VAMBRACE AI

The Lawnsmith × Vambrace AI

Project Kickoff

January 20, 2026

Project Goal: Modernize The Lawnsmith's digital presence with instant estimates, automated payments, and AI-powered business tools

Agenda

1. Our philosophy & approach

2. Project goals & success metrics

3. Current situation & challenges

4. Scope overview & phases

5. Workstreams deep dive (6 areas)

6. Plan & timeline

7. Roles & ways of working

8. Decisions & next steps

Working Together: Our Philosophy

We're your partner, not just a vendor. We focus on practical implementations of AI that drive real business value.

Our Approach

Start small, deliver fast, iterate based on feedback
Focus on outcomes, not technology for its own sake
Transparent communication and collaborative decision-making
Build solutions that work for your team and your customers

What You Can Expect

Regular check-ins and progress updates
Clear documentation and knowledge transfer
Honest feedback about what's working and what's not
Solutions designed for long-term sustainability

Project Goals & Success

Primary Goal: Transform The Lawnsmith's operations with modern digital tools—instant estimates that convert, automated payments that eliminate collections headaches, and AI-powered insights that drive growth.

How We'll Measure Success

Customer Experience

• Instant estimates delivered in seconds
• Property images shown before pricing
• Easy online ordering & account management

Revenue & Collections

• Card-on-file for all customers
• Automated payment collection
• Stripe ⭤ QuickBooks sync

Marketing & Growth

• Re-engage inactive customers
• Weather-triggered campaigns
• Modern SEO & AI visibility

Operations & Insights

• AI Command Center for business questions
• Daily executive summaries
• Improved crew app workflows

Current Situation

Business Context

The Lawnsmith is an established lawn care provider serving the Minneapolis area, with a strong customer base and solid operational foundation.

Key Challenges to Address

Estimate process: Manual, time-consuming, customers wait for responses
Payment collection: Invoice-based, collections headaches, cash flow delays
Website & marketing: Needs modernization, better SEO, email automation
Field operations: Crew acknowledgment workflows, customer issue submission
Business insights: No centralized dashboard for real-time business questions

Scope Overview

PHASE 1Foundation & Launch

Jan 20 – Mar 1

Instant Estimate System
Marketing Automation & Communications
Stripe Payment Integration
Website & Customer Portal

PHASE 2AI & Advanced Features

Mar 1 – Apr 20

AI Command Center
Advanced Marketing Intelligence
Operations & Field Tools
AI Customer Service (as determined)

Engagement: January 20 – April 20, 2026 (3 months) • Fee: $12,000 ($4,000/month)

Scope — Open Discussion

Let's confirm priorities and ensure we're aligned on what success looks like for each workstream.

Workstream 1: Instant Estimate System

Objective: Customers receive immediate, accurate estimates based on property data—no waiting, higher conversion.

Key Capabilities

Property images shown to customers before estimates
Automated pricing from satellite measurements
Historical data integration for accuracy
Percentage-of-property input option

Accuracy Controls

Management approval queue for edge cases
Confidence thresholds for auto-approval
Easy override for manual adjustments

Success Measures

• Estimate delivered in < 30 seconds
• Quote-to-customer conversion ↑
• Manual estimate requests ↓ 80%

Decisions Today

• Approval threshold ($X or %) for auto-approve
• Property data source access
• Pricing rules and edge cases

Workstream 2: Marketing Automation & Communications

Objective: Re-engage inactive customers, automate outreach, and drive growth through intelligent, targeted communications.

Email Marketing Automation

Re-engaging inactive customers
Weather-triggered campaigns
Psychographic clustering for targeting
AI-powered audience selection

Automated Customer Comms

Estimate follow-up sequences
Service reminders & confirmations
Seasonal service promotions
Personalized outreach based on history

Success Measures

• Inactive customer reactivation rate ↑
• Email open rates ≥ 25%
• Campaign-driven revenue tracked

Decisions Today

• Definition of "inactive" customer
• Weather triggers (rain, drought, etc.)
• Key customer segments to prioritize

Workstream 3: Billings, Payments & Accounting

Objective: Automated payment collection with card-on-file—eliminate collections headaches, improve cash flow.

Stripe Integration

Payment links for phone/email orders
Card-on-file capability
Automatic billing upon service completion
Future card expiry reminders

QuickBooks Sync

Stripe ⭤ QuickBooks automatic sync
Desktop vs Online evaluation
Invoice reconciliation

Success Measures

• Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) ↓
• Collections calls eliminated
• Payment success rate ≥ 95%

Decisions Today

• QuickBooks Desktop vs Online
• Payment terms / auto-charge timing
• Failed payment handling workflow

Workstream 4: Website & Customer Portal

Objective: Modern, high-converting website with self-service customer portal.

Website Redesign

Modern, mobile-friendly design
Clear calls-to-action
Improved SEO for local search
AI visibility optimization

Customer Portal

Issue/photo submission capability
Service history and scheduling
Account management & payments
Potential AI assistant for questions

Success Measures

• Website conversion rate ↑
• Portal adoption rate
• Phone call volume ↓

Decisions Today

• Brand assets and style preferences
• Portal feature priorities
• Reference sites you like

Workstream 5: Operations & Field Tools

Objective: Improve crew workflows with mandatory acknowledgments and better field documentation.

Crew App Improvements

Mandatory note acknowledgment (e.g., "close gate")
Cannot continue to next property without confirming
Photo documentation workflow
Service completion verification

Future Enhancements

Route optimization
Real-time crew tracking
Predictive scheduling

Success Measures

• Note acknowledgment compliance = 100%
• Customer complaints from missed notes ↓
• Photo documentation coverage ↑

Decisions Today

• Current crew app platform
• Most common notes requiring acknowledgment
• Photo requirements by service type

Workstream 6: AI Command Center

Objective: AI-powered dashboard for real-time business insights and intelligent decision support.

Phase 2 Core Features

Real-time Q&A about your business data
Daily executive summary (automated)
Advanced marketing intelligence
Campaign performance analytics

Longer-Term Possibilities

AI customer service automation
Phone bot for common inquiries
Predictive business forecasting

Success Measures

• Questions answered accurately ≥ 90%
• Time saved on reporting
• Data-driven decisions ↑

Inputs Needed

• Access to historical data
• Common business questions you ask
• KPIs you track today

Plan & Timeline

PHASE 1Foundation & Launch (Jan 20 – Mar 1)

Weeks 1-4 (Jan 20 – Feb 16)

Kickoff • Data migration • Instant estimates • Marketing automation setup • Customer communications

Weeks 5-6 (Feb 17 – Mar 1)

Stripe payments • Website & portal • Email campaigns live • Testing • March 1 launch

PHASE 2AI & Advanced Features (Mar 1 – Apr 20)

Weeks 7-9 (Mar 1 – Mar 23)

AI Command Center • Advanced marketing intelligence • Operations & crew app improvements

Weeks 10-12 (Mar 24 – Apr 20)

Refinement • Additional features as determined • Documentation & handoff

What We Need from The Lawnsmith

Legacy data access, inactive customer lists, brand assets, pricing rules, QuickBooks access, weather trigger preferences

Roles & Communication

Team Structure

The Lawnsmith

Dan Beutz – Owner, Primary Contact & Decision Maker

Vambrace AI

Luke Deasy – Founder & Project Lead

Communication Cadence

Weekly check-ins: Progress review and planning calls (time TBD)
Ad-hoc calls: As needed for quick decisions or demos
Email: Formal documentation and milestone approvals
Shared workspace: For real-time collaboration and feedback

Decisions for Today

What must be confirmed now to move forward effectively:

Marketing & Communications

Definition of "inactive" customer
Weather triggers (rain delay, drought, etc.)
Key customer segments to target first
Email platform preference

Technical & Access

Legacy data access (from current provider)
QuickBooks Desktop vs Online
Estimate approval threshold
Brand assets delivery timeline

Goal: Ensure we're aligned on marketing automation priorities and have customer data access to start immediately

Risks & Constraints

Known Constraints

Data Migration

Dependent on access to legacy provider data—critical path item for Week 1

Integration Complexity

Stripe ⭤ QuickBooks sync depends on Desktop vs Online decision

Risk Mitigation Strategy

Early data access: Prioritize legacy data extraction in Week 1
Phased rollout: Launch core features first, add advanced features iteratively
Regular check-ins: Early detection of blockers or misalignment
Clear documentation: Ensure sustainability and knowledge transfer

Next Steps

1. Gather Required Assets & Access

Owner: Dan Beutz • Due: January 24, 2026

Legacy data access, brand assets (logo, colors), pricing rules, QuickBooks credentials

2. Schedule Weekly Check-ins

Owner: Luke Deasy • Due: January 21, 2026

Confirm recurring meeting times for progress reviews

3. Begin Data Migration & Design

Owner: Luke Deasy • Due: January 27, 2026

Initial data extraction, homepage mockups, estimate system architecture

Next Meeting: Week 1 Check-in (Date TBD) — Review initial progress and confirm direction

VAMBRACE AI

Let's Build Something Great Together

Luke Deasy

Founder & CEO

Email: luke@vambrace.ai

Phone: (412) 807-1999