Steve Rooney is no stranger to the Tradies in Business podcast, but this time he's back with a plot twist nobody saw coming. Fourteen years of running his own landscaping business, a community of mates, hard lessons in business partnerships, and a whole lot of head noise led Steve to one of the biggest decisions of his life. What he chose next will surprise you, and the reasoning behind it might just make you rethink what success in business actually looks like.

Steve Rooney is no stranger to the Tradies in Business podcast, but this time he's back with a plot twist nobody saw coming. Fourteen years of running his own landscaping business, a community of mates, hard lessons in business partnerships, and a whole lot of head noise led Steve to one of the biggest decisions of his life. What he chose next will surprise you, and the reasoning behind it might just make you rethink what success in business actually looks like.

Whether you're a plumber, electrician, builder, motor mechanic, landscaper, tiler, glazier, painter, carpenter, concretor or any of the myriad of trades and contractors that keep the world running, this podcast has been produced with you in mind. Your host, Nicole 'Nic' Cox, was born into a tradie family and has first-hand experience of the gut-busting, money stress and pressures that trade businesses can place on their owners and their families! Nic strongly believes in the opportunity that exists for all tradie business owners to create a flexible, financially secure business for now and for their families' future. She interviews guests on a range of topics such as marketing, finance, human resources, legal issues, mindset, motivation, physical and mental health, industry updates and more! Nic loves a laugh and a good story, so tune in for a unique look at how to 'get off the tools' and break the cycle of financial hardship and stress to create the trade business you really wanted!

Whether you're a plumber, electrician, builder, motor mechanic, landscaper, tiler, glazier, painter, carpenter, concretor or any of the myriad of trades and contractors that keep the world running, this podcast has been produced with you in mind. Your host, Nicole 'Nic' Cox, was born into a tradie family and has first-hand experience of the gut-busting, money stress and pressures that trade businesses can place on their owners and their families! Nic strongly believes in the opportunity that exists for all tradie business owners to create a flexible, financially secure business for now and for their families' future. She interviews guests on a range of topics such as marketing, finance, human resources, legal issues, mindset, motivation, physical and mental health, industry updates and more! Nic loves a laugh and a good story, so tune in for a unique look at how to 'get off the tools' and break the cycle of financial hardship and stress to create the trade business you really wanted!

Helping tradie business owners get off the tools and improve health, relationships and lifestyle

Tradies In Business

Whether you're a plumber, electrician, builder, motor mechanic, landscaper, tiler, glazier, painter, carpenter, concretor or any of the myriad of trades and contractors that keep the world running, this podcast has been produced with you in mind. Your hosts, Warrick 'Waz' Bidwell and Nicole 'Nic' Cox, were both born into tradie families and have first hand experience of the gut busting, money stress and pressures that trade businesses can place on their owners and their families! Nic and Waz strongly believe in the opportunity that exists for all tradie business owners to create a flexible, financially secure business for now and for their families' future. Waz and Nic interview guests on a range of topics such as marketing, finance, human resources, legal issues, mindset, motivation, physical and mental health, industry updates and more! They love a laugh and a good story so tune in for a unique look at how to 'get off the tools' and break the cycle of financial hardship and stress to create the trade business you really wanted!

TIB712 Real Tradie Stories - The Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming with Steve Rooney

Scott Wrigley, Head Building Certifier & Managing Director of ACT Certification, returns to the podcast to talk about how far his business has come in almost 4 years with Tradies in Business. He started out unable to step away from his business for a 2 day conference. This year he has taken a week at Hamilton Island and trips around Australia while his team kept things running. Scott shares how he got there, starting with a single morning or afternoon off and building up to a morning every week, and why he still fights the guilt of switching off. He and Nic also get into what is happening in the Canberra market, from the ACT land release changes and the worst residential approval rates in the country to builders pivoting into decks, pergolas and alterations to keep work coming in. Scott explains how he stays ahead of market shifts by educating himself and filtering out the noise, why he is expanding into New South Wales, and why educated business owners are still growing in a tough market.

Scott Wrigley, Head Building Certifier &amp; Managing Director of <a href="https://www.actcertification.com.au/">ACT Certification</a>, returns to the podcast to talk about how far his business has come in almost 4 years with Tradies in Business. He started out unable to step away from his business for a 2 day conference. This year he has taken a week at Hamilton Island and trips around Australia while his team kept things running. Scott shares how he got there, starting with a single morning or afternoon off and building up to a morning every week, and why he still fights the guilt of switching off. He and Nic also get into what is happening in the Canberra market, from the ACT land release changes and the worst residential approval rates in the country to builders pivoting into decks, pergolas and alterations to keep work coming in. Scott explains how he stays ahead of market shifts by educating himself and filtering out the noise, why he is expanding into New South Wales, and why educated business owners are still growing in a tough market.

TIB720 Real Tradie Stories - Taking Time Off and Growing Through a Tough Market

Apprenticeship numbers sit below where they were in 2015, even as the workforce has grown by more than 20 percent and Australia faces a housing shortage and a deepening trades skills gap. Ben Bardon, CEO of the National Australian Apprenticeship Association, explains why employers are stepping back, from shrinking government incentives to the real cost of taking on an apprentice in a tight economy. He covers why most apprentices who drop out do so in the first three months, how school-based apprenticeships and work trials lead to stronger completion rates, and how Apprentice Connect providers can step in to mediate when things go wrong. Ben also shares practical habits that keep apprentices engaged, including regular check-ins and a named point of contact, and looks at how AI is already changing the way tradies quote, schedule and run their businesses.

Apprenticeship numbers sit below where they were in 2015, even as the workforce has grown by more than 20 percent and Australia faces a housing shortage and a deepening trades skills gap. Ben Bardon, CEO of the <a href="https://www.naaa.com.au/">National Australian Apprenticeship Association</a>, explains why employers are stepping back, from shrinking government incentives to the real cost of taking on an apprentice in a tight economy. He covers why most apprentices who drop out do so in the first three months, how school-based apprenticeships and work trials lead to stronger completion rates, and how Apprentice Connect providers can step in to mediate when things go wrong. Ben also shares practical habits that keep apprentices engaged, including regular check-ins and a named point of contact, and looks at how AI is already changing the way tradies quote, schedule and run their businesses.

TIB719 Why Apprenticeships Are Declining and What Tradies Can Do About It

Amii Jones has run Touchwood Tree Services, a tree removal business, with her husband for 15 years, and in this episode she gets honest about what that milestone actually looked like behind the scenes. She talks about the guilt of switching off, the loneliness of working from home, and how the hard stuff never disappears, it just looks different, from surviving the early days to managing staff and admitting when you're the bottleneck. Amii and Nic also talk about above the line versus below the line thinking, redefining success on your own terms, and why she doesn't believe in failures, only lessons. It's a candid look at the real cost of building a business, past the highlight reel.

Amii Jones has run <a href="https://www.touchwoodtreeservices.com.au/">Touchwood Tree Services</a>,&nbsp;a tree removal business, with her husband for 15 years, and in this episode she gets honest about what that milestone actually looked like behind the scenes. She talks about the guilt of switching off, the loneliness of working from home, and how the hard stuff never disappears, it just looks different, from surviving the early days to managing staff and admitting when you're the bottleneck. Amii and Nic also talk about above the line versus below the line thinking, redefining success on your own terms, and why she doesn't believe in failures, only lessons. It's a candid look at the real cost of building a business, past the highlight reel.

TIB712 Real Tradie Stories - The Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming with Steve Rooney

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