small business growth

Struggling in Your Business? Here’s How I Help Tradies Turn It Around

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If your business is struggling, the first thing I’ll say is this, you’re not alone, and it’s not unfixable. I speak to tradies every week who feel like things are harder than they should be, whether that’s cashflow pressure, not enough profit, staff issues, or just constantly feeling behind. With over 14 years in business and working with more than 140 tradies, I’ve seen these situations many times before and I know what to look for.

What I help tradies do is bring structure and clarity back into the business. Most are working hard, putting in the hours, but still not getting the results they want. That usually comes down to gaps in systems, sales processes, or understanding the numbers. Once we identify where things are breaking down, we put simple, practical strategies in place to fix them. That might be improving your conversion rate, tightening up your processes, or getting a better handle on your profit, but the goal is always the same, to get you back in control and moving forward.

The real shift happens when you stop reacting and start running the business properly. Instead of constantly putting out fires, you’re planning ahead, making better decisions, and building something that actually works for you. That’s when I see tradies start to grow, more profit, better systems, and a business that gives them time and control back. If things aren’t where they should be right now, reach out. A simple conversation is usually the best place to start.

Thanks
Hugh

How to Get the Most Out of Your Admin Staff (Without Letting Xero Take Over)

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Today I want to talk about something I see way too often in tradie businesses what I call The Great Xero Addiction. 

Here’s the pattern: A small trade business grows to the point where they put on an admin person. The biggest pain point for the business owner at that stage is often the accounting system (usually Xero or QuickBooks) so that becomes the admin’s primary focus. Makes sense, right? 

But as the business grows, the admin role grows too. They start picking up the phone, managing a job management system like ServiceM8 or Simpro, scheduling the team, and handling materials. Yet despite all that, many admins stay heavily focused on Xero. It becomes their comfort zone and the thing they default to even if it’s not the most valuable use of their time. 

That’s where the problem lies. 

In a growing business, answering the phone can be the difference between winning and losing a job. Managing scheduling and ensuring jobs are run profitably is crucial. Staying on top of materials and adding variations matters too. But Xero? That’s mostly about managing expenses and while it’s important, it’s something you can outsource to a great bookkeeper (I know of a great one if you need a recommendation!).  

So if you’ve got an admin person who’s glued to Xero while other key areas are slipping, it might be time to rethink the structure of the role. Either pull Xero off their plate or train them to prioritise tasks that actually move the needle in your business. 

Need help figuring out how to make that work in your business? Contact me, I’d be happy to chat through it with you. 0409 402 474