Theo opens up about the darkest and most defining moments of his life — from losing a child and breaking his back to watching his business collapse and his marriage fall apart. What followed was a journey through pain, debt, and mental health struggles that would have broken most people. But instead of giving up, Theo rebuilt himself — piece by piece — proving that resilience isn’t about never falling, it’s about standing up every single time you do.Whether you’re in the trades, self-employed, or just fighting your own battles, this conversation will hit home. We dive deep into what it really means to struggle in silence, the pressure of being the provider, and how to find purpose again after losing everything. This is one of the most honest and emotional stories we’ve ever shared on the podcast — a must-watch for anyone who’s ever had to start over.

FROM ZERO TO 300K: How Social Media Built My Landscaping Business How do you turn a simple lawnmower and a dream into a massively successful landscaping business with over 300,000 social media followers? On this episode of the Train Legends podcast, we sit down with the visionary behind Hoskins Innovations. He takes us on his raw journey from leaving school and starting with a £150 loan for his first mower, through a challenging carpentry apprenticeship, to finding his true passion in landscaping. Get an inside look at the grit, mistakes, and pivotal lessons learned along the way, proving that you don't need to be academic to build a thriving, fulfilling trade business.We dive deep into the powerful strategies that fueled his growth, including his game-changing social media approach to building unparalleled customer trust. He shares invaluable, hard-won advice for aspiring tradespeople on everything from pricing jobs meticulously (without using square-meter rates) and the crucial payment structure that ensures steady cash flow, to the importance of having open conversations with clients about money. Whether you're a landscaper, a tradesperson, or an entrepreneur looking for motivation, this episode is packed with actionable insights on combining a strong work ethic with innovative business practices to build a brand.

In this week’s Trade Legends podcast episode, two powerhouse guests share their incredible journeys from humble beginnings to industry success. Laura Jane Clark, the BBC architect who transformed underground toilets into stunning living spaces, opens up about her creative process, breaking barriers in a male-dominated field, and how design can be both bold and practical. Alongside her, Jimmy, the founder of CT1, reveals how he turned a small idea into one of the UK’s most trusted construction brands through sheer determination and innovation.Together, Laura and Jimmy discuss the reality of starting from scratch, learning from failure, and staying authentic in a fast-changing world. Their stories highlight the importance of resilience, creativity, and believing in your vision — whether you’re building homes, brands, or careers. If you love stories about entrepreneurship, architecture, innovation, or women in trades, this episode will leave you inspired to start small and dream big.#homerenovation #construction #plumbing #ct1 #business #bbc #tradelegends

In this episode, we have Mark Marshall, whose story is as raw as it is inspiring. From a rebellious teen forced to repair a farmer’s land to becoming one of the UK’s most recognisable names in landscaping and social media, Mark’s journey is a testament to grit, reinvention, and passion. He opens up about losing loved ones, battling burnout, and the powerful decision to turn pain into purpose through creativity.We dive deep into the realities behind “influencer” life — from lengthy brand negotiations with giants like Makita and NatWest, to the unseen hours, pressure, and reinvention it takes to stay relevant. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creator, or someone chasing your next chapter, this episode proves that success isn’t about where you start, but how you keep evolving.

What happens when two builders go from living in a caravan with £20 in the bank to running one of the biggest trade brands in the UK, and accidentally buy a stolen house along the way? In this wild, brutally honest episode of Trade Legends, Brad and Sam, aka The Bald Builders, reveal everything. From losing a million pounds, living in a caravan, and rebuilding their empire from scratch, to running a national radio show and dodging Ofcom complaints, this episode is chaos in the best possible way.We dive into their viral KFC prank that racked up 17 million minutes of watch time, the egos that nearly destroyed them, and the secret that almost got them banned from radio. You’ll laugh, cringe, and probably rethink how you handle success.Stick around till the end, there’s a shocking story about an online stalker, family drama, and the moment they realised fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.🔥 This might be the most unfiltered, jaw-dropping builder story we have ever heard.

`After sixteen years in the construction industry, Sammi lost her job overnight. At the same time, she was living with type 1 diabetes through the chaos of COVID, trapped at home and terrified to step outside. Anxiety took over. Life as she knew it stopped.But what happened next changed everything.From her kitchen table, surrounded by boxes, heat presses and scraps of fabric, Sammi started making hoodies and workwear for friends. That side hustle turned into Branded by Sammi, now one of the most recognisable names in the UK construction and workwear community.In this episode, Sammi talks openly about the reality of losing everything, rebuilding from nothing, and finding purpose again. She shares her experience growing up around construction, the fear of starting over, the moment her anxiety almost stopped her from leaving her car, and the robust support network that helped her turn it all around.This conversation is raw, honest and inspiring, a reminder that even when you’re at your lowest, you can still create something extraordinary.

In this episode of the Trade Legends podcast, we sit down with Ashley Macintosh of A&E 88 Macintosh to discuss his journey building a highly successful exterior cleaning business and launching his "General Pressure Washing Business" training course. Ashley campaigns for exterior cleaning to be taken seriously as a major trade, highlighting the massive potential to earn excellent money. He reveals how a subtle. The branding shift from being a simple window cleaner to a specialist exterior cleaning business dramatically changed customer perception, allowing him to command higher prices for services like roof cleaning and driveway restoration. Ashley emphasises that success in this field is less about the equipment and more about strategic marketing, sales approach, and brand perception. He explains that window cleaning acts as a powerful "subscription service," providing steady, recurring income that can be leveraged to seamlessly upsell higher-ticket jobs to an existing base of trusted customers. Ashley also shares the power of using video on your website and social media for business as a key portfolio tool to show the amazing before-and-after transformation of cleaning jobs without having to hard-sell clients.

Topics covered in this episode:-

• Legitimise Exterior Cleaning.

• Rebrand to Charge More.

• Window Cleaning = Recurring Income.

• Marketing is Better Than Equipment.

• Use Video to Sell Effortlessly.

In this episode of the Trade Legends Podcast, we sit down with Gemma, a talented mural artist who turned a lockdown hobby into a thriving creative business. From painting small canvases at home to creating large-scale murals for salons, gyms, and commercial spaces, Gemma shares her inspiring journey of how art transformed her life. She opens up about the story behind her first viral TikTok mural that gained millions of views and the online abuse that almost made her quit social media, while also discussing the challenges of pricing custom murals, handling unusual client requests, and staying creative while running a business. Throughout the conversation, Gemma gives valuable advice for aspiring artists who want to follow their passion, build a career in the arts, and use social media to grow their audience.

👉 Topics covered in this episode:

• Discovering a passion for art during lockdown

• Going viral when celebrities shared her paintings

• Building a social media presence from scratch

• Making the leap from leisure & tourism to self-employment

• Turning mural painting into a full-time career

In this episode of Trade Legends, we sit down with Renovate with Emma and Gio to hear two inspiring journeys into the trades and construction industry.

Emma shares her path from law school and corporate PR into property renovation, sourcing, and lettings in Aberdeen, including how she taught herself tiling, painting, and DIY skills through YouTube and social media. She talks about turning passion projects into a full-time business, working with brands, and her creative approach to making rental properties stand out.

Gio brings a wealth of experience from family construction businesses, sales, and scaling trade companies. He explains the challenges of rapid growth, the importance of systems, and how he helps tradespeople avoid common pitfalls with the GRFT Academy — a platform designed to help builders, plumbers, electricians, and other trades grow sustainable businesses.

👉 Topics covered in this episode:

• Women in construction & inspiring new tradespeople

  Renovating and managing rental properties in the UK

• DIY learning: tiling, plastering, and plumbing ambitions

• Social media for trades and brand partnerships

• Scaling a trade business without burning out

  Smart pricing, systems, and working on your business, not just in it

🔨 Trade Legends – the podcast for tradesmen, tradeswomen, and the construction industry.

Why do plumbers always make this mistake? In this episode of Trade Legends, Mike from Salamander Pumps explains the most common pump installation errors, why they happen, and how to avoid them. From shower pump failures to boosting mains pressure, we break down what plumbers get wrong, the right way to install pumps, and how tools like Salamander’s HomeBoost, TankBoost, and AquaScan are changing the trade.Whether you’re a plumber, apprentice, or homeowner dealing with low water pressure, this episode gives you the knowledge to save time, money, and costly call-backs.