Lincoln Country Visitors Guide Spring 2022 - 32

BAND OF BUILDERS
Demand for Skilled Tradesmen Running Full Speed Ahead
A new generation of entrepreneurs are working to meet the demand for contractor services in Lincoln County. Pictured left to right: Josh White, Bradley Roberts, Brian O'Toole, Hayden Howard, Mitch
Meyer. (Photo by Bree McReynolds-Baetz)
A steady boom of new small businesses in skilled trades - construction,
remodeling, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and automotive repair - are quietly
driving the local economy and creating job opportunities
for more than just the new entrepreneurs
in Lincoln County.
At least six new businesses have started
up in the last two years, or successfully transitioned
ownership to a new generation, and
are filling a huge gap in needed services while
encouraging local residents to invest in and improve
their property.
Bradley Roberts started Bradley's HoneyDo,
after realizing the strong demand for remodeling
and construction projects.
" When I first moved to Lincoln, I was just
can handle.
" I'm having growing pains right now...I have a lot more prospects than I do
employees, which makes it tough. "
The same is true for Brian O'Toole with
"
When I first moved to
Lincoln, I was just looking for
odd jobs to fill a gap while
looking for odd jobs to fill a gap while I was
working on my grandmother's home, then it
just kind of snowballed. Someone asked me
to work for them for a couple weeks, and I
just started talking to other people in town... "
Roberts said. " I was only going to be here for
4 months. "
Now Roberts has five employees that help with various types of jobs from
drywall to painting to roof repairs, and there are more jobs than the business
32
I was working on my grandmother's
home, then it just
kind of snowballed.
Bradley Roberts,
Bradley's Honeydo
"
Hayworth's Plumbing and Heating. As he has transitioned
into the management of the business started
by his father-in-law Roger Hayworth, there's been
more demand for HVAC, plumbing service and repair
calls than can be managed as efficiently as he'd like.
O'Toole aims to a strike a balance between knowing
when it is, or is not, a good investment to put
time and money into a repair.
" I like installations and replacements, a lot of times
that's neat and clean and easy, but there's a lot of
satisfaction gained out of diagnostics and repairs, "
he said.
O'Toole hired one additional full-time employee
and experimented with expanding to a second employee.
Eventually he'd like to better keep up with
jobs and service calls and tighten up deadlines and
efficiency when the timing is right to grow the business.
All
of the Lincoln area's new entrepreneurs have gained experience and
knowledge in their trades through apprenticeships and while working on the job.

Lincoln Country Visitors Guide Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lincoln Country Visitors Guide Spring 2022