Field notes
The trades business
Private equity is buying your competitors, your software is older than it looks, and every shop is short on techs. Here's what's changing in home services and what an independent shop can do about it.
The trades businessTrades 2030: What Does the Future Look Like?
Skilled trades won't disappear by 2030—but the way you run your business will look very different. Here's what to expect and how to prepare.
Feb 16, 2026 · 5 min read
The trades businessPrebuilt vs. Custom Assemblies: Which One Fits Your Business?
Not every automation problem needs a custom solution — and not every prebuilt fits your workflow. Here's a practical framework for choosing the right approach for your trades business.
Jan 22, 2026 · 5 min read
The trades businessFrom Chaos to Calm: How One Aggregator Streamlined 5 Companies
A composite case study of how one skilled trades aggregator used modular AI automations to standardize operations across five brands—without forcing teams into a rigid new system.
Jan 22, 2026 · 6 min read
- The trades business
The Building Bricks of Business: Why Modular Tech Wins in the Trades
Rigid all-in-one software holds growing trades businesses back. Modular tech—built like snap-together building bricks—lets you start small, adapt fast, and scale without rebuilding everything from scratch.
Jan 22, 2026 · 4 min read
The trades business5 ServiceTitan Gaps We've Solved with Automation
ServiceTitan is the strongest platform in the trades—but it still leaves gaps that cost you time every day. Here are five we've fixed with automation.
Jan 22, 2026 · 4 min read
The trades businessHow to Compete with PE-Backed Aggregators as an Independent
When a PE-backed trades brand rolls into your market, you won't beat them by trying to become them. Here's how automation gives independents the speed, trust, and execution to compete — without burning out your team.
Jan 22, 2026 · 4 min read
The trades businessHow Aggregators Can Scale Smarter with AI-Driven Systems
For PE-backed aggregators, buying revenue is the easy part — operating at scale is the hard part. AI-driven systems offer a smarter path: standardize outcomes across the portfolio without forcing every brand into a painful overhaul.
Jan 13, 2026 · 5 min read
- AI, explained
Who's Using AI in the Skilled Trades? And What For?
A 2025 survey of 400+ trades professionals reveals adoption rates, time savings, and the top barriers holding businesses back from using AI.
Feb 18, 2026 · 2 min read
Your peopleFrom TikTok to Tool Belts
Ford and Carhartt have joined forces to promote skilled trades careers and help train the next generation of workers—part of a growing nationwide trend of major companies investing in the trades workforce.
Feb 16, 2026 · 2 min read
AI, explainedThe Future of Trades Tech: AI as the New Crew Member
AI isn't coming to replace your trades team—it's coming to work alongside them. Here's what that actually looks like in practice.
Jan 22, 2026 · 4 min read
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More topics
“Why does the phone ring all day and still miss the calls that matter?”
The phones
5 postsOpen“Where's my tech?”
Keeping customers in the loop
11 postsOpen“What happens to the rest of the day when one job runs long?”
Dispatch and the board
13 postsOpen“What does the tech need before they pull into the driveway?”
Out in the field
3 postsOpen“Why did they go with the other guy?”
Winning and keeping customers
3 postsOpen“Where did the margin go?”
Money and the numbers
10 postsOpen“How do you find good techs, and keep them?”
Your people
4 postsOpen“What is all this AI stuff, and should I care?”
AI, explained
13 postsOpen