Mastering the art of business management in this sector is no easy feat, with companies now turning to experienced ‘coaches’ to fine tune their skills. PE catches up with a familiar face who aims to be the ‘Mastermind’ behind an uplift in the fortunes of electrical industry SMEs.
AA company is only as good as the team that manages it. Joseph Valente, CEO of the Trade Mastermind, strongly believes in this mantra.
Joseph’s journey is an inspirational one in itself. After joining the plumbing industry in 2005 as a 15-year-old apprentice, he quickly climbed the ranks and by the tender age of 22 was already the owner of his first business – ImpraGas – which he scaled from being a one-man-in-a-van enterprise to one of the most successful nationwide companies in the industry.
Eagle eyed readers may have already been acquainted with Joseph before. While he was running his company, he contested in the 2015 series of BBC’s The Apprentice, won the competition, and went into partnership with Lord Sugar. Within two years, he purchased back Lord Sugar’s 50% share in the company and turned its growth up as the sole leader of the organisation.
As Joseph continued to break through barriers for trade business owners, he decided it was time to practically help companies with an organised program that could utilise his own experiences to help others grow their business. In 2020 the Trade Mastermind concept was born.
Under Joseph’s leadership, supported by the work of his construction business coaching team, Trade Mastermind has already helped hundreds of sole traders and construction business owners in their quest to scale up.
The philosophy is simple: it’s all about helping those in the construction industry to achieve success without having to make the same mistakes that others, including Joseph, have in the past. To achieve this goal, the team members at Trade Mastermind make sure they’re open and honest with clients, giving them the courage, knowledge and tools to learn how to set up and successfully grow a construction business.
Trade Mastermind regularly holds a series of training events for all trades. Whether it’s free ‘Discovery Days’, online training or two-day ‘Business Builder’ events, the team offers a wide range of training, coaching, mentoring and courses to help trades and construction businesses grow further.
A CASE IN POINT: KIMBLETECH ELECTRIC
Established since 2011, Kimbletech is a family-run renewable energy focused electrical contracting business based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
Founded by Mechanical Engineering Graduate (and self-confessed “renewables nerd”), Chris Sadler, the company is all about passion, personal touches, and five-star customer experiences. Although Chris originally established the company as the sole electrician, the last decade has seen him develop a team of diligent installers and attentive support staff.
Out with the old and in with the ‘renew’
At the beginning of 2022 Chris shifted the company focus into renewable energy, dedicating his time to researching the best existing and emerging innovative technologies. In an ever-advancing world with new scientific discoveries to assist this change, Kimbletech wants to be a driving force that rapidly delivers planet-saving technologies into homes across the UK. As such, it is now equipped with the skills to offer solar, EV charging and smart home installation/maintenance services to customers.
Although Chris now oversees a thriving, healthy business, this has not always been the case, as he explains: “It was around 18 months ago that we joined Trade Mastermind and, although I had what I believed was a great idea for the business to branch out into greener services and technologies, like so many company owners, I was struggling to see the wood for the trees.
“At this stage we were turning over around £20,000 per month and really struggling to turn a profit. Fast forward to today, and thanks to the help of Trade Mastermind, we’re turning over around £150,000 per month, which is a massive increase. At the same time, we’ve increased from eight staff to 17, and have upgraded from three vans to eight.”
He continues: “From a personal perspective, I was able to come off the tools over a year ago, which makes a huge difference when it comes to focusing on running the business and it’s amazing how the company’s growth attracts people – lenders want to give us money, wholesalers want to give us credit, suppliers want to work with us, installers want to work for us, salespeople want to sell for us. Recruiting is a much easier process.
“As an individual, my mindset has completely changed. I make quicker decisions and I’m no longer afraid to step outside of my comfort zone.”
A lasting Legacy
Kimbletech’s involvement with Trade Mastermind has evolved over time, with Chris and his team now benefitting from the ‘Legacy’ package of support, which involves 1-to-1 coaching sessions, a podcast package, monthly ‘Masterminds’, event access, accounts management, access to future training and marketing support – all of which help to contribute to and improve the skills of the individuals working in the business, along with the business itself.
Chris says: “If I had just one piece of advice to share with others who may be struggling to control and/or grow their business, it would be to get yourself a mentor. The initial training that we undertook with Trade Mastermind helped to unlock my potential, but it’s been Joseph and his team that have been instrumental in keeping me on track. They’re also not afraid to tell me the hard truths when I need it.
“I’m grateful to be on this journey and to be part of the overall Trade Mastermind legacy.”
Get more details about how you can sign up to Trade Mastermind here
Watch Kimbletech’s testimonial video case study here
