Tradies Who Lead

Blue Leader
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Are you a tradie who wants to be a better leader? Whether you're on the tools or leading a team, Tradies Who Lead is the podcast bringing practical leadership skills to every tradesperson. Hosted by diesel mechanic Ashley Belteky, every episode covers real stories and practical leadership insights from across the trades. Because when we lead better onsite, we lift the whole team.

  1. Sep 28

    What to do when you're promoted above your mentor and mates with Simon Flannery

    What happens when your mentor ends up reporting to you? In this episode, we're joined by Simon Flannery, senior mechanical engineer at Malabar Resources' Maxwell Underground Mine. Starting as a mechanical apprentice in 2013, Simon has worked his way up through trade, frontline and middle management into senior leadership, where his role is now far more about people and process than machines. He's currently helping build a brand new mine site from the ground up, handpicking his team and setting the culture from day one. We unpack: 🤝 Leading people who used to be your mates or mentors 🏗️ What it takes to build a team and culture from the ground up ⛏️ The mindset-behaviour loop that helps you drive a sustainable safety culture Chapters: 0:00 – Coming Up 0:45 – Meet Simon Flannery 2:15 – What leadership means in the trades 3:17 – Leadership as an apprentice 4:34 – Navigating the transition from mate to manager 6:49 – What to do when you have to lead your mentor 10:38 – Building mine site team culture from scratch 11:59 – Creating buy-in with short-term contractors 12:53 – How to start with why for team engagement 16:20 – Managing a team of mixed performers 19:19 – Building a safety culture that holds 20:34 – The mindset and behaviour loop for leaders 24:18 – Why you need to guard your attitude Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community. Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you'relooking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here. Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs toKnow About Leadership If you want to connect with Simon, you can reach him via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-flannery-37342818b

  2. Sep 14

    This Electrician Didn't Realise How Much He'd Love Mentoring Until He Tried It with Dave Willmann

    Today we're joined by Dave Willmann, a licensed electrician, trade supervisor, and owner of Willmann Electrical, who's built a reputation across electrical, industrial, and commercial work. He’s also a trusted voice for sparkies online, known for his no-nonsense tool reviews and testing breakdowns. Dave's led crews on some of the toughest sites in the industry and mentored a generation of apprentices, and he's now stepping into an entirely new challenge: running his own business as the boss after years as a supervisor in someone else’s business. He gets honest about what each change demands, and what he’s learned from his mistakes and successes along the way. We unpack: 📈 What changes when you go from tradie to supervisor, then boss 💬 How he handles the tough conversations most leaders avoid 💰 Why he teaches apprentices what a job costs from day one Chapters: 0:00 – Coming Up 0:40 – Meet Dave Willmann, Electrician & Leader 2:08 – How Mentorship is Leadership 3:22 – Dave's Mature-Age Apprenticeship Story 5:36 – Growing an Electrician Community Online 8:25 – How to Jump From Tradie to Supervisor 9:12 – Managing Different Personality Types 10:46 – The Mental Load of Trade Leadership 11:32 – How to Have Hard Conversations With Your Team 15:32 – Managing Pressure as a Foreman 18:09 – Keeping Trade Team Culture Strong as Teams Scale 20:50 – Business Skills Every Apprentice Needs 24:45 – Why Yelling Doesn't Build Good Culture 26:29 – Leading Through Mentorship Follow Tradies WhoLead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you'relooking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs toKnow About Leadership If you want to connect with Dave, you can reach him via: Website: www.willmannelectrical.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willmannelectrical/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/davewillmannelectrical

  3. Aug 31

    A Ten Grand Mistake Taught This Supervisor How to Truly Lead His Crew with Leigh Ryan

    Whether we’re promoted from tradie to supervisor, or shifting from tradie into parent, the change demands new behaviour. Today we're joined by Leigh Ryan, a landscaper and supervisor from Gippsland, Victoria, who most tradies online know as Tradie Dad. When Leigh started sharing his life online, as a tradie, new father and supervisor, he started building a community who tuned in for the relatability of his lifestyle and challenges. In this conversation, we get into: 👊 How to manage the change from ‘mate’ and ‘boss’ 👶 Subtle ways that fatherhood changes tradie behaviour 🧪 Why experimentation is essential for leadership Chapters: 0:00 – Coming Up 0:40 – Meet Leigh Ryan, aka Tradie Dad 2:06 – How Leadership Starts with Caring 3:20 – Transitioning from Tools to Supervising 4:09 – How to Lead a Trade Crew Day to Day 6:38 – Avoid This Costly Leadership Mistake 8:16 – Why Delegating Is the Hardest Part 9:49 – The Mental Load of Leadership Roles 10:51 – Going From Mate to Supervisor 13:31 – How Fatherhood Changed Him Onsite 15:10 – Caring Beyond the Work Mate Role 17:56 – Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health 20:58 – How to Support Trade Apprentices 23:21 – Finding Your Best Leadership Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs toKnow About Leadership If you want to connect with Leigh, you can reach him via: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tradie.dad TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tradie_dad

  4. Aug 17

    What Running a Funeral Home Taught this Tradie About Leading Trade Teams Better with Adrian Gillman

    Today we're joined by Adrian Gillman, a registered carpenter and owner of Kingsford Building and Carpentry in Metro Melbourne, with over 15 years in the trade specialising in bathrooms, extensions and detailed internal fitouts. Adrian's career has taken him off the tools and into a corporate role running a funeral home, an experience that forced him to learn how to understand people before reacting to them. He's brought that lesson straight back into his carpentry business and into his leadership role in community clubs, where he's building culture from the ground up. We unpack: 🗣️ How leadership starts with action 🤝 Why understanding people better changes the way you lead 🏗️ How to get the best out of your apprentices by building connection Chapters: 0:00 – Coming Up 0:48 – Meet Adrian Gillman 2:43 – Early Leadership Skills for Tradies 3:56 – How Tradies Become Leaders Onsite 4:46 – How a Good Attitude is Leadership 8:00 – Leadership Communication Skills 13:14 – Trade Leadership Lessons From a Funeral Home 17:56 – Building Culture in Trade Teams 22:45 – Real Challenges in the Apprenticeship System 26:10 – Finding Common Ground With the Next Generation 28:13 – How to Lead Through Understanding Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs to Know About Leadership If you want to connect with Adrian, you can reach him via: Website - www.kingsfordcarpentry.com.au Insta - @kingsfordcarpentry Facebook - @kingsfordcarpentry

  5. Aug 3

    A Toolbox Talk Won't Protect You or Your Team When Something Goes Wrong Onsite with Luke Canham

    Today we're joined by Luke Canham, who's spent over 30 years leading teams across some of the highest-risk work in the trades, including construction and scaffolding. After a serious workplace safety incident and a decade caught up in the court system, Luke walked away with one realisation: every business is a training business, whether it knows it or not. He's since built Multiply Me, a video-based training platform that helps business owners and supervisors close the gap between what regulators expect and what happens on-site before it costs them everything. We unpack: 💪 Why a strong safety culture only works if people believe in it 🙌 How to practice letting go of control as a team leader 📱 How short video is changing the way trade teams communicate and learn Chapters:0:00 – Coming Up0:38 – Meet Luke Canham: Founder of Multiply Me2:07 – What Leadership Means in the Trades3:10 – Leading Like a Footy Team Onsite5:29 – Letting Go of Control as a Leader8:27 – Why Small Details Make a Difference9:16 – How Culture Is the Real Safety System12:52 – The Accident That Changed His Leadership16:19 – Why Trade Business Owners Face Jail Time18:33 – Meet Toolbox Tom: Safety Training Tool20:51 – Building Influence Through Video Content23:45 – Getting Supervisors On Board With Safety25:48 – Luke's Advice for Growing a Trade Business Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs to Know About Leadership If you want to contact Luke, you can reach him via: Website: https://multiplyme.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/multiply_me_system/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukecanham63/

  6. Jul 20

    Leaning Into Your Strengths and Setting the Standard as a Leader in Mining with Kurt Checketts

    Today we're joined by Kurt Checketts, a light-vehicle mechanic-turned-diesel-fitter who spent 12 years in the mining industry, five of those leading crews in one of the highest-stakes environments in the trades. Kurt learned firsthand what it costs when standards slip, and what it takes to build a team that holds the line when the pressure is on. Since leaving site, Kurt's taken everything mining taught him about leadership, discipline and financial pressure and built Blue Collar Money, a mortgage broking business made specifically for tradies and FIFO workers looking to turn hard work into real financial results. We unpack: 🔥 Why leaning into your strengths beats trying to fix every weakness 🧠 The situational leadership model that guides how you manage different people 💪 Why the small standards you walk past are the ones that catch up with you Chapters: 0:00 – Coming Up 0:32 – Meet Kurt Checketts, Mining Leader 2:14 – What Leadership Means to Kurt 2:42 – A Sink-or-Swim Start in the Mines 4:11 –Leaning Into Your Strengths 6:37 – How to Find Your Own Leadership Strengths 9:23 – What the Best Leaders Do Differently 11:34 – Getting to Know Your Team as Individuals 13:30 – The Situational Leadership Model Explained 15:43 – When Small Standards Get Walked Past 18:21 – The Mining Incident That Changed Everything 20:47 – Building Blue Collar Money 23:28 – Kurt's Advice for Everyday Leaders Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs to Know About Leadership If you want to connect with Kurt, you can reach them via: Website: www.bluecollarmoney.com.au Instagram: @the_savvyprospector or @bluecollarmoneyau

  7. Jul 6

    How 10 Minutes of Planned Communication Can Save Half a Day of Chaos with Jason Loft

    There's a gap most tradies don't see coming when they step into leadership. It's not technical. It's not experience. It's everything that happens after you put down the tools and start trying to get results through other people. Jason Loft is the Managing Director and Co-founder of PROTRADE United, with over 16 years of experience supporting trade and construction businesses across Australia and New Zealand. He's seen what separates the teams that grow sustainable, and the teams that stall. In this episode, we get into: - Why influence is the foundation of leadership - The GROW model for working through conflict onsite - A simple toolbox structure to get ahead of chaos - The mindset shift tradies need to move from the tools to leading teams Chapters: 0:00 Coming Up 0:35 What Is Leadership? 2:16 What Influence Looks Like on the Tools 4:42 Jason's Leadership Journey 7:00 Habits That Build Strong Leaders 8:24 Listening as a Leadership Skill 9:15 How to Seek and Use Feedback 10:33 Meeting Rhythms and Toolbox Structure 13:15 How to Run a Daily Standup 15:28 Motivating Different Personalities 16:11 From the Tools to Leadership 17:45 Respected vs Liked 19:44 What Business Sustainability Looks Like 21:05 Leading Through Uncertainty 24:28 Wrap Up Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs to Know About Leadership If you want to connect with Jason or PROTRADE United, you can reach them via: Website: www.protradeunited.com.au Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/protrade_united/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@protradeunited

  8. Jun 22

    The Missing Habit Holding Your Apprentice Back (and it's Not Your Apprentice's Fault)

    Most tradies have played a mentoring role at some point, yet very few have been taught how to do it well. David Mehmel is an Apprentice Trainer, Mentor, and Safety Coordinator with 16 years in and around the automotive industry. With his sole focus on apprentice development, he knows which strategies yield the best results for workplace performance and engagement. In this conversation, we get into: - How to build rapport for better mentoring outcomes - Why relationships are the foundation of any team that performs - How to engage the next generation of apprentices Chapters: 0.00 Coming Up 1.25 Meet David Mehmel 5:12 The Key to Mentoring an Apprentice 6:52 How to Foster Stronger Relationships With Your Team 9:07 Getting Through to Disengaged Team Members 12:50 How to Build Confidence in Apprentices 16:28 Improving Apprentice Retention through Leadership 18:25 Practical Ways to Improve Team Culture 20:56 How to Teach Your First Apprentice 23:18 Look After Yourself to Lead Better 25:28 Conclusion Follow Tradies Who Lead on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or TikTok for more from the Tradies Who Lead community.   Tradies Who Lead is powered by Blue Leader. If you're looking for support in building leadership skills within your team, reach out here.   Or download our free eBook: 5 Things Every Tradie Needs to Know About Leadership If you want to connect with David, you can reach him via https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mehmel-90879a165/

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About

Are you a tradie who wants to be a better leader? Whether you're on the tools or leading a team, Tradies Who Lead is the podcast bringing practical leadership skills to every tradesperson. Hosted by diesel mechanic Ashley Belteky, every episode covers real stories and practical leadership insights from across the trades. Because when we lead better onsite, we lift the whole team.

Information

  • Creator
    Blue Leader
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Blue Leader
  • Show Website
    Tradies Who Lead