By: Joshua Finley

Adam Graham always had an entrepreneurial spirit. After pursuing law and business in university, his first transformative experience was gaining internet access in his college dorm room in the early days of the consumer web. “It absolutely blew my mind,” Adam reflects. “I knew this was the future.” From then on, he became consumed with emerging technology, constantly exploring the latest innovations and how they could be applied to real-world problems.

Now, as CEO and founder of JustFix, Adam is bringing that same change-the-world mentality to revolutionize home maintenance and repair services.

An Outdated Industry Ripe for Change

JustFix operates a nationwide on-demand platform that connects homeowners with reliable, high-quality repair professionals across a range of services – from appliance repair to plumbing to carpentry and more. Despite the widespread adoption of on-demand platforms in other industries like transportation and food delivery, Adam noticed that the home services space remained stubbornly antiquated.

“Customers are used to using apps to order their taxis, takeout, shopping – this is not a novel experience,” he explains. “They’re absolutely over the moon it’s finally here for home services.” Adam realized that while customers were ready and eager for a modern, seamless way to book repairs, the supply side lagged behind. “The challenge has been pulling the workforce, the tradespeople, into the 21st century – getting them to adopt new ways of working, using technology.”

According to Adam, the construction industry has been one of the last to embrace innovation. While Uber or food delivery may only require a driver’s license, performing qualified home repairs involves layers of complexity. “It’s not quite as cookie cutter as one might think,” he notes. However, Adam saw an immense opportunity to finally bring the convenience and transparency of app-based services to the stubbornly old-fashioned home repair industry.

Blending Experience with Innovation

To Adam, JustFix’s unique blend of experience gives it an advantage in disrupting this sector. “We’ve got both people from this industry and outside it,” he says. “That melting pot gives us an interesting take on things.” Longtime industry insiders provide key knowledge, while outsiders question ingrained ways of doing things. “Some industry folks may have a ‘this is how it’s always done’ mentality. But we ask, ‘Why can’t we do it this way?’ Somewhere in the middle, we can find a positive way through.”

JustFix aims to shift homeowners’ expectations by providing a seamless, transparent service. But to make that possible, the company must also gradually modernize the supplier side by recruiting younger, tech-savvy contractors. “There’s a whole new generation of tradespeople who’ve grown up with a smartphone in hand,” Adam points out. “They understand what consumers expect because that’s how they run their own lives.” He sees this emerging generation as key to molding the right mindset and practices.

Expanding Nationally and Internationally

Though JustFix currently operates nationwide in the UK, Adam stresses they are only scratching the surface. “Our ambitions are absolutely international,” he states. JustFix is already investigating expansion into Europe, with Malta as a potential hub for the mainland. Adam sees Europe as the next logical step, but anticipates steadily extending their reach worldwide.

He also believes JustFix can expand horizontally into related home services like larger remodeling jobs. “It’s an absolutely huge market,” Adam notes. Ultimately, he aims for JustFix to become the ubiquitous first choice whenever repairs are needed around the home. While old school personal referrals won’t disappear entirely, Adam sees a symbiotic relationship between the two models. “Fine, try your local guy first. But if he’s not available, we can handle it.” By building consumer trust and satisfaction, JustFix strives to be the omnipresent backup plan.

Embracing AI for Future Growth

As an avid tech follower, Adam sees AI as immensely disruptive across industries. However, he believes it can augment human tradespeople rather than replace them. Adam shares, “We’re exploring how to use AI to unlock more value.” For example, AI chatbots can handle common customer queries before a human agent steps in to address more complex issues. Computer vision could even analyze images of broken appliances to speed repairs. “We can make the best use of human time, and add value in ways only humans can do,” he explains.

Adam argues AI may shift which skills are most valued in society. Previously, STEM skills were paramount as only humans could perform those roles. However, as AI excels at logical tasks, the “softer” abilities it lacks like creativity and empathy may become more prized. “The positive is we’re freed up from mundane jobs and can pursue creative outlets,” Adam notes. “That’s the opportunity.”

The Vision Behind JustFix’s Success

During his career, Adam has constantly sought ways to apply emerging technology to tangible business problems. With JustFix, his aim is bringing a stagnant industry into the modern era. “My vision eventually is to build a group of tech-enabled companies revolutionizing home maintenance and construction,” he shares.

To learn more about Adam Graham and JustFix, visit his LinkedIn profile here.

Published by: Holy Minoza