Whether you're a seasoned professional, a newcomer, or simply interested in the trades, the "Make Trades Great Again" podcast offers something for everyone. Our goal is to promote the value of skilled trades, provide essential resources, and build a strong community of passionate individuals.
Industry Insights - Educational Content - Community Stories - Technology in Trades
Tune in now and be part of the movement to make trades great again!
Eric and Andy answer a listeners question about what goes into the decision of hiring an employee or adding another technician. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Nicole Bush Communications manager for AHR 2023 joins the boys to talk about the largest Heating Air Condition and Refrigeration Expo in North America. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The guys talk tools, new tools, what they're liking lately and whats coming. Who does't like some tool talk? We do! Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Andy, Eric & Chad talk more about pay in the trades, personal accountability and making it thru a recession. As usual things start out rough and barely make it thru to the end without offending someone...thanks for joining us Chad. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The boys chat about how they are getting things ready for heating season. If you do service work, do season changes effect your vehicle stock? Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
We answer a listeners question regarding an irritated customer. When do you "fire" the customer, what does it take? The guys discuss some of the in's and out's of letting a customer go. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The guys get back into the electrification of everything and talk heat pumps. Will they be able to repolace gas furnaces and boilers fully? Also, is it slowing down where you're at? Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Quin writes in asking how we prefer to get started on the job. What do we tackle first, the tough stuff or the low hanging fruit. In either case the project has to get finished but sometimes a clear plan from the start can move things along smoother. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Starting out on your own can be hectic and costly. There are some free ways to get listed in your area for potential work. The guys talk about getting listed on the "Find a contractor" sections of websites. Have you done this too? Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Eric brings up free estimates and the guys go into more discussion about why free estimates don't really work out. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Are the types of projects you're working on changing? IS the new energy bill changing peoples idea of how to heat their home for the coming winter? Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The guys take listener questions this week and it a doozy! Do you think the shortage of workers may be due to the trades not paying enough? Whats enough? Should every trade get paid the same? Heck no! Eric & Andy get right into it on this one, we hope you enjoy and please consider rating the show on Apple Podcasts. #mtga Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_em...
The guys chat about employees using social media in the workplace. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email
Eric and Andy talk about online vs brick and mortar suppliers. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email
Eric recalls waking up to find a 1 star review in his Google business profile and tries to figure out how he should reply. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Eric and Andy shoot the breeze with Patrick Finley of Commercial_Kitchen_Chronicles on IG. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The guys bs and talk streaming. To be honest this is probably the most riveting content on the internet today. You should probably share this with all your friends. You're welcome. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The guys shoot the breeze about a variety of things and of course it ends with a story from way back in the early days of plumbing for Eric. We never thought middle-aged naked apprentices were going to be part of the MTGA podcast but here we are... Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Eric and Andy talk about changing up the concept of giving a free estimate. Do you charge for estimates on residential work? Have you ever thought that you should be getting paid to give an estimate? Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Eric gets excited for his new Aune Plumbing mini truck and Andy talks about playing musical Trucks with some employee changes and new vehicles entering the fleet. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Everything was fine, Andy reminds us all we are terrible drivers and then suddenly Eric gets into some weird story time tangent. Its just a typical MTGA bonus episode really lol. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
The guys mostly retell some stories from recent jobs and site visits with potential new customers. The way the housing market is lately there's no shortage of stories to tell. As always you can email us your feedback or show ideas to: maketradesgreatagain@gmail.com OR you can DM us over on Instagram. Andy: @mick_plumb Eric: @mechanicalhub Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https:...
Eric and Andy talk about the pitfalls of being busy and neglecting weekly van organization and inspections. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Jamie Christensen @northwest_hvac on IG joins us to talk about growing pains as a new business owner. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Younger generations aren't entering the trades for about a million reasons. Everyone talks about recruiting but rarely about the reason why kids might not want to learn a trade, or work on a construction site... Maybe we need to look at the rigid work schedule? Maybe there's some wiggle room to be flexible on start times as long as the deadline is met? See what the guys are up to as ERic sets out to make Andy's skin crawl. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social ch...
Okay this one takes a turn at the end no one saw coming but first the guys talk about the a few different topics like "flex scheduling" and moving the policies and procedures out of your head and writing them down so someone could takeover for you in your business. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Part 2 We revisit a popular topic from the past, What should I charge for my time? Eric and Andy dive into the calculation of an hourly rate. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
We revisit a popular topic from the past, What should I charge for my time? Eric and Andy dive into the calculation of an hourly rate. Make sure to catch us next week for part 2. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
Ray Parker Jr, is that you? This week Eric is considering finding a mentor, but not just any type of mentor. Listen up to this bonus episode to see what the guys are talking about. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
For the longest time it seemed nothing was advancing in the trades. Same jobs, same materials, same tools...same attitudes. This week the guys come back from vacation to talk about one of the most listened to topics on the first 132 episodes: New Technology Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb Newsletter sign up: https://bit.ly/MH_email...
