The Trade Traction Podcast with Dennis The Apprentice

Dennis The Apprentice
  • 5.0 (7)
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  • Updated Biweekly

The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating contractors stop working for free and actually make a profit!

  1. Sep 29

    Why More Revenue Won't Fix Your Plumbing Business

    Send us Fan Mail  👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com You keep thinking you just need more calls, more plumbers, more trucks, more revenue. Dennis believed that too, for years. Here's what he eventually learned: if the math underneath your plumbing company doesn't work, more revenue doesn't fix the problem. It can make it worse. This is part two of the Plumbing Business Apprenticeship, and it's all about profit. You'll hear the five lessons it took Dennis years to learn, starting with the uncomfortable truth that revenue isn't profit and the customer pays for everything, including your mistakes. You'll also get the one-man-truck exercise that exposed exactly why a $3 million company can still feel broke, and why he'd rather teach you to stock the shelf than turn every plumber into a salesman. Topics discussed: (00:00) - Why "I just need more" doesn't fix a broken plumbing business (01:42) - Why nobody taught you the business side, only the trade (03:38) - Lesson two: the customer pays for everything (05:57) - The one-man-truck exercise that exposed the real cost (08:01) - Lesson four: sellable hours matter more than billable hours (10:33) - Lesson five: profit can't be whatever's left over (12:38) - Recapping the five profit lessons (15:59) - Why stocking the shelf beats turning plumbers into salesmen  This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique  The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

  2. Sep 22

    Why the Next Million Never Fixes Anything (In Your Trade Business)

    Send us Fan Mail 👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com You keep telling yourself things will get better at the next revenue milestone. A million, then two million, then somehow there's still no money left over. This is part one of a six-part series built around one very specific destination: your first profitable $3 million a year, not a number with nothing left over, not one you can't sleep on, and not one built on salespeople you'd be afraid to send to your own friends. This kicks off the Plumbing Business Apprenticeship, the blueprint Dennis wishes someone had handed him more than 20 years ago. You'll hear how he went from starting Gene Johnson Plumbing at $88 an hour to charging over $500, why hitting $3 million still didn't feel like a business he was proud of, and how the 2008 recession nearly wiped it all out. You'll also hear the seminar line that exposed his company as "breakeven," the moment giving customers options changed everything, and the exact order he'd build a plumbing company in if he were starting over today. Topics discussed: (00:00) - Why the next revenue milestone never actually fixes anything (01:42) - Welcome to the Plumbing Business Apprenticeship (04:40) - Starting a mom-and-pop shop at $88 an hour (05:53) - The toilet that became the first flat-rate price (09:06) - You can't grow your way out of bad math (09:51) - Hitting $3 million and still not liking the company he'd built (11:07) - The 2008 recession and losing half the company overnight (13:19) - The seminar line that exposed a breakeven company (13:48) - Discovering the power of giving customers options (16:26) - Why "whoever has the plumbers owns the market" This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

  3. Sep 15

    If Your Plumbing Business "Can't Afford It", Your Prices Are Wrong

    Send us Fan Mail 👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com Can't afford the new truck. Can't afford another plumber. Can't afford training, coaching, health insurance. Sound familiar? Here's the uncomfortable truth: that's not a cash problem, that's a pricing problem, and doing more work at the wrong price for another year will only make it worse. This breaks down the one lesson that completely changed the way Dennis looked at money in his own plumbing business: your customers are supposed to pay for all of it, not you. You'll hear the real math behind why a $1,000 decision isn't actually about the $1,000, what he calls the plumbing business whirlpool and how it slowly pulls contractors under, and the better question to ask yourself the next time you hear "I can't afford it." Topics discussed: (00:00) - The lie behind "I can't afford it" (02:41) - Who actually pays for your trucks, tools, and training (04:06) - The real math behind a $1,000 decision (06:44) - What the plumbing business whirlpool actually is (07:01) - How the whirlpool slowly pulls you under (12:58) - The question you should be asking instead (13:30) - Charge less than cost vs. charge more than cost This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

  4. Sep 8

    I Was a Great Plumber But a Bad Business Owner (Until This) w/ Mike LoMonaco

    Send us Fan Mail 👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com Mike built a solid plumbing company almost entirely on hard work and grit, no business background, no formula, just figuring it out call by call. It worked, until it didn't. Here's what changed when he finally stopped trying to carry the whole thing himself. This conversation gets into how Mike went from framing to plumbing, why getting his wife pregnant was the push that finally got him to start his own company, and the years he spent wearing every hat in the business before realizing that wasn't sustainable. You'll hear how discovering Profit First reshaped the way he manages money, what changed the moment he stopped touching his savings account, and why he finally reached out for help after 14 years of doing it alone. Topics discussed: (00:00) - Meet Mike: a great plumber, but new to the business side (01:05) - Trading framing bags for pipe wrenches (02:00) - The pregnancy that pushed him to start his own company (04:17) - Wearing 20 hats and realizing he couldn't do it alone (09:41) - The stress that finally pushed him to get help (13:18) - Discovering Profit First and splitting one bank account into five (16:56) - The moment Mike stopped touching his savings (21:09) - Why you don't have to figure it all out alone Want more of this? Join the Trade Traction community on Skool, where Dennis and other plumbing contractors dig deeper into pricing, hiring, and building a profitable company.  Connect with Mike LoMonaco:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-lomonaco-68801a4b/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/LomonacoPlumbing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lomonacoplumbing/ Website: https://lomonacocoast.com/ This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

  5. Sep 4

    Why Great Plumbers & Electricians Fail in Business

    Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a successful career—or a profitable business—in the skilled trades? In this episode of the Trade Traction Road Show, recorded at the SkillsUSA National Championships in Atlanta, I sit down with John, better known online as The Bald Electrician. John built and operated his own electrical contracting company for 26 years, employed more than 100 people, completed multiple acquisitions, and eventually sold his business. Today, he’s focused on mentoring apprentices, technicians, and the next generation of skilled trades professionals. We talk honestly about electrical and plumbing apprenticeships, skilled trades careers, contractor profitability, marketing, licensing, mentorship, workforce development, private equity, and the challenges of running a successful trade business. You’ll discover: • Why apprentices need experienced mentors • How licensing can transform a skilled trades career • Why business ownership isn’t the only path to success • How everyday spending can affect your financial future • Why many plumbing, HVAC, and electrical contractors are working for free • What contractors must do to become more profitable • How reputation and differentiation make the phone ring • Why great technicians often need an operator to help run the business • What private equity understands about the skilled trades • Why contractors must know their true labor, overhead, and operating costs • How hiring apprentices helps contractors grow their next generation • Why every new contractor needs a second apprenticeship—this time in business John and I also discuss the future of workforce development, virtual mentorship, training technology, and how retired tradespeople could continue passing their knowledge to younger technicians. If you’re a plumber, electrician, HVAC technician, apprentice, journeyman, contractor, or skilled trades business owner, this conversation is packed with lessons earned through decades of real-world experience. Ready to stop working for free and build a plumbing or HVAC business that creates freedom for you, your family, and your team? Send me the number 30 on Instagram, and I’ll send you information about the Trade Traction Business Apprenticeship™: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Listen to the Trade Traction Podcast: https://linktw.in/stxJSl Book a conversation with Dennis: https://calendly.com/dennishamon/30min CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome to the Trade Traction Road Show 2:15 Meet John, The Bald Electrician 3:40 PHCC Connect 2026 4:35 Why mentorship matters in the skilled trades 10:25 Licensing and continuing your education 12:40 The skilled trades career ladder 16:25 Is owning a contracting business right for everyone? 20:40 Money lessons every apprentice and technician needs 23:45 Why so many contractors are working for free 27:25 How contractors can make the phone ring 30:00 Why starting a business requires going all in 32:35 Great technicians need a strong operator 34:00 Your second apprenticeship should be in business 36:35 Private equity, pricing, and contractor self-esteem 39:00 Residential versus commercial profit margins 41:15 Why everyone is already working for themselves 42:40 The future of apprenticeships and workforce development 45:00 Why small contractors should hire apprentices 48:40 Introducing Trades Tools 50:40 The future of virtual mentorship 52:30 Final advice for the next generation ABOUT DENNIS I’m Dennis Hamon—better known as Dennis The Apprentice. I spent 25 years building a residential plumbing and heating company to more than 60 employees and approximately $12 million in annual revenue before selling it for eight figures. Today, I help plumbing and HVAC contractors stop working for free, become consistently profitable, develop great people, and build businesses that create real freedom. Life is too short to take so long to figure out the business. Now it’s your turn. #SkilledTrades #ElectricalContractor #PlumbingBusiness #HVACBusiness #Apprenticeship #SkillsUSA #TradeCareers #ContractorBusiness #BusinessMentorship #WorkforceDevelopment #Electrician #Plumber #TradeTraction The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

    Why Great Plumbers & Electricians Fail in Business

  6. Sep 1

    AI is About to Expose Your Plumbing Business

    Send us Fan Mail 👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com Everyone is chasing AI to book more calls and scale faster. Dennis the Apprentice says that's the trap. If your pricing, hiring, and customer service are broken, AI won't fix your plumbing company, it will scale the chaos faster than ever. The real question isn't how fast you can grow. It's whether what you're scaling is even worth scaling. In this episode, Dennis breaks down why most contractors under 3 million dollars don't need another guru, they need a business apprenticeship. He gets into the four things he'd obsess over if he were building a plumbing company today: knowing your true cost per call, getting more out of the calls you already have before buying more, why whoever has the plumbers owns the market, and how AI is a multiplier that scales excellence or dysfunction equally. The line that stuck: technology can make a good business better, but it can't make a broken business good. Topics discussed: (00:00) - Why AI can scale chaos just as fast as growth  (01:33) - Dennis' background building and selling a 12 million dollar plumbing company  (04:33) - Why more revenue doesn't fix a bad plumbing business  (07:07) - Obsession one: knowing your real cost per call, not just price  (07:58) - Obsession two: fixing conversion before buying more leads  (08:49) - Obsession three: why whoever has the plumbers owns the market  (09:51) - Obsession four: AI as a multiplier of excellence or dysfunction  (11:10) - Why problems you refuse to fix now only get bigger later  (12:34) - Dennis' free belief series and how to get it This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique  The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

  7. Aug 25

    Whoever Has the Plumbers Owns the Market

    Send us Fan Mail 👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com Everyone blames the plumber shortage for why they can't grow. That's not the real problem. The real shortage is plumbing companies that great plumbers actually want to work for, and once you see the difference, it changes how you look at your entire business. This kicks off the Trade Traction Belief Series with Belief #1: your primary customer isn't the homeowner, it's your plumber. You'll hear why marketing dollars mean nothing if you don't have anyone to run the calls, why most companies are recruiting just to replace the people they keep losing instead of actually growing, and the harder question every owner needs to ask if they want to keep their best people for the next ten years. Topics discussed: (00:00) - Why the plumber shortage isn't the real problem (02:29) - Why your plumber is actually your primary customer (03:00) - The question most owners never think to ask (04:02) - Why more marketing means nothing without more plumbers (05:20) - Recruiting for replacement vs. recruiting for growth (06:27) - The compounding effect of keeping your best people (10:56) - The harder question: why would he stay another ten years (11:53) - What gets easier once your best plumbers stick around This is part of the Trade Traction Belief Series. These are the core beliefs Dennis looks for in the people he hires. A new one drops every week. Subscribe so you don't miss the rest. This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

  8. Aug 18

    Stop Sending Your Plumbers on So Many Calls

    Send us Fan Mail 👇 Take the Trade Traction Score Assessment and discover what to focus on next in your business:  https://tradetraction.scoreapp.com Force a call onto a plumber who doesn't want it, and only a few things can happen, and none of them are good. He rushes it, underprices it, does the bare minimum, or does everything right and misses his kid's baseball game. Either way, that's how good companies lose great plumbers. This breaks down why cramming the board full of calls actually costs you money, and what changed when the approach shifted to one call at a time. You'll hear the real story behind that lesson, the exact text message that gave plumbers control over their own afternoon without anyone abusing it, and why slowing down is where all the profit, the reviews, and the pride in the work actually come from. Topics discussed: (00:00) - Why forcing a call on a plumber backfires (01:51) - How good companies lose their best plumbers (02:41) - The Valentine's Day call that changed everything (04:18) - Giving plumbers the time to offer real options (07:48) - Why a full board isn't actually a good thing (08:33) - The 2pm text that changed how calls got assigned (09:27) - Why this builds control instead of chaos (10:37) - Earning the privilege of choosing your next call (13:45) - Where all the real profit actually comes from (15:21) - The one rule to remember: one call at a time This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique: https://www.podcastboutique.com The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating service contractors stop working for free and actually turn a profit.  Connect with Dennis: Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/dennis-hamon/?skipRedirect=true Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennistheapprentice/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064205912242 Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@dennistheapprenticeSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LAHQrt3tYgfO60vasMZcW?si=9afc53dfaeba477e Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/the-trade-traction-podcast-with-dennis-the-apprentice/id1648541208 Thank you once again for your support and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with your peers! Stay tuned for more exciting content coming your way every week.

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The Podcast that helps plumbing and heating contractors stop working for free and actually make a profit!

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