The ToolShed Podcast

Hosted by Mick Hawes

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Episodes

193

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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About the show

The Toolshed podcast keeps you up to date with what's happening in the Building Industry. Keeping your finger on the pulse of changing trends, so you can take advantage of opportunities and avoid becoming a dinosaur! Every episode we'll talk about how these trends affect you, and what steps you can take to stay ahead of the curve. You'll learn how to use new technologies to make your business more efficient and effective, how to connect with other builders and architects, and how to make sure your projects are profitable. Essential conversations with people who are committed to a better Building Industry for everyone involved.

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60 recent

November 2, 202635 min

EP 181: Marketing for Builders: How to Get Better Quality Leads

Most builders don't have a lead problem. They have a positioning problem. In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, Mick Hawes sits down with Scott Bywater, founder of Copywriting That Sells, to unpack marketing for builders and why so many residential builders keep attracting the wrong clients. Scott has worked on unique selling propositions for somewhere between 50 and 100 building companies, and he's yet to find one without something genuinely unique to offer. Connect with Scott Bywater: Website: www.copywritingthatsells.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LikeScottBywater/ Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/LikeScottBywater/ LinkedIN: https://www.facebook.com/LikeScottBywater/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scottbywater Is your building business running you instead of the other way around? Take 2 minutes to complete the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard. You'll get clear, personal insights showing exactly what's stopping you from scaling and stepping back. Start here: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

October 20, 202638 min

EP 180: Sustainable Homes in 2026: Why You Need One

What actually makes a home sustainable, and why are builders who understand it converting far more of their quotes? Mick sits down with Simon Clark, founder of Sustainable Homes Melbourne, to unpack what actually makes a home sustainable and why builders who understand it are converting far more quotes. They cover why Australia lags decades behind on insulation, why double glazing barely moves the cost needle, and where AI and offsite construction are taking the industry. Connect with Simon Clark: Company: https://sustainablehomesmelbourne.com.au/ & https://www.thesba.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablehomesmelbourne & https://www.facebook.com/buildersdeclareau/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainablehomesmelbourne/ & https://www.instagram.com/sustainablebuildersalliance Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sustainablehomesmelb Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SustainableHomesMelbourne & https://youtube.com/@sustainablebuildersalliance?si=A1RFQ4nhmMK4AXoW Working hard but not making enough? Take this 2-minute quiz to find out what's holding your building business back and how to fix it: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

October 5, 202635 min

EP 179: Two Builders, $150K in Debt Part 2

Two builders, $150K in debt between them, and the honest story of how business coaching turned it all around. Wayne Preston and Matthew Auld join Mick Hawes to talk about the financial crisis, mental health, and what it actually takes to build a construction business that works for you instead of against you. Connect with Wayne & Matt: Matt's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034819557003 Wayne's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prestonbuilders1 Wayne's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preston.builders/ Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.auld.builder Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back. More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

September 30, 202641 min

EP 179: Mental Health in the Building Industry Part 1

I sat down with residential builders Wayne Preston and Matthew Auld for a raw conversation on mental health in the building industry and what business coaching for builders actually looks like behind the scenes. Wayne shares the financial crisis that nearly cost him his house. Matthew opens up about the day his wife rang me worried about him. Both explain why community, not just systems, is what got them through it. Connect with Wayne & Matt: Matt's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034819557003 Wayne's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prestonbuilders1 Wayne's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preston.builders/ Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.auld.builder Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back. More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

September 21, 202623 min

EP 178: Why Business Owners Sabotage Themselves Part 2

Most business owners aren't lazy or lost, they're sabotaging themselves without realising it. In this episode, Mick Hawes talks with entrepreneur Kassidy Warren about the real difference between purpose and distraction, why business owners create chaos instead of focus, and why he spent $35,000 to join a community and became a hotel owner within six weeks because of it.. Connect with Kassidy Warren: Website: https://kassidywarren.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qkassidyw/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassidy.warren/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidywarren Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KassidyWarren Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back.

September 14, 202647 min

EP 178: How a $35 Airbnb Turned Into a $13M Portfolio Part 1

He started with one spare bedroom renting for $35 a night, and turned it into a $13 million short-term rental portfolio. In this episode I sit down with real estate investor Kassidy Warren to talk about how he actually did it, and what it cost him along the way. We get into the discipline it takes to build something that big, why so many of us let our business become a prison instead of the freedom machine it's meant to be, and how setting boundaries as a leader will earn you more respect, not less. If you're a builder who feels like you're always on, always putting out fires, this one will hit home. Connect with Kassidy Warren: Website: https://kassidywarren.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qkassidyw/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassidy.warren/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidywarren Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KassidyWarren Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back.

August 17, 202630 min

EP 177: Increase Your Profit Margin: Tips from a Profit Doctor Part 2

Ben Hansen, known as The Profit Doctor, joins Mick Hawes for Part 2 of this conversation on The ToolShed Podcast, and it's a masterclass in why revenue doesn't guarantee profit. Ben explains why the biggest, most exciting projects are often the ones quietly bleeding a building business dry, and why the "sweet spot" jobs most builders overlook tend to be the real money makers. Connect with Ben Hansen: Website: www.profitdoctor.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/benhansen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profitdoctorben/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhansen/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitdoctorben Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ If you've ever felt like you're working flat out but the bank account doesn't reflect it, this episode will change how you think about pricing, project selection, and what it really means to run a profitable building business.

August 11, 202639 min

EP 177: Construction Business Profit Tips With The Profit Doctor Part 1

Ben Hansen, known worldwide as The Profit Doctor , joins Mick Hawes to unpack why so many residential builders and construction business owners are working harder than ever with nothing extra to show for it. Connect with Ben Hansen: Website: www.profitdoctor.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/benhansen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profitdoctorben/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhansen/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitdoctorben Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ If you have ever felt like your business should be further ahead given how hard you are working, this episode explains why, and what to actually do about it.

July 27, 202634 min

EP 176: How To Scale A Construction Business (Real Builder Story)

In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, host Mick Hawes sits down with Cameron Fraser and Matthew Sablinskis, Directors of Limitless Build, a Melbourne-based residential building company specialising in extensions, renovations and outdoor living. Brother-in-laws who started the business together in 2012, Cam and Matt share the exact turning point where they went from plateauing to growing revenue double digits for three years straight, and the numbers, systems and culture that made it possible. Connect with Limitless Build: Website: www.limitlessbuild.com.au & www.melbournedecksandpergolas.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/limitlessbuild/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/limitlessbuild/ Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ This is a raw, honest episode for anyone in the building and construction industry who has ever felt like they were carrying more than they let on.

July 21, 202631 min

EP 175: Men's Mental Health In The Construction Industry

Peter Coll has spent thirty years in the construction industry, from apprentice plumber to National Advisor for Building and Plumbing. But behind the career, he was fighting a private battle with addiction and mental health that nearly cost him everything. In this episode, Peter sits down with Mick Hawes to talk honestly about what men in construction rarely say out loud. He shares how his body physically broke down after decades on the tools, why traditional counselling didn't always work for him, and how that led him to found Rebuild & Rise, a mental health support program built specifically for tradies and builders. Peter and Mick unpack why men struggle to reach out, why silence is often mistaken for strength, and what it actually takes to start the conversation. Connect with Petter Coll: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterJColl1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peter_coll/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-coll-5aa56848/ Twitter: https://x.com/Peter_Coll Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ This is a raw, honest episode for anyone in the building and construction industry who has ever felt like they were carrying more than they let on.