It is extremely hard for a young lad to get in with a one-man band to get in with a sole
trader just because of the money situation.
There are plasters that are earning enough to be able to take on an apprentice, but most
aren't.
And that's one of the key issues and it all boils down to keeping their nose above water
and surviving, but not thriving.
And that's one of the key areas in trial talk that I'm going to be focusing on in the
up and coming months, years on the group.
We're looking at possibly putting together some kind of coaching program for you guys
that are looking to transition from employee to business owner.
Most of this stuff is a head game and when we learn our trade, the focus is on hand
skills, it's on tools, it's on the processes and the methods that are involved in plastering
walls and the materials used and stuff like that.
When you want to go solo and start your own business, there's no business skills there.
There's no business skills training.
So the misconception is if you're a good plasterer and if you can plaster a wall to
a very high standard, then you'll automatically make a good business owner.
You can start a business at Plasters Walls and there's nothing further from the truth,
to be honest.
It's a completely different set of skills that you need if you want to start a plastering
business and work for yourself.
It's a totally different set of skills and it's a process.
So the same process that you've used when you've learnt your plastering.
Step by step process is in order to get to where you are.
It's the same with business.
And if you're anything like me, my reasons for going out on my own were I can earn more
money, there's idiots out there that are working for themselves and if they can do it or I
can do it, it's a bit of ignorance involved and again, misconception.
So it's about homing them business skills that you need.
So again, when I started out, I could plaster walls really well, but I didn't know how to
talk to people.
I didn't know how to send and receive emails.
I didn't know how to market myself.
I didn't know how to do my tax return.
I didn't know how to quote jobs and communicate effectively.
I didn't know how to convert leads.
So even if I'd get the leads in the palm of my hand, I'd use rated people.
I'd use my builder, checker trade.
I'd be getting leads in and I'd have those customers contact details, but I didn't know
what to do after I'd got them.
So obviously I'd be shy on the phone and when I'd be there, I'm there in person.
I'd be looking at the floor and I didn't know how to convert.
I didn't know how to sell.
And all these skills that I've just mentioned, they're all business skills
necessary for you to thrive and for your plastering business to do well, that you
need these business skills.
No good just relying on your hand skills and having that idea that if I
could plaster walls to a very high standard, people will just keep phoning
me up and they'll want me around their house because it doesn't work like that.
You do need the communication skills.
You do need the people skills in place if you want to do one in business because,
you know, 90% is going to be sales.
It's going to be marketing.
It's going to be your bookkeeping and your tax.
And there's so much involved, it would be silly of you to not learn some of these
skills. Don't make the same mistakes I did is what I'm saying.
I've been trying to figure out the best way to explain why I've, firstly, why was I
a labourer because that gets asked a lot.
Why are you a labourer?
You seem like a smart lad.
And why did you work as a labourer when you left school?
And I might come across as a smart lad.
But when it comes to the academic side of things at school and my upbringing and
different factors, my confidence was low.
I was a completely different kid.
I couldn't pick up the phone.
I couldn't look people in the eye.
I didn't know how to speak with people and to sound myself.
All these things I've had to pick up and I've had to learn myself.
So and you can do the same thing.
You might be working with somebody.
You might not have enough skills yet.
You might be a labourer and then you look into transition.
So you're looking to work for yourself, start your own business and build your own
name up and build your own client base up in the local area.
If that's something that interests you, if you're looking to move from employee
to self-employed, if you're looking to upskill and develop your skills,
join Troutor Cluster's Help Group.
Subscribe to this YouTube channel.
I've got some stuff coming up in the pipeline.
I've had some chats with some influential people that are willing to help
and put their thoughts across people from many different areas of plastering.
So we've got members that specialise in clay plastering, spray plastering,
airless plastering, machine render spraying, traditional lime,
as well as the modern day gypsums and whatnot, which which I do and you probably do.
You can do wallows of plasterer and there's this misconception of the construction
industry and this stigma that it's got.
Now we're trying to change that.
So in this podcast, I've tried to explain why our hand skills aren't enough.
Thank you for listening today.
My name is Stu Roberts and this is Troutor.
If you haven't already done so, guys, please consider joining the Facebook group
and also subscribe to our YouTube channel.
See you next time.