How do you keep your crew motivated and paid when work slows down?
Every year, that slow season creeps up on us. One minute the phones are blowing up, and the next it feels like the world goes quiet. When jobs slow down, keeping your crew busy and positive can be a real challenge. I’ve tried different things over the years. Training days, cleaning up the shop, and even team outings just to keep morale up. But the truth is, it’s hard when the pipeline dries up. How do you keep your team motivated and paid when things get slow? Do you cut hours, find smaller projects, focus on marketing, or use the time for business planning? I’d love to hear what has worked for you and how you turn downtime into momentum for the next busy wave.How do you balance kindness and strict standards as a business owner?
My personal values are very important to me as a business owner. Being a person of faith I care deeply about people. For years I have struggled to find this balance between kindness and compassion and strict standards. For those of you that have hearts for people and want to be kind and compassionate...how do you help your team rise to the occasion without having to seem heartless and only care about the bottom line?When to hire a General Manager?
I am a painting company. Have any of you hired a general manager and stepped away from the day to day operations of your business? How did you go about it? Was there a revenue metric you aimed for? Break it down for me in detail? Did it help you grow and go to the next level? How did you find your general manager? What did you set as the pay/salary? Bonus structure?How did you know it was time to hire your first salesperson?
When did you realize you needed your first sales hire? And if you’ve already hired a rep, what’s one thing you’d do differently next time? 🎙️In this episode of Masters of Home Service, Doni Jones and Rich Camacho dig into: When it’s actually time to hire your first salesperson How to spot the right (and wrong) salesperson during interviews Onboarding plans, sales KPIs, and pay structures to motivate reps Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
How do you pay your staff?
Residential Cleaning Company Here How do you pay your staff? Are they empoloyees or subcontractors? If they are employees do you pay hourly or per job? What is included in their pay? Travel time, admin time, lunch time? Curious to see how do you manage? Do you provide a company car or do they use their own? Do you pay mileage or gas allowance? What benefits do you provide? Thanks!!!SOP's, Handbooks and Employee Contracts....
Why Every Home Improvement Professional Needs SOPs, Handbooks, and Employee Contracts Running a successful home improvement business requires more than just delivering quality work; it demands a well-structured foundation that ensures consistency, clarity, and professionalism. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), employee handbooks, and employee contracts play a critical role in achieving this. 1. SOPs: The Blueprint for Consistency Standard Operating Procedures outline step-by-step processes for every task in your business. From managing a job site to handling customer inquiries, SOPs help you: Ensure consistent quality across projects. Minimize misunderstandings by providing clear instructions. Train new employees more efficiently. For example, having a detailed SOP for preparing a job site can reduce mistakes, save time, and leave a professional impression on clients. 2. Employee Handbooks: Setting Expectations An employee handbook is a central resource for your team. It covers: Company policies (e.g., attendance, safety protocols). Employee rights and responsibilities. Workplace culture and values. With a clear handbook, your team knows what’s expected, reducing conflicts and fostering a professional, cohesive work environment. 3. Employee Contracts: Protecting Your Business Employee contracts are legal agreements that outline the terms of employment. They should include: Job roles and responsibilities. Compensation and benefits. Confidentiality agreements or non-compete clauses. Contracts protect both you and your employees, ensuring transparency and reducing the risk of disputes. Why These Documents Matter Having SOPs, handbooks, and contracts isn’t just about organization—it’s about building a scalable, professional business. They: Empower your team with clear guidelines. Protect your business from legal risks. Enhance your reputation as a trustworthy employer and contractor. Over time, these tools will turn your business into a well-oiled machine, primed for growth and long-term success. In our experience, involving our team in the process not only made it smoother but also turned it into a fun and collaborative effort that brought everyone closer together.Anyone using an ESOP?
I have recently heard about ESOPs a couple times over the past few weeks. It has me thinking this fits my culture and might be a good fit for my business. If you are running an ESOP can you share details about it? Does it work for you? What are the benefits? Has it helped team culture and morale/buy-in?How do you handle employees complaining about one another?
Every once in a while I have team members who will complain about one another. The problem is that some of the things they complain about are not things that I have a major problem with. I usually tell them that I have to choose my battles but the complaining is just a weight on me. I don't want the team member that is complaining to feel like I don't care, or don't hear them but sometimes its just not a hill I want to die on. Hope that was enough information to answer this. Look forward to hearing how some of you handle team dynamics. Thanks in advance!Who Was Your First Hire?
I’ll never forget mine! My first hire was a foreman. I needed someone who could run the job while I focused on running and growing the business. That was the moment it stopped being just me and started becoming something bigger. Scary? Of course. Exciting? Absolutely. That first hire teaches you the hard stuff. How to train. How to lead. How to TRUST someone with your name and your clients. You don’t always get it right, but that’s how you grow. What I learned: Hire sooner than you think you’re ready Character beats skill every time Being a boss is a completely different trade than doing the work So let me ask you… who was your first hire, and what did they teach you?
