How This Texas Moving Company Hit 35% Margins in Just Two Years

Can a moving company really hit 35% profit margins? This one did.

Third-generation mover Jose Cavazos turned 20 years of industry experience into a 35% profit margin at Hook Em Up Moving—crushing the industry's typical 7%.

With 4 trucks and a 10-person crew, Hook Em Up is on track to hit $1M next year. The secret? Smart systems and a strong profitability platform to back them up.

"Having 20+ years in the industry, I know the backend stuff. I had paper contracts and processes developed. Now it’s all in SmartMoving. Would I ever go back? No way," Jose says.

From paper chaos to digital control

Hook Em Up's story probably sounds familiar: Started with Square. Graduated to Moverbase. Still drowning in paper.

"Paper contracts were killing us."

At first, Jose was running his business from home. Without an office, he was driving all over town collecting paperwork from the crew. The only way to book same-day moves was to keep a stack of blank contracts in the truck—and hope no one spilled coffee on them. Chasing down documents in time for weekly payroll was a nightmare.

The breaking point? Spending more time managing paper than managing moves.

That’s when Jose finally made the switch to SmartMoving. And the transition was "dead simple."

The SmartMoving switch

Two voices pushed Jose toward SmartMoving:

• His lead driver: "You need this. Trust me."
• His new sales hire: "Finally! I've used them all. SmartMoving's the best."

"I thought we were too small," Jose admits. "But my team knew better. They'd seen what SmartMoving could do." 

There was some sticker shock at first, but now he knows it's worth it. "It's not a cost. It's an investment in your business and people."

Jose tested Chariot, Supermove, and plenty of other platforms before settling on SmartMoving. The alternatives were either too new, too outdated, or too “nickle-and-dime-y” with their pricing.

"The team kept saying SmartMoving would be a game-changer. When we finally switched, it was clear that they were right."

Doubling revenue in less than 1 year

When he went all-in on SmartMoving, it paid off big time. 

Jose hoped to hit $250,000-300,000 in revenue at the end of 2024, his first full year in business. But he blew past expectations—all the way to $505,000! 

Now he and the team at Hook Em Up consistently bring in $60-80k a month and are on track for $700-800k by the end of this year.

"We hit numbers that I never would have thought possible. Started with one truck and a couple guys. Now we're at 4 trucks, 10 crew members, office staff, and a warehouse."

The secret to 35% margins

Most moving companies barely hit 7% profit. Hook Em Up's at 35%. How?

It starts with labor costs. "I've seen companies nearly shut their doors from 80% labor rates," Jose says. "Five guys milking the clock on a two-person job. No incentive to finish. Just bleeding money."

The fix? Commission-based pay. At his previous company, this one change took them from near-bankruptcy to six-figure profits in two years.

At Hook Em Up, that same model drives efficiency:

• Crews work smarter, not longer
• Jobs finish faster
• Everyone makes more money

The results speak for themselves. Hook Em Up recently expanded into interstate moves. Just this April, they did $80,000—with just two out-of-state moves making up a huge portion of that revenue.

"Whether it's a 1-hour job or a 10-hour job, we know exactly what we're paying," Jose says. "We don't have to worry about dead time between jobs, lunch breaks, or truck breakdowns. Our costs are dialed in and protected on all ends."

How SmartMoving powers profits 💪

"Everything's tracked, everyone's connected, nothing falls through the cracks," Jose says. Here's how:

📱 Smart operations

• Sales team closes deals from anywhere
• Crews document damages with photos
• RingCentral integration keeps calls flowing
• Automated texts keep everyone informed

💰 Interstate moves made easy

• Digital contracts (no more 3-ply paper!)
• 50% deposits before departure
• Real-time payment processing

📊 Money under control

• Weekly payroll in minutes, not hours
• Wise tagging tracks every dollar
• Profit tracking by job
• No more chasing paperwork

Jose’s advice: Trust the process

"This business tests everyone," Jose says. "You're dealing with people in tough situations. Customers facing divorce and loss. Crews going up and down stairs in 100-degree heat. As business owners, we have to have compassion.

“At the end of the day, I have to remember: this is my company, and nobody’s going to respect it or value it as much as I do. Not everything is going to go the way I want, but it’s going to work out.”

His recipe for success:

• Start with solid systems
• Build a team that cares
• Let technology lighten the load

After just one year in business, Jose didn’t let worries of being “too small” stop him from investing in software he knew he needed.

"I thought hopefully in 5-7 years, we’d crack that million-dollar egg. We just started this as a legit company in 2023, and here we are in 2025, already seeing that goal in sight.”

With starter and growth plans, SmartMoving makes it easy for young companies to get on board and grow fast—from a few trucks all the way to 80 locations!