If you’re leading a team right now and feeling like every decision could make or break the future—you’re not alone. We’ve been hearing from a lot of younger leaders who are staring down uncertainty and aren’t sure which move to make next. We’ve both been there, and in this conversation, we’re digging into how to handle the pressure without freezing or freaking out.

It’s easy to lead when everything’s steady. But what about when the world feels like it’s shifting under your feet? From tariffs and layoffs to supply chain chaos, younger leaders in today’s workforce—especially in the trades—are dealing with challenges that seasoned pros might not have tackled in recent years.

We talked about what to do when sales flatten out, customers start pulling back, and your team starts worrying about what’s coming next. Sitting back and making no decision usually does more harm than picking the wrong one. And cutting your way to “prosperity”? That almost never works out the way people hope.

We also dug into why younger leaders need to manage up, not just down. Bringing new ideas to the table, rallying your team around solutions, and having the guts to ask tough questions—that’s what separates real leadership from just surviving.

Most importantly, we’re getting honest about how vulnerability, curiosity, and clear communication aren’t just “nice to have” skills. They’re what will carry you—and your team—through the rough patches ahead.

Highlights

• Why no decision is usually worse than the wrong decision.
• The big mistake of trying to “cut your way to prosperity”.
• How to get your team involved in finding solutions.
• Tips for managing both up and down the leadership chain.
• Why being curious and asking questions builds real leadership strength.
• Why over-communicating matters more than ever during chaos.

If this episode got you thinking, tap Follow and leave a rating or review— on Apple Podcasts. And don’t forget to share it with someone else who could use some real talk on leadership right now.

Connect with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

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Brad Herda:

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Today’s guest, Ryan Redding, didn’t hold back — we got into how AI, customer experience, and smart leadership are rewriting the rules for trades businesses.

Ryan shared how he accidentally found his way into marketing for the trades and how that detour turned into building Levergy, a digital marketing agency focused on helping home service companies grow smarter and stronger. Ryan’s journey wasn’t traditional — it was built on real-world experience, quick learning, and finding smart ways to grow along the way.

We dug into the serious shifts happening in the trades: from AI taking over customer service tasks to how companies are changing their pricing models to stay profitable in slower markets. Ryan didn’t sugarcoat it — if you’re still doing business the way you did ten years ago, you’re already falling behind.

We also talked about the real danger of trying to compete on price. Ryan laid it out clearly: if you’re not building a strong brand and delivering a top-notch customer experience, you’re making yourself a commodity — and commodities are easy to replace.

We wrapped up with Ryan’s belief that success in today’s market isn’t just about showing up — it’s about leading smarter, focusing on the right customers, and constantly adapting to what’s coming next.

Highlights:

• How AI is reshaping home service companies.
• Why COVID made bad business habits look good temporarily.
• Why competing on price is a fast track to failure.
• How trades businesses are using tech and leadership to pull ahead.
• Why a strong brand experience matters more than ever.

If you’re enjoying the show, hit subscribe, leave us a review, rate the episode on Apple Podcasts, and share it with someone who’s ready to stop making excuses and start building smarter.

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Connect with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

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Brad Herda:

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We’ve both looked at our to-do lists and thought, “Yeah… not today.” The harder the task, the easier it is to avoid. Let’s talk about why that happens—and what to do when procrastination starts running the show.

We’ve all been there—staring at a task we know we should handle but keep pushing to the bottom of the pile. In this episode, we talk about why we do that and what to do instead.

James Clear might call it habit formation. We like to call it getting shit done. We dig into why “touch it once” works, what to do when the shiny object wins, and how chaos becomes the default when nobody sets the tone. If your team doesn’t know what “done” looks like, that’s a leadership problem—and we’ve got thoughts on how to fix it.

We also swap stories about corporate clutter (literally and figuratively), share how 5S-ing our desks led to a 35% productivity jump, and call out the real culprit behind your “I’m too busy” excuse—hint: it’s not the sales team.

Stick around until the end, where we each commit to one habit we’re working on—because we’re not just talking the talk. We’re in it, too.

• Why we avoid tasks we don’t want to deal with.
• “Touch it once” and the art of doing the damn thing.
• Desk audits, 5S, and how less clutter = more productivity.
• When leaders create confusion by dodging hard conversations
• The difference between being present vs. multitasking yourself into mediocrity.

If this episode hit home (or made you laugh), do us a favor—subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Then share it with someone who’s still avoiding that one thing they said they’d get to last week.

Connect with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

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Brad Herda:

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