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- ⚒️ Surviving the Squeeze, Scaling the Right Way
⚒️ Surviving the Squeeze, Scaling the Right Way
Insurance hikes, hiring hurdles, and the moves savvy contractors are making to grow anyway.
👋 Hey Colorado Home Pros,
From labor shifts to insurance adjustments, the challenges keep changing—but so do the opportunities. In this edition, we break down what really matters for growing your business: building visibility, maximizing profit margins, and staying in tune with what today’s clients (and teams) care about.
Whether you’re planning your next service offering or mapping out your summer marketing, there’s a lot to keep in mind. Let’s get into it.
~ Brought to you by Amber & Eric Hoffman of Bumble Bee Blinds of Boulder and Franchise Solutions, this newsletter is your go-to resource for scaling and thriving as a Colorado home services business owner.

📦 FEATURE: Wildfire Mitigation Could Lower Homeowners’ Insurance—And Boost Your Business
According to the Aspen Times, a new Colorado law (HB 1182) is requiring insurers to offer discounts to homeowners who implement wildfire mitigation improvements. Think defensible space, fire-resistant roofing, ember-proof vents, and Class A-rated materials.
This is a game changer for service pros across Colorado.
Many homeowners—especially in wildland-urban interface zones—are actively searching for ways to bring down skyrocketing premiums. If you install, build, or maintain anything that helps reduce wildfire risk, your services just became significantly more marketable.
Why it matters for your business:
You can stand out by highlighting “insurance-credit eligible” services
Add value by educating clients on what qualifies and where to start
Use this shift to package fire-hardening upgrades into your existing offerings
🔥 Curious if your current services could qualify as wildfire mitigation? Hit reply and we’ll help you brainstorm ways to position them.

🧐 Who is Franchise Solutions?
Franchise Solutions is a full-service operational support agency based in Broomfield, Colorado, created specifically to help home-services business owners become more profitable—faster. We understand that running a franchise means juggling client intake, vendor coordination, marketing, and administrative tasks—often with limited resources. That’s where our expertise comes in.
Our team, led by experienced franchise operators and marketing professionals, delivers tailored services designed for home-services brands. We streamline your workflows with tools like CRM support, client tracking, billing automation, and COGS management. We also provide marketing muscle through lead-generation campaigns, SEO-optimized content, and reputation management using automated reviews and social media engagement.
Whether you’re a semi-absentee owner seeking operational relief or a growth-oriented franchisee ready to scale, we free up your time to focus on what matters—growing your business. Let Franchise Solutions be your partner in building a more efficient, scalable, and profitable home-services enterprise across Colorado. Just hit reply to this email and let us know where you are struggling the most - we might be able to help!

🤨 Now that you know more about us….
We want to hear directly from Colorado home services business owners like you. Take our quick 2-minute survey to share your biggest challenges and help us shape tools and support that actually move the needle for your business.


Not Sure What’s Holding You Back? We’ll Show You.
We created the Google Business Profile Audit for one reason: to help skilled, local service pros show up where it counts—without the cost of a full marketing agency.
For $599, you’ll get a detailed, personalized report that includes a competitor analysis plus:
🔍 Category & Keyword Optimization – Are you using the right category and keywords to show up in local search? We’ll break it down.
📸 Photo & Content Review – Visuals matter. We’ll analyze what’s missing and what needs improvement, keeping SEO front and center.
📍 Listing Accuracy & Consistency – We check your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across the web and identify mismatches that hurt your rankings.
💬 Review Health & Strategy – Get feedback on how to boost reviews the right way (and how to respond for SEO impact).
📈 Action Plan – You’ll get clear, easy-to-follow steps tailored to your profile to improve visibility fast.
🛠️ We built this for local business owners who want real insights and real impact—without a bunch of fluff.
👩🏻🏫 Put me in coach, I’m ready to play! In addition to the audit, we help you implement the audit results with a 3-month coaching plan for $300 per month.
👉 Click here to book your audit (pricing limited to the first 10 clients from this newsletter!)
Got questions? Reply and ask—we’re happy to help.
Did we mention? We spent a decade in SEO and we bring that experience to help home pros like you.

📊 Why Your Google Business Profile Matters More Than Social Media
For Colorado home service pros, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is your most powerful digital tool—and it outperforms social media when it comes to generating real leads. While platforms like Instagram or Facebook are great for brand awareness, your GBP shows up when it matters most: when someone is actively searching for your service in your area.
Whether it’s “roof repair in Lone Tree” or “custom blinds in Boulder,” Google prioritizes local listings—and that means your GBP directly impacts how often your business appears in Maps and local search. Unlike social media, which requires daily posting and paid ads to stay visible, your GBP works 24/7 to drive calls, website clicks, and quote requests from ready-to-hire customers.
If you're spending time on social but haven’t fully optimized your GBP, you may be missing out on your most valuable digital real estate.
📍 Let us show you how to make your GBP work harder.
For a comprehensive guide on setting up and optimizing your GBP, check out our blog: Setting Up a Google Business Profile.

🧱 Labor Shortages Are Costing the Industry Billions
According to a new study by the Home Builders Institute, the skilled labor shortage in construction and residential trades has cost the U.S. economy over $10 billion in lost activity and delays.
A separate study featured in Builder Online found that these shortages lead to increased project costs, longer build times, and missed opportunities across residential construction and home services.
What does that mean for Colorado service pros?
The demand for reliable, skilled professionals is only rising. Homeowners and contractors alike are struggling to find trusted partners who can show up and follow through. For small business owners, this is a chance to:
Raise your rates strategically
Invest in training or apprenticeships
Highlight your reliability and certifications in your marketing
Expand into underserved service areas
It’s also a great time to review your own systems and margins—if you're turning away work due to bandwidth, you may be leaving serious money on the table.
👷♀️ Feeling the squeeze in your labor pipeline? Reply and tell us what’s working—or where you’re stuck.

💰 Margins Matter More Than Ever
With labor costs rising and project timelines stretching, keeping a close eye on your margins isn’t just smart—it’s survival. Too many small service businesses grow their revenue but shrink their profit because they’re not tracking costs or charging enough.
We recently explored this in a Franchise Solutions–branded newsletter, and it continues to be a theme: strong marketing is great, but scaling without profit is just spinning wheels.
Here’s how to start tightening up:
Review job costing regularly—don’t rely on guesswork
Use your estimates to educate and upsell clients
Emphasize “profitable work only” in team planning
Automate basic admin like time-tracking and invoicing
📊 Wondering how your margins compare or where to start? Hit reply and we’ll point you to some of our favorite (free and low-cost) tools.

📅 Dates To Remember
Looking to build connections, grow your referral network, or just stay in the know? Here are a couple of upcoming events we’re excited to be part of—and we’d love to see you there.
🍹 HBA of Metro Denver PASS Committee Summer Networking
📍 June 25 | 5:00-7:00 PM | Centennial, CO
Hosted by the Purchasing Agents, Subcontractors, and Suppliers Committee of the HBA, this annual event brings homebuilders and vendors together under one roof, at Brookfield Residential.
🔗 Learn more and register here
☕ Longmont Chamber Home Pros, Networking Group
📍 July 2 | 8:30–9:30 AM | Longmont, CO
Hosted by us every first Wednesday morning of the month, this meetup brings together professionals offering residential and commercial services in the area. It's designed to share insights, referrals, and real tips for business growth in a casual coffee setting.
🔗 Learn more and register here
☕ Broomfield Chamber Home Services Power Partners Group
📍 July 11 | 8:30–9:30 AM | Broomfield Chamber Office
Also hosted by us, this monthly coffee event is focused on strengthening connections among home service pros, sharing referral opportunities, and discussing business growth strategies in the region. This event takes place every second Friday morning of the month.
🔗 Learn more and register here

📰 Other News Worth Watching
From real estate hiring trends to emerging consumer preferences, here are some insights that may impact how you grow and position your business this year:
📊 Colorado Real Estate Trends Highlight Hiring and Tech
According to a recent Denver Post survey of top real estate workplaces, companies are leaning into tech innovation, better communication, and culture-building to attract talent. Even for service pros, the lesson is clear: today’s best teams value flexibility, purpose, and efficiency.
🔗 Read more
🧠 30 Home Service Trends to Know in 2025
BDR’s roundup highlights what’s shaping the industry—from sustainability and automation to consumer demand for faster, more personalized service. A helpful list to sense where the market is headed and how to adapt your offerings.
🔗 Read more
🐾 Pet-Friendly Living Is Driving Renovation Choices
Homeowners are upgrading for their pets—think built-in feeding stations, pet-washing stations, and pet-safe materials. Service pros who understand these preferences can stand out by offering pet-friendly solutions.
🔗 Read more

Final Word
We know your time is valuable—so we pack each edition with news and strategies that actually help you grow. Have a story you want featured? A success to share? Just reply and let us know. We’d love to highlight what Colorado’s best are doing.

![]() | As we’ve worked to grow our own home services businesses, we’ve discovered strategies, tools, and lessons that we believe can benefit others in our community. Why go it alone when you can learn, grow, and succeed together? We’ve traveled the world, lived overseas, and scaled a variety of businesses to exit. Now, we call Broomfield home! |

