Growing Your Business: An Interview with Aaron Siepierski
One of the most rewarding things for us is seeing the companies that advertise with us grow and thrive.
Joining me for today's interview is Aaron Sieperski with Aaron's Estate Sales in Birmingham, Michigan. Aaron will share some insight into how he took his company from modest beginnings to a company that does between 8-10 sales every weekend and has a staff of over 40 people. Aaron's road to success had several speed bumps along the way. Still, he took his business to the next level with the practices he mentioned in this interview. We discussed different strategies that you can apply to your business to help expand and grow your company in the new year.
Contributing Factors in Company Growth
Growing your company won’t happen overnight and will take a ton of work. One of the most significant contributors to Aaron's success was his willingness to learn. He studied and learned how other companies became successful and then applied that to his business model. Aside from education, Aaron focused his time on learning how to be more organized and invested in putting the right team behind him.
The Aha Moment!
Recognizing what you're truly good at, having all of your processes in place, and implementing better hiring practices are a few things that can elevate your business. Knowing your limits, not stretching yourself too thin, and staying humble is essential. Aaron's Aha Moment was when he recognized his downfalls, admitted he didn't know everything and started focusing on one thing at a time.
Failure is a great teacher, but hopefully, you can avoid some of that by putting these practices in place. Aaron admits that one of his biggest growing pains was not realizing that he didn't know everything right out of the gate.
Building Success Around Your Team
Aaron mentions that as your company grows, you will need to add new team members. The hiring process is a critical piece of running a successful business. Aaron recommends learning what skills and personality traits best fit your company and having the right tools to train your staff.
He implemented a "try-out" period for his potential team members. It's easy to take their word on their qualifications, but Aaron makes them prove it. Once you have the right people hired, you must help them grow. Continued education, ongoing training, and communication are essential when cultivating a great team. Aaron has even gone as far as hiring someone full-time to focus on nothing but training his new staff. Open lines of communication are critical and don't expect your employees to know what you want from them.
High Ticket Items
If you're a company that deals in many high-value items, there are specific policies you can take out on these items. If you deal with a lot of jewelry, Angie suggests getting a Jewelers Block policy. When it comes to vehicles, double-check with your carrier to see if they are covered and suggest that the owner keeps a policy on it until it sells.
Goals: Set Them But Don't Forget Them
Whether you are a brand new company or have been in the business for 30 years, setting attainable goals should be prioritized. Aaron's very first goal in the industry was to survive, which sounds obvious, but knowing your limits out of the gate is extremely important. His company was conducting one sale a week, but he decided his next goal was to bump it up to 10 sales a week
Aaron says he wishes he had devoted more time early on to staying focused and having clear set goals. Make sure that every move you make in your company puts you closer to reaching the goals you have set.
Repeat Business Pays the Bills
It's no secret that repeat business is vital to a company's success, but how do you keep them returning to your sales week after week? Aaron says that communication with his team, clients, and customers is the key to his repeat business. He employs a team that is customer service and sales-centric. His staff does everything in their power to provide an exceptional customer experience.
Technology in the Estate Sales Industry
While it may seem daunting to some, technology isn't going anywhere, so take the time to embrace it and learn as much as you can. Whether listing your sale on EstateSales.NET or researching the value of something online, technology tailored to the estate sale business is out there, and you have to set fear aside and dive in. It will pay off in the long run.
Advice For Companies Ready to Grow
Take the time to set in your mind what the ideal business looks like for you. Look what other companies are doing and see if their processes align with what you're trying to accomplish for your business—modeling your processes after other successful companies is ok. Set goals and keep them. Whether they're small victories or huge long-term goals, stay focused and make sure everything you're doing puts you closer to meeting them. Don't be afraid to ask questions and take every piece of feedback to heart.
Questions and Timestamps:
- Contributing Factors of Success (0:46)
- Aaron's Aha Moment (2:00)
- Building Your Team (4:54)
- Setting Goals (6:46)
- Overcoming the Fear of Change (9:21)
- Doing Things Differently Early On (11:20)
- How to Earn Repeat Business (12:53)
- Using Technology to Your Benefit (15:29)
- Advice for Other Companies (17:24)
- What's Next for Aaron's Estate Sales (20:37)