Built for the Trades

Dan Dowdy
  • 5.0 (12)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

How do you build a successful trade company? Find out how other trade company owners are finding success.

  1. The 3 Habits of a Trusted Leader

    FEB 3

    The 3 Habits of a Trusted Leader

    Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades podcast, Dan Dowdy dives into one of the most critical foundations of leadership — trust. Without trust, even the best systems, technicians, and equipment can’t help a business grow. Dan breaks down three practical, actionable habits that every trusted leader lives by, whether they’re managing a small crew or a company of 100. Discussions Say What You Mean - Trusted leaders communicate clearly and honestly. Dan explains why clarity and empathy are essential to building confidence and avoiding confusion on your team.Do What You Say - Following through on your promises is what separates leaders who are tolerated from those who are trusted. Learn how small, consistent actions can grow credibility and trust quickly.Own What You Miss - Leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about accountability. Dan shares why admitting mistakes and taking ownership strengthens your team and sets the standard for everyone to follow.Leadership is about consistency, honesty, and being someone your team can rely on. By practicing these three habits — saying what you mean, doing what you say, and owning what you miss — you can earn trust, inspire accountability, and grow your trades business. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this episode helped you, and click the link to schedule a call to take your leadership to the next level. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    5 min
  2. Why Some Employees Resist Change (And What to Do About It)

    JAN 20

    Why Some Employees Resist Change (And What to Do About It)

    Overview Hey leaders, welcome back to the Built for the Trades podcast! Today we’re tackling a topic that trips up even the best managers and owners: why employees resist change and how to guide them through it effectively. Change is hard—new processes, technology, and expectations can feel overwhelming. In this episode, we’ll break down three practical strategies to understand resistance, build buy-in, and keep your team motivated. Grab your notepad, keep your eyes on the road if you’re driving, and let’s dive in! Discussions Understand the Fear Behind Resistance – Resistance usually comes from fear—fear of the unknown, failure, or losing control. Listen, acknowledge the fear, and use empathy and humor to help your team feel supported. Connect Change to Real Benefits – People adopt change when they see clear benefits. Show how new processes help them personally and improve the team. Real-life examples make change feel like a win, not a punishment. Involve Your Team Early – Team members adopt change faster when they feel ownership. Ask for feedback, involve them in pilots, and build buy-in early to reduce friction and improve outcomes. Handling change well builds trust, reduces friction, and keeps your team moving forward together. Change doesn’t have to be scary—it just needs a little leadership magic and perhaps a dash of humor. If this episode helped, subscribe and share it with another trades leader who could benefit. And if you’re ready to take your leadership and business to the next level, book a time with us to explore if Built for the Trades is the right fit. Until next time, keep leading well, keep building something that lasts, and remember: resistance is just a signal that you may need to lead a little differently. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    5 min
  3. When to Coach vs When to Discipline Your Team (3 Clear Rules)

    JAN 6

    When to Coach vs When to Discipline Your Team (3 Clear Rules)

    Overview In this episode, Dan breaks down a challenge every manager and trades leader faces: when to coach and when to discipline your team members. Making the wrong call can hurt morale, slow productivity, and make your shop feel chaotic—but done right, it builds trust and keeps your team motivated. He dives into practical strategies for spotting the signs that a team member needs guidance versus correction, shares real-world examples from the field, and explains how to have tough conversations without damaging relationships. By the end, you’ll have a clear framework for leading with confidence, clarity, and fairness so your team can thrive and your business can grow. Discussions: Look at the pattern, not the one-off – Identify whether a mistake is a single slip or a recurring problem to decide your approach. Determine the root cause – Is it a skill gap, misunderstanding, or attitude problem? Coaching is best for knowledge gaps; discipline is necessary for repeated negligence or disrespect. Act promptly but fairly – Address issues close to the behavior. Give immediate feedback when coaching, and be clear, factual, and consistent when disciplining.Remember, leadership in the trades isn’t just about telling people what to do—it’s about knowing when to guide, when to correct, and how to build a team that trusts you. By mastering the balance between coaching and discipline, you create a culture where your team can grow, perform, and stick around. Apply these principles consistently, and you’ll see your shop run smoother, your team stay motivated, and your leadership truly make an impact. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    5 min
  4. Healthy Competition at Work That Builds Your Team

    12/16/2025

    Healthy Competition at Work That Builds Your Team

    Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades podcast, we dive into how competition can either energize or divide your team. Healthy competition can boost performance, spark creativity, and strengthen teamwork—but handled the wrong way, it can create tension, resentment, and unnecessary drama in the shop. We break down practical strategies to keep competition positive and productive for everyone on your team. Discussions Focus on Team Goals: Encourage collaboration by rewarding overall team success, not just individual wins.Make It Transparent and Fair: Use clear rules, visible metrics, and rotating challenges to give everyone a fair chance to shine.Celebrate Effort and Improvement: Recognize progress, teamwork, and personal growth, not just who comes in first.When done right, healthy competition motivates, builds cohesion, and keeps morale high. Remember, resetting expectations doesn’t have to be a fight. If you handle this process well—with clarity and self-ownership—it actually builds more trust and gets everyone rowing in the same direction. So, help us bring this vital message to more trades business owners by subscribing right now! And if you're ready to take the next leadership step, book a free call with us. Until next time, keep leading well and keep building something that lasts. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    6 min
  5. How to Reset Expectations Without Creating Conflict

    12/02/2025

    How to Reset Expectations Without Creating Conflict

    Overview This episode of the Built for the Trades podcast dives into a topic every leader has wrestled with: resetting expectations without unnecessary conflict. We explore the painful truth that sometimes the problem isn't the team's delivery, but the leader's clarity. Dan gives you three practical, trust-building ways to hit the reset button, starting with self-ownership and ending with setting clear, respectful boundaries that turn "homework" into "teamwork." Discussions Own Your Part: To diffuse immediate tension and avoid conflict, leaders must first admit where they were unclear or made incorrect assumptions.Reframe as a Shared Win: Expectations should be presented as a benefit to the team (like fewer callbacks) rather than just homework for the leader.Set Clear Boundaries with Respect: Defining clear, respectful boundaries prevents expectations from slipping and creates long-term safety and clarity for the team.Remember, resetting expectations doesn't have to be a fight. If you handle this process well—with clarity and self-ownership—it actually builds more trust and gets everyone rowing in the same direction. So, help us bring this vital message to more trades business owners by subscribing right now! And if you're ready to take the next leadership step, book a free call with us. Until next time, keep leading well and keep building something that lasts. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    5 min
  6. How to Balance Being a Boss and a Friend | Leadership Tips for Service Business Growth

    11/18/2025

    How to Balance Being a Boss and a Friend | Leadership Tips for Service Business Growth

    Overview Welcome back to the Built for the Trades podcast, where we help leaders in the service industry grow their business, their teams, and themselves! Today, host Dan Dowdy tackles the universal leadership dilemma: how to balance being the boss who commands respect with being the friend who shows care, ensuring your team runs through walls for you instead of walking all over you. Discussions The Why Behind Relationships: Showing genuine, human care for your team members builds powerful relationships that drive loyalty and performance far beyond what a paycheck can achieve.Risks of Being Only a Friend: Leaning too heavily toward being "everybody's buddy" destroys accountability and allows standards to slip, ultimately ruining the healthy culture you were trying to create.How to Balance Softness and Strength: Achieve balance by setting clear expectations, communicating with empathy and curiosity, and maintaining consistency so that fairness always trumps favoritism.So, here's the takeaway. It's not a boss or friend. It's both. Build relationships strong enough to support accountability and lead firmly enough to carry the weight of friendship. That's a balance that creates respect, loyalty, and long-term success. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    6 min
  7. Your Team, Your Profit: Leadership Tips for Contractors, Plumbers & HVAC Owners

    10/28/2025

    Your Team, Your Profit: Leadership Tips for Contractors, Plumbers & HVAC Owners

    Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades Podcast, Dan Dowdy dives into one of the most overlooked truths in the trades — your team is your greatest investment, not your trucks, tools, or logo. If you want to grow your business, reduce stress, and create freedom, it starts with leading and developing the people who drive your results every day. Discussions The Hidden Cost of a Poorly Trained Team – Discover how skipping training costs you more in lost revenue, bad reviews, and turnover than investing in your people ever will.Building a Culture that Keeps A-Players Around – Learn how clarity, communication, and leadership create a culture that top performers never want to leave.Empowering Your Team to Drive Profit – Understand how an empowered team becomes a profit multiplier, allowing your business to run smoothly — even when you’re not there.True success in business isn’t about the size of your fleet or how fancy your tools are — it’s about the strength of your team. Lead with vision, invest in your people, and watch your business grow beyond you. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    4 min
  8. How to Build a Company Culture That Makes You Money

    10/14/2025

    How to Build a Company Culture That Makes You Money

    Overview In this episode, Dan Dowdy breaks down what “Culture That Cashes In” really means and how your leadership directly shapes your company’s profitability. Discover how culture can either cost you thousands or create a team that multiplies profits. Learn the hidden costs of poor culture, how your standards reflect your success, and why rewarding the right behaviors drives growth. Whether you’re leading a small shop or managing multiple crews, this episode will help you build a culture that shows up, stands out, and scales your business. Discussions Culture is Always Making You Money or Losing It – Discover why culture goes far beyond perks and parties—it’s built through daily communication, accountability, and how your team treats customers. Your Team Reflects Your Standards – Understand how your people mirror your expectations and how setting clear standards can transform performance and customer experience. The Silent Killer of Culture – Learn how tolerating the wrong behaviors quietly destroys morale and profitability—and how to fix it fast.If your version of culture is just pizza Fridays, you’ve got a snack schedule, not a system. True culture is built in the daily habits, conversations, and accountability you model as a leader. Remember—your team is always watching what you do more than what you say. Start leading with intention, raise your standards, and build a culture that truly cashes in. Keep leading with impact—and I’ll see you next time. Free Coaching Call:Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips!https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

    5 min
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5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

How do you build a successful trade company? Find out how other trade company owners are finding success.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan Dowdy
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    126
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Dan Dowdy
  • Show Website
    Built for the Trades