In this episode of TradesFormation Unlocked, Adrian Fadini sits down with Ron Isherwood to have the conversation too many trade business owners avoid… addiction, recovery, and what it really takes to get your life (and business) back.
If you’re running a plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing, or any trades business and the “Thursday beers” keep turning into a weekend you can’t remember… this one hits hard.
Ron Isherwood is the founder of The Truth About Addiction, which he launched in 2020 after more than 42 years working with people in recovery across a wide range of rehabilitation settings. Drawing on both his professional experience and his own journey through addiction and recovery, Ron identified a major gap in how addiction is understood and treated. That insight led him to build The Truth About Addiction, a program grounded in lived experience, compassion, and a strong belief in transformation. Ron also hosts The Truth About Addiction Podcast, continuing the conversation and sharing real stories that help people find a better way forward.
In the podcast, Ron shares his story; heroin addiction, prison time, recovery, and the mindset shift that changed everything:
“You’re not a bad person trying to get good. You’re a sick person trying to get well.”
They unpack why cocaine has become a silent epidemic in the trades, how “functional” addiction hides in plain sight, and why the opposite of addiction isn’t willpower… it’s connection. This isn’t a scare campaign. It’s a wake-up call with a path forward.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:- Why addiction isn’t weakness, it’s pain looking for relief
- “Functional” addiction vs street-level addiction (and why both destroy lives)
- The real cost of hangovers, comedowns, and missed mornings (you’re not just losing time, you’re losing trust)
- Ron’s 8 demands for rebuilding a life: openness, acceptance, reliability, consistency, congruence, thoroughness, respect, honesty
- Why mentorship is non-negotiable when your “one bag” turns into three
- How trade business owners can get help without blowing up their work and family life
- Why taking ownership is the first step to recovery
Episode Highlights
“Recovery means finding what you lost: yourself.”
“The opposite of addiction is connection.”
“If you can’t guarantee your behaviour once you start… you need a mentor.”
“When you show up hungover, you’re stealing from your boss, your family, and yourself.”
In this episode:00:00 You’re not a bad person, you’re a sick person trying to get well
04:20 Cocaine + alcohol in the trades: the real-world fallout
06:45 The 8 demands that rebuild character (and business standards)
12:40 Ownership: the “Porsche with a flat tyre” lesson
16:05 Street-level vs functional addiction (and why denial is deadly)
18:00 Why “party drugs” aren’t a party, they destroy families fast
22:30 The trades epidemic: big money, no support, bad habits
25:40 How Ron’s program works (mentorship, flexibility, real accountability)
29:30 Why people don’t ask for help (and the consequences)
37:30 Identity change: how transformation actually sticks
Connect with RonSearch: “The Truth About Addiction”
https://www.instagram.com/ronisherwood/
https://www.instagram.com/thetruthabout_addiction/
Connect with TradesFormation
https://link.me/trades_formation
https://tradesformation.com.au/
Learn to Sell. Build your systems. Lead your team.
If this episode reminded you of someone; a mate, a staff member, even yourself… don’t sit on it. Share it with another trade business owner. One conversation can change a life.
