Rich Lauretta has been building Spectrum Painting in Northern New Jersey since 1989 and recently made the boldest move of his career: hiring a Director of Operations, HR Manager, and Field Supervisor all at once to push the business toward a $10 million goal. In this episode, Rich gets candid about what it really takes to hire senior leaders, lead them effectively, and finally get out of the day-to-day. Honest, practical, and packed with insight for any owner ready to scale.

Pete Grandin has spent over 40 years building GrandScapes into one of Rhode Island’s premier landscaping companies — and the last few years have looked completely different. In this episode, Pete breaks down how building a structured management team transformed not just his business, but his day-to-day life. From delegating his maintenance division to empowering a team that now holds its own weekly meetings without him, Pete’s story is a blueprint for what’s possible when you invest in the right people. If you’re a trades owner still carrying everything yourself, this one is worth your time.

What if you could understand how someone approaches their work before you ever put them in a seat – and use that understanding to build stronger teams, reduce turnover, and make your toughest conversations more productive? Alysa Medina, Senior VP of People Operations at Painters USA, has done exactly that using the Working Genius framework. Today she walks us through how she’s integrated it into hiring, onboarding, coaching, and daily leadership… and the remarkable results that followed, including dropping field turnover from 70% to 30–35%.

Most hiring decisions are made on gut feel and most bad hires reveal themselves long after the interview is over. In this episode, we sit down with Jane Allen, owner of Smart Work Assessments, and Mark Repkin, NCG Sales Coach and Principal of Unicorn Sales Advisory, to introduce the POP™ (Predictor of Potential) Assessment  a science-backed tool that Nolan Consulting Group is now certified to offer clients across sales, management, and key roles throughout a trades business. Jane and Mark break down what the assessment actually measures, how it differs from tools like DISC and Myers-Briggs, and how it can transform not just a single hire, but your entire hiring process.

Finding and keeping a strong “number two” is one of the most important — and most difficult — hires a trades business owner will ever make. In this episode of Business is Messy, Brian and Colin make the case that the best candidate probably isn’t coming from your industry — and break down exactly where to look, how to bring them on, and how to lead them once they’re in the door. From outcome-based compensation and reference checks to one-on-ones and the tough conversations most leaders avoid, this episode covers the full picture. If you’ve been putting off this hire — or struggling to make it stick — this one’s for you.

What does it take to go from a 5-person local plumbing company to a multi-location operation serving six counties – as an unknown in a brand new market? John Moskola, co-owner of Watson & Sons Plumbing, joins us to share the real story: the financial pressure, the contingency planning, the marketing investments that took months to pay off, and the coaching relationship that helped him see around corners. From a single keyword change that dramatically shifted their search visibility, to a new trenchless lining service opening doors with realtors and homeowners alike, John’s story is a masterclass in trusting the process when the results aren’t there yet. If you’re a trades owner sitting on a growth decision and not sure if the timing is right, this one is for you.