Blue Collar StartUp

What separates top-performing tradespeople from everyone else? Scott McKenna, Stacy Spector, and Jason Spector of Catamount Consulting explain why today's skilled trades professionals should think of themselves as "Industrial Athletes" and how mindset, movement, recovery, and leadership reduce injuries while improving performance on and off the job. Learn practical strategies for pre...

Are hiring challenges really hiring problems—or onboarding problems in disguise? In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Bill Tansey Jr. of The OpEx Shop to discuss employee onboarding, mentorship, training systems, accountability, retention, and how process-driven businesses build stronger teams. Bill shares practical strategies for creating competency-b...

Tom Jameson, founder of AstroWatt Electric, joins Blue Collar StartUp to share how he went from apprentice electrician to building one of North Carolina's most people-focused electrical companies. Learn how AstroWatt uses culture, leadership, unlimited PTO, employee benefits, and customer service to attract top talent and scale a successful trades business. Tom also shares lessons on starting...

In this episode of Blue Collar Startup, hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Denver Whetten of Degan Construction LLC to discuss building a successful construction company through leadership, Extreme Ownership, and strong client relationships. Denver shares how he scaled from a small concrete startup into a major contractor while developing leaders, creating a winning company culture,...

In this episode of Blue Collar Startup, hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Lawrence Castillo to talk about scaling an HVAC business through customer service, recruiting, training, and operational structure. Lawrence shares how Brody-Pennell HVAC grew from a legacy company with 250 Google reviews into a dominant Southern California brand with over 5,000 five-star reviews while buildin...

In this episode of Blue Collar Startup, Scott Sypniewski and Scott Sypniewski Jr. share how they built SSLLC Plumbing into a $25M+ plumbing business by combining extreme ownership, leadership development, and strong company culture. From overcoming personal struggles to scaling fast in the trades, this father-son team breaks down real strategies for growing a service business, implementing EOS, an...

In episode 127 of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Michael Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Bill Tansey to discuss bringing structure to a chaotic business and defining the real root of your operational fires. They dive into the critical differences between just being busy and actually being productive, and how to know when wearing every hat becomes a liability instead of a hustle. You can connect...

In episode 126 of Blue Collar StartUp, Derek and Mike break down what marketing actually looks like when you’re starting a blue-collar business, from building a simple website to leveraging personal social media for real leads. Listen in as they discuss what’s worth your time, what’s a waste of money, and how to grow your visibility without overcomplicating the process. For exclusive content, bonu...

In episode 125 of Blue Collar StartUp, guest host Stacy Spector sits down with Sarah Patrie to explore her journey from growing up in a construction family to becoming Executive Director of PCI Northeast, highlighting the power of mentorship, industry involvement, and embracing nontraditional career paths. They dive into workforce development, innovation in concrete, and the critical role of relat...

In episode 124 of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Mike and Derek chat with Codey Gandy of Echelon Front as he breaks down what real leadership looks like in the trades, and why most people get it wrong. From extreme ownership to building strong relationships, this conversation is packed with practical insights for anyone looking to grow a team or business. You can find Codey Gandy and learn more about...

In episode 123 of Blue Collar Startup, host Derek Foster welcomes back guest Josh Jewett for an in-depth conversation on his path from a Hudson Valley Community College auto-body student to owning Lazzaro’s Autobody and acquiring a second shop in Saratoga—all within six months. Josh shares hard-won lessons on perfectionism, implementing shop processes, mentoring his team, continuing education, and...

In episode 122 of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Michael Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with  Richard Ruzzo, who shares how he built Shepherd Communication & Security from a small telecom contracting operation into a growing commercial security company by refocusing the business, embracing enterprise thinking, and betting on the right people. He talks about losing a major revenue stream, rebuild...

In episode 121 of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Jim Sasko, founder and president of Teakwood Builders, to discuss his 30-year journey from a hands-on 26-year-old carpenter to leading a premier design-build firm specializing in luxury homes. Jim shares hard-earned lessons on saying no, building strong company culture, and focusing on exceptional client experi...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike sits down with Rick Engelhardt of Peckham Industries to talk about discipline, leadership, safety culture, and what it takes to help drive a 100-year-old construction company forward. Rick shares how consistency, intentional leadership development, and strategic focus directly impact growth and the bottom line. To connect with Rick and learn more about...

In episode 119 of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Michael Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with William Day, project manager at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. William returns to the show to break down his transition from field construction to owner’s project manager for a regional healthcare network, overseeing capital projects across multiple hospitals. From high-end builds to fast-track comme...

In episode 118 of Blue Collar StartUp, Derek and Mike are joined by Bill Tansey Jr. to break down why systems and documented processes are the difference between a business that grows smoothly and one that constantly feels stuck in chaos. From SOPs and accountability to building repeatable success, we cover how structure actually creates freedom for owners and teams. Learn more about Bill and the...

In episode 117 of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster break down the pros and cons of scaling your business using cashflow versus debt, including trade lines, loans, and credit cards. They also discuss how to think through major purchases like equipment, overhead, and hiring so you don’t overextend yourself chasing growth. Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive Blue Collar bonus cont...

In episode 116 of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek sit down with construction attorney Greg Spaun to break down the legal risks contractors face and why contract details matter just as much as quality work. From “pay if paid” clauses to change orders and paperwork requirements, Greg explains how business owners can protect themselves before problems turn into expensive lawsuits.  You can find G...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, host Derek Foster sits down with Scott McKenna, Stacy Spector, and Jason Spector of Catamount Consulting for a roundtable discussion on leadership development, mindset mastery, and the personal growth tools that help blue collar teams perform at a higher level. They break down the “Three Truths,” explain why psychological safety and vulnerability matter, and...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Mike and Derek sit down with Caitlin Beaudry, Project Manager at Bonacquisti Brothers Construction, to break down what project management really looks like inside a commercial construction company. Caitlin shares her path from working in the field to managing up to 15 projects at once, along with lessons on leadership, loyalty, and why asking questions...

In episode 113 of Blue Collar StartUp, host Mike and Derek chat with Shenar Wood, who shares his remarkable journey from Apache helicopter pilot to founding Dynetek Solutions, a niche underground utility conversion company that he successfully sold to private equity. In this raw conversation he reveals the financial discipline, leadership mindset shifts, and strategic decisions that allowed him to...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek sit down with Bill Tansey to break down why org charts are one of the most misunderstood—and most powerful—tools in a growing trades business. They dive into standard roles, functional accountability, and how to design an organization that supports real strategy instead of being built around the people you already have. Check out our Blue Coll...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek break down Part Two of the Cashflow Quadrant, focusing on the difficult transition from being self-employed to becoming a true business owner. They unpack leadership, systems, vision, cashflow realities, and the mindset shifts required to stop owning a job and start building a business. Check out the Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive b...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek chat with Mason Hamilton as shares his incredible journey from excavator operator to president of Donnelly Construction, a leading traffic control company in New York State, revealing how hard work and resilience turned personal tragedy into triumph. Despite a paralyzing snowmobile accident, he continued leading and growing the business throug...

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Mike and Derek sit down with Korey Chapman, owner of Little Moose Prints, to break down the realities of running a low-margin, labor-intensive business in a highly competitive market. Korey breaks down ten years of lessons in screen printing and embroidery, including pricing in a race-to-the-bottom market, managing production labor, investing in equipm...