Podcast Episode Show Notes

Adrian Gillman is a registered carpenter and owner of Kingsford Building and Carpentry in Melbourne, also vice president of the West Coburg Football Club. Here, Adrian shares 5 leadership lessons for trades business owners: leading through actions and attitude, understanding people before judging them, breaking the "grumpy tradie" culture, building culture from small things, and instructing the next generation of apprentices.

Luke Canham has spent over 30 years leading people across high-risk industries, including construction and scaffolding, managing hundreds of staff across multiple sites. After a serious workplace accident changed his career, he sold his scaffolding business and founded Multiply Me. Here, Luke shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: creating willingness over compliance, setting guidelines not rules, letting go of control, why safety culture needs team culture, and closing the

David Mehmel has spent 16 years in and around the automotive industry, the last three working full-time as an apprentice trainer and mentor in a dealership environment. Here, Dave shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies leading apprentices: understanding learning styles, treating apprentices as people, building confidence, improving retention and culture, and self-care as a mentor.

Les Wikiriwhi founded Stand-Up Recruitment, helping Kiwi tradies relocate to Australia for a better future. He's lived the same early starts and pressure most tradies know well, and built his leadership on discipline and honesty about his own struggles. Here, Les shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies: protecting your team from leadership stress, deciding without certainty, building discipline through routine, vulnerability as a strength, and fixing toxic culture in the trad

Kosta Kantilaftis started his first automotive repair shop at 19 and has spent nearly two decades building it into two workshops and a nationwide community of almost 6,000 technicians and workshop owners. Here, Kosta shares 5 leadership lessons for trade business owners on leadership in automotive workshops: reframing leadership as responsibility, letting go of control, creating a safe space for mistakes, adapting to industry change, and mentoring across the wider trade.

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

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.

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.