Hiring

Ep.153: Using a Talent Management Test for Hiring with Ben Reynolds

June 7, 2021 Hiring, Operations, The Tim Faller Show 00:34:27

The hiring process is a big challenge for, well, all of us.  

One way to assist in this process is by having a good set of interview questions, and the skills to actively listen to the responses given.  Without these tools, you may find yourself later on wondering how you missed red flags in an employee’s interview and hiring process. 

Guest Ben Reynolds joins this episode to teach you how to avoid that very situation.

Ben is the production manager at Kawartha Lakes Construction in Lakefield, Ontario, a design build company that has implemented a hiring process that has proved to be successful, and promotes employee retention.  

This process includes a required skills assessment made up of practical tasks that a potential employee in a specific position would be faced with on a regular occurrence.  By adding this to their hiring process, they are able to ensure that prospective employees are proficient and efficient when operating in remote and hard to access areas, a large part of their business.

Tim, Steve and Ben talk more about:

  • Who should be participating in the interview process
  • What positions require this demonstration of talent
  • Hiring based on drive and aptitude
  • And more…

How Much Does a Bad Hire Cost Your Business?

The Remodelers Advantage Hiring Edge Program helps you hire key team members more effectively using a unique combination of TriMetrix DNA Assessment Tools and experienced, hands-on business coaching. Our mission is to improve your hiring process and help you attract the talent your company needs and deserves.
[Click Here for More Information]

Ep.150: Building a Team, Not a Family with Jef Forward

May 10, 2021 Hiring, Management 00:40:45

While having a family-like culture is a well intended premise, it is oftentimes impractical.

Companies may notice that one or two employees are intolerant of the family-like culture in place, and leave the “family” dysfunctional. 

Creating an environment where there is a structure that resembles a team, rather than a family, is a way to avoid intolerance, and grow as a company.  In this episode, guest Jef Forward describes how he was able to achieve a team-like culture in his business, and why it has been successful.

Jef has a Masters Degree in Architecture from the University of Michigan and started Forward Design Build in 1997, focusing on a design and build method to ensure successful projects. He defines a successful project as a happy homeowner with a beautiful, functional home completed with-in ‘stated’ expectations of cost, service and schedule from the beginning of design to the end of construction.

Tim, Steve and Jef talk more about:

  • The “locus of control” 
  • How to address and correct the path of someone who is trending sideways
  • How to efficiently communicate with different team members
  • And more…

Get on the Waitlist for the 2021 Remodelers Summit in Phoenix

We are very excited to announce that after more than a year of virtual conferences and canceled events, we are holding the Annual 2021 Remodelers Summit LIVE and In-person at the luxurious Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, in Phoenix, Arizona, on September 22, 2021. We will launch registration on May 19, 2021, but if you’d like to join our waitlist, we will guarantee you a spot at this event and offer you the lowest pre-sale special pricing of $500 off the standard registration fee. So, sign up today!

Ep.147: How to Engage Your Staff to Help Train Each Other with Ned Trimming

April 19, 2021 Hiring, Management, The Tim Faller Show 00:40:28

Training, training, training!  

Business owners, production managers and general managers often get caught in a position wondering how to do it all. 

So, we turned to a former guest and a member of our production manager roundtables, Ned Trimming, to share his efficient training process, which involves both current and new employees.

Ned Trimming is the Production Manager at Crescent Builds located in Seattle, WA.  Ned and his team at Crescent are dedicated to building high-quality spaces for people to live and work in, while also creating an employee review process that continues to morph into new areas of training.

Tim, Steve and Ned talk more about:

  • Active cross-training
  • Training opportunities within a company
  • Establishing lateral service goals
  • And more…

We Have a New Production Manager Roundtables Group Forming Now!

Do you want your Production Manager to learn from the best?

Remodelers Advantage is adding a new Production Managers Roundtables Group to our roster of 5 successful, thriving groups. If you are interested in learning more, click here to visit our website.

Ep.146: Diversity in Trades with David Jacobs

April 12, 2021 Hiring, Management, The Tim Faller Show 00:40:54

As the remodeling and custom building industries struggle to find young, talented, hard-working talent to hire, business owners often miss out by not looking toward opportunities for minority hiring.

Expanding the search for talent in otherwise overlooked groups of people can open up an entirely new group of prospects. Guest David Jacobs of Jobs for Delaware Graduates shares how he provides students with a post-secondary plan while encouraging students to enter fields of trades.

David has spent the past seven years as a classroom teacher with the mission to enable students to achieve academic, career, personal and social success.  With over 15 years of experience working with youth, David discusses the challenges that he sees in inner-city students who may lack motivation and a vision for their future. 

Through the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program, he is able to provide students with the knowledge and benefits of choosing a career in the field of trades.

Tim, Steve and David talk more about:

  • The current lack of diversity in the trades
  • Expanding the search for trades
  • Possible ways to increase awareness and diversity in the field of trades
  • And more…

Are you enjoying the Tim Faller Show?

If you’re enjoying The Tim Faller Show, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.

Ep.143: From Client to Employee with Meghan Haines

March 22, 2021 Hiring, Management, The Tim Faller Show 00:30:15

The transition from client to employee, does it work?  

Meghan Haines joins Tim and Steve in this episode to talk about the dynamic from being a client to now an employee and why it may or may not work. 

Having the knowledge and experience of a client in the remodeling industry is helpful in the transition to becoming an employee and brings a point of view that some employees may not have.  Meghan talks about the surprises and potential roadblocks in the transition and how she has made it work.

Meghan Haines is the Production Coordinator for Hercules Design Build, a remodeling company in the St. Louis area. Meghan has been with Hercules for a little over a year and a half; However, before joining the company, she was a client for three remodeling projects in her own home.

Tim, Steve and Meghan talk more about:

  • Customer relations
  • The benefits of bringing experience into remodeling from different fields 
  • Advice for contractors interested in hiring
  • And more…

Are you a Tim Faller Show SuperFan?

If you’re enjoying The Tim Faller Show, please spread the word and post reviews on iTunes and Stitcher.

Ep.137: Work Force Development in Non-vocational Schools with Rhonda Hanaway

February 8, 2021 Hiring, Management, Operations 00:33:34

We have done a number of podcasts on work force development. We have spoken with contractors, vocational school teachers, and trade associations like NARI about the topic that is so important to the future of our industry.

In this episode, we are expanding by talking to a Career Advisor who works in the guidance department of a Charter School here in Rhode Island.

We have worked with Rhonda Hanaway on in-person and virtual career days and learning sessions with her school and others in our region.

Rhonda is the Career Advisor at Blackstone Academy Charter School in Pawtucket, RI and has recently been appointed to the Governor’s Coaching Corps in the state of RI. This is a cohort of 35 professionals chosen out of a large pool of people around the state to work on essential questions for Workforce Development.

Tim, Steve and Rhonda cover:

  • The difference between a Charter School and a Regular School.
  • What Remodelers and Builders can do to get involved in the non-vocational schools in their own areas.
  • What the approach should be and what person or title should they should reach out to.
  • How to get schools involved that may not have a similar program in place.
  • Job Fairs; what are they and how can they be started.
  • And more…

FREE Webinar: The Slippage Blame Game - Who's Fault is it?

As long as there has been estimating, there has been the blame game when the estimated price doesn’t match the production costs… that gap is referred to as “slippage” and when left out-of-control, can be devastating to a growing remodeling business.

Tim Faller will lead this FREE webinar on Tuesday, February 23rd, and will focus on the challenge of getting the numbers right and how to look at the problem from all perspectives.

[Click Here for More Information & to Registration]

Ep.125: Motivating & Engaging Employees With Consistent Performance Reviews With Selema Lawson-Jack

November 2, 2020 Hiring, Management, Operations 00:32:43

We have heard contractors say, “This would be a great business if it weren’t for the people!”

Many remodelers get into the business to build and create… the unfortunate reality is that they can’t build things without people…yet!

One big challenge owners and managers face is the annual employee review. It seems ineffective at creating change and is often just a platform for an employee asking for a raise.

The Owner feels in a bind and grants the raise, often against their better judgment or without any data to back up their decision.

Tim and Steve welcome Selema Lawson-Jack to the show to talk more about how she has assessed each of her company’s Production staff, through periodic performance reviews, and has determined a growth path for them.

Selema Lawson-Jack is the Director of Production at Schroeder Design Build in Fairfax, VA. and has had great success with their performance review process that has resulted in more promotions from within the department than they have had in the past.

Tim, Steve and Selema talk more about:

  • Selema’s overall experience with job reviews in the past and currently.
  • The thought behind holding performance reviews every 3 months.
  • What the reviews consist of and what content is used.
  • The goal of each interaction.
  • Dealing with requests for raises and promotions.
  • Getting the ownership, management and team on board.

Register as a Sponsor Guest for Summit & Recieve Coupon Code

When it comes to attending this year’s Annual Remodelers Summit, you have two choices. You can either pay the $99.00 general admission fee or register as a Sponsor Guest and receive a Coupon Code for $99.00 off your registration fee.
[Click Here for More Information]

summit-sponsors-2020

Ep.123: Exploring the Decent Human Being Theory with Nick Slavik

October 19, 2020 Hiring, Management, Production 00:38:53

Many remodelers, builders and business owners make resolutions or commitments to create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and then they get caught up in the daily grind and it never happens. Or, they take the time and energy to create them and they sit, unused, in a binder on a shelf.

Another challenge for many companies we work with is attracting and hiring people, especially new people to the industry, and getting them trained to “do things our way.”

Our guest today, Nick Slavik, has done an outstanding job of developing SOPs for his company and then implementing training to meet those internally. It turns out he has some other views of the world that are extremely helpful in running a business, as well.

Nick is the Proprietor of the Nick Slavik Painting & Restoration Co., Host of Ask a Painter Live, and contributes to This Old House. He has been and national and international speaker on topics such as entrepreneurship, craftspersonship, trades reformation, working with millennials, harnessing technology for trades business, financial benchmarks, industry standards and coating science.

Nick has been a craftsman for more than 25 years. His company has been awarded more than 5 National awards for craftsmanship over the last 3 years. He has created a rigorous Apprenticeship program where he finds, trains, inspires and mentors young people in his craft. In 2018, he was made a family member at This Old House.

Tim, Steve and Nick talk more about:

  • Background and description of the Decent Human Being Theory.
  • Creating & developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
  • Holding teams accountable and getting them to adhere to SOPs.
  • Developing them is one thing but training to them is another.
  • Balancing the demand for work, growing the business and training new personnel.
  • Hiring green and training OR hiring an experienced painter and re-training them?
  • And more…

Don't Miss the 2020 Annual Remodelers Summit

Join Us for Two Days of Successful Remodelers, Bestselling Authors and Industry Leaders Sharing Ideas, Inspiration and Business Solutions as We Look Forward to Better Days Ahead. [More Information + Registration]

Ep.114: Building the Next Generation of Trades with Brek Goin

August 3, 2020 Hiring, Management, Operations, The Tim Faller Show 00:43:54

We have covered the challenges associated with labor shortage on this show and we have probably had more than ten guests that are directly associated with solving the issue and increasing the awareness and opportunity in the Skilled trades.

We have included many guests who are getting involved by putting together programs and initiatives, and not just talking about the problem at hand.

In this episode, Tim and Steve speak with someone who is making a difference and has gone about it in way that especially appeals to the new generation of tradespeople, and that is social media.

Brek Goin, is the Founder of Hammr, an online professional network and labor marketplace for the construction industry. Brek grew up working next to his father in construction and over the last three years has built one of the largest building-related communities on social media.

Brek joins Tim and Steve to talk more about his mission to build the next generation of construction.

Websites and social media links mentioned in this episode:
Hammr
Builders of Instagram

This Episode Sponsored by: Wellborn Cabinet

We are excited to have Wellborn Cabinet as a featured sponsor for The Tim Faller Show!

wellborn-new-website

Ep.113: Hiring Right the First Time with Doug Howard

July 27, 2020 Hiring, Management, The Tim Faller Show 00:39:01

Finding and keeping good “help” can make or break your remodeling business. As a business owner you can recruit and interview candidates, maybe even hire one you think will be a superstar, and 2 weeks later you realize that not only are they a bad “fit,” they are destroying the chemistry and dynamic of your existing team.

In this episode Tim and Steve welcome back Doug Howard to discuss the challenges that remodelers face during the hiring process and ways they can overcome them.

Doug is the Director of Consulting for Remodelers Advantage and since joining R/A in 2017, has worked with hundreds of companies, developing strategic plans, streamlining processes, improving profitability, and navigating growth.

Tim, Steve and Doug talk more about:

  • The single most important thing/action in the hiring process
  • Some of the challenges and obstacles remodelers are experiencing
  • Building your own hiring process at your company
  • Some of the resources available out there
  • And more…

If you want to learn more: Free Webinar - “Building Your A Team”

Don’t miss this one-hour, FREE webinar, hosted by today’s guest, Doug Howard, on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

This webinar is designed to provide insight and strategies for remodeling company owners and their leadership teams on how to hire more efficiently and effectively. Doug will provide ideas, steps and tools to help create processes for recruiting, hiring and onboarding to meet your company’s needs.

Click Here to reserve your seat >>

This Episode Sponsored by: Wellborn Cabinet

wellborn-new-website