Building a Skilled Trade Business in Today's Market with Brian Hamilton

Host Andrew Brown sits down with serial entrepreneur and LiveSwitch founder Brian Hamilton to unpack what it really takes to succeed when starting a trades business. Brian shares real stories—from mentoring an ex-inmate contractor to lessons learned from running multi-million dollar tech and service companies. This episode is packed with contractor business advice, deep reflections on skilled trades entrepreneurship, and no-nonsense talk about pricing for tradespeople and providing exceptional trade business customer service. Whether you're a plumber, electrician, carpenter, or HVAC tech, this one’s for you.

In This Episode:

(00:03:30) – Brian Hamilton’s background and why the trades are the backbone of the economy

(00:10:20) – The leap from skilled worker to business owner

(00:18:45) – What new contractors get wrong about pricing and customers

(00:30:00) – Real-world examples of success—and failure—when starting a trades business

(00:42:15) – Why mentorship and education are key to skilled trades entrepreneurship

(00:54:10) – How LiveSwitch helps contractors improve trade business customer service

Key Takeaways:

The trades are a mission, not just a job. Passion for craftsmanship and problem-solving is what separates great tradespeople from good ones.

You need more than skills—you need systems. Running a business takes financial literacy, contractor business advice, and self-discipline.

Customer service is your brand. Showing up on time and doing what you say you will do is the heart of effective trade business customer service.

Start small, price smart. When starting a trades business, don't be afraid to take smaller jobs with the right margin—master pricing for tradespeople early.

About the Guest:

Brian Hamilton is the founder of LiveSwitch and Inmates to Entrepreneurs, with a decades-long career spanning tech startups and skilled trades entrepreneurship. A passionate advocate for contractors, tradespeople, and second chances, Brian helps aspiring entrepreneurs turn grit into growth using actionable, real-world insights. His mission? Empower people through small business ownership, especially in the trades industry.

Keywords :

starting a trades business, skilled trades entrepreneurship, contractor business advice, pricing for tradespeople, trade business customer service, Skilled Trades, Trades Industry, Andrew Brown, Brian Hamilton, LiveSwitch, Toolfetch, Carpentry, HVAC, Electricians, Plumbers, Millwrights, Construction, Craftsmanship, Problem-solving, Creativity, Tradespeople, Advocacy, Trades Careers, Industry Experts, Contractors, Education, Skilled Trades Advisory Council

Resources :

• Website: https://www.liveswitch.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianhamiltonnc
• X: https://x.com/brianhamiltonnc