Recently, Zac Maurais, co-founder of Utility Profit, joined Jason Hull on the DoorGrow Show to discuss a topic familiar to every property manager: the frustrating puzzle of setting up utilities for rental properties. Zac shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of the utilities industry, and how Utility Profit is simplifying this everyday headache for property managers and tenants alike.
Zac’s entrepreneurial journey started in Austin, Texas, with the launch of a food delivery app called Favor. What began as a simple idea eventually blossomed into a thriving company with over 50,000 delivery drivers, becoming one of Texas' largest employers. Favor, much like Uber Eats, made getting everything from groceries to fast food easier for millions of Texans, leading to its acquisition by grocery giant H-E-B.
But after the excitement of building Favor, Zac and his longtime friend and business partner, Ben, were ready for a new challenge. “We really liked building things,” Zac explained to Jason, noting that entrepreneurship was about discovering real-world problems and innovating solutions.
After exploring the property management industry, Zac and Ben discovered a recurring pain point: setting up utilities for new tenants. This problem, seemingly minor but universally frustrating, sparked their next big idea.
Why Utilities?
For Zac and his team, utilities presented a surprisingly outdated industry, lacking the digital tools property managers needed. Property managers were constantly tangled in tedious processes—Google searches, countless phone calls, and confusion. Zac noted:
“It's silly that it's 2024, and there wasn't something like a Google Maps for utilities. Why couldn't people simply enter an address and see the electric, water, gas, and internet providers?”
Determined to streamline this process, Utility Profit was born.
Utility Profit: Bringing Simplicity to Property Management
Utility Profit’s mission is straightforward: eliminate confusion and chaos by simplifying utility setup. The platform seamlessly integrates with major property management software (like AppFolio, Rentvine, and Propertyware) to automate the entire utility setup process.
Here's how it works:
Not only does this save significant time—preventing property managers from getting bogged down by endless communications—it also reduces costly errors such as utility shutoffs that lead to property damage.
The Financial Win-Win
Besides operational simplicity, Utility Profit offers financial incentives for property managers. Zac explained that property managers typically earn between $25 to $40 per move-in through Utility Profit. But beyond money, the real attraction is efficiency. Jason Hull perfectly summed up the pain of property management: "Some days, it feels like death by a thousand mosquitoes." Zac believes that eliminating even small annoyances like utility setups can significantly improve property managers' lives.
The Next Frontier: Fiber Ready Homes
Zac also shared their exciting next step: launching a Fiber Ready Homes program. This initiative brings discounted fiber-optic internet services directly to single-family rental homes, something traditionally reserved for large apartment complexes. Through partnerships with telecom providers, Utility Profit is helping property managers generate additional revenue, often tens of thousands annually, by offering tenants premium internet options.
Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Property Managers
Closing the conversation, Zac shared some wisdom from his entrepreneurial experiences:
“Whatever you think is holding you back, just start doing it. It’s easy to hesitate, thinking you’re missing something crucial, but taking that first step is always simpler than you imagine.”
Zac emphasized the importance of rapid iteration—testing ideas, learning from real customer feedback, and constantly improving. This mindset, coupled with embracing innovation, is at the core of both Zac’s and DoorGrow’s approach.
Looking Ahead
Utility Profit will showcase its innovative solutions at DoorGrow Live, a gathering focused on reshaping the future of property management. Zac's conversation with Jason highlights the power of innovation, simplicity, and relentless problem-solving, encouraging property managers everywhere to look beyond traditional limitations and embrace smarter solutions.
For more information, visit Utility Profit or catch Zac at DoorGrow Live!
See how Utility Profit works in 1 minute
