Maybe you can’t be all things to all people, but you can build a good business trying. Just ask Devan Kaufman, whose business includes a handyman service and design/build remodeling.
“Not every client is the right client, but we should have a solution for any project,” says Kaufman, the firm’s president. “We like to be the one they can call and we’ll have a solution that won’t lead to any dead ends.”
Plus, the two services are a natural repeat and referral program. Customers who use the handyman service may need a larger job in the future and vice versa.
Kaufman and his wife, Tracy, have used that formula to build a steady business over the years, and they’re working to cross-market the two businesses better. But they know it’s going to take more than a wide range of services to continue growing—especially if they can’t find the workers they need.
So Kaufman has taken new tacks to find good help. He’s trying Facebook advertising and already likes the results. He’s using a hiring service and a personality assessment to weed out potential applicants who aren’t a good fit. And he’s staying more focused on core values than skills.
“Now we spend more time paying attention to personality and a little less time to what skills they have,” he says. “We find that when people fit the personality profile, they’re very quick learners.”