Colt’s Simple Stuff Services, which opened for business in 2018, offers fully licensed, bonded and insured residential contractors for work from flooring to drywall, painting, space engineering and design, tile work, bathroom remodels and rental property maintenance.

Jeff and Connie Cutler, managing members and partners, say what brings them the most joy — or what is the most rewarding aspect about their business — is building longer-term relationships with clients so they work on several things a month or several projects in a year.

Name: Jeff and Connie Cutler, managing members and partners — and yes, husband and wife as well — of Colt’s Simple Stuff Services in San Tan Valley.

Business name/address/hours of operation: 85 W. Combs Road No. 101-281 Queen Creek AZ 85140. We work with clients 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

How long have you been in business?: We have been working in home repairs for over 15 years. Colt’s Simple Stuff started as a business in 2018.

Briefly describe your business/services offered: We are fully licensed, bonded, insured residential contractors in Arizona. We do most all types of repairs, restorations, remodels such as flooring, drywall, painting, space engineering and design, tile work, bathroom remodels, door replacements, general improvements, rental property maintenance, light fixtures, fans, bath fixtures. Work with both site-built and manufactured homes. Connie, aka “Tile Girl,” has built a solid reputation for being a great tile setter and designer for bathrooms, backsplashes, islands and other decorative tile work.

What made you choose this line of work and why is it important or interesting to you?: This type of work Jeff had done off and on throughout his former career, mostly for his own homes and other real-estate transactions. Connie came into this from Jeff sharing work with her after her divorce and needing income. This grew and bound the friendship and support for each other, and eventually falling in love with each other which was the best part of how it all came about and turned into a business and company.

At the end of the day, what brings you the most joy or is the most rewarding aspect about your business?: Building longer-term relationships with folks. They may come to us with something simple to start off with, fixing a few things around the house. They see the respect we give of their time, the communication, the care and concern about managing the expenses for the project, and the dedication we put into it, even if it is just changing out some toilet parts. It is not long after the “testing us out job” that we have made a new friend and regular client. We may work on several things a month or several projects a year. It is rewarding to be the first thought in someone’s mind when they have a need for home repair or improvement.

What separates you from your competition?: We do not really see the marketplace as a big group of handymen and contractors all in competition with each other. There are jobs that are the right fit for us and there are other that are not. We like to meet with anyone who is considering using us before we even start the process of bidding or proposals. We are going to be working in your home and we need to make sure we have a set of agreements with you over some expectations that possibly both of us will not be able to meet. We seem to stand out a little on that point of taking time to meet and talk with everyone first. Client seems to like knowing that the same person you spoke with and meet with will be the same person coming to do the work as well. Having a very talented and skilled female in what was a male dominated business really impresses some of the female clients, making them often more comfortable with having work done in the home.

What civic groups, clubs, organizations or causes do you or your business support?: Combs High School Performing Arts Department, Better Business Bureau

Tell us about your family: Between the blended marriage we have four daughters ranging from 34 to 16 with one being adopted. We have a grandson named Colt, who is 6 and hence where the name of our business came from.

Where are you from?: Connie is from Irvine, California; and Jeff is from Turnersville, New Jersey.

Who was the biggest influence in your life?: We continue to draw inspiration from many of the clients we get to work with, hearing their stories, sharing their lives. It would be fair to say that we tend to be the biggest influences in each other lives, through love, dedication, listening, challenging each other. We work pretty much seven days a week so we don’t get much other time to hang out with others.

What advice would you give to someone contemplating starting their own business?: Be prepared to work at it, on it, past it and though it. It requires the attention of having a newborn, the discipline of an Olympic athlete, the patience of a …?? (that one will be the hardest) and the full and complete understanding that in order to provide for yourself, you must be in equal balance of what you provide to others, the concept of win/win.

Contact info: Connie Cutler, 480-540-2407 and c.cutler@coltscompanies.com; and Jeff Cutler, 602-570-3299 and j.cutler@coltscompanies.com.