Do you utilize battery-powered tools?
Handheld battery-powered tools have come a long way from their first iterations, especially over the past few years. I've started making the switch away from gas-powered equipment throughout the last few seasons for my business and have found the switch to be positive for my workflow and bottom line. This is a trend I believe will continue as batteries become more powerful and long-lasting. Are you utilizing any battery-powered equipment and, if so, do you have any favorites you'd like to share??Has Anyone Here Built Their Own GPT Yet? Or Just Using ChatGPT Like Google?
Hey everyone just curious where the community stands with AI right now. I’ve seen a lot of folks using ChatGPT to look stuff up (like Google 2.0), but I’m wondering if anyone here has gone deeper? Has anyone tried to build or train their own GPT yet? Or customized prompts/workflows to actually support your day-to-day? We’ve been working on building a custom GPT model trained on contractor logic — estimating, soft skills, job-site communication, pricing, SOPs, etc. For our company now, instead of broad knowledge. I see huge value in contractors having their own smart assistant, not just a chatbot. Something that speaks the language of our company. Is that something you’d use or find helpful? Curious to hear what direction you guys are taking.Do 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?How Much Should You Really Be Charging?
The number one question I receive is tied directly to the fact, most contractors are still guessing when it comes to pricing. Overhead. Profit. Labor rate. Trip fees. They think just because they throw a number they hear their competitors use, thats all that they need. It may work, but how and what do you divide these funds is just as important for your business health. If you don’t know how to do the math, you’re not building a business. You’re surviving check to check and think you need more work, when you do not. So here’s the plan: This Tuesday & Thursday on IG, I’m walking you through our Contractor Price Builder Worksheet FREE on instagram live. We will cover: - How to calculate your real hourly rate - The difference between markup and margin - Why profit is a non-negotiable - And how to price with confidence Join the session. Bring your numbers.Seeking ideas for developing power partnerships to better work with clients & grow our biz?!!
Hi all, We are a local fire protection company here in Los Angeles and we do both sales and service of fire extinguishers, as well as specialty fire equipment and resources. I am putting this question out there both for connections and suggestions on best developing power partnership with other local companies that work with residences, properties and businesses, to help collaborate on our services provided and add more value to them and more revenue to both partners. Example of our power partners are roofers, GC's, management companies, HOAs, solar companies, fire and water damage companies, Security and locksmith companies, Insurance agencies... Would love to hear your feedback and suggestions and love to work with you as well, if we could benefit from partnership. This, would be a more effective way to grow our businesses than social media or other passive ways I believe! Payam. Lavi | Supervisor PalFirePro.com
Roofing Contract
Howdy all, I've been doing low-cost handyman work in my business for the last several months. I just got licensed as a roofer and would like to get started in the business. However, I want to make sure I have a good contract prepared so that when I start getting clients, I can make sure I'm protected. What would you all recommend as a starting place? Do you have templates you've used for client contracts? Thanks in advance!You Quit Your Job to Start a Business — So Why Gamble on a Used Truck?
Everybody says the same thing: “Just buy a used truck, it’s cheaper.” Yet, That same truck breaks down 3–6 months later. Now your jobs are delayed. You’re borrowing vehicles from your spouse or rental. You’re stressed out and behind on bills. And suddenly the “cheaper option” is costing you way more. Here's my personal take: You quit your job ... You are betting 100% on yourself, to care for your livelihood. If you’re betting your whole future on this business — why risk it with a vehicle that might leave you stranded? I hate blaming others, or the lack of accountability. So if I can control one variable — like my ability to show up to the job, that will pay me for my services... I’m going to do it. But that's just my opinion. My hot take, What do you all think? I created this visual for myself to follow and share whenever anyone is deciding to get a vehicle.We’re In Q3 — How Are Your 2025 Goals Holding Up?
Now that we’ve officially entered Q3… I’m checking in: • Are you where you thought you’d be by this point in the year? • What worked well in the first half? • And what needs to be tweaked so you don’t coast through summer? For us, we’re doubling down on and been using this visual from our Blueprint Series to stay focused each quarter: Would love to hear from others: What’s one change you’re making to finish Q3 strong?
My 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...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?
