The Blue Collar Trades Show

In this episode, Chris Buttenham, co-founder of REINS, shares his entrepreneurial journey from growing up in a blue collar family in small-town Canada to building and exiting successful businesses. Chris dives into the realities of entrepreneurship, the mindset required to succeed, and the massive opportunities emerging as baby boomer business owners prepare to retire. Whether you're an aspiring e...

Jenny Benbrook joins The Blue Collar Trade Show to unpack one of the biggest money pits in the contracting industry: software that gets bought but never gets used right. From her journey through the skilled trades industry to co-founding Powerhouse Consulting Group, one of the first consulting firms built to help contractors get real value out of platforms like ServiceTitan, Jenny breaks down why...

In this episode, Spencer from Bradford White shares a deep dive into the evolution of water heaters, industry regulations, and innovative technologies shaping the future. Whether you're a trades professional or just curious about how these appliances impact energy efficiency and safety, this conversation covers it all. In this episode: Spencer discusses Bradford White’s rich history dating back to...

Dan Clapper of Interplay Learning joins The Blue Collar Trades Show to break down one of the most misunderstood ideas in the trades  the gap between experience and competency. A tech with ten years on the job isn't automatically better than one with two; what separates them is training, consistency, and the right learning modality. Dan walks through his own path from early exposure to the trades i...

Sales consultant Neil Glatt joins The Blue Collar Trade Show to unpack why so many tradespeople struggle on the sales side of their business — and why it almost never has anything to do with product knowledge. After a long career in B2B sales, Neil transitioned into consulting specifically for trades companies, and he's spent years studying what separates top closers from the techs who choke on th...

Longtime industry friend Ron Crabtree joins The Blue Collar Trade Show for an honest conversation about what separates great HVAC service businesses from struggling ones. Ron walks through his path from young technician to seasoned general manager and breaks down why sales is now a non-negotiable skill, how to hire and train techs who can actually communicate with homeowners, and why club membersh...

Heather Ripley of Ripley PR  breaks down how skilled trades and home service businesses can use public relations to build credibility, attract clients, and stand out in a crowded market. Expect actionable strategies, current trends, and media engagement tips built specifically for contractors and franchise owners — not corporate PR theory. If you're a tradesperson or franchise owner who thinks PR...

Shelby Anderson of Service Forge sits down with The Blue Collar Trade Show to break down one of the most misunderstood parts of running a contracting business — the call center. This conversation covers why so many contractors resist outsourcing their phones, how Service Forge keeps customer experience human at scale, and what it actually takes to run a call center team that treats every caller li...

Jake Wattenbarger, President and General Manager of Smith & Oby (a Foundral company), walks through his unconventional path from military service into leading one of the Midwest's most respected mechanical contracting companies. This conversation covers the 125+ year history of Smith & Oby, the real challenges of finding and keeping skilled tradespeople, and the cultural shifts reshaping t...

Dave Borowski has spent 20+ years in HVAC — from trade school to running a multimillion-dollar operation to consulting for companies across the industry. In this episode, he breaks down what separates thriving HVAC businesses from struggling ones, why most technicians are leaving money on the table, and how private equity is quietly reshaping the trades landscape for better and worse. From duct de...

This episode digs into two of the most important conversations happening in the trades right now: how safety culture has evolved over the decades, and what it actually takes to build a lasting career in blue-collar work. The conversation opens with an honest look at how the value placed on human life in workplace environments has changed — from compliance-driven rule enforcement to a culture roote...

In this episode, we sit down with Juli Blake to talk about what it actually takes to rise through the ranks as a woman in the trades — from her early career and upbringing, to overcoming gender bias, to building a leadership style that gets real results. Where Work Ethic Comes From Juli gets into how her upbringing shaped the way she approaches work — and why she thinks that foundation is somethin...

In this episode, we dive deep with Steve on what it actually takes to build a lasting recruiting business, why letting go is the hardest (and most important) move a founder can make, and why great recruiters will never be replaced by technology. What This Episode Covers: Steve's background and how he got into recruiting How the family business was built — and evolved over time The BLT party story...

Our Guest Sandra Brown shares her journey from welding and boilermaking to millwrighting — the challenges, risks, rewards, and the unique perspective women bring to the trades. Sandra makes a compelling case for why more women should seriously consider a career in skilled trades, and she does it with honesty, humor, and zero sugarcoating. We cover the technical side of welding different materials,...

What's it really like being married to a blue-collar worker? This episode explores the unique dynamics of relationships with tradespeople—the support required at home, balancing demanding work schedules with family life, the pride and provider mindset that drives blue-collar workers, and why many people find trades workers attractive partners. We also discuss blue-collar tools and safety, the inve...

Kelly Wunsch shares his journey from college baseball to the major leagues to owning a successful construction firm. We discuss how professional sports prepared him for entrepreneurship, the importance of education for athletes, why trade skills create more career security than most degrees, and how AI is transforming the construction industry. What This Episode Covers: Kelly's background and jour...

Tony Hulbert, CEO of Horsepower Brands, shares insights on what makes home services franchises succeed, the myths surrounding franchising, and how AI is transforming business operations in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services. We discuss the traits that separate successful franchisees from those who struggle, common misconceptions about franchise ownership, and how AI is reshaping customer inte...

Jordie Kern, founder of Seven Eagle Group, shares how his organization helps veterans transition from military service to civilian careers, with a focus on blue collar trades. We discuss the SkillBridge program that allows active-duty military members to train with civilian employers during their final months of service, the challenges veterans face adapting to civilian work culture, and why soft...

Our Guest Greg Nelson pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a career in live sound engineering. This conversation covers his journey from small venue gigs to major concert productions, the blue-collar grit behind the music industry's biggest shows, and why people skills matter more than technical knowledge for long-term survival in entertainment. We dig into how the industry ha...

Episode Summary: Jeff Rahn shares his journey from the Air Force to building a successful home services business. This conversation dives into what actually makes blue collar businesses work: hiring for personality over technical skills, building team culture that drives retention, and why soft skills matter more than most people realize. We cover the realities of earning potential in the trades,...

In Episode 2, we tackle the biggest misconceptions surrounding blue collar work and explore why trade schools offer better value than most people realize. We debate whether college is worth the cost, discuss the changing work ethic in modern society, and examine how social media (especially TikTok) influences cultural trends around work. We also dive into the real challenges of starting a blue col...

Welcome to The Blue Collar Recruiter Podcast! In our first episode, we introduce ourselves and share the blue collar backgrounds that shaped our careers. We discuss our favorite tools, first business experiences, and early work that taught us what it means to work in the trades. This conversation covers blue collar upbringing, generational differences and commonalities, career paths and personal p...