Blue is the New White Podcast

Blue Is The New White: Episode #165

Got a wild one for you today, guys.

3 guests on the show today – 2 of them returning, 1 of them brand new.

So our returning guests, Paige Knowles and Ken “Coach” Midgett talk about some of the things they’ve been up to since the last time they were on. Of course, Paige has yet another children's book on plumbing. Truly amazing.

Blue Is The New White: Episode #164

Our guest today is only 29 years old, but is a very successful business owner in the world of restoration.

Eduard Mirzoian shares his journey with us today from his parents immigrating from Armenia when he was only 6 months old to his experiences in high school, life in and after college, and eventually working with his father to owning his own restoration business.

Listen in to hear a ton of act...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #163

I’m thrilled to be able to share this next episode with you. I’ve got Charles and Anthony Bracco of Modern Plumbing Industries out of Orlando Florida on the show today. 

These guys are not skilled trades social media influencers. They are real, genuine entrepreneurs who have built and run an...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #162

Today we talk with a guest who was introduced to me by my good friend and frequent guest Matt Waxer, or the HVAC Doctor as you may know him.

Terence Chan is one of the most forward-thinking people in I’ve met in the blue collar space. Always looking toward the next generation of workforce.

Listen in to hear Terence's journey from straight A student, to engineer, to plumber, and eventually to busi...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #161

Jeff Bond from Trade Jobs joins us today to share his journey into the blue collar world! After College he became a teacher, then got involved with an HVAC company, and eventually bought that company!

After some hard lessons, he stabilized the business and set out to fill a need that 98% of blue collar business owners see at their #1 problem: hiring and recruiting.

Trade Jobs is an industry speci...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #160

Today we have an awesome guest, ready to share her infinite knowledge about marketing blue collar businesses. Brittany Murphy, the Marketing Director for One Thing Marketing focusing on home service companies.

Brittany grew up around the skilled trades with her dad being a pipefitter. And she attributes her love for building things to the values he instilled in her from a young age. After going t...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #159

Today we have a guest you probably already know. And if you don’t you better follow him right now.

Roger Wakefield is one of the biggest personalities in the skilled trades and he’s taking his mission to the next level.

We talk about his journey through the trades, beginning with dropping out of high school to be a plumber!

Then to taking his skills to entrepreneurship, starting, running, and gro...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #158

Today we welcome BACK to the show Mr Ryan Englin with Core Matters.

Ryan was on the show back in June of 2021, I believe it was episode 104, and he is an expert at attracting, recruiting, hiring, and most importantly, keeping good employees. Note that I said GOOD employees and not just employees.

Although his methods are transferrable across different industries, his passion lies in the blue coll...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #157

👉👉 Buy a raffle ticket to win the completely restored ’69 Camaro we spoke about last year. To be completed in a couple months: Check out www.operativetalent.com

The foundation website itself at https://www.collisioneducationfoundation.org/

And be sure to vote for CREF at the LKQ Community Foundation Holiday Fundraiser once per day, per device! https://bit.ly/3FIbfY6

Mr Brandon Eckenrode now t...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #156

Today we talk with a coach in the blue-collar space. Jeff Plant is Head Business Coach at BDR – Business Development Resource. They, and he, specializes in providing training and coaching services to the skilled trades industry.

Jeff jumped into the trades after high school in the electrical field, but soon got started in HVAC. He worked his way up the ladder in the industry from helper to tech t...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #155

Today’s guest is a hell of an entrepreneur. And actually knew that’s what she wanted to be since she was just a kid. Danielle Putnam, president of The New Flat Rate, joins us today to talk about her journey to get to where she is today.

From a long line of trade professionals, Danielle was no stranger to the world of work. Just after high school she joined a company that took her to 25 different ...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #153

Super excited about todays guest. We talk about the business and leadership side of the skilled trades every once in a while and I absolutely LOVE when we get that opportunity. Today I speak with Corwin Smith, one of the cofounders of Culture to Cash. They are a consulting firm, primarily serving the blue collar world, and help companies:

1. Improve profitability & Cashflow

2. Achieve Leadershi...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #153

Ok, so buckle up. Today we have a true game changer on the show. And when I say game-changer, I mean this company is on a course to alter the skilled trades landscape and future middle class, forever. Eric Menees, CEO of Fynn Credit joins us today to talk about how their creative financing solutions are enable more students to attend trade school AND be placed with permanent employment.

Eric has ...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #152

Alright so today we bring in someone from the education sector to give us his perspective of the industries that we all know and love. Parker Antoine is the CTE Director of Marketing, Recruitment, and Enrollment Management for the Orange County Public School District in Florida. Which happens to be something like the 8^th largest school district in the US.

Parker’s passion for the ind...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #151

Today we get the opportunity to speak with the CEO of the largest residential plumbing company in California. John Akhoian joins us today to talk to us all about how he grew his empire.

John dropped out of high school at 17 years old after his father passed and immediately understood he was no longer going to pursue his father’s dream of coming an attorney. Instead, he jumped right into plumbin...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #150

Today we dive deeper into leadership in the skilled trades with special guest, Nanette Miner of The Training Doctor. Nanette is a succession advisor and leadership development consultant for the AEC (Architectural, Engineering, and Construction) industries.

Nanette started off consulting for Fortune 100 companies and eventually found her niche in the AEC industries because she saw a void that n...

Blue Is The New White: Episode #148

Today we’ve got someone on the show from my neck of the woods. Todd Russo, president of Reeis Air Conditioning and IS Mechanical joins us to talk all about his journey through the skilled trades all the way into entrepreneurship.

Todd learned to love working with his hands and building at a young age. He went to high school in Phoenix where he worked with a contracting company. He also helped h...