Why Louisiana Trades Are the Perfect First Market
There are 20-25 trade businesses within driving distance of me, each losing $1K–2K a month from missed calls.
I live in a small town in Louisiana. That sounds like a disadvantage for building a software business — and for most things, it is. But for this particular product, it's an asset.
Trade businesses here — HVAC, plumbing, electrical — are mostly owner-operated. One or two trucks. The owner is often the one doing the work and the one answering the phone. When he's under a house fixing a pipe, he's not picking up calls.
The math is simple. An HVAC job in this area runs $300-800. If a business misses 3-5 calls a week and converts half of them, that's $500-2000 a month left on the table. My service costs $149-299 a month. The ROI argument practically writes itself.
The other advantage: I can walk in the door. I know people here. Cold outreach works differently when you're a local.