Leveraging Your Network in Home Improvement: A Conversation with Jimmy Hammond | Ingaged Podcast

Don't let your past beliefs limit you — Jimmy left a seniority-based union track and found that in home improvement, hard work alone determines how far you can go.

Build a network by being genuine and authentic, and always leave on good terms — the industry is a small circle, so burned bridges follow you while doors you keep open often reopen later.

To grow your network, be humble about what you don't have and don't be afraid to reach out — through social-media DMs, mentors, and local networks like BNI, Pavilion, and regional groups.

Diversify beyond your counterparts — connect with people in different roles, since they hear about openings and problems you'd never see (a technical person is a 'unicorn' in home improvement).

Leverage connections by actively listening and genuinely helping without expecting anything back — a quick 'saw this, might fit you' text is remembered long after you send it.

Technology like short-form video, LinkedIn, and Facebook makes networking easier — putting out engaging content that shows competency attracts the right people to you.

AI is the start of the process, not the finished product — customize it and add the human touch, because job posts now draw hundreds of applicants and a copy-pasted AI output is painfully obvious.