Hiring 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.
First 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!
Hiring the right person for growth
Hey everyone, I run a lawn care business that's been growing steadily. I work full time as a firefighter and have two part-time employees, but we’re pretty maxed out on what we can handle right now. I’m at a crossroads—I need someone I can trust to take on more responsibility, especially when I’m on shift. But I’m also not sure how to afford another employee unless we grow more, and I can’t grow much without that help. Bit of a catch-22. Any advice on finding someone who could help scale the business? Also open to creative compensation ideas beyond just hourly pay. Appreciate any input!What else? What is your secret sauce in hiring and retaining talent?
Judith here with Clean Club Calgary. We are a residential and commercial cleaning company. We have been in business for over 15 years and we were able to grow to a 20-22 employee company. I find hiring goes in spurts. Sometimes we have great retention and get good hires through the door. And of course there is the other times. My target for employees is newcomers to Canada. This is where I get the best people. We do have a solid (not perfect) hiring process. We are super transparent about the job (driving is part of the job, you might not get to work in the area you live, there will be changes to the schedule, we will support you - we have a supervisor on staff - and of course you are our number 1 customer - is the message they get) and even like this we have had such a hard time hiring. We participate in job fairs. So my question is other than Indeed (which does work for us) and local Facebook groups, where do you go and recruit for your staff? How do you communicate the expectations of the job? How do you make sure that they are excited after their training period and happy to work? Any help/advice/experience share is welcome!You Don’t Need More Hours — You Need the Right People
Everyone says they want to grow — but few are willing to let go. The inbox, the content, the sales follow-ups, the backend bugs — they hang onto it all, thinking it’s the only way to keep control. I get it. I used to do the same. But over the last 9+ years, I’ve built and scaled businesses by doing the opposite: building a remote team I trust, and getting out of their way. Not just “virtual assistants” — real professionals. People who run content, sales outreach, client communication, systems, software, and everything in between. They don’t just lighten the load. They raise the bar. This approach has been a game changer — not just for saving time, but for building momentum that actually lasts. It’s what I’ve been doing successfully for nearly a decade. If you’re wondering where to find this kind of talent, how to train them, or how to make it actually work long-term — drop your questions. Lets talk!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?What’s one red flag you always watch for during an interview?
In the episode of the Masters of Home Service (at the 27-minute mark) Stephen Jobe shared that his number one hiring red flag is when a candidate brings up money too early in the process. He said if someone’s first concern is pay, before showing humility or interest in the role, it’s usually a no-go. Do you agree with Stephen? What’s your biggest red flag when interviewing new hires? Tune into the full episode to learn what mistakes to avoid and tips for building a clear career path for your best people. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple , Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
