Built for the Trades

How do you build a successful trade company? Find out how other trade company owners are finding success.

Built for the Trades is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 139 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Built for the Trades, a business show with 139 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #16

  Are You Building a Business or a Life?

  Aug 25, 20266 minS4

  Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades podcast, Dan Dowdy explains why building a successful business isn't enough if your family isn't part of the vision. Dan shares the powerful picture of a family climbing a different mountain and challenges business owners to align their professional vision with their family life so they can build a successful business and a successful life together. Discussions Why Your Family Needs to Know Your Vision Dan explains why your spouse and kids can't fully support or understand sacrifices they were never included in or told about. The Cost of Business Success at Home Dan breaks down how business decisions can cost time, energy, evenings, weekends, and emotional capacity—and how those sacrifices affect your family. How to Create a Shared Vision Dan challenges leaders to sit down with their families, share what they're building, ask for input, and invite them into the journey instead of assuming they understand it. Leadership doesn't stop when you leave the office. Dan challenges trades business owners to look at the mountain they're climbing and ask whether their family is climbing the same one. Success isn't just about reaching the summit—it's about making sure the people who matter most are there with you. Don't just build a successful business. Build a successful life with the people you love. To learn more about Built for the Trades, visit our community and connect with other growth-minded trades leaders. If this message resonates with someone who is working hard to build their business while trying to stay connected to their family, share this episode with them. For more leadership support and to connect with other trades business owners, join our Built for the Trades Skool Community here: https://www.skool.com/built-for-the-trades/about Subscribe for more leadership and business tips! https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

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  Episode #15

  The Business Advice I Wish Someone Told Me 20 Years Ago

  Aug 11, 20265 minS4

  Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades podcast, Dan Dowdy talks about why every leader needs a mentor. Dan shares his experiences with business, leadership, and spiritual mentors, explains how to prepare for and get the most from a mentoring relationship, and shares how one simple piece of advice from a mentor completely changed his perspective on family and the season of life he was in. Discussions Why Every Leader Needs a Mentor The importance of having wise people who can speak truth, challenge you, and help you grow in different areas of life. How to Get the Most from Mentorship Why preparation matters and how showing up with questions, updates, and challenges demonstrates respect and makes mentorship more valuable. The Power of Perspective How mentorship goes beyond information by giving you wisdom and perspective, including a personal lesson that changed how Dan viewed his family and his current season of life. Leadership was never meant to be walked alone. Dan challenges listeners to consider who is speaking wisdom into their lives and to be intentional about finding people who can help them grow. If you have a mentor, honor that relationship by showing up prepared and ready to learn. And if you've been leading for a while, look for an opportunity to pour into someone else. Mentorship isn't just about learning what to do. Sometimes it's about seeing what you're already doing from a completely different perspective. To learn more about Built for the Trades, visit our community and connect with other growth-minded trades leaders. If this message resonates with someone who is trying to build their business alone, share this episode with them. For more leadership support and to connect with other trades business owners, join our Built for the Trades Skool Community here: https://www.skool.com/built-for-the-trades/about Subscribe for more leadership and business tips! https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

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  Episode #144

  Why Every Trades Business Owner Needs the Right Network

  Jul 28, 20266 minS4

  Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades Podcast, Dan Dowdy shares why the right environment and relationships are critical for business growth. He discusses how the rooms you are in can either limit you or challenge you to become a better leader, and why surrounding yourself with growth-minded people is essential for building a successful business. Discussions: How Your Environment Shapes Your Growth Why staying in the wrong rooms can keep business owners comfortable, isolated, and stuck at the same level. The Power of Surrounding Yourself With the Right People How the right network provides perspective, accountability, and relationships that challenge you to grow as a leader and owner. Why Community Matters for Trades Leaders The reason Built for the Trades was created and how connecting with other growth-minded owners can help you build a stronger business. Growth requires the right environment. The people you surround yourself with will influence the leader you become and the business you build. Dan challenges listeners to evaluate the rooms they are currently in: Are the people around you challenging you, sharpening you, and helping you grow? If not, it may be time to find a new room. Isolation is the enemy of excellence. Surround yourself with leaders who will push you forward, hold you accountable, and help you become the person you want to be. To learn more about Built for the Trades, visit our community and connect with other growth-minded trades leaders. If this message resonates with someone who is trying to build their business alone, share this episode with them. For more leadership support and to connect with other trades business owners, join our Built for the Trades Skool Community here: https://www.skool.com/built-for-the-trades/about Free Coaching Call: Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp Subscribe for more leadership and business tips! https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

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  Episode #13

  How Much Can You Afford to Pay Your Team? The 20% Profit Formula

  Jul 14, 20268 minS4

  Overview In this episode, Dan breaks down one of the biggest questions trades business owners face: How much can you actually afford to pay your team? He explains why payroll decisions should be driven by profitability instead of emotion and shares simple financial benchmarks that help business owners build a stable, profitable company. Discussions Learn why healthy payroll starts with healthy profit margins and how chasing revenue alone can lead to costly compensation decisions. Discover the ideal payroll percentages for field labor and total company labor, along with the simple formulas to calculate them. Understand how tracking these benchmarks helps you confidently decide when to give raises, hire new team members, and grow without sacrificing profitability. If you're ready to make smarter payroll decisions, strengthen your margins, and build a business that supports both your team and your long-term goals, this episode provides practical numbers you can start using today. Don't forget to subscribe to the Built for the Trades Podcast and share this episode with another trades business owner who could benefit from these insights. For more leadership support and to connect with other trades business owners, join our Built for the Trades Skool Community here: https://www.skool.com/built-for-the-trades/about Free Coaching Call: Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips! https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

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  Episode #12

  Problems Don't Age Well: A Leadership Lesson Every Business Owner Needs

  Jun 30, 20264 minS4

  Overview In this episode of the Built for the Trades Podcast, Dan Dowdy shares a powerful leadership lesson: problems don't age well. He explains why delaying difficult conversations and avoiding leadership challenges only makes them more costly, and encourages leaders to address issues early to build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more effective businesses. Discussions Problems Don't Age Well: Delaying leadership issues only allows them to grow more costly and more difficult to resolve. The Importance of Tough Conversations: Strong leaders address challenges early instead of avoiding uncomfortable discussions. Taking Action Before It's Too Late: Small, consistent actions to fix problems today prevent bigger issues from impacting your team and business tomorrow. Leadership isn't about avoiding problems, it's about addressing them with courage and consistency. By taking action early, you strengthen your team, protect your culture, and continue growing as the leader your business needs. For more leadership support and to connect with other trades business owners, join our Built for the Trades Skool Community here: https://www.skool.com/built-for-the-trades/about Free Coaching Call: Looking to dive deeper into your leadership journey? Schedule a free 30-minute coaching session with me at https://link.builtforthetrades.com/widget/booking/qetDwdbwknifZZLUGwwp 👉 Subscribe for more leadership and business tips! https://www.youtube.com/@builtforthetrades

  ListenShow Notes

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