Ladies with Tradies - WORKIN' THE TRADE, LIVIN' THE LIFE!

Welcome to another engaging episode of "Tradies Talk," presented by "Ladies with Tradies." I'm your host, Kate Muldoon, and today we're delving into a topic crucial for every trades business: "The Importance of a Sales Process in Trades Business."

Don't let the word "sales" make you uneasy; we're turning this into a lively and light-hearted discussion. By the end, you'll have five powerful tips to supercharge your trades business. So, roll up your sleeves and let's dive in!

Don't miss out on a FREE Case Study from one of our coaching clients who created and implemented their own Sales Process and doubled their sales revenue in 24 months!

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

TradeMutt is a social enterprise started by 2 legendary blokes, tradies, Dan & Ed who are chippies on a mission. They created a high vis shirt company with a difference, their product is loud, out there, and most importantly, starts conversations.
TIACS (This Is a Conversation Starter) is their service that connects tradies with counsellors in order to work through issues and challenges people may be facing.

Ladies with Tradies chatted with Ed to find out more about their amazing service, but also to chat through how leaders can put their hands up and start conversations about their own journey with mental health. By doing this as leaders in the trades industry, we will help people see that their struggles are not isolated, in fact, most people are challenged by mental health issues at some stage in their lives.

If you are unsure of how to start conversations, have a listen to this, we cover off on leading by example and sharing your own struggles, and over and above that, you can wear a TradeMutt shirt to trigger a conversation

Get around these guys:
Phone/Text: 0488 846 988
Website: https://www.tiacs.org/
Socials: @trademutt

Think there could be an extra $10K a month hiding in your tradie business?

The $10K Hour helps you look at your real numbers, spot where money is leaking, and choose the strategies that could put it back in your pocket.

It’s just $9, you can do it privately in your own time, and if you don’t find $10K, Kate will refund your $9 and give you $200 for your troubles.

👉 Find your $10K here: https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/the-10k-hour

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

This chat with the amazing Jarrod and Bek from MSD Services, a security company in Bendigo was just so beautiful for me.
As past clients of Ladies with Tradies, it is always amazing to reconnect and hear about what people are doing.
These guys are A grade consolidating machines when it comes to coaching principles. So much of this podcast covers off on the things they learned in coaching and have continued to do over and over again like absolute BOSSES!
We chat about:
How to set goals using data from job management software
Getting staff and client feedback to set goals and set direction
Having an education plan to develop skill in staff
Working to a strengths based approach with all people in the business, including the bosses!
Setting standards and expectations and giving feedback both positive and negative
Roles and responsibilities
Letting go
and so so much more
And Jarrod & Bek also give some amazing pearls of wisdom to close off the podcast.
We love you guys and can't wait to keep doing life with you.
Congrats.
xxx

Think there could be an extra $10K a month hiding in your tradie business?

The $10K Hour helps you look at your real numbers, spot where money is leaking, and choose the strategies that could put it back in your pocket.

It’s just $9, you can do it privately in your own time, and if you don’t find $10K, Kate will refund your $9 and give you $200 for your troubles.

👉 Find your $10K here: https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/the-10k-hour

What if there was an extra $10K+ per month already sitting inside your tradie business and you just weren't capturing it? That's exactly what we're going to prove at this live, in-person workshop.

Bring your numbers. We'll find the money.  

Register here 👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/horsham-2026-10khour

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

So many people leave contacting a business coach too long.
What I first want to tell you is - we are not that scary! Especially not the team at LWT. Our job is always to lift you up and make you the hero of your business journey.
In this podcast, we walk you through how you might experience LWT.
We will only go at your pace and to your priority. On the rare occasion, if you business needs to be checked into the LWT business hospital - will we insist that you need help. Otherwise - it really is up to you!
I discuss the formula for change in this podcast - asking you if you are dissatisfied enough to make change, or if you have enough of a vision for your future to do something about it.
I walk you through our processes to becoming a client - initial call, strategy session, and our onboarding process - inclusive of getting ALL OVER your numbers!
Take a listen, and decide for yourselves if it all feels too scary. I hope you realise it isn't.
And I hope, if you are scared, worried, stressed, got no time for anything, and you are not making any money but spinning the wheels fast - that you will just take ONE step.
Talk to us.
xxx
Love youse all
Kate

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

'VOLUME IS VANITY - PROFIT IS SANITY' (stolen Sam thanks!)

In this episode we ask some awesome questions to reveal all the juicy strategies that our amazing clients Sam & Laura from Ballan Builders use to keep control of thier cashflow, ensure their schedule creates ease of cash management, and some cool little tid bits like how they just enjoyed the best holiday of thier lives!
Here's what we ask them - so buckle in - you are going to GET SO MUCH out of this one! They nailed it!

1. Tell me about Ballan Builders - what year did it start? How many work in the business? What do you do?

2. This month is all about money management, and in particular, today I want to talk to you guys about choosing the right work, for the right profit, and scheduling it in to maximise cashflow. Tell me guys - when it comes to all of these things - how did you used to manage cashflow 2 years or more ago? What challenges did it present? (lumpy cashflow, not knowing what money you needed when etc)

3. What were some of the first things you did to change your cashflow position in your business? What are some things that made it turn around?

4. Sam, how did you manage the schedule in the past when it came to cashflow? Laura, what was your role in this? 

5. Tell me about top line finance in your 'old' business world - what does the 'Volume is vanity, profit is sanity' saying mean to you? What were the ramifications of choosing to look at how much revenue you make vs how much profit you make?

6. What financial activities do you do now Sam & Laura in order to feel more in control of your building business cashflow? (break even, KPI data etc)

7. What about the types of work you take on? Did you always plan this? If not, what do you do now that assists your cashflow? (schedule and plan for when cash comes in instead of just moving round jobs with no direction)

8. How has this assisted your staff also? What do you do to support them in being organised and knowing the plan in order to deliver on timelines?

9. Your business has turned around it's average Net profit by 25% in the last 4 months, that is HUGE guys - people in building can only dream of NP that good. What other choices have you made that have improved your cashflow and net profit?

10. If you could give a gem to business owners out there about not going with volume and vanity - what would you tell them?

This one is a winner!

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

BJ (Brenton) Williams is basically the mayor of Ladies with Tradies. These guys have been with us for a few years now and have done some seriously impressive things. Their business - BJs Earthmoving.

It was not always rosy though. In this episode, BJ talks about how life was before he learnt the art of delegation, and trusting his team to do the work that needed to be done.
His health was suffering, his relationship, he didn't see his kids very often, and the business was really not doing all that well either.
He was scared that if he slowed down to plan, and really think about it all, that the work would dry up, so he kept spinning the wheels the only way he knew how - by just working harder and harder.
Once BJ learnt the value of his own time, literally by crunching the numbers, he realised that he was needed in certain areas of management in the business, and that he needed to delegate the parts he did not enjoy.
And it has worked. 
BJ now spends Wednesday mornings with his family, he goes on big trips in their van every year, he is into personal training and looking after his health, and he is able to support Clare, his wife (on our last ep) to do what she loves in supporting the local community.
BJ leaves us with a gem at the end of this episode and says 'Someone once told me, it's easier to grow big, than to stay small - but that doesn't mean better'
This bloke is a champ - you are going to just love this one.

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

In this episode we meet Clare, a vivacious, driven, lover of all things learning and growing.
Clare and her Tradie hubby Brenton (affectionately known to us all as BJ) run an earthmoving company in regional Victoria.
Over the last 10 years Clare has had many roles in the business, and recently realised whilst she loved the business, it wasn't filling her cup.
So, she took off with the kids, did some soul searching and the universe put a leadership course in front of her, which primed her to become a Council representative.
Like LWT promotes, Clare 'said yes and googled it later' even though she was unsure of wether she would be the right fit.
We discuss what it took for her to let go of her role in the business, and all the things that pointed her in the direction she is now travelling.
Clare is beaming in this podcast. She is the happiest she has ever been as a councillor, and her relationship, her role as a mother and wife, are all the better for her choosing to put herself first and do what fills her cup.
Here's what we asked her:
1. Give us a run down of your life as a lady with a Tradie - tell us about your business

2. How long have you been involved?

3. What was/is your role?

4. What has/was it like in that role and in the business?

5. What were the benefits? What were the challenges?

6. You recently stepped back from the business, what needed to happen for you to do that?

7. What were you looking for to fulfil yourself?

8. What did you decide to do? 

9. How has life changed by making this change?

10. Did you have a checklist of things you wanted ticked off before trying this new role? Or did you go for it?

11. What advice would you give women who are not feeling complete or feeling the vibe in their Tradie business? Or to the ones who want to dive into it but don’t think they are eno

We all know you will want to be besties with this amazing lady once you hear from her - she is truly just the best.

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

What an awesome chat this one was with the amazingly well rounded human, Adam Parker from AL Parker Electrical.

Adam became a sparky later in life after a long career in hospitality which has given him the amazing ability to connect with customers and to support his team.
He has always been a fit bloke, but when he created his electrical company, like so many of us, those priorities slipped, and Adam found himself cranky, with weight on, working too much and having his beautiful wife Anna tapping him on the shoulder explaining 'Ads - we are not doing another year like this!'

So, Adam got his shit together again. By making commitments to himself and his health and wellbeing - but also to his family.

This is a corker - we cover mental health and counselling, personal training, time management, looking after yourself first - the WORKS!
Take a listen champs - you will love this wholistic view of Tradie Health.
Cheers Adam - you are a true champion.

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect

The amazing Josie from LwT interviews the super cool Nic Moran from Nomadic Exercise Physiologist to talk all things movement, and exercise.
Tradie health month has been a big topic for LWT for August so take a listen to Josie discussing with Nic the following:

We started with the myths around how much exercise and the intensity of the exercise that is required to be 'healthy' needs to be extreme - this really isn't the case, it's about getting back to the basics of ensuring your body is capable of living life and day to day tasks. Treatment focusses on prevention rather than just responding to problems.

We talked through why movement is so important for the body, the health benefits such as the decreased chance of chronic disease, reduction of acute pain and general well being, but most importantly the benefits to mental health.

Nic talks us through his top 3 points to movement, keeping the body active to ensure a long life without injuries to ensure you can keep working.
Take a listen - soooo interesting!
Thanks Nic for joining us!
Chat with Nic by heading to: https://www.nomadicep.com.au/

It was such a pleasure to talk to Steph & Ryan from Modern Hedge.  A dynamic, stunning hedge trimming and garden maintenance business on the Mornington Peninsula.

We chose these two for this podcast because they have done a POWER of work on their team development, leadership, team & culture, performance management and everything in between.

We asked them about some of the key ingredients that have helped them to build their team to where it is.
Here's what they chat through:

• Rules of the Game have helped their staff have clarity and using a fun sporting analogy has assisted to bed these in in order to maintain standards of behaviour
• Having career progression opportunities makes it super clear for team members so they know when they are on track to progress to a higher role or higher pay grade
• Putting in a 2IC and an Admin assistant has changed the game for these guys - the most valuable people who actively contribute to Steph and Ryan working less in their business and more ON their business
• Sharing goals and results of the business is a great way to engage staff with the big picture. They love it
• Run team education and fun days in order for them to all connect - investing in the staff comes back 10 fold
• Getting to know your people is vital.

SOOOOO much gold in here guys! Get on it!

🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?

Are You Paying Your Staff Too Much? 
Find out in just 5 minutes whether your labour costs are eating into your profit and what your numbers could be telling you.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/resources/are-you-paying-your-staff-too-much

💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE)
Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm.
👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program

📞 Find ‘What To Fix First’
Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together.
👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect