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.
Blue Collar Business Podcast
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: what do you say to the blue collar worker who’s sick of being stuck in the mud? The responses are real, hard-earned, and brutally honest.
You’ll hear from folks who’ve been in the ditch, started from nothing, and fought their way up. Some are running companies now, some are still grinding it out, but every one of them knows what it feels like to hit a wall. Whether it’s money problems, burnout, home stress, or the pressure of leading a team, they’ve all had to dig deep and keep pushing. This isn’t fluff. It’s straight from the heart of the construction industry and other blue-collar trades.
They talk about what helped them push through - finding mentors, being willing to start at the bottom, staying moldable, and learning fast. There’s advice on managing teams, taking pride in your work, and chasing opportunity when it shows up, even if it feels uncomfortable. You’ll hear how some of these guests faced down business failure, self-doubt, and the emotional weight that comes with responsibility, and how they kept going anyway.
If you’re a laborer, foreman, or owner and you’re feeling stuck, this episode brings you the words you didn’t know you needed. It’s the kind of real-world impact that comes from experience, not textbooks. No gimmicks. Just solid business advice, personal lessons, and a reminder that you’re not alone in this fight.
Follow and stay connected:
Website: bluecollarbusinesspodcast.com
YouTube: youtube.com/@BlueCollarBusinessPodcast
Instagram: @bluecollarbusinesspodcast
TikTok: @bluecollarbusinesspod
Facebook: Blue Collar Business Podcast
LinkedIn: Blue Collar Business Podcast
Never miss an update—follow, subscribe, and join the conversation!
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.
Speaker 1: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, the last thing I got for you. I ask everybody what's the takeaway for the blue-collar worker who's sick and tired of being stuck in the mud and I know for us that can mean quite literal, since we came from the ditches and the muddy holes but I'm talking a little bit about that mental game that we talked about. Maybe emotionally, he's off kilter at home and works, suffering because of he's scared he might lose his job. Let's talk about those guys that are 18 to 22 years old. They're stuck in their head mentally. They've been somewhere for a year or two. Tell them from your experience, other than the few things that you've already mentioned how do they propel through their 20s and get set up for their 30s like we are?
Speaker 3:Don't be set in your ways. Very good one man. I've talked to young guys and they want to start as a foreman, they want to start as a superintendent. They don't want to go in the ditch. But, like we've said, you go in the ditch. You work hard, you're professional, you show some enthusiasm, you show some progress, you learn the job.
Speaker 1:Retain information.
Speaker 3:You retain it, you're going to climb pretty quick. There's a lot of open holes in this industry. 100% buddy. I don't know how many times I've been offered a job from a contractor, you know or how many times I've had contractors call me and want to know guys to hire. Do you know anybody to?
Speaker 1:hire, I've done it.
Speaker 3:Do you know anybody to hire? Do you know anybody to hire? I need truck drivers. Do you know anybody to hire? Yeah, you know anybody. But don't be moldable. If you hate being in the ditch, you hate lighting a pipe, okay, go do something else. Go get out of the ditch, go else, go get out of this, go get out of the pipe. Go talk to the framer who's on the job. He'll give you a job that day Tomorrow.
Speaker 1:I guarantee it 100%, buddy.
Speaker 3:It might be picking up trash Yep, pick up trash but it wasn't what you were doing In four years when I quit college. I went five years with Mike and within two to three years, I was making more money than my mother was as a 30-year teacher with a master's degree.
Speaker 1:That's so sad. It's great.
Speaker 3:Fantastic for you, terrible for Mama Bear there because the teachers, teachers are severely underpaid, isn't it A hundred percent? And that's a whole other conversation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3:But you know our whole family's teachers, Right, but there's opportunity there.
Speaker 1:Point proven, brother, a hundred percent point proven.
Speaker 3:And it could happen in two years. It could happen in three years.
Speaker 1:You can speed up a four-year degree, a four-year educational degree. You can hop in a ditch or go to work as a plumber's apprentice. I know Bobby Brewer pours beautiful manholes and storm boxes and he's always begging for that. One guy that retains just a little bit of information about how to put a manhole together and a box together.
Speaker 3:If you're 19, if you're 20, if you're 21, and you work hard and you can be professional and you can learn it by the time you're 25, he's probably going to give you a truck to drive 100%. He's probably going to give you all the tools you want. He's going to give you all the work time you want and he's probably going to pay you good because he doesn't want you to go somewhere else. That's right, because as soon as that guy starts doing good work and somebody else sees it, it's on dude. They're gonna be like hey, what are you making? Yep, and you get this? Yeah. And then that guy's gonna want to keep you. Yep, and if you can show, it's not just.
Speaker 1:It's not just the money side of it, it's from this side of the table, bro. It's like I've invested in this guy. Oh time wise yeah for a freaking year to get him to the knowledge where I can pick up the phone and we can talk about a corp stop you know what I?
Speaker 1:mean for sure it's like it's that investment, that retraining in a company, oh my well, you know, as an inspector, you're, you know, as you get new guys it's a lot more involved with. We do the same thing, but kind of more, a little bit more repetitive. We're not looking for as much as you guys are, but man, it's so different. But I think that's a great takeaway, dude. Yeah, I mean you, just you got to you've got a lot of life to live.
Speaker 3:You're going to be working for 30 or 40 years. You're going to work until you're 50, 60, 70 years old by the time you're 25, if you can get to a foreman, superintendent role, you're going to have less time in the ditch. There's going to be crappy days. Somebody's going to call and say you're going to have to run a track, go, you bet, enjoy it. Enjoy running a track. Go Prior, enjoy it, yes.
Speaker 1:Enjoy running the track. Prioritize that moment Because it's fun it is.
Speaker 3:It's a big, giant video game.
Speaker 1:But I ask everybody, man, every blue-collar guy that's just absolutely sick and tired of being stuck in the mud. Maybe it's a guy that's been at the same job for seven years. Maybe it's the owner that's trying to make that first new purchase. Maybe it's mental. Maybe it's mental, Maybe it's physical, Maybe it's emotional going through some hard stuff at home and you just can't capture the right mindset to show up every day and keep going. How do they give us a key takeaway that's helped you do everything that you're doing mentally, man or physically, but stuck in the mud, dude, How'd they get out of that mud? Mmm.
Speaker 4:So here Do it Been in a lot of bad situations, right, like everybody has, and everybody's bad situations are. You know what I mean? My bad situation is way worse than somebody that probably doesn't own a company. Arguably, you know what I'm saying. Yep, I do, buddy, and then I'll call Trey to complain about it. And he's like arguably, you know what I'm saying, and then I'll call trey to complain about it and he's like oh, you know that's a tuesday, yeah, exactly like you know so.
Speaker 4:So everybody's problem. But what's a big deal? You know somebody complaining about losing a tire on their, on their car, whatever. It's a huge deal to them, right? This is not fair to me to say that that's no big deal, because it would be if I was in that boat, right? So, anyways, I say that to say when I've been in all those situations and there's times where, like when we had multiple commercial sites going at once and we're getting screwed around on stuff that we can't control and man, it's running. You were talking about answering to your wife when she's like where's this money and where's man? It takes a toll on your employees yourself, your wife, your kids, your everything. You know what I mean. I mean it runs you into the ground.
Speaker 1:You know it's funny, dude, you didn't say yourself in there and we always. It's like we always not to cut you off, but it's like we always place ourself completely last, yeah, in this equation, because we have so many people responsible I don't have time for that, I don't have time to think about my feelings exactly.
Speaker 4:Yeah, know what I mean. Yeah, but then, you know, you get to the point where, like, you're so run down, like you can't you know what I mean Mentally yes, like I can't. And I finally got to that breaking point, you know. And when I get in those situations here's what I started doing, and this is easy sitting right here. It's harder when it's happening. But you end up in that boat where, like, I'll mourn, so to speak, that situation. Right, like I'll go through it. So, yeah, deal with. You know what I mean. Go on for a day or two or three or week or whatever it takes.
Speaker 4:I mean, during that last, most recent process, I mean there was tear shed, dude, like I'll be honest between me and my wife. But you know, down at the yard, like, just, I don't know what we're gonna do. Yeah, we tried so and we were that way in the beginning when we had 20. You know what I mean. Now we're, we're about to lose another 40 grand, you know, and it's like, how did we try this hard and end up? You know, now she's crying because I'm going through this. I'm you know, I'm like how, anyways buddy, do I get what you're saying?
Speaker 4:yes, I lived it and that's the stuff. Nobody's gonna understand, nor should they right, they won't ever know without going through what we're into. But I'll go through those situations, and they used to be smaller, you know. In hindsight it's like why did I care that much about that? Right, eventually I'll be saying the same thing about this most recent situation.
Speaker 4:If you're growing problems, get bigger, right, but I'll go through and more in that situation, like I said, not make any rash decisions, deal with it for a few days and then eventually I have to logically look at the situation and say, okay, I've got. What are my options here? Right, shut down. And so, like I have to honestly answer this question to myself a couple of times because it got so bad, do I quit? Do I close the doors? Do I give up? And I have to sit there you know what I mean, boy, do I? For a couple minutes, you know, and like, don't be prideful. Is that the best option? And maybe it is. But every time I'm like, you know, either either keep going or shut her down, and every time I'm like, well, I can't, I can't, freaking, quit at this point, you know. So I just get away from everything changing exactly. You know it's all up and downhill. If you get a call, a bad call, you're about to get a good call. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So there's usually a string of bad calls, there's a string of good calls and it's just up and down. But it's finding that middle ground and keeping everybody level, which sounds so easy sitting there it's so easy.
Speaker 4:But every time I talk to, like I said, like trey bo for going through, I just keep on keeping all you know, just keep going. And I'm like, yeah, dude, I get it, but that's all you know, just keep going. And I'm like, yeah, dude, I get it, but that's really it. You know what I mean it really is.
Speaker 4:Like when you're like how do you get through those times, dude? You just keep going. And that's so easy to say Do it. Yeah, like you just put another foot in front of the other and if you're going to fail, you're going to go down swinging. We might go under. As Trayvon says, I'll be back in business the next day. That's right. I mean, I don't know. That's what it boils down to me. It's so easy to sit here and say you just keep going, but that's all there is to it. Right, learn? Everybody talks about hard work. Yeah, that's a given, that's a prerequisite. Hard work alone won't get you there. Network, learn, give a shit you know what I mean I do and work your ass off in relationships. Just keep going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, our relationships are absolutely everything. Having those influences, like you've mentioned, to not even really just vent to man, yeah, and them just not really give you any keep on keeping on. You know what I mean. And you're like did you just hear what I said? I'm fixing to go bankrupt? And they're like did you just hear what I said? I'm fixing to go bankrupt? And they're like boy, you don't know even close to bankrupt, get your ass out there and go back to work. You know what I mean? Yes, and it's just that comfort and the confidence over just decades of just keep.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they've seen those situations and they seem small to them. They don't have that much empathy because they forgot that. You know what I mean. Like they went through that too and they care, but like, dude, it's going to be okay. You know what I mean. Like you're going to survive. You have this far. So it reminds me real quick that there's a TikTok. I don't know if you've seen it, I don't remember the guy's name, I'm going to butcher it. But he says he's talking to his mentor. He's owed a million bucks, he's down. You know, he's down, bad, whatever he. They've refinanced, they've done everything they can. They're about to go bankrupt. He's talking to one of his mentors and he's like you know, tells him the story and he's like I don't know what I'm gonna do. And he said the guy looks at me and laughs and says son, if you're not worried about going bankrupt about every three years, you ain't doing shit anyway justin win waller.
Speaker 1:I know exactly. Yeah, justin waller, that's what it is. Yeah, my god, where you at king.
Speaker 4:I've watched that clip to like in some lows you know what I mean and then, because it right after, he says he goes. I can't explain it. Or he said it's not the answer I wanted, but I just felt better and that's so true. Like every time I think of that, I'm like and you know, like I said what you just said about trey, he's the same way of like dude, either, like that's part of the growth, right.
Speaker 1:Like if you're not worried about going bankrupt, you're not doing shit, you're not even if, if the irs or you ain't going bankrupt or you're not pushing the envelope, yeah, like literally now. There's so many probably 30-year business snooties that would probably sit here and tell you otherwise. But for a guy like me and you, brother, that had nothing, started now and said I'm going to do this, there ain't no other freaking way for us. Right, dog, right. What if a guy is sitting there just absolutely sick and tired of being stuck in the mud, whether that's literal stuck in the mud, whether that's literal sense in the mud or mentally stuck in the mud of doing the same thing, I gotta get up and go do the same job, whether it's a different location. I gotta run the same wire. I gotta punch the same nail, I gotta lay the same line. That guy, how does he get out of that situation and how just?
Speaker 1:it doesn't have to be anything major but, the things that you have seen in the changes in morale and personalities here. Any tips you can give for a blue collar guy like that?
Speaker 6:I think I'll try to kind of relate this question to what I do, because I'm not going to sit here and try to tell the blue collar worker that I know how to get him out of the mud, because I'm not in the mud with him, respectively so. But I have seen, we've been through some times this year, for sure, for sure, rollercoaster, my guy oh yeah, but it's been so cool, I think that I don't know, with getting.
Speaker 6:You could kind of relate this back to the barriers that we were facing and we weren't really they weren't really sure if it was going to stick, you know, when we were first getting out there. But I just kind of, I think getting after it, chasing opportunity, I think is a good way to, even if it's. I don't know if your boss sometimes brings in or someday brings in a camera guy and, uh, you need to show. I don't know how to put this. I think your boss brings in a camera guy and you're not really sure how to feel about it. But there's opportunity there. You can somehow use to your advantage something different. You know, because you keep repeating the same thing over and over again. It's something different. It's something to maybe you do see it taking pride. You got a different source of pride because your work is getting finally getting shown right. Um, but yeah, I I don't have a super great answer for that question.
Speaker 1:That's a fantastic answer, but, like the same guy that's been doing this 10-15 years, camera shows up. There's opportunity there, strike on it?
Speaker 6:yeah, absolutely. I know it's new and it's different, but gotta, gotta adapt. Sometimes, you know, I think that's huge.
Speaker 1:The digital marketing space, the videography? Um. Start tomorrow, guys. There's no reason you shouldn't. Don't think you've got to make it some special thing. There's youtube channels out there. Um, I would say, brand it you if you want to. Um, what's a takeaway for the blue collar worker who is sick of being stuck in the mud? And I'm talking about those drivers or your guys that come to you, they're just down and out mentally, physically, emotionally, and they just, they're just tired of out mentally, physically, emotionally, and they just, they're just tired of it. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Um, I, you know I hate not to sound like a Disney movie, but you gotta, you know, like um. Probably one of my favorite quotes I'll give to here Um, but, but but one of them is um, you gotta keep moving forward. You know, um, most great things in the Bible, every great thing that I can remember in the Bible, started out in adversity. So good things are to come. And if your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough, and that's where I live my life. I don't know that they're inspiring to everyone, but that's what inspires me, right, like, if it doesn't scare me just a little bit, I'm not dreaming big enough, dude, that is, uh, 100, something to strive for and relatable.
Speaker 1:I'm sitting here across the table. I'm just 100, relating where you're coming from. Because the guy at the top can't ever stop dreaming, because as soon as he does, the whole thing comes crumbling down. Because it's always going to be tough up there down on the bottom dealing with every day-to-day problems and sometimes it can get hard and keep moving forward. Keep the trucks rolling down the road, hopefully with a load on them. Keep the trucks rolling down the road, hopefully with a load on them. What's a takeaway for that blue collar worker who is sick and tired of being stuck in the mud? And that may be physical You've seen me come into your shop pretty muddy before but also mentally, emotionally. You know you were vulnerable there a minute ago. I'm the same way. It's hard some days to just get up and do it.
Speaker 5:I tell you, the first thing is is, uh, have a mentor that you can reach out to, and it's and I need, I mean somebody that's going to be a mentor for you, probably their their whole life, yeah, their whole life by yours, their whole life yeah and your goal is to not need them, and you know.
Speaker 5:but you need to be able to reach out to somebody and say, and it could be a friend, it could be relative, but somebody that doesn't have really any skin in the game, that that can impart with you the best advice based on experience. And you know, some people have somebody like that and some people don't. If you don't which honestly I never really did, right, you know, and a similar situation like my dad is kind of, you know, he's not a guy I could call up and talk about. So, anyway, I think that overall, that that's the most important thing is have a mentor or friend, somebody that knows you, that likes you, that trusts you. Call you on your crap, it calls you on your crap. They'll say, no, dude, that's not you, you've got yourself going down a hole, you don't even need to be around the low end.
Speaker 5:And that's helped me make better decisions over time because, uh, if you're like me at all and you are that you, if somebody needs your help, you just do it. And you know it's just like I gotta talk myself out of this or that, or I don't need to be doing this, or if it's even I kind of stopped buying stinking diesels. I don't even need it, whatever it is. You know, yeah, whether it's a maturity thing. When I say maturity, I mean experience. Experience, you know, like like, uh, you know coach. Well, there may be somebody really good, but if he doesn't have a lot of experience coaching people and bringing them up, I'm not going to be the right hire. No, so that's the same thing with you. You need to hold yourself accountable, dude.
Speaker 5:That's been my big 24 word was accountability, yeah, and you know, lead by example on every aspect of your life. So, um, you have to be that, that leader for everybody, and lots of times you just don't want to bear the weight, but you have to. True, you have to get up and do it again. You have to do it and uh, well, you don't have to, but if don't, you have no chance at all being successful. There's no chance.
Speaker 1: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.