Tradies Success Podcast | Business Growth for Electricians, Plumbers, Builders & All Tradies

$90K loss in one year. Seven trucks three months later.

Jay Hogan went from the Australian Army to taking over his dad's struggling pressure cleaning business in Perth. When the main contract got slashed overnight, he pivoted to vacuum gutter cleaning and went all-in. Within three months he'd turned a $90K loss into a $50K profit — and now runs a team of seven trucks.

In this episode, Jay talks about what the military taught him about managing people, why not knowing his numbers nearly sank the business, and what changed when he stopped working in the business and started working on it.

Want to build a business that works without you? Learn more at tradies-success-academy.com

In this episode of the Tradies Success Podcast, Greg sits down with Tom Brennan from Calibre Electrical Group to unpack what it really looks like to go from skilled sparky to business owner, without burning out or spinning your wheels.

Tom shares his journey of starting an electrical business from scratch after moving to Sydney knowing almost no one, how he landed work in the early days, and the mindset shifts that helped him stop lying to himself about being “busy” and start building something sustainable.

They dive deep into:

- Why most sole traders delay hiring their first tradie (and what it’s really costing them)

- The difference between feeling busy and being genuinely profitable

- How better preparation, efficiency, and systems unlocked more billable hours - fast

- What changed immediately after Tom hired his first team member

- Why investing in yourself and your systems beats buying the next shiny van

This is a raw, honest conversation for electricians who want more than just staying flat out on the tools and are ready to build a business that actually supports their life.

If you’re a sparky thinking about hiring, scaling, or just doing things properly, this episode will hit home.

👉 Want to build a business that works without you? Learn more at tradies-success-academy.com

In this episode, Greg sits down with Tybias Smith, owner of Next Electrical Solutions, to talk about the reality of building a team — and how one wrong hire can quietly wreak havoc on your business.

Tybias opens up about a tough season in business: losing key staff, dealing with toxic team dynamics, marketing misfires, and the pressure of all this happening while preparing to welcome his first child. He shares the hard lessons learned from hiring mistakes, why people issues are often the most expensive problems in a trade business, and how tightening interview processes, setting clearer standards, and having tough conversations early can change everything.

This is an honest, grounded conversation about leadership, resilience, and learning the hard way — and why fixing the people problems is often the key to getting your business back on track.

If you’ve ever hired someone who looked great on paper but caused problems behind the scenes, this episode will hit close to home.

This is the first lesson from our Profitable Pricing Masterclass, free for Spotify listeners.
Inside, Greg walks you through the foundations every tradie needs to understand their numbers and make better decisions.
If you want access to the full Masterclass, visit the Tradies Success Academy website and chat with our team.

https://www.tradies-success-academy.com/

Most tradies think being flat out means they’re winning until they check the bank account.Jay was working six, sometimes seven days a week, chasing every job he could… but when tax time hit, his accountant told him he was $20K in the red.That’s when everything changed.In this episode, Greg chats with Jay about the reality behind “being busy” — the hidden costs, the false wins, and the moment he realised he wasn’t running a business… the business was running him.They unpack:💰 Why being booked out can actually kill your profit⚙️ The efficiency traps costing tradies thousands every year👷 How to hire smarter (not cheaper) and free up your time📈 The simple systems that turned Jay’s business aroundIf you’re flat out but still broke, this one’s for you.

👉 Want to build a business that works without you? Learn more at tradies-success-academy.com

Most tradies think working more hours means more profit — but as Nathaniel from Whitelock Electrical discovered, it’s actually about working smarter.

In this episode, Nathaniel joins Ali, TSA’s Accounting Coach, to unpack how he turned his service-based electrical business into a well-oiled, profitable machine — without burning out himself or his team.

Together, they break down the key systems and habits that separate a busy business from a profitable one, including:

✅ The real meaning of efficiency (and how to measure it)

✅ Scheduling and capacity management that protect profit and your team

✅ How to use your financial data as a feedback loop — not a fear trigger

✅ The Shopping List Pricing System in action

✅ Why investing in systems, software, and coaching pays off

If you’re a tradie trying to juggle the tools, quotes, and cash flow — this episode will help you find your rhythm, protect your margins, and scale with confidence.

🎧 Tune in to hear how small operational tweaks can create big financial wins.

_____________________________________________Trade business growth, tradie success, business efficiency for tradies, electrical business systems, pricing for tradies, Shopping List Pricing System, cost of operations, profitability in trades, grow your trade business, time freedom for tradies, service-based trades, Tradies Success Academy podcast, tradie coaching, operations and systems, business coaching for electricians.

Most tradies think waiting until they’re “ready” is the safe move.

But playing it safe is exactly what keeps you stuck on the tools and capped in growth.

In this episode, Andrew Hicks from Discover Electrical shares his raw journey of starting his electrical business with almost nothing, taking big risks when others told him not to, and building a culture that attracts the right people.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

🔧 Why Andrew chose to start Discover Electrical before he felt “ready”.

💡 How he hired his first tradesman with only 7 weeks’ wages saved.

👊 The risks, pressure, and overwhelm that came with backing himself.

👥 Why transparency and culture have been his biggest assets.

📈 How he went from one van to a growing team in just 18 months.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s safer to wait until you’re ready to hire, invest, or scale — this episode will show you why that mindset will keep you stuck.

👉 Want to build a business that works without you? Learn more at tradies-success-academy.com

This might be one of the most important videos I’ve made for the Academy.I’ve been talking to both sides:

✅ Members scaling fast (from $250K to $3M+ and even $11M+)

❌ And members who’ve cancelled because they’re “too busy” or “no money”.

What’s the difference? It’s not skill. It’s not luck. It’s awareness.

In this video, I break down:

• Why understanding your numbers is the first step to freedom
• How pricing mistakes and team inefficiency are secretly draining your profit
• What to track daily so your jobs and days actually make you money
• Why being "too busy" is usually the biggest red flag
• And how the Academy isn’t another cost — it’s your multiplier

If you feel stuck, broke, or burnt out — don’t run from this. Lean in. Watch this. Take notes. And commit to mastering what matters. Want to learn more? Let's go - https://www.tradies-success-academy.com/

From working out of a Mazda 3 with a paper diary to running a team with 5 vans, 3 A-grades, and a game-changing admin — Lani’s journey is a raw look at what it really takes to grow a trade business.

In this episode, Lani opens up about the setbacks of raising a young family while building a business, the mistakes she made with hiring, and the turning point that freed her up to actually scale.

She shares how culture, RDOs, and team bonding have helped her keep staff for 4+ years, why finding the right admin changed everything, and how she’s now building a business that supports both her crew and her life as a present parent.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the grind or guilty about choosing between family and business, Lani’s story proves that change is possible with the right support and systems.

• Learn more about the Tradies Success Academy ⁠here⁠

• ⁠Book your free strategy session⁠ with one of our expert coaches

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When Todd first joined the Academy, he was at breaking point — burnt out, buried in admin, and stuck on the tools.

For 10 years, he worked himself into the ground, thinking hard work alone would create freedom. It didn’t.

In this episode, Todd shares how he went from exhaustion to expansion by making key hires, putting in systems, and learning the real cost of cheap labour.

From understanding his cost of operations to mastering recruitment ads with AI, Todd reveals the mindset and operational changes that bought him his time back, and how he’s now testing his business by stepping away for four weeks.

Whether you’re stuck doing it all yourself, worried about hiring, or afraid to raise your prices, Todd’s story will show you what’s possible when you put the right people, systems, and mindset in place.

• Learn more about the Tradies Success Academy here

• Book your free strategy session with one of our expert coaches

Follow the crew on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.