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!
Here's another one from AHR Expo 2024. Our friends Becky Brotherton and Michael Provenzano join us to talk about the iconic tool company's 100 years of manufacturing history and more. 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...
Heat Pumps are everywhere and Samsung HVAC has new technology on the market now and coming. Wade McCorkel of Samsung HVAC joins the guys at AHR Expo in Chicago to talk dual fuel and universal heat pump tech. 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...
Live from AHR Expo in Chicago, the guys sit down with Bryan Orr. Bryan Orr is the Co-Owner of Kalos Services Inc. an Orlando- area HVAC contracting business as well as an audio nerd and podcaster. 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...
Warning: Lots of weather talk in this one lol. When the weather dips to the double digits below zero (F) the heat needs to stay on because setting-back the temperature may be a recipe for disaster. The guys talk ways to combat the extreme cold and how talking with your customers ahead of the storm might be useful. 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...
Setting expectations ahead of starting a job is an obvious step in the process of service, repair, construction right? Eric tells of a recent job when it didn’t start out so great. 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...
Will Aune Plumbing expand in 2024? Looking back on 2023 and forward in the new year. There's always time to make plans and set goals but the new year seems like the most appropriate. What are some of your goals for 2024? 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...
If you're an apprentice this one's for you! If you're not an apprentice but know someone coming up in the trades, please share this with them asap! In this episode Eric & Andy go thru a list of five things/habits/behaviors today's apprentice needs to do or think about daily. 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...
It's that time of year to look forward into the new year. This is also worth reflecting on the past year to gauge successes. This isn't a New Year Resolution episode! 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...
Chad joins the guys to take a buzzfeed quiz to see what career we’re supposed to have. The results are as ridiculous as you probably expect. Thanks to our friend Chad Killinger for joining us. 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...
“If you break it down into bitesize pieces you can eat an elephant” -Andy In this episode the guys talk over how to approach estimating jobs large and small. Thanks to everyone writing in lately! 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...
Some old school tactics still work when looking for employment no matter how many job services are out there. The internet is awesome but following up on a job application can get you ahead of the competition. Also did you know there is a whole online service just for blue collar jobs? Check this out and more in this episode where the guys talk about how they got hired into the trades and what worked all those years ago, how it’s still working today. Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic...
More listener mail from Australia. The guys talk about some things they’d consider in preparation of starting a new 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...
Luke, from Adelaide, Australia writes in to ask about our thoughts on inexperienced technicians driving a throw away society vs. finding the fault and repairing equipment. 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...
Longtime listener Dillon writes in with a followup to an episode from almost two years ago when he was looking for advice on buying the business he was working for. Dillon is at the point in owning the business where he needs to expand. He also had to fire the son of the former owner of the business. Is not hiring and expanding as much of a risk as hiring? Maybe! Send us a text Send us your feedback or topic ideas over on our social channels! Eric Aune @mechanicalhub Andy Mickelson @mick_plumb N...
Andy tells us about a problem job they’ve been dealing with for a few years. Ever have one of those jobs you wish you never took on? How about a piece of equipment or materials you regret installing? 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 long is long enough for proper training in the skilled trades? It’s no secret we are not attracting more young adults than needed into the trades, could a shorter training period move the needle on interest? What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear from you! 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 recently talked about all these connected systems and appliances but what about an old school, simple system that’s not connected? Are we talking survival/prepping type of clientele or just simplification? 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 bringing in new techs and how Andy’s new hire is starting out with the company. 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 wondered why we prefer our turkey fried rather than baked or roasted? Curious about the art of Spatchcocking that gives us the most succulent chicken? Well, sit back, relax, and let's talk about our unique Thanksgiving practices. Our holiday dinner tables may not look like your average ones, but our smoked turkey, ham, and Spatchcock chickens on the pellet grill are certain to whet your appetite! As we traverse through the holiday season, road safety becomes a paramount concern. Join us as ...
"Coffee talk" lol, no really, the Nespresso machine is worth it! The guys BS some more in this episode about multiple topics like coffee and "why the hell did my M12 Fuel band saw turn to garbage?" -Eric As always, thank you for listening. Thank you for the feedback and please take a minute to rate us in your podcast app. We do appreciate your time! 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...
Ever wondered how the pros prepare for the harsh winter months in the HVAC industry? Well, you're in for a treat as we share our seasoned insights on dealing with the hustle and bustle of heating season, the significance of meticulous preparation, and the art of staying ahead in this game. Oh, and let's not forget the occasional 60-degree days that still have customers fretting about their feline friends' escapades in the great outdoors! Next up, let's talk job site organization and the benefits...
Ever had a customer reach into a gun safe overflowing with cash to pay for a service call? We've got a cracker of a chat lined up where we share our bemusing and sometimes perplexing experiences with customers doling out large amounts of cash for our services. From navigating the logistics of hefty bank deposits to the discomfort of possibly handling counterfeit money, we dive deep into this emerging trend that's got our brains buzzing. More than just an unexpected change in customer behavior, w...
Connected HVAC appliances aren't necessarily, they've been around for a while now but everyday there seems to be a new app, a new way to commission or some sort of incentive to internet monitoring. But do our customers want another app? Ar ethe incentives worth it? Remember when a furnace or water heater wasn't so fussy? We do and some of Eric's customers are starting to gripe about all this "necessary" technology. We're going to address the hesitation some customers have towards internet-connec...
Ever had a colossal blunder on your hands that resulted in a rooftop unit curb adapter not fitting the new unit? Well, that was us. Join us as we dissect this recent debacle, from our oversight of not getting the spec sheet for the curb adapter, to dealing with a reversed supply and return situation. We'll share some hard-learned lessons on the importance of acquiring the right information beforehand, and how a simple mistake can quickly escalate into a logistical nightmare. Moving onto delivery...
Are you walking the tightrope of remote troubleshooting? From dealing with difficult customer calls when systems fail to the tricky decision of when to inspect in-person or troubleshoot over the phone, we bring you a candid conversation about the realities of our industry. Let's take, for instance, the case of a customer with icy radiators - we'll walk you through this firsthand experience and show you how we approach such a scenario. The balancing act doesn't end there. In our deep-dive into th...
Do you ever wonder what makes 'some' contractors stand out from the crowd? What if we told you it's as simple as 'going the extra mile' for customers? This episode is a deep dive into the contractor-customer relationship. We discuss the importance of referring other contractors, and how crucial it is to have an open and honest approach while doing so. As we share our experiences, we underscore the critical nature of alerting the customer about potential issues that may arise, which they may not ...
As winter's icy grip fastens, are you prepared for the hike in heating costs? With nearly half of U.S households warming their homes with natural gas, many are in for a shock as heating costs skyrocket by 28% compared to last winter. But wait, there's hope! This episode provides tips on how to make savvy long-term investments like insulating your home and replacing old windows, particularly for homeowners in Northeast with older homes. Discover how you can protect yourself from the chill without...
Ever wondered about the complex process of hiring plumbers and the hurdles that businesses face along the way? Today, we take an insightful journey into the plumbing industry, discussing the key challenges that come with hiring plumbers, from pre-employment checks for licenses and insurance to assessing the potential of candidates with past mistakes. If you’re involved in, or considering a career in the plumbing industry, you’ll find this discussion chock-full of practical insights. We take a de...
Ever dreamed of running your own business? Buckle up as we reveal the top three blunders new entrepreneurs often fall prey to, and how a solid business plan can prove to be an invaluable tool in sidestepping these common pitfalls. Guided by the enduring wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, we underscore the role of meticulous planning in both life and business. Wondering how to safeguard your venture from the perils of overspending and underpricing? We dive deep into our own experiences and shed light o...
Ever been left in the lurch because you didn't have the right part at hand? Don’t let missing parts throw a wrench in your day. We explore the importance of a well-stocked parts kit, and how it can save both time and money when it comes to equipment installation and repairs. Drawing from my own experiences, we delve not only into the practical benefits of having the right part at hand, but also the potential cost implications. After all, having the right tools can be the difference between gaini...
