Paul Wicks from Unique Project Group shares how he went from working insane hours and falling asleep at his desk to taking a month-long overseas holiday with zero stress, all while his team kept things ticking over.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the grind and unsure what your role should look like as your trade business grows, this episode will seriously hit home.

💥 Inside this episode, Paul reveals:

1. How burnout forced him to hit pause and reassess what really mattered
2. The honest chat in a pool that made him set new life and business goals
3. Why letting go of real estate maintenance was a turning point
4. How he restructured his team to chase more profitable, long-term projects
5. What made a Christmas project return 50% gross profit 💰
6. His mindset shift around leadership, identity and purpose
7. How he’s already locked in $3.5 million of work for the new financial year
8. His honest thoughts on navigating business and family with his wife Naomi
9. Why having clear personal goals keeps him energised and out of “limbo land”

This is a candid, inspiring chat with plenty of tactical takeaways for any tradie thinking: “What’s next for me?”

Want to experience what’s possible for your trade business - just like Paul?

Come along to our Stress Free Tradie 1-Day Live Event and discover how to triple your profits in the next 12 months (without working longer hours or hiring more staff).

You'll walk away with a clear plan for profit, freedom, and control in your business.

Grab your ticket here.

Follow us on socials:

📸 Instagram: @LifestyleTradie

📘 Facebook: Lifestyle Tradie

Starting a trade business is exhilarating ... new logo, shiny ute signage, and jobs rolling in. But fast forward a few years, and the reality sets in: long hours, constant phone calls, staff challenges, and financial stress. Sound familiar?

In this episode, Andy and Angela share hard-earned lessons from over three decades in the trade industry, running Dr. DRiP Plumbing and coaching thousands of tradies through Lifestyle Tradie. These aren't textbook theories; they're real-world strategies that have transformed businesses.

Key Takeaways:

• Busy ≠ Profitable: Being flat out doesn't guarantee financial success. Understand your margins and track your numbers.
• Lead by Example: Your team's attitude mirrors yours. Set the standard you want them to follow.
• Quote for Profit: Avoid underquoting just to win jobs. Ensure every project contributes to your bottom line.
• Work on the Business: Constantly being on the tools limits growth. Allocate time to strategise and systemise.
• Choose Clients Wisely: Not every customer is a good fit. Focus on A-grade clients who value your services.
• Implement Systems: Relying on memory leads to mistakes. Document processes to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Strategic Marketing: Word of mouth is great, but don't depend solely on it. Target your ideal customers where they are.
• Manage Cash Flow: Stay on top of invoicing and expenses to avoid financial strain.
• Collaborate with Your Partner: If you're in business together, clear communication and defined roles are crucial.
• Progress Over Perfection: There's no finish line in business. Focus on continuous improvement and building a business that supports your lifestyle.

Want Lifestyle Tradie to look at your business?

Book a free GamePlan call, and we'll provide tailored advice to give you clarity and direction to achieve the lifestyle and freedom you deserve. Details here: https://www.lifestyletradie.com.au/gameplan-call

Follow us on social media:

• Instagram: @LifestyleTradie
• Facebook: Lifestyle Tradie

You think you’re making $25 an hour on your tradies… but are you really?

In this episode, Andy and Angela break down the real hourly cost of having someone on your team, and the truth might shock you. From wages and super to smoko breaks and vehicle costs, this isn’t guesswork. It’s a numbers game. And if you don’t know your numbers, you’re leaking cash.

What you’ll learn:

• Why your tradie's hourly wage is only part of the story 💸
• How sick leave, downtime, and public holidays impact your profit 📉
• The hidden costs of vehicles, insurance, and admin support 🚐
• What 80% chargeable time actually looks like in the real world ⏱️
• Why quoting based on “gut feel” is killing your profit ❌
• The pros and cons of using contractors vs employees ⚖️
• Why not paying yourself is a disaster long-term 🚨
• How to calculate the actual hourly cost of your tradies 🧮
• The single most important metric you need to know to scale confidently 📊

Want us to look at your business?

👉 Book a free GamePlan call and we’ll give you tailored advice to help you create the lifestyle and freedom you’re working so hard for.
🔗 https://www.lifestyletradie.com.au/gameplan-call/

📱 Follow Lifestyle Tradie:

🔗 Lifestyle Tradie's Instagram

📘 Lifestyle Tradie's Facebook

What if the biggest thing holding you back in business and life… was you?

In this powerful episode, Andy and Angela are joined by Paul Watkins - pharmacist turned ultra-marathon runner, builder, entrepreneur, and all-round legend. He’s dragged sleds across the Arctic, failed and returned to conquer Denali (North America’s highest peak), and run 500+km ultra-marathons in brutal conditions.

But this isn’t about adventure. It’s about mental toughness, choosing your own story, and why trade business owners need to stop saying “I’m just a...”

You’ll learn:

1. 🧠 Why motivation is fleeting, but discipline is everything
2. 💪 How to build mental toughness in business (even if you’re exhausted)
3. 🔁 What to do when you fail (and how to bounce back stronger)
4. 🧩 Why “build evidence, not belief” is the key to confidence
5. 🎯 How to break big goals into doable chunks (just one hour at a time)
6. 🔧 How rules beat willpower when it comes to daily habits
7. 🚪 The difference between reversible vs. irreversible decisions
8. 🧱 Why success is built “layer by layer” - and shortcuts never work
9. 🔥 And what it means to Choose Your Regret as a business owner

This one hits deep, don’t miss it.

Want us to look at your trade business?

Book a free GamePlan call and we'll give you tailored advice ... and provide you with clarity and direction to smash out what you need to do right now to help you create the lifestyle and freedom you deserve.

👉 Details here

📱 Lifestyle Tradie's Instagram

📘 Lifestyle Tradie's Facebook

You finally start making some solid profit in your trade business… then WHACK! You cop a tax bill you didn’t see coming.

Sound familiar?

In this episode of The Tradie Show podcast, Andy and Angela expose the most common tax mistakes that tradies make, and how to dodge them so you can hold onto more of your hard-earned cash. It’s real talk, practical advice, and tradie-to-tradie truth bombs you won’t hear from your accountant.

📥 Grab your free download:

81 TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR TRADIES - Get the most out of tax time and make sure you’re not leaving money on the table. Better in your pocket than the tax man!

Key takeaways from this episode:

1. Why May is your golden window to get ahead of tax
2. The truth about cashies, AI and how the ATO is getting smarter
3. What expenses you CAN claim (and a few you absolutely cannot)
4. Why using your business account for personal spending is killing your books
5. The $20K or $30K Instant Asset Write-Off update (pending election result)
6. What counts as a "work vehicle" - and why your BMW probably doesn’t qualify
7. How super and GST can trip you up if you’re not careful
8. The hidden sting of CGT when claiming your home office
9. Why poor record-keeping is a business killer
10. The company tax mistake tradies forget until it’s too late

Want Andy to look at your business?

Book a free GamePlan call and he’ll give you tailored advice ... and provide you with clarity and direction to smash out what you need to do right now to help you create the lifestyle and freedom you deserve.

👉 https://www.lifestyletradie.com.au/gameplan-call/

📱 Follow Lifestyle Tradie:

Instagram: LifestyleTradie

Facebook: Lifestyle Tradie

She’s only 20, still on the tools as an apprentice – yet Yana Marks has already racked up 300K+ followers on TikTok and 80K+ on Instagram as @SydneyPlumberChick.

In this episode of The Tradie Show podcast, Andy and Angela sit down with Yana in -studio to unpack how she turns everyday plumbing jobs into scroll-stopping content, the fresh energy she’s bringing to a male-dominated industry, and what the next generation of tradies can learn from her rapid rise. If you’re looking to build a brand, attract better customers (and staff) or simply prove the trades can be a career of choice, this chat’s for you. 🔧

In this chat you’ll learn

1. How Yana broke into plumbing at 18 and why she chose the trade life 🛠️
2. Her “phone-in-one-hand, spanner-in-the-other” system for filming content that pops 📲
3. Three content pillars she swears by for steady follower growth 🌱
4. Handling haters & staying authentic when your DMs blow up 🙅‍♀️
5. Simple ways to showcase your crew on camera and turn eyeballs into enquiries 👀➡️💰
6. Why social media is the new tradie toolbox – and how tech will reshape quoting, hiring & training ⚙️
7. Work-life hacks a 20-year-old uses to avoid burnout while juggling TAFE, job sites & reels 🏄‍♀️
8. Her five-year game-plan (leadership, licensing & levelling up female talent) 🎯
9. Rapid-fire wisdom: morning routines, smiles on site & the best advice she’s ever been given ⚡

👉 Want Andy to look at your business?

Book a free GamePlan call and he’ll give you tailored advice … plus the clarity & direction you need to smash out what matters right now and create the lifestyle freedom you deserve.

Details here ➜ https://www.lifestyletradie.com.au/gameplan-call/

🔗 Lifestyle Tradie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LifestyleTradie/

🔗 Lifestyle Tradie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifestyleTradie/

AI Agents. You’ve probably heard the term floating around, but what actually is it, and why should you care as a busy trade business owner? 

 In this episode, Andy and Angela break down the fast-moving world of AI without the tech jargon, and focus on what really matters: how it can save you time, reduce those middle-of-the-night phone calls, and give you back control of your business.

 They’ll share,

👉 What the heck an AI Agent is (in plain tradie terms)
 👉 How AI is already being used by tradies to handle after-hours calls & admin tasks
 👉 Why ignoring AI is a dangerous move for your business
 👉 The 3 levels of AI Agents - where we’re at now, and what’s coming next
 👉 Real-life examples of how Lifestyle Tradie members are already using AI
 👉 How to start small, with simple tools to test the waters
 👉 Why you need to fix your business model before you go plugging in AI
 👉 The balance between human connection and smart automation
 👉 And, what the future looks like for family-run trade businesses in an AI world

PLUS:
💡 Don’t miss our brand new AI for Tradies e-book!

We’ve created a super practical, trade-specific guide to help you get started with AI in your business right now. 

Download it now and get started: The Tradie's Guide to AI and ChatGPT

Ready to discover what the top 5% of trade business owners do differently?
Join us at Stress Free Tradie, our national tour this May and June.
In just ONE day, you’ll learn exactly how to implement the strategies that will transform your business and your life.

 Details here 👉 https://www.lifestyletradie.com.au/events 

Lifestyle Tradie's Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/LifestyleTradie/
Lifestyle Tradie's Facebook 👉 https://www.facebook.com/LifestyleTradie/

Imagine running your trade business flat-out… only to end the year in the red.
That was Zach and Jordan from Muir Projects in 2023.

Fast-forward just 12 months:
 ✅ 15% profit
 ✅ Booked out for all of 2025
 ✅ Quoting smarter and charging $5K per quote
 ✅ Running a 5-man team with defined roles and systems
 ✅ Building a killer local presence on socials

This episode is a real-time coaching session where Zach picks our brains about:

• How to sell a $5K paid quote 
• Whether to hire before the work arrives or after
• How to manage project delays with subbies
• When to bring in an ops manager
• Marketing that actually works for builders 
• Creating financial stability with long-term planning

You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence and practical strategies you can implement straight away.

 Key Takeaways:

• “We were clueless” → 15% profit: Clarity on numbers = game-changer
• $5K paid quoting system: How it works (and why clients say YES)
• Fully booked 2025: How consistent marketing + clear avatar filled their pipeline
• Should you hire before the work arrives? Our honest advice
• Managing subbie delays: Tips for smooth site flow
• When to hire an ops manager: The tipping point, and how to afford it

Want Andy to look at your business?
Book a free GamePlan call and he’ll give you tailored advice ... and provide you with clarity and direction to smash out what you need to do right now to help you create the lifestyle and freedom you deserve.

 👉 Details here

📲 Lifestyle Tradie on Instagram
📘 Lifestyle Tradie on Facebook

Most tradies are flat-out chasing new jobs, juggling quotes, and hoping the phone keeps ringing. But what if you could create a customer experience so good that your customers never want to go anywhere else?

 In this episode, Andy and Angela break down The Customer Experience Maximiser — a simple yet game-changing strategy that will have customers coming back again and again (and bringing their mates along too). Oh, and there’s a whole lot of talk about ice cream … because your trade business should be Neapolitan, not plain old vanilla!

What you’ll learn in this episode:

✅ The four levels of customer experience — Basic, Expected, Desired & Unexpected
 ✅ Why repeat customers are worth WAY more than constantly chasing new leads
✅ How small, low-cost changes can dramatically improve customer loyalty
✅ Real-world examples (including how a restaurant and a resort NAILED customer experience)
✅ Simple, actionable steps to go from “just another tradie” to the one customers rave about

This is PART 2 of a 2-part series all about the CUSTOMERS in your business.

🎧 Listen to PART 1 of the Customer Series: The ABCD Customer Mix: Are You Working With The Wrong Clients?

Want Andy to look at your business?

Book a free GamePlan call and get tailored advice to gain clarity and direction so you can create the lifestyle and freedom you deserve.

 👉 www.lifestyletradie.com.au/gameplan-call

📲 Follow Lifestyle Tradie for more business-boosting tips:
Instagram | Facebook

Ever feel like you're flat out but still not making money? You’re not alone. Too many tradies think every customer is worth the same - but they’re not.

In this episode, Andy & Angela break down the ABCD Customer Mix™ and show you:

🔥 Why "busy" doesn’t mean profitable - and how your customer mix affects everything
 🔥 The 4 types of customers (A, B, C & D) and how to tell the legends from the nightmares
🔥 How to attract A-Grade customers who pay on time, respect your work & don’t make your life hell
🔥 The sneaky way C & D customers drain your business - and how to either fix them or fire them
🔥 How to shift your mix to 80% A & B customers for higher profits & lower stress

💡 If you’re sick of price hagglers, late payers, and problem clients, this episode is for you.

Want Andy to look at your business?

 Book a FREE GamePlan call and get tailored advice on how to fix your customer mix and build a business that gives you more profit and freedom. 

📲 Book here: www.lifestyletradie.com.au/gameplan-call

📢 Connect with us:
👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LifestyleTradie/
👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifestyleTradie/