Where do I hire a qualified box truck driver willing to do hard work?
I run a growing local food scrap hauling and composting business in Louisville, and we’re looking to hire a dependable part-time route driver for box truck and step van work. The job involves early mornings, local routes, heavy wheeled bins, liftgates, outdoor work in all weather, and a long drive down some windy country roads after backing in and out of loading docks downtown. For those of you who have hired solid delivery or route drivers before, where have you had the best luck finding hardworking, reliable people who are comfortable with physical work and independent routes? Indeed? Amazon/FedEx drivers? Word of mouth? Looking for advice from folks who have actually found good people.Should I hire employees or use 1099 subcontractors for better quality?
We have 6 subs full time and it's burned us a few times. We go behind them on ~25% of jobs. We just got CompanyCam and that'll help operationally. But, I am considering going the employee route and paying hourly. What do you feel works best -- to maximize profitability, ensure quality, and reduce headaches?Hiring Slow - Would You Hire Someone that Didn't Look in to Your Company?
I'm a part of breakthrough academy and they really recommend hiring slow, so being really picky about who you hire. With that, comes creating a lot of barriers that the candidate essentially needs to "fight through" to get to that next stage and ultimately be hired. I do some of these things now but I had one thing pop up on a few interviews and I was wondering if ya'll think I'm being too hard headed when it comes to this. Keep in mind these candidates applied where they had to submit pictures of their work - then they filled out a lengthy survey about job skills and abilities. The first interview, the first question is "Did you look in to our company at all?" - most the time I'm being told no. LOL For me that's crazy but it also makes me want to just hang up the phone. Why should I care about you if you don't care about the thing you're going to commit most of your day toward? My job postings are pretty long and descriptive but would you automatically disqualify someone why hasn't even been to your website?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 Features Would Be Helpful for Dealing with Subcontractors on Your Team?
Subcontractors can be a powerful way to grow your service business—but managing them smoothly takes the right tools. From scheduling to paperwork to payments, things can get complicated fast if you're relying on spreadsheets or text threads. Here are a few key ideas to kick off the conversation: Insurance Certificate Tracking + Expiration Reminders Making sure your subcontractors are insured is a no-brainer—but keeping track of their certificates and renewal dates can be a hassle. A built-in feature that stores insurance docs and sends automatic reminders before they expire would help keep your business protected and organized. Built-in Payment Processing for Subcontractors Paying subs quickly and clearly is essential for maintaining good relationships. Imagine being able to approve their invoices and process payments right through Jobber—no more chasing emails or juggling payment apps. Subcontractor Availability Scheduling Knowing when your subs are available is half the battle. A shared calendar where subcontractors can input their availability would make job assignment way easier and help avoid scheduling conflicts before they happen. What would you like to see added to help manage subcontractors better? Drop your ideas in the comments—👇
How do you handle unreliable employees in a home service business?
Hello! I run a Home Remodeling & Handyman business, and we're excited to share that we've recently expanded to include a Cleaning Division. We've noticed that in our area, many folks are eager for jobs but sometimes lack the commitment to follow through. How do you navigate this challenge? We've already offered competitive pay, which is quite high for our area, yet issues like poor communication, missed appointments, and subpar work still pop up. I'm curious to hear how others have managed similar situations and what strategies you've found effective—whether it's offering career growth opportunities, enforcing strict communication policies, or even increasing wages further. Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated!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?Subcontractors vs Direct Labor
Would you consider hiring subcontractors instead of hiring direct labor when talent is hard to find in your local market? My business has had a lot of success partnering with other companies to complete specific projects. In our service area, the collective workload exceeds the workforce so there is a general sense of camaraderie vs competition. What are you seeing and what has worked in your business?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?
