The ToolShed Podcast

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Anthony Tarquinio, director of Melbourne construction company Evve Group, currently operating at 8-figure annual revenue across residential and commercial projects. Anthony gets raw about his "Rocky year" in 2025, copping punch after punch, and what kept him grounded through it. He's honest that his business isn't where he thought it would be six years in, an...

Getting to $100 million is possible. The real question is, at what cost? In this episode, Mick sits down with Anthony Tarquinio, Civil Engineer and Director of Evve Group, an 8-figure construction company building multiple projects simultaneously across Melbourne. This is not the highlight reel version of a success story. Anthony opens up about what coaching actually feels like once the early exci...

What if the biggest thing holding your building business back isn't a lack of leads, staff, or systems? What if it's trying to do everything on your own? In Part 2 of this inspiring conversation, Mick Hawes sits down again with Andy Kearns, Director of Perway Construction Services and long-time Builders Business Blackbelt member, to dive deeper into the lessons that transformed both his business a...

What happens when a builder stops trying to do everything alone? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, Andy Kearns shares how coaching transformed his residential building business. We discuss builder mindset, business coaching, construction leadership, builder burnout, personal development, and construction business growth. This is an honest conversation about why success in business isn't jus...

Could ATO debt be putting your business at risk without you even realising it? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, I'm joined down with Registered Liquidator and Chartered Accountant Jarvis Archer to discuss the simple financial mistakes that often lead businesses into trouble. Learn how better visibility of your numbers, understanding director drawings, and managing ATO debt can help protect...

What if the biggest thing holding your building business back isn't a lack of staff, it's a lack of the right systems? In this episode, Mick Hawes sits down with Andrew Sirianni, Managing Director of Dcode Group, to talk about one of the most practical topics for any builder or tradie running a small team: how to use automation and custom software to get more done without growing your headcount. A...

Are your quotes costing you time, profit… or both? In Part 2 of EP 169 of The ToolShed Podcast, Mick Hawes sits down with Joey Hidalgo to unpack one of the biggest bottlenecks in a building business, estimating. Most builders don't struggle because they can't quote… They struggle because they don't have a system behind it. This episode explores how improving your estimating process can lead to bet...

In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, I sit down with Joey Hidalgo, founder of The Measuring Company, to unpack one of the biggest hidden challenges in the building industry, estimating. Most builders don't struggle because they lack work. They struggle because estimating becomes a bottleneck. Late nights, second-guessing numbers, and trying to stay competitive without truly understanding costs...

Are Bigger Jobs Actually Holding Your Building Business Back? Every builder wants the big project the prestige, the revenue, the recognition. But what if chasing bigger jobs is quietly costing you profit, time, and freedom? In Part 2 with Adrian Ramsay, we unpack why the smartest builders don't chase size ,they chase alignment. From choosing the right clients to creating a process that builds trus...

Are your biggest projects actually your least profitable? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast (EP 168 Part 1) , I sit down with Adrian Ramsay , award-winning building designer and host of Dream Homes Revealed , to unpack the truth about profit, projects, and building a business that works. Adrian shares how smaller "learning projects" can often deliver better margins than large, ego-driven bui...

What if the biggest mistake investors make isn't the stock they pick… but how they think about the market? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, Mick sits down with seasoned investor Terry Tran to unpack the misconceptions many Australian investors have about markets, valuations, and risk. With nearly 30 years of experience, Terry shares why protecting capital matters more than chasing returns,...

What if the real reason you feel overwhelmed in your business isn't discipline… But design? In Part 2 of this conversation on The ToolShed Podcast, I continue my discussion with ADHD strategist Skye Waterson, founder of Unconventional Organisation. We dig deeper into the patterns that many business owners experience, burnout, last-minute pressure, and the constant feeling of being busy but not mov...

Most business owners think their biggest challenge is discipline. Work harder. Focus more. Push through. But what if the real issue isn't motivation at all? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, Mick Hawes sits down with ADHD strategist and academic Skye Waterson, founder of Unconventional Organisation, to unpack how ADHD actually shows up in business. Many entrepreneurs struggle with time blin...

What happens when someone stops accepting "that's just how it is" and decides to fix it? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast , Mick Hawes sits down with Kym O'Leary , founder of COgear Industrial Workwear and inventor of the HMZ tear-away hemming system. With nearly two decades of experience in mining and manufacturing, Kym saw firsthand how women in industrial and construction environments we...

What if modern success is the very thing making people miserable? In Part 2 of this conversation, Jim Penman shares the deeper philosophy behind building one of the largest franchise networks in the Southern Hemisphere and why long term thinking matters more than ever. We explore why short term rewards and dopamine driven habits are quietly eroding fulfillment, how comfort can weaken discipline, a...

What does it really take to build a franchise empire that lasts decades, not just a business that burns bright and burns out? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, I sit down with Jim Penman, founder of Jim's Group, the largest franchise network in the Southern Hemisphere with more than 5,500 franchisees across 50+ service divisions. In Part 1 of this conversation, we unpack the foundations tha...

What does it really take to build a successful business when there are no guarantees? In this episode, Mick sits down with Mark Deacon to unpack the often unseen side of growth resilience, uncertainty, discipline, and the long stretches where effort comes long before reward. This is not a story about overnight success or shortcuts. It's a practical conversation about staying in the game when outco...

In this episode, Mick Hawes is joined by Rebekah Tucker, CEO of Sandler Training Australia & New Zealand, to unpack why sales feels so difficult for builders — and why it's rarely about price, confidence, or closing techniques. This conversation explores a powerful shift: builders don't struggle with sales because they lack skill, but because they've been taught to pitch instead of listen. Rebekah...

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Mick dives deeper into the real mechanics of pricing with globally respected business author and advisor Andrew Griffiths. You'll hear why holding prices steady while costs rise is one of the fastest ways to silently destroy profit, and how small, well-explained pricing adjustments can actually increase trust, not reduce it. Andrew breaks down why customers...

In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Mick Hawes sits down with Andrew Griffiths to unpack one of the most uncomfortable and misunderstood topics in the building industry: pricing. This episode dives into why so many builders stay busy yet financially stretched, how fear-based pricing quietly erodes profit, and why being "competitive" often does more damage than good. Andrew challenges long-hel...

Most builders think they've got first aid covered, until something actually goes wrong on site. In this episode, Mick Hawes sits down with Nick White, Co-Owner of Trade Aid Kits, to uncover why so many first aid kits used by tradies are outdated, poorly designed, and not fit for the real risks faced on construction and mining sites. Nick shares what he's learned supplying first aid kits to thousan...

Most builders don't fail because they're bad at marketing — they fail because the construction industry has changed, and the old way of showing up no longer works. In this episode, Mick Hawes sits down with Jordan Skinner, one of Australia's leading voices in construction branding, to unpack why builders struggle with visibility, trust, and attracting the right clients… and what to do differently...

Waterproofing failures and compliance issues are costing builders thousands of dollars every year not because they don't care, but because the industry has become too complex to manage on memory and habit alone. In this episode, we sit down with Byron Landeryou to uncover why these problems continue to show up on sites across Australia and how a smarter system can eliminate most of them before the...

What if winning clients had nothing to do with convincing, persuading, or pushing? In this episode, I sat down with Ari Galper, the world's number one authority on trust-based selling, to unpack a breakthrough idea that transforms the way builders and business owners sell: how to sell without selling. Ari reveals the moment that changed everything for him, a moment that exposed why traditional sal...

Most tradies work hard but still feel like the money slips away. In this episode, we uncover why that happens and how the right tax specialist can help you take control of your cash, avoid costly mistakes, and finally build a financially stable business. Michael Gallagher breaks down the common traps builders fall into, the risks of mixing personal and business money, when to shift from sole trade...