SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
Want to learn how the Tradies Success Academy can help you optimise your trade or construction business for profit, growth, and time freedom?
Greg sits down with Sean Mason one of our academy members to talk about the December crunch and the January quiet period.
Remember to
understand the capacity of your team
keep consistency of work through January and onwards
Transcript
Greg Allan
Are you in a trade in a construction business and feel like December crushes your soul with the amount of work that you have to do?
Super stoked to be here with Sean Mason, one of our academy members who went through all of this with his team and had to learn how to adapt and be able to create an environment so that the team thrives and he maximises the amount of work they can do in December and prepares for January.
So really excited to be chatting today, man.
Sean
Yeah, great to be here.
Greg
Thanks for joining us,
Sean
Looking forward to it.
Greg
Alright. So tell us back in 2022 when you went into December and you were telling me before, like how hard that was for you. What did it result in and just paint a picture for us about that.
Sean
Well, at that time, I just felt crushed as a business owner, I was crushed and putting a lot of pressure on everyone around me. I just sort of gave up at the end and just any, any chasing of work just completely gave up. It was like, “I don't have the time I'll deal with it when I do. ”Just hanging out for the two week holiday at Christmas as I'm sure my whole team was as well because we were, we were punishing 12, sometimes 14-15 hour days. Like they were huge. It was big time. Yeah, it just took, not only that, the, the follow on from that to January.
I was like, “yes, sweet, we'll have work come in,” and nothing. Just struggling, struggling through it and it was, it was a scrape really right up until April almost before it really started kicking off again, which yeah, made a huge dent and obviously it was more stressful than, than having two punches coming into Christmas. Yeah.
Greg
No, it's crazy. The, the amount of stress that the business owner wears and that sort of environment and it is controllable and I think a lot of people don't realise that and we just think, “nah, that's just the way it is. I just have to push hard and then I'll sort it out next year” and I know as well, like I went through that over and over again and didn't know how to make December work.
And that's why I so passionately love teaching everyone how to manage this period now.
So you, you came in to the Academy around September last year and you learnt the model to be able to handle and be profitable through December, but also fill January in and be off to a good start.
So, after learning that, like, what are the things that, yeah. How did, how did it change the business for you?
Sean
Oh, it was huge. There was absolutely zero downtime in January. Like it was still busy coming up to Christmas. But it just pushed through knowing that like, we've got two weeks, it's fine. Just get through it just a little, it'll be a tough period, but we'll get there.
And then from day one, I was like, yeah, sweet, we'll have a nice ease back into January and nah, it's, we just got pumped right through the year and it still hasn't stopped now.
I guess it's been great.
But it really gave me that opportunity at the start looking and, and really push like, let's get someone else on, let's move this, let's keep the momentum going and, and have you guys here, especially with guiding with like, let's keep that momentum, let's keep it going. There's no point in stopping and starting making it jagged. Like let's keep it a smooth, smooth process and, and not stop. Yeah.
Greg
So I think tip number one guys is, you know, make sure that you understand the capacity of your team.
And, and as Sean was saying, you know, earlier that the amount of load that he was wearing, you know, 12-14 hour days for not just himself, but the whole team wears that pressure and stress and when you take the two weeks off, you, you've obviously made a lot of profit in December, but you haven't prepared for January and that's, you know, it's a lot of, you know, you're not answering your phone calls, you're not doing any quotes and you're just head down trying to get through the workload and you haven't done anything in January. So, would you say that's one of the biggest, biggest things?
Sean
100%? Yeah, definitely. Gotta keep cracking on, on that and, and just making the most you can out of that busy period. And, and then obviously given that option some being able to push some to January and keep that flow, but always thinking forward and keeping the flow with if there's the ability to move jobs or get a just going to.
Greg
So if you've, if you've done this huge month, doing 12-14 hour days in December, but then had two weeks off, you didn't get the total amount of billable days anyway.
And if you were that busy, you couldn't do any quotes and follow up and anything, then January you have no work.
So all of the profit you might have made in December if you did because there wasn't as many workday to the holiday anyway, then January is quiet, you lose all of your profit and that's why a lot of people burn in terms of cash flow for the tax bill that comes in February.
I got PTSD about that ay.
Sean
Yeah, it's not a good time now.
Greg
So, what do you think you know, you said that now you've got, you've able to hit last year, you was able to flow through January, flow through. How did that change from the year before? Cos you were able to, you, you were fully quiet for months.
Sean
It was huge. Especially mentally like there's a big thing like we're here to, here to build a business and to, to push forward with our goals in life and whatnot, like having, having that time like it's more mentally straining than being busy.
Like you, you think, “What's gonna happen? Am I ever gonna kick off again? What’s gonna happen with the economy or what's gonna happen with business that and not only that, I've got guys now that I'm supporting as well, like what, what's gonna happen with them?”
And, and you, do you get personally attached to that as well.
We're all close. So wanna look after everyone as much as yourself as much as possible and it took the load off everyone.
Greg
And I think, I think that's we start to blame like it's the economy, it's a downturn. We look for reasons why it's quiet. The reasons usually stem from inaction in a certain period of time. Like we in the academy, we're always talking about peaks and troughs and you can actually control those if you're a bit more consistent and have more awareness around it.
So what did this year look like as a result of instead of you freaking like, well, “it's the economy or I have no work and where's the work and where's my clients doing?”
And you get to April and it finally kicks off and worried about paying bills and wages like you said, this year, how is that different for you?
Sean
Huge. This is my biggest year to date.
Greg
Epic.
Sean
And definitely a as you said, like everyone around me, like everyone that I knew other electricians and whatnot. They're all like, “oh, this economy. No, it's slow”. I'm like, “what do you mean we're busy?” Like it's but yeah, definitely that push just that period there keeping this period and taking advantage of it as well. Yeah, I my biggest year to date so hoping to do better again this year.
Greg
So you are now Sean's on a holiday up in the Gold Coast of Currumbin and he's able to come down and meet with us and Byron here at the Academy and you're saying that you're able to book out like a heap of work already and December is coming.
We're in October, we're in mid October now, December is coming.
And I'd love for you to just share what your, your strategy is, you know,, especially being on holiday now and being able to take that for one but your strategy coming into December this year.
Sean
Yeah, maybe book more holidays. As I said, it was great. Like the first day, book out four weeks, three guys straight up. Like that's, and especially when you're on the tools, you're getting yourself ducked in, head down, getting the work done is very easy to, to miss these opportunities.
So,, obviously came at the right time, but,, that, that books us like right into December now already. So,, now it's just whatever comes in is cream really. So it's just keep pushing. Eee if we can, if there's jobs that can be pushed out to the January, we'll do that.
But whatever comes in from now is really cream. So we've got a whole month of work to play with,, a and give that breathing space.
So now I know guys are locked in. I need to do my role as a business owner. Sit back, let's work on the business and do that.
Greg
And you're saying you've created some capacity as well ready for December this year, which you didn't last year because it was just a bit late when you learnt about it.
Sean
Yeah, definitely. We got a bigger capacity now, which is, which is great and just need to keep continuing.
Greg
Yeah, cool. There's a lot of people saying, oh, I can't hire anyone good. I can't find anyone good with what, you know, now, do you think it's possible? Just a yes or no.
Sean
100%. Yeah, definitely. Even, even now, like, I've got a guy who he’s a sub at the moment but he'll be on full time in January. Like, he's fantastic. It'll be great.
Greg
So, I think if you guys are thinking that you just can't find someone, I think it's just you need to know how to do it and we know that's what we as a network at the academy love to share strategies and tips and work with, able to connect
Sean
Yeah building that good culture. Having a good culture is definitely, definitely helps with that.
Greg
Yeah, for sure, man.
Any last tips for anyone coming in December straight down the barrel of a gun
Sean
Just hang in there. And so you gotta do the work. It will get better push forward and yeah, definitely stick with it and look for building that capacity. That's, that's what's gonna get you over the line. Like you don't wanna burn everyone out at the same time, but it's only a short term pain for a long-term game.
Greg
And anyone thinking about joining the academy, do you reckon that will help?
Sean
Yep, 100% that, that support network is definitely what got me through last year. Just as I said before, like just the having that personal support behind you feeling like you got someone there in your corner that definitely helped big time.
Greg
Yeah, cool.
Awesome man.
Thanks for coming out.
Sean
Thank you.
