How AI, Tracking, and Relentless Follow-Up Helped Richie Colletti Build a High-Conversion Roofing Machine

Most contractors think their biggest problem is lead quality.

Richie Colletti thinks otherwise — and he’s not shy about saying it.

In this episode, Mauricio sits down with Richie Colletti, the owner of Leak Busters Roofing, for an honest and eye-opening conversation about marketing, AI, conversion, and the systems contractors desperately need if they want to grow without burning cash.

Richie has been in roofing for over 32 years and was experimenting with AI long before the rest of the industry caught on. After getting burned by marketing companies and wasting money on ads, he decided to rebuild everything from the inside out — learning AI, studying marketing, and creating his own tracking and sales systems.

The result? A business that converts at a level most contractors never experience.

In this episode, Richie breaks down:

- How he cut his cost per acquisition in half by fixing tracking and follow-up

- The AI avatar ads that generated 205+ leads in a single month

- Why contractors say “the leads suck” when the real problem is their conversion process

- His rehash system that turns “dead leads” into real revenue

- Why tracking CPL, CAC, show rate, and close rate is more important than any ad platform

- How AI now helps his company estimate jobs, train sales reps, and handle admin tasks

- Why he posts 3–5 pieces of content daily — and why being a “local celebrity” matters more than ever

- The mindset shift he believes every contractor can make in just 90 days to transform their business

- This isn’t a theory episode — it’s a brutally practical one.

If you’re tired of wasting money on ads, if your leads aren’t converting, or if you’ve been curious how AI can actually help your business (not just in hype videos), this conversation will give you the clarity and direction you’ve been looking for.

Links & Resources:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-colletti-3b248634/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richie.colletti/

Website: https://myleakbusters.com/

Most people dream of building a successful business.

Raymond Little built one, sold it for $38 million, and completely changed what roofing leadership looks like.

In this episode, Raymond — the former owner of Perimeter Roofing and now a partner at Storm Ventures Group (SVG) — shares his incredible story of redemption, resilience, and business mastery.

From starting over after prison to leading a team that generated over $200 million in sales, Raymond reveals the mindset and systems that allowed him to scale, create loyalty, and eventually exit on his terms.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

- How to build loyalty and culture in a transient industry where reps often leave to start their own company.

- Why the key to scaling from $1M to $50M+ isn’t marketing — it’s leadership development.

- What private equity really looks for when buying a roofing company — and how to prepare for a profitable exit.

- The psychological side of selling your “baby” and finding purpose after financial freedom.

- Why roofing owners should invest in training and systems, not higher commissions.

- How Raymond used social media storytelling to dominate his market and turn every build into marketing content.

- His take on AI, automation, and private equity’s role in shaping the future of the roofing industry.

- The mission behind his next chapter with SVG — rebuilding the industry through education, training, and technology.

Whether you’re just starting your roofing company or you’re aiming for your first eight-figure exit, this conversation will give you a blueprint for scaling faster, leading better, and thinking bigger.

📝 Episode Notes / Key Takeaways

- Your biggest growth constraint isn’t marketing — it’s leadership bandwidth.

- Train leaders, not followers: duplication is how you scale.

- Building loyalty comes from leading by example — first one up, last one home.

- Culture and boundaries create respect, not rules.

- Private equity rewards structure, reporting, and leadership succession, not hustle.

- Social media is the new neighborhood — every rep should be posting stories from the field.

- AI won’t replace people — it will replace inefficiency.

- Selling your company gives freedom, but not purpose. Find your next mission early.

Most home service business owners focus on revenue, daily operations, and putting out fires — but very few think about the bigger picture: What is your company really worth, and what would it take to sell it one day?

In this episode, Mauricio sits down with Brian Franco, Managing Partner at Meritage Partners and author of The Inevitable Exit. Brian has been involved in more than $2 billion worth of M&A transactions across roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other home service industries.

This isn’t a seminar or a valuation pitch — it’s a conversation about what actually drives the value of a contracting business and how owners can start putting the right pieces in place long before they think about selling.

In the conversation, Brian breaks down:

- Why every business owner will exit — either by design or by default — and why planning early matters

- The difference between selling a trade and selling a real business, and why most contractors confuse the two

- How two companies with identical profits can have completely different valuations

- What private equity and strategic buyers are looking for right now in roofing and home service companies

- Why predictable revenue, recurring customers, and strong marketing systems raise your multiple

- How clean financials, accountability, and reporting give buyers confidence (and why missing data kills deals)

- The role of CAC, LTV, and marketing metrics in proving your business is scalable — not chaotic

- How AI is already changing due diligence, forecasting, and the M&A landscape

- What the next 5–15 years of consolidation will look like in the trades — and how owners should prepare

This episode is for contractors who may want to sell one day, pass their company down to their kids, or simply build a business that runs smoother and becomes more valuable over time — even if they never plan on exiting.

If you want to understand what really drives value in a home service business and how to make smart decisions today that pay off years from now, this conversation with Brian Franco will give you clarity, direction, and a whole new way to think about the future of your company.

Here is a David Hooper–style email newsletter draft for your episode with Brian Franco, written to hook contractors quickly, highlight the value of the conversation, and drive clicks to listen.

Here's the deal:

📌 If your service is urgent (roof leaks, burst pipes, no AC)… Google and LSA will feed your crew.

📌 If your service is visual, emotional, or aspirational (remodeling, painting, windows, flooring)… Meta and YouTube are your goldmine.

📌 And if you don’t know which category you fall into?

You’re probably burning money right now without even knowing it.

🎯 Want a marketing system built specifically for your trade that actually gets results?

👉 Book a Free Demo Call: contractormarketingpros.net/calendar

We help contractors get found online, generate quality leads, and dominate their local markets.

Let’s build your machine.

🔔 Subscribe for more no-fluff contractor marketing content every week.

📞 Questions? Drop them in the comments or reach out directly.

Thanks for watching. Now let’s go get some leads. 💥

#ContractorBusiness #HomeServiceBusiness #BusinessValuation #PrivateEquity #ContractorMarketing

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