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Christopher Hoffmann
Christopher Hoffmann

#29 The Cost of Not Looking: problems that compound because nobody checked

#29 The Cost of Not Looking: problems that compound because nobody checked

Problems that grow quietly until you go looking: a field manager ratio that caps growth without anyone noticing, a price book that drifted off target with no bad actor involved, and a first 90 days that quietly decides whether a new hire sticks. We also cover what AI search means for how homeowners find a contractor, and why we'd rather lose a financing sale than let a customer get surprised by a bill.

Aug 25, 2026

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15 min read

#28. The One Meeting I Won't Delegate

#28. The One Meeting I Won't Delegate

How you onboard people and how you grow without renting every lead from Google turn out to be the same argument, told twice: the advantages that compound are the ones you build yourself, not the ones you buy. This issue makes that case once in how we bring new hires into a culture where safety and standards aren't negotiable, and once in why the cheapest lead you'll ever get is one you already earned from your own customer base. Same argument, two fronts.

Aug 3, 2026

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10 min read

#27 What You're Not Selling, Not Watching, and Not Showing Up For

#27 What You're Not Selling, Not Watching, and Not Showing Up For

This issue is about the stuff that doesn't make the highlight reel, at home and in the business. I share a leadership takeaway from Sun Valley on being present for the routine and not just the fun parts, how we're using AI to win back cancelled and dropped bookings, and why duct cleaning, appliance repair and insulation deserve more attention than most operators give them. I also break down what financing on smaller tickets can do for your close rate, and what I'm watching for at ServiceTitan's Pantheon 2026.

Jul 20, 2026

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9 min read

#26 Peak Season Doesn't Reward Hustle. It Rewards a Plan.

#26 Peak Season Doesn't Reward Hustle. It Rewards a Plan.

Peak season doesn't wait for you to be fully staffed, so this issue is about running your engine hard when demand spikes: reschedule low-priority maintenance calls, stretch hours with a clear win-win, and stand up flex crews to hit the surge with the team you already have. And underneath all of it sits a bigger point: chasing revenue and booking rates isn't in tension with people-first values, it's what funds them. Profit is the engine that makes everything else possible, so run your KPIs and your peak season plan with conviction, not apology.

Jul 1, 2026

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8 min read

#25 Five Things I Stopped Doing That Made Me a Better CEO

#25 Five Things I Stopped Doing That Made Me a Better CEO

This edition covers the discipline of subtraction -- what I stopped doing that made me a better CEO, and why the gap between a marketing tactic and a business model decision is worth understanding before it costs you a decade. We go honest on AI: what it actually means to say "people first" when the technology requires fewer people, and what fourteen months of real implementation looks like when the pitch deck version runs out. And for roofing operators, the insurance market is shifting faster than most sales processes have adjusted -- this one has the data and the argument for why financing is no longer optional.

Jun 16, 2026

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20 min read

#24 Why We Stopped Buying Our Trucks (And What the Numbers Taught Us)

#24 Why We Stopped Buying Our Trucks (And What the Numbers Taught Us)

This issue of The Path Less Traveled covers two decisions that look simple on the surface but carry real strategic weight as you scale: how you manage your data infrastructure and how you finance your fleet. In both cases, the lesson is the same — what felt right when you were smaller may no longer serve where you are going, and the discipline is in being willing to question the assumptions your operation was built on before they become the thing holding you back.

Jun 3, 2026

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13 min read

#23 Growth Is Great. Profitability Is the Point.

#23 Growth Is Great. Profitability Is the Point.

2026 is shaping up to be the year the work compounds. We're up 13% on the top line through April, EBITDA has improved by $2.65 million year over year, and the decisions we made quietly over the past two years, on technology, operations, people, and discipline, are showing up in the numbers. This issue covers what's driving the results, what summer financing readiness means for your close rate, why the mountain doesn't care how busy you were, and what it actually means to build a company where only the best can thrive.

May 18, 2026

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12 min read

#22 Build vs. Buy: A Framework for Thinking About AI

#22 Build vs. Buy: A Framework for Thinking About AI

This issue covers the build vs. buy decision in AI — a framework from venture investor Mike Volpi that cuts through the noise: only build if it creates a real competitive advantage, buy everything else, and never confuse a prototype with a production-ready tool. We also go deep on the service wrapper — the six-step system around the technical work that our customers actually write reviews about.

May 4, 2026

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10 min read

#21 Your company's budget is lying to itself

#21 Your company's budget is lying to itself

This issue covers the discipline of honest budgeting, why overhead commitments deserve more scrutiny than most operators give them, and how smart technology configuration is turning lost calls into booked jobs. We also look at what PE-backed competitors figured out about financing long before most independents did, and why Pantheon 2026 belongs on your calendar. The through-line across all of it: the gap between good operators and great ones is usually found in the details they choose not to ignore.

Apr 15, 2026

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19 min read

#20 I Spent $4.2 Million on Google Last Year.  Here's What I Actually Know About Whether It Worked.

#20 I Spent $4.2 Million on Google Last Year. Here's What I Actually Know About Whether It Worked.

Most home service operators can tell you what they spent on Google. Very few can tell you what they actually got for it. The companies that win long-term aren't just the ones who spend the most on marketing — they're the ones who convert that spend into lasting relationships, and then build a membership base that makes the next call free.

Apr 1, 2026

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10 min read

#19 The Most Important System in Your Business That Nobody Sees.

#19 The Most Important System in Your Business That Nobody Sees.

This week’s TPLT dives into a simple idea: the best operators win by mastering the fundamentals. From using “old-school” marketing like equipment stickering and cross-trade awareness, to building a reliable financial foundation, to leveraging tools like Netic and GreenSky to drive efficiency and close more deals—we explore practical ways to grow smarter, not just bigger. The common thread? Systems that remove friction, increase visibility, and help great teams execute at a higher level.

Mar 17, 2026

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20 min read

#18 The $10M Growth Trap Most Contractors Fall Into

#18 The $10M Growth Trap Most Contractors Fall Into

In this week’s issue of The Path Less Traveled, we explore two patterns I’ve seen repeatedly in the trades. First, why the best service companies aren’t flashy—they simply execute the fundamentals better than everyone else. Second, why many contractors stall at $5–10M in revenue, and what separates the businesses that break through from the ones that plateau.

Mar 5, 2026

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11 min read

#17 Our $500K Mistake. A 10% Conversion Lift. One Big Lesson.

#17 Our $500K Mistake. A 10% Conversion Lift. One Big Lesson.

This week’s issue is all about turning operational discipline into competitive advantage — from uncovering a hidden $500,000 filter expense to leveraging AI call scoring, smarter financing with GreenSky, and more rigorous ServiceTitan reviews. If you’re serious about scaling profitably, mastering your data, tightening execution, and pulling the right growth levers, this one’s for you. Plus: a teaser on mastering YOUR data and a few favorite tweets from the week.

Feb 16, 2026

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20 min read

#16 The Best Feedback I Ever Received, and 5 Things I Look For in Every Acquisition

#16 The Best Feedback I Ever Received, and 5 Things I Look For in Every Acquisition

In this week’s issue: the five things we look for in every home service acquisition, the best leadership feedback I ever received, and how ServiceTitan helps us train smarter. We also explore why AI never sleeping is great for customer service, how financing aligns with our win-win-win philosophy, and wrap up with actionable tips + a few favorite tweets from the week.

Jan 16, 2026

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19 min read

#15 Old Playbooks Don’t Win New Games

#15 Old Playbooks Don’t Win New Games

In this edition of The Path Less Traveled, I’m sharing two lessons that have reshaped how we lead and grow: first, the power of curiosity as a lifelong advantage—and why losing it could cost you your business. Second, a behind-the-scenes look at our $15.9M facility redesign, and how removing bottlenecks before they break you is the key to scaling with intention.

Jan 5, 2026

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12 min read

#14 Stop the Bleeding: Our Fix for Leaking Profits

#14 Stop the Bleeding: Our Fix for Leaking Profits

In this issue of The Path Less Traveled, we dive into the unglamorous (but mission-critical) work of collections—and how we keep AR write-offs below $50K in a $100M+ business. Plus, we share updates on our shift to GreenSky financing, a game-changing tweak to our capacity strategy, a spotlight on ServiceTitan’s Tom Howard, and a personal note on committing to sustainable health in 2025. These are the small hinges that swing big doors.

Dec 18, 2025

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16 min read

#13 Measure THIS in your AI-first Call Center...

#13 Measure THIS in your AI-first Call Center...

In this edition, I break down the two KPIs that matter most in an AI-powered call center: speed to answer and speed to resolution. These metrics are shaping how we blend AI automation with human responsiveness—and ensuring customer experience doesn’t get lost in the tech.

Dec 5, 2025

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14 min read

#12 Inside Our Shift to an AI-Led Call Center: panic, excitement, or a bit of both?

#12 Inside Our Shift to an AI-Led Call Center: panic, excitement, or a bit of both?

A look inside the bold moves we’re making—from going AI-first to revamping how we sell and finance service. Plus, takeaways from top entrepreneurs, recruiting insights, and why your pricebook deserves more attention.

Nov 20, 2025

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17 min read

#11 Meta Ads vs. Google Ads: How We’ll Spend (and Win) in 2026

#11 Meta Ads vs. Google Ads: How We’ll Spend (and Win) in 2026

We’re pulling back the curtain on how we chose our 2026 “work-on-the-business” initiatives—and how you can run the same process for your team. You’ll get quick-win “Things You Should” tactics, our operator’s guide to Meta vs. Google ad spend, and why I picked our founding sponsors. Plus a few personal snapshots and favorite tweets from the week.

Nov 7, 2025

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15 min read

#10 Reaching $100M by design.  Budgeting best-practices.

#10 Reaching $100M by design. Budgeting best-practices.

We explore our bottom-up budgeting approach, the power of networks like ServiceTitan, and how technology, AI, and strategic partnerships are reshaping the way we operate. As always, practical insights you can apply—whether you’re building your first plan or scaling toward nine figures.

Oct 20, 2025

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14 min read

#9 Profit vs Purpose.  You Don't Have to Compromise.

#9 Profit vs Purpose. You Don't Have to Compromise.

Profitability and purpose aren’t opposing forces—they’re mutually reinforcing. In this edition, I share why strong financial results are what enable us to invest in our people, pursue growth, and stay independent. Purpose without profit is fragile—but when the two work together, that’s when a company becomes unstoppable.

Oct 6, 2025

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18 min read

#8 What Smart Operators Are Tracking in 2025 (That Most Aren't)

#8 What Smart Operators Are Tracking in 2025 (That Most Aren't)

From AI risks to financing blind spots, here’s what you need to know to protect your margins and grow smarter. Tactical insights for contractors, operators, and acquirers who want to win in 2025—without taking their eye off the ball.

Sep 16, 2025

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17 min read

#7 Why buying a business might be the worst decision you make

#7 Why buying a business might be the worst decision you make

You’ve seen the headlines: “Entrepreneur acquires a business, scales it, sells it, and retires rich.” The untold side of entrepreneurship: what it really cost to build a $200M company -- from someone who has done it.

Sep 1, 2025

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17 min read

#6 My Secret Weapon for Business Growth: Outside Voices

#6 My Secret Weapon for Business Growth: Outside Voices

How I continuously learn & grow while leading our $200 million business. Financing and the future of service companies: inside our 2025 playbook.

Aug 18, 2025

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19 min read

#5 How much money should I pay my team?

#5 How much money should I pay my team?

Being intentional about your compensation philosophy, overcoming the aversion to "sales" in home services, and the financing programs our customers love.

Jul 31, 2025

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17 min read

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