Blue-Collar BS

Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • 5.0 (10)
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The age-old excuse "we can't find good people" is busted by two business coaches, Brad Herda and Steve Doyle. Blue-Collar BS features the top blue-collar business owners, thought leaders, and experts to share strategies on attracting and retaining top talent across ALL generations--including Gen Z's (and why they should not be overlooked). Blue-Collar BS helps blue-collar business owners like you build a business that'll thrive for decades by turning that blue-collar bullsh*t into some blue-collar business solutions. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

  1. EP200, Not Our Best Effort

    19H AGO

    EP200, Not Our Best Effort

    When we started this podcast back in 2021, we had no idea we'd reach 200 episodes with 133 amazing guests who shared their stories and expertise. The impact this show has had not just for us but for the guests who've connected with each other and the listeners we'll never hear from goes beyond anything we imagined. We talk about moments that stand out from previous episodes, the guests who made lasting impressions, and how relationships keep forming long after recordings wrap. The conversation shifts to practical risks businesses face right now. We are finding out about vehicle cameras are getting hacked and locking entire fleets until ransom gets paid. The conversation shifts to practical risks businesses face right now. Vehicle cameras are getting hacked and locking entire fleets until ransom gets paid. Massive CDL fraud was reported in Illinois and is going to have a huge effect on trucking capacity and supply chains. We cover what's working in hiring when you batch resumes and use screening questions to filter candidates before phone interviews. And make sure to listen to the end to hear what we're planning for the next phase of the show. Highlights:How 200 episodes with 133 guests creates a resource library where listeners can find solutions and experts for nearly any business challenge plus asking the professionals you're already paying means there's no reason to say "I didn't know".Why setting clear expectations about remote work and meeting participation matters more than rigid policies.The hiring process that works batch resumes, send screening questions, and only spend time on interviews with people who respond.How podcast connections keep creating opportunities months and years after episodes air. Thank you for being part of this journey through 200 episodes. If you haven't already make sure to subscribe to Blue Collar BS where we explore how different generations approach work, leadership, and building careers in the trades. Every episode tackles the gap between what you're told should work and what actually works when you're running a business in the real world. Who do you want to hear from next? Drop us a message with guests you'd love to see on the show. Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    31 min
  2. Sewers, Suits, and Shit That Matters Lauri Rollings

    APR 3

    Sewers, Suits, and Shit That Matters Lauri Rollings

    Lauri Rollings worked as a lawyer for 20 years before ending up in trade associations completely by accident. A family member of a colleague was in need of emergency help with labor negotiations and she took the job not knowing anything about construction or apprenticeships. What she found surprised her people learning skilled trades while getting paid, graduating with zero debt, and making six figures with benefits. She couldn't figure out why more people didn't know this path existed. After running contractor associations in Milwaukee and Portland for a decade, she started consulting on leadership development because like many industries, nobody was training people to become the next leaders. We talk about why the biggest myth she fights is that young people don't want to work hard, how skills from unexpected places like video games or music transfer to trades work, and why asking different interview questions reveals talent that doesn't fit the farm kid stereotype. Highlights:Why the myth that younger generations don't want to work hard is completely false and comes down to individual values rather than birth year.Why asking better interview questions reveals how someone's background in gaming, music, or other hobbies translates to skills needed in trades work.Why older generations expect people to earn trust over time while younger generations expect to start with trust until they lose itWhy education systems did a disservice by removing hands-on training and pushing everyone toward college as the only path.Asking about best mentors or coaches helps people connect past experiences to workplace skills. Make sure to subscribe to Blue Collar BS where we explore how different generations approach work, leadership, and building careers in the trades. Every episode tackles the gap between what you're told should work and what actually works when you're running a business in the real world. Get in touch with Lauri: Website LinkedIn Youtube Facebook Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    33 min
  3. Stop Setting Dumb Goals

    MAR 27

    Stop Setting Dumb Goals

    What happens when the push for more revenue becomes the primary goal but there's no plan behind it and quality takes a backseat? We walk through scenarios that play out in businesses all the time. Sales brings in volume without considering fit or profitability. Operations tries to ship more while maintaining standards without addressing what's breaking down. Owners point to culture problems when the real issue is conflicting priorities from the start. We explore how chasing revenue numbers that look impressive can hide profitability problems. What changes when the actual cost gets connected to the owner's bottom line, and why goals created collaboratively get better results than directives from the top. The conversation includes manufacturing realities like tolerance issues that don't stack up and why checking more always uncovers more problems than you wanted to find. Highlights:What happens when goals compete against each other and teams focus on documenting failure instead of pursuing success.How revenue targets without profitability guardrails create situations where hitting the number means losing money.Why showing the real dollar impact on an owner's take-home changes the conversation about competing priorities.What shifts when teams across departments build goals together versus receiving mandates from ownership.How high-volume customers can drain resources when you factor in the full cost of serving them. Make sure to subscribe to Blue Collar BS where we explore how different generations approach work, leadership, and building careers in the trades. Every episode tackles the gap between what you're told should work and what actually works when you're running a business in the real world. Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    29 min
  4. Polygenerational WTF: From AI to Elk Hunting with Zach Hanson

    MAR 20

    Polygenerational WTF: From AI to Elk Hunting with Zach Hanson

    Zach did everything he was supposed to do went to college, got the tech job, bought the house. Then one day he looked around and realized he couldn't fix a single thing without calling someone. That bothered him enough to start learning skills on the side while keeping his white collar career going. What started as picking up welding and hunting turned into serious research about what happened to trades in this country and why people treat that kind of work like it's beneath them. When he was eliminated his tech position after 12 years and his savings ran out after 11 months, those side skills kept him afloat. Trapping and taxidermy paid the bills until he landed another tech role. COVID sped up what he'd already figured out being completely dependent on everything working perfectly all the time is a bad bet. We talk about how schools systematically got rid of shop classes, why looking down on skilled work makes no sense, and how learning to handle things yourself changes what you think you're capable of. HighlightsHow realizing you can't handle basic problems in your own life pushes you to learn practical skills even while working a desk job.Why education policy changes over decades systematically removed shop classes and created the skilled worker shortage we're dealing with now.The confidence that comes from learning hands-on skills carries over into everything else you do, not just the specific task you learned.How many people are quietly interested in becoming more self-reliant but won't say it out loud because of what others might think.Why the idea that white collar jobs are secure and blue collar work is beneath people turned out to be completely backwards. Make sure to subscribe to Blue Collar BS where we explore how different generations approach work, leadership, and building careers in the trades. Do you want to hear more stories like Zach's that challenge what you thought was possible and inspire you to try something different? We've got some amazing guests lined up! Get in touch with Zach: Website LinkedIn Instagram Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    29 min
  5. No Cape Needed: A Blue-Collar Tribute to My Dad, Jim Herda

    MAR 13

    No Cape Needed: A Blue-Collar Tribute to My Dad, Jim Herda

    Brad's father recently passed away, inspiring us to take time to honor the everyday heroes who show up without seeking recognition the people who teach us the most important lessons without even realizing they're doing it. Brad shares memories of his father who worked as a Teamsters driver and never missed a day of work, taught discipline without lectures, and showed integrity by owning mistakes when his job was at risk. The lessons came through presence rather than instruction being available when needed even if lengthy conversations weren't his style, showing up consistently for 45 years regardless of how he felt, and demonstrating values through actions instead of words. We explore how the most powerful teaching happens through observation rather than explanation, why consistency builds the credibility that matters when mistakes happen, and how being present counts more than being perfect. Highlights:How daily consistency builds the kind of credibility that carries you through mistakes and tough times.Why the most important lessons get taught through actions and presence rather than lectures or explanations.What integrity looks like when you have to own up to decisions that put everything at risk.The difference between being available and being perfect why showing up matters more than having all the answers.How learning to observe patterns and connect dots comes from watching people who lead through example. Please subscribe to Blue Collar BS where we talk about the real gaps between generations in blue collar work and what it takes to lead across different age groups in today's trades. Sometimes the most important episodes aren't about business at all they're about the people who shaped who we become. Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    25 min
  6. When the Apprentice Becomes the Mechanic with Sam DeWitt

    MAR 6

    When the Apprentice Becomes the Mechanic with Sam DeWitt

    Sam DeWitt got told like every millennial to go to college and get a degree. The path from there to becoming a master mechanic wasn't anything he could have planned, moving through different roles and companies before landing somewhere that changed his entire perspective on what leadership could be. His supervisor Bob showed him what servant leadership actually looks like creating space for people to grow by recognizing where they need help and empowering them to learn instead of expecting them to already know everything. We explore how admitting what you don't know opens the door to real learning, why seeking knowledge directly from people doing the work beats any manual, and how hands-on practice with real failure scenarios builds the next generation of skilled technicians. HighlightsWhy companies banking on operators training replacements fails when the operator is protecting their own job instead of teaching.How servant leadership that recognizes strengths and weaknesses across teams while empowering people to struggle and learn changes careers.Why maintenance requires some innate ability beyond what's teachable and finding people who want to work on broke stuff every day is hard.Why creating the right training tools can work better than prescribed ones. Get in touch with Sam: Podcast LinkedIn Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    34 min
  7. Ms. Swiss and the Sisterhood of Trades with Nush

    FEB 27

    Ms. Swiss and the Sisterhood of Trades with Nush

    Nush knew by sophomore year that traditional college wasn't her path. Automotive classes in high school led to NASCAR Technical Institute, then CNC machining when motorsport jobs required connections she didn't have. Now she's built Sisterhood of Trades, a Discord community of 850 women worldwide supporting each other across different trades. We explore why women still face basic safety issues like inaccessible restrooms and unlit parking lots that employers ignore while claiming to support women. Nush shares the harsh reality where reporting harassment leads to punishment instead of accountability, how LinkedIn networking creates more opportunities than degrees, and the vision to fund scholarships providing toolboxes for women entering trades so they don't start behind like she did. Highlights:How a worldwide Discord community of 850 women proves there's massive demand for peer support across trades.Why employers claiming to support women while ignoring accessible restrooms, lactating rooms, lit parking lots, and safe building access is empty lip service.The accountability gap where women reporting harassment about their bodies face punishment while leadership protects the men creating hostile environments.How university paths aren't the only option and successful fulfilling careers exist without the debt.The scholarship vision to provide toolboxes and resources so women don't start trades careers at a disadvantage. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS where we talk about the real gaps between generations in blue collar work and what it takes to lead across different age groups in today's trades. Get in touch with Nush: Instagram LinkedIn Sisterhood of Trades Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    34 min
  8. When Ego Paves the Wrong Road with Bryce Harem

    FEB 20

    When Ego Paves the Wrong Road with Bryce Harem

    Fresh out of college with a construction management degree, Bryce walked onto job sites telling field crews how to build based on what the book said. Fast forward to 2022 when he became a general manager and led his company to their largest financial loss ever at $1.5 million, forcing him to lay off 66 people. Instead of quitting, Bryce stood in front of the 35 remaining employees, wrote "I'm sorry" on a whiteboard, and owned the failure completely. We explore how treating people like numbers on a spreadsheet destroys companies, why chasing titles instead of impact sets you up for disaster, and how Bryce turned things around by asking field crews to teach him instead of pretending he knew everything. He shares his journey through alcohol and nicotine dependence trying to handle stress, the weekend journaling session that saved his career, and why the middleman mindset matters more than any title on your business card. Highlights:Why requesting to work with the toughest superintendents who didn't respect him became the turning point for earning trust.How treating a 100-person company like a spreadsheet with budgets and assets instead of people led to catastrophic financial loss.The moment where owning complete failure in front of his team changed everything.How to retain Gen Z talent by showing them the impact they're making instead of dangling titles and pay as the only rewards.How building personal power through relationships beats title power every time, especially when you're the middleman holding culture together. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for practical advice on running your business better. Leading through failure requires more vulnerability than most people are willing to show - are you ready to own it? Get in touch with Bryce: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Get in touch with us: Check out the Blue Collar BS website. Steve Doyle: Website LinkedIn Email Brad Herda: Website LinkedIn Email This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

    30 min
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5
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About

The age-old excuse "we can't find good people" is busted by two business coaches, Brad Herda and Steve Doyle. Blue-Collar BS features the top blue-collar business owners, thought leaders, and experts to share strategies on attracting and retaining top talent across ALL generations--including Gen Z's (and why they should not be overlooked). Blue-Collar BS helps blue-collar business owners like you build a business that'll thrive for decades by turning that blue-collar bullsh*t into some blue-collar business solutions. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Information

  • Creator
    Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    199
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • Show Website
    Blue-Collar BS