“I believe that you hire the athlete and teach the sport,” says Mike Barr, President and CEO of Storm Guard Water Treatment Inc. “Technical mastery can be learned, but fundamental skills and attitudes cannot.”1
Since assuming the role in 2022, Barr has worked to empower leaders, develop culture, and manage growth within the Vancouver-based fluid management company. To do this, he’s leveraged the skills and aptitudes of a growing team of strong individuals. For a niche company, that’s no easy task, but it’s a challenge the organization continues to meet.
He spoke with Goldbeck Recruiting about adjusting to a new industry, recruiting strong candidates, and Vancouver’s never-ending rainfall.
A Service Business that Treats Construction Site Water
On a construction site, water can be a problem for the surrounding environment, as well as the daily operations of the project itself. That’s where Storm Guard Water Treatment comes in.
“In Vancouver, it rains 33 days a month, 14 months a year,” jokes Barr. “We set up temporary modular systems on construction sites to treat water and ensure that it’s clean before being discharged. We also do dewatering, which means that we control the groundwater table on a temporary basis, enabling excavation and foundation pouring.”
The organization’s client base largely falls into three categories: developers, builders, and excavation companies, all of whom have a vested interest in clean, smooth projects.
“We’re a service business,” says Barr. “Nobody wants a major delay on a $200 million project. Our people are problem solvers.”
Leveraging Expertise Within an Organization
Prior to his current role, Barr held management positions at Canusa Wood, as well as Upper Canada Forest Products. The move to Storm Guard meant learning a new industry, and Barr is the first to admit that he had his work cut out for him.
“I came in with zero technical background within water management,” he explains. “The first six to twelve months were largely spent gaining an understanding of our players, building relationships, and learning the business.”
Fortunately for Barr, he found a lot of technical mastery already in place within the organization. He knew the company could benefit if that expertise was better leveraged.
“Previously, being a smaller organization, this business was structured in a pyramid-style directive approach, which is not my style,” Barr says. “We’ve reoriented our existing group of leaders to have more independence and be less reliant upon the President to answer every question. It’s been a challenging but worthwhile evolution.”
Adjusting Structure Within a Growing Company
Structures and needs change as companies grow, and Barr knows that it’s important to get it right.
“Companies of 30 people or less can rely on a bit of oral tradition,” he says. “It’s practical to simply ‘go ask John’. Once a company gets to 40 or 50 people, it becomes necessary to add structure and systems, while still ensuring that you fight off that bureaucratic demon. We’re at that inflection point now.”
Hands On Approach to Recruiting
When Barr joined Storm Guard, he made culture a priority. Accordingly, he endeavoured to be as close as possible to recruiting efforts.
“I was at the tip of the spear when it came to combing through resumes and doing interviews,” he recalls. “Now that I’ve formed a better understanding of the kind of people we’re looking for, it’s easier for me to pull back.”
Despite the strong team, Barr was able to identify skills gaps that couldn’t be developed or trained internally. As a result, he consulted with Goldbeck Recruiting, who he credits with delivering high-quality candidates.
Recruiting and Hiring New Canadians
When it comes to considering candidates, Barr doesn’t believe in limiting the field.
“What’s really interesting about today is that we have a massive influx of new Canadians that bring a wealth of knowledge and experience,” he says. “We’ve been doing our best to tap into that.”
Barr believes that the degrees and tenure these new Canadians bring with them are not always properly appreciated. Storm Guard’s team currently includes hires from Ukraine, , Iran, Colombia, Ireland, Nigeria, and Scotland. Barr acknowledges that communication and culture can be a source of challenges early on, but has found the results to be positive.
“It’s been worthwhile,” he says. “We’ve leaned into it.”
Recruiting for Soft Skills and Attitude
Storm Guard’s business is ultimately niche, which makes it challenging to recruit candidates with strong direct experience. He harkens back to the sports analogy, citing multi-sport stars like Bo Jackson and Michael Jordan in order to demonstrate the importance of fundamental skill sets.
“We’re looking for problem solvers with a willingness and ability to learn,” he says. While he acknowledges that professional pedigree holds additional relevance in roles like accounting and finance, he believes that softer skills remain important. “You can’t train somebody to have a good attitude or strong work ethic. These are core, foundational elements.”
Cited Sources
1 Direct Communication with Mike Barr
