Episode List
The One About Flunking Business School and Building Companies with Chris Buttenham
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…
The One About Picking The Right Software To Scale Your Blue Collar Business with Jenny Benbrook
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…
The One About the Future of Water Heaters: Innovation & Industry Insights with Bradford White
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…
The One About Closing the Trades Skills Gap with Dan Clapper : Episode 19
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.…
The One About Why Most Trades Salespeople Underperform with Neil Glatt : Episode 18
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…
The One About Going From Technician to GM With Ron Crabtree | Episode 17
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…
The One About PR for Skilled Trades With Heather Ripley
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…
The One About Blue Collar Call Center Myths With Shelby Anderson
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…
The One About Military to Mechanical and Building a Winning Trades Culture with Jake Wattenbarger
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…