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. Skilled Trades Don’t Recruit Themselves - Joe McClaran Shows You How

    4H AGO

    Skilled Trades Don’t Recruit Themselves - Joe McClaran Shows You How

    In this episode, we talk with Joe McClaran, a millennial talent acquisition manager who's passionate about changing perceptions of the skilled trades. Joe shares his journey from mortgage collections and food service to becoming a skilled trades advocate, and discusses the real challenges and opportunities in recruiting and retaining young talent in the construction industry. Joe reveals the truth about recruiting in construction: the six-month reality check when weather extremes separate the committed from the curious, managing wage compression with experienced workers, and why workers will leave for just 25 cents more per hour. He also shares what's working like using accredited apprenticeship programs to bridge the gap between parents who want their kids in college and kids who want to work with their hands. We dig into the office versus field divide, the coming leadership shift as boomers retire, and why Joe's approach to new hires starts with "I work for you. Without you, they don't need me." Plus, hear about the 23-year-old electrical foreman who was running work before he even graduated his apprenticeship program. HighlightsThe Six-Month Test: Highest attrition happens in the first six months when new hires experience their first extreme weather conditions transparency upfront is critical.Free Accredited Education: Four-year NCCER apprenticeship programs provide the perfect answer for parents demanding college while kids want the trades.Young Leaders Rising: Meet the 23-year-old electrical foreman running major projects and why the industry will see a massive leadership shift in just 3-5 years.Total Compensation Matters: Starter tool sets, PPE, medical insurance, and free training help combat workers leaving for small wage increases elsewhere.Get Parents On Board: The biggest barrier isn't the students—it's their parents who still believe the "college or bust" mentality. Don't miss future episodes of Blue Collar BS! Subscribe now and be part of the conversation changing how we think about careers in the skilled trades. Know someone who needs to hear this? Hit that share button. Get in Touch with Joe: 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

    31 min
  2. When Personal Problems Clock In Too

    NOV 7

    When Personal Problems Clock In Too

    Brad's morning at Panera turned into an accidental observation study on how personal drama is infiltrating the workplace. Surrounded by Gen X and Boomer professionals complaining about family issues, relationship problems, and personal grievances with coworkers, he witnessed something that used to be unthinkable people bringing their entire personal lives into professional spaces. The once-impenetrable wall between work and personal life has shrunk to a speed bump. For Gen X professionals, that boundary used to be absolute. Personal problems stayed personal. Work problems stayed at work. Today's workplace doesn't operate that way anymore, and it's not just Gen Z driving this change. The blending of personal and professional lives creates challenges for leaders. It's a time suck, an energy drain, and a real cost. But it can also reduce turnover when handled with empathy and clear boundaries. The question isn't whether this blending will happen - it's already happening. The question is how leaders will manage it. Highlights: Gen X and Boomers are bringing personal drama to work, not just younger generations.Victim mindset conversations drain productivity regardless of generation.Company-first approach: provide designated time for personal talks with clear deadline expectations.Employee-first approach: offer time off to resolve personal issues before they become distractions Are you struggling with personal drama bleeding into your workplace productivity? The solution starts with deciding what kind of culture you actually want. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for more honest conversations about the messy realities of leading modern workforces across all generations. Share this episode with leaders who need permission to set boundaries while still showing empathy. 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

    21 min
  3. Built Tough: Women Leading Manufacturing Becca and Jennifer

    OCT 31

    Built Tough: Women Leading Manufacturing Becca and Jennifer

    Two Gen X women who worked their way through male-dominated manufacturing share stories about earning respect, managing up, and why facts beat emotions every time. Becca and Jennifer reunite with Brad who used to manage them back when they all worked at Bucyrus to discuss leadership lessons. Both women rose from early roles to director level positions Becca now leads marketing at Super Products making truck mounted vacuums, while Jen oversees materials management. Their journeys reveal how women succeed in heavy manufacturing through pragmatism, strategic thinking, and refusing to accept limitations. Both emphasize that good leadership means listening, showing empathy within boundaries, teaching and mentoring, and never micromanaging. Jennifer's rule: if you come to her with a problem, bring at least one potential solution. She won't do your job for you but will remove roadblocks. Highlights: Jennifer and Becca share stories about what it was like to work with Brad. State your worth during hiring negotiations - advocate for yourself from day one.Discussion on if manufacturing has changed for women in the last 20 years.How many men in the industry actually act as big brothers looking out for women in the field.Managing up requires making complex issues understandable to those above you.Gen Z candidates may not understand professional boundaries or realistic skill levels. 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

    59 min
  4. Gen Z Bossing Boomers with Class with Collin Thomey

    OCT 24

    Gen Z Bossing Boomers with Class with Collin Thomey

    At 22 years old, Colin Thomey manages staff members twice his age while running his own golf performance business on the side. His journey from retail frustration to golf course general manager reveals what happens when Gen Z enters leadership roles in family businesses. Colin learned early on in his career that coming on too strong with new ideas instead of taking time to understand the family business, their margins, memberships, and existing staff dynamics. The turning point came when Colin asked for one shot to prove his value through a single event. That quick win built trust and opened doors for future innovations. His approach offers lessons for any young person stepping into management roles where experience gaps create natural skepticism. Colin earned credibility with his older team through consistent respect and honest communication. He stays available, admits when he's wrong, and treats everyone the same regardless of age. His golf instruction stands apart from traditional swing coaches. Colin focuses on the mental game, tracking multiple performance metrics to help golfers understand what's really happening beyond their scorecard. Quick wins build trust faster than comprehensive plans when starting new roles.Respect through language matters regardless of age differences.Constant communication prevents issues before they escalate into problems.Admitting mistakes immediately earns more respect than defensive justification.Track multiple metrics, not just primary outcomes for complete performance understanding.Side businesses provide security and creative freedom corporate environments restrict. Leading people older than you or starting your own business while working full-time? Learn from those navigating these challenges successfully. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for more conversations with young leaders building careers and businesses across industries. Share this episode with anyone who needs perspective on earning respect when age works against them. Get in touch with Colin: Website 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

    25 min
  5. Shorty Shorts, Tank Tops, and Customer Service

    OCT 17

    Shorty Shorts, Tank Tops, and Customer Service

    When is a job really finished? This episode explores the gray area between completed work and customer satisfaction through Steve's personal experience as both contractor and homeowner in a landscaping project gone sideways. The conversation centers around a classic scenario: contractor completes work per original scope, homeowner calls four months later wanting additional work done. Steve built a retaining wall but explicitly excluded soil reclamation from his scope now the homeowner wants that dirt moved and expects it as part of the original job. This real-world example illustrates the challenging decisions contractors face daily. Do you stick to your contract terms and risk damaging relationships, or absorb additional costs to maintain customer satisfaction? The answer depends entirely on the business value of that relationship. Steve's situation becomes more complex because he's both the contractor and lives with the homeowner creating the ultimate conflict between business principles and domestic harmony. His insistence on contract terms versus relationship management mirrors struggles many small contractors face with demanding customers. The episode emphasizes practical decision making over rigid adherence to contracts. When dealing with unreasonable customers who provide no referral value, standing firm makes sense. But when relationships and future opportunities are at stake, strategic flexibility often proves more profitable than being technically correct. Highlights: Clear scope documentation prevents most disputes but doesn't eliminate themCalculate scope creep decisions based on referral value and future opportunity costLegal battles cost more than most small disputed amountsSometimes absorbing extra costs preserves valuable business relationships Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for more honest discussions about the real challenges blue collar businesses face every day. Share this episode with other business owners who've dealt with customers who think "done" means "everything I might want later." 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. From Law Enforcement to Life Protection with Captain Cathy

    OCT 10

    From Law Enforcement to Life Protection with Captain Cathy

    How aware are you of your surroundings? Retired law enforcement captain Catherine Trimboli shares decades of experience about personal safety and situational awareness, revealing why our phone-obsessed generation has become sitting ducks for criminals. This GenXer spent 30+ years in law enforcement, working everything from jails to freeway patrol as a deputy, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain. Her passion for empowering women and families grew from witnessing how many people lack basic safety awareness and confidence in their daily lives. The conversation explores generational differences in safety awareness. While Gen X grew up without smartphones constantly demanding attention, today's workers face unprecedented distractions that compromise their situational awareness. Harvard research shows humans operate on autopilot 47% of the time - a dangerous statistic when applied to personal safety. Catherine emphasizes practical solutions for workplace safety, especially for blue-collar workers who travel between job sites. Simple changes like having three different routes to any destination, parking in well-lit areas, and conducting brief research before visiting new locations can dramatically improve safety outcomes. The discussion reveals how predictable routines make people vulnerable targets. Taking the same route at the same time every day creates patterns that criminals can exploit. Breaking these patterns while maintaining awareness of body language, posture, and confidence levels helps project strength rather than vulnerability. Highlights: Humans operate on autopilot 47% of the time, creating safety vulnerabilitiesAlways have three different routes to any destination for safety and flexibilitySmartphone distraction makes people easy targets for criminals and pickpocketsStance and movement matter - confident posture deters potential threatsTrust your gut feelings when something doesn't feel right in any situationWorkplace lighting and buddy systems improve employee safety and morale Ready to improve your personal safety awareness and protect your team? Don't wait until something happens to start thinking about security. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for more conversations about keeping yourself and your workers safe across all generations and industries. Share this episode with anyone who needs a reality check about situational awareness in our distracted world. Get in Touch with Cathy: 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

    28 min
  7. How to Tell If You’ve Hired the Wrong “Tool”

    OCT 3

    How to Tell If You’ve Hired the Wrong “Tool”

    A $6 soldering iron that catches fire the first time you use it versus a snap-on tool that still works perfectly after 35 years the difference between cheap tools and quality equipment mirrors the challenge many blue-collar businesses face with workforce compensation and expectations. The conversation starts with tool brand loyalty Milwaukee versus DeWalt versus Ryobi - and evolves into a deeper question about value. When you buy snap-on tools, you know exactly what you're getting. When you hire employees, do you have the same clarity about what you're paying for and what you expect to receive? The challenge isn't just about finding good people or paying competitive wages. It's about understanding how to break down compensation into meaningful components and setting clear, measurable expectations. Most organizations fail because they interview for hard skills but fire people for soft skill failures. The discussion reveals a fundamental problem: organizations set expectations but don't capture data to measure against them. Without proper tracking systems, foremen end up covering for problem employees rather than addressing real issues. This creates cycles where owners think they're getting poor value while employees feel unfairly judged. The solution involves restructuring compensation into three components: production value (what you pay to get work done), loyalty value (what you pay to retain someone), and wisdom value (experience that prevents costly mistakes). This framework enables meaningful conversations about pay differences between workers with different experience levels. Highlights: Tool brand loyalty mirrors employee expectations - you get what you clearly define and measure.Most firing happens due to soft skills, but most hiring focuses only on hard skills.Organizations set expectations but fail to capture data proving those expectations are met.Compensation should break into three components: production, loyalty, and wisdom value.Clear expectation setting requires both communication and measurement systems.Time tracking prevents wage theft and removes emotional decision-making from management. Ready to stop wondering if you're getting what you pay for from your workforce? Start thinking like a tool buyer define exactly what you need, measure what you get, and structure compensation to reflect real value. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for more honest conversations about compensation, expectations, and building accountability in blue-collar businesses. Share this episode with any business owner struggling to balance fair wages with performance expectations. 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

    24 min
  8. Crispy Like Toast: What Happens When Your Business Owns You with Mike Finger

    SEP 26

    Crispy Like Toast: What Happens When Your Business Owns You with Mike Finger

    A lot of business owners wake up one day looking like "crispy toast" and realize they need to exit only to discover their business isn't sellable. Mike Finger lived this nightmare firsthand and spent five brutal years rebuilding his company with buyers in mind before successfully selling. This Gen Xer has bought and sold multiple businesses over 25 years, learning hard lessons about what makes companies truly transferable. His approach cuts through the industry complexity and sorcery filled advice to focus on practical reality for the 98% of businesses with under 20 employees. Mike's wake-up call came when business broker after broker hung up on him. Despite having 50 employees and thinking he was doing everything right, his business failed the basic sellability test. The five year rebuild process was grueling because he was mentally checked out but couldn't leave. This experience taught him that exit preparation can't wait until you're ready to sell. The conversation reveals why so many small business owners sabotage their own sellability through tax avoidance strategies that show zero profits for years. When it's time to sell, buyers only see businesses that "never made any money" rather than the owner's explanation about reinvestment and creative accounting. Mike's simple framework cuts through the complexity: three basic questions determine sellability. Are your results desirable? Can a buyer duplicate your results? Can you document your results? A "yes" to all three means you have a sellable business. Any "no" or "maybe" reveals problems that need addressing. Highlights: Exit almost always sneaks up on owners through divorce, diagnosis, or new opportunities.Business ready to sell is fabulous to own forever sellability equals ownability.Biggest danger is waiting until ready to sell before getting ready for sale.Start sustainability first, then succession chaos rules early business stages.Industry focuses on 2% of businesses while ignoring the 98% with under 20 employees.Half hour monthly lunch dates with your future self can transform daily decisions. Ready to build a business you could sell tomorrow but might choose to own forever? Don't wait until you see crispy toast in the mirror. Subscribe to Blue Collar BS for more honest conversations about the realities of business ownership, exit planning, and building transferable value. Share this episode with any business owner who thinks sellability is something they'll worry about "someday." Get in touch with Mike: Website 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

    29 min
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out of 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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    178
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Brad Herda and Steve Doyle
  • Show Website
    Blue-Collar BS