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Trade business advice, no fluff

Practical, Perth-grounded articles on pricing, hiring, systems and growth. Filter by topic, or jump straight to advice for your trade.

Smartfix tradesperson using a pipe bending tool on site Featured
Hiring & Team September 23, 2026 · 6 min read

Who Should You Hire First in a Plumbing Business?

Apprentice, qualified plumber or admin? How I'd pick the first hire in a plumbing business, with lessons from Rhys Booth and my own mistakes.

Hiring & Team Plumbing Read article →
Smartfix team toolbox meeting with staff on couches and a process slide on screen
Hiring & Team August 26, 2026 · 7 min read

What Should a Trade Business Fix Before Hiring More People?

Busy and thinking about putting someone on? Here's what I'd fix in your trade business first, with lessons from Anthony Lawlor at Nimbus Tech.

Hiring & Team Read →
Kane Tyler Smith presenting key takeaways to the Smartfix team
Hiring & Team August 12, 2026 · 7 min read

When Should You Hire Your First Admin or Operations Manager?

Phones, bookings and invoices eating your nights? Here's how I'd decide between a first admin hire and an operations manager, from Smartfix.

Hiring & Team Read →

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this work for my trade?

These skills and tools are built across plumbing, electrical, HVAC, building, and maintenance. The fundamentals of business scaling are universal across trades.

Can I do this alone?

Sure, but it’s harder. Our training, guidance, and accountability systems make things go faster. It makes execution safer and more impactful.

How long does it take?

You can start to see early shifts within weeks. But sustainable systems take months to embed properly. It depends on your business size and how committed you are to it.

When should I start?

Systems matter at any stage. Get in. Start with the simplest part. As you grow, the systems grow with you and compound over time.