Core Matters, LLC

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the President of Gehman Design Remodeling

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Full service design build residential remodeling of Whole House Remodels, Additions, Kitchens & Baths

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Core Matters, LLC to accomplish?

• Hire the right people the first time
• Develop vision statement and core values
• Turn business over to my sons so I can retire by the end of 2025

SOLUTION

How did you find Core Matters, LLC?

Podcasts

Why did you select Core Matters, LLC over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Core Matters, LLC were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Purpose

To always deliver an enjoyable and rewarding experience for our clients, trade partners, and team members

Vision

We're dedicated to our team's growth as we work hard to "WOW" our clients by passionately remodeling their houses into a place where memories are made.

Values

Elevate Excellence: Continuously enhancing service, team, and client experience.
Embrace the Process: Better systems and processes to support our team and delight our clients.
Empower Each Other: Developing the dreams of our clients and each other while building a strong foundation for life and business.
Engineer "WOW!": Exceptional experiences through exceptional transformations.

Job Descriptions and ads that use our Core Values to bring the right applicants with questions to help us interview to hire the right people

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

We now have written Purpose, Vision Statement, Core Values and some Job Descriptions along with interview questions

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Ryan had been hands working with our family management team the whole time. He has his act together but there's a lot of work for us to do that we often have a hard time keeping up with. Ryan caters our meetings to work on what we need at the time, such as we need to hire for a certain position so we focus on writing the job description. Based on the job description, Ryan and his team write the hiring ads to post online. Ryan is very passionate about culture fit and using core values to create the culture we want.

What was your primary form of communication with Core Matters, LLC?

• Virtual Meeting
• Email or Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Core Matters, LLC is the perfect name for this company. What they understand about culture and how to go about teaching us how to create our team goes beyond everyday business. They get to the heart of the business: people and relationships. This goes for owners / managers, team building and clients. Without each of these there wouldn't be a business.

Culture has always been important to me, but we never had any of it in writing. I now better understand that value of being clear on what we want our culture to be and using that to create our team to work together toward a common goal. 
I believe Core Matters does a great job of helping business owners and management teams understand the value of culture for their business.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Core Matters, LLC could have done differently?

The accountability calls are a good idea. They can be great or they can feel like, why am I on this call when I should be doing something else. Having more people on the call is generally a key to making the calls good. I'm not sure how to get everyone to understand that their presence on the calls is important for them and necessary for the rest of us

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of Mr. Handyman, a franchise with full-time service technicians and carpenters. They go to various homes and businesses to do repairs or provide maintenance services.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Matters, LLC?

It was challenging to find technicians, so I used Core Matters, LLC to do it. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I used study materials provided by Ryan (CEO) and another teammate to train myself to be better at recruitment. I signed up for the study materials, watched videos, and read the documents that they produced. They had available times when I could participate in group discussions via Zoom. After some time, Tammy (Chief of Staff) did a one-on-one consultation with me. 

What is the team composition?

It was a self-study program, so I was the only one primarily involved in the process. I interfaced with Tammy later in the process. 

How did you come to work with Core Matters, LLC?

I learned about them at a corporate convention. 

How much have you invested with them?

I spent more than $300 per month, not including the other things I purchased. 

What is the status of this engagement?

The engagement lasted from October 2022–January 2024. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

I learned a great deal and found the process 100% valuable for the 16 months I spent studying their materials. The quality of their work is excellent. 

How did Core Matters, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They met any deadlines they had. Most of the process was self-study, so I drove the process of my learning. To communicate, we used emails; I also had the opportunity to participate in Zoom meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What impressed me the most was their strategies for dealing with problems in the recruitment process. They had well-thought-out strategies and recommendations — the training materials they developed were great.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there weren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Set aside the time to review the materials. There’s a great deal of information there, so make sure you have the time to review it. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm Controller at a mid-sized Construction company specializing in General Contracting and Construction Manager. I wear other hats that involve HR, recruiting, marketing, social media, etc.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Core Matters, LLC?

We were struggling to find qualified talent for our growing company. We had placed ads on the job boards online; however, our job ads were not successful in bringing the right people to our team.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We were recommended to Core Matters to help solve our recruiting problem while also keeping retention high. We read through their website and videos and liked hearing a new way of thinking. We thought it would be worth the 3 month consultation and meetings.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

Core Matters helped us navigate our employee tracking system with better content in order to allow only qualified applicants to our email. They helped us write new job ads to attract the exact people we were looking for. Together we created a company branding by discussing what makes us tick and what's important to our culture.

We also established new core values, vision statement and purpose statement that we continue to discuss each quarter with our team, and reward members who achieve the values. Essentially, Ryan and Tammy taught us a new way of thinking, less business-oriented and more people-oriented.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked one-on-one with both Ryan and Tammy to walk through the process from beginning to end. There were zoom calls, email discussions for many topics we were training on, and help with writing job ads and any coaching questions.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

We are able to better understand and navigate the employee tracking system. We write our job ads and descriptions for open positions with the employee in mind, what's in it for them. After many months and postings for a certain position we were finally able to hire exactly the right person.

When asked why he chose our company, he said the job ad was completely different from anything he had ever seen before and he had to apply and see what we were about.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The communication was always prompt and answered or assisted our needs. Very responsive.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Ryan took a lot of one-on-one time with our owner to figure out who we are as a company. That helped us define our core values for our employees and any future employees.

We were also able to finally write and communicate our vision and purpose statements with our staff. It changed the way the leadership team thinks with regard to hiring.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

We enjoyed all the experience and knowledge they were able to share of their other success stories. I believe they delivered what they promised in their original quote.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the general manager of a same-day plumbing service, repair, and installation company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Matters, LLC?

We needed to change and grow with the times. Since we were in a high-cost living area, recruiting and training people was challenging, so we needed help.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We initially had all our job descriptions; we had a third-party service provider helping us with that. Core Matters provided additional feedback and helped us reduce our extensive phone screening from 16–17 questions to five. We started looking at the culture fit to see if the candidates could join and fit in with the team. After that, we evaluated their experience.

What is the team composition?

We just worked with Tammy (Chief of Staff).

How did you come to work with Core Matters, LLC?

Our CEO introduced them to me. He came across a podcast, or somebody referred Core Matters to him. Afterward, I reached out and took over.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent $9,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked with them from June–September 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It’s hard to put the finger on our success, but we’ve seen an increase in business. Now, we introduce employees to the leadership style, which is something unique we’ve added from our training with Core Matters. We also focus more on referrals; we give $500 for a referral and recognize the milestone publicly instead of just adding it to their check. In general, we’ve added some good ideas from their training and cascaded them into our own practices.

For example, we used to concentrate on the things that could disqualify a candidate instead of recognizing what was important. We started interviews under the impression that the person wouldn’t pass, having a bias. We now get plumbers involved so we have a panel interview to hire potential teammates. Also, our break-up letters are cleaner and more direct, and we stay in contact with candidates that get placed on the bench.

Additionally, we’ve started leaning toward social media.

How did Core Matters, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

They went at their own pace. If we had questions, they were good at answering. They had a weekly rhythm, and if we had to explore something further, there were ways to do that.

We gave them access to Greenhouse, our applicant tracking system. We needed help a couple of times because we couldn’t enroll, but they fixed the issues promptly. They also got back to us immediately and quickly replied to us via email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The portal was easy to navigate and kept track of progress. Overall, the workflow was good, and they did an excellent job.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They asked for access to our Greenhouse, but we didn’t see them doing anything with it. We also found that plumbers had their own underground network to show their work and share ideas, similar to social media. We didn’t mind sharing that with them, but they didn’t help much on the peer side; they just helped us with the prescreening questions and the cultural fit.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You must be committed and set time aside, or you can get behind. Don’t underestimate the volume of work involved in going through the videos. I had two and a half weeks where I was so busy I didn’t do anything, and I lost the rhythm of the regular training. In summary, you’ll get what you put into it, not what you pay for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the HR manager for Concord General Contracting, a general contracting company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Matters, LLC?

The market, especially in the construction industry, is really tight. We were struggling to get people to respond to our job postings and hire employees. We needed a company that could provide us with recruitment guidance.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Core Matters, LLC provided us with recruitment consulting services. We started the engagement with an initial discussion about their pricing and how the entire process would go. They didn’t actually bring candidates to us — instead, they helped us write the descriptions for our job postings and gave us some pointers on interviewing candidates, using our website to recruit people, and selecting our core values.

They trained me on our CEO and they did that through these recordings on their website that gave us pointers about how to go through the interview process, how to hire, how to write job descriptions, how to use your employees to recruit, and all kinds of stuff. 

We would also meet once every two weeks to discuss any questions we had regarding the recordings. A lot of times during those meetings that we would do is we would actually go through and write the job posting descriptions together, basically training me how to go through that process without them moving forward.

Additionally, Core Matters, LLC helped us move to a different job posting platform. We were previously posting on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, and we used to pay around $20,000 grand just to do all of our job postings. Core Matters, LLC found us a platform where we can post all our job postings for just $138 per month, and the platform automatically feeds all of our job postings to all these other different job posting platforms like LinkedIn.

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with Ryan (Founder) and Tammy (Chief of Staff).

How did you come to work with Core Matters, LLC?

Our CEO actually had found Ryan (Founder) through one of her CEO groups. We interviewed him and ended up bringing them in as our consultant. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $9,000 for the six-month training.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from January 2022–June 2022. We may use them again in the future, but for now, the initial coaching is done. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Core Matters, LLC was able to help us optimize the way we write and post our job postings online. Because we didn’t have to manually post all of our job postings on all of these different job posting platforms, we have been able to save a lot of time and money. We were also able to hire 5–6 key positions in our company using the job posting platform that Core Matters, LLC recommended to us.

How did Core Matters, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

Core Matters, LLC did a great job at project management. They were really quick to respond throughout the engagement.

We primarily communicated through emails and Zoom meetings.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I was impressed with the individualized attention that Core Matters, LLC provided us. They really cared about us as a company and genuinely wanted us to succeed in our recruiting needs. I also appreciated how responsive and knowledgeable they were.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, I have no complaints. Core Matters, LLC did a great job for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to have an open mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the owner of a restoration company. We help people when their property is effected by water, fire, mold or biohazards.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Core Matters, LLC?

Core Matters helped us learn how to attract and hire the right people for our company as we continue to grow.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

We chose Core Matters because of Ryan and because they helped us to redesign our process so we can learn and be successful even after the consulting period ended.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

The process took several months. It included videos and webinars coupled with consulting and feedback.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

There were 2 people who worked with us, Ryan and Tammy. They were both helpful in explaining, keeping us moving forward and giving feedback and even help. They both understood us, so they were able to provide the unique help we needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

Working with them saved us countless hours and mistakes in designing the right process for us. We are continuing to refine and improve our process, but we are on the right track.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Sometimes it took longer than we wanted for them to respond, because we felt like we had to wait for a consulting call. However, they have changed their process, so that may not be an issue anymore.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They worked with us personally. They learned about us and helped us to communicate our message.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Sometimes it took longer to get feedback than I would have liked.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m a human resource generalist for a roofing system company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Matters, LLC?

We needed someone to help build our recruiting process. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They built our referral and interview process, including the interview questions we have. We didn’t have any processes established when I came on board, and I didn’t have any experience building a process like this either, so Core Matters guided me through the process like experts.

We ran through modules that Core Matters provided for us, and they explained everything. There was a task to complete after every module, and we’d have a meeting to discuss any challenges I faced or questions I had. We went through our entire recruiting process after that. They were very helpful.

What is the team composition?

I work with Tammy (Chief of Staff) and Ryan (Owner). Neither of them have handed us off to anyone else. Ryan has been there for our entire relationship.

How did you come to work with Core Matters, LLC?

It would have been positive for them to be experienced in the roofing industry, but we were mostly looking for them to fit our core values. You can train someone in your work, but you can’t train someone in their core values. Core Matters and our company have nearly the exact same beliefs. We found them through Google.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around $14,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since January 2022.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We had 25 open positions when we began, and at the end of our 90-day program, we’re down to one opening. It’s amazing.

How did Core Matters, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

Email, Zoom, and phone calls are our main methods of communication; Core Matters is responsive, answering our questions within the same business day.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their main focus is looking for a culture fit among their candidates, so they take time to get to know their clients’ core values. If you don’t have those defined, Core Matters will help you set them up in a way you feel strongly about. At the end of the process, you’ll know how to market yourself.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, my experience with their team has been amazing. They work very well with us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

My biggest piece of advice is to keep up with their modules, as it will help you get the most out of the relationship. You’ll be kicking yourself if you fall behind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO of a Windy City Equipment Service (WCE), a commercial kitchen equipment, HVAC, and refrigeration repair company. We operate 4 branches across 3 states in the southwest.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Core Matters, LLC?

WCE is a rapidly growing business, but our growth was bottlenecked by being unable to find quality talent. We hired Core Matters to help solve a few problems

1. finding quality talent
2. retaining quality talent and
3. to help us move closer to becoming the employer of choice in our industry.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

Ryan had come in a presented for my CEO group. I was impressed with his knowledge and believed in his system.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

We began with an online curriculum that was incredibly detailed and descriptive. Every other week we met via zoom to review all the material, discuss the next steps, and create actionable goals.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I worked directly with Tammy and Ryan

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

We achieve brand consistency, both internally and externally so as to create recognition around our company. We completely revamped our interview and selection process to increase our chances of quality hires. We created clear and concise purpose and vision statements to generate excitement and motivation within our organization.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effect. It's not a set it and forget it course. They were real people who were really accountable for getting things completed and had impeccable communication. They were great at asking and answering questions.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

That they seemed to want to improve themselves as much as they seems to want to improve my company. It's refreshing to work with a company that isn't afraid to hold themselves accountable.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Not really. Just a lot of information and you need to be prepared to dedicate a sufficient amount of time to it.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Partsmaster is a MRO supplier to the multi-family industry serving the Southwest US via 7 distribution centers. As VP of Merchandising and Marketing I worked directly with Ryan at Core Matters for the duration of our engagement.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Core Matters, LLC?

Core Matters was brought on to assists Partsmaster in developing our Mission, Vision and Values statement, review/audit or prior sales and marketing efforts and to propose and execute various enhancements and market specific programs.

What were your goals for this project?

Increased visibility and sales.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Business introduction followed by extensive preliminary meetings and interviews.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Ryan was brought on with the goal of his being our offsite CMO. Working with our leadership team Mission, Vision and Values statements were created and distributed internally. The project lead was thoughtful and did an exceptional job keeping the entire team was engaged. Follow on projects including Partsmasters entry into social media and social media marketing delivered the results we had been promised.

What was the team composition?

I worked hand in hand with Ryan as well as additional staff he brought in as needed.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The LinkedIn campaigns Ryan implemented generated the number and quality of leads we anticipated, with a great conversion rate.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Ryan is exceptionally well organized, his follow up is relentless and as a high communicator you are never in doubt as to the status of a project.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Ryan was challenged to be an agent of change in a 35 year old company, whose leadership team is, for the most part, extremely tenured. His patience, communications and persistence resulted in our making significant strides in all aspects of the digital world.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Ryan's efforts resulted in Partsmaster making strides forward in terms of customer contact via LinkedIn, Facebook and email marketing. He set the stage for advancements we continue to make in regards to our website and mobile presence.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner of a company that helps businesses drive results.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Core Matters, LLC?

I partner with Ryan (CEO, Core Matters, LLC) on several projects. Many of my clients are growing very quickly and are struggling to find the right hires because the unemployment market is low, and Ryan is great at finding the best people for the job.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The main thing they do for our clients is finding the right people to hire for their teams. Ryan researches the values of a company and what’s going on within it before gathering resumes and potential hires. He consults with each client, screening, vetting, and promoting the businesses. Their team works closely with the companies throughout the entire process.

What is the team composition?

Almost all of my contact has been with Ryan directly, but my assistant coordinates with his team.

How did you come to work with Core Matters, LLC?

We were introduced at a workshop where I was speaking. We immediately recognized some opportunities to work together. Now, we’ve been partnering on different deals for several years.

How much have you invested with them?

We have more of a partnership; my clients have probably invested about $15,000 collectively with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in 2017 and continue to collaborate on projects together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their team makes a huge difference, and overall my clients are satisfied. With their support, one of my clients filled all of their open positions within three months that they had been struggling to fill before.  Ryan finds tons of potential candidates for various positions, whereas some competitors grapple to find one.

How did Core Matters, LLC perform from a project management standpoint?

Ryan is easy to connect with over phone and email and is on top of everything. He’s been the driving force of the project, setting up meetings and holding everyone accountable. Part of what makes them successful is his management skills.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their priority is actually to help clients, not what they might get out of the deal. There have been a few instances when I’ve thought something would be a perfect fit, but Ryan will discover a few details that I didn’t know were important. He then tells us what to do but will also acknowledge that we don’t need his help for that particular task. I think that’s so impressive and it doesn’t cost my clients.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Trust the process. I’ve seen how they work enough times to know that it’s different from other recruiting companies. They know what they’re doing.