TradeLedger
As described:StopNarrowed:NarrowNo as a system of record for any trade. Go as the fire-extinguisher inspection system of record, only with trade access.
fire-safety contractors · ~$150 a month per shop · last reviewed (next review by 29 Dec 2026) · 53 cited sources
System of record for small US fire-extinguisher inspection and service contractors: every unit at every site, due dates, routes, reports and city submission packs, and quotes for failed units
Odds of reaching each MRR level by month 24
| MRR by month 24 | ~15 hrs/week | Full-time |
|---|---|---|
| $1k | Reaching $1k MRR by month 24 at about 15 hours a week: ≈ 55 in 100 (55%, judgment estimate). | Reaching $1k MRR by month 24 at full-time: ≈ 70 in 100 (70%, judgment estimate). |
| $3k | Reaching $3k MRR by month 24 at about 15 hours a week: ≈ 38 in 100 (38%, judgment estimate). | Reaching $3k MRR by month 24 at full-time: ≈ 55 in 100 (55%, judgment estimate). |
| $5k | Reaching $5k MRR by month 24 at about 15 hours a week: ≈ 27 in 100 (27%, judgment estimate). | Reaching $5k MRR by month 24 at full-time: ≈ 44 in 100 (44%, judgment estimate). |
| $10k | Reaching $10k MRR by month 24 at about 15 hours a week: ≈ 14 in 100 (14%, judgment estimate). | Reaching $10k MRR by month 24 at full-time: ≈ 28 in 100 (28%, judgment estimate). |
| $20k | Reaching $20k MRR by month 24 at about 15 hours a week: ≈ 5 in 100 (5%, judgment estimate). | Reaching $20k MRR by month 24 at full-time: ≈ 14 in 100 (14%, judgment estimate). |
| $50k | Reaching $50k MRR by month 24 at about 15 hours a week: ≈ 1 in 100 (1%, judgment estimate). | Reaching $50k MRR by month 24 at full-time: ≈ 3 in 100 (3%, judgment estimate). |
For context: across 10,150 products listing verified revenue on TrustMRR, the median makes about $30 a month and about 5% make more than $8k (analysis, Sept 2026). The odds above assume the founder conditions below are met and the narrowed version is built, so they sit well above that all-comers rate. Why.
How many months at the plan’s pace
At $150/month per customer and 1.5% monthly churn, adding the customers the plan needs for its month-24 checkpoint. Change any of it in the what-if model.
| MRR | ~15 hrs/week | Full-time |
|---|---|---|
| $1k | 3 mo | 2 mo |
| $3k | 7 mo | 4 mo |
| $5k | 13 mo | 6 mo |
| $10k | 2 yr 3 mo | 12 mo |
| $20k | 6 yr 1 mo | 2 yr 2 mo |
| $50k | not reached | 9 yr 1 mo |
This works only if you…
1. Trade access. This is the moat, and the main risk(missing it: odds × 0.4)
You, a co-founder or a paid advisor must have worked in or run a fire-extinguisher service company, and be able to get 10 shop owners on the phone within 30 days. Rentman and ZenMaid both came from the founder's own trade business (research/10). Without this, multiply every recommended figure by ~0.4. A founder with no trade access builds what seems logical, not what techs will use on a roof in the rain.
2. Sell before building(missing it: odds × 0.7)
5 shops paying ≥$99/month for a hands-on "we digitise your records and run your due list" service before any product code is written.
3. Hours in US business time(missing it: odds × 0.7)
At least 6 of your weekly hours must be live calls with US shop owners during their working day, plus doing the first 20 data migrations yourself. Owners buy from a person who picks up the phone.
4. Hours per week available(missing it: odds × 0.7)
, stated honestly up front. The two columns above are different plans, not one plan run faster.
Evidence ledger
11 research findings: 4 sourced, 1 inferred, 0 unproven, 6 not rated. Tags come from the analyst's own confidence label; how tags work.
- F1. Rentman: from the founder's own AV rental firm to $15–20M ARRSourced
- F2. ZenMaid: trade access, then a long climbNot rated
- F3. IDC: systems of record are harder for AI agents to displaceSourced
- F4. Fire-extinguisher and fire-safety inspectionNot rated
- F5. AHJ reporting portals charge contractors, and contractors re-key reportsNot rated
- F6. Pest controlNot rated
- F7. Party and event equipment rentalNot rated
- F8. Backflow testingNot rated
Sources
53 cited sources
- Indie Hackers (indiehackers.com)
- Rentman blog, investment (rentman.io)
- Practical Founders (practicalfounders.com)
- Indie Hackers story (indiehackers.com)
- Indie Hackers product page (indiehackers.com)
- Indie Hackers stories index (indiehackers.com)
- IDC blog (idc.com)
- IBISWorld (ibisworld.com)
- NAFED join page (nafed.org)
- directory (web.nafed.org)
- ServiceTrade pricing (new.servicetrade.com)
- fireitm (fireitm.com)
- Uptick pricing (uptickhq.com)
- Inspect Point (inspectpoint.com)
- FireInspected (fireinspected.com)
- Repair-CRM (repair-crm.com)
- Forz (forz.io)
- Brycer exhibitor PDF (conferenceharvester.com)
- The Compliance Engine (thecomplianceengine.com)
- Redmond FAQ (redmond.gov)
- Charleston (charleston-sc.gov)
- Compliance Sync (thecomplianceengine.com)
- NPMA (npmapestworld.org)
- eCFR (ecfr.gov)
- Texas 4 TAC §7.144 (law.cornell.edu)
- Capterra (capterra.com)
- GorillaDesk pricing (gorilladesk.com)
- ServiceTitan (servicetitan.com)
- Software Advice (softwareadvice.com)
- IBISWorld (ibisworld.com)
- Reservety (reservety.com)
- Capterra, Goodshuffle (capterra.com)
- InflatableOffice pricing (inflatableoffice.com)
- Booqable pricing (booqable.com)
- Maryland PDF (labor.maryland.gov)
- PA Code ch. 139 (pacodeandbulletin.gov)
- Texas 30 TAC 290.44 (law.cornell.edu)
- backflowpath (backflowpath.com)
- BSI (backflow.com)
- Dallas (dallascityhall.com)
- League City (leaguecitytx.gov)
- Smart Water Magazine (smartwatermagazine.com)
- Syncta (syncta.com)
- RevenueCat (revenuecat.com)
- ChartMogul (chartmogul.com)
- ChartMogul (chartmogul.com)
- MicroConf (microconf.com)
- Recurly (recurly.com)
- Vitally (vitally.io)
- ChartMogul retention report (chartmogul.com)
- Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- stockanalysis (stockanalysis.com)
- Jobber (getjobber.com)