Ep. 38 - How to Thrive When You’re Tired of the Blue Collar Rut

In this special compilation episode, Sy brings together powerful insights from past guests, each answering the same crucial question: "What advice do you have for a blue-collar worker who’s sick of being stuck in the mud?" Whether that frustration is physical, emotional, or mental, this episode delivers straight talk and practical wisdom from voices who’ve been through the grind—and made it out stronger.

From the muddy trenches of the jobsite to the mental battle of feeling overlooked and underappreciated, our guests open up about the real struggles faced in the blue-collar and construction industries. You'll hear unfiltered stories from ditch hands, business owners, and seasoned foremen who all know what it means to feel stuck. But more importantly, they share what it takes to get unstuck. Learn why consistency, effective communication, and a willingness to speak up can completely shift your trajectory, whether you're aiming to scale a business, move up in your role, or simply reclaim your drive.

This episode is packed with real-world impact and gritty advice on navigating burnout, building company culture, and finding encouragement in even the toughest seasons. Our guests touch on everything from job site politics and poor leadership to the mental toll of the daily grind and how small, intentional changes can lead to big shifts over time. If you’ve ever felt like your effort goes unseen or your potential is being wasted, this conversation is for you.

At its core, this episode is about more than career advice—it's a reminder that you’re not alone, and your work matters. Whether you’re an operator, a laborer, or leading a team, this is your blueprint for moving forward. Tune in and take the first step out of the mud and toward a more motivated, impactful blue-collar life.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to Blue Collar Business Podcast
• 1:03 Overcoming Mindset Challenges in Construction
• 3:21 Keys to Success: Communication and Work Ethic
• 10:33 Starting Small: Making Consistent Changes
• 13:51 Understanding Goals and Finding the Right Fit
• 17:36 Encouragement and Episode Closing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast, where we discuss the realest, rawest, most relevant stories and strategies behind building every corner of a blue collar business. I'm your host, Cy Kirby, and I want to help you in what it took me trial and error and a whole lot of money to learn the information that no one in this industry is willing to share. Whether you're under that shade tree or have your hard hat on, let's expand your toolbox. I ask everybody on this show. Every episode we end with this what's a takeaway for just the blue collar worker who is sick and tired of being stuck in the mud and that may be um most literal, like you're thinking um in those irrigation muddy ditches, or it can be a guy up here, and that's what a lot of us face is that mental mindset that we can't get out of?

Speaker 2: 1:03

I think that we all have that from time to time. There's no way you're going to work for yourself, and not in some of those slow moments or when something happens beyond your control. Go, what am I doing, right, brother? So that's pretty normal. I think that, putting one foot in front of the other. In the 25, 30 years I've been doing this, the things that I can remember having major worries about are just water under the bridge. Now, Well that's reassuring.

Speaker 2: 1:50

I hear you know. So, when there are issues, even if they arise and they seem pretty big and keep putting one foot in front of the other, it's not going to be long before you're on the other side of it the biggest thing is to not lose who you are through those issues. Some of my biggest issues I've had with jobs in the past. Those people became those customers, became my biggest supporters, and it was because of the effort I was willing to put in to make sure things were right. Um, you know, people have materials that aren't what they're supposed to be. You know, they have things that don't go together the way they're designed to.

Speaker 2: 2:43

Uh, there's just always going to be something, and it's not that you may have a problem, it's how are you going to handle it? Um, you know, uh, this integrity that you have through that is going to catapult your business, going to catapult your business. It's not going to destroy your business, okay, it's. You sit there and you worry. It's like, ah, I've ruined everything I'm fixing to. Just I'm fixing to go under. I just, you know, and it's, and just just keep, keep going, cause it it honestly is, uh, not quite as bad as you thought it was, and it's going to work out.

Speaker 1: 3:27

Man, that's reassuring. It's just reassuring to hear and you know what Getting up, watching that sun come up, watching that sun go down every day. And you're right, time's a healer of all. And keep on trucking, guys. I ask everybody that comes on the show, what's the takeaway for the blue-collar worker who is sick and tired of being stuck in the mud? And that's not just physically, I'm talking about mentally, as you guys know what we've gone through over the years, just talking about putting Trey on suicide watch when he's got 60s, having to coach running. There's so much more of a mental game going up here. But what about that labor hand that hasn't had the opportunity and he's the greatest operator out there in the world and nobody knows him and he hasn't been given that opportunity. What can they use every day to keep?

Speaker 3: 4:17

going. What can they use every day to keep going? Well, a Red Bull will start it off pretty damn good. Or a monster drag that all our guys do it, hell, you know there'll be a trash can pulling down empty can analysis sales use. You know, if you get that young guy, that or a woman that doesn't feel like that, they're going up. You know I'm saying, yes, sir, maybe they go talk to the boss. Just go, go have a good talk, you know.

Speaker 3: 4:43

And which, if you're working for somebody, it's an asshole, just quit tomorrow because you can go work for somebody appreciate. You know, if you ever work for somebody don't appreciate you, you're in the wrong spot. Agreed, don't never work for somebody don't appreciate you. And but you know, and if you're working for a boss that is not just a total ass, he's going to listen to you and he's's going to say you know what, tomorrow, let's go put some time in this machine, you know. Or if you're on this job, get out of the water truck, go over, tell the excavator operator to let you run.

Speaker 3: 5:13

You know the last two hours, you know that can speak up, be, or you won't see it, ideally. But what you want to do is you want to be the guy that's on the job site, that that boss, that whoever's running it for your company knows, like whether they're like, hey, you need to go fill up the water jugs, they're the one that they'll go do it. But if you're also, you know you want to be the one you're gonna water jug. But if they're 15 years, we got pallets of bottled water. They They'll have two drinks and set it on the machine.

Speaker 1: 5:41

What can you say and this is kind of the running question here of the show. What's a takeaway for the blue-collar worker that is just stuck in the mud? Whether he's a foreman that you can see potential in and wonder why he's there. Whether it's just a ditch hand listening to this trying to figure out what's his next step, or a business owner that is struggling to have a conversation with you. What for that guy?

Speaker 5: 6:13

Well, we've talked around it, We've talked about it, and we're talking about the construction world. Yes, sir, um, you, you as a, as a construction person, whether you're the guy in the trance or you're the business owner, um, if you go into the mindset of I'm going to cover my ass, no matter what, um, you're not going to be successful and people are not going to want to work with you. Then the phrase that many contractors like to use but, quite frankly, this, I guarantee, is going to get them into issues is when they say well, I just built it for the plants, and you know the engineer, the owners. They'll look at them and say, well, why didn't you ask the question? Why didn't you ask a question? Why didn't you do it? And it comes back to effective communication. It doesn't matter if it's a blue collar job, a white collar job or anywhere in between. If you want to be successful, you have to be a communicator, you have to be able to communicate effectively, and it doesn't matter if it's reading, writing or speaking. Whatever it is, Effective communication is the key. Like I said. The other side of it, though, is just an intention to detail and be willing to work hard.

Speaker 5: 7:37

I'm always impressed when I see the guy out in the field who is working hard, getting after it, doing whatever it takes to make it happen, I can tell on any project, doesn't matter which one it is. I can tell you within a week the superintendents that I'm going to like and the superintendents I'm not going to like, just by how they interact with the other guys in the field, whether or not their boots are clean by the way, I like your nice dirty stuff and I can literally tell within a week if this can be a successful project or not. Everybody remembers Jimmy Jones. I think, oh my gosh, In this area, yeah for sure, Jimmy actually taught me a lot.

Speaker 5: 8:26

I'll never forget. One time he told me I forget where we're in that at and we get out of the truck and he's going to look at me and he goes man, I'm glad to see you got dirty boots on he goes. I can tell that you get out in the field and that you get out and talk to people. And you know you can say a lot of things about Jimmy, but Jimmy and I we did the same thing. We talked it out and we figured out a lot of stuff in the field. It made it work. That's why we're here.

Speaker 1: 8:51

Jimmy did build a lot of the original subdivision here and he and I did it together out here standing in the dirt. It's really the only way to do it. It is the only way. The communication I speak on but it's not just communication, it's clear, effective, direct, intentional communication. Direct, intentional communication. Don't be with if you're going to write an email and you need a response. Don't be all around the bush and here and there and legal beagle If you're trying to get through it. They need direct information so they can move. I need direct information, I can move. So if I'm needing direct information, why do I give all these indirect questions Real quick here? I've got to give a shout out to our guys over at Blue Collar Performance Marketing, ike and his team. They have been helping the SciCon team and been helping behind the scenes here with the Blue Collar Business Podcast and helping push it out. They are an incredible team from a value standpoint of.

Speaker 1: 9:58

I'm an excavation guy and I'm trying to tiptoe into the marketing world. Obviously we're pushing pretty hard, but I needed somebody to guide me. I don't know what I'm doing with the marketing side of things, I'm just creating content. There was no strategy behind it. Ike and his team have done a great job pointing me in the right direction and making sure I'm spending my dollars wisely on sponsored ads, targeted ads. So shout out to those guys and thank you so much for your avid sponsorship here on the Blue Collar Business Podcast. What's the takeaway for the blue collar worker who is stuck dead in the water, just tired of being stuck in the mud? Maybe literally, because that's kind of our space. But what about the foreman out there who thinks he's never going to make it or advance? What do you see from your position? You see blue collar men and women.

Speaker 1: 10:58

You hear me talk about the things that they struggle with. What's the things that you see that they could take away from this conversation to help them move forward in any parameter?

Speaker 4: 11:13

I don't really know if it's a part of this conversation, but the blue-collar industry, the blue-collar world, is so big and it is daunting and overwhelming at times. But nothing changes if nothing changes. And so you know, if, if you are tired of being stuck where you're at or you feel like there is no hope or way to move past what you're going through right now, smart start with small changes. You know, like, if you are running into constantly not having CEOs paid for, if you're running into problems like that, start with taking a picture every single day of your job site. You know when it, when you feel like it doesn't matter, take a picture, take a picture, take a picture, take a picture. You know what I mean. Like nothing changes if nothing changes.

Speaker 4: 12:17

And so, like, if you feel like you're stuck where you're at and where you don't want to be, find some kind of something to make a change with it. And I can't tell you how many times that we've done that and it's been frustrating and overwhelming. But you know you're never stuck where you're at. It's not over till it's over. And when they're putting you in a box six foot under, that's when you know you've done it all you can do, and until then just try something different, cause you know what's the worst that can happen.

Speaker 1: 12:54

And actually consistently do it. Yes, yeah, consistency, yes yeah.

Speaker 4: 12:57

Consistency yes, like it does take consistency, because in our world it's a three month turnaround. So, like you, just need to you just need to remember. So if you start something, start something for 90 days, and if in 90 days you don't see a positive impact, maybe let it go, try something different. But whatever you start, stick with it for 90 days, because in the blue-collar industry everything happens in 90-day cycles.

Speaker 1: 13:30

Everything can change in three months.

Speaker 4: 13:32

Yes, everything, yep absolutely.

Speaker 1: 13:35

That is such a good takeaway. Seriously, what's a takeaway for the blue-collar worker who's just physically, mentally, emotionally, just stuck in the mud, or, quite literally, how do we help him?

Speaker 6: 13:52

Well, I think first we've got to understand what his goal is. You know, is you know? Because when we talk about blue collar guys, there's a lot of them there. I don't know that they really want to be anything more than a ditch hand.

Speaker 1: 14:04

You're right.

Speaker 6: 14:04

They may not want to be more than a foreman. They may not want to be more than a foreman. They may not want to be more than a superintendent. They may not want to come in the office and be the project manager. They're the guy that wants to be out in the elements every day. So I think we've got to understand what they want first, and once you identify that person, then I think you just need to feed them and encourage them, man, that's right.

Speaker 6: 14:30

You know, get down on their level and talk to them, whatever level that is, you know, and don't, because I can tell you, dude, ditch hand's the hardest work there is going on in a construction project. You bet. So you better appreciate them. On a construction project, you bet. So you better appreciate them. And so I would just say that to all the guys out there that maybe are struggling. You know, if you're not getting that kind of encouragement from the people you work for, maybe you're not working for the right people you know, Maybe you need to be looking for another place to work.

Speaker 6: 15:00

someone that's going to, you know, encourage you and help you, you know now you got to do your part too. You can't call in on Mondays and Fridays, sick all the time.

Speaker 1: 15:07

Come on, talk about it.

Speaker 6: 15:09

You can't have no Monday and Friday-itis. So you've, got to do your part too, no matter what level you're at, but I would just say, the culture of the company that you work for is what you should be sizing up. That's what you should be looking for.

Speaker 5: 15:28

And if you're not?

Speaker 6: 15:28

feeling that right now and it's got you in that place you just described and where it's it's life ain't fun right now, then, it's hard.

Speaker 1: 15:34

It's hard to stay motivated. Yeah, it's hard, you know it's hard hard to stay motivated man.

Speaker 6: 15:38

And so you know, you got, you got. You got your wife at home hollering at you because you ain't bringing home enough money pay the bills mine happens to be the pay lady I mean I'm usually yelling at her.

Speaker 6: 15:49

I need numbers you know, she's like I need money right so so you know it's, it's all a challenge. I mean no matter what level you're in, but I would just encourage those guys out there to to, to look for a better place to work, man because they're out there If you're a good construction worker. I promise you, there's people looking for you right now.

Speaker 4: 16:11

Because I talk to owners just like you, every day you bet.

Speaker 6: 16:14

And I've yet to talk to one in the last I don't know how many years that said man, I don't need nobody, I got plenty. I'm having to turn guys down. That conversation very quickly is always about man. If I could just find a couple more good guys.

Speaker 1: 16:29

That's right.

Speaker 6: 16:30

And that could be ditch hand, that could be superintendent, it could be shop hand.

Speaker 1: 16:35

I hired a guy on Monday. Two new faces on Monday. We've hired a few in the last couple of weeks because we've got a ton of work. This guy called my office 14 times in three days. That's how he's wanting to work. He's wanting to work and turns out he don't want to work, so he's going to go down a rut. But what I'm getting at is I wasn't really looking for that extra, extra one. But if somebody wants to show me, man, dude, all I need a chance, all I need a chance, I am the guy that gives the chances.

Speaker 1: 17:10

unfortunately, right and normally I get burnt right, um, but at the same time I try to take care of my people, etc. Um, it's a long road out there, man. It's hard, it's a long road.

Speaker 6: 17:23

You're not picking an easy profession.

Speaker 1: 17:24

No, and any of you guys listening. I encourage you, man, because we're all grinding this out together and 2024 has been hard, I don't care what level you're at. It has been brutally hard at home, which of course drives a lot of our attitudes during business, during the day, because I don't care if you're an employer, an employee or you're pretty much trying to just get by this year. That's right, and just by living, I mean groceries and gas and everything's so damn high. But at the same time I just encourage you get up.

Speaker 1: 18:01

Nothing changes if nothing changes, and just change something small about your day. Just one Carry that for a week. Second week make sure we're still doing that change. Add another change. Discipline, of course, equates into that. If you've enjoyed this episode, be sure to give it a like, Share it with the fellers. Check out our website to send us any questions and comments about your experience in the blue collar business. Who do you want to hear from? Send them our way and we'll do our best to answer any questions you may have. Till next time, guys.