From 6 Employees to 96 Vehicles: How to Scale a Home Services Business Without Losing Your Culture

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Carrie Kelsch, CEO of A Plus Garage Doors, to talk about her incredible journey from mortgage broker to running the largest garage door company in Utah. We covered everything from surviving the 2008 housing crisis to building systems and processes that took her from six employees to 96 vehicles on the road. Carrie shared her strategies for creating a strong company culture, implementing Service Titan to gain transparency across operations, and the decision to join Guild Garage Group in 2022. This conversation is packed with practical advice for any home services contractor looking to scale their business.What stood out most to me was Carrie's focus on the blue collar worker and her Youth in the Trades program that gives teenagers exposure to careers in the trades. She also emphasized the importance of making sure your technicians take ownership of customer reviews and creating a five star experience at every job. If you're in the home services space and want to grow, this episode is a must listen.Chapters:00:09 - The Value of Blue Collar Workers06:41 - Transition to the Garage Door Industry07:34 - Implementing Systems for Business Growth21:10 - Transitioning to Effective Marketing Strategies23:30 - The Shift to Digital Marketing37:09 - Transitioning to Guild Garage Group49:04 - Strategies for Success in Home ServicesCompanies MentionedA Plus Garage DoorsBlue Forge MarketingGuild Garage GroupExpert Garage DoorsGoldman Sachs 10,000 Small BusinessesService TitanLehman BrothersCountrywideWebsites Mentionedblueforgemarketing.comGuest InformationCarrie Kelsch is the CEO and founder of A Plus Garage Doors, which she started in 2005. She grew the company from six employees doing 1.5 million in revenue to 96 vehicles on the road pushing for 50 million in annual revenue. In 2022, she joined Guild Garage Group and expanded operations into Las Vegas.