Trade Legends | Construction Podcast

Gemma's first viral TikTok mural got millions of views, and triggered enough online abuse to nearly make her quit social media entirely. She gets honest about turning a lockdown hobby into a commercial mural business, the reality of pricing creative work, handling difficult client requests, and why staying true to your art is harder than it looks when business takes over.

In this episode of Trade Legends, we sit down with Renovate, featuring 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.

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.

In this episode of Trade Legends, Mark chats with Dean Franklin, 2025 winner of The Apprentice and co-founder of ADL Air Conditioning. From flipping PlayStations at 13 to launching a booming business in lockdown, Dean shares his wild journey, raw hustle, and that viral interview moment.He risked it all for a £250K investment — and won. For grafters, dreamers, or future Apprentice stars, this one’s unmissable.

On the Trade Legends podcast this week, Jack & Stacey (“Stick”) from Trademark Digital share their "Building a business" journey, from suffering a serious stroke and having to close down a carpentry business to building a digital marketing agency. They discuss the industry's challenges, lessons learned, and their passion for helping small businesses.

In this episode of Trade Legends, we’re joined by Ryan from Mirka, the globally recognised Finnish brand behind some of the most advanced abrasives and sanding tools used across a wide range of industries. Whether it’s in automotive body shops, marine and yacht building, woodworking, or professional decorating, Mirka has become synonymous with high-performance, purpose-built equipment trusted by tradespeople worldwide. Ryan takes us through the brand’s incredible history, from its early days to its expansion across more than 17 countries, and explains why Mirka’s all-in-one approach to tools and abrasives makes it unique in the market. We also dive into the company's exciting new product launches, including cordless innovations, upgraded dust extractors, and Mirka’s growing commitment to sustainability. Plus, Ryan offers practical advice on how tradespeople can try before they buy with on-site demos, making high-end equipment more accessible than ever.

In this episode of Trade Legends, we sit down with Andrew, a seasoned HVAC professional from Australia, to explore his journey through four decades in the trade. He shares how he fell into the industry almost by accident, what has kept him passionate over the years, and how the HVAC landscape has changed in both Australia and globally.

In this episode of the Trade Legends podcast, we sit down with Ryan O'Sullivan, founder of the Ry Group, to hear his honest and inspiring story—from struggling in school to building a successful multi-trade business with over 30 staff. Ryan talks about how he navigated early challenges with education, a derailed football career, and eventually found his place in the trades, starting with an apprenticeship at British Gas and launching his own company at just 20 years old.We dive into how the Ry Group grew from a one-man band to a full team of plumbers, electricians, gas engineers, and more. Ryan shares the highs and lows of scaling a business, including learning to delegate, managing staff, adapting to new tech, and staying profitable in a constantly changing industry. He also offers valuable advice for tradespeople looking to grow, whether you're just starting out or trying to scale up.This episode covers everything from mental health and work-life balance to exercise, family, and Ryan's future goals, including expanding the Ry Group nationwide and launching Trade Gains, a new platform to help tradespeople build better businesses.Packed with real insights, straight-talking advice, and a few laughs, this is a must-watch for anyone in the trades or thinking of going out on their own.

On this Trade Legends episode, we’re joined by two frontline officers from the Metropolitan Police to delve into the growing problem of tool theft across the UK. With thousands of tradespeople falling victim to stolen tools each year, we explore what the police are actually doing to tackle the issue. From unregulated car boot sales and organised criminal networks, to how forensic tool marking is leading to real convictions, we unpack the reality behind the headlines.We’re also joined by Clair from SelectaDNA, a leader in forensic marking technology, who explains how this innovative approach is helping trace and recover stolen tools and support successful prosecutions. This episode shows how tradespeople, police forces, local authorities and businesses can come together to fight back against tool theft and restore confidence in the system.

On this episode of the Trade Legends Podcast, we’re taking you inside the Houses of Parliament for an important and eye-opening conversation with Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Rob Jenrick, and trades campaigner Shoaib the Gas Expert. This episode marks a significant milestone in the fight against the tool theft epidemic, which continues to affect thousands of tradespeople across the UK. We sit down to discuss the scale of the problem, from tools being stolen from vans and homes to the shocking scenes at car boot sales where stolen equipment is openly sold. Rob Jenrick shares how he got involved in the campaign, what he’s seen firsthand, and how he’s working in Parliament to push for stronger laws, tougher enforcement, and real consequences for offenders.