What if the thing holding your business back isn’t your team, but how you’re leading them? Mick Scotney, ex-sparky now CEO & Founder of Awakened Business, shares what it really takes to build a team that runs without you doing all the thinking. He unpacks how to step out of the daily grind and into true leadership, from letting go of control to building systems that support growth. Mick scaled his business from two to over eighty staff by focusing on people, culture and structure, creating a team that could thrive without him in every detail.

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From chemistry labs to high-vis on-site, Reece’s path into the trades was anything but typical. Now running one of Australia’s most unique trade businesses, Wardrobe Refractories, he’s navigating emergency breakdowns, tight compliance, and the challenge of building trust with casual crews. With a clear focus on shifting from self-employed to true business owner, Reece shares how systems, structure, and mindset are helping him lead with more clarity and control.

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When Tyson Blanch bought the business, he knew it had potential, but he didn’t expect it to grow so fast. In this episode, Nic and Tyson talk through the journey from solo tradie to team leader, building a thriving workshop with multiple staff and more freedom at home. Tyson reflects on the power of asking for help early, leading with vulnerability, and learning to step back so others can step up. It’s an honest look at what it really takes to grow a business that works for you, not the other way around.

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Finance broker Anthony Hopson from Urban Broker brings a unique perspective to money management, blending his background in banking with breathwork to help tradies shift how they think and feel about money. Nic chats with Anthony about why brokers can offer more flexible options for self-employed clients and how unspoken beliefs about money, often formed in childhood, can lead to stress, poor decisions or conflict. They talk about breathwork as a tool for emotional regulation, especially in business, and how grounding yourself can lead to clearer thinking, better lending outcomes and healthier money habits.

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What if the biggest thing holding your business back isn’t your pricing, team, or strategy.. but your mindset? Nic chats with mindset coach Di Russell about the real reason many tradies feel stuck even when they’re doing all the “right” things. Di shares her personal story of rebuilding after loss, running a multi-state business, and the lessons she’s learned about self-worth, identity, and success. This episode will challenge and encourage you to rethink what success actually looks like and how to build a trade business that brings more joy, not just stress.

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After four decades in the trade, Miles knows a thing or two about building a business that lasts. Nic chats with Miles about his journey from apprentice to owner of Astley Electrical, and the lessons learned along the way, from business partner breakups to leading a values-driven family team. They unpack the systems, culture, and mindset that make up “The Astley Way,” and why professionalism, respect, and continual learning matter just as much as technical skill. Whether you're stepping off the tools or planning for your legacy, this one’s full of real-world wisdom for every tradie in business.

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If you’ve ever felt like your brain’s a chaotic mix of too many ideas, unfinished tasks, and caffeine-fueled energy bursts, you’re not broken. You might just be wired differently. And that can be a massive advantage. Skye Waterson from Unconventional Organisation knows this first hand. Diagnosed with ADHD while completing her PhD, she’s since helped business owners across the world turn that chaos into clarity with tools that actually work for neurodiverse brains. In this episode, you’ll learn how to spot the signs of ADHD (even without a diagnosis), why traditional advice often fails business owners with ADHD, and how to build focus, routines, and team systems that actually stick.

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Struggling to make sense of online marketing for your trade business? In this episode, Nic chats with Brandon Willington, from Where U, who breaks down his no-fluff approach to digital marketing using his 3Cs method—Clicks, Conversion, and Conversation. From setting up ads on Meta and Google to building landing pages that actually convert, Brandon shares practical tips for tradies who want real results without wasting cash. They also chat about CRMs, AI tools, and why you don’t need a big agency—or even your face on camera—to succeed online.

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Nic and Waz sadly see too many couples who are disconnected, join them as they explore how this happens and share their tips on finding your way back

TWL038 re-run

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Nic and Waz talk through how a job title can help your parnter begin to understand how much you do within your tradie wife role.

TWL036 re-run

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