UpScale - Build your profitable Trade and Construction business

Hosted by UpScale Business Coaching

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

390

Latest episode

Nov 2026

Language

About the show

The #1 Business Podcast for Service and Trade-based business owners who want to take control of their lives and understand the Road Map towards financial Freedom through their business. Join Industry-leading Coaches Mitch Van and Erina Roch with world-class experts as we discuss all things business, Marketing, leadership, Growth and more. Get instant access to tools, tips, tricks and hacks that have helped to explode thousands of businesses just like yours.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 11, 2026Episode 37932 min

This Tradie Learned Fencing on YouTube. Now He Runs a Crew of 6 - Ep 379

Ryan Branch learned to build a fence on YouTube https://www.str8upfences.com.au/ , and now Straight Up Fences turns over more in a month than he used to make in a whole year. Want daily content to help you grow your trade business? Follow us on Instagram: @upscalebusinesscoaching We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily Content for your Trade Business @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who’ve done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business. https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events In this episode of the UpScale Business Podcast, coach Leon sits down with Ryan and Katie Branch from Straight Up Fences in Bunbury, WA. When COVID cut his hours on the mines, Ryan got a quote to fix a fence and was told the wait was 9 months. He started his own fencing business the very next day. For the first 3 years he worked solo, turned over less than $100K a year and ran everything off a whiteboard. Then he got hit with a big tax bill. Today they’ve got a crew of 6, a 600 square metre warehouse and more than $100K a month coming in. They’ve almost doubled their revenue in the 6 months they’ve been coaching with UpScale. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Ryan spotted a gap in the market and went after it Why buying a $7,000 ute was the scariest decision of the early days How knowing their numbers took the guesswork out of every big move The job that made $7,000 profit in a week, and why they now go after more work like it Why moving off the whiteboard and onto a calendar changed everything How they built a team culture the crew actually wants to be part of Ryan and Katie’s advice for anyone in their first 3 years of business This one’s for fencers, landscapers, builders, sparkies, plumbers and any trade business owner who’s flat out but still not sure if they’re making money. We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program.

November 8, 2026Episode 34621 min

Busy Now, Broke in January? Here’s How to Fix It - Ep 378

Every trade business feels the January slump, but most of it starts with what you do in November and December. Use This Free Guide To Turn Your Busiest December Into Cash That Lasts Right Through January https://www.upscale-coaching.com/dont-go-broke-in-january-organic We've got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily Content for your Trade Business @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who've done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business. https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events In this episode of the UpScale Business Podcast, Mitch ( @mitchvan_ ) sits down with UpScale coach Riley to talk about how not to go broke in January. Riley shares what owners in the $250K plus room are doing right now to get ahead of the new year slowdown. Most of them are hiring one or two tradies, and they're still pushing hard on lead gen while everyone else is flat out. They also talk about why "I'm too busy" is really a people problem, why summer is the time to lift your rates, and why taking the whole Christmas break off might be costing you more than you think. In this episode, you'll hear: Why the smartest owners start hiring in October, not January How extra staff lets you pick up the customers your competitors are too busy to call back The fear that stops tradies from hiring, and how to get past it Why February and March go quiet, and how to put cash aside in December How to keep your business ticking over the break instead of restarting it in January Why you should take your time off when demand is low, not when it's at its peak This one's for plumbers, electricians, builders, sparkies, air con techs and any trade business owner who's sick of the January money stress and wants next year to start strong. We've got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program.

November 4, 2026Episode 3771 hr 20 min

Success Mindset: What Every Tradie Can Learn From Scaling Revel Saunas - Ep 377

What does it really take to build something from nothing? In this episode of the UpScale Business Coaching podcast Success Mindset series, Riley sits down with AJ Williams, founder of Revel Saunas, to unpack the mindset behind his journey. AJ grew up in public housing, left home at 14 and worked everything from bricklaying to unloading containers before spending 13 years learning the ropes at a fitness equipment company. He then launched Revel Saunas with a website and no stock on hand, hit $3 million in sales within the first three months while running the business on his own, and has since made his exit. AJ doesn’t hold back. He talks about the businesses that didn’t work, the mistakes he’d never repeat, and why looking after customers is the thing that grows a business faster than any ad spend. In this episode: Why consistency beats going flat out and burning out How AJ tested his business idea before the product even existed Turning angry customers into raving fans by putting yourself in their shoes Why negative feedback is worth more than praise Underpromise and overdeliver: how a few extra weeks on lead times changed the customer experience Why word of mouth is the most powerful marketing a trade business has Hiring people better than you instead of people below you Learning to say no, giving up alcohol and protecting your energy Working out what your perfect day looks like and building your routine around it Why chasing the next goal means nothing if you miss time with the people who matter If you run a plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, building or other trade business and you want the mindset to keep showing up when things get tough, this one’s worth a listen. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who’ve done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business: https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events

November 1, 2026Episode 37615 min

Don’t Scale a Mess: How to Know When Your Trade Business Is Ready to Grow - Ep 376

Does your business have to be perfect before you scale it? No. But you can’t scale a mess either. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: ⁠@upscalebusinesscoaching⁠ Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast⁠ Watch insights and tips on YouTube: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube⁠ Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast⁠ Hear from tradies who’ve done it: ⁠upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories⁠ Live Coaching Events 2026: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events⁠ In this episode of the UpScale Business Podcast, Mitch ( @mitchvan_ ) and Tom talk about the line between messy and good enough. UpScale client Cody Fahey said it best in his Having a Yarn series: you can’t scale a mess. So how do you tell when your trade business is ready to grow, and when you need to sort things out first? Mitch and Tom cover: Why waiting for perfect means you’ll never grow How UpScale brought on 3 new coaches at once, even with some systems still being worked on Why operations is the glue between your leads, sales, site work and invoicing How fixing one part of the business can create a mess somewhere else Simple ways to find what’s messy, like writing it down, journaling and spotting your biggest bottleneck Giving every team member a clear number so they know what a good job looks like A simple test before you scale: will your customers feel it if you grow right now? Why you can’t scale a business that isn’t profitable, and how a pricing calculator helps This episode is for plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, building and other trade business owners who want to grow without everything falling apart. We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who’ve done it: upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories Live Coaching Events 2026: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events

October 28, 2026Episode 37517 min

Could Your Trade Business Run Without You for 2 Weeks? - Ep 375

What happens to your trade business when you switch off completely for two weeks? In her first solo episode, Erina shares five business lessons from a kiteboarding trip to a remote island in Fiji with almost no phone reception. We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Follow Erina on Instagram: @erinaroxx Follow us on IG for daily Content for your Trade Business @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who’ve done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business. https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events Erina spent two weeks living in a straw hut in a village homestay in the Yasawa Islands and kiteboarding every day. The emails, WhatsApp messages and work chats went quiet, and that’s when her best ideas started to come. When she got home, the business had grown, new staff had started, the bills were paid on time and the team hadn’t needed her at all. In this episode, Erina explains why your brain needs quiet to come up with good ideas, and how to set up your business so it keeps running while you’re away. She shares the to do list system from Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman that has taken a lot of pressure off her. She also tells the story of a client who went back on the tools after staff left. He and one subcontractor turned over the same revenue a team of five used to. Erina closes with an honest look at the tough conversations every business owner has to have. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why cutting back on inputs makes you more creative and productive What would stop in your business if you disappeared for 2 weeks, and how to fix it now The open and closed list method for working on 10 things at a time How a “not to do list” helps you finish what you start The ladder trick: why one sparky goes up 50 times while others go up 200 Why headcount isn’t the best measure of how well your team performs How to be clear in hard conversations without feeling like the bad guy If you’re a tradie who hasn’t had a real break in years, or you feel like everything stops when you step away, this episode is for you. Ready to build a business that runs without you? Book your call with our team today.

October 25, 202649 min

How This Builder Quotes $300K Jobs in One Week Using AI - Ep 374

How long does it take your business to get a quote back to a client? Melbourne builder Mitch Harris went from four to six weeks on a $300,000 tender to having it done in one week, using AI. We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Follow us on IG for daily Content for your Trade Business @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Podcast: Sparky Explains: 55% Increase in average job value with AI - Ep 357 Hear from tradies who’ve done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business. https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events In this episode, Antoine @ antoine.ryan , the Applied AI Specialist at UpScale, sits down with Mitch from Kelmar Projects, a builder who left school in year 10 and went on the tools at 15. Since joining UpScale, Mitch has grown from $5K to $10K months working solo to 3 full time carpenters, 30 to 40 subcontractors and a best month of $167K. Over the last four months he has brought AI into the business, and he still runs it without an admin or an estimator. Mitch explains how he uses Claude Code, his AI agent he named Donna after the character from Suits, to read plans, write clear scopes of work, send them to the right trades and pull the quotes into one professional proposal. Before he even reaches his car after a client meeting, the scopes of work for 50 trades are ready. He also talks about why faster quotes win more jobs, how one client got her loan sorted before the next interest rate rise, and why small trade businesses have the advantage over big companies right now. In this episode, you’ll hear: The real difference between ChatGPT and a coding agent like Claude Code How Mitch cut a six week tender down to one week Why trades now quote faster than suppliers when the scope of works is clear How fast, professional proposals put you in stage two talks while other builders are still quoting The QA checklist that lets the boys check their work without Mitch on site Pete Griffiths’ QR code quotes that take deposits on the spot [link to Episode 347] How to get started with Claude Code and why plan mode matters The first “Claude Commandment”: if you’re unsure, just ask If you run a building, electrical, plumbing or any other trade business and you’re still writing quotes at night after a full day on the tools, this episode is for you. Ready to grow? Book your call with our team today.

October 21, 2026Episode 37427 min

Great Tradie, Struggling Business Owner? Here’s Why - Ep 373

Being great at your trade doesn’t make you a great business owner. They’re two different skill sets, and most tradies find that out the hard way. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: ⁠@upscalebusinesscoaching⁠ Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast⁠ Watch insights and tips on YouTube: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube⁠ Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast⁠ Hear from tradies who’ve done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business: ⁠Success stories⁠ Live Coaching Events 2026: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events⁠ In this episode, Leon and Geggsie sit down to talk about the mindset shift that happens when a technician or tradie starts running a business. Leon studied sport and performance psychology and has coached trade business owners for years, so he brings plenty of lessons from the sporting world and the tools. If you’re flat out on the tools, reacting to every quiet week or busy spell, and wondering why the business still doesn’t feel like yours, this one is for you. What we cover: Why a tradie’s task by task approach stops working once you own the business How to time block your calendar for the work that never finishes, like lead generation, systems and learning Setting clear goals and breaking them into quarterly, monthly and weekly steps Why “potential” can turn into a frustrating word if you never act on it Moving from reactive to proactive, so you stop having that “we’ve got no work next week” moment Using a simple SWOT analysis to look back at last year and plan the next 3 to 6 months How to get ahead of the Christmas rush, protect your cash flow and avoid a rough January Why hiring is a skill you can learn, and what to do when you think there are no good workers out there Building a team culture you’re proud of and holding firm on your standards Spotting your key players and getting clear on roles with an org chart Fixing the weak spots in your business, whether that’s no systems, no hires or work that isn’t profitable Free resource: Grab our free guide, Don’t Go Broke in January. It walks you through what worked last year, what to build on and what to fix, so you head into the new year with a plan. We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program.

October 18, 2026Episode 37247 min

Success Mindset: Fail Fast, Learn Faster - Building a Trade Business From Scratch - Ep 372

Andy Wells (https://www.theadventuregarage.com.au/) ran an engineering consultancy with seven offices and around 80 people. It was successful, and he was close to burnout at 40. So he stepped back, rented a shed, and started working on Land Rovers. In this episode of the Success Mindset series, we visit Andy at the Adventure Garage in the Northern Rivers, a workshop full of Land Rovers, custom motorbikes, surfboards and a coffee shop out the back. He tells us how a weekend hobby turned into a business with sponsors like Royal Enfield, Motul and Pirelli, even though he had no mechanic’s background and had never run a workshop. If you run a trade business and you’re stuck planning, doubting yourself, or running on empty, there’s a lot here for you. What we cover: Why Andy sees problems as part of the build instead of a reason to stop How he handles the voice that says “give up”, and why he ignores it Stepping back from a business that was burning him out Why he chose to keep his team small and stop taking work nobody wanted to do How he handles the jobs he hates, like timesheets and invoicing, by finding people who cover his weak spots Landing big brand partnerships when you’re still a small business Filming the messy, frustrating days along with the finished product Taking on work that suits your goals once your reputation can support it What 7,500 kilometres on a bike through the Kimberley taught him about getting through setbacks Why failing and learning is the thing that keeps him moving Whether you’re a few years in or thinking about a big change, Andy’s approach to risk, learning and building a team around your strengths is worth a listen. Hosts: @erinaroxx @mitchvan_ We’ve got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who’ve done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business: Success stories Live Coaching Events 2026: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events

October 14, 2026Episode 37127 min

The Big Dog Effect: Why Successful Tradies Pull Away When Life Gets Hard - Ep 371

In this episode, Erina sits down with Mitch and Brandon Lewis to talk about something most trade business owners feel but rarely say out loud: the pressure to always have it together. Mitch opens up about a tough few months, from taking a step back in the business to training for an Ironman and a marathon, and how the two things collided into what he calls the "Big Dog Effect." The idea is simple but hits hard. Once you reach a certain level as a business owner, people start looking up to you. You don't want to let them down, so when things get tough, instead of leaning on the people around you, you withdraw. Mitch, Erina and Brandon unpack why this happens, why it's often the ones who look most "successful" who struggle the most in silence, and what it actually takes to break the pattern. You'll hear real talk about: Why pulling away from your support network makes hard times harder, not easier The difference between people who work through their problems and those who avoid them Why admitting "I need help" feels so uncomfortable for business owners, and why it shouldn't How to spot the right people to let into your corner, the ones who'll hold you accountable instead of just telling you what you want to hear Why community isn't a nice to have when you're building a business, it's often the thing that keeps you in the game If you've ever felt like you're supposed to have all the answers because you're the one running the show, this episode is for you. Growth isn't a straight line, and the tradies who make it aren't the ones who never struggle, they're the ones who don't go through it alone. Connect with the hosts: Erina: @erinaroxx Mitch: @mitchvan_ Brandon: @brandonlewis.co We've got the tools you need to scale your business, automate, hire, and delegate. Book your call with our team to talk strategy and learn more about our program. Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who've done it: upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories Live Coaching Events 2026: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events

October 11, 202628 min

How Business Changes: From Doing It All to Running the Show - Ep 370

Every trade business changes as it grows, and the challenges never really stop, they just look different. In this episode, Erina ( @erinaroxx ) sits down with Kaz, her very first hire, to talk about what each stage of business looks like for tradies and small business owners. They start where most of us start, when it's just you wearing every hat, and work through the first hire, getting your processes out of your head, and letting go of the jobs you're still holding onto. They also cover how to build trust with your team, what changes when you step off the tools, and why community makes the whole journey easier. If you're a trade business owner wondering what comes next, or feeling stuck in the "doing everything" stage, this one will help you see the bigger picture. In this episode: What you learn when you're doing everything yourself Hiring your first employee, and why being upfront about the real job matters Why it pays to learn to fire faster Where AI helps your business and where you still need your own thinking Documenting your systems so you don't scale your problems How to build trust and let go of tasks as a business owner What changes when you step off the tools and start looking at your numbers Why business is never a straight line, and how cash flow and lead generation can trip you up Finding your purpose and why you don't need to compare yourself to anyone else Why community matters at every stage Chapters: 00:00 The evolution of business 01:57 The first hire and its challenges 05:54 Using technology and AI in your business 08:33 Building a team and streamlining processes 09:31 Growing pains for business owners 14:12 Trust, training and business changes 18:19 Vision and keeping an eye on your numbers 20:52 Wins and challenges in business growth 25:17 Community and support Follow Erina on Instagram: @erinaroxx : https://www.instagram.com/erinaroxx/ Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoaching Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast Watch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast Hear from tradies who've done it, and learn what it really takes to grow a successful trade business: https://www.upscalecoaching.com.au/success-stories/ Live Coaching Events 2026: https://www.upscale-coaching.com/upscale-live-events