Growth Story
Building Two Brands. Supporting One Vision.
How Nuvo Agency Helped Modernize Force Masonry, Launch Force Basements, and Support the Growth of a Business That Expanded from Approximately 15 employees to over 40 before being sold
Client Snapshot
Client: Force Masonry & Force Basements
Owner: Jacob Force
Industry: Masonry, Basement Waterproofing & Foundation Repair
Location: Central Illinois (Peoria and surrounding communities)
Partnership: 2020–2025
Services: Website Design & Development, Branding, SEO, Technical SEO, Google Ads, Educational Copywriting, Local SEO, Google Business Profile Management, Marketing Strategy
Overview
When Jacob Force partnered with Nuvo Agency in 2020, he wasn’t starting a business from scratch. He was already operating a respected masonry company serving homeowners throughout Central Illinois and was preparing to launch a second company dedicated to basement waterproofing and foundation repair.
The two businesses were in very different stages of their digital marketing journey.
Force Masonry already had an online presence, but its website and digital marketing efforts no longer reflected the quality of the company or supported its long-term growth goals. Force Basements, on the other hand, had no website, no online branding, no Google Business Profile, and no strategy for homeowners to discover the business online.
Our partnership involved managing both companies simultaneously.
For Force Masonry, we modernized and optimized an existing digital presence. For Force Basements, we built everything from the ground up, developing a new brand, launching its first website, establishing its local search presence, and creating a marketing system designed to generate consistent, high-quality leads.
Over the next five years, the businesses continued to evolve. Marketing strategies matured, operational systems improved, and the companies expanded throughout Central Illinois.
By the time Jacob sold both companies to a national competitor, the combined business had grown from approximately 15 employees to over 40, expanded from three service trucks to thirteen, added five dedicated sales vehicles, and employed a growing team dedicated to serving homeowners across the region.
While no marketing agency can honestly claim responsibility for all of that growth, we’re proud to have served as Jacob’s long-term marketing partner throughout much of that journey.
Where It All Started
When we first began working together, the businesses looked very different than they would just a few years later.
Jacob employed approximately fifteen people and operated three service trucks throughout Central Illinois. Much of the masonry work came through Force Masonry’s established reputation, while Force Basements was still in its infancy.
The contrast between the two companies shaped our strategy from day one.
Force Masonry already had a website and online presence, but it needed modernization. Its website, technical SEO, and business listings required significant improvements to better represent the quality of the company and compete in an increasingly digital marketplace.
Force Basements presented a completely different challenge.
There was no website to optimize because one didn’t exist. There wasn’t a Google Business Profile to improve. There were no service pages, local rankings, online reviews, or paid advertising campaigns.
For homeowners searching online, the company was essentially invisible.
Our objective wasn’t simply to increase leads. It was to build the digital infrastructure that would allow both companies to grow together.
Building the Foundation
Our work began by creating the digital assets every modern home service company depends on.
For Force Basements, we developed the company’s branding, designed and launched its first website, established its Google Business Profile, created business listings across the web, implemented technical SEO, and wrote the initial service page content that introduced homeowners to the company’s waterproofing and foundation repair services.
At the same time, we began modernizing Force Masonry’s digital presence. Existing website content was improved, technical SEO issues were addressed, and local search optimization became an ongoing priority.
Because SEO requires time to build authority, we also launched Google Ads campaigns to begin generating qualified leads immediately. Rather than relying exclusively on one marketing channel, the strategy balanced paid advertising with long-term organic growth.
This approach allowed Jacob to continue investing in the future of both companies while maintaining a consistent pipeline of new opportunities.
Marketing That Grew Alongside the Business
As Force Masonry and Force Basements expanded, the marketing strategy evolved with them.
Google Ads campaigns were continually refined to improve lead quality rather than simply generating more inquiries. Local SEO efforts expanded through ongoing website improvements, business listing optimization, and new content targeting homeowners throughout Central Illinois.
We also helped integrate the company’s CRM into the website, creating a smoother connection between marketing and daily operations. This allowed incoming leads to move through the sales process more efficiently while giving the office staff better visibility into customer information.
As the businesses continued growing, the original Force Basements website eventually reached the limits of what it had been designed to accomplish.
Instead of making incremental changes, we began planning a complete rebuild focused on scalability, improved user experience, stronger technical SEO, and higher conversion performance.
Throughout this period, our role continued expanding beyond website development and advertising.
Conversations increasingly focused on lead quality, budgeting, operational planning, service area expansion, and helping ensure the marketing strategy aligned with the company’s broader business goals.
A Brief Detour
Like many successful businesses, Jacob eventually decided to explore working with another marketing provider. Although Nuvo was no longer managing the account during that period, the relationship remained positive.
When Jacob returned, the decision wasn’t based on aesthetics. It was driven by performance. Technical SEO issues had developed, website content had become less organized, and the site’s overall structure no longer reflected the quality or professionalism of the businesses themselves.
We rebuild the website once again, restored technical SEO best practices, reorganized service content, resumed Google Ads management, and restructured Meta advertising to place greater emphasis on brand awareness and remarketing.
As the companies continued growing, our discussions also expanded beyond digital marketing to include radio advertising, billboard campaigns, budgeting, and long-term marketing planning.
Later that same year, Jacob successfully sold both Force Masonry and Force Basements to a national competitor.
Why the Partnership Worked
One of the biggest lessons from this partnership is that marketing alone doesn’t create business growth. Marketing creates opportunities. Operations determine whether those opportunities become revenue.
Jacob consistently approached his companies with a long-term perspective. Rather than becoming consumed by day-to-day operations, he invested heavily in improving systems, setting measurable goals, and building an organization capable of scaling.
The businesses consistently answered incoming phone calls, emphasized speed-to-lead, introduced financing early in the sales process, and focused on attracting qualified homeowners rather than maximizing lead volume at any cost.
Those operational strengths made every marketing dollar more effective.
Throughout our partnership, conversations rarely focused exclusively on rankings or website traffic. More often, we discussed reporting, CRMs, lead quality, budgets, conversion rates, operational bottlenecks, and where the businesses needed to be six months or a year into the future.
That’s the type of relationship we strive to build with every client.
Marketing works best when it supports the business, not the other way around.
Growth at a Glance
| Growth at a Glance | 2020 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Service Trucks | 3 | 13 |
| Employees | Approximately 15 | Over 40 |
| Sales Vehicles | 1 | 5 |
| Business Structure | Established Masonry Business + Newly Launched Basement Waterproofing Company | Two Professionally Managed Digital Brands |
| Website Presence | Existing Masonry Website No Basement Waterproofing Website |
Professionally Managed Websites for Both Brands |
| Google Business Profile | No Dedicated Basement Waterproofing Profile | Established Local Presence Across Both Brands |
| SEO | No Dedicated Basement SEO Strategy | Mature Local SEO Strategy |
| Advertising | No Dedicated Digital Advertising | Ongoing Google Ads & Meta Advertising |
| Company Milestone | Launching Force Basements | Successfully Acquired by a National Competitor |
The Owners Perspective
“When I started Force Basements, we didn’t have a website or any real online presence. Nuvo helped us build that from the ground up while also continuing to improve our masonry business. As both companies grew, they adapted our marketing right alongside us. They weren’t just building websites or running ads, they understood where we wanted to take the business and helped us make marketing decisions that supported those goals. Looking back after growing the companies, I’m grateful for the role Nuvo played throughout that journey.”
– Jacob Force
Former Owner, Force Masonry & Force Basements
Lessons for Growing Home Service Companies
One of the biggest takeaways from this partnership is that sustainable growth rarely comes from a single marketing tactic. It comes from aligning marketing with operations, customer service, sales processes, and long-term business planning. Force Masonry and Force Basements succeeded because those pieces worked together.
For contractors looking to build a business that can scale, or even become attractive to future buyers, the following lessons stand out:
- Build your digital presence before you need it.
- Invest in marketing systems that grow with your business rather than short-term tactics.
- Prioritize lead quality over lead quantity.
- Make speed-to-lead and customer experience part of your marketing strategy.
- Treat your website as a business asset, not a digital brochure.
- Choose marketing partners who understand how home service businesses actually grow.
Our Strategy
Website Rebuild
A new website designed to improve user experience, showcase services, and convert more visitors into leads.
Search Engine Optimization
Ongoing SEO to Improve rankings for high-value keywords and buidl long-term organic visiblity.
Enhanced SEO Copywriting
Weekly educational blog posts that answer real homeowner questions and build topical authority.
Google Ads Management
Targeted campaigns that capture high-intent searches and drive qualified leads.
Meta Ads & Remarketing
Stay visible to homeowners throughout their journey and bring them back when they’re ready to act.
Google Business Profile Management
Stronger local visibility, more reviews, and consistent information that builds trust.