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Solopreneur Money

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3 Steps to the Ultimate Contractor Experience with Javier Castillo, Ep #109

Having high-quality contractors onboard to support you can help you grow your business. But to make the most out of your relationship with them, it is essential to be an excellent leader.

Leading a team of contractors is different than leading a team of employees. Contractors are high-quality professionals who are experts at what they do. Treating them as such will go a long way to ensuring a lasting and profitable relationship.

Javier Castillo from ManageAwesomely.com joins me today to discuss how solopreneurs can best manage a team of contractors. Listen to this episode to hear Javier’s 3 tips for creating the ultimate contractor experience.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

  • Javier’s story [1:22]
  • Understanding the difference between being an employee and being a contractor [7:24]
  • 3 steps to the ultimate contractor experience [11:32]
  • The money questions [23:47]

Javier uses his real-world experience to ensure that business owners are making the most of their relationship with their team

While Javier was in college, he learned to be a web designer to make money on the side. Upon graduation, he continued his role as a contractor before moving into the corporate world. This frontline experience, in addition to his sales and marketing experience, has driven him once again into the world of solopreneurship.

Javier uses his expertise in both corporate and small business settings to help people better manage their teams. He coaches small business owners to empower themselves to maximize the value they create for their companies, their teams, and themselves.

3 steps to the ultimate contractor experience

As a solopreneur, it’s easy to overlook critical leadership lessons that you need to create strong, lasting teams in a corporate setting. If your support team has plateaued or you’re struggling to find the right rhythm, there are three steps you can take to get back on track and create the ultimate contractor experience.

  1. Care for your contractors as individual employees – Don’t treat your contractors as though they can be swapped out at any time. Think differently about how you interact with them. Invest in contractors when you can by giving them access to training or enrichment programs as you would with a W2 employee. Get to know them, support them, and invest in them.
  2. Look at your contractors as experts – Avoid cheap contractors and actively seek out high-quality experts. Remember these contractors are coming to you with their own set of skills and expertise. Trust their expertise and defer to their best judgment whenever possible. Try not to micromanage so that they can have the freedom to do their best work. Understand what you need or want to be done and insist on an outcome over a specific deliverable to allow them the freedom to work in their best way.
  3. Ensure you have a mutual understanding of each others’ long-term vision and purpose – As a solopreneur, you’ve set out to achieve a professional and personal vision, and more often than not, so has the contractor you’re working with. To ensure longevity and maximum value, make sure you each understand each other’s vision for the future. Share your vision and goals for your company and learn how their work with your company falls into their dream and connects to their future.

You are in control

Contractors are often treated differently than employees, but at your company, you have control over how you engage with your people. When you make an effort to serve your contractors and create value for them you’ll be the best manager your team could ever have which will empower you to maximize the value of your company.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Javier Castillo

Connect With Gabe Nelson

Subscribe to Solopreneur Money

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