By Innovative Tradies Club
The podcast currently has 71 episodes available.
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Jane Challinor, Chief of Strategy, Real Business Group.
Jane Challinor is one of Australia’s leading business advisors and trainers, with more than 30 years’ experience in business strategy, growth and execution across all industries ranging from motivated start-ups to working with businesses in excess of $100M turnover. She has founded, developed and sold over 12 successful businesses to date, using a proven methodology that has transformed hundreds of her clients’ businesses in Australia, USA and UK.
The foundation of Jane’s success lies in practical strategies that get results fast. At a certain stage of growth, many Tradie business owners find themselves caught in a classic bind between managing everyday operations and securing long-term, profitable growth. When you’re struggling through a sea of daily firefighting tasks, it’s easy to forget one uncomfortable truth: unless you have a business that can already work without you, it’s essentially worthless. Jane has an outstanding track record of helping company owners avoid this trap and secure a path to sustainable long-term growth and ongoing profitability.
Jane’s recipe for long-term success is simple, drive rapid iterative improvement across every operational aspect of the Tradie businesses, boosting customer loyalty and radically improving service and product quality along the way. Her clients often double or triple the profitability of their business in less than 12 months, without pressure on internal resources. She has a laser focus on strategy, with plans that keep business owners accountable and help them develop the skills they need to achieve their goals.
Jane’s depth of knowledge is unparalleled, with training in every area of business including sales, marketing, leadership, human resources, business strategy and finance. Whether it’s a start up or established business, Jane works with business owners to refine every detail from the ground up, to ensure the business is both efficient and profitable.
You will enjoy the insights that Jane shares around current and emerging trends impacting the industry and how these may be influencing Tradie businesses with great tips and tricks to encourage you and your business to be better prepared to build a stronger Tradie business foundation and set yourself up to be operating a spectacular and profitable Tradie business into the future.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Jane? email it to us at: [email protected]
We have the pleasure of having David McGarGill Managing Director, Luke Robertson Directors of Mortgages join us again for our first Toolbox Talk.
During our catch up in show #15 we discussed current trends impacting financial services and the real benefits of using experts in helping you with personalised solutions for your individual and business finance. Talk through the types of loans and services that will best meet your needs, some great tips and tricks to getting your personal and business finances in order. How change has transformed the finance industry and really focusing on the importance of setting up your finances from the very start.
During this show we really focus on the most current situation and the emerging trends in the financial environment.
Private Client Services Australia Pty Ltd is a well-established company with over 100 years of combined experience among the team. This experience will give you the satisfaction of knowing you are dealing with professionals who know their industry.
They have been assisting Tradie businesses, individuals and companies with their financing needs for over 15 years and have built a company with a compelling reputation that can be relied upon.
All Tradies that run their Tradie business need to hear what David has to share around the most current trends in the financial and loan market that might help you make better decisions on what steps you might want to take and encourage you to get advice that is best for you and your needs.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for David? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Craig Herden, Strategist De Jonge Read - Specialist Business Consultants. To start with Craig, explain how financial pressure can be debilitating. The stress, the pressure, the fear of losing everything - it can be hard to think clearly. The way forward can look so confusing, so many different unfamiliar terms and jargon, it can seem like people are talking a different language.
A Tradie businesses it is all about managing cashflow and this is one the biggest issues facing Tradie businesses when the working capital and cashflow is not as it should be and does lead into problems that can escalate quickly if not addressed.
Craig then goes into detail about how insolvency advice with De Jonge Read works when facing financial difficulties, it is important to get comprehensive advice that is practical enough to act on. We understand all the options you have available and will give you clear, independent, no-nonsense advice. Everything from small business debt restructuring, business restructures, creditor negotiations, liquidation, voluntary administrations to personal asset protection and bankruptcy – we can help you navigate the minefield of insolvency to ensure you get the best outcome possible.
It all starts with a conversation about what you want to achieve so a comprehensive strategy to address your individual circumstances can be tailor made – all at no upfront cost and with no obligation.
Dealing with insolvency matters can be like playing a game where everyone knows the rules except you. Our team are here to help level the playing field. We will guide you every step of the way and provide that personal support that people need when facing difficult circumstances.
All Tradies that run their Tradie business need to hear what Craig has to share business set up, business restructure, debt restructure and DOCA, controlled exit, informal negotiations, finance options and asset protection strategies. You will be impressed with the relaxed way Craig talks us through all the options and how and why they exist.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Craig? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Radmila Desic AM, Past NAWIC National Director and National Vice President, currently NAWIC QLD – Women on Tools and NAWIC Life Member and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day 2021 Honours List for her significant service to women in the construction industry, and to unemployed youth.
We have an outstanding catch up with Radmila (Rad) and start out hearing about Rad’s story about her journey as a Tradie in carpentry and joinery and the experiences she had as a woman in this Tradie environment. Rad shares the feeling of empowerment and positivity of seeing the results of the hard work as a Tradie on those job sites. As Rad matured during the trade apprenticeship and sharing her story with other women found many wished they had made similar decisions and didn’t realise it was an option and found so many thought it wasn’t a career for women and the start of her passion and motivation for driving positive change and encouraging more women to enter into building and construction careers.
Rad also shares how she and her husband come from non English speaking backgrounds and tradies who worked hard in the beginning before starting their family and Rad by choice leaving the trade to raise their family but stills holds the passion for the tools, trade and helping out family and friends still today. We talk about the amazing passion and commitment to voluntary work with NAWIC to make a real difference, opening more doors for women, encouraging women to take up the opportunities in Tradie roles, breaking down the stereotypes and advocating across government and industry in the mission of increasing participation.
Rad takes us through all the initiatives, support and activities that she and NAWIC are doing to promote, encourage and engage women into building and construction roles. We also talk about the mentoring and support that they are providing women and the diversity and culture initiatives to help change the fixed mindsets. They are also working with men in the trade with programs to help drive the change, diversity and create new thinking about the recruitment and support in being inclusive leaders in this important change program.
We cover to much to mention here, but promise you will love the insights Rad shares and you will find her passion, enthusiasm and energy is infectious. You will also quickly come to understand why she has been recognised with the Order of Australia medal earlier this year. If you are looking for a role-model in building and construction, you’ve just found it.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Radmila? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Suzi Cengarle Senior Associate of Bambrick Legal
Suzi shares her journey in various business roles that ultimately led to her completing her Law degree we briefly touch on the successful services Suzi has completed for her clients. For those of you thinking about studying as a mature aged student there is sure to be some inspiration from Suzi has to share.
When then focus on the Law and what that Bambrick legal as a firm covers all service including commercial and civil litigation. Suzi takes us through what these services are and why you might need to use them. We chat about migration law, family law, estate planning and Suzi explains that they cover all aspects of law.
We then look at the more specific needs of Tradies and the legal options for how you might need to consider setting up your business and the protections you need to consider to protect you and your assets. Bambrick give some specific options for how you might structure your business and protect assets in the event things go wrong. Suzi also shares how setting up the right paperwork and flow is important for Tradies including contracts and how you use these within your business including Terms & Conditions , employment contracts, Service contracts etc.
When then explore companies versus trusts and how this is a conversation you need to have to ensure you set up the business in a way that best meets your current and future needs. Bambrick legal cover the country and can help tradies with their individual and business needs as well as offering Innovative Tradies Club members with a great service. You will enjoy Suzi’s clear and relaxed insights into the law and how Bambrick Legal can help.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Suzi? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Matt Downie, Director and Founder of iElectrical and Communications
We have an excellent chat with Matt about his journey from apprentice electrician through to award winning business owner with iElectrical based in Adelaide, South Australia.
Matt talks about how he almost become a carpenter before accepting and apprenticeship with Watters Electrical who were the major sponsor of Matt’s Footy Club, Sturt at the time. We talk about how owning a business was something Matt always had the motivation and ambition to achieve and with the support of his wife decided to make the jump from employee to business owner. You will hear a familiar story of Matt subbying in the start for a few days a week as he built his own customer base and operating as a sole trader.
Matt shares the important lessons and experience he gained form Watters and the other Tradie businesses he worked with before making the jump and how his internal drive was a big factor in giving it a crack. iElectrical has been operating for just 5 years and currently employs 18 Tradies with a focus on 2 teams supporting Projects & Service.
Matt shares great insights into managing the current business environment, impacts to growth, supply chain and material costs in the current market. We spend time talking about the importance of people, recruiting, the right people and culture needed for iElectrical. Matt shares how nurturing and servicing the iElectrical customers needs are important to success and the team need to be able to bring value to those needs. Being organised, motivated, having pride and loving what they do have been a real key to identifying and bringing new employees into the business.
Matt continues to provide great insights into brand, image and social media as critical success factors for iElectrical and how this has evolved over the last 5 years. Matt and iElectrical has recently been recognised with Awards including Top 40 businesses under 40 and then awarded South Australia’s Top Sparky by the Advertiser News Group. Matt explains how these awards are really recognition of the entire team and that Jack their apprentice was awarded Apprentice of the Year in the recent NECA SA Awards of which Matt is most proud. Matt does share how these awards are good for building business confidence and creating awareness with clients and prospective clients.
If you are Tradie looking to start your own Tradie business or have been in business for a few years you will get some great tips, tricks and insights from what Matt has to share and sure to help you with Marketing, Branding, People, Customers, Relationships, Networking, Operations and even more.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Matt? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Tanya Meessmann, The Chief Executive Officer of UNIQ YOU Jack Hutchinson Associate Director at Hutchinson Builders and Mark Kucks National Indigenous Manager & Social Responsibility, Hutchinson Builders.
The theme for this one is around increasing the participation of women in building and construction trades careers. We get to understand what UNIQ YOU are setting out to achieve in supporting a pipeline for talented women to be attracted, recruited and trained in the trades of construction. UNIQ YOU has identified the current concerning participation numbers of women in construction and is addressing the early pipeline of young women by creating increased education and pathway programs with high school girls at 50 schools in SE Queensland in stage one, with the ambition to scale the rollout across the country. This initiative will connect with 600 – 2000 girls in year one and ramping up to over 10K into the near future.
We also hear about Hutchinson Builders and how they are fully invested in supporting this progress of more talented women into their organisation and what they are doing to correct this under representation of women in construction careers. They have recognised they can make a real difference and as a leader in the industry are committed to making this change real. Jack shares how he sees this approach more aligned to success than just applying a quota without being fully supported with the education and promotion of these career opportunities with young women.
Tanya explains how the UNIQ YOU platform is the key introduction for young women to peruse the advisors, mentors and career options they might like to explore and book in a call with an advisor to start the conversation and the beginning of an exciting journey in a Trades career. The value of the data uncovered in the process will also help UNIQ YOU to fine tune and improve the service and provide greater results as they better understand the needs.
We hear how great Partners like Hutchinson Builders are also critical to driving the ambition and providing the environment for more talented women to enter into the industry. Mark explains how Hutchies is committed to building this foundation to enable those women to enter into roles and building the pathways for them. Hutchies is running “Try Trades” days inviting schools to bring the student to visit sites and experience the opportunities on-site and the chance to get curious and ask lots of questions with some practical exercises to actually using the tools for those trades.
UNIQ YOU and their partners like Hutchinson Builders are opening doors for young women to be attracted to careers in building and construction and helping to build the pipeline to improve gender equality within the industry and improving the numbers of participation.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Tanya, Mark or Jack? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Genevieve Bruzzese, The Chief Operating Officer of “The Vaccaro Group“
Genevieve has a lifetime connection to the Vaccaro Group as she grew up within the family business started by her parents Sam and Rose Vaccaro. We hear about those early memories and experiences growing up in a family business environment. Genevieve trained as a Lawyer specialising in employment law and practiced law and policy advising at both state and federal levels. Genevieve shares how having experience in a family Tradie business gave her valuable experience when applying those insights into her role as an Employment Lawyer.
Genevieve talks us through the decision to join the family business and how this career change came about. Genevieve helps us understand the motivation and transformation she and Cameron have taken the Vaccaro Group through with a big focus on digitising processes to drive higher quality and productivity, improving communications within and outside of the business. Building the business around an operating system that helps to drive better processes, tracking, job management, accounting, transparency and customer satisfaction amongst many other business benefits.
We discus how Genevieve has taken Vaccaro Group through the ISO accreditation process in Quality and Health Safety and Environment. We gain insights as to why this accreditation is so important to the Vaccaro Group, to their employees and to their customers. As you will hear it is a thorough and detailed process in gaining the ISO accreditation that has significant advantages once it is achieved in ensuring constant quality improvement.
We move onto understanding how Vaccaro Group go about bringing value to their customers with a significant part of this is in being a “start to finish" approach that makes it easy for the Builder and the Home Owner with all the complexities of the build process. This includes electrical design, upgrades, connections, security, air conditioning, EV charging, home theatre, entertainment options plus more . Vaccaro Group have built quality process around all the steps from concept to completion, they take away all the worries.
Vaccaro Group are also committed to training their staff and we chat about what has been set up to ensure the team are skilled in all areas of the businesses offer and customers expectations. They also offer a design studio and design consultants who take the home owners through all the options and upgrade solutions they can consider for each of the spaces in the home or environment. We talk about V Design and the showroom experience that Vaccaro Group offer.
Genevieve provides a great insight into the journey Vaccaro Group have started and how many other Tradie businesses might need to consider as they strive to be relevant to their core customers and markets by creating a competitive advantage, being different to ways others try to operate. The industry is changing and simplifying, digitising and modernising processes and operations is key to long term success.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Genevieve? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Ben Fewtrell , Co-Founder of Max My Profit
Ben starts by telling us about how he started out as a Tradie in the automotive industry before spending some time trying to find the job and career that really excited and motivated him and the start of his learning in building and operating businesses.
In this show we speak with Ben to get a better understanding of what business coaching is and isn’t. Ben describes business coaching as similar to the personal trainer in a gym, business coaching set up the workout you need and holds you to account. That is the first key, business coaching is about accountability. The second key is that qualified business coaches have done it and they know the short cuts, they have an idea of what will work and what might not. Ben shares that there are many disciplines in business and the coach can work with you on them. An example is People, typically the biggest investment in your business and managing people is a skill in its self. Business coaches help you to hone those skills.
Ben does say that business coaching is not for everyone, If you don’t like being accountable, being open minded or have the right attitude, maybe just keep doing what you do as your job (Just Over Broke). Ben goes on to say business coaches don’t have to sell themselves to you but the other way around, why should they coach you and this is all about the mindset and attitude you are taking into the relationship. A business coach will challenge you, get you focused on your goals, want be there to tell you what you want to hear all the time and when your paying them, will be honest with you and keep your focus (Follow One Course Until Successful).
Ben tells us about the difference between business consulting and business coaching. The business consultant looks and tells with advice, whilst the business coach asks and challenges to help you learn and teaches you. Coaching is about challenging you, making you think, improve those skills that will build and grow a better business.
Ben then takes us through the attributes you should be looking for in finding a business coach, the high value of experience, don’t go for an industry specialist, someone you feel comfortable with that you get on with, a coach that has systems and resources you can access. Coaches that cover multiple disciplines, avoid group programs if you can avoid a one on one coach.
Ben then shares with us the more specific tips and trick for Tradies to consider in the fundamentals such as planning, financials, KPI’s, budgeting, cash flow forecasts the very basics. Then move onto to marketing and systems and structuring the business for growth. Ben then takes us through the advantages that Max My Profit can provide Tradies looking to engage with a coach and talks about The Business Exceleration® Coaching program supports you on your business growth journey like no other program. In addition to working one on one with your highly skilled Business Excelerator®, they’ve established a panel of trusted partners to help grow your business, created a detailed and comprehensive e-Learning platform and built a “members only” hub with hundreds of tools and resources making it easy for you to implement strategies as you go.
You will enjoy listening to Ben’s informative chat about business coaching providing some real clarity to help Tradies better understand the potential benefits of engaging a business coach.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Ben? email it to us at: [email protected]
In this show Ash & JW are joined by Harry Karefilakis, Managing Director, Kare Group Australia
Harry takes us through Kare Group Australia, a diverse Electrical Contracting business covering construction, service, Maintenance, electrical auditing, security and air conditioning. Harry gives us an early lesson on social media and how using the self described Electrical Extraordinaire and how this has been a springboard to engaging with more potential customers and converting them into clients. Harry shares how LinkedIn still allows organic reach as compared to other platforms that required paid advertising to get a greater reach. We talk about the early resilience that Harry developed before finally getting a chance to start in the industry and received a call from DESA to begin his journey as a sparky.
Harry was awarded the 2020 Winner Melbourne Young Entrepreneur and he takes us through the process that led to being honoured with this title. Harry shares his insights to what it takes to really make it in a Tradie business including hard work, networking, building strong relationships, learning, good people and marketing.
We explore the things that keep Harry awake at night and off course during the Covid lockdowns the real focus on his team of 34 and looking after them with rotating rosters and keeping them going. We also touch on recruitment and Harry shares his insights into attributes that Kare look for and their approach to find people that fit the Kare Group mold ,culture and values. You will hear Harry genuine passion for people and the value his places on his people. Harry invest time into training, supporting and learning for each of his team and shares these stories.
We explore what is happening when the business is performing at its best and what needs to happen to keep this growth and momentum going forward. Structure, organisation and process are the real keys to the success of the KARE Groups success. Process is at the core of everything they do and helps the team to deliver on the businesses needs and customers expectations. Harry shares his passion for business, how as an entrepreneur, he loves the game that is business, loves the challenge and winning. Harry gives an honest view of the challenges that those in the building and construction industry have created with many having cut-throat pricing strategies due to their lack of understanding and business acumen.
Harry tells us about his and Kare Groups “Why” and the rewards that have come from having clarity in the “Why”. We touch on leadership, people, authenticity, empathy, assessing success, processes, growth. You will enjoy Harry’s passion and entrepreneurial approach to business and an amazing focus on the value of his people.
Join us @ https://innovativetradies.club/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovativeTradies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativetradies/
Got a question for Harry? email it to us at: [email protected]
The podcast currently has 71 episodes available.