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Contractors aren’t losing money because they’re bad at business.
They’re losing money because they’re alone.

Every year, new rules, codes, and regulations quietly cut into your margins, and most contractors just absorb the cost. Not because they agree with it. But because they weren’t in the room when the rules were written.

In this episode of the Trade Traction Roadshow, Dennis sits down with Mark Valentini, a national advocate who works directly with lawmakers to protect plumbing, heating, and HVAC contractors from policies that cost them time, money, and growth.

You’ll learn:

Why one contractor has zero leverage
How contractors have already changed laws by working together
Why advocacy isn’t politics, it’s profit protection
And how unity gives contractors real power before damage is done

If you’re tired of working harder just to make less, this conversation will change how you think about power in the trades.

Guest: Mark Valentini
Location: PHCC CONNECT

Timestamps:
00:00 – Why One Voice Equals Zero Power
00:28 – Rules That Cost Contractors Money
00:53 – Who Mark Valentini Is & What He Does
01:12 – Why Contractors Get Drowned Out
01:21 – Clean Water & Air Nobody Thinks About
01:56 – Welcome to Trade Traction Roadshow
02:28 – What PHCC Represents Nationwide
03:23 – The Real Value of Contractor Networking
04:19 – Why Membership Requires Involvement
05:05 – Competing Interests on Capitol Hill
06:22 – The Lightbulb Moment for Policymakers
06:45 – How Contractors Changed Apprentice Laws
07:49 – Apprentice Ratios & Workforce Bottlenecks
09:27 – Technology, AI & the Future of Training
10:01 – College vs Trades Reality Check
11:53 – The $2 Trillion Student Loan Problem
12:33 – Why Contractors See Each Other as Competitors
14:35 – Leaving a Company the Right Way
15:54 – Relationships Are the Real Currency
17:03 – What a Lobbyist Actually Does
18:03 – Workforce Policy & Contractor Impact
19:06 – How Mark Found PHCC
22:19 – Policy vs Politics Explained
23:44 – Government Shutdown & Trade Impact
26:00 – Refrigerant Rule Changes Explained
28:02 – Why Contractors Should Join PHCC
29:05 – Final Message: Why Unity Matters
29:28 – Milwaukee 2025 Invitation

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

Too many plumbing contractors are busy, stressed, and broke — working harder every year but still not turning a profit.

In this episode of the Trade Traction Podcast, Dennis shares the hard-earned truth he wishes someone had told him 15 years earlier:
👉 Trying to figure out your business alone will cost you years, burnout, and money.

Dennis breaks down:

• Why DIY-ing your business is the fastest way to stay stuck
• What actually changed when his company finally became profitable
• How coaches, associations, and other contractors helped him avoid financial collapse
• The real reason most trades businesses are “busy but broke”
• Why profit always comes before fun, freedom, and growth

This episode is for plumbing and heating contractors who are tired of working for free and want a clearer, faster path to building a profitable, sustainable trades business.

If you’re grinding, stressed about payroll, afraid to change pricing, or feel like you’re carrying the whole company alone — this conversation was made for you.

🎯 On the other side of profit… is fun. Let’s get you there.

⏱️ YouTube Chapters (Suggested)

00:00 – The Hard Truth I Wish I Knew 15 Years Ago
Trying to figure it out alone almost cost everything.

02:45 – Busy, Stressed, and Still Broke
Why most plumbing contractors hide how close they are to the edge.

06:20 – The Holiday Stress No One Talks About
Bonuses, payroll, supplier bills, and pretending everything is “fine.”

10:10 – Why DIY Business Thinking Fails Contractors
We hate DIY customers… but we run our businesses the same way.

14:30 – The Fatal Mistake: Doing It Alone
Why isolation keeps contractors stuck and broke.

19:40 – Associations, Coaches, and the Help I Ignored
PHCC, Nexstar, and the help that was always there.

26:15 – The Florida Trip That Changed Everything
Maxed-out credit cards, fear, and finally seeing a path forward.

31:50 – “It’s Not One Thing… It’s Enough Things”
The mindset shift that unlocked real progress.

38:40 – The Million-Dollar Dinner Conversation
How one peer meeting exposed a massive hidden problem.

45:30 – Why Change Feels So Scary When You’re Barely Surviving
Fear of losing employees, payroll stress, and paralysis.

51:40 – Why Every Contractor Needs a Coach
Someone who’s been there and knows what comes next.

58:20 – Profit Comes Before Fun
Why you can’t skip profitability — and what’s possible after.

1:03:30 – Stop Working for Free (The Real Meaning)
Why doing everything “right” still leads to nothing left at the end.

1:08:45 – Final Message to Struggling Contractors
You don’t have to do this alone.

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

Are you a contractor, business owner, or trades professional looking to turn chaos into clarity and boost your bottom line? In this episode of Trade Traction, Dennis Hamon reveals the single most powerful discipline that championship teams use—and most struggling businesses ignore: the weekly meeting.

Through football analogies, real-life stories, and actionable advice, Dennis shares how regular check-ins, honest conversations, and tracking key metrics can transform your business from spinning your wheels to gaining real traction. Learn how to:

• Measure what matters (conversion rates, invoices, calls)
• Build a culture of accountability and improvement
• Overcome the exhaustion of “faking success”
• Celebrate wins and fix what’s broken—fast
• Create a team that’s always moving forward

Whether you’re a plumbing or HVAC contractor, a small business owner, or just want to get better at what you do, this episode is packed with insights you can use right away.

Timestamps / Chapters:
0:00 — Introduction & NFL Analogy
1:23 — The Importance of Meetings
2:40 — Are You Winning or Just Busy?
5:20 — Welcome to Trade Traction
8:58 — The One Discipline: Weekly Meetings
10:50 — Dennis’s Story & $12M Success
13:45 — The Truth About Margins & Profit
16:36 — Why Not Have a Meeting and Acknowledge the Truth?
19:12 — Measuring What Matters: Conversion Rate, Invoice, Calls
23:52 — The Power of Comparison & Improvement
28:01 — Weekly Meetings Are Like Oxygen
31:20 — How to Get Better: Commit, Measure, Repeat
36:00 — Building a Culture of Success
40:00 — Invitation to Join Dennis’s Meetings
45:00 — Closing Thoughts & Call to Action

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

Dan Callies thought every contractor was his competition - until one shop visit flipped his entire career. In this episode, he breaks down the moment everything changed, how PHCC became his family, and why the future of the trades is exploding faster than anyone realizes.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, isolated, or unsure what’s next for your shop… this conversation will light a fire in you.

Timestamps:

00:00 – The Wake-Up Question
00:33 – Imposter Syndrome Begins
01:14 – Rise of Young Contractors
03:00 – Pulled Into Leadership
05:08 – The Lonely Year
07:12 – What the PHCC President Does
08:39 – Using AI in a Plumbing Shop
13:30 – The Shop Visit That Changed Everything
15:00 – Peer Groups as a Growth Tool
18:29 – The Next Generation of Trades Leaders
20:24 – Future Tech in Plumbing
22:45 – Closing & Milwaukee 2026

Guest: Dan Callies, President of PHCC
Location: PHCC CONNECT 2025, Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

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🔥 If you’re tired of working for free, this episode will finally give you clarity — and a path to real profit.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:22 Why payroll always feels like a crisis
03:40 The 3-Prong Profit Problem
06:20 Expense cuts that actually move the needle
10:55 The pricing mistake everyone makes
14:10 The sales skill contractors MUST learn
18:22 How Dennis fixed this and scaled
22:40 What to do next week to turn profit around

The Trade Traction Podcast
Helping plumbing & heating contractors stop working for free — and finally turn a profit.

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

This episode is all about being profitable.  And that means from your very first paycheck!  If you save just 10%, technically you are a double digit profit machine!  And really that same principle applies when you are in business.  You need to figure out to cut cost and increase sales until you are profitable so that you can build a business your employees as well as your family can trust.

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

From the SkillsUSA National Conference in Atlanta, Dennis sits down with Karman Warner, Executive Director of SkillsUSA Washington, who’s changing the way schools view success.

She’s helping students letter in the trades instead of sports, giving them real recognition, and real futures. They talk about the growing movement across Washington, the first youth apprenticeship program in state history, and how SkillsUSA is redefining education for the next generation.

If you care about students, the future workforce, or the trades, this episode will inspire you.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the Trade Traction Podcast Roadshow
00:26 – Meet Karman Warner, Executive Director of SkillsUSA Washington
01:17 – Why so few people know about SkillsUSA
02:15 – How SkillsUSA combines all student organizations into one powerful network
02:27 – From 2,000 to 7,000 members — Washington’s explosive growth
03:02 – The problem with the “everyone must go to college” mindset
03:40 – The two big problems with America’s workforce
04:01 – How the trades let students “earn while they learn”
05:21 – The idea that changed everything: Lettering in the Trades
06:39 – The first student to earn a SkillsUSA letter jacket
07:07 – Why trades students deserve the same recognition as athletes
08:25 – How SkillsUSA builds both technical and professional skills
09:02 – What makes SkillsUSA students “the desirable applicants”
09:27 – How to bring SkillsUSA to your school
10:36 – Washington launches its first youth apprenticeship program
11:13 – Students can now start earning apprenticeship hours in high school
12:11 – Why giving kids hands-on paths can change their future
12:55 – How trades training helps reduce crime and wasted potential
13:52 – Why industry needs to step up and get involved
14:36 – The story that proves how SkillsUSA changes lives
14:59 – Closing thoughts: one student at a time, one trade at a time

Guest: Karman Warner, Executive Director, SkillsUSA Washington
Location: SkillsUSA 2025, Atlanta

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

At the PHCC Connect Show in Birmingham, Dennis interviews Tyler — a third-generation master plumber and National PHCC Secretary — about winning the national apprenticeship competition, building leadership in the trades, and why young people should see plumbing as a first-choice career. They discuss how PHCC empowers contractors through education, advocacy, and connection.

Timestamps:

00:00 – PHCC Connect Show in Birmingham & introduction to guest Tyler
01:36 – Winning the National Apprenticeship Competition
03:33 – What PHCC means and the importance of community
07:15 – Advocacy and the power of being part of an association
09:10 – Advice for young contractors and getting involved
11:13 – How PHCC resources help family businesses succeed
15:15 – Why profitability matters and raising industry standards
17:04 – PHCC education programs and plumbing as a first-choice career

Guest: Tyler, National PHCC Secretary & Third-Generation Master Plumber
Location: PHCC Connect Show 2024, Birmingham, Alabama

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

Send us a text

From high school student to state director, Robyn Rowling’s entire career started with one program: SkillsUSA.

In this episode, Dennis sits down with Robyn to uncover how SkillsUSA transforms students into leaders, how CareerSafe is helping keep young workers safe on the job, and why the trades are proving to be the real higher education.

If you’ve ever wondered how career education changes lives, this story says it all.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome to the Trade Traction Podcast
00:37 – Meet Robyn Rowling: From SkillsUSA student to leader
02:33 – The story behind the famous “Red Jacket”
03:15 – How SkillsUSA shaped her career and confidence
07:01 – Why the trades are higher education
09:59 – How industry can support local trade programs
12:18 – What CareerSafe does for safety and young workers
16:31 – Why safety matters in every profession
19:20 – Changing the narrative: college isn’t the only path
22:59 – Final message: promoting safety and SkillsUSA

Guest: Robyn Rowling, CareerSafe
Location: Skills USA 2025, Atlanta

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

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In this episode, Dennis sits down with Collin at SkillsUSA 2025 in Atlanta to talk about how he turned a love for Legos into a thriving career — and how he’s stacking cash, investing 40% of his income, and planning to retire young through the trades.

This one’s a masterclass in discipline, money, and motivation for anyone in the skilled trades.

Timestamps (Main Highlights)

00:00 – Welcome to the Trade Traction Podcast Roadshow
00:25 – Meet Collin Raynor: 25-year-old HVAC tech and union member
01:06 – How he found his path through technical school
02:15 – Choosing HVAC over college — and never looking back
03:00 – Legos, trucks, and learning to build from a young age
05:04 – The satisfaction of fixing things and helping people
07:17 – How the union pays and why the training is free
08:06 – Why living with your parents can build wealth faster
12:49 – Investing 40% of his income into dividend stocks
15:31 – His goal: five rental properties before 30
17:15 – Why tradespeople need to talk more about money
20:07 – Collin’s advice to young apprentices: patience and focus
22:42 – His mission to inspire more young people into the trades

Guest: Collin Raynor, HVAC Technician (Local 72)
Location: Skills USA 2025, Atlanta

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.

Connect with me on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprentice

Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.