Welcome to another NachoTuesday, and today I'm here with an old friend, Bryce Froberg, who's going to introduce his company. We're going to talk about some great fundamentals into hiring top talent, and his particular company has a lot of experience as a tool for background checks, interfacing with recruiters, and understanding the industry from the inside out. He also has a lot of experience being a hiring manager himself and has some keen insights into that. So, without further ado, we'd love for him to introduce his company with a short elevator pitch and learn more about what he does. Hey, thanks Andy. Yeah, so I own a background check company, and we do exactly what the name says. We provide background checks and pre-employment screening services to companies throughout the country. We currently work with over 4,000 clients, and our goal is to help during the vetting process and provide key information for hiring managers to make well-informed decisions. Perfect. Many companies don't perform quality background checks, and that's probably how people like me slip through. Just kidding. What are some of the potentially negative outcomes of that? Do you have any horror stories you could share without naming any company names, of course? Certainly. About 10% of the companies we onboard come to us after a poor experience with an applicant, or we reach out to them during the sales process, and they've had a bad experience. From our biased perspective, we think that every company should be running a background check to some level. It's an additional piece of information on the applicant that helps the hiring manager and the company as a whole make better-informed decisions. As for a horror story, we had a client come on board about 18 months ago. At the time, they weren't running background checks, and they were a technology company providing services to various businesses, including school districts. Unfortunately, they ended up hiring a registered sex offender for a consulting role in an elementary school. While the employee didn't do anything wrong during their time there, the school district canceled their contract due to their service level agreement. This could have been avoided if a simple background check had been performed. We occasionally come across similar cases where applicants slip through the cracks, causing problems and hurting business. That's why we see our services as a helpful resource. That's unfortunate to hear. Yeah, I could tell it was going to be a bad news story right from the beginning. Well, great. That's why we're here to talk about hiring practices and background checks being one of them. Do you have any tips for SMB owners on where to look for and identify the best talent, aside from browsing through piles of resumes painstakingly? Certainly. Job boards have their place, and they're a great way to make applicants aware of open positions in your company. I think any company should be utilizing job boards to some extent. However, we've found that taking an active approach and networking has been really successful. This could be through in-person events, LinkedIn, or contacts you make. Get to know people and keep potential opportunities in mind. We've had great success reaching out to individuals we've met and building connections. It may not be the right time to hire immediately, but it puts your company in a good position to offer opportunities when the time is right. About 40-50% of our hires have come on board without us posting the job; they were individuals we ran across. Networking and employee referrals are valuable resources. That's a great point. Sometimes people who don't check all the boxes on paper can still perform and learn new tasks better than those who do. Understanding the value of referrals and working relationships is essential. Word of mouth can be the best We recommend following a framework similar to how you would approach setting KPIs or creating a sales funnel when it comes to your hiring process. By doing so, you can effectively vet resumes and quickly navigate through the noise. It seems like you have a professional approach and don't simply hire the first person who walks in the door. However, there are times when that happens. Ideally, you want to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted peers. Now, let's discuss the key traits to look for when hiring. Apart from hard skills, soft skills play a crucial role. At our company, we prioritize goals and frequently discuss both company and individual goals with our staff. It's important to ensure that an employee's goals align with the business objectives. Inconsistent goals or excessive personal stress can hinder productivity and job satisfaction. When evaluating candidates, we consider proficiency, experience, and their personal goals. We aim to bring in individuals who possess a proficiency level that exceeds the requirements of the position they are applying for or our initial expectations. This allows us to learn from them and delegate responsibilities effectively, avoiding the common trap of trying to handle too much ourselves. Experience is another valuable factor we assess. Leveraging a candidate's past experiences not only provides us with someone who has "been there, done that" but also introduces fresh perspectives. It's easy for entrepreneurs to get tunnel vision, and diverse viewpoints can create productive friction, leading to better business outcomes. Lastly, we evaluate whether their goals align with ours. This goes beyond explicit communication and involves understanding the implicit messages conveyed by the growth stage of our company. In a fast-growing company, applicants may be expected to take on additional responsibilities beyond their job descriptions, and flexibility in working hours might be necessary. Aligning goals ensures mutual understanding and a harmonious working relationship. In summary, we prioritize proficiency, experience, and goal alignment when hiring. These factors contribute to a well-rounded team that can thrive in both high-growth environments and more established companies with defined structures. It's crucial to foster a culture that encourages diverse opinions and embraces the continuous learning that comes with taking calculated risks. It's important to note that the response contains several incomplete sentences and lacks proper punctuation. However, here's a revised version: Incorporate the framework similar to how you would establish KPIs or a sales funnel in your hiring process. Vet candidates against this framework, starting with their resumes. This approach will help you quickly sift through the noise and increase your chances of success. It's essential to avoid hastily hiring the first person who walks through the door, although it can happen. Sometimes, a positive word-of-mouth recommendation from a peer can lead to that outcome. When evaluating potential hires, focus on key traits beyond hard skills, such as their demonstrated soft skills. At our company, we prioritize goals and frequently discuss both company and personal goals with our staff members. It's crucial to ensure that employees' goals align with ours to maintain consistency and avoid any unnecessary stress that might hinder their performance. We look for proficiency, experience, and alignment with our goals when bringing in new hires. We seek candidates who surpass the proficiency level required for the job, as we want to learn from them and delegate responsibilities to facilitate growth. We value experience as it brings not only expertise but also a fresh perspective that challenges our tunnel vision. We encourage diverse opinions and viewpoints to create constructive friction that benefits our business. Additionally, we consider whether the applicant's goals align with ours, as different company growth stages communicate various expectations to employees. Understanding and aligning goals are crucial for a successful hire. While education is important for certain positions, we believe that relying solely on education level is an overrated trait when assessing candidates. Many of the best professionals I've worked with didn't come from prestigious educational backgrounds but had the necessary experience, drive, and motivation to excel. The focus should be on understanding what drives individuals and their ambitions. By fostering a collaborative partnership with employees and aligning their goals with ours, we can create a positive work environment that brings out the best in everyone. The employee-employer relationship becomes mutually beneficial, leading to satisfied employees who become valuable brand ambassadors. In addition to professional firms, conducting basic background checks is essential for any company. Googling candidates can provide valuable information, and word-of-mouth referrals remain a top resource. Establishing a background check procedure within your company is highly recommended. Misunderstood is what goes into a background check. We have background check packages for clients that range from a few dollars to a couple hundred dollars. We can search 250 different countries and provide criminal, civil, and driving history, as well as drug testing. Our goal is to cover most criteria that companies are looking for, and the information we provide cannot be found through a simple Google search. While Google search and social media accounts can be useful tools, they only offer a narrow perspective of an individual. To truly understand someone, a background check is necessary. We understand that price and knowing where to start can be hesitations for some people. That's why we encourage potential clients to reach out to us. We are happy to have a chat and provide information without being pushy. We want our clients to be well-informed about what a background check entails and the value it brings. Hiring the right people is crucial for startups and early growth companies, as the team you start with determines the company's trajectory. Investing in a background check is a small price to pay compared to the cost of hiring the wrong person and having to go through the hiring process again. In terms of personal experiences, as an entrepreneur, I have faced my fair share of failures. Since graduating from college, I have been on a journey to become an entrepreneur. I have made mistakes in managing cash flows, hiring too early or too late, causing unnecessary stress and decreased productivity. There were times when I didn't delegate enough responsibility or failed to set clear expectations for certain positions. However, I have been fortunate to maintain and either sell or continue running every business I started. These failures have taught me valuable lessons, and I continue to learn and improve as an entrepreneur. When it comes to books, I don't limit myself to business-specific ones, although I do enjoy them. One of my favorites is "The Hard Thing About Hard Things" by Ben Horowitz, which shares insights and lessons about overcoming challenges in business. "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin is another favorite, focusing on Abraham Lincoln's leadership and his ability to bring together a diverse and opposing cabinet. "Breath" by James Nestor explores the topic of breathing, and "Traction" by Gino Wickman offers valuable guidance on structuring and growing a business effectively. As for why customers should choose our background check company, we prioritize speed, price, and integration. We strive to deliver fast results at the best price point while integrating seamlessly with our clients, HR software, and databases. Our quality assurance team ensures accuracy in all results. Our goal is to be the resource that provides information quickly, affordably, and with minimal friction, allowing companies to hire the right talent on their terms. Background checks are a crucial aspect of hiring and can save companies time, money, and potential risks. We aim to make background checks accessible and valuable for all businesses, and our platform on Nacho Nacho's Marketplace offers a 25% discount. Investing in background checks is like having an insurance policy for your hiring decisions, ensuring you make informed choices and protect your company's future.