).
3. **Repeat-Customer %**—your moat against constant quoting.

Cheap competitors come and go; reputation compounds. Hold the line on value, educate relentlessly, and make your minimum worth your time. The clients who care about clean water—and their own liability—will stick.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Mr. Backflow

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