Make Trades Great Again

Thank you all for messaging! This was a fun conversation!  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

Chad joins the guys to tell the story of a birthday gone bad and it might be all because of an orange bucket…you’ll have to listen to hear the whole story.  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https...

Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

Andy shares a few things he's observed over the last year that stand out.  Eric is a little nervous when looking back on three specific jobs...are we old enough to be replacing equipment we installed new?  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhu...

Back when we started out it was tough to get the phone to ring. Getting listed on manufacturer’s websites was one way we got our business name out there. Are you doing it?  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newslette...

The guys answer some questions  sent in by listeners  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

This episode works best as a video, you can watch it over on the MH YouTube channel https://bit.ly/4g4zYXp Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email

This week the guys are joined virtually by the hosts of the Appetite For Construction podcast, John Mesenbrink & Tim Ward. It's that time of year again where we take a look back and even forward into the new year. There was some fun bs'ing as well. Hope you enjoy! Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback...

It's roadtrip time for Andy as he met up with Eric for a super top secret install in Northern MN. You’ll have to watch [or listen] to learn all about the project. If the podcast just isn’t enough you could search the tag “#duluthbuild” on Instagram for more from the project job site.  Okay, J/K....Air-to-Water Heat Pumps are having a time right now, this project had the guys working in Eric&a...

Not all projects are run & organized the same, obviously. This week the guys have a short BS session and talk about a job Eric has coming up and one of Andy's preferred general contractors.  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mick...

Canadian apprentice Adam Parent joins the guys to talk about his experiences and thoughts bout joining the plumbing trade in Canada.  Adam's experience in both residential and commercial work doing both plumbing and heating new construction, remodel and service have helped him hone his skills and find a place where he's challenged but excited to learn & do more.   Text the guys your...

It's never great when service vehicles break down but it's even worse when local mechanics are out weeks for repairs and parts are hard to track down.  This week Andy retells the story of a relative simple fix for a recent breakdown. How hard can it be to replace a starter on a 2020 Ford Transit anyway?  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.prop...

In this episode of Make Trades Great Again , Eric and Andy dive into how artificial intelligence, especially tools like ChatGPT, is reshaping the trades industry. They share personal experiences on using AI for everything from generating heat load calculations and troubleshooting boiler issues to crafting proposals and even coming up with recipe ideas! Tune in to hear how AI is saving time, enhanc...

Industry trade shows are an awesome way to see the latest new technology, to network with manufacturers and their reps, or even make purchases with some of the best deals of the year.  This week the guys ask ChatGPT for a list of important shows throughout the plumbing, hvac and building industries. Why you should attend, where and when they are, are all discussed in this episode. Thanks for liste...

Have you sent in a message to the guys recently? This was a fun episode, we tried to get to all the questions, thank you for sending them our way!  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly...

What do you do when your spouse leaves town for the weekend? The only obvious answer for Eric was to tear out their two tankless water heaters and the boiler so he could start over. But wait, there’s more!  In order for this to be called a success it had be finished before Heather returned home after just two days away.  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at w...

The title may be confusing or even misleading. The guys talk about a recent trailer purchase Eric made for the business. It's not anything special but it should help with the workflow. Here's to hoping he made the right purchase!  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social cha...

Thanks to longtime listener Will Rutherford for writing in to the show asking our thoughts on taking a job started by another contractor.  Also, have you ever walked on a job? You might be surprised who actually has (Andy or Eric?)!  Thanks Will!  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our soc...

Hey we got caught up in vacation, so here is a throw back from our conversation with Patrick Caldow @caldowplumbing on IG. We'll be back soon with new content! Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign u...

Industry news starts off today's episode with earning report from Lowe's indicating a droopy economy related to home improvements. But don't let that get you down! Eric gives us a recap of a recent Heat Pump Water Heater install.  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our socia...

Not every day is great. Sometimes you need to depend on the ones who depend on you.  Side note: No mater how much you talk thru a project and setting expectations before the job, there’s likely going to be some revelations by the customer as they realize how things are different now. After you did the install of the new furnace or water heater etc  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a fr...

One of Andy's recent projects takes a turn for the worse when the general contractor decides safety is definitely not first!  Warning: This episode is probably cool af and you'll likely be hooked for life on the MTGA podcast!  Text the guys your ideas & feedback! Get a free 2 hour online course at www.propane.com/hybrid  Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channel...

We're so excited and thankful for all the support and reaching this milestone!  In this week's episode the guys look back at some highlights from the first four years of the MTGA podcast!  There have been many great guests and some big supporters over the years. Special thanks to all who have dropped in, stuck around, sent in your ideas and questions. And thanks to our super fans Jay, Ch...

"Do you have any advice for couples considering starting a business together?" We had so much fun having the girls join us that we asked them back for another episode and it was awesome.  Once again we'd like to thank Sheryl and Heather for putting up with us and for making every day better as we work our way to the top building our business and making this life together. Thank you!...

Ever think "If only I knew then what I know now" ? We are so pumped to bring you this and the next episode with special Guests Heather Aune & Sheryl Mickelson, the obvious better halves of the MTGA team.  Sheryl runs the office and a good part of the business for Mickelson Plumbing & Heating.  Heather has done the books for both MH & Aune Plumbing & Heating for over a dec...