Choose the Right Path for Your Business

The Crucible Audit is a comprehensive, private equity-level operational due diligence assessment that serves as your roadmap to business transformation. This isn't your typical surface-level evaluation - it's an in-depth analysis covering over 150 critical business elements across 8 operational pillars: Organization/Management, Recruiting, Marketing & Branding, Call Center, Dispatch, Service/Sales/Install, HR, Safety & Compliance, Technology Capabilities, and Warehouse & Fleet.

Each element is graded on a three-tier rubric (Pass, Needs Work, Absent/Harmful) with specific, actionable criteria. The audit is designed to take companies from any starting point - even those doing just $1-2 million - and provide a clear path to becoming a $15-18 million operation that's primed for a successful exit at premium valuations. Unlike cookie-cutter approaches, the Crucible Audit is fluid and prescriptive, allowing you to attack your biggest bleeds first while building sustainable, repeatable systems that private equity buyers demand.

Service Crucible membership delivers transformational value through multiple channels:

Immediate Financial Impact: Our vendor partnership platform provides the same rebates and discounts that groups like Nexstar receive - we pass these savings directly to you without any middleman markups or rebate games. Members regularly save thousands monthly through partnerships with Cospay, Building 36, Camp Digital, and Dynamic AQ.

Expert Guidance: You get access to nearly two decades of operational excellence, with coaching from someone who's actually been in the trenches - from Michael and Son Services to private equity portfolio companies. Our approach is battle-tested across hundreds of implementations.

Comprehensive Support System: Weekly huddles, monthly strategy sessions, and direct access via phone, text, and email ensure you're never alone in your growth journey. We integrate into your Slack, Monday.com, and daily operations as a true fractional COO.

Transformational Tools: Access to our complete SOP library, KPI frameworks, Service Titan optimization strategies, and proprietary systems like our Core 5 Service System and priority calling matrices.

Leadership Development: We don't just coach owners - we develop your middle management, turning service managers into future GMs ready to scale with your business.

Absolutely. Our founder, Norris Ayvazian, is a certified Wharton Private Equity Professional who has operated on both sides of the PE equation. He's run portfolio companies, executed turnarounds, and prepared businesses for successful exits. Service Crucible is also a trusted SF&P Partners referral partner, giving us direct insights into what PE firms are looking for.

This isn't theoretical knowledge - it's hands-on experience gained from "being the rescue guy" who fixed dumpster fires across the country. We understand LBO structures, deal dynamics, and most importantly, how to build companies that attract premium valuations. Our entire Crucible Audit framework is built on institutional-grade due diligence standards, ensuring you're building a business that sophisticated buyers will pay top dollar for.

While others chase social media followers and sell cookie-cutter programs, we're obsessed with one thing: your measurable results. Here's what sets us apart:

Real Operator Experience: 20+ years in the trenches, from one-truck operations to 120+ vehicle fleets across multiple states. We've lived through recessions, relocations, pandemics, and transformations - not just talked about them.

No BS Approach: We're prescriptive, not permissive. We'll spend three hours on a call splitting hairs if needed, but you must be ready to execute. We use Predictive Index assessments to ensure we're working with drivers and executors, not tire-kickers.

PE-Grade Systems: Our frameworks aren't feel-good fluff - they're institutional-quality processes that prepare you for real exits. We speak the language of EBITDA, multiples, and sustainable growth.

Direct Savings, No Games: Unlike others who profit from vendor rebates, we pass 100% of negotiated savings directly to you. No hidden fees, no middleman markups.

Customized, Not Cookie-Cutter: Every business is different. What works in Kentucky might fail in Florida. You can adapt our proven systems to your specific market, team, and growth stage.

We've had the privilege of working with industry giants and rising stars alike. Our experience includes direct operational roles with major players like Michael and Son Services (110-120 vehicles across three states), TurnPoint Services, and OneHour brands. 

Currently, we're working with companies ranging from $5 million to $40 million in revenue, including multi-state plumbing operations, HVAC companies executing geographic expansion, and electrical contractors backed by private equity. We position this experience not as name-dropping, but as proof that our systems work at every scale - from helping a $6 million drain tech optimize Service Titan to building complete operational frameworks for PE-backed platforms. The common thread? They all wanted proven systems from someone who's actually done it, not just talked about it.

Our entire framework is built around exit readiness. Through the Crucible Audit, we identify and systematically address every element that impacts valuation. We help you build documented systems, clear succession planning, and diversified revenue streams that buyers demand. Our members develop bench strength with trained middle management ready to step up, implement institutional-grade financial controls and KPI tracking, and create scalable, repeatable processes that work without owner dependency.

We also provide strategic guidance on timing, structure, and negotiation. Having been through multiple exits and acquisitions, we know the difference between a 5x multiple and a 10x multiple often comes down to operational excellence and presentation. We ensure you're not just ready to sell - you're positioned to maximize value whether you exit to PE, strategic buyers, or through an employee ownership program.

Field staff development is where the rubber meets the road. We provide comprehensive technical training through established programs with weekly scheduled sessions and spiff incentives for participation. Our approach includes regular ride-alongs with structured feedback sessions, multiple scripts for different scenarios (service, install, maintenance, turnover), and soft skills development focused on customer interaction and sales psychology.

We've developed specific frameworks like our Core 5 Service System that transforms average techs into top performers. This includes training on reading customers, identifying opportunities, and presenting solutions effectively. Our ride-along feedback sessions aren't just check-the-box exercises - they're intensive coaching opportunities that dramatically improve close rates and average tickets. Members report technicians doubling their income within a year of implementing our training systems.

We believe if you can't measure it, you can't manage it. Our KPI framework goes beyond basic metrics to track the drivers that actually matter. We help you implement comprehensive tracking across all departments with the RIGHT metrics - not vanity numbers. This includes call center metrics (booking rate, calls per hour, abandoned call rate), field metrics (average ticket, conversion rate, opportunity calls), and financial metrics tied directly to your P&L.

We can help guide the integration of Business Intelligence software to provide real-time dashboards that drive daily huddles and decision-making. But tracking alone isn't enough - we teach you how to understand KPI drivers and use data for predictive management, not just reactive firefighting.

Our members learn to identify trends before they become problems and capitalize on opportunities while they're hot. This data-driven approach is what separates professional operations from mom-and-pop shops.

Culture isn't just words on a wall - it's how decisions get made when no one's watching. We help you define and operationalize your mission, vision, and values so they actually drive behavior. This includes implementing structured meeting cadences (daily huddles, weekly reviews, quarterly planning) that create accountability and alignment. We also develop your middle management through targeted leadership training, turning technicians into managers and managers into leaders.

Our approach includes public daily huddles where even your $20/hour CSR hears strategic discussions, fostering ownership mentality at every level. We implement performance management systems with SMART goals and regular feedback cycles, creating clear career paths that retain top talent. The result? Companies where employees recruit their friends, customer service becomes a competitive advantage, and growth happens because your team drives it, not despite them dragging their feet.

Implementation follows the Crucible Audit framework, which is designed to be fluid and prescriptive rather than linear. After completing your comprehensive audit across all 8 operational pillars, we identify your specific "bleeds" and opportunities, then attack them strategically based on impact and urgency.

The Reality: Most members see measurable improvements within 30-60 days because we don't follow a cookie-cutter "first you do this, then you do that" approach. Instead, the Crucible Audit reveals YOUR specific priorities. If your chart of accounts is garbage and you can't understand your numbers, that's where we start - even helping you fire your current bookkeeper if needed. If you're bleeding cash through poor call conversion, we attack that immediately with scripts and training.

Typical Timeline:

• Month 1: Complete Crucible Audit and identify critical gaps
• Weeks 2-4: Attack the biggest operational bleeds based on YOUR audit results
• Month 2-6: Implement systematic improvements across departments showing "Needs Work"
• Months 6+: Build toward "Pass" grade across all pillars while maintaining gains

The beauty of the Crucible Audit is that it's not about implementing "our systems" in a set order - it's about systematically transforming your business based on where YOU are today. Some companies need immediate dispatch optimization, others need recruiting overhauls, and some need to completely rebuild their pricing structure. The audit tells us exactly where to focus for maximum impact, and our weekly accountability sessions ensure you're executing, not just planning.