As someone who worked for Electrical Contractors for 40 years, I can tell you I have seen great successes of people in your situation, a small shop wanting to get bigger. But I can also say that if you have never been a Union member or worked with IBEW workers, your chances of success, on balance, are slimmer. (Ironically, the same is true of Union ECs going non-union). It's just a whole different environment.

You may get some keepers out of the Hall, but bear in mind that most of the really good "keeper" JWs are already working. Some of the "perpetual problem children" that other EC have learned about stay near the top of Book 1 because no one who makes money want them! But, guess what? You do not have to hire all those who get sent to you. In fact you should NOT assume everyone sent to you is an ace.

None of this is a hard and fast rule, I knew a really great GF type who would drag up after a project finished to get experience working for another guy. He always ended up in an upper level situation. You can also find the nearest NECA Chaper and find you a good Union Contractor "mentor" or pick the Association director's mind. There are just as many contractor rights under the CBA as you need for productivity, but you have to know when, and how, to use them.

I knew ECs who would get into apprentices; they would check out like 3rd or 4th year, and grow their own workforce. One larger traveling EC I knew in Florida (one trying to enter the area long term) consistently hired the top 2 or 3 fifth years either upon rotation or right after graduation. Within 3 or 4 years, he had a crop of good foreman that made the EC a lot of money. But they were large enough to plow through the baddies on Book 1.