In this episode of TradesTalk, Justin and Maggie sit down with Joe Lafigliola, founder of Process Smart, to explore how trades and service businesses can scale efficiently without breaking the bank on overhead.

Joe shares how Process Smart uses a remote team in India and the Philippines to handle critical back office tasks like estimating, AR and AP, lead follow ups, data entry, and more, which is giving owners breathing room to focus on growth.

They dig into why many companies stall between $4 to $10 million, how overhiring can kill profitability, and why you should build infrastructure for $20 million before you hit it.

If you are tired of wearing too many hats or overloading your team, this episode breaks down how to add horsepower without adding headcount and grow the right way.

In this episode of TradesTalk, Justin and Maggie sit down with Craig Muirhead, founder of Canopy Insurance Services, to talk about what it takes to build long-term business partnerships and scalable safety programs in the trades industry.

Craig, based in Santa Cruz, started his brokerage in 2020 after years in the corporate insurance world. He shares how he built his book of business from the ground up and why he walked away from the big firm model to deliver more personalized, relationship-driven service.

Justin reflects on their 12-year journey together, from when K&D was a $1 million business to now a $20 million company and how Craig was one of the few vendors to scale with them, playing a key role in shaping their internal safety culture.

Craig shares actionable advice on launching employee-led safety committees, when to implement them, and how to get real results with full management buy-in. He also explains how safety programs can reduce insurance costs and become a long-term asset, not just an annual task.

Whether you're focused on scaling your company, improving internal safety, or building better vendor relationships, this episode is packed with practical insights from one of the most trusted names in trades insurance.

In this episode of Trades Talk, host Justin White interviews Michael Ding, founder of Bobyard, a startup focused on leveraging AI to improve the landscaping industry. Michael shares his journey from growing up in Cupertino to building a company that trains AI models to read construction drawings, specifically for landscaping. The conversation delves into the importance of focusing on a niche, the challenges of implementing AI in traditional industries, and the significance of execution in startup success. Michael emphasizes the potential for AI to revolutionize estimating processes in landscaping, allowing companies to increase their capacity without necessarily hiring more staff. The discussion also touches on the vibrant startup ecosystem in San Francisco and the importance of attracting top talent in AI. Michael concludes with insights on the hard work and dedication required to build a successful startup, highlighting the lessons learned along the way.

Michael Ding LinkedIn

https://www.bobyard.com/

Chapters

00:00

Introduction to Bobyard and Michael Ding

02:19

The Evolution of Bobyard's Focus

05:50

Understanding AI in Construction

10:09

Narrowing Down to Landscaping

13:13

The Impact of Focused Strategy

15:39

Increasing Estimating Capacity with AI

18:06

The Role of Early Adopters in Technology

24:40

Commitment to Execution in Startups

29:02

Scaling Revenue Without Increasing Team Size

31:26

The AI Gold Rush: Opportunities and Challenges

32:09

The Startup Ecosystem: Hype vs. Reality

34:06

Investment Dynamics in AI

34:58

Evaluating AI Startups: Fundamentals Matter

39:23

Attracting Top Talent: The Engineer's Perspective

44:41

Future Vision: Smarter Drawings and Beyond

49:04

The Hard Truths of Startup Life