Software that doesn’t work for you is a waste of money.

Operations strategy and AI readiness for the skilled trades.

Book Time

A few questions to determine if it makes sense to chat.

  1. What does a booked job cost you? Does that number match your P&L?

  2. When your team meets, do you look at the same numbers every week, or does someone build a new spreadsheet each time?

  3. Has anyone on your team used AI to save an hour this month? Would you know if they had?

Hesitation on any of these questions is a great place to start.

What I do

Step 1

Operations Audit

2-3 weeks, fixed fee

I'll review your internal processes, software stack, and raw data. I identify the top revenue leaks and prioritize them by size. We'll generate a 90 day plan together to fix the top leaks, including installing automations where appropriate.

Step 2

Build the Operating System

monthly retainer

Create a single source of truth for strategy, metrics, and roles/responsibilities; connect systems that don't talk to each other; install a meeting rhythm that keeps the team accountable to the same numbers. With accountability, we kill revenue leaks.

Step 3

Fractional Ops

ongoing, 1-2 days/week

Ongoing improvements and maintenance for the system we create + training as new tools or processes become available.

Pricing depends on shop size and tech stack, with Audits starting at $2500.

Who I am

Colin Ford

When I’ve been successful, it’s because I’ve been a good listener. I’m not always right, but I learn from my experiences and mistakes. For 5 years I built internal and external analytics for ServiceChannel, supporting our marketplace of thousands of contractors. We graded the homework of contractors so facilities operators could handpick the best. Through that experience, I learned how to build alignment in an organization, how to operationalize a strategy, and how to analyze what metrics to track to achieve that strategy. I also built an intuition for the complex challenges of running a trades business through our relationships with contractors and forecasting revenue for a business covering 100+ trades.

I left ServiceChannel because I wanted to help solve the many challenges that exist for contractors today. I used AI to build analytics and sales engines at early stage home services referral (TradeEngage) and hiring (Prentis) marketplaces.

I’m from Silver Spring, MD and my wife and I live in Chevy Chase, MD.

Common questions

What does an operations consultant for home services contractors do?
I build systems and processes that work, so you can spend more time on strategy and less in spreadsheet hell.
How is this different from Nexstar, BDR, or a marketing agency?
I am a builder and operator first, focused on making software work for you. I am also independent of any single software provider or organization, so our engagement will be unique to you.
Do I need to be on ServiceTitan?
Nope. 'Come as you are' - Nirvana… I work with everything from ServiceTitan to spreadsheets to “it’s in my head”.
Where does AI actually fit in a home-services business?
AI can build internal tools and automations that augment the work your humans already do. The key is establishing guardrails for what's human vs. AI owned, so AI isn't answering questions only a human should.
What is AI readiness for a home services business?
AI readiness means your business can actually use automation without it inheriting your existing problems. If your definition of a booked job is different in ServiceTitan and Quickbooks, an automation on top will only confuse things more. If your follow-up process lives in one person's head, AI can't run it. Readiness is fixing the data and the process first, so your company can operate off of a single source of truth or 'shared brain.' That is where the battle is won.
What areas do you serve?
I am based in the DC metro area and work in person across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. I also work remotely with home-services businesses nationwide.
What does this cost?
Pricing depends on shop size and tech stack, with Audits (typically 2-3 weeks) starting at $2500.
What happens when we part ways?
You own everything we build together, and it runs on company-owned systems. Nothing stops if I get hit by a bus.

Book an intro call with me - 30 minutes where I ask questions, and you share where you need help.