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#3 Future-Proofing Home Services: AI, Financing, and Family Values

#3 Future-Proofing Home Services: AI, Financing, and Family Values

CEO Isn't My Most Important Job (And Other Hard-Won Lessons)

Christopher Hoffmann
July 02, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes

In Today’s Newsletter

My most important title isn’t “CEO” - it’s “dad”
Preparing for a successful ServiceTitan implementation
Your core business chokes out innovation
Here is what my call center will look like 12 months from now
What I’ve learned from 10 years of offering financing to customers
Favorite Tweets from the past week

All of your leadership problems. Solved with the right hire. Uncommon Elite.

My friend and former Army 160th pilot, Christian Ruf, is helping business owners build high-performing teams by placing special operations veterans - think Navy SEALS, Army Rangers, Green Berets - in senior operations roles inside of businesses like yours. Check out his business, Uncommon Elite, and let him know that Chris sent you.

What’s on my mind?

I’ll be honest…

A Moment of Gratitude

Last week, I had the privilege of accepting an award (photo on the right) that recognized entrepreneurship—a title that still feels a bit surreal to me because, candidly, I didn’t actually start this business.

That credit belongs fully to my dad, Robert, who founded Hoffmann Brothers with a toolbox, a clear vision, and—perhaps most importantly—a wife willing to co-sign on the risk.

My mom, Mary, supported a dream built initially on little more than a few service trucks and a prayer. She raised four kids and carved out her own successful career, all while dad was raising this business, somehow making both look effortless.

To my daughter, Penny, who joined me at the ceremony: thank you for keeping me grounded and reminding me daily that my most important title isn’t CEO—it’s Dad. Your dad. I hope one day you reflect on this moment and believe deeply in your ability to build something meaningful too.

To my wife, Teresa, who couldn’t be there because she was at home managing our other two small, highly energetic kids: I owe you more than I could ever express. Your unwavering support makes everything possible, and I am endlessly grateful.

Finally, to our 600+ incredible team members at Hoffmann Brothers and HB Solutions Group—this recognition truly belongs to you. Every day you show up with professionalism, pride, and purpose. You build trust with our customers, support each other, and somehow manage to translate my ambitious ideas into real, tangible results.

Together, we are building something special—and we’re doing it the right way: with people, purpose, and long-term, committed ownership at our core. I am profoundly proud and grateful to be on this journey with you all.

— Chris H

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year event in Minneapolis this month.

The Tugboat Institute Summit in Sun Valley Idaho this June - an event with CEO’s of purpose-driven, privately held organizations across the globe.

Happy 4th of July! Check out that machine gun :)

This is Charlie. He arrives to our farm in August, and is the first bull in our Highland breeding program. Calves coming 2027.

Things you should…

If your customer experience feels inconsistent as your business expands, you should implement standardized processes that create a seamless, uniform customer journey. Remember, consistency builds trust.
70% of the talking in your meetings is done by the same 1-3 people, you should bring more balance into these conversations by inviting the quiet folks in the room to share their opinion, and providing feedback to those who dominate discussions.
If you haven’t revisited your company’s operating agreement or the legal documents that govern your business or your trust in many years, you should. Period.

Technology Corner

Preparing for a successful ServiceTitan implementation.

Signing the contract to launch ServiceTitan in your business is the easy part. The real work begins in preparing for your implementation. Let me explain.

I think about our ServiceTitan journey in three phases.

Phase 1: Implementation

Phase 2: “Go-Live”

Phase 3: Optimization

Let’s unpack each of these in more detail, starting with implementation.

Launching ServiceTitan within your company is an effort that requires collaboration and input from across functions.

At our company, we started by putting together an implementation team. Here’s who we wanted on this team:

Representation from critical internal functions to include operations, sales, call center, accounting, and memberships.
Critical thinkers and problem solvers - folks who could identify issues, design solutions, and think about the 2nd and 3rd order effects of their decision making.
Lastly, we wanted an executive sponsor who would take overall ownership of this project, and provide the project management and leadership that is necessary to ensure success.

The more work your team can do during implementation - the greater the impact ServiceTitan will have on your operation post “go-live”.

A few caution areas for your implementation team:

Don’t get married to your existing processes. If necessary, be open to adjusting your processes to best accommodate workflows supported by ServiceTitan, and seek experience and perspectives from high-performing peers.
Details matter. Especially when it comes to your data migration. Dig in here, and ensure that your data migration is both comprehensive AND that all information has been placed in the correct location inside of Service Titan.
Test in parallel. After you’ve migrated your data, configured your tenant, and designed your team’s workflows — you should have a group of team members spend 2 weeks doing their job inside of both your current system AND inside of your ServiceTitan test environment. Don’t miss the opportunity to confirm everything works the way you want it to.

After your have finished testing in parallel, you are ready for “go-live”. Be prepared to have additional resources, training and support available for all of your team members during the two week period that follows.

Getting through your “go live” date is just the beginning of your journey with ServiceTitan. To borrow a football analogy - you’ve just made it to the 50-yard line. Halfway there.

Phase 3: Optimization is where you can continue to configure your tenant, activate Pro Products, create custom reports, implement configurable payroll, refine your pricebook, utilize Forms, offer third party financing and more.

Reminder: you don’t have to recreate the wheel. Find companies who are “power users” of ServiceTitan… and talk to them. Visit them if you can. This will accelerate your learning tremendously.

#grateful to have ServiceTitan sponsoring this section of TPLT

Why is innovation so hard?

Know when your core business is choking out innovation

In “old-economy” industries like ours, innovation doesn’t always come easily.

The skilled trades are often defined by long-established practices, technologies that have seen minimal change over decades, and seasoned professionals who have built careers mastering tried-and-true methods.

This backdrop creates a natural tension within businesses—particularly when it comes to innovation.

Every small business owner faces the challenge of managing finite resources: time, money, and talent.

The core business, the steady engine that generates current revenue, understandably demands significant resources. Yet, if unchecked, the core business can easily consume all available resources, effectively starving innovative projects or explorations of new ideas.

This tension can lead organizations down a path of incrementalism, where

risk-averse behaviors dominate
innovation becomes stifled
potential breakthroughs remain unrealized

The question for us as leaders is:

How can we actively manage this tension and create an environment where innovation thrives alongside our core operations?

At HB Solutions Group, we've recognized the critical importance of this balance. Here are three strategies we've found effective:

1. Dedicated Innovation Resources: To ensure that innovation doesn't get sidelined, carve out dedicated resources explicitly for innovative projects.

This could mean allocating a small, dedicated team or setting aside a specific budget. Creating clear boundaries around innovation ensures your forward-thinking initiatives don’t constantly compete for resources with your core business.

2. Leadership Commitment and Clarity: Innovation requires clear, unwavering support from leadership.

Communicate why innovation is essential to your company's long-term success, and consistently reinforce its importance. Clearly articulate innovation goals, just as you do with core business objectives, so that team members understand that investing in innovation isn't optional—it's fundamental.

3. Fostering a Culture of Curiosity: Encourage your team to remain curious and willing to experiment.

Provide opportunities for learning and exploring new technologies, processes, or methods—even in areas traditionally resistant to change. For example, integrating AI tools for customer service or optimizing workflows can lead to significant operational improvements, enhancing both customer satisfaction and efficiency.

By acknowledging and managing the tension between supporting your core business and nurturing innovation, you can transform this natural friction into a powerful engine for growth and competitive advantage.

Your core business is essential—it's the foundation that enables innovation—but innovation is what ensures your business continues to thrive into the future.

As we move forward in our journey at HB Solutions Group, we're committed to balancing our daily operational demands with an intentional investment in innovation. We believe this balanced approach is crucial to our long-term vision: becoming the most successful, purpose-driven home service business in the country.

CyberNetic Labs - bringing powerful Agentic AI tools to the trades

Here is what our call center will look like in the not-too-distant future

Imagine a world where customer calls are answered instantly—day or night—with perfect accuracy and immediate responsiveness.

Imagine a dispatch system that perfectly assigns each service request to the right field professional, maximizing both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

At HB Solutions Group, we're not just imagining this future; we’re actively building it.

Over the next 12 months, our call center and dispatch operations will undergo a remarkable transformation through our partnership with CyberNetic Labs (or “Netic” for short).

Leveraging advanced AI technology, we’re moving towards a model where AI takes the front seat—supported, enhanced, and overseen by our exceptional human team members.

Infinite Scalability with AI

With Netic’s AI, our call center achieves infinite scalability. Our AI agents can handle every incoming call and digital inquiry simultaneously, eliminating long wait times and dropped calls, even during peak demand periods.

This means no customer is ever left waiting, no matter how busy the day becomes.

Perfect Accuracy, Every Time

Our AI agents will collect 100% of the necessary customer information correctly every single time, removing the risk of human error. This consistent accuracy allows us to better understand and serve our customers from the first interaction, ensuring seamless service experiences.

Intelligent Prioritization and Optimal Dispatching

Netic’s AI agents won't just answer calls—they’ll intelligently prioritize each service request based on urgency, complexity, customer history, and operational capacity.

This prioritization ensures that critical situations receive immediate attention, while all service needs are promptly addressed.

Moreover, the AI-driven dispatch system optimally assigns calls to field professionals, aligning technician skills with job requirements, location, and current workload. This results in improved job satisfaction for our team and faster, more effective service for our customers.

Human Expertise Enhances AI

While our AI agents will handle initial interactions, our talented human team remains vital, providing oversight, managing complex customer escalations, and continuously training and refining the AI models. Our team ensures that the AI stays aligned with our core values of exceptional service, integrity, and care.

What Does This Mean?

For customers this means exceptional, timely service and enhanced satisfaction.

For our field professionals, it means receiving clearer, more accurate dispatch information and optimized scheduling.

For our call center team, it means shifting their roles toward managing sophisticated customer interactions and supporting strategic initiatives.

At HB Solutions Group, innovation is our commitment to ensuring we deliver the best outcomes for our customers and team members alike. Through our strategic partnership with Netic, we’re not only embracing the future—we’re defining it.

Join us as we revolutionize our service experience.

#grateful to have Cybernetic Labs sponsor this section of TPLT

Structuring our partnerships: win-win… win

We are searching for the RIGHT partners.

HB Solutions Group continues to look for partners who want to build their business the right way, and do it with people they like.

If you own an HVAC, plumbing, electrical or roofing service & retrofit business, please reply to this email if you want to explore what a partnership with HB Solutions Group could look like.

*We are looking for the following types of companies to partner with:

HVAC, plumbing, electrical or roofing industries
An owner who values the longevity + stewardship of their people & company
Over 50% of revenue from residential service & retrofit
Not too heavy into new construction (none is preferred)
Willing to embrace positive change to drive “wins” for shareholders, employees, and customers

Consumer Financing¹

Every Customer, Every Time:

The Importance of Offering Financing Options

As a residential service provider, we serve diverse communities—ranging from affluent neighborhoods with luxury homes to modest neighborhoods with affordable housing.

Our commitment remains consistent across the board: delivering exceptional customer service on every single call.

Yet, one critical insight our team has uncovered is this: a home's value or neighborhood should never be a predictor of a customer's financial situation or their need for financing options.

In today's economic landscape, appearances can be deceptive.

In 2025, homeowners in stunning, upscale properties may be stretched financially thin, holding limited cash reserves despite their outwardly affluent lifestyle.

Conversely, residents of modest neighborhoods might comfortably pay cash for substantial home repairs without needing financial assistance.

This reality means that our sales and service professionals have a responsibility: to never assume and always offer. Offering third-party consumer financing options on every service call is not just good practice—it's essential customer service.

When our team consistently presents financing options, we empower every homeowner to make informed decisions about their repairs or improvements.

For some, financing provides a crucial pathway to immediate solutions without financial strain.

For others, it simply presents an alternative worth considering for larger investments.

In all cases, it demonstrates our commitment to transparency, choice, and comprehensive service.

Let's stay committed to educating our customers on their financial choices—every customer, every call. It's not just good for business; it's the right thing to do.

#grateful to have GreenSky® Home Improvement sponsor this section of TPLT

¹ The views and opinions expressed here are owned by The Path Less Traveled and its author and may not reflect the views of GreenSky®

This Week’s Favorite Tweets

Friends of The Path Less Traveled

Who are the VENDORS that fuel our success?

MARKETING

Choosing a marketing agency that is both (1) competent and (2) CARES about your specific business is hard. Over the last 5 years, I have become great friends with the founder of RYNO Strategic Solutions, Chris Yano, and can say with confidence that his agency is among the few that I would trust with my own brands. If you are searching for a partner, put them on your list to evaluate. Send a note to Jeff Bowab at [email protected] and tell him that I sent you.

PAYROLL & HR

Inova Payroll & HR has been a partner to our companies for over 10 years. They have provided us with a payroll technology platform that has been able to keep pace with the demands of our fast-growing organization (now serving team members across 4 states). Inova’s platform works seamlessly with our CRM, ServiceTitan, and with our accounting back-end, Sage Intacct.

COACHING & TRAINING

If there is one organization - perhaps more than any other - that has fueled our growth over the last 10 years… that organization would be Nexstar Network. I like to say that Nexstar Network has built & refined a “process playbook” that touches on so many facets of our business. From dispatching, to call taking, to in-home customer service, to pricing methodologies and more. Don’t try and re-create the wheel… come and learn from the best. Becoming a member is a life changing opportunity.

#grateful for the “Friends of TPLT” sponsors in this section

Hey…I could use your help connecting with like-minded business leaders:

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