The Builder Market: Putting the Power Back in the Hands of Trades Pros

If you’re done paying for junk leads, juggling a Frankenstack of disconnected apps, or wondering how to use AI to actually win more jobs—this episode is for you. On Catalyst for the Trades, CI Web Group CEO Jennifer Bagley sits down with Builder Market founders Louis Vierra and Brett Taylor to unpack how an AI-first marketplace and all-in-one operations suite is helping contractors take back control of their pipeline, process, and profits.

Episode at a glance

• What it is: An AI-powered marketplace plus all-in-one platform for contractors and home service businesses.
• Why it matters: Exclusive, high-intent leads, built-in collaboration, and business management without 10+ subscriptions.
• Who it’s for: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, remodeling, roofing, and specialty trades—from solo operators to multi-location teams.

Why you should listen

Louis and Brett built Builder Market after living the headaches of overpriced lead platforms, dead-end “directories,” and disjointed software. Their mission: fair lead access, modern AI that works behind the scenes, and tools designed around how contractors actually sell and operate.

What you’ll learn

1. How AI powers a better trades marketplace

• Smarter lead matching: AI helps route high-intent homeowners to the right pros by trade, service type, location, availability, and historical performance.
• Less noise, more signal: Expect fewer tire-kickers and more projects aligned with your pricing, capacity, and specialties.
• Embedded intelligence: From suggested responses and follow-ups to dynamic tasking, AI supports the workflow so you can respond faster and close more jobs.

2. The end of lead gouging

• Exclusive, real opportunities: Unlike pay-to-rank directories or race-to-the-bottom marketplaces, Builder Market focuses on exclusive or tightly shared, actionable leads.
• Pay for performance: You pay when you get a real opportunity—not for impressions, vague “exposure,” or listings that never convert.
• Clear controls: Define your service area, job types, budgets, and capacity so you don’t waste time or money.

3. All-in-one business management—no more Frankenstack

• Run the core: CRM, estimates, invoicing, scheduling, dispatch, communications, and file sharing in one place.
• Ops without chaos: Centralize job notes, photos, and approvals. Keep customers in the loop with status updates and reminders.
• A viable alternative: For many shops, the functionality can serve as a streamlined alternative to heavyweight legacy systems—without the bloat or price tag.

4. Open collaboration for pros

• Build your network: Need an electrician on a remodeling project? Bring in vetted pros directly from the platform.
• Slack-style messaging: Chat with subs, share blueprints, track decisions, and keep conversations attached to jobs for accountability.
• Faster fulfillment: Bid together, finish faster, and elevate your client experience.

5. Fast setup for any size contractor

• 20-minute launch: Claim your listing, build your profile, set service areas, and go live.
• Real support: The founders stay close to the product and the pros using it—your feedback shapes the roadmap.
• Grow at your pace: Start with leads, add operations as you’re ready.

6. Future-proofing with AI-driven marketing and content

• Hydra website builder: Coming ecosystem tools make it simple to launch a fast, SEO-ready site connected to your Builder Market profile.
• Intelligent pricing engines: Data-informed pricing recommendations by market, seasonality, and demand.
• AI-powered content: From service pages to FAQs, publish consistent, on-brand content that’s visible to search engines and helpful to homeowners.

7. Transparent pricing, refunds, and control

• Budget certainty: Set caps, approve lead types, and pause when you’re booked out.
• Easy disputes: Quickly flag out-of-area, spam, or non-project leads to request refunds or credits.
• Your business, your rules: Keep visibility into every dollar spent and every opportunity delivered.

8. Built with contractors, for contractors

• Hands-on founders: No black box, no “set it and forget it.” Real humans who understand home services.
• Roadmap that listens: Your feature requests, integrations, and pain points drive what gets built next.
• Built for the next decade: A platform designed to adapt with AI and changing consumer expectations.

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What this means for you

If you’re a home service business owner who wants predictable lead flow, cleaner operations, and tech that helps (not hurts), Builder Market delivers a modern alternative to old-school directories and bloated software. It’s a contractor-first model that respects your margins, protects your time, and helps you win better work.

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Action plan: 5 steps to try this week

1. Claim your free listing: Complete your profile, add services, service areas, licenses, photos, and recent projects.
2. Set guardrails: Define budget, job sizes, and capacity so you only see the right opportunities.
3. Connect your comms: Turn on in-app messaging and notifications so you can respond within minutes.
4. Pilot a process: Run one job end-to-end on the platform—estimate, schedule, invoice, collect payment—and measure time saved.
5. Collaborate: Pull a trusted sub into a test project. Share plans, chat in-thread, and document everything.

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Who should listen to this episode

• Owners and GMs ready to move beyond Angie/Thumbtack/HomeAdvisor-style churn-and-burn.
• Ops leaders tired of duct-taping CRMs, schedulers, chat apps, and spreadsheets.
• Growth-minded trades pros who want AI to quietly streamline sales and service.

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