Blue Collar StartUp

Hosted by Michael Nelson

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Episodes

135

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Our Mission is Simple: To facilitate the growth and development of Blue Collar businesses. We will showcase REAL Blue Collar businesses in interviews, and use these stories to help educate and empower the next generation of trades workers to become Blue Collar business owners.

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60 recent

August 19, 2026Episode 13954 min

How AI Helped Save Her Landscaping Business | Blue Collar StartUp #139

Andrea Palacio is an AI Business Strategist and founder of Crewless who helps business owners automate repetitive work, streamline operations, and use AI to get their time back. After buying a struggling landscaping company, Andrea used AI automation for phone calls, lead follow-up, payments, scheduling, customer service, proposals, marketing, and other business operations—and ultimately rebuilt the company while creating a new business around AI automation. Learn more about Andrea Palacio at andreapalacio.ai . 0:00 Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp & Meet Andrea Palacio 2:08 What Andrea Does as an AI Business Strategist 3:12 From E-Commerce Entrepreneur to Landscaping Business Owner 3:56 The Landscaping Acquisition Goes Wrong 4:33 Revenue Falls From $70K to $40K a Month 5:35 Fighting Back With Google Ads and Automation 6:19 Why Andrea Chose Automation Over Selling the Business 8:07 Going From Freedom to Extreme Business Stress 11:25 Another Leadership Crisis Forces Andrea to Level Up 13:15 Rebuilding the Landscaping Business With AI 15:03 Building an AI Receptionist to Capture Leads 17:19 Do Customers Actually Want to Talk to AI? 21:27 Using AI to Automate Collections and Get Paid 23:10 AI Scheduling, Content Creation and Business Operations 28:50 Turning AI Consulting Into a Scalable Business 31:18 Claude Code, AI Agents and Building Business Systems 35:30 Why Business Owners Struggle to Adopt AI 40:43 AI, Leadership, Delegation and Getting Your Time Back 47:05 Why You Can't Grow Without Delegating 50:42 “New Levels, New Devils” and the Entrepreneurial Journey 52:04 How to Connect With Andrea Palacio Want more Blue Collar StartUp? Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup/ #AIForBusiness #AIAutomation #SmallBusiness #LandscapingBusiness #BlueCollarStartUp

August 12, 2026Episode 13852 min

The Hidden Opportunities in Manufacturing | Blue Collar StartUp #138

What does the future of manufacturing and the skilled trades workforce look like in New York’s Capital Region? In Episode 138 of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster talk with Don Wiesenforth and Matt Grattan of the Center for Economic Growth (CEG) about manufacturing careers, registered apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeship programs, workforce development, automation, AI, and the growing demand for skilled workers. They also explain how CEG helps manufacturers grow, connect with talent, access training and incentives, and navigate resources available to small and mid-sized manufacturing businesses. Learn more about Don, Matt, and the Center for Economic Growth at ceg.org . 0:00 Blue Collar StartUp Intro & Hosts Catch Up 1:53 Introducing Don Wiesenforth & Matt Grattan from CEG 2:22 What the Center for Economic Growth Does 5:02 The Growing Demand for Blue Collar Talent 8:31 Why the Capital Region Has So Many Manufacturers 10:22 How CEG Supports Manufacturers & Workforce Development 11:35 Getting More Women Into Manufacturing 12:45 Pre-Apprenticeship Programs & Direct Entry 13:12 The New Regional OnRamp Manufacturing Center 16:14 What Manufacturing Apprenticeships Actually Look Like 18:36 How Apprenticeships Can Lead to College Degrees 20:42 The "Earn While You Learn" Model 25:13 The Massive Demand for Manufacturing Workers 28:48 Getting Middle School Students Interested in Manufacturing 30:35 How Automation & AI Are Changing Manufacturing Jobs 37:49 CEG's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) 43:2 What Employers Really Want From Workers 45:32 The New Generation of Workers & Work-Life Balance 47:23 Why Economic Development Is About More Than Big Companies 50:11 How Manufacturers Can Connect With CEG Want more Blue Collar StartUp? Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup/ #BlueCollarStartUp #SkilledTrades #Manufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #Apprenticeships

August 5, 2026Episode 13753 min

Escaping the Messy Middle in the Trades | Blue Collar StartUp #137

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Brent Garrett, President of Sirius Plumbing & Air Conditioning, shares the five stages of business growth, how to transition from technician to coach, and the systems that helped him build a multi-million-dollar company. Learn why most contractors get stuck between $750K and $2.5M in revenue, how to delegate effectively, improve profitability, and create a business that runs without you. Connect with Brent on his website at brentgarrett.com and learn more about Sirius Plumbing & Air Conditioning at siriusplumbing.com . 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 00:47 Meet Brent Garrett of Sirius Plumbing & Air Conditioning 01:57 Growing Up in the Plumbing Industry 04:16 Why Brent's Father Didn't Want Him in the Trades 06:07 The Trade Labor Shortage & Need for Mentors 07:44 Coaching Employees Through Growth & Change 09:05 Why the Trades Are One of the Best Careers Today 11:22 How AI Is Impacting Careers & Skilled Trades 13:27 Starting a Business at 26 with $5,000 14:36 Stage 1 & Stage 2 of Business Growth 16:06 Understanding the "Messy Middle" 19:21 What the Top 20% of Contractors Do Differently 20:25 Becoming a Coach Instead of a Technician 22:26 The Importance of Pricing, Margins & Delegation 24:01 Parkinson's Law & Time Boxing for Productivity 26:21 Performance-Based Compensation & Customer Options 27:42 Why Marketing Matters for Trade Businesses 29:00 Building Equity, Wealth & Legacy Through Business 32:33 Burn the Boats: Commitment to Growth 37:30 Delegation, Leadership & Accountability Systems 41:14 Why the Field Team Drives the Business 46:22 Brent's Top Advice: Culture & Financial Ownership 49:10 How to Connect with Brent Garrett 51:43 Closing Thoughts & Final Takeaways Want more Blue Collar StartUp? Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #BlueCollarStartup #TradesBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #HVACBusiness #PlumbingBusiness

July 29, 2026Episode 13649 min

No Experience. New Industry. Successful Concrete Business. | Blue Collar StartUp #136

Can someone with zero construction experience build a successful concrete company? Jeff Price, owner of Texas Slab Guys, shares how he left a white-collar career in finance and technology to launch a scalable concrete business, why AI influenced his decision, and the systems he uses to grow through sales rather than traditional operations. This episode covers entrepreneurship, subcontractor management, hiring, sales strategy, commercial growth, and why the skilled trades may offer one of the biggest business opportunities of the next decade. Connect with Jeff Price and learn more about Texas Slab Guys at texasslabguys.com . 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 02:30 Meet Jeff Price of Texas Slab Guys 03:31 Leaving Finance & Tech for the Trades 05:31 Why Concrete Became the Business Opportunity 06:46 Searching Thousands of Businesses to Buy 09:01 When the Acquisition Fell Apart 10:20 Starting a Concrete Company with No Experience 12:08 Learning the Industry & Why Texas is Booming 14:28 Building Through Sales Instead of Employees 16:12 Creating a Business That Can Scale Without the Owner 18:40 How Jeff Builds High-Performing Sales Teams 23:09 Commission-Only Sales & Finding the Right People 25:03 Biggest Challenges During Year One 30:08 Highs, Lows & The First Six-Figure Contract 34:29 Staying Optimistic Through Entrepreneurship 38:01 Advice for Anyone Considering the Trades 42:20 "Just Do It"—Lessons from Successful Entrepreneurs 45:16 Where to Find Jeff & Final Takeaways Stay up to date with Blue Collar StartUp! Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #BlueCollarStartup #Entrepreneurship #ConcreteBusiness #SmallBusiness #Trades

July 22, 2026Episode 13537 min

Why Wrestlers Make Amazing Trade Workers | Blue Collar StartUp #135

In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Scotti Sentes from the Wrestlers in Business Network joins Mike Nelson and Derek Foster to discuss bridging the gap between student-athletes and skilled trades. Learn how wrestling builds the discipline, grit, and work ethic required to excel in blue-collar careers. Discover how innovative AI matching technology connects high-performing athletes directly with trade employers struggling to find reliable hires. Tune in to see why skilled trades offer a high-earning pathway without the burden of traditional college debt. Learn more about Scotti Sentes and discover the Wrestlers in Business Network at wrestlersinbusiness.org . 0:00 Podcast Intro & First Half Catch-Up 1:13 Discussing Mike Rowe and Trade Advocacy 2:45 Introducing Scotti Sentes & Wrestlers in Business Network 4:00 The "Gold Rush of 2026" in Blue Collar Trades 6:00 Solving the Workforce Talent Shortage 7:20 Building a Career Platform for 14,000+ Wrestlers 9:30 Using AI Technology to Match Athletes to Trade Roles 11:00 Trade Education vs. High-Cost College Degrees 13:15 The Shifting Public Perception of Skilled Trades 15:20 Creating a Wrestler-to-Wrestler Business Ecosystem 17:35 Leveraging Coaches and Virtual Career Fairs 19:30 Developing Work Ethic and Handling Extreme Pressure 22:00 How Contractors Recruit Talent Like Athletic Programs 24:15 Finding Hires That Stick Through Honesty and Grit 27:15 The Characteristics of Wrestlers: Accountability & Discipline 32:00 Advice for Trade Employers and Young Athletes 35:00 How to Connect with Scotti Sentes & Episode Wrap-Up Follow Blue Collar StartUp: Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #BlueCollarStartup #SkilledTrades #WrestlersInBusiness #WorkforceDevelopment #BlueCollar

July 15, 2026Episode 13444 min

Buying a $1.7M Electrical Business With No Experience | Blue Collar StartUp #134

What happens when you buy a $1.7 million electrical company without ever working for an electrical contractor? Zack Mutnik shares how he and his wife acquired, rebranded, and rapidly grew Mutt's Electric, covering SBA financing, hiring, leadership, recurring revenue, marketing, company culture, and scaling a trades business. Whether you're thinking about buying a business, growing your contracting company, or leading a team, this episode is packed with practical advice for blue-collar entrepreneurs. Learn more about Zack Mutnik and Mutt's Electric at muttselectric.com . 00:00 Introduction & Meet Zack Mutnik 02:35 Buying an Electrical Company Without Industry Experience 05:16 Leaving a Great Job to Become a Business Owner 06:09 Financing a $1.7M Business Purchase with an SBA Loan 07:47 Modernizing an Established Electrical Company 10:24 Moving from Paper to Digital Systems with Jobber 11:09 Launching a Home Maintenance Membership Service 15:16 Owner vs. Operator: Zack's Daily Role Today 16:09 Using Social Media to Win Customers and Hire Talent 17:44 The Biggest Challenges After Buying the Business 21:56 Building Company Culture and Core Values 24:51 Hiring for Culture Instead of Skills Alone 27:27 Leadership Lessons Learned in the Navy 30:20 Becoming the "Chief Repeating Officer" 32:54 Learning Sales and Growing Through Networking 34:08 Working With Your Spouse as Business Partners 36:43 Zack's Best Advice for Selling Service Businesses 38:37 Advice for Future Trades Business Owners 40:42 Why Young People Should Consider the Electrical Trades 42:29 Where to Connect with Zack and Mutt's Electric Follow Blue Collar StartUp Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #BlueCollarStartup #ElectricalContractor #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneur #TradesBusiness

July 8, 2026Episode 1331 hr 6 min

The Industrial Athlete Mindset Every Tradesperson Needs | Blue Collar StartUp #133

What separates top-performing tradespeople from everyone else? Scott McKenna, Stacy Spector, and Jason Spector of Catamount Consulting explain why today's skilled trades professionals should think of themselves as "Industrial Athletes" and how mindset, movement, recovery, and leadership reduce injuries while improving performance on and off the job. Learn practical strategies for preventing burnout, strengthening mental resilience, and building a longer, healthier career in construction and the skilled trades. Learn more about Catamount Consulting at catamountconsulting.com or connect with the team directly on LinkedIn: Scott McKenna - linkedin.com/in/scott-mckenna-b9b16428/ Stacy Spector - linkedin.com/in/stacy-spector-781891258/ Jason Spector - linkedin.com/in/jason-spector-46917337a/ 00:00 Introduction and welcome 1:10 What is an Industrial Athlete? 2:50 Why tradespeople are true athletes 5:13 Where the Industrial Athlete idea came from 6:30 Rethinking stretch and flex programs 8:47 Reframing the identity of skilled trades workers 10:28 Sport-specific preparation for different trades 13:48 Is going to the gym enough? 16:07 The Three E's of high performance 18:02 Injury prevention vs peak performance 21:03 Owner mindset vs victim mindset 24:00 Ego, vulnerability and leadership 26:15 Why humans are wired to compete 28:06 Self-talk and mental resilience 31:15 Why your inner dialogue matters 34:24 Winning over skeptical crews 39:08 Why construction safety hasn't changed enough 41:08 The Three Truths of Performance 43:15 Choking under pressure and building confidence 49:32 Practical tools for managing stress on the job 52:00 Stoicism, breathing, and staying composed under pressure Blue Collar StartUp Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #Construction #BlueCollar #Leadership #SafetyCulture #IndustrialAthlete

June 17, 2026Episode 13251 min

How Better Onboarding Creates Better Employees | Blue Collar StartUp #132

Are hiring challenges really hiring problems—or onboarding problems in disguise? In this episode of Blue Collar StartUp, Mike Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Bill Tansey Jr. of The OpEx Shop to discuss employee onboarding, mentorship, training systems, accountability, retention, and how process-driven businesses build stronger teams. Bill shares practical strategies for creating competency-based onboarding programs, reducing costly mistakes, improving employee retention, and scaling operations without sacrificing standards. Whether you're a contractor, trades business owner, or entrepreneur managing a growing team, this episode offers actionable insights you can implement immediately. Connect with Bill Tansey Jr. on LinkedIn and learn more about The OpEx Shop at theopexshop.com . 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 01:11 Introducing Bill Tansey Jr. and Today's Topic 02:44 Mike Announces The Fractional Operator Podcast 05:04 Why "Can't Find Good People" Is Often an Onboarding Problem 08:41 The Danger of Assuming Employees "Should Just Know" 11:01 Derek's Experience with Structured Onboarding 13:56 What Should Be Ready Before Day One? 16:45 Building Employee Expectations Before Work Begins 18:02 Why Bill Rejects Traditional 30-60-90 Day Programs 19:16 Competency-Based Training vs Time-Based Training 21:43 Getting New Employees Into Real Work Faster 23:07 How Mentorship Reduces Mistakes and Improves Retention 25:02 Where Small Businesses Should Start Building Systems 27:23 Teaching Hands-On Skills That Live "In Someone's Hands" 30:21 Style vs Technique in Employee Development 31:24 Why Your Best Employee May Be Your Worst Mentor 33:13 Building Relationships Through Mentorship Programs 34:28 The True Cost of Training New Employees 37:27 Measuring Whether Your Onboarding Process Works 40:59 Recognition, Retention & Employee Motivation 44:37 What an 8-Person Company Should Do Tomorrow Morning 47:50 Bill's One Rule for Effective Employee Onboarding 48:57 Derek's Employee Recognition Program 50:05 Final Thoughts & Episode Wrap-Up Follow Blue Collar StartUp: bluecollarstartup.io facebook.com/bluecollarstartup instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #BlueCollarStartUp #EmployeeOnboarding #Leadership #ConstructionBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth

June 3, 2026Episode 1311 hr 0 min

The Electrical Contractor Reinventing Company Culture | Blue Collar StartUp #131

Tom Jameson, founder of AstroWatt Electric, joins Blue Collar StartUp to share how he went from apprentice electrician to building one of North Carolina's most people-focused electrical companies. Learn how AstroWatt uses culture, leadership, unlimited PTO, employee benefits, and customer service to attract top talent and scale a successful trades business. Tom also shares lessons on starting a company, finding your competitive advantage, and why saying "no" helped his business grow faster. Whether you're considering a career in the trades or building your own service business, this episode is packed with practical advice and real-world experience. Learn more about Astrowatt Electric at callastrowatt.com or connect with Tom on Linkedin! Blue Collar StartUp Website: bluecollarstartup.io Facebook: facebook.com/bluecollarstartup Instagram: instagram.com/thebluecollarstartup #BlueCollarStartUp #Electrician #TradesBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Leadership 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 03:18 Meet Tom Jameson & AstroWatt Electric 05:32 How Tom Got Started in Electrical Work 07:01 Leaving Employment to Start a Business 09:03 Building a Company Around People First 11:30 The Transition from Employee to Owner 13:13 Winging It in the Early Startup Days 15:02 Work Ethic, Hustle Culture & Leadership 16:11 Creating a Strong Team Culture 19:09 Building a Family-Like Company Environment 20:18 Recruiting & Retaining Great Team Members 24:03 Why AstroWatt Offers Unlimited PTO 28:19 Trust, Accountability & Performance Standards 31:57 Mental Health Benefits in the Trades 34:08 Career Advice for Young Tradespeople 39:12 Finding Your Niche as a Business Owner 41:17 Visionaries vs. Integrators in Business 43:15 Learning to Say No and Scale Profitably 45:52 The AstroWatt Rebrand Story 47:58 Advice for Starting a Trades Business 52:03 Why the Trades Are a Massive Opportunity 55:04 Balancing Success, Money & Personal Goals 59:09 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

May 27, 2026Episode 13046 min

How to Build Trust in the Construction Industry | Blue Collar Startup #130

In this episode of Blue Collar Startup, hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Denver Whetten of Degan Construction LLC to discuss building a successful construction company through leadership, Extreme Ownership, and strong client relationships. Denver shares how he scaled from a small concrete startup into a major contractor while developing leaders, creating a winning company culture, and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship in the trades. Learn more about Denver Whetten and Degan Construction LLC, based in Phoenix, Arizona, at deganconstruction.com . 0:00 Intro & opening banter 1:22 AI, marketing shifts, and adapting in business 3:01 Introducing Denver Whetten & Degan Construction 4:37 EOS and Extreme Ownership discussion begins 7:00 Leaving corporate construction to start the company 11:25 Landing the first jobs with no real plan 13:22 Learning to solve problems without all the answers 15:17 Advice for tradespeople starting a business 17:01 “Make a lot of money, so everybody wins” philosophy 21:38 Discovering Extreme Ownership leadership principles 26:33 Realizing “I was the problem” as a leader 29:35 Weekly leadership training inside Degan Construction 34:05 Building trust with customers through performance 39:21 Why reputation matters more than short-term profit 40:38 Family business leadership & avoiding nepotism 46:46 YouTube Exclusive begins (youtube.com/@bluecollarstartup849)