Blue Collar StartUp

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Zay DuPree, the one-man mastermind behind DuPree Heating & Cooling! When people think of a one-man operation, they typically picture an old dude with a beat up truck and a couple fans in the truck bed... But Zay couldn't be further from that vision. Fully insured and thoroughly professional, Zay proudly stands by the quality of his process and results. If you need HVAC work done, Zay is the best one-man band in town! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - Show Starts 01:09 - An Introduction to Zay DuPree 02:17 - Getting Started… Thanks to YouTube?! 05:25 - Shoutout to the Blue Collar College! 06:15 - A Man of Many Hats 07:13 - The First Step… Was a Leap 10:10 - Get Comfortable with the Uncomfortable 12:49 - Let the Equipment Tell You 14:24 - Sales & Marketing: The Achilles’ Heel 16:40 - Feeling the Seal on the Deal 18:02 - The Value of Learning 19:07 - The Heartiest Crumbs: Big Business is a VERY Sloppy Eater! 22:16 - Answering the Call 24:06 - The Man with the Plan 27:18 - HVAC Becomes a Passion 29:33 - A Day in the Life of Zay DuPree: From Dawn ’til Dusk 31:27 - Learning to Let People Down 32:40 - A Scheduling Dream 35:29 - Bet on the Long Game 39:34 - Reach Out: A Learning Opportunity 41:12 - He’s Got Folders! 41:40 - Be the Means to Their End 43:49 - I’m Going Digital… But Not Completely Digital 45:51 - If You’re Thinking About It… Do It! 49:33 - How to Get in Touch 50:00 - Shoutout to Michaels Group, MLB Construction, HVCC, and BOCES! 51:09 - Take Your Social Media Seriously!

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Rachel McDermott, the second-generation proprietor of Dancing Grain Farm Brewery! Dancing Grain runs a special operation - fully family-owned, they source every ingredient that goes into their brews at their own farm, without using any pesticides... This is as Blue Collar as it gets! Listen to this episode to hear their incredible story - recorded on site! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - “On the Farm” with Mike Nelson: Bokashi Greens 01:38 - Mushrooms Will Save the World! 03:42 - The Show Begins: An Introduction to Dancing Grain’s Own Rachel 05:15 - Let’s Go to the Hop 06:16 - Wild vs. Domesticated Hops 09:29 - Anatomy of a Brew 11:49 - Dog Attack! 12:26 - Sheep Yield 13:25 - Sourcing Every Single Ingredient! 15:05 - A Pesticide-Free Operation 21:15 - The First Generation’s Story 25:14 - Finding Her Way Back Home 27:53 - Building a Brewery: It Takes Serious Skill! 30:45 - Knitting Together the Supply Chain 34:12 - The Name “Dancing Grain” 35:05 - April 8th: Total Dankness Makes its Debut 37:18 - Bar-ley Hopping 39:07 - There is No Day-to-Day 40:26 - Tiny Farms… Prop Up a Big Society 41:56 - Something Very Special 43:51 - Doing Better Than the Farmers’ Markets 44:39 - Do Something You LOVE 48:24 - How to Get in Touch: dancinggrain.com 49:00 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Paul Lachar, owner and mason at Top Course Masonry! The whole family's in on this foundational construction dream... But there's no dysfunction here. Paul and his crew have served the region with pride for over 20 years, and there's no end in sight! Listen to this episode to hear about his experience, how he keeps the family in harmony, how he got back to school after an injury, and more! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Mike’s Feeling Well Again! 01:47 - An Introduction to Paul, and Top Course Masonry 02:55 - A History You Can Count On 05:01 - Finding the Best Solution for You 06:37 - Resolving an Issue… Truly 07:37 - A Family Business 10:13 - Welcome Back 11:12 - A Little Bit of Everything 12:22 - 100% On-the-Job 13:39 - Make Your Choice 15:19 - No TV Drama Here! 16:51 - Mike’s No Mason… But He Does His Best! 19:50 - Paul’s Biggest Challenge: Finding a Balance 22:35 - Picking and Choosing 25:14 - Maintaining the Work-Life Balance 27:49 - What’s Next: The Offsite Location 28:51 - It’s Your Choice 30:12 - The One-Hour Radius 30:54 - A Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood 33:11 - Small World! 34:25 - An Injury Provides an Opportunity: Back to School 36:09 - Knowledge is Power… But it’s All About How You Use It! 38:07 - Paul’s Advice: Don’t Ever Quit! 40:00 - Stick it Out: Hardships Just Make You Stronger! 41:38 - How to Get in Touch 43:17 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Dean Leber, a top leadership consultant at The Leaders Group! The corporate world is full of bloated questions - "What's the difference between a mission and vision statement?" and "How do I empower my employees to become good leaders?" These questions seem jejune on the surface, but Dean has real, authentic answers to them that can help you, your team, and your business. Listen to this episode to find out how! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - Opening Statements 00:56 - 75-Hard… 113 Days 01:45 - An Introduction to Dean Leber 03:20 - Lebership 04:49 - The Definition (and Importance) of a Mission 07:38 - Unify, Inspire, Move 08:35 - The Less Corporate, the Better! 11:32 - How Long Should a Mission Statement Be? 13:10 - Revisiting the Mission: Whenever It’s Relevant 15:16 - Culture is: Values, and Action 17:08 - Reaching Your People: The Intrinsic Method 19:31 - The Five Towers Interview Process: Unicorn Wrangling 21:16 - Structure: Developing and Empowering Leaders 23:39 - Balancing Risks: Aim Small, Miss Small 27:19 - Good Leaders Ask Questions 28:45 - Addressing Failure: Meter Your Expectations 31:16 - Mike Demands Sheep Talk 32:48 - Read Philosophy: Dean Recommends Stoics 34:12 - How to Get in Touch: grow@theleaders.group 34:58 - Mike Biffed It 35:28 - Staying Young: Diet, Exercise, and Learning 36:57 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to MLB and Michaels Group!

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Chris Manzela, co-owner of BradManz Landscaping! Chris has been working since he was only 14 years old, but he's progressed a long way since then - from $3.75 an hour bussing tables to owning his own business and a massive football fan cave, Chris' steps forward have not been small! What's his secret? Listen to this episode, and you just might find out! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introductions 01:32 - Whoa! New Sound Effects! 02:11 - An Introduction to BradManz Landscaping 04:26 - Getting Started… At 14?! 06:16 - Food Service Wages… Thankfully Have Changed! 07:04 - Picking (and Losing) a Partner 08:05 - Chris Can Do It: Getting a Degree 10:39 - Brickman! 11:35 - Managing Over Maintenance 14:21 - The Beginning of BradManz 15:08 - Matching a Spirit of Generosity 16:54 - Where’s the Work Ethic? Lazy Podcasters! 20:54 - Broadcasting from the Bills Sanctuary 21:16 - Building a Business: It Always Starts Small! Go Above and Beyond! 24:51 - Do You Know, and Do You Care? 26:39 - Shoutout to The Town Tinker! 27:48 - Valorous Volunteerism: Shoutout to Ronald McDonald House! 31:09 - Competition is a GOOD Thing! Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help! 36:59 - Take Care of Your Unicorns! 40:44 - A Day in the Life of Chris 43:47 - A Well-Oiled Gearshift 48:13 - Communication is Paramount! 49:31 - Pay Your Bills! 51:58 - Chris’ (Incorrect) Prediction for the Big Game 52:51 - How to Get in Touch: bradmanzlandscaping.com 54:11 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to MLB and Michaels Group!

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Dimitri Skrinik, the Project Manager at MODS National! Dimitri's had an exciting journey, between emigrating from Moldova, leveraging internships into running his own blue collar business... And then leaving it to manage construction projects using shipping containers! Why did he choose Project Management over business ownership? What have his experiences taught him? Hear the answers, his story, and more here, in this episode! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Where IS the Dirty South? 01:24 - An Introduction to Dimitri Skrinik 04:17 - Why Construction? Thanks, Dad 06:35 - Discipline: The Ups and Downs 09:04 - Purpose Through Religion 10:40 - The Wild West That is… Shipping Containers! 13:45 - That Start-Up Feeling 15:03 - Balancing Gigs: There’s Always a Solution! 16:39 - The Moldovan Advantage 18:20 - Get Out of Your Own Way! 20:14 - Controlled Chaos: The Drifting Method 22:22 - Dimitri’s Business: Taking (and Returning) the Reins 26:57 - Working with Family isn’t Easy! 27:59 - Owning a Business is Great… If You Can Handle It! 32:38 - Entrepreneurship Means Marketing & Salesmanship: No Matter the Business! 35:01 - There’s No Such Thing as an Accidental Cowboy: Horses are Scary, Man! 37:41 - Keep Getting Better: Dimitri’s FunHouse 40:05 - Dimitri’s Advice: There’s Never Been a Better Time to Enter the Trades! 41:15 - How to Get in Touch 42:03 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Brendan Manning, the Vice President of Education & Environment at AGC New York! The AGC (Associated General Contractors) specializes in discovering and solving the problems caused by federal and state legislation that pertain to the trades, and informing and working with local tradespeople based on that information. Whether it's by focusing on the legal side, directly training local business owners, or partnering with local organizations, the AGC is a fantastic Blue Collar advocate! Listen to this episode to learn more about their important mission! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - Introductions: Happy Holidays! 02:36 - Associated General Contractors of New York State: What Is It? 04:41 - A Proactive, Reactive Organization: Weighing Potential Consequences of Policies 09:01 - Bills: Separating the Valuable from the Crazy 10:08 - A Better Way to Build: The Power of Computer Modeling 11:26 - Mike’s Chicken Mansion: A Perfect Example 13:25 - Nurturing the Budding Blue Collars: The Education Side of the AGC 17:20 - Which Training to Do in Person, and Which You Can Do Online 18:36 - Gaining Members During COVID: The Zoom Method 19:54 - Affordable Programming: Funds Scholarships! 21:45 - The Value of Schooling: Give Kids Options! 23:14 - Shoutout to BOCES! 23:51 - Don’t Go to College as a Statistic! 25:37 - What Goes Into Running a Business: Stephanie’s Story 29:18 - Cooperation to Improve Competition: P2P Networks 31:46 - Building Capacity for Natural Diversity 33:11 - Business Owner, Tradesman? Either Way, AGC can Help! 34:20 - Membership Options 36:22 - Suicide Awareness 37:33 - Joint Operations: Partnering with NESCA 40:33 - A Brief History of Brendan Manning: Banking, Software, Y2K, and More 42:19 - Brendan’s Key Piece of Advice: Find a Good, Specialized Attorney and Accountant! 44:07 - How to Get in Touch 44:49 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to MLB and Michaels Group!

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Brent Flavin and David Johnson, co-founder & CEO, and Sales VP respectively of BoomNation! Finding workers and finding work - that's the biggest challenge the trades are facing. BoomNation breaks through the drawbacks of job boards, combining effective professional services with a fun and personal user experience. If you breathe Blue and want to work Blue, BoomNation is your solution! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introductions: Welcome to BoomNation! 04:00 - Not a Recruiter, Not a Forum: A Community 08:37 - Facilitating the Connection: Cutting Through the Noise of a Typical Job Board 10:58 - 90 Days, 98-Million Users Reached! 12:11 - Professional and Fun: All in One 16:40 - Helping Not Just Employees, But Employers, Too! 18:24 - 92% Application Dropoff Rate?! How BoomNation Fixes It 22:11 - The Upsides of a Union… Without the Downsides 23:54 - Derek Arrives, Thumbs Appear 24:40 - Getting Into the Trades: Never Too Early, Never Too Late! 27:17 - Getting (And Staying) In the Trades 30:56 - See a Need, Fill a Need: The BoomNation Origin Story 36:34 - From Passive Project to Top App 38:10 - A Great Project Starts With a Great Team! 39:30 - You Want Quality? Pay For It… 43:45 - …But Pay Alone Isn’t Enough! Be Responsive! 46:40 - How to Get in Touch 47:28 - Shoutout to MLB Construction and Michaels Group! 48:15 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Terrence Musto and Robert Manasier - the creator of Fabbro Industries, and the business mentor that helped him do it! From a humble start building custom bikes to running his own professional fabrication shop, Terrence's business is a stunning example of the kind of value a business mentor like Robert can provide. Want to learn how to take that idea of yours to the next level? Listen to this episode to get a few clues! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:00:15 - Introductions 00:02:13 - “Fix it in Post”? NO! 00:03:21 - Fabbro Industries: From Motorbikes to Machines 00:07:05 - The Demise of Apprenticeships 00:08:05 - What is a Fabricator? 00:11:14 - Riding Your Own Bike: Living the Dream 00:13:26 - Earning Approval: A Multi-Step Process 00:18:42 - Meeting Manasier: Taking the Motor Out of Motorbike 00:20:54 - Good ol’ New York State: Michael and his Cycles 00:22:01 - Building the Business: Outmaneuvering the Metrics 00:25:53 - Private Enterprise Beats the State Every Time! 00:29:28 - Blabbing About Beards 00:31:02 - The Incubator: Build Out that Beachhead! 00:35:42 - A Clear Pathway to Success: The Output DOES Matter! 00:37:29 - The Play Entrepreneur… You Need More Than Just an Idea! Be Coachable! 00:41:19 - Both Parties Need Accountability! Mike’s School Story 00:42:35 - A Structured Cohort: Alpacas vs. Llamas 00:45:38 - Bob’s First Business… Started at Age 13?! “But Do You Have a Job?” 00:47:14 - The Biggest Challenge: Predicting the Future, Planning for Failures 00:50:26 - Entering Production: There’s Lots of Factors You Haven’t Considered! 00:54:12 - Finding Highly-Skilled Employees Isn’t Easy! 00:55:10 - When Close Enough, Isn’t 00:56:48 - Mike the Ne’er-Do-Weld 00:57:39 - How to Get in Touch: And One Last Story 00:59:53 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to MLB Construction! 01:00:31 - A Sneak Peek for Next Episode!

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Doug Ford and Pam Stott, two employees of Curtis Lumber who specialize in workforce development! It's all anyone can talk about now: "Where are all the young workers?" "What will happen to the trades in ten years?" If Doug and Pam have anything to say about it, things will only get better - they're dedicated to educating people across the state about their options, and the wonderful truths about Blue Collar work - it's not "a backup job", it's skilled, profitable, fulfilling, and essential! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Show Begins 01:16 - Introductions 02:56 - Fix that Mic! 03:33 - All About Tupper and Saranac Lake 05:40 - Combatting Workforce Development Challenges 09:17 - The Blue Guarantee 11:23 - Overcoming the College Expectation 12:45 - Too Much Work? The “Real” Job Stigma 15:30 - COVID Helped Grow the Trades?! 16:52 - Stability, Benefits, Safety: The Trades Have Evolved! 18:08 - The Organization Grows 20:18 - Working with the Government 22:43 - Striking Against Stereotypes: Love for the Locals 26:27 - A Decades-Old Stereotype: When Will it Pass? 29:26 - The Education Pipeline 31:48 - Scary Statistics: Where is Everybody? 33:31 - Show Your Support! What You Can Do to Help 35:49 - Branching Out: Taking the Mission Further 37:42 - How to Get in Touch 38:26 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to Michaels Group!

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Jared Davis and Samuel Stork - teacher and graduate respectively from WSWHE BOCES! They've got programs in dozens of different subjects for kids and adults alike, but one particular strength of their offerings is the Blue Collar menu! Horticulture, heavy equipment operation, welding, automotive - whatever your shade of blue, BOCES has a program for you! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - Introductions: Love That Blue Collar Coffee! 02:06 - Greetings From WSWHE 03:30 - This Week at BOCES 05:12 - Well to Do About Welding 06:13 - Heavy Equipment Training! 08:34 - A Stork’s Journey: Working Day TWO After Graduation! 11:42 - A Little Bit of Everything 13:16 - Is College On the Table? 14:56 - Class During COVID 15:53 - What Makes Us Blue? 18:41 - A Blue Collar Teacher’s Job: Keep Those Kids’ Fingers and Toes Intact! 20:47 - The BOCES Advantage: Those Skills Last a Lifetime! 21:53 - No Fringe Benefits for You! 22:26 - Hundreds of Partners, Hundreds of Opportunities! 24:09 - Placement Metrics… 50% Job Market, 50% Military! 25:38 - How to Get In Touch 26:27 - Is BOCES Right for You?.. YES! 27:32 - Working Towards the Future: Young People DO Want to Work! 28:39 - Adult Learning Options 30:47 - Visit the Website: https://www.wswheboces.org/ 31:27 - CTE Works 33:24 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to Michaels Group!

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson and visionary founder Derek Foster talk to Ben Rieth, co-founder and operator of Daigle Fire Solutions! While his business is literally based around fire prevention, his stories make it clear that every businessman needs to know how to deal with tough situations in the same way! There's plenty of tips for up-and-coming entrepreneurs in this episode! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - Introduction: Derek is the Main Host! 02:52 - What is Daigle Fire Solutions? 05:35 - Coming to DFS: A Risk Worth Taking 08:08 - Starting Your Own Business: Ben’s Story 10:07 - The Boss Steps In: How Involved Should You Be? 15:04 - Putting the Pro in Processes 16:59 - Under Pressure: A Fire Solution 18:08 - A Day in the Life of Ben Rieth 19:59 - Mistakes Don’t Matter: Reactions and Results Do! 22:00 - Problem-Solvers: Will You Pull the Cart, or Ride in It? 23:48 - Make a Decision: Stagnation Kills Everything 25:09 - A Skilled Juggler Has a Cool Hand… And a Great Team! 27:32 - The Mental Transition 30:04 - Acquiring New Clients… Go Talk to People! 33:33 - Marketing Generates the Leads… YOU Keep Them! 34:43 - The College Curse: Don’t Doubt Yourself! You CAN Do It! 37:04 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview four students at the Blue Collar College - Tim, Jonathan, Jawid and Edon! Their incredible stories showcase the strength of the Blue Collar spirit - between preserving heritage, community values, working hard to chase those dreams, and even acts of genuine heroism, the future for the next generation of Blue Collar workers is looking bright! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Be Careful with Gas Fires! 01:32 - Live from the Welding Room! 03:05 - Introductions: We’ve Got a Full Room! 08:46 - Honda Gang! 09:11 - Time Keeps on Slippin’ 10:11 - Chasing the Dream 14:56 - Restoration Takes Dedication! 16:12 - Honda Gang Strikes Again! 17:23 - Blue Collar Gives Back 19:31 - Escaping a Fire… And Saving a Family! 24:54 - No Stranger to Danger 26:41 - An Incredible Community 27:47 - Gaining Experience, and Seeing Opportunity 31:28 - Security and Opportunity: Blue Collar’s Where It’s At! 35:42 - Attracting Talent: Show Some Support, and Respect! 38:50 - Owning a Shop Isn’t for Everyone… But What a Ride! 41:38 - A Creative Battering Ram to the Experience Wall 43:45 - Bringing the Modern and the Classic Together 47:44 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson and visionary founder Derek Foster interview three Blue Collar superstars - Amanda Triolo, Brian Correll, and Luke Scarcelli of Grasshopper Heating & Cooling! Grasshopper has been all the buzz - or rather, chirp - on the scene lately as their marvelous marketing, terrific teamwork and stellar service take the community by storm! What's the secret to their raid growth and success? We have some of the answers for you here in this episode! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 01:00 - Shoutout to Michaels Group: And Our Mission 02:29 - Introductions: The Grasshopper Team 06:58 - A Grasshopper Hops Forward 12:57 - A Sudden Swarm of Happy Hoppers 13:57 - Glory Be to Gary Grasshopper 14:49 - Business Ain’t for Babies! 17:18 - Carving Through COVID 19:23 - Everything Has a Solution! 20:24 - Keep Calm and Carry On 22:33 - Cultivating Culture and Valuing Values 29:47 - Inform and Educate: Do No Disservice 31:39 - Why Does It Matter? Sharing a Vision 34:22 - The Vision Board: Pipe the Perspective 35:57 - Employee-Focus Isn’t Just for Higher-Ups! 37:30 - Started from the Bottom… Now We’re Here 38:55 - Maintaining Morale 43:02 - Game Time 47:20 - Shoutout to Dean Leber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanmleber/ 47:55 - Throttled Marketing 51:25 - Keep Those Customers! 54:45 - GrassLARPer 56:06 - How to Get in Touch: Amanda@gograsshopper.com 56:41 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson and visionary founder Derek Foster interview Jim Dawsey, the President of MLB Construction Services, LLC! Jim's come a long way in his life, from minimum-wage drudgery in a February rainstorm to running a premier multi-million dollar company! He learned no small amount of methods, strategies and secrets along the way... And if you listen to this episode, you just might learn a few for yourself! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners. 00:15 - Blue Collar Insider: Learning from Mistakes 01:48 - The Show Begins 02:57 - An Introduction to Jim Dawsey and the World of Construction 05:13 - A History You Can Count On: Jim’s Journey 09:39 - Taking the Next Step 11:33 - The Role Sharpens: Finding the Niche 13:11 - Sawing for Saratoga, and Driving With No Hands 14:27 - Learning on the Job: Experts Have a Lot to Give! 15:26 - Transitions: One Successful, One Not 18:52 - My Old Man 20:05 - Take it from Jim: Relationships are EVERYTHING! 23:38 - What’s Hot and What’s Not 25:26 - Jim’s Biggest Challenge: Adapting to the Economy 27:59 - Don’t Fly Out of Albany for a While! 28:51 - Forecasting and Planning 30:56 - Jim’s Biggest Mistake: Working with a Developer 35:11 - Chloe Speaks! And the Secret to Jim’s Success 37:05 - The Next Ownership Team 38:26 - What Role Does College Play? 39:58 - A Day in the Life of Jim Dawsey… Starts at 4:00 AM! 41:27 - A Coffee Conversation 43:57 - Jim’s on Drums, Mike’s Son’s on Guitar… This Editor’s on Bass! The Blue Collar Band 45:31 - Jim’s Key Piece of Advice: Through the Ups and Downs, Never Lose Your Passion! 48:37 - How to Get in Touch: Social Media’s the Way! 49:26 - Closing Remarks: Thanks for the Gift Bags!

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson and visionary founder Derek Foster interview the triple threat team of Juan, Jason, and Matt from Argyle's Hunt Companies! They've handled construction for some major players locally, but they didn't just stumble into the trust of those big league clients - they earned it! Have a listen to this episode and find out how! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 01:26 - An Introduction to Hunt Companies 03:45 - The Beginning: McDonald’s and You 06:06 - Director of Operations: Welcome to Argyle 08:02 - Matt: The Future 09:06 - Commercial vs. Residential Work 11:14 - The Record is Seven! 13:15 - Small, Focused Teams: The Ups and Downs of COVID 16:39 - Onboarding: A Constant Process (Shoutout to BOCES!) 19:14 - Experience Ain’t Cheap! Don’t Be Afraid to Train! 22:15 - Cultivating Culture 24:41 - Trickle-Down Culture: It Starts at the Top! 28:12 - Showing Support 30:16 - Kinks in the Supply Chain… Won’t Get Better Anytime Soon! 34:42 - Why Haven’t Costs Gone Back Down? 38:48 - Good Relationships… Are Based on Trust! 41:37 - Multi-Layered Profit-Earning: Waste Not! 43:26 - Advice to the Next Generation: Find Out What You Like to Do! 47:27 - How to Get in Touch 49:04 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson and visionary founder Derek Foster interview Mike McGrath, the head honcho at 1-800-Paint-Job! Mike overcame plenty of struggles to get where he is, and faces more every day... But no challenge is too great for a Blue Collar worker! Hear about his struggles and successes here, in this stellar episode! This episode was recorded on-location at The Eden Center for Integrative Care: https://www.theedencarecenter.com/ Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introduction 02:15 - The Turning Point 03:44 - A Portrait of the Future 06:01 - A Changing Market 08:25 - The Equipment Plan: No Plan! 10:04 - Finding Help: Quality over Quantity, Build a Culture! 13:07 - Billing Blues: Email’s Got Issues! 15:45 - The Biggest Challenge: Recruiting! 18:41 - Do You Have What it Takes? Coping with Failure 21:03 - Help Comes to Those Who Ask… Reach Out, Make Friends! 25:30 - From Plebeian to Paint-Master 26:59 - There’s More to Business Than the Sale 27:46 - Self-Education is INCREDIBLY EASY Now… So Do It! 29:17 - The Mike McGrath Story: Overcoming Addiction and Achieving Success 32:22 - Discipline… The Most Valuable Skill of All 34:23 - The Other Half: Making Hard Decisions 35:16 - You’ve Got to De-Stress!.. Healthily 36:30 - McGrath in the Morning: Routing Out the Routines 37:48 - Awesome Audiobooks 40:36 - Money vs. Time: Time is ALWAYS More Important! 42:10 - Wise is the Man With the Home Library 44:02 - The 1-800-Paint-Job Value 45:08 - Closing Remarks: Shoutout to The Eden Center and Michaels Group!

In this episode, Mike and Derek interview Bruce Hoffmann, the Work-Based Learning & Placement Coorindator at WSWHE BOCES! We and our kids have all had those classes that we just didn't want to take and asked the question "Why do I have to learn Trigonometry?" Bruce works hard to make sure his classes are the exact opposite - everything students learn from BOCES has a specific and real purpose! Give this episode a listen and find out just what kind of value BOCES has - not just for your kids, but also for you! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introduction 01:38 - What Does Bruce Hoffmann Do at BOCES? 05:15 - Workforce, Workforce, Workforce! 06:11 - Hands-On Learning 08:40 - What Happened to Wood & Metal Shop? Mike’s Experience 12:02 - Shoutout to Dr. Turina Parker! 12:44 - The BOCES Stigma: Moving Past It 14:44 - The Intern 16:54 - From BOCES to Bank: Placement Opportunities 19:12 - Getting Started with BOCES 23:38 - Setting Kids Up for Success: The BOCES Difference 25:15 - Running Out of Room 27:20 - Funding the Adult Programs 28:35 - Shoutout to Michaels Group, and All of Our Sponsors! 29:43 - Sponsoring BOCES Helps So Much, Too! 31:02 - BOCES Graduation: What it Looks Like 32:09 - Working with Home-Schoolers 33:07 - Reaching Students: How BCS Plans to Help 35:57 - How You Can Help 38:01 - The Typical Day of a BOCES Student 39:29 - Why Do I Need to Learn Trigonometry? 41:16 - Women in the Trades: BOCES’ Latest Initiative 42:46 - How to Get in Touch 44:23 - Drop Us Some Questions and Comments! hardhat@bluecollarstartup.io

In this episode, our hosts Mike and Derek interview Taylor Hopeck, the Client Coordinator at Witt Construction! Her story perfectly showcases that sometimes, you choose the Blue Collar life... And sometimes, it chooses you! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introduction and Shoutouts 03:06 - Who is Taylor Hopeck? 04:48 - Supply Chain? More Like Supply Pain! 05:24 - Team and Client Coordination: How Taylor Handles It… 07:34 - … And How Derek Handles It 09:15 - Finding a Home in Home-Building 12:48 - Social Media: A Powerful Tool! 14:55 - A Day in the Life of Taylor Hopeck 16:43 - Field Experience is SO Important! 17:24 - From Being Green to Making Green 19:38 - Taylor’s Advice: It Never Hurts to Try! Knowledge is Power! 22:20 - Workforce Development: What Witt’s Working On 25:23 - When Email Becomes Snail Mail 27:57 - When Do You Need Taylor?.. Right Away! 32:33 - Keeping Your Free Time Free 34:53 - Closing Remarks: How to Get in Touch

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster have a chat with Vince LaTerra, the Project Manager at Bonacio Construction! If you live in Saratoga, you've heard of these guys, and there's a lot of advice this successful businessman has to offer in this episode! What is it? You'll have to listen to find out! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introduction: A Friendly Update 01:26 - Training Babies to Sleep 02:36 - Mike’s Son Locks Him Out 04:20 - It’s Time for the Show - With Vince LaTerra, Project Manager! 06:37 - 12 Jobs at Once?! 07:23 - Specialized Software? No Way! Notebook and Pencil! 09:08 - Determining Priorities 10:36 - Everything is a Problem 13:13 - Antics in the Attic 15:32 - Why Construction? 17:12 - Doing Right by Retention 19:18 - Getting the Train Back on Track 21:34 - The Resources You Should Have! 23:33 - Sourcing Staff 26:31 - The Bonacio Path: From Greenhorn to Construction Champ 28:15 - The Traits to Look For 30:13 - The Generation War 31:55 - Learning From the (Noisy) Old Guard… And Your Mistakes! 36:17 - Vince’s Secret to Success: Consistency! 37:18 - Manager and Salesman: Can the Roles Coexist? 39:00 - The 40 Under 40 Award, and the Shaken & Stirred Event 41:35 - Vince’s One Key Piece of Advice: Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses! 42:50 - Closing Remarks: How to Get in Touch

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson interviews Ivan Bell, the main man behind IBS Septic & Drain! He's got a lot to say about balancing home life and family life, giving 110%... And, most importantly, loving what you do! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introduction: The Rise of Ivan Bell 01:30 - Ivan’s Advice: Just Go Forward! Don’t Give Up and Carve Your Own Path! 02:42 - Seizing an Opportunity: Every Day is a (Fun) Battle! 04:09 - I Dig It, Man! 06:49 - Making the Change: From a One-Man Show to 20 Employees! 09:15 - Ivan’s Biggest Challenge: Balancing Work and Family 10:24 - The Family Business 12:52 - The Money Will Come 15:56 - When is it Time to Let Others Pick Up Some Slack? 18:24 - The Secret to Success: Love What You Do! 19:13 - Everything to Everyone… Great Album, But Not a Great Life Strategy! 22:54 - Shoutout to Warren Tire! 25:00 - Adversity Absolutely WILL Come! Be Ready! 26:39 - Respecting Your Employees is Important! 27:45 - Retirement? No Way! 29:48 - Say I’m the Man… What’s the Plan? 31:06 - Keep Your Heart in it… And Keep Going! 32:08 - Closing Remarks: How to Get in Touch

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Jim Countryman - the assistant professor of Applied Technologies at Hudson Valley Community College; AKA, The Blue Collar College! We know, we know - we've often said college isn't for everybody... But with amazing programs like Jim's, you can learn Blue Collar skills from start to finish - like automotive mechanics, aviation mechanics, HVAC, electrical engineering, and much, much more! Get the inside scoop on HVCC's stellar, affordable offerings for any and all students here, in this informative episode! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! 00:15 - Introduction: Who We Are, and What We Do 01:12 - Shoutout to Matthew Perry! 02:27 - An Introduction to Jim Countryman 05:08 - HVCC’s Amazing Programs: Aviation & Auto Mechanics, HVAC, Electrical Construction, and More! 06:13 - Enrollment is Through the Roof! How Wait-Listing Works 08:57 - A Complete Associate’s Degree… For $10,000?! And it Buys You so Much More! 12:00 - The All-or-Nothing Mentality… Time Management is a Bigger Challenge Than You Might Think! 14:46 - Trades Take Skill and Dedication: It’s Not an Easy, Free Ride! 16:31 - From Zero to Hero: No Prerequisites Required! You Don’t Even Need to Know What a Ratchet is! 18:30 - Determining Mechanical Ability… Surprises Galore! 20:34 - Metal Shop: A Thing of the Past? How STEM Made Trades-Learning Harder to Access 23:53 - Is The Blue Collar College Right for You? Don’t be Afraid to Try! 27:14 - Following the Path to Success… Time Flies, Put in Your 100%! 29:09 - Partnering With Local Employers: 100% Job Placement?! 33:33 - It’s Not About THE Trade… It’s About A Trade! 36:03 - Stigmas are Human Nature… But Opportunity is Not Exclusive to One Side! Do Your Homework! 38:25 - The Evolution of Trades Skills: So Much is Computerized Now! 39:29 - Got my Two-Year Degree… What’s Next? 42:31 - 120 Hours of Instruction: 20 Hours of Lectures, 100 Hours of Hands-On Practice! 44:23 - Perception is Not Necessarily Reality… We All Make Mistakes! 46:01 - Jim’s Key Piece of Advice: Talk With Experienced People! 47:26 - Crawling Out From Under the Social Media Rock: Have Real Conversations! 49:28 - How to Get in Touch With The Blue Collar College 51:15 - Closing Remarks

In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview Paul Lambert, the Project Manager at Bonacio Construction! If you're from Saratoga Springs or Rome, New York, you know these guys - but if not, don't worry! We'll fill you in on everything you need to know about Bonacio Construction and Paul Lambert here, in this stellar episode! Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp, the podcast! Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners! Paul Lambert - Bonacio Construction 00:15 - Introduction 01:35 - Who is Paul Lambert? 02:40 - What is Bonacio Construction? Where are They Based? 03:52 - What Does Bonacio Do? 07:33 - What’s Sonny Bonacio Like? 09:36 - How Paul Got his Start in the Trades 10:48 - Shoutout to Luke Michaels! 12:12 - Climbing the Ladder 16:14 - Problem-Solving: Every Blue Collar Job is This! 17:13 - Bonacio’s Structure and Systems… Are Relatively New! 20:10 - Tracking Time 21:42 - Hiring: Back in the Day vs. Now… Expectations and Priorities Have Changed! 24:10 - Two Kinds of People: Hard Workers, We Want You! 28:31 - Working Your Way Up… It’s Hard to be Patient Nowadays! 30:48 - Dangling the Carrot… Looking Ahead, Giving Motivation 34:31 - Workforce Development: School’s Not For Everyone, Get Out There and Work! 37:09 - Keep a Low Barrier to Entry: Train the New Workforce! 39:15 - From Your Best Employee to Your Best Subcontractor 41:19 - Retaining Your Workers 43:52 - Paul’s Secret to Success: Never Stop Climbing the Ladder! Keep Setting Goals! 46:00 - Looking at the Calendar 48:12 - Closing Remarks: How to Get in Touch