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 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!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—👇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.
Podcast discussion: Stop Using Org Charts. Use This to Grow Faster.
Do you have any thoughts, stories, or feedback after listening to the episode? Comment below what stood out to you most! 👀 🌟 Do you have a system for keeping your team accountable? How is it working for you, and what impact has it had on your service business? 🌟 How do you empower your team to make decisions without running every little thing by you? What’s worked (or not worked)? Episode Overview Most business owners think they need an org chart. But what many really need is accountability. In this episode of Masters of Home Service, Forrest Derr—Fractional COO and owner of Derr Consulting—joins host Adam Sylvester alongside his client, business owner Jerry Jackson, to show how to structure your team so everyone knows exactly what they’re responsible for. You’ll learn how to cut daily chaos, reduce unnecessary calls, and hit your business goals faster. Show Notes: [01:31] The #1 leadership mistake service business owners make [02:09] Accountability vs. organizational charts: what’s the difference? [02:46] How an accountability chart cut 80% of Jerry’s calls [03:28] Real-world examples of accountability in action [07:34] How to empower your team to make decisions [08:28] The $500 vs. $50K decision-making rule [09:37] The “barrel of monkeys” ownership trick explained [12:57] What to do when someone’s in the wrong role [13:48] Using the “GWC” method to evaluate employees [16:34] Why your team needs a clear “North Star” to stay aligned [18:24] Building positions based on outcomes, not people 🚀 Want to put these tips into action? Download our free, customizable accountability chart template. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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?
