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| Concrete Decor Archives |
Carlton's Corner: Decorative Questions and Functional Answers
by Doug Carlton
There is nothing more stressful than deciding on the best path for your business. Making the right decision at the right time is very important in growing and in perfecting the decorative craft. I had to answer each of the questions below at some point in my decorative journey and I'm guessing so will you.
We all know the secret to good work is good help. Your team will make your life heaven or completely frustrating depending on who shows up and when. Finding good help may be easier than you think, but let’s get one thing straight — good help most likely will not be your brother, brother-in-law, nephew or cousin. These guys may be the most accessible but may not necessarily be the most qualified. The best type of decorative worker is the same person that works hard in general — he or she just hasn’t been trained in decorative concrete yet. Not one of my employees had ever worked in concrete before I hired them. Look for hard workers wherever and whenever possible. They are all around you, and the key is to find the ones that are looking for improvements in their careers. It may be money-motivated, but not always. Some people love the challenge and reward that comes with the artistic side of what we do. It never hurts to ask, so always be on the lookout for hard workers.
The next step is very important in keeping and motivating good help. Be sure to establish what is expected from your new help concerning how they represent your company. I’m not talking about showing up on time because that is a given. We are talking about things like procedure and expectations of when you leave the job for an hour or two. Discuss quality and how this always comes first. It’s your company and they work for you, your way. Establish this and hold everyone accountable from the start.
This is nearly impossible to completely stop, but here is how I feel about it. Your business should always be out in front of the competition regardless of who it is. If you establish a loyal and happy client base, this will make it difficult for a lead man to take clients away. Most lead men split only when they feel they have the work to sustain their new venture. It is bad enough to lose a lead man, but to lose clients as well is certainly taking a step back. My opinion is to be sure to hire honorable lead men and make them aware of how hard you have worked to build your business. It is much more likely that this type of person will stay with a company that is respectful and doesn’t mind sharing the profits.
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