Benji Carlson has spent his life building movements in the trades. From the franchise painting world to Breakthrough Academy to now helping lead Leanscaper, an AI-powered platform for landscapers. In this deep-dive with Tom, they tackle the real reasons the trades lost their shine, and what it’s going to take to make them cool again.

They talk content, culture, recruiting, money, and what separates struggling contractors from thriving ones. This episode is pure 🔥 for anyone serious about growing a blue-collar business with pride and purpose.

👇 CHAPTERS

00:00 - Intro

01:13 - Who is Benji Carlson?

03:00 - Why Startups Are His Sweet Spot

06:00 - Biggest Mistakes Contractors Make With Content

12:00 - The “It’s Not About You” Content Rule

14:30 - What Does It Mean to “Make the Trades Cool Again”?

17:00 - Why the College-First Narrative Failed

20:00 - The Death of Shop Class

23:00 - Being Blue-Collar and Broke Ain’t Cool

28:00 - Why the Trades Are Primed for a Renaissance

30:00 - AI’s Impact on the White-Collar Workforce

32:30 - How Contractors Must Shift Their Culture

35:00 - Using Social Media to Attract Top Talent

39:00 - Leadership vs. Managing: Be the Grandfather

41:00 - Get Young: Benji’s Mindset Shift for Building Culture

43:00 - Branding, Swag & the Piecework Future

46:00 - Rapid Fire: Benji’s Top Advice

53:00 - AI Tools That Are Changing the Game

57:00 - What Every Contractor Should Do This Week

59:00 - What Is LANA? The AI Tool Built for Landscapers

1:00:00 - Final Thoughts + Where to Find Benji

 Follow Benji Carlson & Leanscaper

Website: leanscaper.com

Instagram: @leanscaper

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If you’re serious about building a profitable, structured contracting business without the chaos, this is your shot. Get the tools, insights, and mentorship you need to level up—on YOUR time, at YOUR pace.

https://contractorbusinessschool.com/

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