Avoiding Burnout: Hiring, Admin & Planning with Harrex’s Electrical

Hiring staff can be one of the most exciting, yet stressful steps in running a trade business. Bring people in too early and you may not have enough work to support them. Wait too long and you risk burning out and losing out on work. In the Behind the Tools episode, Hiring & Admin With Charlie Harrex (Harrex Electrical), Michael Steckler (CEO of Tradify) speaks with Charlie from Harrex’s Electrical. After 15 years in business, Charlie has plenty of hard-won lessons to share about planning, admin, and growth. His advice is simple: put systems in place before you hire, decide whether you’ll stay on the tools or move into the office, and don’t underestimate the admin load. 

See the whole interview below! 

Low on time? Skip ahead

1. How can I prepare my business before hiring my first employee?
2. When should I hire admin staff for my trade business?
3. Should I stay on the tools or move into the office as my trade business grows?
4. Why is admin planning so important for trade businesses?
5. How do I avoid burnout when running a trade business?
6. Should I hire an apprentice? 
7. How can I stay ahead of supply delays and job planning?
8. What’s the best invoicing approach for tradies to improve cash flow?
9. How can job management software give tradies a competitive edge?

1. How can I prepare my business before hiring my first employee?

Hiring someone without the right systems in place often creates more stress than support. Before bringing on your first team member, it’s essential to set up clear processes for quoting, scheduling, and invoicing. That way, instead of adding to the chaos, your new hire can hit the ground running in a well-structured environment.

See what an extra staff member will really cost! 

2. When should I hire admin staff for my trade business?

But if you're still on the tools all day and catching up on admin late at night, you might already be feeling the pressure.

“I’d be sending invoices out at 1:30, two o’clock in the morning — it just wasn’t sustainable… I wish I had made that choice sooner.”— Charlie Harrex, Harrex's Electrical 

That’s where Tradify comes in. With one simple system to manage jobs, timesheets, and payments, Tradify helps you create the structure you need — so your first hire steps into a well-organised business, not a ticking time bomb.

Ensure your business is prepared with our free New Hire Checklist!

3. Should I stay on the tools or move into the office as my trade business grows?

It’s important to decide early whether you’ll focus on being on the tools or managing the office — that choice will guide who you hire first. Hiring an admin staff member early can free up your time, improve cash flow, and keep jobs moving without delays.

“I think I would try and identify if I was going to be predominantly office-based or on the job, and then get that admin person to help me sooner.” 

Many trade business owners wait too long to bring in admin support. Tradify makes this transition smoother by centralising quotes, schedules, and job notes so your new hire can get up to speed quickly.

With Tradify, you’ll have oversight of jobs, staff, and admin whether you’re in the office or still on site, giving you the flexibility to choose the role that works best for you. If you’re thinking of stepping back, tools like the profit margin calculator can help you check that your business can sustain your salary and new hires.

4. Why is admin planning so important for trade businesses?

Even the smallest jobs create a surprising amount of admin. 

“For a half-hour job, that person needs to know you’ve received it, when it’s scheduled, and they want the invoice promptly — that whole circle is quite involved.”

From confirming bookings, to scheduling visits, to sending invoices, every step takes time — and without a system, mistakes creep in fast.

Getting admin under control is just as important as getting the job done on site. Tradify helps by automating bookings, scheduling, and invoicing so you don’t lose hours of your day to paperwork. If you’re unsure where to start, our job sheet template can help you set up clear processes for recording and tracking jobs.

5. How do I avoid burnout when running a trade business?

Many trade business owners push themselves to breaking point by trying to handle everything alone. 

 “I was sort of struggling trying to do both — doing the tools and then dealing with the office work in the evening… it just wasn’t really sustainable.”

Trying to do both for too long usually leads to mistakes, missed opportunities, and burnout. The key is to decide early where your strengths and priorities lie, then hire the right people to fill the gaps.

Working all day on site and catching up on paperwork late at night isn’t sustainable — and it’s a common reason why tradies burn out. The smarter approach is to hire support or invest in systems before you reach that point. Tradify lets you send invoices and log job details on the go, so you can finish admin during the day instead of at midnight.

Use our business plan template to map out how hiring fits into your growth strategy.

6. Should I hire an apprentice?

Pairing apprentices with senior staff, assigning clear tasks, and tracking their progress builds confidence and keeps standards high.

 “Apprentices are an investment, but they need structured training and mentorship to become productive.”

Tradify supports this by logging hours, storing job notes, and showing supervisors what’s been completed. For an easy way to formalise training, download our employee handbook template and give apprentices clear expectations from day one.

For more help, check out:

• How to Train an Apprentice
• How to Hire an Apprentice
  

7. How can I stay ahead of supply delays and job planning?

Supply issues can derail even the best-run business if you leave ordering to the last minute.

“Previously, we could order material a week before finishing a house. Now you have to be proactive and organised enough to order a month ahead.”

Building proactive planning into your jobs helps prevent delays and keeps customers happy. Tradify’s scheduling tools let you map out jobs with materials in mind, so nothing is forgotten. To make your planning watertight, start with our scope of work template.

8. What’s the best invoicing approach for tradies to improve cash flow?

Instead of waiting until a job is complete, invoice as you go. Breaking projects into progress payments keeps money flowing and makes payroll and supplier bills less stressful. Charlie’s routine is to review every open job at month-end and invoice for any time or materials already used. Tradify makes this easy with built-in progress invoicing. To check how each job contributes to your bottom line, use our profit margin calculator

“At the end of the month, I go through all the jobs in the system. Any job with equipment or time on it gets marked to invoice so cash keeps flowing.”

9. How can job management software give tradies a competitive edge?

Being organised doesn’t just make life easier — it makes you look more professional.

 “Builders and plumbers often ask what system I use, because it seems so streamlined — they see the updates and invoices come through smoothly.”

That kind of professionalism helps you stand out from competitors and win more repeat work. Tradify centralises quoting, scheduling, and invoicing into one app, giving small businesses the same polish as the big players. 

Ready to give Tradify a go?

Tradify is a job management app used by thousands of tradespeople building better lives and businesses all over the world. It gives you all the features needed to manage and grow a successful trade business, including:

• Enquiries
• Quoting
• Invoicing
• Scheduling
• Job tracking
• Subcontractor management

You want to make sure you’re organised when business starts rolling in. Tradify can help you do that – no matter where you are in the world. Sign up for a free 14-day trial.