Contractors can build anything, but what about yourself?
Most contractors are masters of technical skill. We know the code. We know the tools. Even I know how to troubleshoot a issue in minutes. But here’s what I’ve learned: The business doesn’t grow unless you do. The plan only works if the person leading it has clarity. This graphic changed the way I approach leadership, not just as a contractor, but as a builder of people and systems.Set Goals & Be Honest About Where You Are
If you are going to take one thing away from this post, it will be this: You can’t set the right goal until you’re honest about where you actually stand. Remember please, if goals don’t come with clarity, accountability, and a real plan — they’re not goals. ... Their just wishes. We built this visual to help contractors including myself to focus before chasing anything new. Because growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by choice. What do you think? Agree to Disagree?Do Electrical Contractors own a business or job?
A lot of guys say they “work for themselves.” But when I ask who controls their schedule — it’s the customer. When I ask what happens if they take a day off — the work stops. And if they stop answering the phone — the leads disappear. That’s not a business. That’s a job with more pressure. I built this visual because I lived it. The truth is: most contractors don’t own their time, they just own the stress. So I came to the conclusion: If you stop working and your income stops too… You don’t own a business ... you just own your own job. How do you guys feel about that ?Are you willing to take the RISK?
We all decided to quit our jobs right ... Putting it all on the line to make it work, late nights, missed opportunities, lost jobs ... All for a chance at this entrepreneurship freedom. We all work of the reward, or whatever success looks like for us. You don’t get the reward if you never take the risk.And I’m not talking about blind risk, bidding jobs you’re not ready for, hiring too fast, throwing money at trends… I’m talking about calculated risk. The kind you prep for. The kind you back with systems. The kind that stretches you — but doesn’t break you. I’ve seen too many good contractors stay stuck because they’re waiting for the “perfect time.” The truth is perfect never comes. You either manage risk or you get managed by it. So here’s the question: What’s the risk you’ve been avoiding that’s actually your next opportunity?Most of Your Problems Are Communication Problems
I learned this the hard way - I always assumed people knew or understood what I needed, instead of communicating because I did not want to have the hard conversation. I wanted to be liked more than understood. But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: Most mistakes, delays, and drama on a jobsite don’t come from bad workers — they come from unclear instructions. It’s not that people don’t want to do good work. It’s that we assume they understood what we meant. And when assumptions lead the conversation, everything breaks down. So I built this visual to help myself, my team, and now other contractors get clear. What’s one breakdown you’ve had that could’ve been solved with clearer communication?The Crazy Path We Choose: Why Are We Really Doing This?
Let’s be honest, it takes a certain kind of crazy to walk away from a steady paycheck, health benefits, a pension, and 401(k)… …just to trade it for stress, uncertainty, no consistent work, and no safety net. And here we are. Every one of us who left a “sane” path to start our own thing made a decision that doesn’t make logical sense to most people. We chose the crazy path. Most people won’t understand that we didn’t choose this because it’s easy. Either way, When the stress hits, do you question it? When you look around at people with benefits and security, do you wonder if you made the wrong call?We 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?Everyone 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?HELP Too Many Electricians Google Prices — Not Enough Understand Margins
The last 6 months in our masterclass, we been talking with contractors throughout the USA- and one thing has shocked me personally about Electrical Contractors... Most electricians aren’t building pricing based on math, they’re just guessing. This is a shock to me because so many of us worked our A$$ off to apply and take the state exam. Yet, we fall back to asking Facebook or Googling “how much to charge for [x].” Another thing I saw was many copying what the other guy charges without knowing if he’s even profitable, or the fact their competitors have a different overhead. Am I the only one going crazy here? I built this visual as a blueprint for the trades. If you wire jobs with code compliance, you should price them with the same level of attention. What do you all think?Poll: Safety Training
Hey everyone! I've been in construction as an employee for 15 years, been doing small home repairs and renovations as side jobs for about a decade. I'm also an authorized OSHA construction industry outreach trainer, and teach NYCDOB Site Safety Training courses through a local partnership and I'm currently developing a new approach to safety training specifically geared towards the Jobber-type market. My question to all the Jobbers out here is, aside from actual job skills training, do you participate in safety training? Yes, I am (and any employees are) Safety trained I took an OSHA or similar class a long time ago I'd love to but it's too expensive and time-consuming Safety Training, what's that? For those who don't, what's the main reasoning behind skipping out on safety training? I'm interested but it's too expensive and time-consuming I've been doing this forever and I'm pretty safe anyway I don't have enough employees to "have to" do it, so I don't For those that do have safety training, how do you feel about it and why? very important! only did it to lower my insurance cost only did it because customers ask about it/like to know I have it useless I'd love to hear what the Jobber community has to say about it! Sincerely, Melissa Melissa Purdy Owner/Operator Safety City LLC mailto:SafetyCityLLC@gmail.com http://www.SafetyCityLLC.com
