The New Flat Rate

AI Won't Replace Your Business — But Your Competitor Using It Will With Garrett Fritz!

In this episode, Natalie Koop and Danielle Putnam sit down with Garrett Fritz, Partner at MetaCTO, to talk about what AI actually looks like in the trenches of real businesses — not the rosy marketing version. Garrett, a fractional CTO who's helped startups, mid-market companies, and service businesses turn ideas into working digital products, breaks down the gap between AI hype and AI ROI, why buying licenses doesn't make you an "AI company," and the real way home service businesses (plumbers, HVAC, contractors, lawyers, accountants) are going to be impacted. He shares how MetaCTO replaced two years and $80,000 of manual data entry with an AI agent that finished the job in 3 days, why "speed to proposal" is one of the highest-leverage AI plays for any service business, and what owners get wrong when they try to vibe-code their own app over a weekend. If you've felt pressure to "do something with AI" but don't know where to start — or you're tired of stacking software subscriptions that never actually move the needle — this episode cuts through the noise. Social Media Links: Instagram TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate] Facebook TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate] LinkedIn TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-flat-rate-inc-/posts/?feedView=all⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate] Garrett Fritz- https://www.linkedin.com/in/grfritz/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grfritz/] Links and Resources: https://thenewflatrate.com/ [https://thenewflatrate.com/] https://www.metacto.com/ [https://www.metacto.com/]

Why Your $7 Million Business Might Only Be Worth $700K With Chris Papin

In this episode, Natalie Koop and Danielle Putnam sit down with Chris Papin — CPA, attorney, business advisor, author of 168 Hours, and host of the BLABO (Behave Like A Business Owner) Podcast — to talk about the financial habits that separate growing businesses from struggling ones. Chris breaks down why so many business owners avoid their numbers, the difference between owning a business and actually behaving like a business owner, and why the company you think is worth $7 million may only be worth $700,000 when a real valuation hits the table. He also unpacks the 8-8-8 pie chart for sustainable business owner life, the one number every owner should know weekly, and the uncomfortable conversation most entrepreneurs are avoiding. If you're a contractor, service business owner, or anyone tired of guessing on bad data, this episode is full of straight-talk financial wisdom you can put to work this week. Get his book here! 168 Hours. Please leave a review on Amazon if you get his book! https://www.amazon.com/168-Hours-Business-Respects-Structure/dp/B0GHQ9WRYJ Social Media Links: Instagram TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate⁠⁠ Facebook TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate⁠⁠ Papin Law PLLC- https://www.facebook.com/PapinLaw/ LinkedIn TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-flat-rate-inc-/posts/?feedView=all⁠⁠ Chris Papin- https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispapin/ Papin Law PLLC- https://www.linkedin.com/company/papincpapllc/ Listen to the BLABO Podcast Apple Podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blabo-behave-like-a-business-owner/id1831290137 Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/1Jll3VIXtTFOR0DwGhQKJb iHeart- https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-blabo-behave-like-a-busin-288711550/ Links and Resources: https://thenewflatrate.com/ https://www.papincpa.com/ https://www.amazon.com/168-Hours-Business-Respects-Structure/dp/B0GHQ9WRYJ

Why Contractors Are Losing Money Chasing AI Trends

In this episode, we sat down with Colleen Keyworth to unpack where contractors are wasting money right now—and why chasing AI and marketing trends isn’t always the answer. From fear-based decisions and “shiny object syndrome” to broken systems and missed opportunities, this episode dives into what actually drives revenue (and what doesn’t). If you want to spend smarter, focus your efforts, and build a business that lasts, this conversation is a must-listen. Social Media Links: Instagram TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate⁠⁠ Colleen Keyworth- https://www.instagram.com/ckeyworth04/ Facebook TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate⁠⁠ Colleen Keyworth- https://www.facebook.com/colleen.keyworth/ LinkedIn TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-flat-rate-inc-/posts/?feedView=all⁠⁠ Colleen Keyworth- https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-keyworth/ Links and Resources: https://thenewflatrate.com/https:// www.hvacwebsites.com/

Why Your CSR Keeps Saying "Yes"- and Burning Out Your Techs!

Today we sat down with Amy Matheny, General Manager and Co-Owner of Reliability Home Services, to talk about a common issue in service businesses—CSRs saying “yes” when they should be saying “no.” What seems like good customer service often leads to overbooked schedules, burnt-out technicians, and frustrated customers. Amy breaks down the concept of “Eat the Frog,” how avoiding hard conversations creates bigger problems, and how to train your team to confidently set expectations. If your team struggles with overbooking or communication, this episode is a must-listen. GET FLUID DISPATCHING HERE: https://thenewflatrate.com/fluid-dispatching Social Media Links: Instagram TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate ⁠⁠Facebook TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate⁠⁠ LinkedIn TNFR- ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-flat-rate-inc-/posts/?feedView=all⁠⁠ Links and Resources:https://thenewflatrate.com/ https://thenewflatrate.com/fluid-dispatching

Revenue Is Vanity: The Numbers Contractors Must Track to Actually Make Profit

In this episode, Danielle Putnam, CEO of The New Flat Rate, dives into why revenue alone doesn’t equal profit and what contractors really need to track to make their businesses sustainable. Using real-world examples, she breaks down the key metrics, like call booking rates, conversion by van, labor-to-revenue ratios, and cost per acquisition, that reveal where money is being lost and how to fix it. Danielle shares simple, actionable steps to track the right numbers weekly, turn data into decisions, and build a business that’s not just bigger, but genuinely profitable. Links and Resources- Website: ⁠https://thenewflatrate.com/⁠ [https://thenewflatrate.com/] Get Demo: ⁠https://thenewflatrate.com/demo?hsCtaAttrib=192034463396⁠ [https://thenewflatrate.com/demo?hsCtaAttrib=192034463396] Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thenewflatrate] Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate] LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-new-flat-rate-inc-/posts/?feedView=all⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TheNewFlatRate] YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@NewFlatRate⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@NewFlatRate] Episode Show Notes: 00:00 Intro 00:43 Know Your Numbers 02:57 The Power of Tracking Your Numbers 04:57 What to Track  10:03 How to Collect Data Effectively  11:46 Using Data to Drive Change  13:03 Tracking For Long Term Success  14:33 Take Action & Know Your Numbers 15:34 Outro