How one man turned experience into a coaching empire

By Jesse Sanchez. 

This former roofer’s journey is reshaping how the industry thinks about service departments. 

Tracey Donels, the founder of Service First Solutions, didn’t originally set out to become a coach. In fact, he thought he was launching a consulting firm. But after years of doing the hard work himself, from hauling tools to leading teams, he realized what roofers needed most wasn’t more advice. They needed mentorship. “I’ve done all the roles, and I’ve walked in those shoes,” he says. “So, I really know what our customers are walking through and the battles they’re facing.” 

Raised “farm-adjacent” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Tracey learned the value of grit at an early age. He started mowing lawns at nine years old and took his first paycheck job the day after he turned 14. His work ethic carried him through the University of Iowa and eventually to Texas, where he entered the roofing business, somewhat by accident. 

What began as a for-now job turned into a career. What started as service calls turned into a deep understanding of how to grow and lead teams. And now, through Service First Solutions, he’s helping others do the same. “I thought I was really opening up a training and consulting company,” he explains. “But what I truly opened up was a coaching company.” 

Tracey offers glimpses into how Service First Solutions works: on-site visits, hands-on training and a “digital desk” packed with templates, SOPs and tools to build a service department from the ground up. But more than providing resources, it’s the relationship they build that seems to matter most to clients. “He’s traveled the same road we’re on right now,” one client says. Another adds, “He asks really good questions to make you think outside the box.” 

The model isn’t about quick wins or corporate buzzwords. It’s about experience, trust and pushing people to get better. “A good coach feeds off the success of their athletes,” Tracey says. “That’s what I did.” With his flagship “Total Access” program offering weekly coaching plus in-person visits, Service First Solutions is aiming to build more than better service departments, it’s building leaders. 

Get a closer look at the story behind the brand, the people it’s helping and the culture of grit and generosity that powers it!