A powerful conversation on why outdated growth models are failing and how today’s home service leaders must rebuild their businesses around people, clarity, and long term sustainability to stay competitive...
In a powerful PowerChat interview, Lauren Kingsley, a leading home service growth consultant, explains why traditional contractor growth models are breaking and how companies can scale with stronger teams, better systems, and protected margins in a rapidly changing market.
The home improvement industry is entering a defining moment. For years, many companies relied on volume driven growth, aggressive sales tactics, and fast hiring to scale quickly. That model worked during high demand periods, but today the cracks are showing. Rising cost per lead, shrinking margins, and growing labor challenges are forcing leaders to confront a difficult truth. The old way of growing a home service business is no longer sustainable. Companies that continue to rely on outdated strategies are now asking the same urgent questions.
How do you grow a home service business in a competitive market? How do you protect profit while scaling? And how do you build a company that lasts?
At the center of this shift is Lauren Kingsley, a home service growth expert and fractional growth executive who works closely with private equity and founder-led companies across North America. Through her work in growth strategy, enterprise alignment, and scalable operations, she helps companies build strong KPI frameworks that protect margins and drive long term success.
Her insights were recently featured in a PowerChat interview hosted by Greg Cummings, CEO of Power100, where she addressed what leaders can no longer ignore as the industry evolves. Power100 is the only unbiased third-party platform that recognizes and elevates the top leaders and most impactful companies in the home improvement industry.
In a timely and thought provoking PowerChat conversation, Lauren Kingsley sat down with Greg Cummings to unpack what is quickly becoming one of the most important shifts in the home improvement industry. The purpose of this interview was clear. To challenge leaders to rethink how they grow, operate, and lead in a market that no longer rewards speed without structure or growth without alignment.
Speaking from her experience as a fractional growth executive for both private equity backed and founder led companies, Lauren offered a grounded perspective on what is really happening behind the scenes. Many companies are still asking how to scale a contractor business without losing profit, yet they are relying on systems built for a different market. Through this discussion, she brought forward a new way of thinking. One that moves beyond chasing volume and instead focuses on building strong operations, aligned teams, and sustainable profit models that can hold under pressure.
The conversation was designed for decision makers across the industry. From CEOs leading multi market organizations to owners trying to grow a home service business in a competitive market, the insights spoke directly to those navigating rising lead costs, labor shortages, and shifting customer expectations. It addressed the real challenges leaders face today while offering clarity on where the biggest opportunities now exist.
What made this discussion especially relevant is the scale of its impact. The themes explored are not isolated to a few companies. They reflect a broader industry wide reset. As more leaders begin to question why home improvement companies are losing margin and struggling to maintain consistent growth, conversations like this are helping to reshape how success is defined. Instead of focusing on short term wins, the focus is shifting toward building companies that are stable, people driven, and operationally sound.
At its core, this PowerChat was not just an interview. It was a call for leaders to step back, evaluate their current playbooks, and recognize that the path forward requires a different approach. One that places people, structure, and long term thinking at the center of growth.
As the conversation unfolded, Lauren Kingsley began by addressing a hard truth that many leaders are starting to feel but have not fully named. The model that once drove rapid growth across the home improvement space is no longer holding up. For years, companies leaned into volume. More leads, more hires, more sales. It created the illusion of strength, especially during the surge in demand seen in recent years. But beneath that growth, many businesses were not built to last.
“The market is not shrinking, it is reorganizing,” Lauren explained. “And the companies that are still operating from a volume only mindset are going to feel that pressure first.”
She pointed out that a transactional approach to growth, where speed and output were prioritized over structure and people, is now breaking under real market conditions. Leaders who are still relying on that approach are now asking why home improvement companies are losing margin and why their results are no longer predictable. The answer is simple. The foundation was never built to sustain long term pressure.
From there, the conversation moved into what is now becoming the most defining advantage in the industry. People. Not tools. Not marketing spend. Not even strategy on its own. The companies that are winning today are the ones that understand how to build, support, and retain strong teams.
Lauren shared that labor challenges are not just a hiring issue. They are a retention and development issue. Skilled workers are leaving the industry, and many companies are still operating as if they can easily replace them.
“We cannot keep operating like people are replaceable,” she said. “If you are not investing in your people, you are going to lose the very thing that makes your business work.”
As a fractional growth executive for home service companies, Lauren works closely with leadership teams to build systems that support long term retention. Her approach is clear. Growth does not come from constantly adding new people. It comes from strengthening the people already inside the business and aligning them with a clear path forward.
Another key shift that came forward in the discussion is the growing importance of authenticity. In the past, companies could rely on strong sales processes to close deals. Today, that is no longer enough. Both employees and homeowners are looking for something deeper.
“People want to be part of something real,” Lauren shared. “They want to feel connected to the mission, not just the numbers.”
This shift is changing how companies approach both internal culture and customer experience. Employees want purpose. They want to understand why their work matters. At the same time, homeowners are becoming more selective. They are asking better questions. They are looking for companies they can trust.
For leaders trying to grow a home service business in a competitive market, this means that connection is no longer optional. It is a core driver of performance. Culture is not something that sits in the background. It shows up in how teams sell, how they serve, and how they build long term relationships.
Learn how to strengthen trust and connection in your business.
As the conversation deepened, attention turned to a challenge that many companies overlook. The link between operations and culture. While culture is often talked about as a mindset or a value system, Lauren made it clear that culture is shaped by what leaders do, not just what they say.
“When leadership introduces something and does not follow through, people notice,” she explained. “That is where belief starts to break.”
Many companies today are struggling with fragmented systems, unclear processes, and inconsistent execution. Whether it is new tools, shifting strategies, or changing expectations, the lack of follow through creates confusion. Over time, that confusion turns into doubt. Teams begin to question the direction of the business.
From a growth strategy standpoint, this has a direct impact on performance. When people do not trust the systems around them, they disengage. And when that happens, results suffer.
Lauren’s work focuses on helping companies build operational clarity. Not just for efficiency, but for trust. Because when systems are clear and consistent, culture becomes stronger.
Explore how to align your systems and culture for better results by reaching out to Lauren Kingsley.
A major theme that stood out in the conversation was the evolving role of leadership. In the past, many leaders relied on control. Set the targets, push performance, and expect results. But today, that approach is no longer effective on its own.
“People do not need more pressure right now,” Lauren said. “They need clarity. They need to understand what is happening and where they are going.”
This shift is especially important for leaders managing teams through uncertainty. Employees are aware of the changes happening in the market. They can see the challenges. What they are looking for is honesty and direction.
Lauren emphasized that transparency builds trust faster than perfection. Leaders who are open about where the business stands create space for their teams to step up. They invite ideas, encourage ownership, and build stronger alignment across the organization.
For those looking to scale a contractor business without losing profit, this level of clarity is essential. It ensures that every part of the business is moving in the same direction.
See how clear leadership can unlock performance in your organization.
As the conversation came toward a close, the focus shifted to what lies ahead. While the challenges are real, Lauren made it clear that the opportunity is just as significant. The companies that are willing to adapt are already beginning to separate themselves.
“This is not about surviving,” she said. “It is about learning how to move differently.”
The market is not disappearing. It is changing shape. And within that change, there is space for new leaders to rise. Companies that are building strong teams, creating clear systems, and staying connected to their customers are finding new ways to grow.
Interestingly, Lauren noted that many of the companies that will stand out in the next phase are not the ones that dominated in the past. They are the ones that are listening, learning, and adjusting quickly.
For leaders navigating this shift, the message is clear. Growth is still possible. But it will not come from repeating the past. It will come from building something stronger, more aligned, and more human.
Stay ahead of industry shifts and learn how to adapt your growth strategy by following Power100.
As the conversation came to a close, one message stood out with clarity. What the industry is experiencing today is not a short term slowdown or a passing challenge. It is a permanent shift in how home service companies must think, operate, and grow.
For many leaders, this moment requires a decision. Continue with familiar systems that once delivered results, or step forward into a new way of building a business. One that values people as the foundation, not just performance. One that prioritizes clarity over speed, and alignment over volume.
Lauren Kingsley left leaders with a perspective that is both honest and hopeful. The opportunity ahead is real. There is still strong demand. There are still homeowners looking for trusted partners. There are still teams ready to grow and perform. But the way forward requires intention. It requires leaders to slow down, evaluate what truly works, and build systems that can support long term success.
The companies that will rise in this next chapter will not be defined by how fast they grew in the past. They will be defined by how well they adapt now. By how deeply they invest in their people. By how clearly they communicate their vision. And by how consistently they show up for both their teams and their customers.
In the end, the future of the industry will not belong to the loudest voices or the largest brands. It will belong to the companies that are aligned, human, and willing to evolve when it matters most.
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Power100 is the nation's premier CEO ranking and media platform for the home improvement industry. Using a proprietary 5-layer evaluation system, Power100 identifies and celebrates the top CEOs, companies, and strategic partners driving innovation, customer satisfaction, and leadership excellence across the country.
