Hiring good people is one of the hardest parts of growing a trade business. Most issues don’t come from bad workers. They come from rushed decisions, poor systems, and hiring without a plan.

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In this episode of the UpScale Business Podcast, our Coaches Dave and Erina break down the real reason hiring feels so painful for tradies and how to fix it with a simple, repeatable system. Drawing on experience coaching over a thousand trade businesses, they share the mistakes they learned the hard way and what actually works when it comes to hiring and keeping the right people.

You’ll hear why panic hiring creates long term problems, why culture is more than just being a good bloke, and how moving from being on the tools to leading a team requires a mindset shift. This episode walks through how to plan for hiring financially, forecast work properly, and understand what you can realistically afford before bringing someone on.

Dave and Erina also explain how to attract better staff by treating hiring like lead generation, using your brand and social presence to stand out, and creating job ads that actually reflect your business. They cover practical interview questions, cultural fit, and why onboarding is where retention really starts.

The episode wraps up with a simple hiring framework that helps tradies remember the key steps to hiring well, from hunting for the right people to embedding them properly into the business.

If you’re struggling with staff, thinking about your first hire, or tired of hiring headaches, this episode will give you clarity, structure, and confidence around building a team the right way.