Exploring Life & Business with Eric Schell of Nashville Maintenance Pros and OneTap

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Schell

Hi Eric, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My Story: The Journey to Nashville Maintenance Pros and OneTap

My dad grew up on a farm, so hard work was just part of life. From the moment I could walk, I was helping out around the house—fixing things, doing yard work, and learning what it meant to take care of what you have. My mom was an immigrant from Ecuador, and between both of my parents, I was raised with a deep respect for perseverance, resourcefulness, and making the most of what you’re given.

By the time I was in high school, I was working as a laborer under my cousin-in-law’s business, and that’s where everything really started to click. I was a sponge, soaking up not just the hands-on skills but the business side of things too. I still remember the day I bought my first set of tools—I told the cashier to toss the receipt, but my cousin-in-law stopped me. “He’ll keep that receipt,” he said, and just like that, I got my first real lesson in business—taxes. That moment stuck with me.

I kept that mindset as I moved into the corporate world, landing a job at a Fortune 500 company. On paper, it looked like success, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t the right fit. And I remember the exact moment it hit me. One summer day, I was sitting at my desk, staring out the window, and saw a group of landscapers outside, laughing, enjoying the warm air, working with their hands. Meanwhile, I was stuck inside under fluorescent lights, buried in emails, counting the minutes until five o’clock. If someone had walked in right then and offered me the chance to swap places, I would’ve paid them to take my spot. That was it. That was the moment I knew I wasn’t built to be behind a desk.

At the time, I was already moonlighting—working my corporate job from nine to five, then heading home to a house I had taken down to the studs, working until the early hours of the morning. That wasn’t just a side project. That was my passion. I loved the process, the challenge, the hands-on problem-solving that came with rebuilding something from the ground up.

So when that moment hit me, I knew it was time to take the leap. Even if I failed, at least I could say I gave it a try.

Nashville Maintenance Pros: Building a Business

That leap turned into Nashville Maintenance Pros. It started with me flipping houses, struggling to find reliable tradespeople, and realizing there was a real need for a professional, skilled, and dependable maintenance and repair service. I wanted to build something that made property management easier for homeowners and businesses—a company that not only fixed what was broken but provided real solutions.

As I grew the business, I kept replaying one piece of advice in my head: “You don’t need more money, you need more people.” The idea is simple—don’t focus on chasing money. Focus on finding the right people, and the money will follow.

At a certain point, I realized I was hitting a plateau. I had taken the business as far as I could on my own, and I needed guidance to push it to the next level. Around that time, I took on what seemed like just another routine job—a small doorknob replacement for an exterior door. I had no idea at the time, but that small job would change everything.

Some might call it fate, but that job introduced me to Joe Freedman, now my mentor and business partner. Joe was in the process of selling one of his businesses and was looking for his next project. After I completed the job, I mentioned some of the technology I was working on in passing to his wife, Courtney Freedman, who is also a partner. She casually mentioned that I should talk to Joe. I didn’t think much of it at the time—until a couple of weeks later when Joe and I got on the phone.

From that first conversation, it was clear that Joe was the kind of person every entrepreneur hopes to have in their corner. His wisdom, experience, and strategic thinking have been instrumental in helping me navigate the challenges of scaling from a solo operation to a 16-person team. If there’s a problem, Joe’s been there before—his advice is never about telling me what to do but helping me see the bigger picture and make the right call. His guidance has been a game-changer, and I tell everyone starting in business the same thing: You don’t need more money—you need to find yourself a person like Joe.

As we talked more, Joe mentioned that for his next venture, he was looking for something that had a technology component to it. That’s when I said, “Well, funny you say that…”

OneTap: The Future of Maintenance

Through my journey as an entrepreneur, I’ve had the privilege of meeting great mentors and joining coaching programs. One coach, in particular, drilled into me a concept that completely changed the way I thought about business: If you want to scale, you need to change your business strategy. Most people start out selling one-to-one—find a customer, sell them a product or service, and repeat. But the real secret to growth, he explained, was selling one-to-many. Instead of solving one person’s problem at a time, you create a solution that can solve the same problem for everyone, all at once.

That idea stuck with me. I kept it in the back of my mind, always searching for ways to apply it. The maintenance industry, in particular, was outdated and full of inefficiencies, but I needed the right entry point to break it open.

Then, I had my lightbulb moment.

I was called to do what I thought was a simple floor crack fill at a large shoe store. I showed up with a small tube of crack filler, expecting a minor repair. When I walked in, I was stunned—the crack was 3-4 inches wide and stretched 500 feet across the store. Clearly, there had been a major miscommunication. But as frustrating as that was, I wasn’t surprised. This was textbook in the industry.

Curious, I asked the manager why something this serious had been left unattended for so long, especially in a store where kids were running across the floor, testing out shoes. She just shrugged and said, “Well, nobody submitted a maintenance request.”

That answer stuck with me.

That night, I couldn’t get it out of my head. There had to be a way to eliminate this outdated system completely. What if there was a way to make maintenance requests as simple as pressing an “Easy” button at the front desk?

I got out of bed at 3 AM and got to work.

That’s how OneTap Request Tags were born.

With OneTap Request Tags, scanning a QR code instantly connects the user to a real, live maintenance technician. No apps to download. No forms to fill out. Just scan, describe the problem, and within seconds, the request is in motion. The system automatically pulls 95% of the required information—store location, manager details, access codes—so the only thing left to add is what needs fixing. It’s as simple as texting your neighborhood handyman.

Think of it as Uber for Business Maintenance.

Our goal with OneTap is simple: Make maintenance as easy as OneTap.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Nashville Maintenance Pros & OneTap

The vision for Nashville Maintenance Pros is clear—to become one of the largest repair and maintenance companies in Middle Tennessee, setting the standard for reliability and professionalism in the industry. For OneTap, the goal is even bigger—to scale into a nationwide app with millions of users, revolutionizing the way the world handles repair requests forever.

We’re building more than businesses—we’re changing an industry. And we’re just getting started.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not—it’s been anything but smooth. But I think that’s the nature of building something from the ground up. When I first started, I was wearing every hat—technician, estimator, scheduler, bookkeeper, customer service rep—you name it, I was doing it. I’d be out on jobs all day, then coming home to handle paperwork and finances until late at night. There were plenty of moments where I felt completely overwhelmed, but I knew that if I just kept pushing forward, I’d figure it out.

One of the biggest struggles was scaling the business. Going from a one-man operation to managing a full team is a huge shift, and it came with its own set of growing pains. Finding the right people—not just skilled workers, but people who truly align with the company’s vision—was a challenge. I’ve made some hiring mistakes along the way, but each one has been a learning experience that’s helped refine our process.

Then, of course, there’s the challenge of balancing quality with growth. When you start a business, you’re personally overseeing everything. But as you expand, you have to trust your team to maintain the same level of service that built your reputation in the first place. That was a tough transition, learning to let go of some of the control while ensuring the company’s standards remained high.

And when it came to OneTap, the challenge was breaking into an industry that’s been doing things the same way for decades. People get comfortable with inefficiency because it’s what they know. Convincing businesses that there was a better way—a smarter way—to handle maintenance requests wasn’t always easy. Some people immediately saw the value, while others took time to come around. But every challenge has reinforced what I already knew: if you’re solving a real problem, and you’re relentless in your execution, success will follow.

So no, it hasn’t been smooth—but I wouldn’t want it any other way. The struggles are what make the wins worth it.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I run Nashville Maintenance Pros, a full-service repair and maintenance company, and OneTap, a technology-driven solution that’s transforming the way businesses and property managers handle maintenance requests.

At Nashville Maintenance Pros, we specialize in high-quality repairs, preventative maintenance, and property improvements for both commercial and residential properties. Whether it’s a small fix or a large-scale project, we provide reliable, professional service that our clients can count on. What sets us apart is our commitment to efficiency, transparency, and customer service—we don’t just show up to do a job, we provide long-term solutions that make property management easier.

We’ve built a strong reputation because we actually answer the phone, show up when we say we will, and stand by our work. You’d be surprised how rare that is in this industry. We prioritize professionalism, clear communication, and delivering high-quality work, which has allowed us to build strong, long-term relationships with property owners, managers, and businesses across Middle Tennessee.

On the technology side, OneTap is something I’m extremely proud of. It was built to eliminate the outdated, frustrating process of maintenance requests—no more logging into portals, filling out paperwork, or waiting weeks for a simple fix. With OneTap Request Tags, businesses and tenants can submit a maintenance request instantly by simply scanning a QR code. It’s the easiest, fastest way to get repairs handled, and it’s helping companies save time, reduce liability, and streamline operations in a way that’s never been done before.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Absolutely. If I could give just one piece of advice to someone starting out, it would be this: You don’t need more money—you need more people.

When I first started, I thought success was all about grinding harder and doing everything myself. I wore every hat, handled every job, and thought that if I just worked long enough, I’d get to where I wanted to be. But the truth is, business isn’t about how hard you work—it’s about the people you surround yourself with.

Find mentors who have been where you want to go. Find partners who challenge you and push you to think bigger. Find employees and team members who share your vision and take ownership of their roles. Money follows the right people—if you build a strong network, opportunities will come.

Another thing I wish I had truly understood early on is that perfection kills progress. When you start a business, it’s easy to get stuck waiting for the “perfect” time, the “perfect” plan, or the “perfect” execution. But the reality is, you’ll never feel fully ready, and your first version of anything won’t be perfect. Just start. Move forward, adjust as you go, and learn from every misstep.

And finally—learn to embrace failure. No matter how well you plan, things will go wrong. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll hire the wrong person, lose money on a bad investment, or have a customer who’s impossible to please. That’s just part of the game. But if you can shift your mindset to see failure as a lesson instead of a setback, you’ll always find a way forward. Every mistake is just tuition for success.

At the end of the day, building a business isn’t easy. It takes grit, patience, and a relentless commitment to learning. But if you surround yourself with the right people, take action even when things aren’t perfect, and stay resilient through the challenges—you’ll find your own version of success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nashvillemaintenancepros.com and www.onetapmaintenance.com
• Instagram: nashmpros
• Facebook: Nashville Maintenance Pros
• LinkedIn: eric-w-schell