The Handyman Ken Protocol

How we automate integrity.

A one-person handyman shop using AI to look like a 10-person operation — without ever sacrificing the human-in-the-loop. Free, open, and designed for any small business owner.

Browse 25 free prompts Read the playbook
The Blue-Collar Stack

Three layers. One human in charge.

Ken's system is deliberately minimal. Every layer answers to a person — not the other way around.

🎧
Reception

The Ear

Breezy AI handles initial calls so Ken never misses an emergency while he's under a sink.

Breezy AI · Vapi
🧠
Estimation

The Brain

Gemini analyzes your photos to draft instant, consistent preliminary quotes.

Gemini API · Zapier
🛠️
Execution

The Hands

Ken (human) reviews every estimate, approves every detail, and performs all work on-site.

Human-in-the-loop
The Prompt Library

25 prompts. 5 modules. Steal them all.

The exact prompts Ken used to build his AI stack. Copy one, fill in the brackets, paste into Claude or Gemini.

#01 · M01Free

Time & Motion Simulator

Identify hidden waste in your workflow

ACT_AS: 'Process Efficiency Engineer' CONTEXT: 'I run a [YOUR_INDUSTRY].' TASK: 'Simulate a Time and Motion Study for a single client lifecycle, from inquiry to payment.' OUTPUT: 'Identify the 3-5 steps where the most non-value-added time occurs.'
#02 · M01Free

Black Hole Detector

Find exactly where leads die

TASK: 'I suspect my Black Hole is between [STEP_A] and [STEP_B] in my sales process.' ACTION: 'List 5 data points or timestamps I should track today to prove how long that delay is.'
#03 · M01

Calculate Bleed Rate

Quantify opportunity cost for your boss

INPUT_VAR: Sale_Value='$[AMOUNT]' | Profit_Margin='[%]' | Lost_Leads='[N/MONTH]' TASK: 'Calculate my annualized Opportunity Cost.' OUTPUT: 'Draft a persuasive paragraph to justify $100/mo to fix the bleed.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#04 · M01

Value Stream Map Generator

Visualize Green Valley vs Red Ridge

INPUT_DATA: 'My manual workflow: [LIST_STEPS]' TASK: 'Visualize this as a Value Stream Map.' OUTPUT: 'Categorize each step as Value Added (Green) or Non-Value Added (Red).'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#05 · M01

Friction Audit

See your business through a customer's eyes

ACT_AS: 'Impatient Customer' TASK: 'List the 5 most annoying friction points when hiring a [YOUR_SERVICE].' ACTION: 'Suggest one AI automation that would eliminate the biggest one.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#06 · M02Free

Standing Orders Generator

Define qualifying criteria for your AI gatekeeper

CONTEXT: 'Building an AI gatekeeper for my [INDUSTRY] business.' TASK: 'Define 5 crucial data points (e.g., location, budget) it MUST extract before passing a lead.'
#07 · M02

Decision Matrix

When to say YES and when to say NO

TASK: 'Create a logic matrix for an [INDUSTRY] receptionist.' OUTPUT: 'List 3 criteria for Hard No (Polite Decline) and 3 for Soft Yes (Schedule).'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#08 · M02

Persona Definition

Keep your AI from sounding robotic

PLATFORM: 'Breezy.ai / Vapi' TASK: 'Define a voice persona for my [BUSINESS_TYPE]. Name, tone, opening greeting.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#09 · M02

Edge Case Handler

Safety scripts for confused users

SCENARIO: 'User is asking questions the AI can\'t answer.' TASK: 'Script three polite, de-escalating responses that push toward voicemail without hallucinating.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#10 · M02

Risk Slider Calibration

Level 2 vs Level 4 autonomy

INDUSTRY: '[HIGH_RISK_INDUSTRY]' TASK: 'Define Level 2 Autonomy for my intake.' QUESTION: 'What Check-Gate must a human perform before the AI sends final response?'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#11 · M03Free

JSON Parser Logic

Messy emails → structured data

INPUT_TEXT: '[PASTE_MESSY_EMAIL]' TASK: 'System Prompt for Gemini to extract data.' REQUIREMENT: 'Clean JSON: {Name, Phone, Service_Type, Urgency_Score}.'
#12 · M03

Zapier Workflow Builder

Map tool connections

TOOLS: '[Email] + [Gemini API] + [CRM]' TASK: 'Outline Trigger, Action, Filter steps to connect these three tools.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#13 · M03

Hallucination Debugger

Fix the AI when it mis-categorizes

ERROR: 'AI categorized ceiling fan as HVAC work.' TASK: 'Rewrite the System Prompt to distinguish Minor Electrical from Major HVAC.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#14 · M03

Security Explainer

Get IT/Compliance approval

TOPIC: 'Enterprise API vs Public Chatbot' TASK: '3 bullets on why Gemini API via Zapier is more secure than pasting data into ChatGPT.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#15 · M03

Estimator Logic V1

Pricing automation

INPUT_LIST: 'Raw materials.' DATABASE: 'CSV of prices.' TASK: 'Logic prompt to look up each item and calculate total.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#16 · M04

Silent Mode Checklist

14-day sandbox QA

GOAL: 'Deploy a 14-day Silent Mode sandbox.' TASK: 'Create a 10-point QA checklist. What metrics to review daily before going live?'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#17 · M04

Audit Log Analyzer

Find where AI fails

DATA: '[SPREADSHEET_OF_AI_VS_REALITY]' TASK: 'Analyze discrepancy. Top 2 patterns where AI failed. Suggest prompt improvements.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#18 · M04

Executive Pitch Deck

Pitch the $100/mo pilot

ROLE: 'Middle Manager in [DEPT].' GOAL: 'Pitch $100/mo pilot like Ken Kring\'s.' OUTPUT: '1-page Exec Summary: Efficiency, Cost, Safety.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#19 · M04

4-Weekend Plan

Implement in 30 days

CONSTRAINT: 'I work 60 hours/week.' TASK: 'Break implementation into 4-Weekend Plan. One task per weekend.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#20 · M04

Use Case Translator

Adapt this to your role

SOURCE_MODEL: 'Trigger → AI Analysis → Route (Handyman Model)' MY_ROLE: '[YOUR_JOB_TITLE]' TASK: 'Translate this architecture. What is my Trigger? My Routing Action?'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#21 · M05

Invoice Parser

SMS → Square invoice

INPUT: '[SMS_THREAD_WITH_PRICE]' TASK: 'Extract Final Price and Work Description. Format for Square invoice field.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#22 · M05

Voicemail Triage Bot

Stop listening to 3-minute voicemails

GOAL: 'Stop listening to 3-minute voicemails.' TASK: 'Flow to transcribe, summarize to 1 sentence, assign Urgency 1-5.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#23 · M05

Competitor Snoop

How much biz are competitors winning on speed?

ACT_AS: 'Business Strategist' TASK: 'How to use AI to estimate biz competitors pick up because they answer the phone faster than me?'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#24 · M05

Scaling Logic

1 crew → 2 crews

SCENARIO: 'Expanding from 1 to 2 crews.' TASK: 'Adjust Zapier for Round-Robin between two Google Calendars.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
#25 · M05

The Kill Shot ROI

Prove monthly ROI

PRE: 'Hours_Admin=[X], Close=[Y%]' | POST: 'Hours=[LOWER_X], Close=[HIGHER_Y%]' COST: '$100/mo' TASK: 'Calculate monthly ROI and Payback Period in days.'
🔒 Lead-magnet prompt
🔓 Unlock the full library

Get all 25 prompts + the Zapier templates.

Drop your email and I'll send you the PDF, the .zap templates, and a one-email follow-up with the estimator spreadsheet. No spam, no sales calls.

Legal & Ethical Disclosures

How we use AI responsibly.

⚠️ AI Hallucinations & Preliminary Estimates

AI-generated estimates are preliminary and subject to on-site verification. Final quotes are provided after in-person inspection.

🔒 Data Privacy & Photo Processing

Photos are processed via enterprise-grade APIs (Gemini, Breezy). We never sell or retain data beyond what's needed. Request deletion anytime.

🛠️ No Professional DIY Advice

Chatbot responses are informational only and do not constitute licensed trade recommendations. Always consult a qualified professional.

✅ Human-in-the-Loop Guarantee

Every estimate, quote, and proposal is reviewed and approved by Ken personally before it reaches you.

Call Ken