Language Matters
Language Matters, Tradie Think about your language. In case, you haven't figured it out already, I’m English and I've lived in Australia for a number of years. And I'm not a massive fan of Vegemite. I prefer the delights of Marmite, the spread I grew up with. And I...
Goal setting for Tradies – Short vs Long term goals
Long-term goals and short-term goals for trade business. What's the difference? Which ones do you need? Everybody talks about goals, don't they? They're important in business because they give you focus and direction. The reason that's important is that if you don't...
Following up and closing deals – it’s your job Tradies!
Calling people and closing deals - it's your job! I have two situations recently about coaching clients of mine who have said something like, “I'm not sure I'm going to get a deal and I'm not sure what to do about it. I'd like to get the deal.” Both times, calling the...
Apprentices – Are they really as cheap as you think?
Are apprentices as cheap as they seem? And the follow-up question -- Should you charge less for their time? The short answer is NO. And the long answer goes something like this: It's easy to imagine that an apprentice is cheap. You're paying them $17 - $22 an hour,...
Growing your trade business – Should you hire an apprentice or a tradesperson?
Should you hire an apprentice or tradesperson? A trades business is a people business. You're going to grow by hiring more people and by them doing the work of your business. That's really the only way you're going to scale your business -- hiring more people. And an...
Know Your Numbers (Episode 4) – Profitability
The question here is -- ‘Are you profitable?’ This is the last in a series of four videos about the numbers in your trade business you need to keep on top of to make sure your business is healthy. I'm hoping to persuade you to track them. Numbers are important You...
Know Your Numbers (Episode 3) – Understanding Your Business Costs
I'm on Episode 3 of a four-part series about knowing your numbers in your business (numbers that help you understand what's going on in your trades business). If you haven't seen Episodes 1 & 2 yet, check them here. I'm a business coach for trades and builders and...
Know Your Numbers (Episode 2) – Lead Indicators
You're here to: Learn something Understand whether there's something you should be doing in your business that you're not Learn whether you should be doing something better In this case, you could be using your numbers better to manage your business better and make...
Know Your Numbers (Episode 1) – Why It’s Important To Know Your Numbers
Know Your Numbers (Episode 1) - How well do you know your numbers? (They're pretty important and you should know them.) Lots of trades business owners ignore them or keep an eye on one or two and think that's probably enough. But it's not enough. You do your trade...
The Secret Of Success In A Trades Business
You run your trade business. You want to be successful. You work pretty hard. And you want to know what the secret is, don't you? Of course, you do. Sadly, I don't really think there is one, at least not in the way we think of a magic secret. And certainly not in the...
Why Being Cheap Is Bad For Your Trade Business
Being cheaper with your quotes doesn't win work. If you're worried about being cheap enough to win jobs and your focus is on your price, you're focusing on the wrong thing. Price is important, of course. Your customers don't want to overpay, but they rarely want the...
Systems – Why They’re Important In Your Trade Business
What are systems and why would you need them in your trade business? I talk a lot about systems. I'm a business coach for builders and tradies who want to put systems and structure in place to grow your business properly. And systems are a large part of what I'm going...