How to Correctly Hire for Business Growth

Refloor started four years ago, and today, we’re nearing $70 million in revenue—without acquisitions. I believe hiring the right people for the right seats greatly helps make this possible. 

Similar to all our internal processes in Refloor, our hiring process is honed, repeatable, and works.

Hire Slow, Fire Fast—Wrong

Everyone has heard the phrase “Hire slow, fire fast.” That doesn’t work for us at Refloor. We hire fast and fire faster. 

How do you do it? You interview like a sprint. You place ads everywhere. You line up calls every 30 minutes. You treat every candidate like a lead. You do not have the time—nor can you afford to have—a hole in your organization or the wrong person in his seat. 

How We Hire Using Core Values

In our organization, we’ve shifted from the traditional way of hiring. I am not worried about a candidate’s skill set overall. I'm worried about their mindset, their attitude, and who they are. But for this to succeed, you need core values.

You will lose control of your company if you hire against your core values. How do you know what a good hire is for your culture? Here’s how we’ve developed our process at Refloor.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.—Find Out What it Means to Us

We hire, fire, and live by our core values. To hire to our culture, we hire people who are Responsible, Enterprising, System-driven, Positive, Empathetic, Customer-focused, and a Team player.

At Refloor, every candidate needs each of these attributes. Below is a graphic that illustrates our hiring process. A + sign indicates that the candidate displays this trait. A +- is neutral. A - sign means they lack this trait.

We allow two +- symbols during an interview. We never allow a - sign—even if the candidate is talented, because you’re only as good as your weakest link. Any - sign means a candidate is not a fit.

What to Ask During the Interview Process

When we're interviewing somebody, every question in the interview is geared towards RESPECT.

For Respect, we could ask: How do you respond when someone corrects or criticizes your hard work?​

For Enterprising, we could ask: Who is someone you would describe as a hard worker? What about them makes you feel that way?​

For System Driven: When you come across a system that could be improved, how would you handle it?​

For Positive: What does a positive work environment look like to you?​

For Empathetic: How do you handle a frustrated customer?​

For Customer-Focused: How do you handle a customer who is being unreasonable?​

For Team Player: Tell me about the best and worst supervisor you have had. What were the differences between them?​

Live and Breathe by Your Values

With your core values, you can develop your own hiring process. Constantly reevaluate your employees using these core values—don’t forget to hire fast, but fire faster.

This is a snippet from Brian Elias’s opening talk at The Pinnacle Experience 2024. To learn more about Pinnacle, visit proremodelerpinnacle.com.