About Ace Handyman Services

Initially founded in 1998 by Colette and Andy Bell as Handyman Matters, Ace Handyman Services is now a national full-service home repair, improvement, and maintenance subsidiary of Ace Hardware. Today, each AHS franchise provides reliable and multi-skilled craftspeople who can efficiently complete 1,100+ household projects including drywall, painting, floors, and carpentry.

Since the Ace Hardware acquisition in 2019, AHS brings the same helpful nature that you see in their retail stores to their customers' homes, servicing a growing home repair need that's only boomed since the pandemic.

AHS' franchising model continues to experience rapid growth, growing from 119 territories in 2019 to 388 territories in 47 states in early 2024. When coming on board, The MLH Agency identified the opportunity to increase AHS' national press coverage, thought leadership presence, and industry rankings in the franchise space.

"Bringing on The MLH Agency has been seamless. Jason and team lead PR for us to expand our national presence. In just a few months, we've landed numerous podcasts, interviews, franchise rankings, and features across media channels — and this is just the beginning."

Colette Bell

VP, Franchise Development

Ace Handyman Services

★★★★★

The Challenge

Despite rapid growth, Ace Handyman Services recognized a gap in national brand awareness. The leadership team wanted to expand visibility, attract potential franchisees, and build trust with customers across territories.

Prioritize Franchisee PR and Storytelling Opportunities

Close the gap between AHS rapid growth and its national media visibility.

MLH's Marketing Objective

Expand national brand visibility to grow franchise territory count, strengthen customer trust, and build lasting authority in the franchise community.

Position AHS as a Thought Leader in the Franchise Community

Close the gap between AHS rapid growth and its national media visibility.

Build and Strengthen AHS' Franchise Rankings

Expand AHS' footprint by reaching entrepreneurs seeking franchise opportunities.

MLH MARKETING

The Strategy

We make marketing and public relations intentional.

A Five-Step Process to listen, connect, and deliver:

Listen and Understand

MLH held detailed conversations with AHS leadership to understand business goals, growth opportunities, and visibility needs. We heard their desire for increased brand visibility through earned media coverage.

HOW WE DID IT

Deliver Tailored Recommendations

MLH shaped a media relations strategy around the needs of a diverse national franchise community, crafting a robust plan that resonated across regions.

Set the Stage

MLH developed a deeper understanding of why franchisees and customers choose Ace Handyman Services, rooting strategy in authentic brand truth.a

Execute Solutions with Intention

MLH built an editorial calendar, leveraged media relationships, pitched strategically, and landed top-tier press placements, podcasts, and rankings

Grow, Scale, and Repeat

MLH refined the strategy over time through feedback, analysis, and continued business alignment — building repeatable processes for lasting momentum.

~ Continuous Feedback Monitoring and Analysis ~

Ongoing optimization throughout every stage of the engagement

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Results

Real successes that speak for themselves

Outcomes

National Visibility. Real Momentum.

Through intentional PR strategy, The MLH Agency helped Ace Handyman Services land top-tier press across franchise and business media, secure meaningful industry rankings, and build Colette Bell and the AHS brand as authoritative voices in the franchise community.

Ready to Grow?

Looking to grow your business with intentional marketing and PR?

We Make Life Happen.

We're a full-service marketing agency providing bespoke marketing, public relations, branding, and event curation services for entrepreneurs and small business owners. We empower you to grow your business through intentional marketing and storytelling. Sound like something we can help you with?

A full-service marketing agency providing bespoke marketing, public relations, branding, and event curation for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

We Make Life Happen.

Ready to grow your business?

Let's build something great together.We Make Life Happen.