Explore every episode of the podcast The Site Shed | #1 Podcast For Tradies & Contractors
Dive into the complete episode list for The Site Shed | #1 Podcast For Tradies & Contractors. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Can You Deliver What You Sold? | ft. Nathan Owen | Ep. 516
15 Sep 2026
00:39:28
Can You Deliver What You Sold? | ft. Nathan Owen | Ep. 516
Winning a building job creates a promise. The quote and contract matter, but so do the conversations, timeframes and expectations set before the client signs. Matt Jones sits down with Nathan Owen from Ground Floor Building Coach to unpack the costly gap between what a builder sells and what the team can actually deliver.
Nathan shares practical ways to document pre-contract changes, separate them from post-contract variations, plan realistic labour and lead times, and keep clients and subcontractors informed when things shift. You’ll also hear why software cannot fix a broken process, how small schedule milestones expose problems earlier, and why the client’s experience is the real test of the promise you made.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 02:06 - Meet Nathan Owen 02:51 - The Sales-Delivery Disconnect 04:16 - How Expectations Become Scope 06:26 - Build a Variation Procedure 11:00 - Pre-Contract Changes vs Variations 13:09 - Document Every Agreement 15:15 - Capture Every Client Conversation 17:12 - Carry Changes Into Delivery 18:43 - Build Systems Before Automation 21:30 - Stop Repeating Mistakes 22:14 - The Risk of Time Creep 24:24 - Plan Labour and Lead Times 26:43 - Communicate Delays Immediately 31:54 - Build Time Buffers In 33:15 - Manage Work Through Micro Goals 36:10 - Keep Subcontractors Informed 38:29 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Nathan Owen Nathan Owen is the founder of Ground Floor Building Coach and has around 30 years of construction experience, including nearly 10 years running his own residential building business. He now coaches Australian builders to strengthen the systems, communication and commercial thinking behind the building work.
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Stop Cutting Headcount: Fix the Bottlenecks Draining Your Profit | ft. Nils Vesk | Ep. 515
08 Sep 2026
01:01:17
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
When margins tighten, cutting staff can feel like the fastest way to steady the business. But if your best people are sitting behind broken handovers, unclear scopes and clunky processes, reducing headcount does not fix the cause. It makes the same bottlenecks harder to carry. Matt Jones sits down with Nils Vesk from Ideas With Legs to unpack a more resourceful way to lower costs and protect profit without damaging your team or reputation.
Nils explains how to run a friction hunt, diagnose behavioural, logistical and environmental causes, and turn the knowledge in your head into processes the whole team can improve. You will also hear his SCRAMBLE framework for generating practical alternatives, why substitution should come before elimination, and how to turn every mistake into a checklist, script, photo guide or training asset. If the business feels busy but the margin says otherwise, this conversation will help you find what is actually getting in the way.
🎥 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/rzyCL6nOQo8
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:56 - Meet Nils Vesk 03:23 - Finding Hidden Business Bottlenecks 04:37 - Cutting Costs Without Cutting People 07:03 - Create Your Own Economy 11:05 - Focus on Higher-Margin Work 14:52 - Substitute Before You Eliminate 15:43 - Run a Team Friction Hunt 26:01 - Becoming a Resourceful Tradie 31:18 - Leverage What You Already Have 36:18 - Solve Causes, Not Symptoms 37:41 - Three Types of Root Cause 41:48 - Shift Your Business Perspective 43:32 - The SCRAMBLE Thinking Framework 46:16 - Get Knowledge Out of Your Head 48:12 - Document and Improve Processes 57:12 - Turn Mistakes Into Assets 01:02:07 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Nils Vesk
Nils Vesk is an innovation expert, author and the founder of Ideas With Legs. He helps organisations identify bottlenecks, improve processes and turn practical ideas into stronger commercial results. His work spans global brands and trade businesses, giving him a clear view of how resourcefulness can improve output while reducing unnecessary cost.
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Google Just Made Your Leads More Expensive (And Nobody Told You) | ft. Ethan Carter | Ep. 514
01 Sep 2026
00:45:58
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/yt
Google changed how target-based bidding behaves, and an account that looks completely normal could quietly produce fewer leads at a higher cost. Matt Jones sits down with Ethan Carter, Ads Specialist and Account Manager at Tradie Web Guys, to explain the August 17 change, why campaigns marked “Limited by budget” carry the most exposure, and how a gap between your target cost per lead and your actual result can now work against you.
They break down a real $1,000-a-day plumbing account, the three checks to run inside Google Ads, and five possible responses, from resetting targets to changing bidding strategies or increasing budget. You will also learn why a cheap lead is meaningless without your close rate and job value, what to ask your agency, and why the worst response is leaving the account to drift.
🎥 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/g43-VItf72Q
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 02:06 - Google Changed the Rules 03:10 - Meet Ethan Carter 03:49 - A Real Trade Business Example 06:00 - The New Target CPA Behaviour 07:53 - Which Campaigns Are Affected 11:02 - The Limited by Budget Risk 15:32 - A $1,000-a-Day Case Study 17:10 - Monitor Before You React 21:44 - Three Checks for Exposure 27:21 - Option One: Reset the Target 28:52 - Work Backwards From Job Value 31:54 - Alternative Bidding Strategies 35:27 - When More Budget Makes Sense 36:27 - The Cost of Doing Nothing 40:13 - What to Check This Week 42:21 - What to Ask Your Agency 43:31 - Know Your True Acquisition Cost 46:25 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Ethan Carter Ethan Carter is an Ads Specialist and Account Manager at Tradie Web Guys, where he manages paid advertising campaigns for trade and contractor businesses. He works directly with campaign data, bidding strategies and lead costs to help clients generate profitable opportunities rather than simply buying more traffic.
Want help understanding what this change means for your campaigns? 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/yt
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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AI Can't Fix Your Fractured Business | ft. Matt Jones | Ep. 513
30 Aug 2026
00:29:37
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Every tradie and contractor is being sold an AI robot to answer their phones right now, and most of them are about to waste their money. Matt Jones goes solo on this one to explain why the missed call was never the real problem. Leads do not die on the phone, they die in your inbox, and bolting AI onto a fractured system just helps you lose jobs faster.
Matt covers where AI genuinely wins for trade businesses, speed to lead, after hours call capture and inward facing reminders that push humans to follow up, and where it consistently backfires, deep qualification, quoting and papering over a sales process that was never properly defined. He then maps the full lead management flow the agency runs with clients, capture, respond, pursue, qualify and nurture, including the Sydney solar business that went from 2% to 77% conversion once humans went back on the phones. If someone has told you AI is the answer, listen before you sign up to anything.
🎥 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/EFsiq892xlE
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:40 - The AI Robot Pitch Every Tradie Hears 02:32 - Leads Die in Your Inbox 03:29 - Where AI Wins: Speed to Lead 04:53 - After Hours Call Capture 05:33 - Follow Ups and the Eighth Touch 06:41 - Where AI Backfires: Deep Qualification 08:25 - Quoting Chaos and Price Shock 09:27 - Why a Broken Process Stays Broken 11:03 - Solar Case Study: 2% to 77% 13:07 - Mapping Your Critical Client Flow 15:29 - Capture: Every Lead Into a CRM 16:55 - Respond: The Five Minute Rule 18:26 - Pursue: Twice a Day for Five Days 22:00 - Qualify: The Discovery Call 24:28 - Nurture: Useful, Relevant, Frequent 27:03 - Get Your Impact Roadmap 28:37 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Host: Matt Jones
Matt Jones is the founder of Tradie Web Guys and the host of The Site Shed. He works with tradies and contractors every day on the sales and marketing systems that turn leads into booked jobs. This episode is a straight read of what the agency sees working and failing across client accounts right now.
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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You're the CEO of Your Health (Most Men Find Out Too Late) | ft. Dr. Stephen Sanders | Ep. 512
18 Aug 2026
00:49:16
You're the CEO of Your Health (Most Men Find Out Too Late) | ft. Dr. Stephen Sanders | Ep. 512
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
You can run a business on four hours sleep, servo food and caffeine for a while. Then your body sends the invoice. Matt Jones sits down with Dr. B. Stephen Sanders, founder of Whole Men's Health, a physician who hit the wall himself in his late 30s with brain fog, fatigue and low libido at the exact point his career and family life were going well. His conclusion after ten years in primary care and years running men's health clinics is blunt. Most blokes normalise exhaustion until their performance, their relationships or their health force the issue.
Stephen breaks down the foundations that drive about 80 per cent of the result, which are sleep, nutrition and training, then covers what baseline blood work should actually include and how to read testosterone labs alongside symptoms instead of chasing a script. Matt and Stephen get into magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, omega 3s and creatine, why there is no one size fits all nutrition plan, the 3pm crash, peptides, and why trying to fix ten things at once collapses after 30 days. If you have been using your age as the excuse, this conversation takes it off you.
🎥 Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/6seUic6paUw
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:49 - Meet Dr. Stephen Sanders 02:41 - The Wall He Hit in His Late 30s 04:08 - Why the 40s Hit Different 07:13 - Ageing Is Not an Excuse 11:28 - Training at 40 Versus 20 12:53 - The Foundations Are 80 Percent 16:20 - Relationships and Mindset 18:14 - Sleep, Training and Nutrition 19:33 - There Is No One Size Fits All 22:58 - Supplements Worth Taking 27:07 - Get Baseline Blood Work 30:11 - Testosterone, TRT and Symptoms 31:43 - The 3pm Crash 35:02 - You Are the CEO of Your Health 36:21 - Habits Beat 30 Day Sprints 43:16 - Health Scares and Second Chances 46:14 - Phones, Kids and Presence 49:21 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Stephen Sanders Dr. B. Stephen Sanders is a board certified family medicine physician and the founder of Whole Men's Health, with clinics in Florida and Alabama plus nationwide telehealth. He spent his first ten years in traditional primary care before hitting his own wall in his late 30s, then rebuilt himself from the inside out. He now works with entrepreneurs, business owners and high performing men on energy, hormones, recovery and long term vitality. Husband and father of four.
Website: https://www.wholemenshealth.com Work with Dr. Sanders: https://www.wholemenshealth.com/provider/b-stephen-sanders-md-mph LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephensandersmd
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
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Most plumbing businesses are losing jobs before the technician even picks up a wrench — because they're selling when they should be diagnosing. Matt Jones sits down with Chris Fresh from The Plumbing Sales Coach to break down why the traditional hard sell is costing trade businesses revenue, reputation, and repeat customers. Chris spent seven years inside a plumbing operation — first as a customer who hated the experience, then as the person who rebuilt it from the inside. Now he coaches hundreds of plumbing companies across the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK on a service-first approach that's turned $238 average tickets into $1,400-plus.
This episode unpacks Chris's four-step diagnosing framework (symptom, cause, connections, and what else works just like it) and the three-option system that's pushing some of his clients past 96% close rates without a single pressure tactic. You'll hear why every call should trace from the fixture to the main, how to present repair-replace-upgrade options that let the customer decide, and why call-out fees become irrelevant when your conversion rate is high enough. If you've ever wondered how to increase your average ticket without feeling like a used car salesman, this one's worth your time.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:54 - Meet Chris Fresh 02:37 - Looking for Problems Is Your Obligation 07:31 - Maximising Customer Lifetime Value 09:23 - Unreasonable Hospitality in Plumbing 12:22 - The Four-Step Diagnosing Framework 14:25 - Natural Progression vs Checklists 16:40 - Photo-Based Diagnosing Process 19:16 - Increasing Average Ticket Size 21:26 - Spend More to Win the Customer 23:49 - The Seventy Thousand Dollar Lifetime Value 25:24 - When Customer Retention Falls Away 29:04 - Lessons from Car Dealerships 34:18 - The Call-Out Fee Debate 35:34 - Fixing Conversions With the Three-Option System 41:31 - Memberships That Actually Work 45:04 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Chris Fresh Chris Fresh is the founder and CEO of The Plumbing Sales Coach, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. A former carpenter turned home service operator, he spent seven years running and rebuilding a plumbing business before launching a coaching programme that now works with hundreds of plumbing companies across the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. His approach centres on diagnosing over selling and giving customers the information they need to make their own decisions.
Most trade business owners are running flat out, grinding through 12-hour days, and wondering why nothing ever seems to get easier. Matt Jones sits down with Matthew Jones from Cube Performance to unpack why no business will ever outperform the person running it.
Drawing on 35 years in the business space — including running his own plumbing business and coaching thousands of trade business owners — Matthew lays out the real reason so many owners hit a ceiling: they've accidentally become the engine of their business instead of its architect.
This episode breaks down the Personal Operating System — a structured approach to protecting the three things that matter most: energy, focus, and priorities. You'll hear practical takeaways like auditing your sleep for seven and a half hours a night, scheduling 30 minutes of movement daily, blocking deep work into your calendar three times a week, and identifying the one question your team keeps asking you (because that's where your biggest dependency sits). If you've ever told yourself you're "too busy" to work on the business, this conversation will challenge that — and give you a framework to change it.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 03:15 - Meet Matt Jones: Cube Performance 05:35 - Why Owners Neglect Themselves 06:40 - Running A Business Is Brutal 08:57 - The Personal Operating System 09:54 - Why You Need To Step Away 11:23 - More Hours Is Not The Answer 19:10 - Energy, Focus And Priorities 22:58 - Sleep As The Foundation 29:28 - Food, Supplements And Balance 34:44 - Movement As Non-Negotiable 36:09 - Clear Start And Finish Times 39:16 - Focus As Competitive Advantage 41:38 - The Pomodoro Deep Work Hack 48:08 - Finding Your Vital Few Priorities 60:42 - Three Audits To Start Tomorrow 65:33 - Cube Performance's Annual Conference 67:06 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Matthew Jones Matthew Jones is the founder of Cube Performance and the Institute of Trade Professionals, based in Australia. A former plumber turned business coach, he's spent over 20 years helping trade business owners shift from being enslaved by their business to building operations that run without them. His background includes working with Olympic athletes in sprint kayaking, and he brings that same performance-driven discipline to business coaching.
80% of businesses that go up for sale never actually sell. Shayne Connolly is one of the ones who did, and even he wasn't ready for what came after. He thought he'd be popping champagne. Instead, on the day the money hit the bank, he says he's never felt so deflated in his life.
In this episode, Matt Jones sits down with Shayne Connolly, a returning guest who spent the last few years turning his trade business into something he could actually sell, then went through the process of doing exactly that. Shane walks through the mindset shift from "business owner" to "asset owner," why the emotional side of exiting gets ignored in favour of the mechanics, what he wishes he'd asked himself before signing anything, and why he's now building a platform to help other owners see the asset sitting in front of them before it's too late to plan for it.
45:11 - The First Chapter Is: Do You Really Want This?
46:26 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Shayne Connolly built his trade business into a genuine asset, one that could run without him, then sold it to a trusted team member rather than going through a broker. He's the author of Exit Plan and is now building OwnerHQ, a platform designed to help business owners understand the real value of what they've built and plan their exit long before they need one.
Being good at your trade is the price of entry now, not the point of difference. Every customer already assumes you can do the job, so it's the stuff underneath that decides whether they hire you, refer you, or quietly go looking elsewhere. Matt Jones sits down with Justin Herald, entrepreneur, speaker and the man behind Service Rebellion, to unpack the eight things every customer is silently weighing up every time they deal with a trade business, most of which have nothing to do with how good the work actually is.
Justin built his first business on a $50 loan and $1.25 in the bank, grew it into a licensed brand sold in more than 180 companies worldwide, and has spent the years since studying why customers stay loyal to some businesses and quietly vanish from others. In this one you'll get the eight invisible evaluations customers make (importance, emotion, expectation, effort, certainty, understanding, personalisation and consistency), the phone call that cost four different trade businesses a job before they even picked up, and the emotional bank account concept that decides whether your business survives its next stuff-up. If a technically brilliant job still isn't winning you repeat customers, this is the missing piece.
About the Guest: Justin Herald Justin Herald is an entrepreneur, speaker and the author of nine books, including his latest, Service Rebellion. He built his first business, the Attitude clothing brand, from a $50 loan into a licensed brand sold in every country through more than 180 companies, before selling it and moving into speaking and writing full time. He now speaks at more than 100 conferences a year and works with businesses, plenty of them trades, on the customer experience standards that keep clients loyal and referring.
Most tradies can tell you their hourly rate and their material margins off the top of their head. Ask what it actually costs them to take a card payment, and you get a shrug. That shrug is where the money leaks. Matt Jones sits down with Jimmy Moore from FLO Business Solutions to pull apart the machinery behind every transaction: where your fees really go, why the "3.4%" on your statement is often the least of your worries, and how proprietary software quietly inflates what you pay year after year.
Jimmy has worked with more than 20,000 businesses and helps oversee over a billion dollars in annual processing volume, so he knows exactly where trade business owners bleed cash. You'll learn how to work out your true effective rate in under two minutes, the three compliant ways to pass fees on to customers without copping a fine, and why chargebacks and "friendly fraud" might be costing you 2 to 4% of revenue a year. If you take card payments, and you do, this one pays for itself.
About the Guest: Jimmy Moore Jimmy Moore is the driving force behind FLO Business Solutions in Columbia, South Carolina, where he helps field-service businesses get paid compliantly, at a fair cost, without the fee creep. Across his career he's worked with more than 20,000 businesses and helps oversee over a billion dollars in annual processing volume. He knows the payments world from the inside, which is exactly why he's good at spotting where trade business owners overpay.
There is no shortage of people online telling you to let AI answer your phones. Matt Jones reckons it is quietly costing tradies jobs, and he has tested it enough to know. Matt sits down with Shelby Anderson from ServiceForge to unpack why a panicked customer with a flooded basement does not want to talk to a bot, and why the human touch still wins when it comes to closed jobs. They dig into where AI genuinely helps, where it falls over, and why so many trade businesses are leaving money on the table every time a call slips to voicemail.
You will walk away knowing how to qualify leads without burning your own hours, why the KPI most owners chase is the wrong one, and how to get your call handling ready for seasonal surges before they hit. Shelby breaks down what ServiceForge actually does with 24/7 live answering, booking and lead qualification, and Matt runs the old model versus new model maths on why a full-time in-house receptionist rarely stacks up. If you have ever lost a job to a missed call, this one is for you.
About the Guest: Shelby Anderson Shelby Anderson is the Operations Leader at ServiceForge, an all-in-one service provider that helps trade and home service businesses get found, get booked and get paid. Based in Texas, her team handles 24/7 live answering, booking and payment solutions so no call goes unanswered and no opportunity is missed. She is passionate about building reliable customer experiences that turn inbound demand into booked jobs.
60% of business transitions fail — and it's rarely the tax strategy that kills them. The real culprit is the stuff nobody wants to talk about: unclear expectations, poor communication, and the relationships between the people involved. Matt Jones sits down with Andrea Carpenter from The Transition Strategists to unpack why so many family business successions fall apart, and what trade business owners can do to make sure theirs doesn't.
Whether you're thinking about stepping back in 2 years or 20, Andrea breaks down the three generations of transition thinking, the Transition Compass tool, and why starting the conversation 7 to 10 years out isn't too early — it's just smart. If you've ever thought about selling, handing down, or stepping away from your business, this one's for you.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 00:55 - The Site Shed Hits 500 Episodes 02:00 - Meet Andrea Carpenter 02:20 - What Is a Business Transition? 03:20 - Internal vs External Transition Options 04:10 - Why Trade Businesses Are Now Sellable Assets 07:00 - The Real Reason Transitions Fail 10:30 - Transition 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 Explained 14:00 - Fairness vs Equality in Family Business 19:00 - Designing the Transition With Your Successor 22:00 - The Transition Compass Tool 26:00 - How to Start the Conversation Early 30:00 - Working Yourself Out of Your Own Role 33:00 - How Long a Transition Really Takes 37:00 - Why 75% of Owners Regret Selling 41:00 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Andrea Carpenter Andrea Carpenter is the founder of The Transition Strategists and specialises in business succession and transition planning. She works with family-owned and privately held businesses — including trade and home service operators — to help owners design exits that actually work. Her focus is the human side of transition: the relationships, conversations, and structures that determine whether a handover succeeds or falls apart.
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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The Secret AI Weapon Top Contractors Are Using Right Now | ft. Paul Redman | Ep. 504
23 Jun 2026
00:42:21
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Your customers are already using ChatGPT to research contractors before they ever call you, and if you're not showing up in those results, you're handing jobs to your competitors.
In this episode, Matt Jones sits down with Paul Redman from Contractor Commerce to break down exactly how AI is reshaping the quoting and lead generation process for tradies worldwide. Discover the tools and strategies top contractors are using right now to get found, build trust online, and close more work without ever picking up the phone.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:54 - Meet Paul Redman 02:23 - The Shift in Consumer Behavior 03:04 - Overcoming the Fear of Online Pricing 04:17 - The Growth of Contractor Commerce 06:22 - Positioning Yourself as the Go-To Expert 09:29 - The Strategy of Upfront Pricing 11:56 - Improving Conversion Rates with Transparency 14:07 - Competitive Pricing vs. Dealership Models 16:45 - Shifting KPIs for Better Business Results 19:02 - The Impact of AI and LLMs on Search 22:01 - Optimizing for AI Search Results 25:16 - AI as the Ultimate Virtual Salesperson 28:45 - The Future of High-Touch vs. AI Interactions 33:23 - The Value of Human Connection in Sales 37:46 - Educating Customers Through Transparent Pricing 41:43 - Closing Remarks and Resources
About the Guest: Paul Redman Paul Redman is the founder of Contractor Commerce, a platform that helps home service businesses and contractors sell fully installed pricing, memberships, and services directly online, including through AI-powered buying journeys on their websites. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Paul grew up around the trades and has spent years helping contractors adapt to the shift in consumer behaviour, from in-home sales to fully digital, self-serve purchasing experiences. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-j-redman/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Build It Like You're Selling It, Even If You Never Will | ft. Greg McElroy & Jon Fisk | Ep. 503
16 Jun 2026
00:36:01
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
📲 Watch On YouTube! https://youtu.be/6q0pRBBdreU
🎙 About Our Guest: Greg McElroy and Jon Fisk Greg McElroy and Jon Fisk, co-founders of CrystalLIQ, have each built and sold multiple trade-based businesses. Greg learned his hardest lesson as part-owner of a $48M-revenue business that went into liquidation because nobody knew their numbers. Together they help tradies install the financial systems and accountability frameworks that stop growth from destroying a business from the inside out.
CONNECT WITH GREG & JON Greg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-mcelroy-45aa90214/ Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanfisk/ Website: https://www.crystalliq.com.au/
CONNECT WITH THE SITE SHED! Website: https://www.thesiteshed.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSiteShed?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesiteshed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesiteshed/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-site-shed/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
You Don't Know Your Numbers; That's Why You're Broke | ft. Greg McElroy & Jon Fisk | Ep. 502
09 Jun 2026
00:42:38
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
More jobs, more staff, more revenue; and you're still growing broke?
In Part 2 of our CrystalLIQ series, Matt sits down with Greg and John to expose why scaling without financial systems is the fastest way to destroy your trade business. Learn why your P&L is the only scoreboard that matters, how to spot the traps before they bankrupt you, and the accountability framework that separates profitable tradies from busy ones.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:57 - Growth Traps and the Scaling Dilemma 04:42 - Case Study: High Revenue vs. High Debt 07:41 - The Foundation: Accurate P&Ls 10:48 - Financial Literacy for Business Owners 14:03 - The Profit First Business Model 17:41 - Dangers of Hands-off Bookkeeping 21:02 - Building Truth in Numbers 22:31 - Hiring and Strategic Capacity 25:21 - Employee Scorecards and Outcomes 27:54 - Accountability and the Business Entity 30:34 - Example: Managing New Inquiries 32:58 - The Reality of Rapid Growth 35:22 - Key Takeaways and Margin Focus 39:02 - Adjusting Pricing During Scaling 41:22 - Strategic Outlook and Culture 42:39 - Wrap-up and Next Episode Tease
📲 Watch the video version! https://youtu.be/kEyXMAtLMg4
🎙 About Our Guest: Greg McElroy and Jon Fisk Greg McElroy and Jon Fisk, co-founders of CrystalLIQ, have each built and sold multiple trade-based businesses. Greg learned his hardest lesson as part-owner of a $48M-revenue business that went into liquidation because nobody knew their numbers. Together they help tradies install the financial systems and accountability frameworks that prevent growth from harming a business internally.
CONNECT WITH GREG & JON Greg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-mcelroy-45aa90214/ Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanfisk/ Website: https://www.crystalliq.com.au/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Your Business Is Running You (And You Don't Even Know It) | ft. Greg McElroy & Jon Fisk | Ep. 501
02 Jun 2026
00:41:55
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Most tradies think they own a business, but the business owns them, dictating every waking hour and every skipped family event.
In this episode, Matt sits down with Greg and John from CrystalLIQ to unpack why your business is running you into the ground, how you became the bottleneck without realising it, and the exact moment you need to step out of the operator's seat and into the owner's chair.
If you've ever felt like your business would collapse without you, that's not dedication, that's the problem. This episode tells you how to fix it.
Key Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 01:52 - Meet the Guests: Greg and John 02:22 - Overview of the Three-Part Series 06:45 - The Reality of Running a Mid-Sized Business 07:49 - Transitioning from a Job to a Business Mindset 09:53 - The Importance of Systems as You Scale 11:54 - Identifying When a Business Becomes Unstuck 15:05 - Re-deploying Business Owner Time and Focus 18:14 - Frameworks and Tools for Empowerment 20:18 - Structural Mapping for Future Growth 24:33 - The Owner’s Responsibility to Educate Themselves 28:23 - Adapting Systems to Support Growth 30:52 - Defining Success Based on Owner Goals 33:14 - Creating a Happy and Professional Work Environment 36:42 - Practical Tips for Reducing Burnout 38:16 - Documenting Friction Points for Future Clarity 40:12 - The Role of Technology and Proper Implementation 41:45 - Final Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up
🎙️ About Our Guests: Greg McElroy And Jon Fisk Greg McElroy built his plumbing business from the ground up at 21, one ute, one apprentice, and spent 40 years scaling it into a sale-ready operation before exiting. Now a strategic advisor at CrystalLIQ and current president of the Master Plumbers Association of NSW, Greg brings a no-bullshit, been-on-the-tools perspective to helping tradies build businesses that actually work without them.
Jon Fisk is a career entrepreneur who's founded, scaled, and exited companies across tech, solar, and engineering, including a renewable energy business recently acquired by a global investor, marking his fourth successful exit. As founder and lead consultant at CrystalLIQ, Jon specialises in pulling business owners out of the operator seat and into the CEO chair before they burn out completely.
CONNECT WITH GREG & JON Greg's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-mcelroy-45aa90214/ Jon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanfisk/ Website: https://www.crystalliq.com.au/
CONNECT WITH THE SITE SHED! Website: https://www.thesiteshed.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSiteShed?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesiteshed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesiteshed/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-site-shed/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
The Lies Keeping Tradies Broke: What 500 Episodes Taught Me | Ep. 500 SPECIAL
26 May 2026
00:33:45
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
500 episodes! Can you believe it? Since February 2016, this channel has been a journey, and it's clear that to truly achieve business success, you need more than just skill.
This episode emphasises the critical role of visibility and effective business strategy in winning jobs, reminding us that the best tradie doesn't always win; the most visible one does.
If your business runs on word-of-mouth, your memory, or manual processes, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about running a trade business.
00:00 - Introduction 02:11 - Reflection on 500 Episodes 03:54 - Host Background and Podcast Mission 05:28 - Global Ranking and Industry Observations 08:03 - Truth \#1: Visibility Wins Over Quality Alone 11:10 - Truth \#2: The Owner as the Business Bottleneck 14:10 - Truth \#3: Systems are for Survival at Any Size 17:39 - Truth \#4: Hiring Issues are Leadership Problems 21:54 - Truth \#5: Embracing Technology and AI 28:30 - Future Outlook and Industry Opportunities 30:30 - Closing Thanks and Trading Academy Invitation
CONNECT WITH THE SITE SHED! Website: https://www.thesiteshed.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSiteShed?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesiteshed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesiteshed/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-site-shed/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Too Stubborn to Use AI? You'll Be Stuck Working Until You're 70 | ft. Troy Dean | Ep. 499
19 May 2026
00:48:27
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
AI isn't coming for your trade business; it's already here, and the tradies ignoring it are quietly handing leads, authority, and early retirement to their competitors.
In this 499th episode of The Site Shed, Matt sits down with Troy Dean to break down exactly how AI is reshaping how tradies get found, answer leads, and build businesses that don't depend on them being on the tools 24/7.
If you're still waiting to see how this plays out, this episode is your wake-up call.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction 01:10 - Welcoming Troy Dean 01:33 - The Evolving AI Landscape 03:57 - Implementing AI Strategies 06:10 - Automating Business Workflows 08:58 - Human Connection vs. Computer Work 12:09 - Sales Coaching with AI Analysis 14:49 - Real-Life Lead Engagement Example 18:14 - AI and the Answer Economy 23:27 - Content as the Backbone of SEO 27:27 - Building Authority Through Content 31:28 - Engineering the Sales Cycle 36:01 - Future of Search and Marketing 40:05 - Sharing Expertise with Video
About Our Guest: Troy Dean Troy Dean is the founder of Agency Mavericks, a coaching community that helps digital agency owners scale their businesses, reclaim their time, and build sustainable revenue without burning out. A self-confessed AI nerd with over 15 years of experience in the digital space, Troy brings a sharp, no-fluff perspective on how emerging technology is reshaping the way businesses grow and compete.
CONNECT WITH TROY DEAN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troydean/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetroydean Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agencymavericks Website: https://www.agencymavericks.com/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Is AI Answering Your Calls? How To Stop Losing Revenue On Missed Calls | ft. James O'Neill | Ep. 498
12 May 2026
00:45:07
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Are you spending big on ads but losing jobs before the phone even gets answered?
In this episode, Matt sits down with James O'Neill from WildJar to uncover how call tracking and AI-powered call analysis can reveal exactly where your leads are falling through the cracks.
If you're serious about turning every phone call into a booked job and finally getting a real return on your marketing spend, this one's for you.
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:27 - Introducing James O'Neal and WildJar 02:30 - Solving Digital Attribution for Phone Calls 04:44 - The Role of AI in Call Analysis 07:27 - Cost Per Lead vs. Lifetime Value 11:10 - Tracking Different Advertising Channels 12:50 - Membership Programs in Home Services 14:26 - The Marketing Ecosystem and Paid Ads 16:15 - Google Business Profile and Local Traffic 18:15 - Attribution and Customer Journey 20:13 - Feeding Conversion Data Back to Platforms 21:35 - How Call Tracking and DNI Work 25:21 - Virtual Numbers and Reporting 28:07 - Sales Cycles and Lead Attribution 29:05 - The Critical Nature of Answering the Phone 31:51 - Nurturing Leads and Creating Content 34:21 - The Changing Landscape of Organic Search and SEO 37:05 - Emerging Traffic from LLMs like ChatGPT 41:15 - The Future of AI and Sales Coaching
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
🎙 About Our Guest: James O'Neill James O'Neill is the CEO and Founder of WildJar, a call tracking and AI-powered conversation intelligence platform that connects phone calls to digital marketing journeys, helping businesses drive revenue and make smarter marketing decisions. With over a thousand home services clients across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the UK, James specialises in helping tradies and contractors eliminate the blind spots between their ad spend and the jobs they're actually booking.
CONNECT WITH JAMES O'NEILL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-o-neill-9308632a/ Website: https://www.wildjar.com/
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Your Follow-Up Is All Wrong: Why 70% Convert After The 8th Contact Point | ft. Ryan Fenn | Ep. 497
05 May 2026
01:04:01
Think your follow-up game is solid? Data from 450 million text messages says you're probably quitting too early.
In this 497th episode of the Site Shed, Ryan Fenn, founder of Chirp and a man who's analysed 450 million text messages, breaks down why "fortune is in the follow-up" isn't just a cliché. It's a math problem most tradies are solving wrong.
If you're tired of ghosted estimates, wasted lead spend, and watching jobs slip through the cracks, this episode is your blueprint for fixing the single biggest revenue leak in your tradie business.
KEY CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 00:47 — The Follow-Up Failure Most Tradies Don't Know They Have 06:17 — What 450 Million Text Messages Actually Reveal 16:32 — The "Mom Test" For Writing Messages That Get Replies 25:47 — Pattern Interrupts: How Unexpected Messages Break Through 34:36 — Why 70% of Conversions Happen After 8 Touchpoints 45:47 — The Anti-Follow-Up Strategy: Value Before The Ask 58:45 — The Day 10 Trap: Why Reps Quit Right Before Deals Close
🎙 About Our Guest: Ryan Fenn Ryan Fenn is the founder of CHIIRP, a follow-up and automation platform built to help home service businesses convert more leads and rehash old estimates. He has spent more than 15 years studying sales follow-up, customer messaging, and how contractors can turn missed opportunities into booked work.
CONNECT WITH RYAN FENN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-fenn-76568b165/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.fenn.3 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryandfenn/ Website: https://chiirp.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chiirp/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chiirp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getchiirp/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Don’t Sign That Finance Deal Yet Until You Do This First | ft. Rob Misheloff | Ep. 496
28 Apr 2026
00:37:03
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Finance might not be the sexiest topic in business, but getting it wrong can quietly drain your cash flow, stall your growth, and lock you into deals that cost far more than they should.
In Episode 496, Matt sits down with Rob Misheloff from Smarter Finance USA to unpack one of the least understood parts of running a trade business: equipment and vehicle finance.
It may not sound exciting, but getting this wrong can wreck your cash flow, stall your growth, and lock you into deals that cost far more than they should.
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser 01:31 - About Rob Misheloff and Smart Finance USA 05:51 - Challenges with Complex Contracts and Transparency 07:51 - How Financing Rates are Determined 10:51 - Advantages of Financing for Business Growth 14:04 - Tax Benefits and Cash Flow Considerations 18:12 - Dealership Financing vs. Outside Brokers 19:47 - Red Flags and Identifying Scams 22:19 - Differences Between Loans and Leases 23:54 - Hidden Fees and Advanced Payment Scams 26:32 - Understanding Credit Ratings and Business Risk 32:44 - Education and Managing Expectations 35:10 - Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
CONNECT WITH ROB MISHELOFF Website: https://www.smarterfinanceusa.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smarterfinanceusa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-misheloff/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Stop Wasting Good Leads With a Poor Sales Process | ft. Ben Wright | Ep. 495
21 Apr 2026
01:06:15
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
How many good leads are slipping through the cracks in your trade business because of a weak sales process?
In Episode 495 of The Site Shed, Matt Jones sits down with Ben Wright to unpack why so many trade businesses waste perfectly viable leads through a weak sales process.
From slow response times and poor follow-up to inconsistent quotes and missed opportunities on site, this episode digs into the practical gaps that quietly kill conversions and how you can correct them.
Key chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:44 - Welcome Guest Ben Wright 03:12 - Building Trust through Content 08:22 - First Impressions and Presentation 11:30 - Analyzing the Sales Process 14:41 - The Sales Success Framework 18:52 - Lifetime Value and ROI 25:24 - Avoiding Fat Cat Syndrome 32:05 - Scaling Beyond Referrals 34:14 - Allocating Budget for Marketing 38:32 - Small Changes, Large Impact 42:55 - Optimizing the Customer Journey 46:42 - Training Teams for Upselling 53:21 - Embracing Change and AI 01:00:08 - The Importance of Coaching
📲 Watch On YouTube! https://youtu.be/wOPk8k22eJI
Links mentioned in this episode: Stronger Sales Teams: https://www.strongersalesteams.com
Connect With Ben Wright: Website: https://www.strongersalesteams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongersalesteams Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092201545034 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachbenwright/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0503Mx6cuIKdgW9qaUvmSf?si=c2918891d2ec4cb0
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Fuel Prices Are Rising. Here’s What Hits Your Business Next | ft. Drew O'Farell | Ep. 494
14 Apr 2026
00:30:58
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
In Episode 494 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones sits down with returning guest Andrew O'Farrell to unpack what is really driving rising fuel costs and why tradie businesses should be paying close attention.
What starts as a conversation about diesel prices quickly opens up into a much bigger discussion around global energy markets, fragile supply chains, and the real-world impact on trade businesses across Australia.
If you want a clearer view of what may be coming down the pipeline and how to prepare for it, this episode is a must-listen.
Key Chapters: 00:00 Welcome back Andrew O'Farrell 00:07 Why diesel prices have jumped so dramatically 01:00 Why Australia is vulnerable to refined fuel shortages 02:15 What trade business owners need to understand about rising costs 02:53 Fuel is just the undercard, gas is the real story 04:43 How LNG disruption affects construction and manufacturing 06:07 Why food and fertiliser could be hit next 07:19 The Strait of Hormuz and why it matters 11:06 Could Australia be more self sufficient? 13:56 What this means for local industry and supply chains 16:03 Energy security, reserves, and the diesel problem 17:32 EVs, hybrids, and practical resilience 19:38 Why diesel is not going anywhere anytime soon 20:33 Does nuclear have a role in Australia? 22:29 Why we need a smarter transition, not a rushed one 24:22 The inflation and margin squeeze tradies should prepare for 26:20 What this could mean for Australia and Asia next 27:35 Final thoughts and planning for what’s ahead
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Your Onboarding Is Broken. Do This Instead | ft. Vicky Erwin | Ep. 493
07 Apr 2026
00:41:57
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
How do you onboard new tradies properly so they actually stick around past week one?
In Episode 493 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones sits down with Vicky Irwin from Network Plumbing to unpack what effective staff onboarding really looks like in a growing trade business.
If you’ve ever hired in a rush, thrown a new apprentice or technician into the deep end, or struggled with staff churn, this episode will give you a practical framework to help new team members feel clear, supported, and ready to succeed.
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 09:07 - The Recruitment and Pre-Onboarding Process 12:04 - Day One: Orientation and Company Culture 12:30 - Operational Integration and Facility Tour 13:30 - Ongoing Training and Communication Standards 17:18 - Developing Soft Skills and Professionalism 26:05 - Technology and Systems Adoption 23:24 - Safety as a Non-Negotiable 34:01 - Final Assessment and Team Integration
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Inside The Mind of Australia’s Largest Home Service CEO | ft. Zak Saboune | Ep. 492
31 Mar 2026
01:03:11
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Discovery Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Most tradies don’t need more motivation. They need clearer targets.
In this 492nd episode of The Site Shed, Matt Jones chats with Zak Saboune from Service Today about how to build KPIs that your team actually understands, buys into, and performs for. No fluffy corporate scorecards. Just simple, practical numbers and behaviours that drive better productivity, stronger culture, and more profit.
If you’ve ever felt like your team is busy but results are inconsistent, this one will help you set expectations properly and track what matters without turning the business into a spreadsheet.
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser 01:30 - Introduction of Guest Zach Saboune 04:45 - Current Scale of the Business 06:26 - Managing Growth with KPIs 11:00 - Implementing Business Frameworks 15:32 - The Importance of Systemization 16:47 - Private Equity and Business Value 22:01 - Customer Acquisition Strategy 27:26 - Maximizing Lifetime Customer Value 31:34 - The Membership Model: Total Care Club 38:58 - Delivering on Membership Value 47:40 - Sticking to the B2C Vertical 53:42 - Staff Retention and Culture 57:54 - Training for Brand Consistency 59:19 - Future Outlook for Service Today
🎙 About Our Guest: Zac Saboune Zac Saboune is the CEO of Service Today and a leader in the Australian home services space, known for helping build one of the country’s largest service businesses. In this episode, he shares practical insights on KPIs, productivity, customer lifetime value, and building a trade business that scales with clarity and accountability.
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Plumbing Memberships Are Complete BS, Do This Instead | ft. Scott Irwin | Ep. 491
24 Mar 2026
00:19:22
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Want to stop selling “membership discounts” and start building repeat work the simple way? Earn loyalty with trust, follow-up, and a customer experience that makes you the only plumber they remember.
In Episode 491, Matt sits down with Scott Irwin from Network Plumbing to talk about why plumbing memberships usually do more harm than good for reactive residential services. Scott breaks down how the membership model got dragged over from HVAC, why discounts are “illusion value”, and why most tradies would be better off building loyalty through simple follow-up and consistent customer experience instead.
You will also hear practical ideas on staying top of mind without spamming people, why direct mail still wins, when scheduled maintenance style programmes actually make sense (think strata and commercials), and how to upsell ethically by having the right conversation with the right decision- maker on site.
Key Chapters:
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
🎙 About Our Guest: Scott Irwin Scott Irwin is the driving force behind Network Plumbing, an Australian plumbing business focused on delivering reliable service and long-term customer relationships.
Connect With Scott Irwin: Website: https://networkplumbing.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/networkplumbing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networktradies_/ LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/network-plumbing/ Scott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-irwin-5b413a31/
CONNECT WITH THE SITE SHED! Website: https://www.thesiteshed.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSiteShed?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesiteshed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesiteshed/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-site-shed/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you are obsessing over CPA (cost per acquisition) in your plumbing business, you might be making decisions that hurt your long-term profit.
In episode 490, Matt Jones sits down with Scott Irwin from Network Plumbing (Sydney) to break down why reactive trades like plumbing and electrical need to stop judging marketing only by short-term lead costs and start thinking in lifetime value (LTV).
Key Chapters:
00:00 - Teaser 00:49 - Introduction and Scott's Background 03:32 - Defining Lifetime Value (LTV) 06:30 - Strategies for Long-term Customer Satisfaction 10:34 - Levers to Improve Customer Lifetime Value 12:35 - Business Growth and Evolving Marketing 14:58 - The Importance of Personal Relationships and Manners 17:21 - Training New Employees and Apprentices 21:14 - Practical Frameworks for Service Excellence 25:08 - Addressing Price Concerns with Value and Urgency 28:48 - Closing Thoughts and Future Episode Teaser
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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This Is What Separates $1M Builders From $10M Builders | ft. Greg Wilkes | Ep. 489
10 Mar 2026
00:50:18
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
If you feel like you’re flat out in your building business but the profit still doesn’t match the effort, this episode is for you.
In Episode 489, Matt sits down with Greg Wilkes from Develop Coaching to unpack what actually separates a $1M builder from a $10M builder and the shift from being the best tradie on site to becoming the business leader who builds a team, installs simple systems, protects margins, and creates a pipeline that doesn’t rely on you doing everything.
🎥 Watch the video version of this podcast at: @TheSiteShed
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Mindset Shift: Tradesperson to Entrepreneur
00:44 - Meet Greg Wilkes: Construction Industry Expert
01:10 - Scaling from $1 Million to $10 Million
04:47 - The Pitfall of High Net Profit (and Not Investing)
08:04 - Healthy Net Profit Margins for Builders
10:00 - The Myth of Staying on the Tools
16:43 - The Importance of Org Charts and Future Hiring
17:54 - Strategy for First Hires: Start Low with Admin/VA
24:17 - First Big Hire: The Site Supervisor
25:10 - The Business Owner's Focus: Marketing and Sales
27:19 - The Challenge of Systemizing and AI's Impact
33:46 - Systemizing for Leverage: Focus on Repeatable Tasks
38:54 - The Importance of Knowing Your Numbers
42:15 - Simplifying Financial Numbers for Builders
46:10 - Mapping Out a Plan for Growth: Job Value Over Volume
48:40 - How to Contact Greg Wilkes (Develop Coaching)
🎙️ About Our Guest: Greg Wilkes Greg Wilkes is a trade business coach at Develop Coaching, helping builders and tradies scale from being on the tools to running a profitable, systemised business.
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Your Marketing Spend Is Worthless Without This Number | ft. Kurt Hegetschweiler | Ep. 488
03 Mar 2026
01:13:32
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
If you have plenty of work booked in but you still feel broke, stressed, or behind on cash, this episode is for you.
In Episode 488, Matt sits down with Kurt Hegeschweiler from Builders Coach to unpack the real reason tradies and builders get squeezed: you end up financing the job while you wait to get paid.
You will learn how to stop bleeding cash, protect your margin, and set your business up so money comes in before it goes out.
Key Chapters:
00:00 - Teaser 00:53 - Welcome to the podcast, Kurt! 01:26 - Kurt's background and specialty in helping builders with optimization and peak performance 06:05 - The preservation mindset of many accountants and bookkeepers 12:49 - The importance of having a plan in place 18:09 - Positioning yourself as the expert within your specific vertical 24:40 - Processes are essential for successfully scaling a business 31:15 - Kurt's simplified financial metrics: 25% Gross Margin, 10% Overheads, 15% Net Profit (25/10/15) 37:41 - The confusion between net profit and money in the bank 42:07 - Good process and proactive communication is a form of marketing and value-add 48:53 - The power of the Profit First business model for financial clarity 54:49 - A goal without a strategy is a wish
🎙️ About Our Guest: Kurt Hegeschweiler Kurt Hegeschweiler is a business coach who works primarily with residential builders (custom homes and renovations) through Builders Coach. He's best known for helping builders optimise profit, cash flow, and performance, including guiding over 100 builders to seven-figure net profit results.
CONNECT WITH KURT HEGESCHWEILER Website: Builder's Coach Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Links mentioned in this episode: Million Dollar Builder 2.0 (Amazon and Audible): https://amzn.to/4pv6rd3 Psycho-Cybernetics: https://amzn.to/3LCOviK
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
How This Solar Business 10x'd Revenue with a 98% Success Rate | ft. Jed Bolton | Ep. 487
24 Feb 2026
00:29:26
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
In Episode 487, Matt sits down with Jed Bolton, a Perth-based solar and electrical business owner who has quietly built a seriously scalable operation without obsessing over more leads.
Jed shares how shifting from subcontractor-heavy work to a system-driven sales process helped him 10x revenue while keeping the team lean and the growth manageable.
If you’re flat out, wearing every hat, and still feel like you’re chasing your tail, this episode is a blueprint for stepping back from lead chaos, tightening your process, and spending your time where it actually moves the needle (closing jobs and building the team).
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser 01:14 - Welcome Jed Bolton! 03:27 - Shift from predominantly subcontracting work to having leads 06:17 - Subcontracting work is just a job 09:11 - Customers often think they know what they want more than they actually do 13:00 - The first constraint hit is in fulfilment 15:38 - The value of the sales executive program 18:32 - Site visits should be for closing jobs, not checking out work 20:40 - Drive around closing jobs, not doing quotes 24:34 - The impact roadmap session 27:21 - The goal of consistency and manageable growth 28:33 - Final thoughts
🎙 About Our Guest: Jed Bolton Jed Bolton is a Perth-based solar and electrical business owner who specialises in larger-scale residential solar installations (around 13 kW to 50 kW), as well as batteries and renewables. He built a scalable operation by tightening his sales process, focusing on close rate, and shifting from subcontractor-heavy work to a more system-driven model.
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Sick of the Grind? How to Get the Fire Back in Your Trade Business | ft. Jeremiah Webb | Ep. 486
17 Feb 2026
01:26:54
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
If you've established a strong trade business but it's beginning to feel repetitive, this episode offers a fresh start.
In Episode 486, Matt sits down with Jeremiah Webb from Shop On Fire to unpack why the fire dies (even when the numbers look positive) and how you can get your energy, purpose, and momentum back without blowing up what you have already built.
You will learn practical ways to snap out of the grind, stop feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate, and lead with energy again so your team lifts too.
0:00 Teaser 1:14 Welcome and Jeremiah's Background 4:44 Reigniting Passion and Scaling Business 8:16 Fulfillment is Not Default: Manual vs. Autopilot 12:11 Staying Motivated and the Value of Habits over Goals 15:31 The Myth of Overwhelm: Being Stretched is Not More Than You Can Handle 17:28 The Importance of Foundational Grit and Pushing Limits 22:51 Great Athlete vs. Elite Athlete: Bouncing Back Faster 24:55 Reframing Failure as a Lesson 27:01 Recovery Time and Suffering is Optional 31:57 Framework for Moving Past Setbacks 35:08 Problems Never Go Away, They Increase in Quality 39:03 The Cure-All: Massive Action and the Physiology of Motivation 46:01 Defining Purpose and Maintaining Focus 47:37 Meetings Should be for Making Decisions 51:57 Sticking to Something and Steady Growth 55:42 Framework for Coaching Cadence and Levers for Change 58:31 VIP Coaching and the Window of Opportunity
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
🎙️ About Our Guest: Jeremiah Webb Jeremiah Webb is the founder of Shop On Fire and a high-performance coach who helps trade business owners rebuild energy, clarity, and momentum when the grind starts to take over. With a background in the trades (including HVAC) and years working with business owners, he shares practical frameworks you can use to lead better, feel better, and grow without burning out.
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Should Tradies Franchise Their Business to Scale Faster? | ft. Jon Ostenson | Ep. 485
10 Feb 2026
00:39:35
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
It's no longer just fast food to franchise. It could also be one of the best ways for tradies to grow without getting too tired.
In this 485th episode of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt sits down with Jon Ostenson, CEO of FranBridge Consulting, to break down what franchising really looks like for trade and service-based businesses.
If you’re stuck in the day-to-day, thinking about growth, or wondering how others scale using systems, people, and capital that aren’t all on their shoulders, this episode is a must-watch.
In this episode, you’ll learn: ✔ The biggest myths tradies believe about franchising ✔ Franchise vs licensing vs alliance models (what’s the difference?) ✔ Why private equity is chasing trade & home service franchises ✔ When franchising actually makes sense (and when it doesn’t)
Key Chapters: 0:00 - Teaser 1:12 - Discussing the dynamics of franchising and non-food franchising 6:04 - Reasons to consider a franchise model for an existing business 10:07 - Limitations and "red tape" of franchising 12:11 - Addressing the perception of increased cost for customers of franchises 15:15 - Expectations and systems within a franchise 17:31 - Legalities and approval around branding and marketing 19:09 - Digital marketing challenges for franchisees 23:21 - Backgrounds of people who join a franchise 25:26 - Support available for franchisees and their teams 27:13 - Choosing between buying an existing business and a new franchise 29:16 - Exit strategy and typical returns for a franchisee 31:49 - Ownership of intellectual property (IP) like customer databases 35:57 - John Austinen's book, *Non-Food Franchising* 38:13 - The typical avatar best suited to the franchise dynamic
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
🎙 About Our Guest: Jon Ostenson Jon Ostenson is a leading expert in non-food franchising and the founder of FranBridge Consulting, where he helps business owners scale through proven franchise models. He has collaborated with numerous entrepreneurs and trade professionals to establish scalable, systematised businesses, avoiding the need to start from the beginning.
🤝 CONNECT WITH JON OSTENSON Website: https://franbridgeconsulting.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonOstenson1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.ostenson/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonostenson/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JonOstensonFBC
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Marketing For Your Business – Book A Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/yt
In Episode 484 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones is joined by entrepreneur and investor Greg Cassar to break down one of the biggest questions tradies is starting to ask: is taking control of your super actually worth the extra work?
Greg shares why many business owners unknowingly rely too heavily on their business or default super fund and how shifting from “business owner only” to “business owner + investor” can completely change your long-term freedom. This episode unpacks how superannuation really works, why set-and-forget isn’t always the best approach, and what tradies should understand before considering a self-managed super fund (SMSF).
If you’re making good money but haven’t thought deeply about how it’s growing for your future, this conversation is a practical wake-up call; focused on control, education, and playing the long game.
00:00 – Teaser 04:40 – The trap of relying only on your business 08:10 – How inflation and fees eat away at super 12:10 – What a self-managed super fund really involves 16:40 – Thinking long-term instead of short-term gains 21:10 – Emotional control and investing discipline 25:40 – Playing the long game as a tradie 30:10 – Business owner vs business owner + investor 34:40 – Final mindset shifts for long-term freedom
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Want Better Staff Retention? Consider This Equity Model | ft. Chris Buttenham | Ep. 483
27 Jan 2026
00:41:02
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Most tradie business owners want great staff… But retaining them long-term is a whole different challenge.
In this episode of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt sits down with Chris Buttenham, founder of Reins, to unpack a smarter way to reward and retain key team members, without giving away control of your business.
They break down phantom equity, profit sharing, and incentive structures that help trade business owners: ✔️ Build loyalty ✔️ Align staff with business growth ✔️ Create real exit options ✔️ Avoid the risks of traditional equity
If you’re struggling to keep good people, thinking about your long-term exit, or want your team to care about the numbers as much as you do, this episode is a must-watch.
KEY CHAPTERS 00:00 – Teaser 02:00 – Meet Chris Buttenham & his contractor background 04:40 – Why exit planning is broken for most tradies 07:05 – Real stories: equity, private equity & staff buy-in 09:40 – What is phantom equity? 12:25 – Phantom equity vs real equity explained 15:15 – Using equity to retain and motivate key staff 18:35 – Vesting, performance rules & protecting the owner 23:45 – Equity vs profit share: what to use and when 28:25 – Transparency, numbers & educating your team 34:05 – How to set this up properly (and keep it simple) 38:55 – Where to learn more & final takeaways
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
ABOUT OUR GUEST Chris Buttenham is the co-founder and CEO of Reins, a platform helping contractors reward and retain key staff through simple, low-risk equity incentives. With roots in a family contracting business and experience in tech and M&A, Chris specialises in making complex equity and exit strategies practical for trade business owners.
CONNECT WITH CHRIS BUTTENHAM Website: https://www.myreins.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myreins Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reinstechnologies LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myreins/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻🫲🏼 Marketing For Your Business – Learn More About Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/yt
In Episode 482, Matt is joined by Claudio Gambin, a financial adviser and tax strategist who specialises in helping trade and construction business owners stop overpaying tax and start using smarter financial strategies.
If your accountant only speaks to you at tax time, pushes generic advice, or can’t explain how to legally reduce your effective tax rate, this episode will open your eyes. Claudio breaks down the most common tax red flags tradies miss, why being proactive matters more than minimising tax at all costs, and how to reinvest savings back into your business to fuel long-term growth.
This conversation goes beyond tax returns and dives into strategy, cash flow, scalability, and what actually makes a trade business bankable and sellable.
00:00 – The tax questions tradies should be asking 01:10 – Why most tradies overpay tax 03:54 – The best investment is your business (not more assets) 08:41 – Why reinvesting profit is tax-effective 10:00 – Proactive tax planning explained 15:08 – Depreciation, leverage & overlooked tax wins 18:04 – The 3 golden questions for your accountant 21:20 – Using tax savings to fuel growth 24:45 – Eliminating lifestyle expenses from your business 28:13 – What makes a trade business sellable 38:05 – Strategy, time, and staying proactive
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Direct Mail Is Making a Comeback With Tradies in 2026 | ft. Wilson Zehr | Ep. 481
13 Jan 2026
01:07:31
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
With online ads becoming noisier, more expensive, and harder to trust, many trade business owners are rediscovering the power of physical, personalised marketing that actually gets noticed.
In Episode 481 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones sits down with Wilson Zehr, direct mail and marketing automation expert from Zairmail, to unpack why direct mail is making a serious comeback for tradies in 2026 and why relying on digital-only marketing may be hurting your conversions.
This episode is packed with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and clear do’s and don’ts for using direct mail alongside digital marketing to win more local jobs, improve follow-up, and stand out in crowded markets, so make sure to listen until the end!
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser 02:43 - Meet Wilson Zehr: From Software Engineer to Strategic Marketing 06:17 - The Nike Success Story and Why *Shoe Dog* is a Must-Read 08:52 - From Surfboards to Zairmail (Mail as Fast as Email) 12:26 - The "Junk Mail" Flip: Why Direct Mail Breaks the Digital Noise 15:04 - Marketing as a Mechanic (Direct Mail & Digital) 17:42 - Building Communication into the American Routine 20:30 - The 70/20/10 Rule (The Ultimate Direct Response Formula) 24:43 - Segmenting Voters for Overwhelming Success 27:32 - Proximity Mail: The Best Way for Home Service Businesses to Target Geographically 30:40 - Case Study or Offer, How Real Estate Agents Use Mail? 33:41 - Avoid the Shotgun Approach (Hyper-Personalization is Key) 36:25 - Why You Need to Be Remembered Before Disaster Strikes 39:34 - The Power of Fridge Magnets and Referral Stickers 43:56 - Scaling Past Word-of-Mouth 47:37 - Why Monthly Newsletters Beat Unreliable Email Deliverability 50:23 - Nurturing Leads with Email, SMS, and Direct Mail 53:24 - Direct Mail Best Practices 56:24 - Keep Messages Short and Drive Traffic to Video 1:00:33 - Your Website is Your Credibility
📲 Watch the video version! https://youtu.be/03B4nwRFBLM
CONNECT WITH WILSON ZEHR Website: https://www.zairmail.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilsonzehr/ Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/wilson.zehr Facebook (Business): https://www.facebook.com/Zairmail/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonzehr
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TradiewebguysAus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Hiring in a Labour Shortage: What Works Now in 2026 | ft. Tom Reardon | Ep. 480
06 Jan 2026
00:46:10
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
Hiring good people has never been harder. And it’s not getting easier in 2026.
If you’re a tradie or contractor struggling to find, keep, or motivate good staff, this episode will change how you think about hiring forever.
In this 480th episode of The Site Shed, Matt sits down with Tom Reardon, founder of PeopleIN and one of Australia’s most experienced workforce leaders, to break down what actually works when labour is tight and why most trade businesses are unknowingly making hiring harder than it needs to be.
This isn’t theory. It’s real-world, boots-on-the-ground advice from someone who’s scaled teams across Australia and New Zealand.
If you’re sick of reacting to hiring problems and want a long-term game plan, this episode is a must-listen.
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser 01:18 - Tom's Background and People Infrastructure Explained 03:36 - Culture is Not Static: How it Evolves as Your Business Grows 06:39 - The "Rotting Apple" Problem: How One Bad Attitude Kills a Team 09:16 - The Astronomic Cost of a Bad Hire (It's 3 Times Their Salary) 12:26 - Beyond Salary: Attracting Talent with a Career Path, Not Just a Job 15:47 - The Danger of Promoting Sideways (Don't Damage a Good Career) 18:01 - Can Bad Attitudes Be Turned Around? (Only with a Strong Culture) 21:20 - Performance-Based Remuneration: The Future of Trade Incentives 24:59 - Using NPS (Net Promoter Score) for Accountability 27:48 - Why Most Trade Businesses Lack Strategy 30:38 - Stop the Doing: The Importance of 90-Day Resets 33:02 - Inaccurate Data Trap: Net Profit Percentage vs. Dollar Value 36:26 - Culture Must Evolve: Everyone is Responsible for the Core Values 39:19 - Promoting Leadership: Markers of Action and Results 42:47 - Why Australian Trades Are Globally Sought After (Quality and Standards)
👤 About the Guest: Tom Reardon Tom Reardon is the founder of PeopleIN, one of Australia’s largest workforce and labour hire groups. With over 20 years in recruitment, labour hire, and workforce strategy, Tom has helped businesses scale without losing culture, even in the tightest labour markets.
CONNECT WITH TOM REARDON Website: https://www.peoplein.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/convos_on_the_couch/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-reardon-555b614/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TradiewebguysAus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below: ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
2025 in Review: What Trade Businesses Learned the Hard Way | Ep. 479
30 Dec 2025
00:19:44
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
2025 was a big year, and for many trade businesses, it came with some hard lessons.
In this solo episode, Matt Jones looks back on what actually worked and what didn’t across hundreds of trade businesses he’s worked with throughout the year. It’s a real-world review from inside the trenches of marketing, sales, and business growth.
If you felt busy in 2025 but didn’t see the results you expected, this episode will help you understand why and what needs to change if 2026 is going to be different.
What You’ll Learn: ✔ Why strategy must come before marketing ✔ The danger of spending money without systems ✔ Why more leads won’t fix broken processes ✔ How scaling creates new problems if you’re not prepared ✔ The mindset shifts trade business owners resisted in 2025 ✔ What you should reflect on before planning 2026
Key Chapters: 00:00 - Teaser 00:42 - Welcome and reflections on the year 2025 01:15 - Thank you for support! (almost 500 episodes!) 02:04 - Appreciating listener feedback and requests 03:48 - Expanding the Academy and resources 04:15 - Upcoming events: Ski Workshop and Surf Workshop 05:12 - Business workshops and making events a business expense 06:14 - Key takeaways from 2025 #1: Strategy 07:37 - Key takeaways from 2025 #2: System 08:32 - Key takeaways from 2025 #3: Scale and Fulfillment 09:46 - Key takeaways from 2025 #4: Spending the money to get the outcome 11:11 - The Profit First Model 12:52 - Stop subscribing to doom and gloom 13:46 - Stop, reflect, and appreciate 14:35 - Do your research 15:16 - Look after yourself (physically and mentally) 16:00 - Closing thoughts on 2026 and making a decision
🎧 Listen to the audio version of this podcast at: https://tradie.wiki/listen
CONNECT WITH THE SITE SHED! Website: https://www.thesiteshed.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesiteshed Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesiteshed/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-site-shed/ Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS! Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TradiewebguysAus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/ LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/
Your Next Step:
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HR for Tradies: What Fair Work Really Cares About | ft. Karen Hillen | Ep. 478
23 Dec 2025
00:46:46
🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod 🫱🏻🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt
HR isn’t why you started your trade business. But getting it wrong can cost you serious time, money, and stress.
In this 478th episode of The Site Shed, Matt sits down with Karen Hillen from My HR Partner to break down what Fair Work actually cares about when it comes to tradie businesses with employees and contractors.
This isn’t theory or corporate HR talk. It’s practical, trade-specific advice to help you avoid common HR traps and protect your business.
🕒 Key Chapters 00:59 – Why HR mistakes hurt tradie businesses 02:04 – Meet Karen Hillen & what an HR partner does 03:29 – Employee vs contractor: the core confusion 06:19 – When a contractor is legally an employee 10:04 – Contractor vs casual employee explained 14:39 – Trade award entitlements most tradies miss 17:59 – Redundancy & leave liabilities in trade businesses 23:14 – How Fair Work handles complaints 34:14 – Performance management: act early, not late 40:09 – Contracts, VAs & getting the right HR advice
What You’ll Learn: ✔ The real difference between an employee and a contractor ✔ When a contractor should legally be treated as an employee ✔ Why contracts alone won’t protect you ✔ Trade award entitlements most tradies don’t know about ✔ When redundancy pay applies, even if someone resigns ✔ How Fair Work handles complaints and underpayments ✔ How to deal with performance issues before they explode
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Are Your Quotes Scaring Off Good Clients? | ft. Drew Norton | Ep. 477
16 Dec 2025
00:55:34
Are your quotes accidentally pushing good clients away?
In this 477th episode of The Site Shed, Matt sits down with sales and leadership expert Drew Norton to break down the real reasons tradies lose work and how a few simple mindset and process shifts can help you win better clients without relying on low prices.
Drew gives useful tips for making the discovery process better, leading with confidence, making sure people understand their options, and building a sales system that really works.
If you want to charge what you're worth and stop clients from ghosting after the quote… this one’s for you.
🕒 Key Chapters 00:29 Drew Norton's background and expertise 01:22 Changing the perception of sales & leadership 02:31 The shift away from old-school, pushy selling 03:45 Why mindset drives sales success 06:43 The two real barriers to business growth 13:11 Why documenting processes is critical 14:36 How to communicate benefits, not features 24:50 “Sales Inception” (Drew’s 3-step framework) 28:54 The discovery phase: qualify before you quote 40:59 Defining customer avatars & speaking to pain points
🔧 What You’ll Learn
Why tradies struggle with sales (and how to fix it)
The mindset shift that makes quoting easier
How to create a sales process you can train staff to follow
Discovery questions that uncover what clients actually want
How to avoid giving away free expertise
Why you MUST stop talking in features and start talking in benefits
How to confidently present options without sounding salesy
📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen
🎙 About Our Guest: Drew Norton Founder of The Everyday Sales Leader, Drew helps business owners improve their sales confidence, leadership skills, and communication. His frameworks have helped tradies grow their revenue, raise prices, and build stronger teams in the tradie industry.
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Stop Online Scams Before They Hit Your Business | feat. Ronnie Manning | Ep. 476
09 Dec 2025
00:37:29
👉 FREE tools, templates & resources for tradies: https://tradie.wiki/pod
In this 476th episode of The Site Shed, Matt Jones sits down with cybersecurity expert Ronnie Manning, Chief Brand Advocate at Yubico, to dive deep into best practices for protecting trade-based businesses and contractors like you in the digital age.
Discover the real risks of password reuse, why two-factor (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are a MUST for your team, and how passkeys and physical security keys are shaping the future of online security.
Key Chapters: 00:00 – Teaser 01:20 – What Yubico does & why authentication keys matter 02:35 – How hackers get into business accounts through admin access 04:18 – MFA, 2FA and the evolution of authentication 05:36 – Passkeys explained: the strongest form of login security 06:03 – How physical YubiKeys work in real life 12:04 – The most common cyber breach scenarios for SMBs 17:43 – Why password managers are essential for every business 25:12 – MFA as the “seat belt” of cybersecurity 31:27 – New global data: Gen Z most likely to fall for phishing
You'll learn: ✔ Why using the same password for everything is dangerous, and what to do instead; ✔ How password managers can simplify your digital life while boosting security ✔ The evolution of authentication: From SMS codes to passkeys and physical security keys like Yubikey ✔ What “phishing-resistant authentication” actually means, and why it matters ✔ How to protect your business accounts from hackers, even in collaborative teams ✔ Browser and VPN tips to keep your data safe (especially when traveling or working remotely) ✔ Real-world stories, practical policies, and step-by-step strategies for small businesses
Want to streamline your operations, improve your marketing, or close more jobs? Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, guides, and insights that actually help your business! 👉 Check it out: https://tradie.wiki/pod
In this 475th episode of The Site Shed, Liz Chism, a contractor-turned-award-winning brewer, rebuilt her business and life by systemising everything. After working 100-hour weeks, Liz transformed her brewery into a business that ran smoothly without her, even while she travelled overseas with her phone off.
Today, she assists other tradies in achieving the same goals: eliminating chaos, increasing profit, and creating a business that provides them with a sense of relief.
This episode offers a wealth of practical strategies for contractors who may be feeling overburdened, underpaid, or lacking a clear path to growth, so make sure to watch until the end!
Key Chapters: 00:00 Liz’s turning point and escaping 100-hour weeks 02:26 Growing up in construction and early lessons 05:29 How systems saved her business (and sanity) 10:05 The 80/20 rule tradies ignore 12:16 Why SEO is changing with LLMs 15:58 Content, trust, and lead conversion 19:07 The follow-up gap costing contractors thousands 21:26 The “Chaos Tax” and hidden profit leaks 23:55 Estimating mistakes and the real cost of inaccuracy 27:25 Why more leads aren’t always the answer 30:30 Wearing too many hats and valuing your time properly 32:39 Cadence, routines, and becoming a true CEO 41:44 Scheduling mistakes that blow out jobs 46:24 Incentivising your team for performance 50:16 Final advice for overwhelmed contractors
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Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
Want to streamline your operations, improve your marketing, or close more jobs? Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, guides, and insights that actually help your business! 👉 Check it out: https://tradie.wiki/pod
In this 474th episode of The Site Shed, Bryan Clayton dives deep into building predictable revenue for trade businesses by using Costco's membership model as a blueprint, and what he revealed was amazing value for tradies like you.
Learn the crucial steps for creating irresistible service agreements for your plumbing, electrical, and HVAC customers, and stop leaving money on the table!
Key Chapters 0:00 Teaser 1:05 Selling Memberships to Plumbers & Electricians 3:47 The "Steve Martin Approach" to Irresistible Offers 7:07 Why Are Trades Still Operating Like It's 1997? 10:33 The 'Insurance Model' for Plumbing and Electrical Service 13:30 How to Experiment with Your Best Customers First 15:07 Steal These Membership Secrets from Uber and Amazon Prime 22:14 The No-Brainer Membership Model for HVAC Businesses 27:38 Leveraging Seasonality 30:25 The Tech You NEED to Manage Service Agreements (Is it worth it?)
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#podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
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How Trades Businesses Can Master Recurring Revenue Through Service Agreements | ft. Sean Samson | Ep. 473
18 Nov 2025
00:27:35
In episode 473, host Matt Jones sits down with Sean Samson, dialing in from Cleveland, Ohio, for the third and final part of their enlightening series. Today, they’re diving deep into the powerful world of service agreements—why they matter, how you can sell them effectively, and the massive opportunity they represent for electricians, plumbers, and other reactive-service businesses looking to build recurring revenue.
Matt and Sean break down the nuts and bolts of what a service agreement actually is, outlining the differences between commercial, industrial, and residential sectors, and sharing real-world tactics for turning a standard job into a long-term client relationship. From the importance of having a solid sales process, to insightful tips on targeting the right demographics, and how technology plays a key role in making service agreements work, this conversation is packed with actionable advice for business owners wanting to grow sustainably.
Timestamps: 00:00 "How to Sell Service Agreements" 06:12 NFPA Standards for Service Agreements 09:36 Residential Maintenance Membership Benefits 11:45 Selling Through Fear of Loss 15:01 Seasonal Maintenance Tips 16:53 Targeting High-Value Service Customers 22:14 "Technology Needed for Service Agreements" 24:45 Sean's Show Notes and Episodes
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
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Why Systems Matter in Service Business Sales and Conversions | ft. Sean Samson | Ep. 472
11 Nov 2025
00:36:18
In this episode, host Matt Jones is once again joined by Sean Samson for the second part of their insightful series. If you missed the first installment where Sean shared the ten reasons your service and maintenance business will never grow, be sure to catch up, because today’s conversation builds on those foundational ideas.
Timestamps 00:00 Service Sales Process Benefits 04:34 "Scaling Requires Systems" 08:30 "Tracking Sales Process Metrics" 13:10 Sales Systems Enable Scalable Growth 14:09 Onboarding Requires Role Transition 20:09 "Discovery: Key to Problem-Solving" 23:44 "Process Guides Safe Problem Solving" 26:42 Job Walk and Verification Process 28:11 Outdated Residential Business Model 32:43 "Service Agreements & Recurring Revenue"
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
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Moving Beyond One-Off Jobs: Scaling Service Businesses with Multi-Year Agreements | ft. Sean Samson | Ep. 471
04 Nov 2025
00:52:40
In Episode 471, host Matt Jones chats with Sean Samson, founder of Sean Samson Training to dig deep into the world of service and maintenance agreements for contractors. Sean shares his journey from an electrical service agreement sales rookie to training contractors around the globe, helping them transform transactional businesses into predictable, recurring revenue powerhouses.
⏱️Timestamps: 00:00 "Maximizing Lifetime Value in Marketing" 06:31 "Five Reasons People Don’t Buy" 07:16 "Optimizing Sales & Service Processes" 11:36 "Scaling Business Growth Strategically" 16:18 B2B to Residential Transition Challenges 19:39 "Improving Service Through Proactive Leadership" 21:40 "Undervaluing Service Expertise Hurts Business" 25:07 Clients vs. Customers in Contracting 28:48 "Trust Built on Intimacy" 32:20 "Transactional Revenue Lacks Excitement" 35:36 "Contractors as Sales Organizations" 41:22 Compounding Revenue Drives Business Success 43:02 "Importance of Trained Salespeople" 45:45 "Tech Selling vs Doing" 50:00 "Contracting Growth Challenges Unveiled"
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review: ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed
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Profit vs. Revenue: Mastering Financial Clarity for Trades and Construction | ft. Ben Hansen | Ep. 470
28 Oct 2025
00:58:39
In episode 470, host Matt Jones is joined by Ben Hansen from Profit Doctor for a straight-shooting conversation about what truly drives profitability in trade businesses. Broadcasting from Austin, Texas, Ben brings a wealth of experience working with business owners across the globe, breaking down how revenue and profit don’t always go hand-in-hand, and why so many businesses look healthy on paper but struggle to see any real financial reward.
⏱️Timestamps: 00:00 "Marketing Budget Essential for Growth" 04:07 "Misaligned Resource Allocation in Business" 09:02 Revenue Focus vs. Profitability Awareness 13:43 Profit Focus for Business Success 16:00 "Financial Clarity for Tradespeople" 19:51 Streamlining Cost Analysis 23:49 Profit-Focused Service Shift 26:46 Lacking Practical Financial Guidance 28:30 Misaligned Business Growth Strategies 32:54 "Unprofitable Clients Hinder Growth" 35:10 Cut Losses to Boost Success 39:02 Streamline Focus for Better Conversion 43:02 "Focus on Customer Lifetime Value" 45:51 Optimize for Ideal Clients 47:58 Targeting Diverse Customer Needs 53:32 Focus on Core Strengths 55:22 Self-Taught Financial Empowerment
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
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Built to Profit: Budgeting & Revenue Mindset for the Trades | ft. Jason Noel | Ep. 469
21 Oct 2025
00:49:00
With years of experience helping businesses in the trades sector, Jason shares how CEO Warrior guides business owners, from technicians just starting out, to established pros, through the often-daunting world of financial clarity and pricing. Matt and Jason unpack practical strategies for setting realistic budgets, analyzing your P&L, overcoming marketing and conversion obstacles, and planning for growth without losing your footing.
⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 CEO Warrior's 10-Year Milestone 06:05 Profitability Mindset in Business 08:56 Budget as Road Map Strategy 12:10 Breaking Down Big Goals 13:00 Improving Conversion Without More Ads 17:05 "Engagement Beyond the Initial Service" 20:37 Chart of Accounts: Four Key Buckets 25:00 "P&L and Balance Sheet Setup" 28:28 Accounting for Loan Payments Insight 29:30 "Profit First Methodology Insights" 32:18 "Annual Budget Tracking Process" 38:28 Seasonal HVAC and Service Strategy 39:59 Seasonal HVAC Offer Strategies 42:19 Overlooked Opportunities in Business Growth 45:33 Open CEO Warrior Event Invitation
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
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From $900K to $4M in Two Years: How this welding company was transformed | ft. Matt Pohl | Ep. 468
14 Oct 2025
00:55:12
In episode 468, Matt Jones is joined by Matt Pohl, an entrepreneur hailing from just north of Denver, Colorado, with a wealth of real-world experience in transforming small businesses. Together, they dive into the incredible journey of taking a welding company from $900k to $4 million in just two years. Pohl shares his unique background, working alongside his wife, acquiring businesses rather than starting them from scratch, and applying a proven methodology to triple business value and achieve a 10x increase before selling.
⏱️Timestamps: 00:00 Business Transformation and Organizational Rewilding 06:02 "Retirement Sparks Welding Business Sale" 10:01 Overestimated Workforce Challenges Trades 13:25 Rebranding to Commercial Welding LLC 16:20 Denver Welding Market Overview 19:44 Employee Numbers Drive Business Complexity 21:24 "Building Business Resilience and Structure" 26:55 Evolving Strategies for Business Growth 28:33 "Lighten Your Burden" 31:13 Navigating Growth Challenges 35:35 Determine Business Stage with FTEs 39:28 "Awareness of Personal Growth Potential" 41:25 From Process to Profit Focus 46:08 Adaptability in Business Leadership 49:52 Guiding Success Through Adaptation 51:32 Transitioning from Owner to Enterprise Focus
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod
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Why Tradies Should Stop Selling on Price and Start Using Irresistible Offers | ft. John Dwyer | Ep. 647
07 Oct 2025
00:27:51
Welcome back to The Site Shed! In this episode, Matt Jones sits down with marketing maverick John Dwyer for a lively and insightful conversation that dives deep into the world of direct response marketing, particularly for tradies and small business owners.
John, whose career spans decades of helping businesses stand out, breaks down the crucial differences between traditional brand-focused marketing and the results-driven approach of direct response. The two discuss why most tradies excel at their craft but often struggle with the skills to actually grow their business, juggling everything from vanity metrics on social media to the challenges of generating real, qualified leads.
⏱️Timestamps: 00:00 Balancing Brand Building and Profit 03:51 "Tradies' Marketing Challenges" 07:46 "McDonald's, Parenting, and Incentives" 12:55 "Bali Trip: Nightly Fee Only" 15:09 Lead Conversion Challenges 19:05 Excessive Leads Hinder Marketing Efforts 23:15 "Matt Fences' Facebook Ad Insight" 26:44 Exclusive Coaching Requirements Revealed
Your Next Step:
Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.
👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod