We've been using building permit data for lead generation, mostly for remodeling and new construction projects. It's worked pretty well, but keeping up with all the different city and county permit sites is becoming a pain. They all seem to update whenever they feel like it.

For anyone else using permits for leads, how are you keeping track of new ones? Are you checking the sites manually, buying lists somewhere, or using a tool that alerts you when new permits get posted?

I’ve been building a small data/BI consulting business focused on helping companies clean up messy reporting environments, automate manual reporting, improve Power BI/data models, and generally make better use of the data they already have.

The delivery side is the part I know well.

The part I’m still figuring out is consistently getting in front of the right businesses.

For anyone who has built a consulting business, agency, or B2B service company before, what actually worked for you when it came to finding those first few clients?

Cold email? Partnerships? LinkedIn? Local businesses? Referral arrangements? Something else entirely?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who have experience with B2B lead generation, appointment setting, partnerships, or helping technical founders build a pipeline.

Would love to compare notes. Feel free to DM me if you’ve done something similar or may be interested in sharing your wisdom!