Forge Contractor Alliance Podcast

Forge Contractor Alliance
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At Forge Contractor Alliance (FCA), we know firsthand what it is like to be in the trenches—solving every problem, wearing every hat, and wondering if this whole thing is working. Whether you’re a solo-preneur or leading a team, your business should inspire pride, purpose, and prosperity—for you, your clients, and everyone connected to the work. Forge Contractor Alliance exists to help you develop perspective, lead with intention, and grow with purpose. Through community, mentorship, and practical systems, we walk with you on the journey toward fulfillment. This is your invitation—to thrive in business, and in life.

  1. 13H AGO

    Early Days: From Parking Lots to Rooftops - Forge Contractor Podcast

    Sometimes the biggest chapters in your life start in the most ordinary places. This episode goes all the way back to a random moment in a Walmart parking lot, when Josh was still in high school, pushing carts, with no real plan for what came next. That one conversation turned into a job, then long days on rooftops, brutal winter projects, and years of learning what hard work actually looks like. Josh and Kenton reflect on those early seasons, hiring green kids, surviving sketchy roofs, freezing out-of-town jobs, and the kind of shared suffering that quietly builds brotherhood. They talk honestly about leadership, motivation, grit, and why mindset matters more than talent. It’s a real conversation about: - Growing up through hard work. - Learning resilience the painful way. - Building teams that actually care about each other. - Why money isn’t the main motivator. - How momentum is created and destroyed. - And what it means to walk through hard things together. This one isn’t polished or scripted. It’s raw stories, lessons learned the hard way, and a reminder that some of the most meaningful growth happens when you show up, embrace the suck, and refuse to quit. Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/ ⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797 ⁠X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    52 min

  2. FEB 11

    Decision Fatigue: Growth & Fear in a Season of Overload - Forge Contractor Podcast

    In this episode of Forge, we dive into the unseen weight of leadership: decision fatigue, opportunity overload, and the pressure of making calls that affect employees, families, customers, and entire companies. Joel and Josh unpack what it really feels like to be in a season of expansion joint ventures, partnerships, new markets all while trying to stay anchored to who you are and why your business exists. They talk openly about the fear of getting it wrong, the temptation to chase every opportunity, and how saying “yes” too often can quietly pull you away from your purpose.If you’ve ever felt the urge to swerve when business gets tough, this conversation is for you. Learn how to hold the wheel steady, lead with intention, and grow with purpose. Through community and mentorship, FCA shares real stories and hard-won wisdom from the field, no gurus, no fluff, just practical guidance. Grounded in trench-level experience, FCA is more than a program, it’s a movement to help contractors build sustainable businesses, strong cultures, and legacies that last. You’ll hear practical frameworks for navigating uncertainty in this episode, including: - Why growth always puts you in unfamiliar territory. - The danger of letting dollar signs dictate direction. - How “decision fatigue” creeps in and what to do about it. - The Hedgehog Concept (from Good to Great) and why clarity beats opportunity. - Learning to say no even to great opportunities. - Creating organizational clarity so your team can make decisions without you. - Why fear is the worst motivator for leaders. - The difference between distraction and evolution. - How speed of execution often matters more than perfect information. - And why purpose has to come before profit if you want something sustainable. Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    58 min

  3. FEB 4

    From Crews to Company: Growing Past the Truck Stage in Trades - Forge Contractor Podcast

    Winter is usually the slow season in roofing. Fewer crews, quieter phones, time to breathe and reflect. But this January feels different. In this episode, we talk about what it looks like when years of groundwork finally start to show up in real ways producing revenue in what’s historically been our slowest month, watching a second market gain traction, and realizing that growth often arrives quietly before it feels obvious. We unpack the realities of expanding into a new market: how it truly feels like starting a business from scratch, the trust gap you have to earn, and why the first few locations are often the hardest. We reflect on lessons learned from the International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas, from new technologies and CRM systems to leadership-focused seminars that had nothing to do with shingles and everything to do with people. The conversation moves deep into personal development: books that have shaped our leadership, why reading without applying is a trap, and how true growth requires sacrifice, focus, and humility. We talk about organizational clarity, values that actually get lived out, and the challenge of communicating vision all the way down the ladder. We also zoom out beyond business into marriage, family, and relationships. How personal growth can be jarring for the people closest to you. Why trust, sacrifice, and intentional investment matter at home just as much as they do at work. And why leadership that only focuses inward eventually collapses. At the core of this episode is a simple but demanding idea: real success isn’t built by chasing more it’s built by growing deeper. As leaders, as partners, and as people.   Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    52 min

  4. JAN 28

    Waste: Exploring the Balance Between Efficiency, Responsibility, and Generosity

    What’s the real difference between generosity and waste and why does it matter in leadership, trades, and everyday work? In this episode of the Forge Podcast, the guys dig into a tension most leaders feel but rarely name: how generosity, efficiency, waste, stewardship, and gratitude all collide in real-world operations. From roofing crews and tools, to company culture, entitlement, and maturity, this conversation gets honest about what actually happens when resources aren’t clearly valued or when generosity is misunderstood. With stories from the trades, lessons learned the hard way, and reflections on maturity, entitlement, and stewardship, this episode challenges both leaders and workers to think deeper about how they treat resources and each other. If you care about leadership, building strong teams, and creating a culture that values both generosity and responsibility, this conversation is for you. Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    46 min

  5. JAN 21

    Partners: The Power of being Held Accountable by your Peers - Forge Contractor Podcast

    In this episode, the Forge team welcomes Chris into the conversation for the first time. Chris steps in by sharing an unfinished, vulnerable moment from his leadership journey, reflecting on one of the most difficult decisions he’s faced: stepping away from a business partnership. Chris opens up about how, overtime, he became convinced that staying would limit not only his own growth, but the growth of his partners as well. What he intended as an invitation to discern the future together was communicated poorly and received as a declaration that he was leaving. That gap exposed immaturity in his communication and leadership, creating confusion and emotional strain for everyone involved. Rather than rushing the decision, the partners took time to process it together. Each ultimately received their own confirmation that the separation was both right and timely. For Chris, one of the clearest indicators that the decision was rooted in faith rather than ego was the unity he experienced at home. His wife was fully on board, bringing peace to what could have been a deeply divisive season. The conversation expands into the unique weight of leadership transitions when you’re not just changing jobs, but stepping away from something you helped build. Partnerships carry shared history, equity, identity, and responsibility. Even when growth is the goal, letting go can feel like tearing something apart without certainty of how it will land. The Forge group reflects on how real growth often requires disruption. Entrepreneurs tend to grow through pressure, and while Chris can now see things he would handle differently, he trusted that the challenge itself would force growth for everyone involved. Central to that trust was his decision to fully release control, removing his influence so others could step into leadership without his shadow. The Forge Team acknowledges how nearly impossible it is to communicate a partnership separation without triggering emotion. From both sides of similar experiences, the hosts note how easily insecurity, self-doubt, and fear can overpower even the most thoughtful intentions. The episode closes not with bitterness, but gratitude. Despite imperfect communication and real tension, Chris expresses thankfulness for where relationships stand today, recognizing that clarity, healing, and growth often only come after the hardest decisions are made. Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    53 min

  6. JAN 14

    Transition: Moving On Despite Uncertainty - Forge Contractor Podcast - Forge Contractor Podcast

    In this episode, the Forge team welcomes Chris into the conversation for the first time. Chris steps in by sharing an unfinished, vulnerable moment from his leadership journey, reflecting on one of the most difficult decisions he’s faced: stepping away from a business partnership. Chris opens up about how, over time, he became convinced that staying would limit not only his own growth, but the growth of his partners as well. What he intended as an invitation to discern the future together was communicated poorly and received as a declaration that he was leaving. That gap exposed immaturity in his communication and leadership, creating confusion and emotional strain for everyone involved. Rather than rushing the decision, the partners took time to process it together. Each ultimately received their own confirmation that the separation was both right and timely. For Chris, one of the clearest indicators that the decision was rooted in faith rather than ego was the unity he experienced at home. His wife was fully on board, bringing peace to what could have been a deeply divisive season. The conversation expands into the unique weight of leadership transitions when you’re not just changing jobs, but stepping away from something you helped build. Partnerships carry shared history, equity, identity, and responsibility. Even when growth is the goal, letting go can feel like tearing something apart without certainty of how it will land. The group reflects on how real growth often requires disruption. Entrepreneurs tend to grow through pressure, and while Chris can now see things he would handle differently, he trusted that the challenge itself would force growth for everyone involved. Central to that trust was his decision to fully release control, removing his influence so others could step into leadership without his shadow. They also acknowledge how nearly impossible it is to communicate a partnership separation without triggering emotion. From both sides of similar experiences, the hosts note how easily insecurity, self-doubt, and fear can overpower even the most thoughtful intentions. The episode closes not with bitterness, but gratitude. Despite imperfect communication and real tension, Chris expresses thankfulness for where relationships stand today, recognizing that clarity, healing, and growth often only come after the hardest decisions are made. Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    49 min

  7. JAN 7

    The AGM: Making Hard Cuts with Intention - Forge Contractor Podcast

    In this episode of the Forge Contractor Podcast, the conversation turns into a direct and honest debrief of the Ridgeline Roofing and Solar AGM, and why it marked a real turning point for the company. Coming right off the pruning discussion, Josh and Kenton walk through what made this AGM different. Not just inspiring, but actually useful. After years of learning the hard way, they reflect on the discipline of building a real agenda, facilitating for outcomes, and setting clear expectations. The result was a meeting that created alignment, momentum, and ownership instead of fatigue. A major part of the conversation centers on the value of outside perspective. Bringing in an external chair through Forge removed internal politics, kept the meeting focused, and allowed hard questions to be asked and answered. Josh and Kenton explore why this kind of structure matters, and why AGM facilitation may be one of the most practical services Forge can offer contractors. The episode digs into what separates a good meeting from a productive one: action, accountability, and follow-through. They share the concrete outcomes that came out of the AGM, from early budgeting work and procedures to clearly defined ownership and stewardship agreements. No one was dragged into responsibility. People stepped into it. They also talk candidly about where the meeting exposed gaps. When tough questions were asked, the lack of clear metrics and ownership became obvious. Marketing spend without clear ROI, shared responsibilities without clear owners, and the need for better tracking and better information in the room. That naturally leads into a deeper discussion on North Star metrics. Josh and Kenton unpack why revenue alone isn’t enough, why volume can hide unhealthy businesses, and why they’re leaning toward value per square as a clearer signal of financial health. They wrestle with how to honor cultural wins without masking financial reality, landing on a practical balance between financial clarity and cultural celebration. A clear theme emerges for 2026: stewardship. Stewarding finances, operations, assets, and people with intention. One story in particular highlights what stewardship looks like in practice, resisting the urge to force solutions and instead allowing ownership, learning, and leadership to develop. The episode closes by returning to Ridgeline’s core identity: brotherhood. Building young men, work ethic, and fortitude through the trades. Josh and Kenton reflect on the tension between investing in people and maintaining financial health, and why both are required to build something that lasts. This is a grounded, practical conversation about leadership, accountability, and what it really looks like to run a healthy company. Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith Produced by - Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    48 min

  8. 12/31/2025

    Trades: Accountability in a Season of Change - Forge Contractor Podcast

    In this episode of the Forge Contractor Podcast, the conversation becomes a year-end reflection centered on one defining idea: real growth comes from pruning, not piling on. What begins as a thought about revisiting the AGM quickly shifts into a deeper discussion about 2025 as a season of cutting back so the right things can grow. Josh and Kenton talk candidly about what pruning has looked like at Ridgeline. Saying no to work that isn’t healthy, even when it’s emotionally difficult. Letting people go, hiring slower, and choosing values, mindset, and culture fit over raw talent. Moving away from transactional approaches to labor and toward a team built on trust, buy-in, and shared standards. The conversation expands to the future of the trades and why craftsmanship and human skill aren’t disappearing anytime soon. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, Josh and Kenton argue that real-world problem solving and hands-on experience will only become more valuable. A central theme throughout the episode is brotherhood and accountability through Forge. They reflect on why the group exists, the importance of having peers who can speak honestly without being entangled in day-to-day operations, and why keeping the podcast free from financial pressure helps preserve integrity and intention. The episode closes with optimism for 2026, gratitude for the listeners, and thanks to Seth Steward Productions and Kalen Wookey for their continued support behind the scenes. If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who would appreciate it and help grow the Forge community. Original theme music composed and performed by: Ben Smith Produced by: Seth Steward Productions Co-produced by: Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

    46 min
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About

At Forge Contractor Alliance (FCA), we know firsthand what it is like to be in the trenches—solving every problem, wearing every hat, and wondering if this whole thing is working. Whether you’re a solo-preneur or leading a team, your business should inspire pride, purpose, and prosperity—for you, your clients, and everyone connected to the work. Forge Contractor Alliance exists to help you develop perspective, lead with intention, and grow with purpose. Through community, mentorship, and practical systems, we walk with you on the journey toward fulfillment. This is your invitation—to thrive in business, and in life.

Information

  • Creator
    Forge Contractor Alliance
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Forge Contractor Alliance Podcast