In this episode of the Trade Legends podcast, we have electrician Adam from SOTA Electrical & Lucy from The Installer Show. Adam reflects on his hands-on journey from traditional electrical apprenticeships to running his own successful EV charging business. With candid stories about starting from scratch, transitioning into the domestic electrical space, and the power of YouTube marketing, he emphasises the value of self-driven learning and building a personal brand. Adam exposes industry challenges, including regulation loopholes and the future of skilled trades, offering inspiration and real talk for anyone in or around the trades.Lucy shares her journey from journalism to becoming a key figure in trade events, highlighting her creation of the influential #TradesTalk Twitter community as her first taste of the industry. She dives into the growth of the Installer Show, now spanning three halls and expanding internationally, with new shows in New York and Melbourne, and how it's become the biggest Trades show in the UK. The show promises exciting features this year, including a full-scale sustainable house build and a £10,000 giveaway.

In this episode of Trade Legends, we sit down with Mark from StealthMounts, the innovative company revolutionising construction tool storage and organisation. From near bankruptcy with one business to making millions with another. Mark shares the fascinating journey of StealthMounts, from eBay to becoming a globally recognised construction tool brand. Mark opens up about the major challenges he faced along the way, including near-bankruptcy during the COVID lockdown for his horticulture business, and how quick thinking and adaptability kept it alive. The discussion also covers their successful expansion into the Australian and American markets, their strategy to stay ahead of copycat competitors through continuous innovation, and plans for future growth, including expansion into the automotive and plumbing sectors.

Guest this week: Mark  @StealthMounts  Host:Alex @bigaltradelegends (Insta)

In this episode of the Trade Legends Podcast, we sit down with Nick from JJ Roofing to explore the journey of a family-run roofing business growing into a leading name in the roofing and construction supply industry. Nick shares his path from a sports science graduate to working in mental health and eventually finding his footing in marketing within the trades, and helping JJ build a roofing business. He talks about JJ Roofing’s evolution from traditional brochures to building a strong in-house marketing team and embracing digital platforms, such as e-commerce and social media, to better connect with customers.

In this episode of the Trade Legends podcast, we sit down with Martyn from Champions Sealant Services and Tom from TCM Air Conditioning to discuss their journeys in the trades industry. Martyn shares how he built a successful sealant business from the ground up after redundancy, using social media and word of mouth to grow his reputation. Tom talks about getting into air conditioning by chance, working on demanding London sites, and eventually starting his own business. From pricing jobs and building a customer base to the realities of self-employment and social media in the trades, this is a real, honest conversation with two tradesmen who’ve built successful businesses on their own terms.

This week on Trade Legends, Mark and Al sit down with carpenter Liam. Liam wasn't very academic at school, but he knew from an early age that he wanted to work with his hands. The school recommended that he consider a career in carpentry, given his enjoyment of woodwork. After initially struggling to find an apprenticeship, he was lucky to come across a company that agreed to take him on and train him. After working for a few different companies, Liam knew that he wanted to go it alone and start his own business. Once he went self-employed, Liam never looked back. He was able to work around his own timetable and charge his own rates. A.I. plays a vital role in Liam's business. He can use the technology to plan his days, timetable his movements, and even create legal documentation to protect himself while on the job.

This week on Trade Legends, we're joined by Jess. Academic by nature but never sold on the university route, she knew early on that a hands-on career was where she belonged, even if the option wasn't on the table at the time. After a couple of years studying hairdressing and a string of jobs that never quite fit, she started learning plumbing in her spare time and finally found the path she'd always been meant for. Jess is now two years into a Gas Engineering course, working in social housing and getting real-world experience on the tools. We're also joined by Hollie from HolliesHeating to mark International Women's Day and tackle the ongoing debate about whether it still matters in 2025.

This week on the Trade Legends Podcast, we talk about Scrap Metal Recycling in the construction industry, which is always a talking point, with how much money you will earn. Josh and Ed from Greencable_uk sit down with Mark on this episode to explain how they are revolutionising the scrap metal industry within the construction trade. Greencable will provide you with a scrap metal bin that you can fill at your own pace, and then the guys will come and collect the bin from your property, usually paying you more than your usual scrap yard or scrap man. Long gone are the days when you had to take half a day to drop off your scrap metal to the local scrap man, battling traffic, and picking up the inevitable nail in your tyre.

James spent 10 years wiring new builds for someone else. Then one morning, he handed his van keys to his apprentice, rang his dad, and walked off-site. He was done. Six weeks later, he's running his own electrical business with no van, no plan, and no regrets. Josh and Ed run Green Cable UK, a scrap metal company that deals with tradespeople across the country. They know exactly what's going on with scrap copper, what it's worth, and what builders have been quietly pocketing for years. In this episode, the three of them sit down to talk about going self-employed, the mental toll of site work, brand deals and social media in the trades, and why so many content creators are deliberately posting bad work just to farm clicks and comments. James also gives one of the most honest accounts of approaching brands we've had on the podcast. Most people say they don't do it. James says he does.

Paul pulled up to a job in Sidcup. Half an hour later, his phone rang. Someone was breaking into his van. Two builders across the road had already run over, smashed the car window, and grabbed the keys from the thieves. The whole thing was on camera. Ten million views later, Paul came on the podcast to tell the full story. But the van break-in was just the start. The courtesy van got done two days later on the same road. Then the insurance company lost his van. Then they told him they couldn't fix it. Then they suggested he scrap it. Four insurance companies, hours on the phone, and weeks of admin later, he shut the claim down and sorted it himself. Paul also opens up about something he's never really spoken about publicly. A table saw accident that nearly took off his thumb. Six months off work. A breakdown in a London hospital. And a Big Issue seller who said two words that changed the direction of his life.

Yas played professional football for Charlton, Brighton, Watford, Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon before a career in carpentry. Emily went through insurance, Amazon security, door work, paint delivery, gym fitting and marketing before she picked up a saw. Between them, they've probably had more jobs than most people have had hot dinners. In this episode, the two of them sit down to talk about how they found carpentry, why they're now working together on an all-female renovation project in Ipswich, and what it's actually like being a woman in the trades in 2024.They cover everything from getting paid less than male colleagues as apprentices, to pricing your work confidently, to why the trades industry isn't the boys' club people think it is. Plus a genuinely useful tip on always adding 13% to every quote.