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!
The boys welcome @Assuieapprentice Patrick Caldow on the show to chat about the life of a plumbing apprentice in Australia. 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...
No body wants to say the "R" word but a slow down is expected. Regardless of which direction the economy takes its that time of year when construction and remodels are on a break. The guys talk about local shop prep and business tasks that can fill some down time and make a big difference in our operations. 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 never would've thought a software was going to make us more money but here we are Scrooge McDucking it into piles of gold coins. Seriously tho, if you are self-employed and not using a software that puts all your billing, all your customers, all your pricing, all your marketing and som much more in one place then you are almost for sure wasting time and losing money. Take it from us, we used to be that way too. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! E...
Eric and Andy chat about upcoming Tradeshows World of Concrete 1/17-1/19 Las Vegas, NV KBIS IBS 1/31-2/2 Las Vegas, NV AHR 2/6-2/8 Atlanta, Ga ISH 3/13-3/15 Frankfurt, Germany 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 yammer on a bit more about energy costs and heat pumps. Thanks to Conner Davis for writing in! 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...
What can you do to be better prepared to start a project tomorrow, next week or next month? The guys talk pre-fab and looking at the products used regularly to identify how to save some time on the job to increase efficiency. 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...
Should every contractor have a specialty? Are you good at everything or really good at one or two things? The guys talk specialties, starting out and how things might change after a few years in 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...
Resolutions are so 2020! This week its Eric's turn to share how 2022 went and what he might look to change for 2023. This isn's an episode about resolutions, its more of a self guided journey and retrospective into what could've or might have been..... Thanks again for listening. Please leave us some feedback, its the only way we know someone even knows we exist lol Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plum...
Eric and Andy continue the conversation with Chris Armstrong @pstheplumber on IG. Truewerk Code - MECHANICAL15 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...
Another new year is here! As we enter 2023 we find it useful to take a look back on the past year, our businesses, ourselves and also consider what the new year might bring our crazy busy lives. We hope you enjoy this and all our episodes. It has been awesome recording and sharing with you here from the MTGA studios. Thank you for your support and Happy New Year! -Eric & Andy Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickel...
Chris Armstrong of Armstrong plumbing and @pstheplumber on IG joins Eric and Andy to shoot the breeze about plumbing business and the trades. 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...
How are you handling the day to day materials deliveries? To the shop? To the Job? Do you live in a gated community like Andy? Tell us! Use the link below to tell us what you're doing! 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...
Every time we meet a potential customer, every time you bid on a project you're being interviewed. Talking trash about other contractors is not going to make you look as good as you might think... 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 chat about connected equipment and accessories. Are they needed and what benefits can a customer gain. 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 a few things on their van setup’s that they like. 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
Ever bid on a job then find out its maybe not the best idea to move forward? How about retracting your bid? This week Andy tells the story of this happening to him recently. Kinda makes you think about that time when we talked about finding the perfect customer. 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 welcome Chad Killinger into the studio for what turned out to be a fun B.S. session. We hope you enjoy this episode, if you haven't already please take a minute and rate the podcast on your favorite player app! 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 recalls a master shower system that he installed a few years ago with 13 heads. 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...
What about Bob, Andy has an update on the stolen van debacle. 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 recants a problem he recently had with a tool. The guys chat about emerging technology in the tool world. 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...
Ever have to tell a client their heating or cooling system need replaced? Sure! But have you done it when it was just three years old? The guys bs and talk about the week, how its going and whats coming up. 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 dig deep to compare the true cost of Fuel Oil, Electric, LP and Natural Gas as fuels for heating. Thanks to listener Steve for sending in the question: Is it time to get away from fuel oil and move to LP? You might be surprised how the fuel costs pencil 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...
Bonus - Eric and Andy discuss the results of a recent poll about how you like to stub out you water supplies. 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 pipe benders, machines and Wiha screwdrivers. 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
You gotta hear this crazy story! Andy's van might've been stolen...we're not sure just yet. 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 about the many ways to get paid as a contractor. Things have changed over the last handful of years, have you? There are like seventy-eleven ways to get paid for your services, how many are you accepting? 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 answer a listeners message about the difficult task of letting an employee go, along with some of the hurdles and issues that come up. 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 how natural disasters can affect supply chains in the building trades. 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 see his first nipple pack in this week's bonus episode. Things get dicey but there's a lesson to be learned from one of Eric's recent materials order. 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...
HVAC OnlyFans, custy watching, I need to concentrate! We polled out IG fam asking if they minded the customer watching while servicing/fixing a problem on site. The answers where what you'd expect...but wait, there's more! You gotta listen to see who thought what and why Andy thinks you should get to know your NASA rocket scientist client. 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...
