The Catalyst for the Trades

ACHR News’ first HVAC Contractor Forum brings residential HVAC contractors together to learn from experienced operators, discuss business challenges, and exchange ideas they can use at home. In this episode, Carrie Cypert and Kyle Gargaro explain what attendees can expect November 2–4, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. View the agenda and register: https://hvaccontractorforum.com/ Hiring shortages, rising e...

What would completely stop if you disappeared from your business for two weeks? That question can expose exactly where your company still depends too heavily on you. In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley sits down with Amy Fink, COO of Built By The Trades, to talk about owner bottlenecks, decision-making, leadership, hiring, AI, and what it actually takes to build a business...

WordPress Hacked? What to Do After a Hack (and Why Updates Aren't Enough) What would you do if you learned your website has been hacking your own customers? That's not a hypothetical. In this emergency livestream of the Catalyst for the Trades podcast, host Jennifer Bagley (owner of CI Web Group) sits down with CI Web Group CTO Chris Heney after a wave of hacked WordPress sites hit home-...

AI is making it easier than ever to build software that looks finished. For contractors and home service business owners, that creates a new problem: How do you know whether an AI platform, dashboard, or application is actually built to run a business? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, host Jazmin Ramirez sits down with Jennifer Bagley, CEO of CI Web Group, and Chris Heney, CTO of CI Web...

What happens when technology is built around the problems contractors are actually facing every day? Jennifer Bagley sits down with Charlie Vecchio of Built by the Trades to break down a growing suite of tools designed to help home service businesses improve visibility, accountability, reviews, pricing, financial planning, and customer acquisition. The conversation goes beyond software. Jennifer a...

What happens when AI moves beyond prompts and starts becoming part of how you actually run the business? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley sits down with Matthew Palmieri of My Happy Home to talk about his evolution from using ChatGPT for basic searches to building AI agents and systems around real home service operations. Matthew shares lessons from building with AI, inc...

AI can make your business faster, more efficient, and more consistent. But if the technology keeps getting better while your people stay the same, what happens next? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , Jennifer Bagley sits down with Erica Leonor, co-founder of Voxa, for a conversation about the human side of customer service, sales, leadership, and AI. Erica has spent years coaching and t...

Most home service business owners don’t need to decide today whether they’ll eventually sell. They do need to build a company that could be sold. In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley sits down with David Hori, Founder of Topline Operators, to break down what makes a trades business valuable, durable, and less dependent on its owner. David brings experience from three success...

Artificial intelligence is changing the trades, but the biggest opportunity isn't replacing technicians. It's helping contractors build smarter systems, automate operations, improve profitability, and make better business decisions. In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , Jennifer Bagley is joined by Paul Wiese and Charlie Vecchio from Built by the Trades to explore how AI is transf...

What happens when AI changes the rules of marketing faster than most contractors can keep up? In this episode of The Catalyst for the Trades , Jennifer Bagley is joined by longtime friend, strategist, and business consultant Casey Eberhart for a candid conversation about where the industry is headed, and why most contractors are still playing yesterday's game. Together, they explore why AI is...

AI-powered attorneys are now filing automated ADA lawsuits, and the average settlement costs $52,000. Is your website exposed? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , host Jazmin Ramirez sits down with Jennifer Bagley for a no-nonsense breakdown of what ADA website accessibility actually means for home service businesses right now. Jennifer shares why most websites—whether built on WordPress,...

Last Chance to Register | Climb to $10M+ | May 5-7 | Houston, Texas Are you a trades business owner stuck under $10M? This is the event that changes that.  Join host Jennifer Bagley alongside Chuck & Dana Staszkiewicz, Craig Wendel, Crystal Williams, Lindsey Beckstrom, and Paul Childers — six industry experts covering every cogwheel of your trades business — for a 3-day war room style workshop...

Sick of conferences that pump you up but don’t move the needle? Jennifer Bagley welcomes guest Chuck Staszkiewicz for a candid, behind-the-scenes look at Climb to $10M—the high-accountability, workshop-driven event hosted by The Opus & Golds Group. Jennifer and Chuck unpack what makes it different: capped attendance, curated experts, real implementation time, and a strict no-selling environmen...

Most contractors are either ignoring AI or getting distracted by flashy tools they don’t actually need. In this episode, Jennifer Bagley talks with Cameron Herold, the operational expert who helped build 1-800-GOT-JUNK and mentored industry leaders like Tommy Mello. They discuss why the "old-school" basics—like answering the phone and having branded trucks—matter more than ever in an aut...

Most contractors know the feeling: you pay for leads that five other companies get, you chase calls late, and your software stack keeps growing—but not your margins. Builder Market’s Founder Brett Taylor and Co-Founder Louis Vierra come from the trades. They built an AI-first platform that keeps things simple: a free listing that customers can trust, pro-to-pro networking, a built-in CRM and price...

How do women in the trades go from underfunded marketing and clunky tech to dominating their local markets with AI and automation? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , host Jennifer Bagley sits down with three powerhouse home service entrepreneurs—Courtney Van Delden Supplee (Van Delden Wastewater Systems), Amanda Casteel (Cherry Blossom Plumbing), and Stephanie Allen (AirWorks Solutions)....

In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, Jennifer Bagley is joined by Robert Leath, founder of a thriving HVAC business, and his dedicated account executive, Vee Nettles. Robert shares his raw and inspiring journey from working for a large corporation to risking it all to build his own company from the ground up. He offers a transparent look at the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship, f...

What does authentic leadership actually look like for women in the trades? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, host Jennifer Bagley sits down with Laura Kelly and Kathryn Elizabeth for a direct, no-filter conversation about leadership, self-respect, and showing up fully as a woman in business. The discussion covers what it means to lead with honesty, even when it’s uncomfortable. Laura and...

How do you build a home service business that thrives today and is ready for a profitable exit tomorrow? In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, Gregg Schonhorn of SF&P Advisors joins Jennifer Bagley to share proven strategies for maximizing business value, preparing to sell, and staying ahead with AI and tech adoption. Gregg combines 20+ years of Wall Street experience with deep knowledge...

CPA Meaghan Likes, founder of Likes Accounting, shares proven tips to help contractors clean up their books, simplify ServiceTitan integration, and gain financial clarity. In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades , Meaghan and Stephanie Allen of AirWorks explain how to turn accounting chaos into clarity, make data-driven decisions, and build a profitable, scalable business. In this conversation,...

AI is already transforming how businesses connect and grow. In this episode, Jennifer Bagley sits down with Remy Skerjanz, co-founder of Sales Blaster AI, for an inside look at what’s truly changing in digital marketing, lead generation, and customer experience. Remy breaks down his partnership journey with Max, why they bet on AI voice and agentic technology, and how their tools help businesses o...

Running a successful septic company for 88 years takes more than experience — it takes innovation. In this episode of Catalyst for the Trades, host Jennifer Bagley and strategist Vee Nettles talk with Courtney Van Delden Supplee, owner of Van Delden Wastewater Systems, about how she’s keeping her fourth-generation business thriving with AI, automation, and data-driven marketing. Courtney shares ho...

Ready to future-proof your trade business and increase its value? In this high-impact episode of Catalyst for the Trades , Jennifer Bagley sits down with revenue strategist Casey Eberhart—known as The Ideal Networker —for a straight-talk discussion on building lasting, profitable companies in the trades. Drawing on decades of experience buying, selling, and advising service businesses, Casey share...

AI is rewriting the rules of SEO and digital marketing. In this episode, Jennifer Bagley talks with Seth Humble about how AI search is transforming how home service businesses show up, rank, and convert online. Seth shares his journey from the oil fields of Texas to leading AI integration, SEO innovation, and Webflow adoption at one of the most forward-thinking agencies in the trades. They break d...

Is your marketing all over the place—or all dialed in? This week, Jennifer Bagley sits down with Crystal Williams, co-founder of Lemon Seed Marketing and a lifelong contractor, for a brutally honest, high-energy look at what’s working (and what’s not) in the trades right now. Crystal shares battle-tested insights on branding, marketing strategy, personal accountability, and the crucial role of col...