Blue Collar Business Podcast
Welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast with Sy Kirby. Dive deep into the world of hands-on entrepreneurship and the gritty side of making things happen. Join us for actionable tips on scaling your blue-collar business, managing teams, and staying ahead in an ever-evolving market. We'll also discuss the latest industry trends and innovations that could impact your bottom line. If you're passionate about the blue-collar world and eager to learn from those who've thrived in it, this podcast is a must-listen. Stay tuned for engaging conversations and real-world advice that can take your blue-collar business to new heights.
Episodes
68 episodes
Ep. 68 - Marketing That Actually Pays
Ready to see how blue-collar media actually turns into real bids, stronger teams, and a clearer brand? We walk through the messy middle of building a YouTube-first strategy from jobsite clips and how-tos to a repeatable system that wins trust. ...
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1:11:57
Ep. 67 - How A Tradesman Builds A Website That Wins Work
Tired of chasing the wrong leads and wondering why your shiny site doesn’t ring the phone? We sat down with Australian marketer Wes Towers of Uplift 360 to unpack a simpler path: build a clear, fast website that reflects your crew, publish real...
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Season 1
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Episode 67
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48:35
Ep. 66 - How Storytelling And Simulators Can Close The Trades Labor Gap
The labor gap isn’t just a numbers story; it’s a connection and knowledge story. We bring on JJ Owen, executive director of the Skilled Careers Coalition and Skills Jam, to map a practical playbook for reaching Gen Z, transferring craft wisdom,...
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Season 1
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Episode 66
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47:40
Ep. 65 - Profit Is Not A Dirty Word
If you’ve ever stared at your month-end and wondered where the profit went, this conversation is the flashlight you’ve been missing. We talk candidly about the real money leaks in contracting—underbilling, missing labor burden, ignored equipmen...
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Season 1
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Episode 65
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1:26:45
Ep. 64 - From HVAC to Excavation Boss
A motocross kid with a box blade turns into an excavation owner with a clear head for profit and a deep respect for family time. That’s the arc Cole Morse walks us through, from watching his father rebuild an HVAC business after crisis to selli...
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Season 1
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Episode 64
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57:20
Ep. 63 - Fixing Bad Data Before It Breaks Your Job
The fastest way to burn profit is to build off bad data. We sit down with Tylor Foster, founder and CEO of DirtLab, to unpack how rushed designs, mismatched elevations, and vague standards cascade into RFIs, idle equipment, and rework—and how t...
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Season 1
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Episode 63
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1:02:28
Ep. 62 – Visibility Wins: Make the Invisible, Visible
Hard work shouldn’t feel like guesswork. Sy sits down with Zach Estes, founder of Lean Dirt, to unpack a simple, battle-tested way to run civil construction with less chaos and more clarity. We get straight into the 2-3-4 framework, two systems...
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Season 1
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Episode 62
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1:02:17
Ep. 61 - Digging Digital Trenches
Think your marketing problem needs more ad spend? Luke Eggebraaten argues it needs a better foundation. We dig into the exact steps excavation and utility contractors can take to get found, get picked, and get paid, without wasting cash on “mag...
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Season 1
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Episode 61
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1:11:01
Ep. 60 - From Machines to Mentorship
Payroll panic, pricing doubts, and the pull of the machine, if you’ve ever felt that tug-of-war, you’ll feel seen here. We sit down with John to unpack how Dirt to Dollars grew from hard questions in the field into a coaching program grounded i...
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Season 1
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Episode 60
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44:31
Ep. 59 - Big Jobs, Bigger Mistakes: What They Don’t Teach in Construction
Ever wonder why some blue-collar businesses look huge online yet struggle to keep cash in the bank? We dig into the real story behind sustainable growth with John Seaman of JC Property Professionals, how a kid raised on job sites built a compan...
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Season 1
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Episode 59
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58:05
Ep. 58 - How GCs Win With Subs
Tired of hard-bid chaos and the “race to the bottom” that leaves everyone exhausted and underpaid? We sit down with Dylan Ream, regional manager at ARCO, to unpack how design-build flips the incentives so subs can profit, owners get clarity, an...
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Season 1
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Episode 58
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1:07:46
Ep. 57 - Solving Equipment Chaos, One Part at a Time
Sam Light, owner of Lighthouse Machinery and a 25-year veteran of the heavy equipment industry, takes us behind the scenes of a market in transformation. With experience running dealerships across multiple states, Sam brings unparalleled insigh...
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Season 1
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Episode 57
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59:15
Ep. 56 - Get Heavy Machines Repaired Without Dealer Delays
What happens when skilled mechanics break free from the dealership model? A revolution in equipment service that's changing the construction industry.Alex Kraft spent 16 years watching the same problems plague heavy equipment service: w...
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Season 1
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Episode 56
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1:02:14
Ep. 55 - Fixing Financial Blind Spots in Construction
Ever wondered why your profitable projects aren't reflected in your bank account? The answer lies in construction financial management, specifically, the disconnect between traditional accounting software and the unique needs of contractors.
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Season 1
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Episode 55
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57:53
Ep. 54 - Why Your Next Career Insurance Policy Should Be Manual Skills
The skills gap in America didn't happen by accident. It was engineered through decades of educational policies that systematically dismantled vocational training in favor of college preparation. Zachary Hanson, author of The Trade Gap ...
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Season 1
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Episode 54
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1:05:56
Ep. 53 - Tiered Pricing Secrets Every Blue Collar Boss Must Know
Ever feel like you're working harder than ever but your profits don't show it? You're not alone. In this eye-opening conversation, America's service coach Joe Crisara reveals the exact strategy that took him from $500,000 in debt to completely ...
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Season 1
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Episode 53
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58:48
Ep. 52 - How We Stopped Fighting About Work
Marriage and business make for a volatile mix, as Sy and Sara Kirby candidly reveal in this vulnerable exploration of conflict communication and emotional safety. After nearly a decade of working side-by-side in their blue-collar business, they...
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Season 1
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Episode 52
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43:35
Ep. 51 - Designing a Future and a Legacy Together
The delicate dance between entrepreneurship and marriage takes center stage in this heartfelt conversation with Sy and Sara Kirby. The couple opens up about the challenges and triumphs of building a construction business while raising a family ...
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Season 1
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Episode 51
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38:36
Ep. 50 - Why You Should Be Winning Federal Contracts as a Small Business
Have you ever wondered if there's a more stable revenue stream waiting for your blue collar business? In this eye-opening episode, Eric Knellinger, president of US Federal Contractor Registration, reveals the largely untapped world of federal g...
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Season 1
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Episode 50
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57:35
Ep. 49 - Making Time for What Truly Matters
Time—the ultimate non-renewable resource. For blue collar business owners juggling family life with entrepreneurial demands, time management isn't just a productivity hack—it's survival.In this raw and revealing second installment of ou...
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Season 1
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Episode 49
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45:11
Ep. 48 - Rebuilding Intimacy, Building Business
Sy Kirby takes a deeply personal turn in this episode, inviting his business partner and wife of 11 years, Sara, to kick off a special four-part series on the challenges of marriage in entrepreneurship. Their raw conversation offers an intimate...
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Season 1
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Episode 48
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44:55
Ep. 47 - How to Move Forward When You're Mentally and Physically Stuck
If you're tired of spinning your wheels, worn down from the same routine, or just feeling mentally buried, this episode is built for you. We’ve stitched together the best answers from multiple guests who all responded to one honest question: wh...
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Season 1
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Episode 47
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21:10
Ep. 46 - Cash Flow Clarity: Funding Big Jobs Right
The most successful construction business owners know a secret that others learn the hard way: understanding cash flow is the difference between thriving and barely surviving. In this powerful conversation with Scott Peper, CEO of Mobilization ...
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Season 1
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Episode 46
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53:56
Ep. 45 - Your Questions Answered: Blue-Collar Business Growth and Hard Truths
This week on the Blue Collar Business Podcast, I’m bringing you something a little different—a live Q&A session straight from TikTok and YouTube. I took your real, raw questions and gave honest answers based on what I’ve lived and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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28:16
Ep. 44 - How to Get Paid Faster
Ever finished a job perfectly, only to wait weeks or months to actually get paid for it? For blue collar businesses, cash flow isn't just an accounting concept—it's the lifeblood that keeps crews working, equipment running, and families fed.
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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50:11