How to Be An Electrician

Cole McCloskey - The Electrician, Inc. On the Appreciating the People: "I don't know that it's necessarily a bad thing that we, as a society, in business, are adopting a culture of being appreciative and valuing people for more than just what they produce." Flip a switch, the lights come on. Plug in your phone charger at night and your phone is ready to go when you wake up. We take things like this for granted, but what does it take to make the lights turn on and the power to move through a house? Cole McCloskey, co-owner of The Electrician, Inc. shares with us what it takes to become one of the people that do what they can to make sure the lights can turn on the and the electricity can move through the right wires. The conversation goes beyond the nuts and bolts of working with electricity, delving into the challenges and rewards of starting a business, the importance of building trusted relationships in the trades, and the lessons learned from managing and growing a team from just a handful of employees to nearly one hundred. Cole opens up about the pivotal moment he became a partner at The Electrician Inc., why he believes in empowering team members rather than binding them with golden handcuffs, and how genuine appreciation and leadership can make all the difference in retaining good people. Listen as Cole explains his journey and how others can follow his path to become not only electricians, but entrepreneurs as well Enjoy! Visit Cole at: https://theelectricianinc.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theelectricianinc/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 From Construction to Electrician Journey 06:10 "From Apprentice to Entrepreneur" 08:17 Succession and Growth Strategy 12:13 Reluctant but Generous Mentorship 15:27 Organic Leads Build Relationships 18:43 "Freedom Over Golden Shackles" 20:01 Retaining Good Employees 25:03 "Code Exceptions and Missteps" 28:53 Journeyman vs. Master Licenses 29:54 Master Electrician: Skill vs. Integrity 33:38 Madison Electrician Training Insights 36:32 Electrical Practices and Misconceptions 42:13 Trusting and Empowering Others 44:36 Prioritize Valuing Top Performers 46:51 "Embracing Appreciation in Business" 50:16 Strategic Approach to Tough Conversations 54:23 Entrepreneur Stories & Electrician Insights Podcast Transcription: Cole McCloskey [00:00:00]: You do have to have a master electrician license to have your own business, because to have your own business to pull permits, you have to have a contractor's license. You have to have a master license to get the contractor license. So if that's a route someone wants to go, they do have to pass that exam. James Kademan [00:00:14]: So if they pass that test, then they have achieved master electrician status. Cole McCloskey [00:00:18]: Yeah, really above that, you can get into credentials for being an inspector if you want. The master exam is the first step towards that. If that's route you want to go. James Kademan [00:00:30]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. We are locally underwritten by the bank of Sun Prairie and downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at https://drawincustomers.com Today we're welcoming, preparing to learn from Cole McCluskey of the Electrician Inc. And we are talking construction, electrician, electricity, all the good stuff. So Cole, how is it going today? Cole McCloskey [00:00:59]: Going very well. Thank you for having me. James Kademan [00:01:00]: Let's talk about the foundation. What is the Electrician Inc.? Cole McCloskey [00:01:04]: So we are a full services electrical contractor. We do jobs large and small across all sectors from residential to commercial to industrial. We do also fire alarm and low voltage access control systems. So we cover a wide variety of the market in that way. But just the full service is electrical contractors is what we are. James Kademan [00:01:26]: Right on. And how did you get into that? Cole McCloskey [00:01:29]: Well, I grew up in the industry, so my father has worked for a construction company for his entire life. So growing up, right about the time I was old enough to grab a hammer and swing it, he was teaching me how to do that. So that was pretty cool to grow up in the industry and just be interested in what it's like to work with your hands. So I would help him out with roofs and woodworking projects and remodels and all kinds of different things. That was, that was really cool. And so I knew I wanted to get into a field that allowed me to do that when I became an adult. And long story short, I ended up through a family friend, finding the Electrician Incorporated and talking to the owner, who's now my business partner. So I'm sure we'll get into that piece of things. Cole McCloskey [00:02:17]: But just worked there for a summer in high school and fell in love with it and just really enjoyed ...