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Hiring Your First Employee – What Held You Back or Pushed You Forward?
For me when I started the business, which I never thought about actually starting a business, hiring my first employee was easy as we did cleaning. I hired friends and family (so backfired - this is another discussion :) and never thought about how to do it and why, I just was being referred and for me this was the next step. Having said this how did you do it? How did you hire your first employee and what were your criterias? Did you look at your numbers and see - yeah I can afford someone? Or was it more like I don't think I can do this alone? How long ago was this? How much have you grown since then? Love to hear all your experiences!judithvirag5 hours agoContributor 514Views1like2CommentsFeeling Stuck in the Busy-But-Broke Zone – How Did You Break Through?
Hey folks, I’m hoping to get some insight from those of you who’ve already muscled through this phase of business. I’m currently in that painful zone where the jobs are coming in steady—so much so that I’m completely maxed out—but the numbers aren’t quite adding up to confidently bring someone else on board. I’ve got the workflow, the drive, and the service quality dialed in, but when it comes to scaling by hiring help, I feel like I’m staring at a wall I can’t quite climb. The catch-22 is real: can’t afford help without more time, and can’t get more time without help. For those of you who made it past this threshold: - What did you do to shift the equation? - How did you find the confidence (or capital) to invest in that first team member? - Any creative pricing or scheduling tactics that helped balance the load in the meantime? Appreciate any stories, hard-learned lessons, or nuggets of advice. Trying to work smarter, not just harder.MrBackflow5 days agoContributor 316Views2likes0CommentsDo You Train Your Team to Think or Just Work?
Every Monday, we hold a short training session with our team. We train on communication. leadership. & mindset. The reason being most tradespeople aren’t struggling because they can’t do the work. They’re struggling because they were never taught how to: Speak with clarity Handle conflict Lead a crew Represent the business professionally These tend to be the issues I see bottling up, either from our exit interviews or customer feed back or when things are misunderstood. Thats why I'm curious: Do you train soft skills with your crew?EnergizeUs6 days agoContributor 512Views0likes0CommentsHiring the Right People!
Finding and Keeping Skilled Workers in the Trades Finding good help is tough, especially in the trades. What’s your approach to hiring people who not only have the skills, but also fit well with your team? And once you’ve got the right people, how do you keep them motivated and loyal to your business? Let’s talk about hiring techniques and retention.ryaantuttle8 days agoJobber Ambassador604Views3likes8CommentsMy biggest challenge finding reliable candidates.
How is one supposed to grow a business especially a home service business like mine (Handyman Service) when we have to rely on others to perform up to a certain standard especially for my reputation. It's like being in stuck in a rock and a hard place? Any advice fellow business owners...hhhandyman7609 days agoContributor 2187Views4likes7CommentsFirst Key Employee
Hey everyone, we have a remodeling company and made my first big hire and I don't think he's the right fit. this employee is very expensive and does not produce enough for the company. What are some questions I should ask to my next hire that would help weed out the good from bad. Thanks!324Views9likes13CommentsWe Hired for Skill & We Got Burnt.
When I first started hiring, I focused on work ethic and skills. We all look for the 3-5 year guy in the field. That’s how I saw every other electrician hire. Until we’ve trained side-by-side with leaders from the Ritz Carlton, studied what world-class hiring really looks like, and built our own system to bring it into the trades. But after years in the field, and now in my own electrical contracting company, I’ve learned that’s not enough. The trades have a people problem because we skip the part that matters: Character. Trust. Vision. And it’s how we filter now. What do you all think?16Views0likes0CommentsEveryone Wants to HIRE the “3–5 Year Guy” — But Why?
Once again, contractors are falling into the same pattern. I keep seeing posts on Instagram that say: “Must have 3–5 years experience.”What do you guys think about this? Here’s my take: It’s because most people want someone they can toss straight into the field. No training. No culture building. Just go-go-go. But that’s how we end up with more bad hires than good ones. Here’s the truth: Hiring talent doesn’t fix broken systems. If you don’t know what problem you’re solving — even the “perfect” hire won’t help. So I made this visual graphic to help. This is how I think through hiring when I know I’m ready to grow. What are your thoughts?14Views0likes0Comments
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- general hiring tips19 Topics
- finding employees18 Topics
- training15 Topics
- cleaning15 Topics
- bonus and retention programs13 Topics
- operating procedures13 Topics
- subcontracting11 Topics
- interview tips & questions9 Topics
- general contracting8 Topics
- handyman6 Topics