The Flywheel Effect

E2 - Creating Value with your Team - An Interview with Paul Starkey

• VITAL • Season 1 • Episode 2

In this episode of The FlyWheel Effect, hosts Brent Sonnek-Schmelz and Matt Bernath welcome Paul Starkey, a seasoned entrepreneur and founder of PrepTech and Fenco. Paul discusses his innovative approaches to technical recruitment and training, emphasizing the unique challenges in sourcing and developing talent in the custom integration industry.

Paul outlines the strategies behind PrepTech, designed to elevate the quality of technical service in custom integration by recruiting from outside the industry. He explains the importance of creating apprenticeships and rigorous training programs to fill the skill gaps and enhance career trajectories for new techs, ensuring a more robust workforce.

Focusing on his latest venture, Fenco, Paul shares insights into the labor dynamics of manual and skilled labor markets, and his model for incentivizing productivity among workers. His holistic approach to business leadership and employee development offers valuable lessons on nurturing talent and operational efficiency in competitive industries.


Guest-at-a-Glance

💡 Guest: Paul Starkey

💡 What he does: Founder

💡Company: PrepTech and Fenco

💡Noteworthy: Paul Starkey: Veteran entrepreneur and founder of PrepTech and Fenco, specializing in custom integration and technical recruitment.

💡Where to find Paul: LinkedIn



Key Insights

Paul Starkey Innovates Technical Recruitment with PrepTech

Paul Starkey discusses the foundation of PrepTech, aimed at tackling the persistent skills gap in the custom integration sector. Unlike traditional hiring practices that often seek pre-trained individuals within the industry, PrepTech uniquely focuses on attracting external, high-potential, unskilled workers. This approach not only diversifies the talent pool but also addresses the industry’s acute need for specialized training and apprenticeship programs. By investing in rigorous assessment and fundamental training, PrepTech prepares candidates to excel in highly technical roles, significantly impacting the quality and availability of service in custom integration.

Paul Starkey's Approach to Enhancing Workplace Productivity

Paul Starkey elaborates on his methodical strategies at Fenco, emphasizing productivity-sharing and revenue-based compensation plans to motivate workers. This innovative compensation strategy aims to align workers' interests with company goals, fostering a proactive work culture. Starkey highlights the effectiveness of such models in reducing idle time and increasing operational efficiency. His approach underlines the necessity of adopting unconventional methods to improve workforce productivity and suggests that such strategies can be adapted across various industries to enhance overall business performance.


Cultivating Leadership and Culture in Technical Fields

Throughout the discussion, Paul Starkey accentuates the importance of leadership development and nurturing a positive company culture as pivotal elements of business success. He points out that most integrators fail at HR management, which is where his companies step in to provide not only training but also strategic HR services that small businesses typically lack. Starkey's emphasis on developing a learning culture and providing mentorship opportunities is crucial for businesses aiming to retain top talent and ensure their growth and sustainability in competitive markets. His insights encourage other leaders to invest in their teams comprehensively, fostering environments that inspire innovation and dedication.