The Trade Traction Podcast with Dennis The Apprentice

Send us Fan Mail If you're a plumbing contractor staying busy every day but still wondering why there’s no money left at the end of the month, this episode of Trade Traction breaks down exactly why busy does not always mean profitable. In this episode, we cover the 3 biggest profit mistakes plumbing companies make that keep contractors stuck working hard without building real financial freedo...

Send us Fan Mail If you're a plumbing contractor working hard every day but still wondering where the money went, this episode of Trade Traction is for you. In this episode, we break down five practical moves that can help turn a busy plumbing company into a profitable plumbing business—without gimmicks, without complicated systems, and without losing your integrity. Too many plumbing contrac...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Trade Traction, Dennis sits down with Jason, incoming PCCC National President, to talk about leadership, contractor relationships, trade shows, and what it really takes to grow in the plumbing, heating, and cooling industry. If you’re a plumbing, HVAC, or mechanical contractor tired of working hard without seeing real profit, this conversation is packed with pra...

Send us Fan Mail Are you a plumbing contractor tired of working for free? Welcome to Trade Traction — the podcast dedicated to helping plumbing contractors finally turn a profit and build the company they once dreamed of. In this episode, we break down one of the biggest mistakes in the plumbing business: confusing revenue with profit . Just because you wrote an invoice doesn’t mean you made money...

Send us Fan Mail You didn’t get into the trades to work nonstop and still feel broke. In this episode of Trade Traction, Dennis sits down with Ken Smith, Incoming National President of MSI, to talk about what actually creates long-term traction in the trades — beyond just staying busy. Ken shares decades of experience, from starting as a technician to leading large multi-state operations, and expl...

Send us Fan Mail f you’re a plumbing, HVAC, or drain cleaning contractor working nonstop but still barely making money, this episode will hit close to home. Dennis sits down with Kimberly Keane, former co-owner of a $12M plumbing & heating company, to break down the 3 numbers that decide whether your business is profitable or quietly bleeding cash. This isn’t about getting more jobs. It’s abou...

Send us Fan Mail Why is it getting harder every year to find good people in the trades? In this podcast, Brian breaks down the real issues behind the skilled labor shortage — from why fewer young people are entering plumbing, HVAC, and electrical work to how contractors are being forced to rethink hiring, training, and retention. This conversation goes beyond headlines and gets into what’s actuall...

Send us Fan Mail Plumbing and HVAC contractors are working longer hours — yet margins aren’t improving. In this episode, Dennis breaks down why. On the Trade Traction Podcast, Dennis sits down with Susan, CEO of Rapid Locking Systems (RLS), to expose one of the biggest hidden profit killers in the trades: slow installs and outdated methods. They discuss how press technology is helping contractors...

Send us Fan Mail Contractors say they can’t afford to hire apprentices. What if the money was already there, and you just didn’t know about it? In this episode of the Trade Traction Podcast, Dennis sits down with John Zink, who runs the PHCC Educational Foundation Scholarship Program, a program that awarded $152,000 to 66 apprentices and trade students this year alone. This isn’t theory. This is r...

Send us Fan Mail Contractors aren’t losing money because they’re bad at business. They’re losing money because they’re alone. Every year, new rules, codes, and regulations quietly cut into your margins, and most contractors just absorb the cost. Not because they agree with it. But because they weren’t in the room when the rules were written. In this episode of the Trade Traction Roadshow, Dennis s...

Send us Fan Mail Too many plumbing contractors are busy, stressed, and broke — working harder every year but still not turning a profit. In this episode of the Trade Traction Podcast , Dennis shares the hard-earned truth he wishes someone had told him 15 years earlier : 👉 Trying to figure out your business alone will cost you years , burnout, and money. Dennis breaks down: Why DIY-ing your busine...

Send us Fan Mail Are you a contractor, business owner, or trades professional looking to turn chaos into clarity and boost your bottom line? In this episode of Trade Traction, Dennis Hamon reveals the single most powerful discipline that championship teams use—and most struggling businesses ignore: the weekly meeting. Through football analogies, real-life stories, and actionable advice, Dennis sha...

Send us Fan Mail Dan Callies thought every contractor was his competition - until one shop visit flipped his entire career. In this episode, he breaks down the moment everything changed, how PHCC became his family, and why the future of the trades is exploding faster than anyone realizes. If you’ve ever felt stuck, isolated, or unsure what’s next for your shop… this conversation will light a fire...

Send us Fan Mail 🔥 If you’re tired of working for free, this episode will finally give you clarity — and a path to real profit. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:22 Why payroll always feels like a crisis 03:40 The 3-Prong Profit Problem 06:20 Expense cuts that actually move the needle 10:55 The pricing mistake everyone makes 14:10 The sales skill contractors MUST learn 18:22 How Dennis fixed this and scal...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is all about being profitable.  And that means from your very first paycheck!  If you save just 10%, technically you are a double digit profit machine!  And really that same principle applies when you are in business.  You need to figure out to cut cost and increase sales until you are profitable so that you can build a business your employees as well as your family c...

Send us Fan Mail From the SkillsUSA National Conference in Atlanta, Dennis sits down with Karman Warner, Executive Director of SkillsUSA Washington, who’s changing the way schools view success. She’s helping students letter in the trades instead of sports, giving them real recognition, and real futures. They talk about the growing movement across Washington, the first youth apprenticeship program...

Send us Fan Mail At the PHCC Connect Show in Birmingham, Dennis interviews Tyler — a third-generation master plumber and National PHCC Secretary — about winning the national apprenticeship competition, building leadership in the trades, and why young people should see plumbing as a first-choice career. They discuss how PHCC empowers contractors through education, advocacy, and connection. Timestam...

Send us Fan Mail From high school student to state director, Robyn Rowling’s entire career started with one program: SkillsUSA. In this episode, Dennis sits down with Robyn to uncover how SkillsUSA transforms students into leaders, how CareerSafe is helping keep young workers safe on the job, and why the trades are proving to be the real higher education. If you’ve ever wondered how career educati...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dennis sits down with Collin at SkillsUSA 2025 in Atlanta to talk about how he turned a love for Legos into a thriving career — and how he’s stacking cash, investing 40% of his income, and planning to retire young through the trades. This one’s a masterclass in discipline, money, and motivation for anyone in the skilled trades. Timestamps (Main Highlights) 00:00 –...

Send us Fan Mail Description: From the SkillsUSA National Conference in Atlanta — Dennis sits down with Brian South from McWane Plumbing Group to break down everything you didn’t know about cast iron plumbing. Why it lasts longer, stays quieter, and can literally outlive your building. They also dive into how the next generation of tradespeople are changing the game and why taking risks in life pa...

Send us Fan Mail First female president of Georgia PHCC reveals the TRUTH about why parents hate the trades and how one company's "signing day" idea is changing everything. Karen Hill drops wisdom bombs about the trades crisis nobody's talking about: Parents comparing their kids like trophies while plumbers make $100K+ debt-free. TIMESTAMPS: 00:02:28 - First female PHCC preside...

Send us Fan Mail CHAPTERS: 00:00 The career-ending mistake hiding in plain sight 00:56 Why 1 in 5 plumbers will get fired THIS YEAR 02:42 Your 22-year-old apprentice just became uninsurable 03:43 One speeding ticket = $3,600 insurance nightmare 04:33 Even good plumbers make this fatal mistake 04:48 25 in a 20 zone destroyed my driving record 06:31 How smart plumbers keep their jobs (attorney secre...

Send us Fan Mail John Zink from PHCC reveals the $1.2 MILLION secret fund that's paying people to learn trades.  From an Indiana apprentice winning $10,000 to 40-year-olds getting second chances - this changes everything about paying for trade school.  The Trade Traction Podcast | PHCC Connect Show Birmingham Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 01:44 - What is the PHCC Educational Foundation? 05...

Send us Fan Mail Chapters- 00:00 - Introduction to PHCC Connect Show 02:00 - Danny's First Trade Show Experience  04:18 - Why Contractors Need Trade Shows  07:00 - Tax Write-Offs & Business Growth  09:45 - Meet LMH Agency: Marketing for Contractors  12:40 - Using AI to Respond to Google Reviews  15:49 - AI CSRs: Answering Customer Calls  18:00 - Analytics & Lead Tracking Strategies  2...

Send us Fan Mail Roger joins Dennis at the PHCC Future Leadership Summit to reveal why 97% of contractors don't know about the industry's most valuable resources. After 17 years in plumbing without knowing PHCC existed, Roger shares how his father-in-law's heart attack forced him into running a business with zero preparation. He exposes the shocking truth about parents blocking thei...