Jim Penman built Jim's Group from a one-man mowing round into a network of over 5,500 franchisees across more than 50 divisions, and still personally answers calls from franchisees he's never met. Here, Jim shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: how to inspire your team, suicide prevention in the trades, self-reflection as a driver of success, building genuine customer relationships, and why giving back matters. Wise, warm, and grounded in decades of experience.

Adam Hall has grown AH Fencing from a small startup into a multi-state operation delivering projects for Tier 1 builders and government clients, built on a culture of empowered leadership. Here, Adam shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: why your business will never outgrow you, how micromanagement disempowers your team, building honesty through vulnerability, having hard conversations to protect culture, and using leading indicators to reduce stress. Practical and refresh

Mick Hawes has spent decades coaching builders to turn stressful, time-poor operations into businesses that actually work, with self-leadership at the centre of everything he teaches. Here, Mick shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: creating a leadership environment, why self-leadership comes first, work-life harmony over work-life balance, emotional regulation, and why empathetic listening matters. Deep, practical, and hard-earned.

Leon Simmons left a secure, well-paid career to start again as an apprentice electrician in his 30s and built an online community documenting the journey. Here, Leon shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: leadership without a title, building confidence as a junior onsite, taking responsibility beyond your job description, what makes a good mentor, and building an online community. Grounded, humble, and full of real apprentice-floor wisdom.

Harry Murtough has spent years telling the trade industry's stories as editor of The Tradie Magazine, giving him a front-row seat to the patterns behind good, and overlooked, leadership. Here, Harry shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: the difference between knowledge and wisdom, why sharing your story matters, listening as a leadership skill, why empathy matters, and self-awareness as the throughline of great leaders. Thoughtful and genuinely insightful.

Dave Malone has over 20 years in construction, from apprentice carpenter to director of his own renovation and custom-home-building business, and he's direct about the mistakes that taught him the most. Here, Dave shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: the difference between managing and leading, learning to lead a trade team, effective communication techniques, why admitting mistakes builds trust, and avoiding burnout as a business leader. Direct, practical, and refreshing

Stacey Combe brings calm to the chaos of construction, working with everyone from site managers to designers on handling pressure and mental load without losing the plot. Here, Stacey shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: what self-leadership actually means, handling mistakes without shame, practical mindfulness tools, switching off after work, and taking productive breaks to manage stress. Grounded, practical, and genuinely calming.

Chad Perry has more than 20 years in concreting and built a successful business leading diverse teams with one core practice: paying more attention to people. Here, Chad shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: practising leadership without a title, leading different people on the same team, learning from setbacks, why tradies should share their knowledge, and preventing burnout as a business owner. Honest, hard-won, and genuinely useful.

Jonno McCartney leads with grit and heart in equal measure, building a trade business around community, empowerment and a genuine belief in kindness as a business strategy. Here, Jonno shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: building team accountability without fear, leading by example, kindness as a winning business strategy, how to start and grow a trade business, and why tradies need a life outside work. Warm, grounded, and built on real experience.

Gavin Cribb started as an apprentice at Ford over 30 years ago and now leads a team of 70 automotive trainers, with a clear view on what actually attracts and keeps the next generation of tradies. Here, Gavin shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: what it means to lead a workshop team, leading different generations, writing better apprenticeship job ads, collaborating across competing businesses, and why every level of a trade career comes with leadership. Practical and har

Louise Azzopardi started her trade at 15, represented Australia at the 2017 WorldSkills competition, and now coaches tradeswomen through confidence and anxiety challenges. Here, Louise shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: becoming a role model, the impact of your words as a leader, giving feedback that works, managing workplace anxiety, and the power of self-talk and confidence. Honest, practical, and built from lived experience.

Chris Hale came up through sport and coaching before landing his first leadership role at just 18, managing a call centre team up to three times his age. He's since built a career in the wind energy industry. Here, Chris shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: leading a more experienced team, leading from the front, why safety training matters in high-risk trades, supporting women in clean energy, and lessons carried over from sport. Practical, grounded, hard-earned.

Andrew "Hoppo" Hopkins is a Melbourne carpenter, business owner and content creator who's spent over eight years leading trade teams while showing the real side of construction online. Here, Hoppo shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: building self-awareness, adapting your leadership style, closing the divide between boss and crew, building an authentic online presence, and navigating fatherhood as a tradie. Honest, self-aware, and full of hard-won lessons.

Aaron Huey, also known as Coach Huey, spent 20 years in construction before founding Hustle Talk Coaching, drawing on his own history with stress, anxiety and single fatherhood. Here, Huey shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: balancing discipline and support, normalising mental health onsite, a simple breathing technique for stress, separating work from home life, and why checking in with your mates matters more than you think. Honest, practical, and tailored for tradies.

Raman Badekar started out as a maintenance mechanic apprentice and went on to mentor World Skills medallists and lead skilling projects across Australia, New Zealand, India and China. Here, Raman shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: showing up reliably as a mentor, why mentoring apprentices matters, building trust early, why people skills outlast technical skills, and practical tips for mentoring without formal training. Grounded, generous, and full of tools you can actua

For Bardie Somerville, leadership starts long before anyone hands you a title, it starts with knowing who you are underneath all the roles you play. A carpenter turned site manager and founder of The Shift, Bardie shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies on authenticity, people-pleasing, mental health, and how small daily habits and simple check-ins can make a real difference to your team. Honest, practical, and unflinching about the hard parts.

Matt Gilbert didn't set out to be a leader, he just kept getting handed the job. From diesel mechanic in transport to workshop manager at a large civil mining company, he's spent his career learning how to lead. Here, Matt shares 5 practical leadership lessons for tradies: finding your own leadership style, handling rebellious crews, communicating well as a supervisor, building apprentice confidence, and why diverse teams make for a more professional site.

What actually keeps tradies loyal long-term? Cat and Dave McCarthy share the culture and leadership lessons behind McCarthy Plumbing Group's high tradie retention.