Built for the Trades Podcast
Season 2

The Power of Building Strong Relationships

July 16, 2024

Welcome to the Built for the Trades Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving deep into a crucial aspect of leadership: integrity. Imagine a pivotal moment in a project where a shortcut could save time and money but compromise quality—what would you do? Integrity isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the bedrock of trust, relationships, and exceptional teams, guiding us to do what’s right even when it’s tough.

How to Handle Emergency Plumbing Situation

July 02, 2024

Welcome to the Built for the Trades Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the critical decision of offering emergency plumbing services. We emphasize that providing halfway measures can damage customer trust and harm your business more than help it. To ensure you’re prepared to handle emergencies with speed and professionalism, we present a comprehensive checklist. This guide covers everything from team training and dispatch systems to customer interactions and post-repair protocols, setting your business up for success in emergency situations.
Welcome to the Built for the Trades Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the critical decision of offering emergency plumbing services. We emphasize that providing halfway measures can damage customer trust and harm your business more than help it. To ensure you’re prepared to handle emergencies with speed and professionalism, we present a comprehensive checklist. This guide covers everything from team training and dispatch systems to customer interactions and post-repair protocols, setting your business up for success in emergency situations.

How to Train And Onboard a New Plumbing Tech?

June 25, 2024

Welcome to the Built for the Trades Podcast! In today’s episode, we delve into the critical importance of effective onboarding practices for plumbing technicians. Unlike the rushed hiring processes prevalent in the industry, where minimal qualifications suffice, we explore how thorough screening, clear expectations, and comprehensive support from day one can significantly enhance technician success rates.

Essential Steps To Building a Successful Plumbing Business

June 18, 2024

Welcome to the Built for the Trades Podcast! Today we’re diving into the essential steps for building a successful plumbing business. Many startups excel in their trade and work hard, earning clients and revenue, only to wonder where all the money went. I’ll share not just what you already know, but what you wish you had known when you started. By understanding costs, investing in marketing, and managing finances effectively, you can set your plumbing business up for long-term success.

How to Navigate the Offseason In Your Plumbing Business

June 11, 2024

Welcome to the channel. Today, we’re diving into a crucial topic: How to navigate the off-season for trades businesses. Whether you’re in plumbing, electrical, HVAC, or any other trade, we all face seasonal fluctuations. In this episode, I’ll share a five-point checklist to help you make the most of slower periods and ensure your business thrives year-round. Remember, it’s all about mindset—embracing the off-season as an opportunity rather than a setback. So, let’s get started and turn downtime into a time for growth and preparation!

How to Start Your Plumbing Business On a Shoestring Budget?

June 04, 2024

Welcome back to the channel! Starting a plumbing business on a shoestring budget requires strategic planning, resourcefulness, and a clear focus on essential activities to get your business off the ground. Many tradespeople start their own business to gain financial freedom and control but often find themselves overwhelmed and stressed without proper planning. Today, I will share detailed steps and strategies to help you successfully launch your plumbing business on a tight budget, ensuring you avoid common pitfalls and achieve long-term success.

Tips for Achieving Success in your Plumbing Business

May 28, 2024

Welcome to the channel, where we’ll explore essential tips for achieving success in your plumbing business, drawn from my experience at Built for the Trades. Despite the challenges, applying these steps—like providing exceptional service, developing core values, managing finances, investing in training, building relationships, utilizing technology, and focusing on marketing—can significantly boost your business. Stay tuned as we dive into these strategies, helping you transition from being skilled in the trade to thriving in the business.

How to Effectively Manage Your Day As A Plumbing Business Entrepreneur

May 21, 2024

Today on the channel, we’re addressing a critical issue for plumbing entrepreneurs: effective day management. Waking up to reactive actions like checking social media or email can lead to stress and burnout. By taking proactive steps, such as organizing tasks and revisiting priorities throughout the day, you can regain control, boost productivity, and sustain long-term success in your business.

How to Determine Your Salary as a Plumbing Business Owner

May 14, 2024

Welcome back to Built for the Trades. I’m Dan Dowdy, and today we’re exploring a common question among plumbing business owners: how to determine an appropriate salary. Before we dive in, I’d like to introduce our sponsor, Project 2 Payment, an invoicing software for trades businesses. Use code BuiltForTheTrades for 3 months free. It’s crucial for plumbing business owners to balance paying themselves fairly while maintaining their company’s financial health.

How to Fire the Right Person in Your Plumbing Business

May 07, 2024

A fundamental aspect of effective leadership lies in establishing clear job expectations through a comprehensive position agreement, a document that eliminates ambiguity and fosters accountability. At Built for the Trades, we offer a sample position agreement to facilitate this crucial step. Furthermore, implementing a structured approach like the 3 strike rule for dismissals ensures fairness and transparency in managing team performance.

How to Hire in Your Plumbing Business: 6 Steps to Success

April 30, 2024

Dan Dowdy from Built for the Trades outlines a six-step approach to hiring the right talent for a plumbing business.Attracting the Right Candidates, Screening Applications, Phone Interview, In-Person Interview, Reference Check, Offer Letter

How to Continuously Improve Your Leadership Skills

April 23, 2024

In this episode of the Built for the Trades channel, the focus is on continuously improving leadership skills. The distinction between leading and managing is highlighted, with leadership emphasized as being about influence rather than just accountability. Viewers are encouraged to understand that leadership goes beyond formal management roles and involves how one carries themselves and influences others. As John Maxwell succinctly puts it, “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” Don’t forget to engage with the channel by liking, subscribing, and sharing this valuable content with others who could benefit from it.

How to Motivate and Inspire Your Team Towards Excellence

April 16, 2024

In this episode of Built for the Trades, host Dan Dowdy introduces three simple steps to ignite motivation and inspire excellence within your team. He begins by highlighting a common pitfall among business owners and managers: relying solely on monetary incentives to motivate their team members, which often leads to frustration when it proves insufficient. Recognizing that everyone is unique, Dowdy emphasizes the importance of understanding what drives each individual on the team. He then outlines practical steps to achieve this, including actively listening and observing team members, personalizing rewards and recognition, and providing opportunities for growth. By implementing these strategies, listeners can create a work environment where motivation thrives and excellence becomes the norm. Tune in to discover how to unlock your team’s full potential on Built for the Trades.

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence as a Plumbing Business Leader

April 09, 2024

In this podcast episode, the Built of the Trades channel focuses on empowering leaders in the trades industry by delving into the crucial topic of developing emotional intelligence as a plumbing business leader. The host, with over 20 years of experience in the plumbing industry, introduces their coaching program aimed at helping business owners maximize their leadership potential. Emotional intelligence (EI), defined as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions effectively, is highlighted as essential for fostering better relationships, communication, and team dynamics. Through a story illustrating the consequences of lacking emotional intelligence, the podcast underscores the importance of developing this skill for both personal and professional growth.

How to Lead by Example: Demonstrating Professionalism and Work Ethic

April 02, 2024

In this episode of Built for the Trades, host Dan Dowdy emphasizes the critical role of leading by example in plumbing business leadership. He highlights that leadership extends beyond giving orders, requiring leaders to embody desired values and work ethic. Through a cautionary tale, a successful plumber recounts how his complacency led to slacking off, arriving late, and neglecting his team, resulting in high turnover and his own regression to grunt work. Reflecting on his mistakes, he wishes he had understood the importance of leading by example earlier.

How to Provide Constructive Feedback for Improved Performance

March 19, 2024

In today’s discussion, we will delve into the significance of providing constructive feedback within a team environment. By engaging in these crucial conversations, not only can team members grow and develop, but the overall success and growth of the company are also positively impacted. Without constructive feedback, individuals may stagnate, hindering their progress and potential for advancement.

How to Effectively Delegate Tasks in Your Plumbing Business

March 05, 2024

The episode provides guidance on effectively delegating tasks in a plumbing business to facilitate growth and scalability. Dan Dowdy, with years of experience in the plumbing industry, emphasizes the importance of delegation for business owners who find themselves overwhelmed with day-to-day tasks. The process involves identifying tasks that can be delegated, establishing the value of one’s time, and empowering team members to take on responsibilities.

Determining your Leadership Style

February 20, 2024

The challenge of not understanding your leadership style primarily manifests in being overly one-sided in your approach. This can result in two potential outcomes: either your team disregards you, leading to a lack of respect, or you attract individuals who are solely motivated by monetary gain, merely going through the motions and relying on you for every decision. Consequently, this may lead to high turnover rates or difficulties in recruiting new members to your organization. These insights shared might strike a chord with you. This episode will assist you in addressing these aspects. Once you’ve identified them, you’ll be better equipped to achieve a more balanced leadership approach, and you’ll witness your team wholeheartedly embracing you as their leader.

Using Discipline to Accomplish Big Goals - Podcast

February 06, 2024

Discipline versus motivation: Discipline entails completing necessary tasks to achieve significant goals even on days or at times when you lack motivation. Motivation, on the other hand, involves pursuing actions aligned with your life’s overarching goals when you do feel motivated. While motivation initiates your efforts, discipline sustains your progress even during challenging times. In today’s episode, Dan Dowdy dives into a topic that will aid you in achieving significant goals, whether they’re personal or business-related. This video will equip you with strategies to accomplish these goals, focusing specifically on discipline. He’ll be sharing five tips to enhance your discipline and drive your progress forward.

Built For The Trades Podcast Season 2: Lead By Example Part 2: Leading Through Adversity

January 23, 2024

In the third segment of the episode “Lead by Example,” Dan Dowdy and Nathan Glass delve into Leading Through Adversity, covering: Elaborating on each concept, Positive Attitude, Focusing on what you can control and Communication and Transparency

Built For The Trades Podcast Season 2: Lead By Example Part 2: Leading Through Adversity

January 23, 2024

In the third segment of the episode “Lead by Example,” Dan Dowdy and Nathan Glass delve into Leading Through Adversity, covering: Elaborating on each concept, Positive Attitude, Focusing on what you can control and Communication and Transparency

Lead By Example Part 2: Intellectual Intelligence

January 9, 2024

In the second segment of the episode “Lead by Example,” Dan Dowdy and Nathan Glass delve into Intellectual Intelligence, covering:. Saying No and Boundaries: 2. Problem Solving and Decision Making:  3. Innovation and Creativity: 4. Strategic Thinking: and 5. Continuous Learning:

Lead By Example Part 1: Emotional Intelligence

January 2, 2024

In this episode, Dan Dowdy and Nathan Glass discuss effective leadership through leading by example. They emphasize the following key principles:1. Self-Awareness:2. Empathy and Active Listening: 3. Conflict Resolution and Relationship Building: 4. Emotional Regulation: 5. Effective Communication:

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