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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.

  1. 2d ago

    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: @erinaroxxFollow us on IG for daily Content for your Trade Business @upscalebusinesscoachingBook a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcastWatch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtubeFind out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcastHear 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 productiveWhat would stop in your business if you disappeared for 2 weeks, and how to fix it nowThe open and closed list method for working on 10 things at a timeHow a “not to do list” helps you finish what you startThe ladder trick: why one sparky goes up 50 times while others go up 200Why headcount isn’t the best measure of how well your team performsHow to be clear in hard conversations without feeling like the bad guyIf 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.

  2. 5d ago

    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 @upscalebusinesscoachingBook a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcastWatch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtubeFind out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: https://upscale-coaching.com/application-podcastPodcast: 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, 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 CodeHow Mitch cut a six week tender down to one weekWhy trades now quote faster than suppliers when the scope of works is clearHow fast, professional proposals put you in stage two talks while other builders are still quotingThe QA checklist that lets the boys check their work without Mitch on sitePete 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 mattersThe first “Claude Commandment”: if you’re unsure, just askIf 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.

  3. Oct 21

    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: ⁠@upscalebusinesscoaching⁠Book a free session with our Growth Specialist: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcast⁠Watch insights and tips on YouTube: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtube⁠Find out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: ⁠upscale-coaching.com/application-podcast⁠Hear 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 businessHow to time block your calendar for the work that never finishes, like lead generation, systems and learningSetting clear goals and breaking them into quarterly, monthly and weekly stepsWhy “potential” can turn into a frustrating word if you never act on itMoving from reactive to proactive, so you stop having that “we’ve got no work next week” momentUsing a simple SWOT analysis to look back at last year and plan the next 3 to 6 monthsHow to get ahead of the Christmas rush, protect your cash flow and avoid a rough JanuaryWhy hiring is a skill you can learn, and what to do when you think there are no good workers out thereBuilding a team culture you’re proud of and holding firm on your standardsSpotting your key players and getting clear on roles with an org chartFixing 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.

  4. Oct 18

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

    Andy Wells 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 stopHow he handles the voice that says “give up”, and why he ignores itStepping back from a business that was burning him outWhy he chose to keep his team small and stop taking work nobody wanted to doHow he handles the jobs he hates, like timesheets and invoicing, by finding people who cover his weak spotsLanding big brand partnerships when you’re still a small businessFilming the messy, frustrating days along with the finished productTaking on work that suits your goals once your reputation can support itWhat 7,500 kilometres on a bike through the Kimberley taught him about getting through setbacksWhy failing and learning is the thing that keeps him movingWhether 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: @upscalebusinesscoachingBook a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcastWatch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtubeFind out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcastHear 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

  5. Oct 14

    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 easierThe difference between people who work through their problems and those who avoid themWhy admitting "I need help" feels so uncomfortable for business owners, and why it shouldn'tHow 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 hearWhy community isn't a nice to have when you're building a business, it's often the thing that keeps you in the gameIf 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: @erinaroxxMitch: @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

  6. Oct 11

    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 yourselfHiring your first employee, and why being upfront about the real job mattersWhy it pays to learn to fire fasterWhere AI helps your business and where you still need your own thinkingDocumenting your systems so you don't scale your problemsHow to build trust and let go of tasks as a business ownerWhat changes when you step off the tools and start looking at your numbersWhy business is never a straight line, and how cash flow and lead generation can trip you upFinding your purpose and why you don't need to compare yourself to anyone elseWhy community matters at every stageChapters:00:00 The evolution of business01:57 The first hire and its challenges05:54 Using technology and AI in your business08:33 Building a team and streamlining processes09:31 Growing pains for business owners14:12 Trust, training and business changes18:19 Vision and keeping an eye on your numbers20:52 Wins and challenges in business growth25:17 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: @upscalebusinesscoachingBook a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcastWatch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtubeFind out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcastHear 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

  7. Oct 7

    Paying Yourself Too Much Too Soon Could Be Killing Your Business - Ep 369

    Most trade business owners don't fall short because they lack skills or smarts. They fall short because they don't do what they said they'd do. In this episode, Erina and Mitch get blunt about accountability, honest feedback, and why the people around you need to tell you the truth, even when it stings. You'll hear why a coach who only cheers you on might just be keeping you happy so you keep paying, and how the right questions can help you spot your own blind spots faster than any lecture. They also dig into the money side of accountability. If your business is still small but you're paying yourself like it's much bigger, you could be starving it of the cash it needs to grow. Plus, how to give honest feedback without wrecking the relationship, and why you need to be ready to take it as well as give it. What you'll hear in this episode: Why saying you'll do something and actually doing it are two very different thingsThe difference between people who talk to think and people who think before they talkWhy honest feedback beats praise when you want real resultsHow paying yourself too much, too early can hold your business backWhy calling people out works best when you're open to being called out yourselfA challenge to hold someone accountable this week (nicely)Follow the hosts on Instagram: @erinaroxx @mitchvan_ Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoachingBook a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcastWatch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtubeFind out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcastHear 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

  8. Oct 4

    Why We're Taking an AI Detox (And What Mitch Is Doing With the Extra Time) - Ep

    AI can save a tradie hours every week. But what happens when it starts taking over your day and your time at home? In this solo episode, Mitch Van (@mitchvan_) shares what came out of a recent masterclass conversation with our UpScale Mentors, where the team got talking about taking an AI detox. Mitch talks about why stepping back from AI can be a good thing for you and your business, where AI helps and where it gets in the way, and how he has been using that time to be more present with his family and kids. If you run a trade business and feel like you're always switched on, always chasing the next tool or shortcut, this one is for you. It's a reminder that growing your business shouldn't cost you time with the people you're working for. In this episode: Why our UpScale Mentors are taking an AI detoxWhere AI helps a trade business and where it doesn'tHow Mitch is spending more time with his family and kidsSimple ways to switch off and still grow your businessFollow Mitch on Instagram: @mitchvan_: https://www.instagram.com/mitchvan_/ Need help growing your business? Follow us on IG for daily content for your trade business: @upscalebusinesscoachingBook a free session with our Growth Specialist: upscale-coaching.com/schedule-podcastWatch insights and tips on YouTube: upscale-coaching.com/upscale-youtubeFind out where your business stands with our Tradie Quiz: upscale-coaching.com/application-podcastHear 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

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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.

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