Grow and Scale Your Trades Business Through Training
In a webinar, Joel Berken of Success Academy emphasized that trades businesses can grow and scale effectively by being intentional in documenting and systematizing training and processes, using engaging and scalable training methods like VR, leveraging training as a marketing tool during hiring, implementing digital skills assessments for targeted onboarding, and consistently following through on training schedules and career path promises to improve employee retention and operational efficiency across multiple franchise locations.
During a recent webinar with Joel Berken from Success Academy, the discussion focused on the importance of scalability, building repeatable processes, the value of scalable training, and making training engaging. Here are some highlights from his talk:
Joel, tell us a bit about your background and what makes you qualified to speak on scalability?
Before joining Success Academy, Joel worked with Louisiana State Civil Service, helping to scale training via online courses for state agencies. Now, as the Learning Manager for One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, Mister Sparky Electric®, and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing®, he applies his experience to the franchise world, focusing on consistency and scalable, interactive, and engaging training across over 350 locations.
“If you want to build your business, make more money and be efficient, it starts with being intentional.”
What is the very first step to scaling your business?
Be intentional in your business and training. Document your training and processes. Don’t just react to errors with ad hoc training; create systematic solutions. Documentation is also crucial for onboarding new employees, helping them succeed quickly.
“There needs to be a training schedule, and you need to follow through with the promise of career pathing. Otherwise, that will be a huge red flag for a new employee.”
How can businesses position their training and processes as assets during the hiring process?
- Training as marketing: Showcase unique training opportunities, such as VR training, during interviews to differentiate your company and attract candidates.
- Digital skills assessments: Use pre-hire tests to gauge candidates’ technical skills, match them to appropriate roles, and create targeted training plans from day one.
- Follow through: Ensure that training schedules and career path promises are kept. Failing to do so can lead to retention problems and hinder scalability.
What are some problems you’ve faced with scaling?
The biggest barrier is when not everyone is on the same page. Management must ensure alignment and understanding of the overall mission and how each role contributes. This may involve cross-departmental exposure, such as technicians observing call-takers or accounting processes, to foster a holistic understanding and efficiency. Keeping the bigger picture in mind and promoting interdepartmental understanding leads to greater success in scaling.
“If you have leadership in place that’s laying out those career paths, then you won’t have to rely on dangling carrots to motivate people.”
How do you incentivize learning in a way that scales?
While rewards (like time off, monetary incentives, or recognition) can motivate, genuine leadership and clear career pathways are more effective. Leaders should help employees envision and achieve career growth through training. When employees see opportunities for advancement and feel invested in, they are more likely to stay and contribute to the business’s growth. Promoting from within and providing new growth opportunities perpetuates a growth mindset and supports scalability.
Want to read more from Joel Berken? Check out his blog: How to Make Learning Stick: Visual Baselining in Service Team Training
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