In this episode of the Blue Collar Future podcast, Jaden Robison interviews Spencer Hautau, a concrete contractor. They discuss how Spencer got into the concrete industry, the challenges of finding skilled workers, and the importance of building a positive company culture. They also touch on the power of social media for marketing and the lessons learned from mistakes made in business. Spencer shares his experiences with trolls on social media and the importance of staying true to oneself. Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the concrete industry and the journey of building a successful business.

Key Takeaways:

• Spencer Hautau values hands-on involvement in his operations, believing in the efficiency of leading his concrete team directly on job sites.

• The challenges of finding reliable full-time employees in the concrete industry are mitigated by cultivating solid relationships with 'floaters' or freelance finishers.

• Scaling a business rapidly can lead to significant challenges; acknowledging and learning from mistakes is critical for long-term success.

• Spencer's approach to social media engagement involves authenticity and strategic content creation to foster growth and deal constructively with inevitable criticism.

• The importance of balancing contractor and residential client work is highlighted, considering the ebbs and flows of business demand throughout the year.

Notable Quotes:

• "I think in our company with me and Taniela, we practically, so what we did was we within the span of like two years, two, three years in the first year of business, we did a million dollars in revenue." - Spencer Hautau

• "You want the haters. That's your biggest. The haters are the biggest ones to, to really boost that for you." - Spencer Hautau

Chapters:

(0:40) - Discovering a Passion for Concrete Work

(2:41) - The Lucrative Skill of Concrete Finishing

(4:57) - Cousins Turned Business Partners in the Concrete Industry

(7:43) - Daily Operations in Separate Construction and Online Companies

(10:48) - Building Trust and Reliability in Construction Networks

(13:01) - Language Barriers and Workforce Dynamics

(15:07) - Misunderstandings and Cultural Assumptions in Conversation

(18:32) - Challenges in Hiring and Maintaining a Quality Workforce

(21:12) - Leadership Transformation and Workplace Culture Improvement

(23:40) - Leadership, Culture, and the Dynamics of Pay Cuts

(24:30) - Rapid Growth and Its Pitfalls in Business

(31:04) - Overcoming Negativity in Social Media Interactions

(35:06) - Harnessing Social Media's Free and Powerful Reach

(36:46) -Strategic Content Creation for Social Media Engagement

(42:41) - Balancing Quality Content and Follower Growth on Social Media

(43:59) - Balancing Contractor Work and Residential Projects in Construction