Brian and John welcome Brian Hayes, co-owner of Ohio Property Brothers, to today’s episode. Ohio Property Brothers is a home remodeling general contractor specializing in kitchens and baths. As the name suggests, Brian Hayes runs the business with his brother, David. Brian Hayes takes us through the many events that he has seen while running a contracting company, including some difficulties the business had in its early days. He shares what he looks for when he hires contractors and why it can be hard to find the right person. We hear about the shortage of tradespeople and the impact this predicament can have in the coming years, the importance of having a great process, and what Brian Hayes credits his company’s growth to. To finish the podcast, Brian Hayes has a surprise for Brian and John.
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This Episode is Sponsored by
Core Rentals offers full service, residential property management in Columbus, Ohio and surrounding areas. They are equipped to handle single-family and multi-family homes. Visit CoreRentalsOhio.com today to have the day-to-day operations of your rental property handled by professionals.
Covered Topics:
- How price affects quality and professionalism in the contracting space.
- The types of jobs that Ohio Property Brothers has been doing recently.
- The importance of networking in the company’s growth.
- How to hire a contractor.
Show Notes:
02:11 - Brian Hayes’ introduction.
- Brian Hayes’ brother and his involvement in the business.
- The work that Ohio Property Brothers does.
- Changing the name of the business.
- The meetup that Brian Hayes organized at which he met John.
- Brian Hayes selling everything he owned to get the business going.
07:40 - Using contractors.
- The number of contractors that Ohio Property Brothers hired in its first year.
- What Brian Hayes values when assessing contractors to hire.
- Determining if a contractor can actually do what they say they can.
- Brian Hayes’ painting job that he got right after high school.
- One of the first deals that Brian and John did with Ohio Property Brothers.
- A contractor that Brian Hayes hired that was very skillful.
12:48 - The evolution of Ohio Property Brothers’ services.
- The mission statement of the business.
- The disconnect between contractors and investors.
- The number one reason that cause Ohio Property Brothers to lose jobs.
18:12 - Professionalism in the trades.
- Putting together training programs for soft skills.
- The dwindling number of people entering the trades.
- The relation between the economy and jobs in the trades.
- Skills in different areas that are required to start a business.
- Visionaries and integrators.
25:56 - What Ohio Property Brothers is doing recently.
- Focusing on the processes within the business.
- Expanding into Dayton and Cincinnati and establishing infrastructure.
- How Brian Hayes quantifies his company’s growth.
- Valuing your time and deciding to hire administrative help.
- The company’s hybrid model.
31:08 - The biggest contributors to Ohio Property Brothers’ growth.
- Seeing a better return on investment in networking than advertising.
- John’s problem of getting too busy to network as much as he wanted.
33:25 - How to go about hiring a contractor.
- Knowing what you want to do and want to spend.
- Everything relating back to the process of your business.
- Price, time, and quality.
- Ohio Property Brothers paying their contractors well and not competing in the less-expensive housing market.
41:21 - What Brian Hayes does in his personal time.
- Being a full-time father and riding a motorcycle.
44:13 - Brian Hayes surprises Brian and John with some questions.
- What is the first book that comes to mind for Brian and John to recommend to other people?
- What do Brian and John see themselves doing in 20 years?
- If Brian and John had a business genie, what would they ask for?
- What is something that Brian and John would have done differently in their business?
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Topic Takeaways
- Find a contractor that aligns with your values and does what they say they can.
- Networking can be even more effective than advertising.
- Have an idea of what you want to accomplish and spend when searching for a contractor.
Tweetable Quotes
“It goes back to who it is that you surround yourself with; whether or not they can deal with you with integrity and whether or not their work ethic is on par.” (Tweet This!)
“If you’re lacking quality, your business is going to suffer. That’s just going to happen regardless of what industry you’re in.” (Tweet This!)
“If you find somebody that’s in your price point, able to do what it is that you need them to do, and they can consistently do it, that’s where you really get traction in your business.” (Tweet This!)
Links
Ohio Property Brothers - www.OhioPropertyBrothers.com
The Millionaire Next Door by: Dr. Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
Scary Close by: Donald Miller
Traction and Rocket Fuel by: Gino Wickman
