Blue Collar Smart

Hugh Hornsby
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Blue Collar Smart is the podcast for trade industry leaders who are ready to stop competing on price and start building organizations that win through people, leadership, and strategic alignment. The trades have never lacked hard work. What they need is stronger leadership. As workforce challenges grow and competition increases, the businesses that rise above the rest will be the ones that invest in their people, develop leaders, and build organizations that outlast the founder. Hosted by Hugh Hornsby, a trade industry executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience, Blue Collar Smart brings real conversations shaped by decades of growing organizations, developing talent, and leading from the field to the boardroom. Each episode features business owners, executives, industry experts, and innovators discussing people development, leadership clarity, organizational alignment, succession planning, private equity, and the future of the trades. Every conversation is grounded in real-world execution, not theory. Our mission is simple: To transform how trade industry leaders think, lead, and grow by proving that people are the only sustainable competitive advantage. Subscribe to Blue Collar Smart and discover practical leadership conversations that help you build stronger teams, stronger organizations, and a stronger future for the trades.

  1. 3d ago

    Run Your Business Like You’re Selling It with Andrew Pacifico

    Host Hugh Hornsby introduces Andrew Pacifico, CEO of Everflow Supplies who started his career in JP Morgan oil and gas investment banking before entering wholesale distribution at Morsco in 2012. He outlines leading acquisitions, learning under Reece Group, and growing Fordeline Waterworks by opening 25 branches and doubling the business before joining Everflow in 2025. Pacifico explains scaling a founder-led, “undermanaged” company by building an executive team, expanding sales coverage, opening a western distribution center, and emphasizing process over results and customer relationships. 00:00 Andrew’s Underdog Roots 03:18 Rice to Wall Street 05:33 Finding Distribution 07:07 Scaling Through M&A 10:55 Leading Everflow Growth 13:05 Sales Execution Mindset 15:43 Exit Planning for Owners 22:02 Private Equity in Trades 26:02 What Makes a Great Deal 28:33 Everflow’s Real Role 32:24 AI and the Human Touch 36:32 Yellow Pad Resilience 40:39 Bringing New Talent In Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. Show Sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app About Andrew Grew up in the Northeast, went to college in Texas. Started my career on Wall Street in investment banking. After graduate school, I pivoted to the wholesale distribution business (I really want to work in a business and help grow something). Spent 15+ years in wholesale distribution with MORSCO, Reece and Fortiline Waterworks. In 2025, I left the wholesale side to go to the supplier side, becoming CEO of Everflow Supplies. Links Website https://everflowsupplies.com/ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-pacifico Learn more about Distro at distro.app Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/

    Run Your Business Like You’re Selling It with Andrew Pacifico

  2. Oct 15

    How Great Leaders Think in a Crisis with Lt. Colonel Robert J. Darling

    Hugh Hornsby interviews Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Darling, author of 24 Hours in the President’s Bunker. Darling details serving in the White House Military Office on 9/11, praising Condoleezza Rice’s support in the bunker, and explains how he now helps organizations improve resilience through risk assessment, preparedness, and people-first crisis leadership via Flash Emergency Management and FlashPrepared. 00:00 Meet Colonel Darling 03:34 Beirut Sparks Enlistment 09:05 Desert Shield Preparedness 11:21 Night Crash Leadership 16:06 Inside 9/11 Bunker 20:01 Why Trades Matter Now 26:45 Finance and Building a Team 28:38 Flash Emergency Management 31:01 Keeping Small Firms Sellable 37:39 People Before Profit Mindset 40:52 Affording Resilience Help Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. Show Sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app About Lt. Colonel Robert J. Darling In October 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Darling retired from the United States Marine Corps with just over twenty years of active-duty service. He flew attack helicopters in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the first Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa, in support of Operation Restore Hope. In June 1998, he was selected to fly as a presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron One and in October 2000, was handpicked to work for the White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. It was in that capacity that Lt. Col. Darling supported the President, Vice President and National Security Advisor in the President's Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) on September 11, 2001. As a public speaker on crisis leadership and decision making, Bob has addressed numerous academic, government, and military organizations to include Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and as a guest lecturer on the subject of Crisis Leadership and counterterrorism at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Bob is the author of 24 Hours Inside the President’s Bunker, 9/11/01: The White House. He is the President and CEO of Flash Emergency Management, a crisis leadership training and technology company located in Stafford, Virginia. Guest Links Website: https://robertjdarling.com and https://flashprepared.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-j-darling-26a6674/?isSelfProfile=true Learn more about Distro at distro.app Learn more about Distro at distro.app

    How Great Leaders Think in a Crisis with Lt. Colonel Robert J. Darling

  3. Oct 8

    Who Are You When the Career Ends with Dr. Greg Bourgond

    Host Hugh Hornsby welcomes Dr. Greg Bourgond to discuss faith, purpose, and life transitions. Bourgond recounts his parents’ divorce at 12 and a defining “hugging the lion” moment that fueled lifelong focus, his 29-year Navy career retiring as a naval intelligence officer, and varied leadership roles in business, churches, and graduate education. He describes coming to Christ on August 11, 1973 after losing four babies and later founding Heart of a Warrior Ministries, now 30 years old. Bourgond outlines his book, The Winter of Your Life (“If you’re not dead, you’re not done”), explains four seasons of life, warns against identity in work, and shares practical steps for pursuing God’s counsel, planning, and meaningful legacy. 00:00 Welcome to Blue Collar Smart 01:25 Meet Dr Greg Bourgond 02:38 A Life of Many Callings 05:40 Finding the Right Ratio 07:17 The Lion Vow at 12 09:29 You Were Made on Purpose 11:15 Coming to Christ 15:17 Heart of a Warrior Begins 19:22 Winter of Life and Identity 22:10 The Four Seasons Framework 24:36 Inside the Book 27:57 Cancer Wake Up Call 29:05 Faithful Available Teachable 32:18 Where to Get the Book 33:55 Character Over Competence 35:24 Yellow Pad Advice 37:43 Nine Steps to Finish Strong Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. Show Sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app About Dr. Greg Bourgond Dr. Greg Bourgond is the founder and president of Heart of a Warrior Ministries, where he has spent more than three decades helping men develop lives of integrity, purpose, faith, and leadership. His background spans 29 years of active and reserve service in the U.S. Navy, including service as a Naval Intelligence Officer, along with leadership roles in the defense industry, business, churches, seminaries, and higher education. Learn more about Dr. Greg Bourgond and Heart of a Warrior Ministries: https://www.heartofawarrior.org/ Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/ Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/

    Who Are You When the Career Ends with Dr. Greg Bourgond

  4. Oct 1

    Leading the Future of the Trades with Daniel Quinonez

    Host Hugh Hornsby interviews Daniel Quinonez, newly named CEO of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC), about his blue-collar upbringing in Newark, New Jersey, and his career path through construction associations, the National Association of Home Builders, and PHCC’s Educational Foundation. Quinones describes PHCC’s 140-year history and emphasizes apprenticeship training, scholarships, and PHCC’s Online Academy, plus continued business and leadership education for contractors. He discusses membership challenges from an aging contractor base and private equity consolidation, and the need to re-energize younger, tech-savvy members. Quinones frames “building the middle of the road” as offering debt-free, earn-while-you-learn alternatives to college debt, urges strong licensure standards against untrained contractors and fraudulent schools, views AI as a helpful business resource, and shares his “yellow pad” advice: never quit. 00:00 Blue Collar Roots 03:36 Path to PHCC Leadership 06:33 PHCC History and Change 08:49 Trades vs College Debt 12:22 Building the Middle Road 17:43 Business Skills for Growth 19:36 Succession and Private Equity 22:40 AI as a Tool 26:18 Licensing and Training Standards 30:00 Avoiding Fly By Night Schools 34:52 How to Start with PHCC 39:56 Yellow Pad Advice 42:33 Future of the Trades Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. About Daniel Daniel Quinonez is the incoming CEO of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC), bringing more than 20 years of experience in association leadership, advocacy, and workforce development. Raised in a blue-collar New Jersey community, Quinonez credits working in his father’s Newark tavern from a young age with instilling the work ethic that has shaped his career. Before joining PHCC, he held leadership roles with organizations including the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association and Professional Electrical Apparatus Reconditioning League, worked with the National Association of Home Builders, and served 12 years in the U.S. Army Reserve. Since joining the PHCC Educational Foundation in 2023, Quinonez has helped expand apprenticeship education, scholarships, industry partnerships, and the PHCC Academy, while also serving as PHCC’s Chief Operating Officer. He was selected in May 2026 to succeed Cindy Sheridan as CEO, assuming the position November 1, 2026. Links PHCC Educational Foundation https://www.phccfoundation.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-quinonez-690ba68/ Show Sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/ Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/

    Leading the Future of the Trades with Daniel Quinonez

  5. Sep 24

    Building Trades Businesses That Run Without You with Dr. Sam McGough

    Host Hugh Hornsby interviews Dr. Sam McGough, a former chiropractor who built a multi-provider medical clinic enterprise, stopped treating patients about a decade ago, and focused on systems, SOPs, and masterminds to create a business that can run without him. McGough explains his motivation came from his truck-driver father’s death, when a lack of systems forced his mother to sell the business assets cheaply, shaping his goal of building transferable companies. He shares how his Aestus mastermind emphasized transparent peer learning without vendor selling, and argues trades businesses often struggle to sell because owners remain the rainmaker and lack cash flow and documentation. McGough describes entering HVAC via a successful plumber patient, launching an HVAC business in January, adding electrical, pursuing plumbing, and prioritizing customer service, relationships, and building a home-services platform targeting $20–$50M revenue with strong margins and optionality. 00:00 Welcome to Blue Collar Smart 01:07 Sam’s Clinic Journey 05:18 Building Aestus Mastermind 15:18 Systems and Hiring Fast 18:25 Aging Owners and Selling 24:50 Acquisition Rollup Strategy 29:41 Hunt for Success Podcast 31:37 Money Skills for Trades 36:55 Real Mastermind Culture 39:09 Yellow Pad Takeaway 42:47 Freedom Through Systems 44:45 How to Contact Sam Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. About Sam Dr. Sam McGough is an entrepreneur, healthcare executive, systems-builder, and host of The Hunt for Success. As Founder and CEO of Discovery Medical Center, a leader in national clinic platforms, and creator of Aestus Mastermind, Sam helps entrepreneurs and executives build successful businesses that create greater freedom, purpose, and adventure. An avid outdoorsman, he applies lessons from hunting, fishing, and the backcountry to leadership, discipline, resilience, and decision-making. Through candid conversations with successful founders, investors, and executives, Sam explores the strategies, failures, and habits behind building wealth without sacrificing the life you want to live. Links Website https://thehuntforsuccess.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/huntforsuccesspodcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/huntforsuccesspodcast/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-mcgough-674675135/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUJBYLwqq-xy-CBEslkvmzw TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@huntforsuccesspodcast Thank you to our sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app Learn more about Distro at distro.app Learn more about Distro at distro.app

    Building Trades Businesses That Run Without You with Dr. Sam McGough

  6. Sep 17

    Gary S. Michel on Clarity, Purpose, and Asking Better Questions

    Hugh Hornsby introduces his new podcast, Blue Collar Smart, explaining it reflects how people think rather than how they dress and sharing how childhood epilepsy and a learning disability shaped his perspective. He interviews Gary S. Michel, a Virginia Tech engineer and author of Decomplify and The Founder’s Mindset, who has led companies including JELD-WEN, Honeywell, Club Car, Trane, and Ingersoll Rand. They discuss Bud Foster’s “Lunch Pail Defense” and the idea that purpose and clarity outperform raw talent. Michel explains how leaders “complify” work with extra reports and meetings, why focusing on the critical few customer problems wins, and how asking frontline employees questions can prevent unnecessary capital spending. They cover building great companies people want to buy from, work for, and invest in, talent-destination cultures, mentorship, and Michel’s “yellow pad” lesson: be fully present and focus on what matters most. 00:00 Launch Story 01:17 Meet Gary Michel 02:39 Lunch Pail Leadership 04:27 From Engineer to Leader 06:36 Decomplify and Clarity 08:46 Focus on the Critical Few 12:30 Ask the People Doing Work 15:07 What Makes a Great Company 20:50 Culture and Talent Magnet 23:07 Ask Better Questions 25:48 Yellow Pad Moment 29:06 Mentors and Advisors Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. Guest Bio Gary S. Michel is a transformation expert and seasoned executive who believes that the most powerful tool a leader possesses isn’t a spreadsheet—it’s a mindset. With nearly forty years of experience leading iconic brands like JELD-WEN, Honeywell, Club Car, Trane, and Ingersoll Rand, Gary has spent his career at the inter- section of high-stakes strategy and human-centric leadership. While his tenure as a board chair and CEO earned him acco- lades like “Most Admired CEO” by the Charlotte Business Journal, Gary is most often sought after for his role as a mentor and advi- sor. He has cultivated a loyal following of leaders and team mem- bers who rely on his unique ability to strip away corporate noise and restore a founder’s sense of ownership and purpose to estab- lished organizations. Whether he is delivering a keynote to hundreds, serving on boards, or advising a single executive, Gary’s guidance is rooted in the belief that clarity is a gift you give your team. A Vistage resource speaker and Forbes featured author, he is a dedicated advocate for the next generation of leaders through his board work with the American Heart Association and his deep roots in the Charlotte, North Carolina, community. Links Website: www.garysmichel.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garymichel1/ Thank you to our sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app Learn more about Distro at distro.app Learn more about Distro at distro.app

    Gary S. Michel on Clarity, Purpose, and Asking Better Questions

  7. Sep 10

    Relationships Are Your Competitive Advantage with Ed Wallace

    On Blue Collar Smart, Hugh Hornsby welcomes author and business relationship expert Ed Wallace for a practical conversation about building relational capital in sales, leadership, and the trades. Wallace explains how a family emergency led him to leave a successful corporate sales career and create a training company built around credibility, integrity, and authenticity. He shares his three-part learning model of stories, tools, and process while introducing relational GPS, the Fab Five, and the relationship ladder. Hugh and Ed examine why transactional thinking limits sales teams, how private equity-backed companies risk losing valuable relationships during acquisitions, and why active listening helps tradespeople stand apart from their competitors. Wallace also explains how leaders can use AI without losing their voice and shows how understanding another person’s goals, passions, and struggles creates stronger, lasting business relationships. 00:00 — Authenticity and Relational Capital 01:55 — Meet Ed Wallace 06:35 — From CPA to Founder 11:50 — Practical Relationship Training 18:35 — Build Your Fab Five 23:20 — Transactional Sales Problem 27:05 — Relationships Between the Boxes 31:40 — Active Listening Wins Business 38:15 — AI Without Losing Humanity 49:45 — The Relational GPS Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. Guest Links AchieveNEXT: https://achievenext.com LInkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/edwallace Thank you to our sponsors iWallet https://www.iwallet.com/ Distro distro.app Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/ Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/

    Relationships Are Your Competitive Advantage with Ed Wallace

  8. Sep 3

    Build a People-First AI Strategy with Jason Sullivan

    In this episode of Blue Collar Smart, Hugh Hornsby welcomes Jason Sullivan, founder of Distro, to explore how artificial intelligence can help trade distributors transform their businesses without losing their people-first culture. Jason shares how his background in cognitive science, computer science, finance, and AI led him into the distribution industry. The conversation covers preserving knowledge as experienced employees retire, helping teams embrace new technology, protecting company data, navigating private equity and succession, and using AI as a force multiplier rather than a replacement for people. Jason also shares practical leadership lessons from building Distro and explains why strong founders must remain students of their employees, customers, and industry. 00:00 — Why AI is really business transformation 02:50 — Combining cognitive science with artificial intelligence 07:00 — Preserving expertise as the workforce ages 11:31 — Introducing AI into a people-first business 18:42 — Protecting your data when adopting AI 24:39 — Why founders need the right support system 31:40 — Private equity, succession, and competitive leverage 40:09 — Jason’s “yellow pad” leadership lesson Thanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades. Have a great day. Hugh Hornsby "People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future." CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar Smart Get practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership. Join the Community: www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.com Follow Hugh Hornsby: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/ Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact. Guest Bio Jason Sullivan is the founder and CEO of Distro, the Agentic AI Sales Platform purpose-built for wholesale distributors and manufacturers' reps. He holds a master's in computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence from Stanford and an undergraduate degree in cognitive science from Yale. This rare pairing gives him both deep technical mastery and a sharp understanding of how people actually adopt and use technology. Links Website: distro.app LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncsullivan/ Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/ Visit iWallet at https://www.iwallet.com/

    Build a People-First AI Strategy with Jason Sullivan
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Blue Collar Smart is the podcast for trade industry leaders who are ready to stop competing on price and start building organizations that win through people, leadership, and strategic alignment. The trades have never lacked hard work. What they need is stronger leadership. As workforce challenges grow and competition increases, the businesses that rise above the rest will be the ones that invest in their people, develop leaders, and build organizations that outlast the founder. Hosted by Hugh Hornsby, a trade industry executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience, Blue Collar Smart brings real conversations shaped by decades of growing organizations, developing talent, and leading from the field to the boardroom. Each episode features business owners, executives, industry experts, and innovators discussing people development, leadership clarity, organizational alignment, succession planning, private equity, and the future of the trades. Every conversation is grounded in real-world execution, not theory. Our mission is simple: To transform how trade industry leaders think, lead, and grow by proving that people are the only sustainable competitive advantage. Subscribe to Blue Collar Smart and discover practical leadership conversations that help you build stronger teams, stronger organizations, and a stronger future for the trades.

Information

  • Creator
    Hugh Hornsby
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 | All Rights Reserved | Hugh Hornsby