Hayes: The Superstar Standard: Building World-Class Teams by Exiting Toxic Employees

When I take over or buy a company, it’s rarely smooth—and that’s by design. There’s usually a reason why the business is struggling. The hard truth? The people running it didn’t know how to win. They weren’t trained, they weren’t disciplined, and they weren’t aligned with a winning culture.

I give everyone a fair opportunity to buy in—to step up, to embrace the “Key to Key to Callback” model, and win alongside us. But if there’s any resistance, any pushback at all, I exit them immediately, with no hesitation, and no apologies. I then replace them with superstars.

Adams Automotive is a perfect example. When we took it over, only five of the original employees made the cut. Today, the company employs 45 people. We average over $1 million in monthly revenue from a single location. In 2023, we were awarded the Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Award, and we are now recognized as one of the top automotive service centers in the country.

That didn’t happen by keeping average people around. It happened because we set—and enforced—the superstar standard. 

It Doesn’t Start with the Customer, it Starts with the Team

If you want to build a $50 million company, this is the truth: it doesn’t start with the customer. It starts with the people at the front of house and back of house—your team, period. Fill it with superstars. People who bring energy, passion, and integrity. People who take ownership, elevate those around them, and love to win. That’s who we hire, who we train, and who we retain.

What do you do with toxic employees? Let them go and exit toxicity immediately. I’ve seen it time and again: one bad attitude ruins ten great ones. The people who gossip, blame, and complain are the loudest voices in the room. Elon Musk was right—the people who scream the loudest are usually the most toxic, and their exit is non-negotiable.

Some of these employees think their departure will hurt your business, and they couldn’t be more wrong. What actually hurts your business is keeping them on staff. 

Protect your Culture Like your Life Depends on it.

Misery spreads like a virus, but so does excellence. When your team is built with winners—people who love their work, love their teammates, and love your customers—you build something unbreakable.

We’ve recently been able to scale past $50 million in annual revenue because we stuck to this principle. It’s not magic; it’s just a commitment to the right standard. The Superstar Standard isn’t optional; it’s mission critical. Hire great people, train constantly, fire fast, and protect your culture. This is how you build world-class service, create outrageous customer experiences, and build a business that wins—every single day.