How Smart Trades Businesses Are Solving the Hiring Crisis

On a recent episode of the Trades Talk podcast, hosts Justin White (of JW Group) and Maggie Wymore (of Aspire / ServiceTitan) sat down with Team Engine Co-Founder & CEO Carlos del Pozo. They discussed the challenges—and opportunities—of hiring, retaining, and engaging blue-collar workers in field-based industries like landscaping, construction, and HVAC.

Carlos shared the story behind Team Engine’s creation, walked through its most important product features, and offered practical advice for leaders navigating labor shortages and workforce instability. Below, we’ve summarized the key themes and takeaways from the conversation.

Why Team Engine Was Built

Carlos, a former infantry officer turned business operator, saw firsthand how small businesses struggled to grow—not due to a lack of customers, but due to a shortage of qualified workers.

"The main thing they worried about was how to staff and build the crews to actually deliver the work." - Carlos del Pozo

After talking to dozens of business owners in the trades, Carlos saw a massive execution gap: Even when companies could attract applicants, they weren’t converting them into hires. That insight led to the creation of Team Engine—a platform designed to automate recruiting process steps and employee communication so businesses can grow more sustainably.

The Three Pillars of Team Engine

Carlos explained how Team Engine supports its customers through three core capabilities:

1. Recruiting Automation

• Automates job distribution across job boards, social media, and even QR codes on trucks using job posting software.
• Sends automated, personalized messages to qualified applicants via SMS or WhatsApp.
• Allows hiring managers to screen applicants faster by embedding questions in initial outreach texts.

“Recruiting is sales and marketing—it’s just a different funnel.” - Carlos del Pozo

2. New Hire Onboarding and Retention

• Automates the first 30, 60, and 90 days of a new hire’s experience to reduce employee turnover.
• Helps teams spot early warning signs of a poor fit by syncing communication between HR, hiring managers, and supervisors.
• Encourages quick go/no-go decisions on new hires to minimize risk and wasted effort.
• Supports seasonal hiring strategies by helping employers maintain a hiring bench year-round.

3. Field-Friendly Communication

• Bridges the gap between the office and field using text messaging for employee communication.
• Enables real-time updates and feedback across languages and platforms, including SMS, WhatsApp and email.
• Helps companies improve communication with field workers who may not use email or work computers.

Practical Takeaways for Trades Business Leaders

Throughout the conversation, Carlos and Justin identified several key takeaways for anyone managing people in blue-collar, field-based roles:

Speed is Everything in Hiring

• Responding quickly to applicants dramatically improves hiring success.
• A delayed response—even by a few hours—can mean losing a great candidate to a faster-moving competitor.
• Recruiting automation tools help companies stay ahead of competitors by responding instantly.

“The half-life of a good applicant is short. If you're not first, you might be last.” - Carlos del Pozo

Scaling Requires Systems

• Many companies rely on word-of-mouth recruiting or a single job board like Indeed; that doesn’t scale.
• Diversify your applicant sources and use automation to ensure a consistent, repeatable process regardless of who’s managing hiring.

Don’t Confuse Retention with Stability

• Companies often believe they have “great retention” because their core team is strong, but one or two positions may be turning over constantly.
• True growth requires a plan to both retain long-term staff and manage high-turnover roles with reliable systems.

“You can’t grow from 50 to 100 employees if 20% of your roles are constantly churning.” - Carlos del Pozo

Overhire Strategically

• If you know a role has high turnover, build that into your hiring plan.
• Adjust your pickiness instead of turning hiring on and off throughout the year.
• Great candidates might appear even during your off-season—don’t miss the chance to hire them early.

What Sets Great Companies Apart

Carlos noted a fundamental mindset difference between average companies and what he calls “employers of choice”:

“Some leaders believe people work for them because they cut a paycheck. Others believe people are their greatest asset—and they act like it.” - Carlos del Pozo

The most successful businesses implement proven retention strategies for blue-collar employees and follow through on them. Examples include:

• Treat HR and recruiting as strategic priorities.
• Invest in applicant experience and employer branding.
• Empower HR staff with the right tools and support.
• Prioritize transparency during the hiring process, including discussing the hard parts of the job, not just the perks.

A Final Word of Advice

Carlos closed the episode with a piece of advice for fellow leaders in the trades:

“Seek discomfort. The best things in my life and career have come when I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone.” - Carlos del Pozo

For businesses in blue-collar industries, that might mean rethinking how to hire skilled trade workers, trying new recruiting automation tools, or investing in field workforce management software to support long-term growth.

If you’re looking to improve your hiring and retention strategy, Team Engine offers tools to help you scale your people operations efficiently—without losing the human touch. See what Team Engine can do for your team—book a demo now.

You can also see how companies are implementing modern hiring strategies, like skills-based hiring and hiring for potential, in this article on fresh recruitment ideas.