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
76 episodes
Ep. 76 - Empower, Don’t Exhaust: Fixing Leadership at the Core With Missy Washam and Mayce DelValle
Ever feel like you’re wearing every hat, working every hour, and still falling behind? We sat down with Missy Washam and Mayce DelValle of Mpactful Messages to unpack a blueprint that actually scales on the jobsite: connect with your people, em...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 76
•
1:04:58
Ep. 75 - Brewing Brotherhood: A Coffee Brand Born in the Dirt | With Matthew Gleaves
A night shift, a permit delay, and a fresh pot of coffee changed the way Matthew Gleaves thinks about safety. Sitting in a rescue trailer with harnesses and figure eights on the table, he turned small talk into real training and watched inciden...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 75
•
1:09:31
Ep. 74 - Scaling Slow, Winning Big With Matt Bachtel
If you think durable companies are built on flash, this conversation will change your mind. We sit down with excavation leader Matt Bachtel to unpack a 26-year journey powered by humble starts, careful decisions, and an unwavering investment in...
•
1:12:09
Ep. 73 - Win More Bids, Lose Less Money with Baxter Horton
Want to know how general contractors decide which subs to trust with real commercial work? We sit down with Baxter Horton, Director of Pre-Construction at Baldwin Shell, to open the black box of estimating, pre-con, and risk management in a way...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 73
•
1:01:25
Ep. 72 - Build Better, Share Louder
Ever feel like the dirt world is being defined by people who’ve never set foot on a job site? We brought in Aaron Witt to flip that script with a clear, practical playbook for blue-collar storytelling, leadership development, and building a pip...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 72
•
1:04:54
Ep. 71 - Why 2025 Humbled Me
Want proof that small, consistent moves can change a business and a life? We open the year with a candid reset: what worked in 2025, what flopped, and why culture, systems, and storytelling will drive everything we do in 2026. No buzzwords. Jus...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 71
•
18:23
Ep. 70 - Systems, Schools & Screwups: Real Talk for Blue Collar Growth
The jump from “busy” to “built” is where most blue collar shops stall. We open the hood on that leap, talking through the real costs of scaling past $1M: quality wobbling under volume, crews chasing equipment, cash flow stretched by 90-day wait...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 70
•
1:03:12
Ep. 69 - GPS Disruption: EasyNav Changes the Game
You flip the key, the screen lights up, and your machine shows true elevation without a base or a model. That one moment changes everything, no waiting on stakes, no rebenching, no guessing. We brought EasyNav from CHC Navigation into our own e...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 69
•
1:28:40
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. ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 68
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 67
•
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,...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 66
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 65
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 64
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 63
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 62
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 61
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 60
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 59
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 58
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 57
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 56
•
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.
•
Season 1
•
Episode 55
•
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 ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 54
•
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 ...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 53
•
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...
•
Season 1
•
Episode 52
•
43:35