Off The Tools with Wayne and Andy 🔥

Wayne Bettess and Andy Jones

Welcome to the Off The Tools Podcast, where two of the UK's best trade business coaches, Wayne Bettess & Andrew Jones, deliver tons of free value week in week out to help trade business owners level up their business and more importantly themselves. Wayne Bettess & Andrew Jones are passionate entrepreneurs & trade business owners themselves who are committed to personal and professional development. on this channel, Wayne & Andy share their wisdom on mindset, self-development, and offer glimpses into how to create a life that is one of choice and freedom.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    #7 “I Don’t Need to Advertise” 🚫 The Marketing Lie Holding Tradesmen Back

    If you’re still saying “I’ve never advertised and I’m doing fine” — this episode is for you. 🔥 Wayne and Andy rip into one of the biggest myths in the trade game: that word of mouth alone is enough to grow a modern business, charge properly, and stay ahead of the competition. Spoiler: it isn’t. ❌ They break down the difference between primitive marketing (cards, mags, leaflets, vans, local presence) and new age marketing (Google Ads, Checkatrade, platforms, SEO, CRMs) — and why the smartest businesses are doing BOTH. 🧠🚀 Inside this episode: 🧯 Why “I don’t need to market” usually means you’re too cheap 📉 The brutal truth about relying on word of mouth in 2025 🪓 Primitive marketing vs new age marketing — and where each one wins 📬 How to use leaflets, A6 cards, local mags & sponsorships properly 🔌 Why most trades switch off marketing at the worst possible time ⏳ Marketing for the future, not just for “when it’s quiet” 🌐 How Checkatrade and lead gen sites actually work (once you stop expecting 60% conversion) 🥶 Why cold leads are different – and what’s a realistic win rate 💷 How marketing and pricing are linked (more leads = more confidence = higher prices) ⚠️ Why chasing turnover without foundations is a fast road to burnout 📈 The slow, boring, compounding marketing most lads are too impatient to do If you want to: stop depending on luck and “hoping the phone rings” ☎️ attract better customers 🤝 raise your prices without shitting yourself 💰 and build a business that grows every year instead of yo-yoing 📊… …then you need to get serious about marketing. Properly. Consistently. Long-term. 💪 💬 Got a question about your marketing or want us to break down your current setup on a future episode?Drop Wayne or Andy a message or join the free Off The Tools community on Facebook and get involved. 🦁🔥

    45 min

  2. 24/12/2025

    #6 AI in the Trades: The Tool That Will Leave Old-School Businesses Behind

    AI isn’t coming.It’s already here.And the trades who ignore it are going to get smoked by the ones who adopt it. In this episode, Wayne & Andy dive into the truth about AI in the plumbing, heating, and electrical world — stripping out the sci-fi nonsense and showing exactly how real tradesmen can use AI TODAY to save time, win more work, and look more professional than 90% of their competitors. Inside this unfiltered episode: 🔥 How Wayne went from “AI’s a novelty” → to fully embedding it in two businesses🔥 Why AI won’t replace tradesmen — but WILL replace slow, old-school businesses🔥 The biggest game-changer: AI phone answering (live demo included)🔥 How AI can answer calls, book jobs, send links, collect customer info & upsell… all while you’re under a boiler🔥 The shocking increase in online bookings once AI handles your first contact🔥 Why customers prefer AI speed over human small talk🔥 How AI helps single-man bands COMPETE with companies that have full offices🔥 Why the older generation actually prefer AI more than you think🔥 How AI + automations can reduce your office workload by 50–80%🔥 Why manual call handling is losing you customers every single day🔥 The one mindset shift that stops tradesmen sabotaging their own growth🔥 How AI protects your business from “giving away the diagnosis” over the phone🔥 Using AI for website chat, content creation, customer service & more🔥 Why “not answering the phone” is the #1 reason customers leave their old tradesman🔥 The harsh reality: customers want SPEED, not excuses PLUS:Real examples from inside Wayne’s business — including a live walk-through of his AI call handler and chat bot, how it collects data, how it routes calls, and how it pushed online bookings up by 50%+ almost overnight. If you’re a one-man band, small team, or even a growing company with office staff — you NEED to hear this. AI isn’t a threat.It’s a tool.And the ones who pick it up will dominate the next decade of the trades. Want us to build your AI call handler or chatbot?Email Wayne or Andy — links in the description.

    45 min

  3. 17/12/2025

    #5 Automations: The Secret Weapon Every Tradesman Should Be Using (But Most Aren’t)

    If systems are the engine of your business, automations are the turbocharger — and most tradesmen aren’t using ANY of it. In this episode, Wayne & Andy tear into one of the biggest growth multipliers in the trade industry:Automations that run your business in the background while you crack on with the job. No robots. No sci-fi nonsense.Just smart, simple processes that save you hours, make you more professional, and massively boost your reviews, conversions, and customer satisfaction. Inside this episode we break down: 🔥 What automations REALLY are (in trade language, not tech jargon)🔥 Why manual reminders, notes & follow-ups are costing you thousands🔥 The “Big 3” automations every trade business must have • Review collection • Quote follow-up • Booking confirmations & reminders🔥 Why automations beat human effort every single time🔥 How to scale from 10 reviews to 1,000+ using one simple automation🔥 Why customers LOVE consistent communication (and why you can’t do it manually)🔥 How automations help you upsell service plans without being salesy🔥 Why manual follow-ups ≠ professionalism🔥 How automation removes emotion, hesitation & human error🔥 How to build a customer journey that feels like Amazon/Uber — not “Dave the plumber”🔥 The truth about complaints: why a handful of moaners shouldn’t dictate your strategy🔥 Why automations + systems + marketing = explosive growth PLUS:Andy shares the exact automations that took his business from zero reviews to nearly 1,000 in eight months.Wayne explains how 10,000+ automated review requests saved MONTHS of admin time. If you want: More reviews More conversions Better customers Fewer headaches More time A more professional reputation And a business that runs even when you’re not touching it… This episode will hit home. Automations aren’t optional anymore.They’re the difference between staying small…and scaling properly.

    42 min

  4. 10/12/2025

    #4 SYSTEMS: The #1 Thing Holding Your Trade Business Back (And How to Fix It)

    Most tradesmen are still running their business like it’s 1998 — paper pads, handwritten diaries, random receipts stuffed in glove boxes, and customers slipping through the cracks. Meanwhile, the lads using proper systems are pulling ahead FAST… building better reputations, charging more, and scaling with half the stress. In this episode, Wayne & Andy rip into the truth: If you don’t have solid systems, you don’t have a business.You’ve just got a job… and a stressful one. This episode breaks down: 🔥 Why job management systems are now essential in 2025🔥 The four systems every serious trade business MUST have🔥 Why using paper, pads and “memory” is costing you thousands🔥 How systems instantly boost your professionalism🔥 The #1 reason tradesmen lose customers (and how to stop it)🔥 The truth about reminders, reviews, quotes & invoicing🔥 How automations can replace hours of boring admin🔥 Why systems help you CHARGE more🔥 The real reason one-man bands resist tech🔥 How Wayne & Andy built 1,000+ reviews using systems alone🔥 A full breakdown of a real customer journey — automated end-to-end PLUS:Wayne shares the exact process his business uses to run breakdowns, reminders, reviews, invoicing, payment chasing and follow-ups without lifting a finger. Andy explains how systems allowed him to scale quickly, manage engineers properly, and stop drowning in manual admin. If you’re grafting nonstop but still feel disorganised…If your diary is chaos…If you keep “meaning to” send quotes, chase invoices or ask for reviews…If customers fall through the net… This episode will change everything. Systems aren’t a cost.They’re the engine.And if you don’t build it, your competitors will leave you behind.

    43 min

  5. 03/12/2025

    #3 YOU’RE TOO CHEAP: The Brutal Truth About Pricing Your Trade Business

    Stop dancing around it — most tradesmen are flat-out undercharging. And it’s killing their profit, their time, their confidence, and their business. In this hard-hitting episode, Wayne and Andy tear into the REAL pricing problem in the UK trade industry — why it keeps happening, how it screws your income, and what you must do TODAY to fix it. This isn’t theory. This isn’t “charge what you’re worth” fluff. This is the truth from two lads who have built, coached, systemised, and scaled real trade businesses. Inside this episode we cover: Why nearly every heating engineer, electrician, plumber & spark in the UK is too cheap The mindset problem holding most tradesmen back Why copying “going rates” is financial suicide How to actually work out your real hourly rate (properly) Why profit, salary, and overheads MUST be calculated — not guessed How inflation is silently robbing your business every single year Why being the most expensive in your area is not only possible… it’s smart How to raise prices without losing your best customers The truth about “busy but broke” tradesmen Why most self-employed lads earn LESS than they think The simple 10-customer pricing challenge (do it and prove yourself wrong) PLUS — we break down: The free Pricing Calculator Wayne created How to start charging based on REAL numbers How to start attracting customers who respect value, not bargain hunters If you’re sick of grafting hard and earning less than you deserve, this is the episode you’ve needed for years. No excuses. No guessing. Do the work. Raise your prices. Build a real business. 👉 Send your area + current pricing to wayne@offthetools.co.uk so we can include the data in a future episode.

    43 min

  6. 26/11/2025

    #2 Choosing the Right Work: Stop Filling Your Diary With Jobs That Hold Your Business Back

    Most tradesmen say “yes” to every job… and then wonder why they’re stressed, skint, overwhelmed, and never actually growing their business. In this episode, Wayne and Andy dive deep into the reality most lads ignore: Not all work is good work.And some jobs are killing your business without you realising. This episode is a straight-talking breakdown of how to choose the RIGHT work — the jobs that grow your business, increase lifetime value, build recurring revenue, and stop you being a busy fool. Inside this episode: 🔥 Why saying “yes to everything” is the reason you’re stuck🔥 The dangerous myth: “Combi swaps are the golden goose”🔥 Why service & repair work quietly builds the strongest, most profitable businesses🔥 How “lifetime value” actually works (and how to use it properly)🔥 Why five boiler installs a month WON’T grow your business long-term🔥 The difference between “profit now” vs “profit over 10 years”🔥 The opportunity cost nobody in the heating/plumbing world talks about🔥 Why working for builders & letting agents is often a trap🔥 How to choose work that scales your business — not drowns you🔥 Why customer acquisition beats short-term cash every time🔥 The mindset shift every tradesman needs if they want to grow PLUS:Wayne and Andy share real stories from their own businesses — including walking away from £100k+ a year in “comfortable” work to unlock bigger, better opportunities. If your diary is full but your business isn’t growing…If you’re always busy but never ahead…If you want to scale but can’t find the time… This episode is a wake-up call. Start choosing the right work.Start building the business you actually want.Stop surviving. Start growing.

    29 min

  7. 19/11/2025

    #1 The Relaunch: Off The Tools Is Back… And We’re Doubling Down

    Off The Tools is officially back — and we’re not messing about. After five years, hundreds of thousands of downloads, and coaching tradesmen all over the UK, it’s time for a full relaunch. A bigger mission. A stronger team. And a hell of a lot more impact. In this episode, Wayne brings the listeners up to speed on the evolution of Off The Tools — and then drops the big news: Andrew Jones (TwinSun Heating) is now officially joining as Lead Coach and Co-Host. Andy went from zero customers to a systemised, outsourced heating business in under three years, and he’s now bringing that same no-excuses, action-first mindset into Off The Tools. Inside this relaunch episode: Why Off The Tools has outgrown what it started as Why trades businesses are falling behind — and how to fix it What Andy brings to the table (and why he doesn’t take prisoners) The new coaching structure, new tiers, new retreats, and the invite-only elite mastermind What’s coming up on the podcast: pricing, software, outsourcing, AI, systems, growth, and real unfiltered talk How listeners can directly send questions for Wayne & Andy to answer on future episodes This is the start of Season 2 — bigger, sharper, and built to help more tradesmen get off the tools and into the life they actually want. Got a question for the lads?📧 wayne@offthetools.co.uk📧 andy@offthetools.co.uk Let’s get to work.

    21 min
  8. #124 From Tools to Transformation: Breaking Limiting Beliefs & Building a Better Life

    06/06/2025

    #124 From Tools to Transformation: Breaking Limiting Beliefs & Building a Better Life

    In this straight-talking follow-up episode of the Off The Tools Podcast, Wayne Bettess is joined once again by Andrew Jones — back in the hot seat after their first chat ran well over two hours. This time, it’s not about what Andy’s done, but what’s changed inside him. They get brutally honest about personal development, pricing mindset, the trap of being "busy", and the real cost of surrounding yourself with the wrong people. From tackling limiting beliefs, changing the way you price jobs, understanding your true value, and building better habits, this episode is stacked with practical, no-b******t insights you can actually use. If you're stuck chasing your tail, undervaluing yourself, or just need a kick up the arse to start taking ownership of your future — this is your wake-up call. 📍Recorded live from the Off The Tools HQ studio. 📲 Want to level up your mindset and business? Join the free Off The Tools community now at www.offthetools.co.uk

    1h 57m
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5
out of 5
69 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Off The Tools Podcast, where two of the UK's best trade business coaches, Wayne Bettess & Andrew Jones, deliver tons of free value week in week out to help trade business owners level up their business and more importantly themselves. Wayne Bettess & Andrew Jones are passionate entrepreneurs & trade business owners themselves who are committed to personal and professional development. on this channel, Wayne & Andy share their wisdom on mindset, self-development, and offer glimpses into how to create a life that is one of choice and freedom.

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