From On The Tools to AI Consulting

Stephen Peart

Nobody expects an AI consultant who used to work in construction and tile and grout floors & walls to pivot into tech. But here we are.

I spent years in the construction industry and as a self-employed ceramic tiler on Commercial jobs, domestic refurbs, hotel lobbies, sports halls, swimming pools kitchen floors, you name it, I more likely tiled it. A trade that I thoroughly enjoyed for the time. I've mostly never worked in anything I didn't have a passion for; Rule number one that I told myself when leaving school all those decades ago.

Were there times when I did odd jobs or found myself in a job that I didn't particularly enjoy!!...of course there was. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do for a period in time, but my eye was never off the goal. I also ran a cleaning company with a HVAC/TR19 department that I built from scratch. started out with a £30 vacuum, £30 for a mop & bucket and some cleaning products stuffed in the boot of my car and off I went distributing leaflets. In fact I distributed leaflets first to test what feedback I might get. At its peak I had three vans and a number of full and part time staff.

Prior to that I spent years in corporate before tiling and my cleaning company days. Roles ranged in IT recruitment, web design, sales, account management, and customer service. I was one of those jack of all trades types of individuals, master of none, as they say, although I never did 100% agree with that statement haha... I then spent a number of years teaching and training in the blockchain arena as freelancer and subcontracted to a couple of blockchain start-ups back in 2018/19.

Being naturally savvy with tech I then I pivoted into the world of AI in 2024 and built this AI consulting agency in July 2025, so I am still in its early growing and developing stages but is now definitely home. Being at the forefront of a booming industry that I thoroughly enjoy being a part of feels great. This is the same equivalent that I was attempting to do with blockchain. The difference is blockchain is still a major niche tech industry even though rapid advancements are currently happening in the space and is still very much an interest to me. AI on the other hand is commercially everywhere.

My background shapes the way I work now because I'm not an AI guy who learned about small businesses from a YouTube course. I'm someone who's owned one or two and I use that experience to consult audit and implement services into HVAC and construction businesses.

Exceel's services are primarily targeted to HVAC and Construction companies as this is where a lot of my experience is but also cater for cleaning companies as I owned one, and Real-Estate & Lettings agencies.

Exceel-Automation is an agency consulting as sole trader.