How AI Voice Bots Are Reclaiming Time & Why Contractors Are Getting Coasted

About This Episode

In this episode of First Shift, host Graeme Bryks welcomes Alison Alston, owner of Lodestone Real Estate in Charlotte, North Carolina. Alison brings a unique perspective to the show because she grew up on job sites with her fifth generation contractor father, learning demo, framing, drywall, and painting before she ever sold a house. That hands on background gives her a sharp eye for working with contractors, and she does not hold back on what separates the trades pros who get her referrals from the ones who get passed over. Alison shares her journey from fundraising and philanthropy in the Northeast to buying and running her own real estate team in Charlotte. She walked away from a prestigious job offer at UVA because the travel schedule did not align with the life she wanted. Within two years of joining Lodestone as an agent, she was offered the chance to buy the team. Her approach to building the business centers on systems, processes, and a 90 day audit she runs on herself and her technology stack. Every quarter, she identifies tasks that are eating her time and either delegates them or automates them with AI. The AI conversation goes deep in this episode. Alison uses Fixer AI to automate email responses, filing, and unsubscribes, saving her hours each week. She also partnered with a startup called Jack Ryan AI to build custom AI bots for her brokerage: one for buyers, one for sellers, and a third for Finca Living, her steel homes venture. These bots handle after hours calls so her team can maintain work life balance without missing leads. She explains how she chose Jack Ryan over larger companies by prioritizing honest communication, human support, and a willingness to experiment with new use cases. For contractors and trades business owners exploring AI solutions, Alison's process for evaluating and selecting a technology partner is a practical roadmap. The episode also delivers a masterclass on what contractors need to do to win referrals from realtors. Alison says the fastest way to lose her trust is to overpromise on timelines. If a contractor tells her a kitchen remodel will be done in two weeks, she walks. Honesty about scheduling, transparent pricing that explains supply and labor costs, and proactive communication when delays happen are the three things that keep a contractor in her referral network. Her lead contractor has been with her since she started, and the reason is simple: his communication is exceptional. Alison closes with advice for entrepreneurs on the fence about starting a business: just do it, but have patience with yourself and find a cheerleader and mentor to keep you going through that brutal first year. She also offers a contrarian take on starting your own brokerage, arguing that the overhead, liability, and financial investment rarely make sense when there are thousands of existing platforms to leverage instead.

Key Takeaways

• 1Run a 90 day audit on yourself and your technology. Every quarter, identify repetitive tasks and either delegate them or automate them with AI to focus on client facing work.
• 2Alison uses Fixer AI for automated email responses and filing, ChatGPT for listing descriptions and writing, and Jack Ryan AI for custom bots that handle buyer, seller, and after hours calls.
• 3The fastest way to lose a realtor's referral is to overpromise on timelines. If a contractor says a kitchen remodel will take two weeks, Alison immediately walks because the permitting alone takes longer than that.
• 4Three things keep a contractor in a realtor's referral network: honest timelines, transparent pricing that explains material and labor costs, and proactive communication when delays happen.
• 5When choosing an AI or tech partner, prioritize human support, honest communication, and willingness to collaborate. Alison picked Jack Ryan AI over larger companies because they were transparent about being newer and open to experimenting with custom use cases.
• 6Set boundaries around after hours communication. Alison tells her sellers not to make major financial decisions at 9 or 10 PM and uses AI bots to field calls outside business hours so her team can recharge.
• 7Have patience with yourself in year one. Alison's first deal earned her a $500 paycheck after leaving a well paid career, but her husband reminded her she was only 90 days in and already closing.

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