Blue-Collar BS

Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • 5.0 (9)
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The age-old excuse "we can't find good people" is busted by two business coaches, Brad Herda and Steve Doyle. Blue-Collar BS features the top blue-collar business owners, thought leaders, and experts to share strategies on attracting and retaining top talent across ALL generations--including Gen Z's (and why they should not be overlooked). Blue-Collar BS helps blue-collar business owners like you build a business that'll thrive for decades by turning that blue-collar bullsh*t into some blue-collar business solutions. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  1. 5d ago

    Borrow Smart or Stay Small with Sue Schuster

    This week's guest is Sue Schuster, partner at BizFi.io, where she helps small businesses access the right kind of capital to grow. Before finance, Sue spent 18 years building and running a swim school with her parents, eventually selling it after COVID upended the business, so she's coming at this from real experience building and exiting a company, not just advising from the outside. We get into the difference between good debt and bad debt, why a line of credit is worth having even when you don't think you need one, and how dangerous merchant cash advances and credit card stacking can be for a business that gets stuck needing fast cash. Sue also explains the generational divide she sees in how people approach debt, with younger business owners often not understanding how credit actually works, and older owners sometimes being too debt-averse to grow. We also talk about why she prefers debt over giving up equity, and the risks small business owners take when they don't fully understand what a loan actually costs. Highlights The difference between good debt and bad debt, and why it matters for growing a business.Why every business should have a line of credit, even if they never use it.The dangers of merchant cash advances and credit card stacking.Why debt is often a smarter move than giving up equity in your company.Sue's own journey building, scaling, and selling her swim school business. Get in touch with Sue: Website Facebook LinkedIn Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Borrow Smart or Stay Small with Sue Schuster

  2. Sep 25

    Family Dynamics...Damit No One Told Us

    This week we dig into one of the trickiest conversations in small business: handing a family business down to the next generation. It's a topic that comes up constantly in the work we both do outside the show, and it rarely goes the way anyone expects. We talk about the gap between owning a business and actually operating it, and how often parents assume they're still running the day-to-day when the reality has already shifted without them fully realizing it. We get into the emotional side too, the assumptions everyone makes without ever putting them into words, the resentment that builds when expectations aren't clear, and the awkward reality of a parent still drawing a full salary for a fraction of the hours. We also talk about the professional team around a family business, the accountant, the advisor, the insurance person, who's been there for decades and may not actually be equipped to help with a transition like this. The through-line of the conversation is that almost none of these problems are really about money. They're about clarity, communication, and having the hard conversation early instead of waiting until resentment has already set in. Highlights Why parents and kids often disagree on what "running the business" actually means.The financial and emotional tension that builds when compensation and hours don't match up.Why the trusted advisors around a family business may not be right for the next chapter.The difference between talking to family as family and talking to family as coworkers.Why clarity, not money, is usually the real obstacle in a family business transition. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Family Dynamics...Damit No One Told Us

  3. Sep 18

    Your Labor Math Is Drunk with Cary Sparrow

    This week's guest is Cary Sparrow, founder and CEO of WageScape, a company that pulls together the world's largest and most current labor market data set. Before building WageScape, Cary spent time on nuclear submarines in the Navy and had a long career in engineering, military consulting, and operations leadership. We get into how WageScape works, scanning job ads across the country every day to build a real, unbiased picture of what companies are paying for specific roles, rather than relying on guesswork, outdated averages, or word of mouth. Cary explains why relying on anecdotes about what a competitor paid someone can lead companies to make costly decisions in either direction, overpaying out of fear or underpaying and losing the right people for critical roles. We also talk about the wild swings in wage growth since the pandemic, jumping from a steady 3% a year to 30% a year during the labor shortage, and why that whiplash is still causing headaches for companies trying to figure out fair pay today. Cary shares his read on the current job market, including why so many people are on edge right now, and where he sees real opportunity, especially for people willing to learn how to use AI tools in their work. We also touch on the challenge veterans face translating military experience into skills that make sense to civilian employers. Highlights How WageScape collects and uses real-time labor market data.Why anecdotal pay comparisons can lead companies to make costly mistakes.The wild wage swings since the pandemic and what they mean for hiring today.Where Cary sees real opportunity in today's uncertain job market.The challenge of translating military experience into civilian job skills. Get in touch with Cary: Website LinkedIn Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Your Labor Math Is Drunk with Cary Sparrow

  4. Sep 11

    9/11 Remembered

    This week's episode is a little different. On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, we set aside the usual format to talk about where we were that day, what we remember, and how it shaped the years that followed. We walk through the morning as it unfolded for each of us, from the confusion of realizing what was actually happening to the strange stillness that settled over everything in the hours after. We talk about the images that stuck with us most, the return of air travel, the way people leaned into community and country in a way that felt different from anything before or since. We also touch on stories from that day we didn't learn about until years later, including the diversion of dozens of flights to a small town in Newfoundland and how that community responded. This episode is also a reminder that the impact of that day didn't end in 2001. The effects reached people in ways that aren't always visible, and for anyone who was a kid at the time, it shaped how they understand the world without them fully realizing it. We wanted to use this episode as an invitation to check in with the people around you, especially today. Highlights Personal memories from the morning of September 11th and how the day unfolded.The eerie quiet that followed and how quickly the world changed.Lesser-known stories from that day, including the flight diversions to Newfoundland.The lasting, sometimes invisible impact on families and later generations.A reminder to check in on the people around you. Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    9/11 Remembered

  5. Sep 4

    Plug the Biggest Hole with Jared Millar

    This week on the show we talk with Jared Millar, co-founder and head of operations at Big Blue Collar, a growth partner built specifically for blue collar businesses. Before getting into marketing and operations, Jared spent years running his own tile setting business, so he's coming at this from inside the trades, not just as an outside consultant. A lot of the conversation centers on a mindset shift Jared sees constantly: business owners think their problem is a lack of leads, when the real issue is usually what happens after the phone rings. Missed calls, no follow-up system, no plan for staying in touch with a customer who isn't ready to buy yet, these gaps cost more than any ad spend ever could. Jared also gets into the value of looking inward before spending more on marketing, using the idea of finding the biggest leak first instead of trying to patch everything at once. We also dig into team culture and training, including a story about a crew that didn't feel empowered to answer a simple question on the spot, and what that costs a business in missed opportunities. Jared closes out with his read on how different generations of owners are adapting to newer tools and marketing channels, and where he sees the biggest room for growth right now. Highlights Jared's background running his own trades business before moving into growth and marketing.The "find the biggest hole and plug it" approach to fixing a struggling business.How team culture and training affect whether missed opportunities get caught or lost.How different generations of blue collar owners are adapting to newer marketing tools. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. We bring on guests to talk about topics you won't find anywhere else, straight from people who actually work in the trades. Get in touch with Jared: Website LinkedIn Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Plug the Biggest Hole with Jared Millar

  6. Aug 28

    Why American Manufacturing is NOT dead with Jim Vinoski

    We're joined by Jim Vinoski, a Gen Xer who spent over three decades on factory floors before turning to writing about American manufacturing. He wrote for Forbes for seven years and is releasing a book profiling 22 of the best American manufacturers, built on stories he collected from a career spent inside the industry rather than looking at it from the outside. We talk about how manufacturing has been unfairly written off for decades, and why the companies that actually thrive tend to share the same handful of traits: they treat people as individuals rather than resources, they think in decades instead of quarters, and the people running them genuinely love the work. Jim shares some standout stories from the book, including a Wisconsin company that built a K-12 STEM program from scratch to solve its own labor shortage, and a Michigan manufacturer that hires people straight out of halfway houses and built its own affordable housing subdivision for employees and the surrounding community. One of the most surprising finds in his research was Revere Copper, a company founded by Paul Revere himself that's still running strong today, and now positioned well for the AI and grid infrastructure boom because of its focus on copper. Highlights Jim's three-decade manufacturing career and what led him to start writing about the industry.The common traits behind the standout companies in his upcoming book.A Wisconsin company that built its own K-12 pipeline to solve the skills gap.A Michigan manufacturer's approach to second-chance hiring and affordable housing.The surprising history behind Revere Copper, founded by Paul Revere himself. Jim's book on America's best manufacturers is out now, links in the show notes. Make sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss episodes. We appreciate you being here. Get in touch with Jim: Website LinkedIn Youtube Jim's Book Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Why American Manufacturing is NOT dead with Jim Vinoski

  7. Aug 21

    Can AI Find You a Great Welder? This One Can with Daniel Walsh

    Daniel Walsh grew up with a father who was a plumber, but he couldn't have foreseen that his career would eventually lead him to serve people just like his dad. He ended up creating a tech platform for the trades. Daniel is the founder of VeroSkills, an AI hiring platform built to solve one of the biggest headaches in the trades, finding good people fast, without the cost of a full staffing agency. We talk about how small businesses like his dad's never had access to real recruiting firepower, and how VeroSkills is closing that gap by running AI-driven interviews that actually test trade knowledge instead of just scanning resumes. We also get into the bigger picture behind why this matters right now. An entire generation, maybe two, got pushed toward college and away from the trades, and the shortage we're living with today is the bill coming due. Daniel's take is that the trades are about to become some of the best jobs around, especially as AI and infrastructure investment ramp up, and that convincing the next generation of that is the real challenge ahead. Highlights: Daniel's path from a plumber's son to building an AI hiring platform for the trades.Why small blue collar businesses have never had real access to staffing help, and how that's changing.The labor shortage as a long time coming, not a surprise.Why the trades might be some of the best jobs of the next decade. If you're looking for a change or you're trying to hire good people without knowing the right person to call, check out VeroSkills. Make sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss episodes. We appreciate you being here. Get in touch with Daniel: Website LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Can AI Find You a Great Welder? This One Can with Daniel Walsh

  8. Aug 14

    Hug a Contractor with Toby van Sistine

    This week we're joined by Toby Van Sistine, Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA), whose path into home building started with a detour into aerospace engineering before he landed in construction for good. We dig into a theme this show returns to often: why Gen Z isn't seeing a clear path into the trades, and how Toby's own son found his way into an electrical apprenticeship almost by accident. Toby's take: kids aren't lazy, they just need someone to show them the door exists, and parents need permission to be okay with their kid choosing a toolbelt over a diploma. We also got into new territory for the show: Toby's take on why the building industry feels so combative right now. HGTV expectations, nickel-and-dimed contracts, and homeowners who'll drop $50K on a home theater but fight a contractor over $500. His read: something broke in how people trust the people building their homes. Also in this episode: smart homes and disposable appliances, plus a look at this year's Parade of Homes, now in its 80th year. Go give your contractor a little love this week. They've earned it. Highlights: This year's Parade of Homes.Toby's unconventional path into home building.Why the trades need better messaging, to kids and their parents.The real reason the building industry feels more combative than ever.How weather, region, and red tape shape the labor force differently across the country. Get in touch with Toby: Website LinkedIn Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    Hug a Contractor with Toby van Sistine
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About

The age-old excuse "we can't find good people" is busted by two business coaches, Brad Herda and Steve Doyle. Blue-Collar BS features the top blue-collar business owners, thought leaders, and experts to share strategies on attracting and retaining top talent across ALL generations--including Gen Z's (and why they should not be overlooked). Blue-Collar BS helps blue-collar business owners like you build a business that'll thrive for decades by turning that blue-collar bullsh*t into some blue-collar business solutions. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Information

  • Creator
    Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    224
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • Show Website
    Blue-Collar BS