Podcast Episode Show Notes

Tom Macrokanis is a qualified boilermaker who started his first business at 17 and has since founded Macro3D, a concrete 3D printing company tackling housing affordability. Here, Tom shares 5 leadership lessons for tradies in construction: extreme ownership, leading through action, picking the right mentor, handling setbacks, and communicating to keep every stakeholder on side.

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

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.

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.

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

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.