Blue Collar StartUp

In episode 117 of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster break down the pros and cons of scaling your business using cashflow versus debt, including trade lines, loans, and credit cards. They also discuss how to think through major purchases like equipment, overhead, and hiring so you don’t overextend yourself chasing growth.

Subscribe to our Patreon for exclusive Blue Collar bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

0:00 Introduction

0:15 Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp

0:40 Mike talks about adversity-filled business owner mornings

1:36 Taking Accountability - “Every issue was created by me”

2:39 Mike talks about selling pork from his farm

3:42 New episode formats and upcoming show plans

5:04 What we do on Patreon

6:35 Scaling at the speed of cashflow

7:05 Derek explains building business credit early

8:29 Don’t buy equipment without a plan

9:44 Mike shares experience with trade line debt

11:53 Renting vs owning equipment discussion

14:10 A major company that rented everything for years

17:10 Using debt to float payroll while waiting for payment

18:58 Keeping overhead low: garage vs big lease mistakes

20:26 “Be cheap as possible for as long as possible”

25:16 Use debt only if the asset produces returns

27:34 “Don’t get excited by the shiny object”

28:35 Wrap-up and transition to Patreon

In episode 116 of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek sit down with construction attorney Greg Spaun to break down the legal risks contractors face and why contract details matter just as much as quality work. From “pay if paid” clauses to change orders and paperwork requirements, Greg explains how business owners can protect themselves before problems turn into expensive lawsuits. 

You can find Greg Spaun at wbgllp.com or email him directly at [email protected].

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

0:00 Intro and hosts jump in

0:15 Welcome to Blue Collar Start Up

1:05 Business ownership while sick and falling behind

1:49 “Ask the Expert” segment returns

2:06 New show formats: roundtables, Women in Trades, interviews

3:06 Patreon plug and exclusive content breakdown

4:11 Sponsors supporting trade school students

5:16 Guest intro: Greg Spaun joins the show

6:37 Greg explains his construction-law-only firm

8:38 Why delayed/non-payment is so common in construction

11:30 Who Greg represents (subs, GCs, owners, insurers)

16:22 Trust is declining, contracts are protection

17:45 Modified contracts and “turnkey provision” horror story

20:29 Litigation vs prevention: why contractors wait too long

24:15 Negotiating contracts without losing the job

26:23 “Pay if paid” vs “pay when paid” explained

30:17 Keeping up with new laws and joining trade associations

33:37 Biggest lesson: good work isn’t enough without paperwork

37:02 How to contact Greg and closing wrap-up

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, host Derek Foster sits down with Scott McKenna, Stacy Spector, and Jason Spector of Catamount Consulting for a roundtable discussion on leadership development, mindset mastery, and the personal growth tools that help blue collar teams perform at a higher level. They break down the “Three Truths,” explain why psychological safety and vulnerability matter, and share actionable strategies like journaling, micro-habits, and building discipline over motivation.

To learn more about the guests and their work, visit catamountconsultingllc.com and connect with their team.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

0:00 Derek opens the show solo and introduces the Catamount roundtable

1:00 Recording at Milton CAT + facility shoutout

3:15 Catamount Consulting origin story

4:30 Safety as a byproduct of strong leadership

5:10 Professional vs personal development

6:00 Stacey’s career shift from attorney to leadership training

6:50 Jason’s background in education, behavior psychology, mindset mastery

8:10 How do you get non-competitive people to buy into development?

8:55 Why coaching isn’t optional

10:20 The “Three Truths” explained

11:05 Truth #1: everyone is flawed

12:05 The 3 most common organizational struggles

13:10 Why brain science helps people stop being defensive

15:05 How long does it take to shift mindset?

18:05 Infinite game mindset and levels of buy-in

21:10 What if you want to grow but don’t have a leader/mentor?

23:15 Brené Brown, Carol Dweck, Ryan Holiday, Amy Edmondson

25:10 The 4 most deadly words: I’ll do it myself

27:10 Feed your mind like your body

30:00 The “two easies” habit strategy: easy to do / easy not to do

32:30 How much time per day should personal development take?

36:45 Pillow test and well/better/how framework through journaling

40:50 Manifestation explained

42:20 Can discipline be developed? 

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Mike and Derek sit down with Caitlin Beaudry, Project Manager at Bonacquisti Brothers Construction, to break down what project management really looks like inside a commercial construction company. Caitlin shares her path from working in the field to managing up to 15 projects at once, along with lessons on leadership, loyalty, and why asking questions is a superpower in the trades.

You can find Caitlin Beaudry and Bonacquisti Brothers Construction online through their company website bonbrosconst.com, and on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

0:00 Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp

0:28 Mike and Derek kick off the show

2:14 New episode formats and 2026 updates

3:23 Women in the trades and upcoming roundtables

5:10 Sponsors, Patreon, and supporting the trades

6:48 Introducing today’s guest, Caitlin Beaudry

7:23 Caitlin explains her role as a project manager

8:08 What a PM actually does day-to-day

9:10 Business development vs project execution

10:21 How Caitlin got into construction

12:29 First projects and early nerves on job sites

15:15 Learning to ask questions without fear

18:19 Mistakes, budgets, and reading the fine print

20:11 Office careers vs field work in construction

21:50 Managing 8–15 projects at the same time

24:32 Staying organized without going fully digital

26:15 Loyalty, trust, and why she’s stayed 7 years

33:32 Looking ahead and career growth in construction

In episode 113 of Blue Collar StartUp, host Mike and Derek chat with Shenar Wood, who shares his remarkable journey from Apache helicopter pilot to founding Dynetek Solutions, a niche underground utility conversion company that he successfully sold to private equity. In this raw conversation he reveals the financial discipline, leadership mindset shifts, and strategic decisions that allowed him to scale fast, break through bonding & debt ceilings, and exit profitably.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

You can find Shenar Wood on LinkedIn or his company Dynetek Solutions at dyneteksolutions.com.

0:00 Intro & welcome back after the break

0:34 New 2026 episode formats & Women in Trades segment

3:00 Guest introduction: Shenar Wood, Dynetek Solutions

3:57 From broke college kid → military → buying first directional drill

6:07 Burned bridges & bought the drill: quickest path to cash

7:51 The mindset shift: build to sell, not to own forever

8:39 Why utility/power work is somewhat recession-proof

9:46 Leveraging old trade & military contacts for early subcontracts

11:21 First years reality: drilling all day, books all night

12:30 When & why he finally brought his wife in for HR

13:56 The $200k mistake: waiting too long for proper books & fractional CFO

15:22 Bonding & surety as the biggest glass ceiling in trades

19:52 The Friday leak check system that stopped revenue bleed

25:18 How the weekly revenue delta meeting works & why it matters

29:53 Discovering $75k in unbilled work the hard way

31:28 Beginning with the end in mind: planning the exit from day one

32:59 Why EBITDA growth flattens after ~year 5–6 in many trade businesses

34:49 Main episode wrap & sponsor thanks

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek sit down with Bill Tansey to break down why org charts are one of the most misunderstood—and most powerful—tools in a growing trades business. They dive into standard roles, functional accountability, and how to design an organization that supports real strategy instead of being built around the people you already have.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

Bill can be found on LinkedIn as William (Bill) Tansey Jr., or through his website at theopexshop.com.

0:00 Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp & show intro

0:45 Kicking off the new year & new sponsor announcement

2:00 Daily task lists, focus, and doing less to accomplish more

3:15 New episode formats & “Let’s Ask Bill” introduction

5:00 Supporting the trades through sponsorships

6:20 Introducing Bill Tansey

7:30 What an org chart actually is (and isn’t)

9:00 Org charts as a communication tool, not a hierarchy

10:00 Current-state vs future-state org charts

12:00 Planning only one year ahead—and why it matters

13:15 The importance of standard roles for scaling

15:00 Why org charts shouldn’t constantly change

17:10 Adding overhead roles and financial justification

19:00 Full-time equivalency and wearing multiple hats

21:10 The danger of building roles around people

23:40 Functional accountability explained

27:00 Common org chart mistakes business owners make

34:20 Strategy, tactics, execution & wrapping the episode

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek break down Part Two of the Cashflow Quadrant, focusing on the difficult transition from being self-employed to becoming a true business owner. They unpack leadership, systems, vision, cashflow realities, and the mindset shifts required to stop owning a job and start building a business.

Check out the Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content!

https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

0:00 Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp

0:29 Introductions and kicking off the new year

1:29 New episode formats and what’s coming in 2026

2:32 Patreon overview and why the bonus content matters

3:47 Sponsorships and supporting the next generation of trades

5:00 Episode topic: Cashflow Quadrant, Part Two

6:10 Defining self-employed vs. business owner

7:57 What a “real business” actually looks like

9:38 Can a business truly run without its owner?

12:20 Growth creates new problems at every level

15:36 Hiring, delegation, and leveraging strengths

18:05 The risks and realities of business ownership

21:13 Letting go and trusting your team

23:12 Vision, mission, and values as leadership tools

27:01 Why most self-employed owners never scale

31:17 Culture, buy-in, and decision-making frameworks

37:39 Cashflow myths, payroll pressure, and sacrifice

44:24 Patreon topics, wrap-up, and where to find the show

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike and Derek chat with Mason Hamilton as shares his incredible journey from excavator operator to president of Donnelly Construction, a leading traffic control company in New York State, revealing how hard work and resilience turned personal tragedy into triumph. Despite a paralyzing snowmobile accident, he continued leading and growing the business through sheer determination and problem-solving.

Learn more about Donnelly Construction at donnellyconstruction.net.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

0:00 Intro and Welcome

0:15 Hosts Banter and New Year Shoutout

1:13 Sponsor Shoutouts Begin

2:26 Patreon Mention

3:20 Introducing Guest Mason Hamilton

3:40 What is Donnelly Construction?

4:31 Explaining Traffic Control Services

5:30 Geographic Coverage and Visibility

6:34 Mason's Start in the Company

7:51 Path to Becoming an Operator

9:39 Timeline to President (21-22 Years)

11:30 Brief College Story

14:11 Day-to-Day as President

16:16 The Snowmobile Accident and Transition

20:52 Management Style

24:26 Overcoming Adversity Mindset

29:49 Plans for 2026 and Growth

33:28 Where to Find Donnelly Construction

34:12 Wrap-Up and Patreon Teaser

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Mike and Derek sit down with Korey Chapman, owner of Little Moose Prints, to break down the realities of running a low-margin, labor-intensive business in a highly competitive market. Korey breaks down ten years of lessons in screen printing and embroidery, including pricing in a race-to-the-bottom market, managing production labor, investing in equipment, and building systems that keep jobs moving out the door on time.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

You can learn more about Korey Chapman and Little Moose Prints at littlemooseprints.com and across their social platforms.

0:00 Cold open and welcome

0:15 What Blue Collar StartUp is all about

1:03 Sponsors and supporting the trades

1:31 Introducing Korey Chapman and Little Moose Prints

2:08 Ten years in business and team size

3:19 From fourth-generation farming to entrepreneurship

4:54 Discovering screen printing and moving to Idaho

6:01 Starting as a side hustle and going all in

7:18 Competing in a race-to-the-bottom industry

8:49 How farming prepared Korey for business reality

10:18 Saying yes before knowing how to deliver

11:57 Manual presses, brutal hours, and automation

13:49 The biggest challenge over ten years: labor

15:47 Letting go of the wrong people sooner

16:32 Learning to track numbers and run a scorecard

18:23 Leadership, decision-making, and accountability

21:59 Pricing, margins, and firing the wrong clients

33:00 Patreon preview, where to find Korey, and wrap-up

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster welcome back Bill Tansey Jr. to break down what it really takes to build a business that can operate without its owner being involved in every daily decision. From getting the “trains running on time” to implementing org charts, escalation criteria, and documented processes, the conversation delivers practical guidance for trades business owners looking to scale sustainably.

Check out our Blue Collar StartUp Patreon for exclusive bonus content! https://patreon.com/BlueCollarStartUp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_fan&utm_content=copyLink

Bill can be found on LinkedIn as William (Bill) Tansey Jr., or through his website at theopexshop.com.

0:00 Show introduction

0:25 Hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster introduce themselves

1:34 Year-end planning, goal setting, and why planning fuels growth

2:46 Sponsors, community impact, and giving back to the trades

5:18 Podcast milestones, episode output, and tools & tuition donations

6:31 Introducing Bill Tansey and the “Let’s Ask Bill” series

8:12 Vision boards, goal visibility, and staying focused all year

10:05 Today’s topic: building a business that can run without you

11:17 Hiring outside the friend circle and preparing for real growth

13:50 “Are the trains running on time?” explained

17:01 Cash cows, sustainable advantage, and the buggy whip analogy

18:59 Escalation criteria: critical vs. major vs. minor issues

22:19 When and how to use organizational charts correctly

26:36 Functional vs. cross-functional teams explained

29:20 Processes, business systems, and operations manuals

32:17 Why documented processes are required to scale

34:22 Biggest mistakes owners make when growing their business

37:04 Where to find Bill and closing remarks