Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.

In this episode of The Foraged Contractor Alliance, Josh and Kenton explore a truth most leaders eventually face: suffering is inevitable, but joy is a choice. They break down the blurred line between joy and happiness, arguing the two overlap more than most admit. Kenton reflects on his father’s quiet vow at seventeen “not to be discouraged,” and how that conviction, forged in hardship, shaped a lifetime of deliberate joy.

From sunsets at the lake and minus forty nights under northern lights, to business splits and reconciled friendships, they explore how gratitude, faith, and presence make joy possible even in the grind. Joy, they argue, isn’t a mask for optimism—it’s discipline, honesty, and the willingness to see the best in people.

For contractors and leaders alike, this episode is both a reflection and a challenge: choose joy, name it out loud, and model it in the small moments that shape culture. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.

In this episode, Kenton sits down with longtime friend Jeff Burkinshaw — engineer, author, and creator of the YouTube channel Gridlessness, to explore what it truly means to live intentionally, build balance, and find freedom beyond the 9–5.

Jeff opens up about how a serious back injury became a turning point in his life, leading him to write Gridlessness: Finding Freedom Off Grid using text-to-speech while recovering in a hammock.

What began as a physical setback evolved into a story of reflection, resilience, and a deeper understanding of purpose. Together, Kenton and Jeff discuss the transition from engineering to homesteading, the mindset behind living “gridlessly,” and the balance between autonomy and connection. They dive into how modern technology, from solar power to internet acces, enables self-sufficient living without disconnecting from the world.

The conversation also touches on the realities of balancing business ownership, creative work, and family time, while finding peace in the slower rhythms of off-grid life. Far from rejecting modern life, Jeff’s story celebrates how technology, community, and self-discipline can support real independence. Honest, funny, and deeply relatable, this episode reminds us that success isn’t defined by what you earn, but by how you live.

No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠

X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.

Leadership isn’t about speed; it’s about rhythm. The rhythm you build, the trust you extend, and the systems that keep your business healthy. In this episode, Josh and Kenton unpack what it really looks like to grow from being on the tools to leading people who are.

They talk openly about the struggles that come with building trust, creating structure, and letting go of control while still keeping accountability in place. It’s a candid conversation about the messy parts of growth when your business gets big enough that working harder no longer works. They discuss how easy it is to mistake chaos for momentum, why unclear roles cause good people to drift, and how management isn’t about micromanaging but about stewardship.

Drawing from personal experience, they reflect on how early work habits and blue-collar values can both build and limit a company if leaders don’t evolve with them. For contractors across Canada trying to build something sustainable, not just profitable, this episode offers a grounded look at what mature leadership really requires.

It’s about learning to slow down without losing drive, creating systems that serve people, and finding your own cadence as a leader so your team and your company can find theirs. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ 

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ 

Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ 

X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.

In this episode of the Forge Contractor Alliance, we dive into one of the hardest and most important disciplines for small business owners: managing cash flow. From walking ladders down the road to fund the next job, to realizing how money “blueprints” from childhood shape our financial habits, this conversation gets real about the tension between risk-taking and stewardship.

Kenton and Josh unpack the mindset behind cash flow and how it reflects not just business health, but personal discipline, freedom, and even the way we value relationships over money. They explore what it means to “raise your waterline” as a contractor: creating stability without losing the entrepreneurial drive that built the business in the first place.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure of a tight season or the discomfort of looking at your own financial habits, this one’s for you. It’s raw, honest, and packed with perspective on what true financial stewardship looks like in the trades. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.

Saying no isn’t negativity, it’s leadership. Every yes creates a hidden no somewhere else, stealing time, focus, or capacity. In this episode, we unpack how clarity and constraint fuel real growth. From defining your target to filtering every invite, product, and partnership by whether it moves you closer to it, this is how focus becomes a scaling tool.

You’ll learn how to delegate on purpose, avoid the skill vacuum, and protect your team’s growth by letting go of the fun or familiar work. We talk about running your business at 90 percent capacity to guard margin for the moments that matter, family, crisis, or opportunity.

No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.

In this episode, Redefining Success: From Profit to Purpose in Business and Family, we pull back the curtain on what it really means to win, not just in business but at home. Success isn’t about checklists, profit margins, or busy schedules.

It’s about character built over seasons, the kind that shows up when a job goes sideways and you choose integrity over income. Joel shares a story about taking a financial loss to make something right, proving that real leadership is doing what’s right when it costs you. We talk about failure as fuel, how the toughest lessons become the foundation for better systems, clearer expectations, and stronger teams.

Because failure only stays failure if you refuse to learn from it. And when it comes to family, we get honest about priorities. You can’t build a great company if the home front is falling apart. We talk about creating “family KPIs,” like your kids lighting up when you walk in the door or regular one-on-one time with your spouse, and how to guard those things like your reputation depends on it (because it does).

This episode digs into the tension of seasons, the 80-hour weeks that sometimes have to happen, and how to make those tradeoffs consciously, not by default. It’s about leading at home with the same intention and accountability you bring to work, building connection instead of just collecting paydays.

At the end of the day, money isn’t the glue; presence is. Integrity, growth, and relationships are the real measure of success. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Forge Alliance Podcast — real talk for tradesmen, entrepreneurs, and leaders navigating the hard road of growth. We're building more than businesses — we’re building men, mindsets, and missions.

These conversations pull back the curtain on what it takes to lead in life and work, from broken starts to breakthrough seasons. No fluff, just real stories from the job site and beyond. In this episode, we dig into the leadership mindset that builds long-term success by putting people before profit.

The way you handle people decisions says everything about your values, whether that’s letting a key team member take time for family, backing them up on a honeymoon, or giving space for life beyond the job site. We talk about rewarding quiet integrity and steady communication, not just the loudest voice in the room.

When staff are away, it’s a chance to stretch and test the next generation of leaders, not a setback but a step forward. It’s also a culture check: when you walk onto a site, do your crews feel motivated or tense? Healthy teams reflect honest leadership, not fear. Direction matters more than perfection.

Carry good people through the rough seasons, and your reputation will carry you through the rest. We also cover customer and subcontractor alignment—how trust, communication, and fair dealing shape not only job quality but the long-term strength of your brand.

Real leadership is humility in motion, pausing before reacting and circling back to conversations with clarity and respect.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Forge Alliance Podcast — real talk for tradesmen, entrepreneurs, and leaders navigating the hard road of growth. We're building more than businesses — we’re building men, mindsets, and missions. These conversations pull back the curtain on what it takes to lead in life and work, from broken starts to breakthrough seasons. No fluff, just real stories from the job site and beyond.

When the heat is on, define success by integrity and clarity. Not just speed and revenue.

Pressure has a way of exposing blind spots: overpromised timelines, unintentional dishonesty, and the temptation to cut corners. In this episode, we unpack the hard lessons contractors face when profit, people, and personal values collide. The painful cost of bad pricing, why honoring wrong numbers or walking away from contracts both come with weight.

Gross revenue vs. net profit: why financial metrics are easy but misleading. How slowing down with “rough numbers” preserves integrity. The daily question: Is this aligned with who I want to become? Balancing family time against entrepreneurial demands. Choosing value over perfection and pursuing realistic excellence instead of burning out. For contractors and business owners in the thick of seasonal crunch, this conversation is a reminder that success is more than the bottom line. It’s about reputation, relationships, and long-term health.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Forge Alliance Podcast — real talk for tradesmen, entrepreneurs, and leaders navigating the hard road of growth. We're building more than businesses — we’re building men, mindsets, and missions. These conversations pull back the curtain on what it takes to lead in life and work, from broken starts to breakthrough seasons. No fluff, just real stories from the job site and beyond.

Every business hits bumps in the road, but the real danger isn’t the challenge—it’s the overcorrection. Just like jerking the wheel on the highway, sudden pivots in business can do more harm than good.

In this episode of the Forge Alliance Podcast, Josh and Kenton break down why overcorrection happens, how it wrecks momentum, and what to do instead. They share real stories from the trades: a roofing-to-siding pivot that drained resources, a thriving pool hall that collapsed after upgrading itself out of its niche, and why influencer “all-in” advice rarely works in the real world.

You’ll also hear about the steady, disciplined operators who resist panic pivots and win by staying the course. If you’ve ever felt the urge to swerve when business gets tough, this conversation is for you.

Learn how to hold the wheel steady, lead with intention, and grow with purpose. Through community and mentorship, FCA shares real stories and hard-won wisdom from the field—no gurus, no fluff, just practical guidance. Grounded in trench-level experience, FCA is more than a program—it’s a movement to help contractors build sustainable businesses, strong cultures, and legacies that last.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Forge Alliance Podcast — real talk for tradesmen, entrepreneurs, and leaders navigating the hard road of growth. We're building more than businesses — we’re building men, mindsets, and missions. These conversations pull back the curtain on what it takes to lead in life and work, from broken starts to breakthrough seasons. No fluff, just real stories from the job site and beyond.

Episode Description: In this episode, the conversation centers on distractions—what they really are, how they show up in business and life, and how to overcome them with clarity and intention. Distractions aren’t just the obvious things like phones buzzing or social media notifications. They’re anything that pulls you away from the track you set for yourself, whether in your personal goals or in the direction of your company.

One of the big themes discussed is clarity as the antidote to distraction. When you don’t define the track you’re on, everything feels important, which means you’re constantly pulled into interruptions. Setting a North Star Metric gives you and your team one clear target to rally around, simplifying decision-making and cutting down on wasted effort.

Simplicity also plays a critical role. Too many goals, too many KPIs, or too many responsibilities create confusion and inefficiency. Narrowing your focus to just a few meaningful wins each week brings alignment, while clearly defined job roles reduce unnecessary switching costs and allow leaders to stay out of constant firefighting mode.

The environment you work in is another overlooked factor. Whether it’s blocking out 20% of your week for focused strategy time, finding a quiet space, or working in a coffee shop to avoid interruptions, being intentional about where and how you work can dramatically improve focus. Even the podcast studio itself served as a reminder of what’s possible when distractions are eliminated—phones off, no interruptions, just pure attention.

The costs of distraction are real: switching tasks drains mental energy, minor interruptions add up to inefficiency, and too many small decisions lead to decision fatigue. By simplifying choices and creating systems that reduce interruptions, leaders not only protect their productivity but also their peace of mind.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple truth: clarity, simplicity, and intentionality are the keys to reducing distractions. When you know where you’re going, set fewer but stronger goals, and create the right environment for focus, you reclaim both efficiency and joy in your work and life.

Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith

Produced by - Seth Steward Productions

Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey

Website: https://forgealliance.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797

X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X