Hiring
When to hire, who to hire, and what to do when it goes sideways.
32 topics
When should I hire?
The signal isn't 'I'm busy.' It's that revenue is being left on the floor and you can see it.
1099 contractor or W-2 employee?
The IRS doesn't care what you call them. They care about how the work actually gets done.
Your first employee
The first hire is the one that scares everyone. Here's how to make it survivable.
When you've made a bad hire
Most owners wait three months too long. The math says move sooner.
Interview questions that actually work
Skip the 'greatest weakness' theater. Ask questions that surface how they really work.
Handling performance issues
Performance conversations are uncomfortable. Avoiding them is more expensive.
Compensation that actually retains people
Pay matters. It just isn't the only thing, and raising it without changing the rest doesn't work.
Onboarding the first 30 days
The first 30 days determine whether you'll keep this person 30 months. Most shops wing it.
Keeping the people you'd hate to lose
Your top two performers are leaving in 18 months unless you do something specific about it.
Where to actually find good people
Job boards are last resort. The best hires come from places most owners don't think to look.
Writing a job post that filters before you read it
Most job posts read like legal documents. The good ones read like a conversation with the right person.
Reference checks that actually tell you something
Most reference calls are a formality. A few well-aimed questions turn them into the most useful 10 minutes of the hire.
How to let someone go without blowing up the team
Done right, the rest of the team usually says 'what took you so long.' Done wrong, you lose two more people in the next month.
Giving raises without setting off a chain reaction
Ad-hoc raises create resentment. A simple, predictable structure ends the negotiations.
Training new hires without becoming their full-time tutor
If training a new hire means you stop working for two weeks, the training system is the problem, not the hire.
Part-time and seasonal help, without the chaos
Part-time roles are a great way to test a person and a function. They're a terrible way to dump leftover work.
When to add a lead, a foreman, or a second crew
Most shops add a manager too late and a second crew too early. The order matters.
Hiring and training apprentices
Apprentices are the cheapest long-term labor strategy most shops never commit to.
Widening the candidate pool without lowering the bar
If every hire comes from the same one or two networks, you're filtering out half your talent.
Exit interviews that tell you the truth
The person leaving is the most honest source of feedback you'll ever get. Don't waste the conversation.
Background checks without overreacting
A background check is one input, not a verdict. Use it as part of the picture.
Hiring office help, remote or in-person
Most field shops underinvest in office roles, then wonder why everything feels chaotic.
Promote internally or hire from outside?
Internal promotions keep culture. Outside hires bring new ideas. Pick the right one for the role.
Non-competes, non-solicits, and what's actually enforceable
Most shop non-competes are unenforceable, intimidating, and damaging to morale. There are better tools.
Benefits without breaking the budget
You don't need to match a corporate benefits package. You do need to offer something on purpose.
Payroll setup without surprises
Payroll mistakes are some of the most expensive small-business mistakes. Get the system right early.
Being the owner who is always recruiting
Great owners never stop hiring. They just don't always have an open role.
Knowing when bigger isn't better
More people doesn't automatically mean more profit. Some shops are most profitable at five.
Career paths that keep good people from leaving
Good employees leave when they can't see what's next. The fix is showing them.
Designing an interview process you can repeat
Hiring by gut feel is how shops end up with five great employees and three bad ones every year.
An employee handbook that fits on 10 pages
You need a handbook. You don't need a 60-page corporate document.
Labor law basics every owner should know
You don't need to be an attorney. You do need to know which lines you can't cross.
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