Episode 75: Empowering People and Communities with Kendra Hart

In this episode of Blue Collar Start Up, your hosts Mike Nelson of Five Towers Media and Derek Foster of Daigle Cleaning Systems interview Kendra Hart, president at Martin Electric. Listen in as they discuss experimentation within business growth, the experiences of being a young woman in construction, setting up your team for success, and much more!

0:15 Introduction
2:22 Meet Kendra Hart
3:20 The History of Martin Electric
6:35 Thriving Under Pressure
8:42 Utilizing her Accounting Degree
9:44 Getting Certifications and Using Local Resources
12:22 The Hard Hat Wall
13:14 The Current Scope of the Business
16:06 Valuing what you Created
16:57 Onboarding and Training Processes
19:17 Starting Pay Rates and Benefits
20:24 Schools Not Promoting the Trades
22:12 Trades are for People who Learn Differently
23:23 Managing 20 People at Once
25:24 Leadership Training
26:29 Bring your People to Conferences
28:29 Time Management
29:41 What does Growth Look Like?
31:37 Changes in Structure
32:36 The Original Principles are Still in Place
34:00 Don’t Worry about What Other People Think
37:15 Just Do It
38:31 Hiring Process
40:40 Establishing a Better Interview Process
43:05 Parting Knowledge
44:02 Where to Find Kendra and Martin Electric
45:03 Closing Thoughts
45:58 Outro