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. 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/

    26 min

  2. Jun 8

    What Separates Good Builders from the Rest (It's Less Technical Than You Think)

    What does leadership look like when you've sat across from hundreds of builders, tradies, and business owners right across Australia? Aaron "Az" Ng is the founder of The Good Builder, Australia's leading media and intelligence platform for the residential construction industry. After years of conversations with builders and trade business owners right across the country, Az knows exactly what separates the ones who last from the ones who don't. In this conversation, we get into: • Why low trust in the building industry is a business problem • How relationships are the foundation of every great business • Why ego is the first thing that must go if you want to lead well Chapters: 0:00 Coming Up 1:56 Meet Aaron Ng, Co-Founder of The Good Builder 3:11 Essential Leadership Skills and Attitudes 6:47 No Such Thing as a “Great” Leader 7:56 Can You Be “Too Nice” as a Leader 9:25 Why Leaders Need to Know Themselves 12:25 How Poor Leadership is Creating Low Trust inConstruction 15:46 Why A Beautiful Home Isn’t Enough 17:34 The Mindset That Makes Trade Businesses Great 19:02 What Strong Performance and Relationships Needs 20:40 Leading Different People 23:08 How Listening and Empathy Improve YourLeadership 24:54 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 Aaron or The Good Builder, you can reach him via https://linktr.ee/TheGoodBuilder

    26 min

  3. Jun 2

    Beyond Plumbing: Building Culture and Leadership from the Ground Up with Cat and Dave McCarthy from McCarthy Plumbing Group

    Join me for the first episode of Tradies Who Lead as I chat with Dave and Cat McCarthy, the founders of the award-winning business McCarthy Plumbing Group. In this conversation, we dive into the leadership nuances of making the leap from managing someone else's business to running your own.   We explore the power of authentic company culture and the importance of continuous improvement at all levels – from individual development to team dynamics and the entire organisation.   Ready to level up your everyday leadership? Listen now and learn practical insights from two inspiring business leaders who've mastered the art of leadership in their business! Chapters - (00:00) Meet Cat & David McCarthy from McCarthy Plumbing (01:29) Why start a plumbing business (02:23) How management skills and experience support running a trade business (05:05) How to lead by example as a tradie and business owner (05:59) Why you need authenticity and transparency as a trade business leader (07:34) How to create a good team culture in trade businesses and trade teams for better retention and talent attraction (12:52) How to grow a trade business (14:07) How to apply continuous improvement in a trade business (17:38) Why you should collaborate instead of competing with other businesses (20:14) Advice to tradies and trade business owners about how they can practice leadership (22:03) Conclusion  Don’t miss out! New episodes drop every fortnight. Follow Tradies Who Lead on socials for exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming guests and more!   Insta: https://www.instagram.com/tradieswholead/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tradieswholead TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tradieswholead YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tradieswholead   If you have an everyday leadership story to share or want to be featured on Tradies Who Lead, submit your expression of interest via the website – we'd love to hear from you!   Want to follow McCarthy Plumbing Group? Connect with them here: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/mccarthyplumbinggroup/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mccarthyplumbinggp TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mccarthyplumbinggroup

    23 min

  4. May 25

    Hard Conversations & Inclusive Sites: Changing Worksite Culture from the Ground Up with Jasmyn Smith

    What does leadership look like when your title isn’t ‘manager’, ‘supervisor’ or ‘boss’ and you’re trying to change an industry while still on the tools? Jasmyn Smith is a Tassie sparky and co-founder of The GO Company, a business built around a problem that’s been on worksites for years but rarely talked about: access to basic hygiene onsite. Jazz has turned her experience into a movement raising standards across the industry. In this conversation, we get into: • The courage it takes to start the hard conversations • Why making challenges visible is what lifts an industry • What sites getting inclusion right are doing differently • How everyday leadership shows up when you don’t hold the title Chapters: 0:00 Meet Jasmyn Smith from The GO Company 3:04 Leading as a Role Model 4:12 Mentoring Women in Trade 5:26 Origins of The GO Company 8:54 Discussing Hygiene Access Onsite 11:16 Creating Visibility to Influence Change 13:12 Building a Business on the Tools 15:24 The Cost of Not Speaking Up 18:02 Set Up Sites Better for Inclusion 20:38 Acknowledge Your Progress 22:25 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 The GO Company, you can reach them via: Website - https://www.thegocompany.com.au/ Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-go-company-358029320/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@the.go.company Insta - https://www.instagram.com/thegocompanytas/

    23 min

  5. May 11

    Stop Fighting Fires and Build Consistent Work & Training Standards at Scale with Matt Wyatt

    Creating clear standards and real accountability with one filter: if it doesn’t work on the floor, it doesn’t belong in the program. Matt Wyatt is a trade-qualified leader with over 30 years in the heavy vehicle industry. He started as an apprentice, worked through operational and national leadership roles, and has spent the last 15 years focused on developing people. In this conversation, we get into: • Stepping out of firefighting mode and finding solutions • Holding the line on standards across numerous teams • What most trade businesses get wrong when developing apprentices • Why you need to develop stronger relationships as a leader Chapters: 0:00 Meet Matt Wyatt 1:56 Setting Standards and Building Trust 4:56 Earning Respect from your Team 6:10 Sharing the Big Picture 7:31 How to Stop Fighting Fires 9:16 Delivering Training That Sticks 11:38 How KPIs Can Hurt Apprentices 14:03 Creating Change from the Ground Up 16:34 Maintain Standards Across Numerous Job Sites 18:51 The Aha Moment in Training 20:11 Demonstrate Leadership Everyday 21:40 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 Matt, you can reach him via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-w-30903b82/

    22 min

  6. Apr 27

    Over-Communication and the Role of Automation and 3D Printing in Construction with Tom Macrokanis

    Bringing people along on a vision they can’t see yet is its own kind of leadership, and it’s how Tom’s building things that didn’t exist before. Tom Macrokanis is a qualified boilermaker who started his first business at 17. Since then, he’s founded Macro3D, a concrete 3D printing company tackling housing affordability, and directs Macro Constructions Group across steel, concrete and light-gauge steel framing. In this conversation, we get into: • Leveraging AI to address the skill shortage • Leading industry changes when the road ahead isn’t clear • Communicating effectively with diverse stakeholders • Handling setbacks without losing momentum Chapters: 0:00 Meet Tom Macrokanis 2:00 Extreme Ownership as a Leader 3:30 Leading Through Action Instead of Words 5:05 Tom’s Journey to Entrepreneurship 7:38 Finding the Right Mentor 9:26 Funding the New Version of Construction 12:26 Not Taking Setbacks to Heart 13:26 Working Effectively with Stakeholders 15:28 Automation and 3D Printing in Construction 19:50 Over-Communicate for Better Results 20:21 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 Tom, you can reach him via: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-macrokanis-2b3b00120/ Website - https://www.tommacrokanis.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tommacrokanis__/

    21 min

  7. Apr 13

    Backing Yourself: Confidence, Community and Leading in the Trades with Melbourne Chippy Chick

    When the industry wasn’t built with you in mind, leading looks like showing up consistently, backing yourself anyway, and then bringing others with you. Stefanie Apostolidis, also known as Melbourne Chippy Chick, is a qualified carpenter, founder of Tradie Lady Hire and Tradie Lady Club, and one of the most recognisable voices for women in Australian trades. In this conversation, we get into: • Building confidence when the industry wasn’t built for you • What happens when content turns into a real community • How to lead without a title and bring others along • What it actually takes to shift things at an industry level Chapters: 0:00 Meet Stefanie Apostolidis, Melbourne Chippy Chick 2:35 Origins of the Tradie Lady Club Community 4:45 Building Confidence as a Woman in Trade 6:39 How Knowledge Supports Leadership 9:04 Juggling Parenting and Business Needs 11:00 Prioritise Your Mental Health as a Leader 12:49 Growing Resilience & Mental Wellbeing 14:07 How to Support Women into Trades 18:16 Back Yourself to Grow 19:41 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 learn more about Tradie Lady Club or Tradie Lady Hire, visit these websites: www.tradieladyclub.au www.tlcmemberships.au www.tradieladyhire.com.au

    21 min

  8. Mar 30

    Positive Mindset, Authenticity and Leading Diverse Teams in Construction with Vincent Saunders

    The hardest part of any job isn’t the paperwork. Often, it’s managing different roles and people and figuring out how to lead well across diverse sites. Vincent Saunders has 17-plus years of experience across buildings, quantity surveying, and construction management, and hosts the Constructing Mindsets podcast. He brings a solutions-focused view to the people-challenges that don’t show up on paper. In this conversation, we get into: • How to communicate with very different people toward one goal • Why authenticity is one of the most underrated skills on site • What sets the best leaders apart from everyone else • The positive mindset habits that help people thrive under pressure Chapters: 0:00 Meet Vincent Saunders from Constructing Mindsets 3:57 Leading Different Job Roles 6:34 Communicate Better through Listening 8:36 Problem Solving with an Open Mind 9:46 Managing Stress in Construction 11:37 Benefits of Positive Mindset 13:46 The Constructing Mindsets Podcast 16:01 Embrace New Experiences 17:29 What is Authentic Leadership 21:40 Continue Growing as a Leader 23:28 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 Vincent or the Constructing Mindsets podcast, check out these links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vin-saunders/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/constructing.mindsets/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7GUqIENqFnayIVGGVKTHob

    24 min
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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
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Blue Leader
  • Show Website
    Tradies Who Lead