Shows
The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One About Blue Collar Marriages With Autumn Travis | Episode 8What'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 investment required to build a trades career, and future prospects in skilled trades industries.What This Episode Covers:The realities of supporting a blue-collar worker at home an...
2026-03-101h 02The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One About Going From MLB to Successful Construction Company With: Kelly Wunsch | Episode 7Kelly 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 journey from college baseball to the major leagues. Dealing with failure, pressure, and criticism in professional sports. The importance of education for athletes and career transitions. Kelly's transition from professional baseball to construction...
2026-03-031h 28The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One About Building A Franchise Powerhouse With Tony Hulbert | Ep.6Tony 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 interactions, service delivery, and operational efficiency in home services businesses.What This Episode Covers:Tony Hulbert's background and journey to becoming CEO of Horsepower Brands. The biggest myths about franchising that mislead...
2026-02-2459 minThe Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One About The Veteran Advantage With Jordie Kern | Ep.5Jordie 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 skills matter more than military credentials in hiring decisions.This conversation covers supporting military spouses, common misconceptions about veterans, success stories of veteran placement, the future of traditional resumes, and the Blue Collar Trades Academy's mission to...
2026-02-171h 09The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One Where Rock Bands Meet Blue Collar with Greg Nelson | Ep.4Our 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 has evolved with technology, the growing presence of women in live production, how military discipline shaped work ethic behind the scenes, and the brutal realities of COVID-19 on touring professionals. Greg shares real stories...
2026-02-101h 07The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One About Going From Entry-Level To Multi-Millionare With Jeff Rahn | Ep.3Episode 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, how to handle employee development and terminations with integrity, and why customer service is the foundation of growth. Jeff shares hard-learned lessons about consistency, fair compensation, and adapting to industry changes driven...
2026-02-031h 09The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe One Where We Tackle Controversial Blue Collar Questions | Ep. 2In 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 collar business—from accessing capital to managing time—and share personal stories about discovering and embracing blue collar identity. This conversation gets real about the roadblocks entrepreneurs face and what it actually takes to build a bu...
2026-01-3051 min
The Blue Collar Trades ShowThe Pilot. The One About How This Show Came To Life | Ep. 1Welcome 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 preferences, college debt versus trade careers, and the essential tools that define skilled trades work. We also talk about what's coming in future episodes and how you can engage with the show.
2026-01-2730 min