May 21, 2025 • 18 mins
In this special compilation episode, Sy brings together powerful insights from past guests, each answering the same crucial question: "What advice do you have for a blue-collar worker who’s sick of being stuck in the mud?" Whether that frustration is physical, emotional, or mental, this episode delivers straight talk and practical wisdom from voices who’ve been through the grind—and made it out stronger.
From the muddy trenches of the jobsite to the mental battle of feeling overlooked and underappreciated, our guests open up about the real struggles faced in the blue-collar and construction industries. You'll hear unfiltered stories from ditch hands, business owners, and seasoned foremen who all know what it means to feel stuck. But more importantly, they share what it takes to get unstuck. Learn why consistency, effective communication, and a willingness to speak up can completely shift your trajectory, whether you're aiming to scale a business, move up in your role, or simply reclaim your drive.
This episode is packed with real-world impact and gritty advice on navigating burnout, building company culture, and finding encouragement in even the toughest seasons. Our guests touch on everything from job site politics and poor leadership to the mental toll of the daily grind and how small, intentional changes can lead to big shifts over time. If you’ve ever felt like your effort goes unseen or your potential is being wasted, this conversation is for you.
At its core, this episode is about more than career advice—it's a reminder that you’re not alone, and your work matters. Whether you’re an operator, a laborer, or leading a team, this is your blueprint for moving forward. Tune in and take the first step out of the mud and toward a more motivated, impactful blue-collar life.
Blue Collar Performance MarketingClick the link above for a free marketing audit with insights to boost your blue collar business!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast
, where we discuss the realest,rawest, most relevant stories
and strategies behind buildingevery corner of a blue collar
business.
I'm your host, Cy Kirby, and Iwant to help you in what it took
me trial and error and a wholelot of money to learn the
information that no one in thisindustry is willing to share.
Whether you're under that shadetree or have your hard hat on,
(00:30):
let's expand your toolbox.
I ask everybody on this show.
Every episode we end with thiswhat's a takeaway for just the
blue collar worker who is sickand tired of being stuck in the
mud and that may be um mostliteral, like you're thinking um
(00:51):
in those irrigation muddyditches, or it can be a guy up
here, and that's what a lot ofus face is that mental mindset
that we can't get out of?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I think that we all have that from time to time.
There's no way you're going towork for yourself, and not in
some of those slow moments orwhen something happens beyond
your control.
Go, what am I doing, right,brother?
(01:23):
So that's pretty normal.
I think that, putting one footin front of the other.
In the 25, 30 years I've beendoing this, the things that I
can remember having majorworries about are just water
(01:48):
under the bridge.
Now, Well that's reassuring.
I hear you know.
So, when there are issues, evenif they arise and they seem
pretty big and keep putting onefoot in front of the other, it's
not going to be long beforeyou're on the other side of it
the biggest thing is to not losewho you are through those
(02:11):
issues.
Some of my biggest issues I'vehad with jobs in the past.
Those people became thosecustomers, became my biggest
supporters, and it was becauseof the effort I was willing to
put in to make sure things wereright.
Um, you know, people havematerials that aren't what
(02:37):
they're supposed to be.
You know, they have things thatdon't go together the way
they're designed to.
Uh, there's just always going tobe something, and it's not that
you may have a problem, it'show are you going to handle it?
Um, you know, uh, thisintegrity that you have through
(02:59):
that is going to catapult yourbusiness, going to catapult your
business.
It's not going to destroy yourbusiness, okay, it's.
You sit there and you worry.
It's like, ah, I've ruinedeverything I'm fixing to.
Just I'm fixing to go under.
I just, you know, and it's, andjust just keep, keep going,
(03:19):
cause it it honestly is, uh, notquite as bad as you thought it
was, and it's going to work out.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Man, that's reassuring.
It's just reassuring to hearand you know what Getting up,
watching that sun come up,watching that sun go down every
day.
And you're right, time's ahealer of all.
And keep on trucking, guys.
I ask everybody that comes onthe show, what's the takeaway
for the blue-collar worker whois sick and tired of being stuck
(03:50):
in the mud?
And that's not just physically,I'm talking about mentally, as
you guys know what we've gonethrough over the years, just
talking about putting Trey onsuicide watch when he's got 60s,
having to coach running.
There's so much more of amental game going up here.
But what about that labor handthat hasn't had the opportunity
and he's the greatest operatorout there in the world and
(04:10):
nobody knows him and he hasn'tbeen given that opportunity.
What can they use every day tokeep?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
going.
What can they use every day tokeep going?
Well, a Red Bull will start itoff pretty damn good.
Or a monster drag that all ourguys do it, hell, you know
there'll be a trash can pullingdown empty can analysis sales
use.
You know, if you get that youngguy, that or a woman that
doesn't feel like that, they'regoing up.
You know I'm saying, yes, sir,maybe they go talk to the boss.
(04:40):
Just go, go have a good talk,you know.
And which, if you're working forsomebody, it's an asshole, just
quit tomorrow because you cango work for somebody appreciate.
You know, if you ever work forsomebody don't appreciate you,
you're in the wrong spot.
Agreed, don't never work forsomebody don't appreciate you.
And but you know, and if you'reworking for a boss that is not
(05:00):
just a total ass, he's going tolisten to you and he's's going
to say you know what, tomorrow,let's go put some time in this
machine, you know.
Or if you're on this job, getout of the water truck, go over,
tell the excavator operator tolet you run.
You know the last two hours, youknow that can speak up, be, or
you won't see it, ideally.
But what you want to do is youwant to be the guy that's on the
(05:22):
job site, that that boss, thatwhoever's running it for your
company knows, like whetherthey're like, hey, you need to
go fill up the water jugs,they're the one that they'll go
do it.
But if you're also, you knowyou want to be the one you're
gonna water jug.
But if they're 15 years, we gotpallets of bottled water.
They They'll have two drinksand set it on the machine.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
What can you say and this is kind of the running
question here of the show.
What's a takeaway for theblue-collar worker that is just
stuck in the mud?
Whether he's a foreman that youcan see potential in and wonder
why he's there.
Whether it's just a ditch handlistening to this trying to
(06:04):
figure out what's his next step,or a business owner that is
struggling to have aconversation with you.
What for that guy?
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Well, we've talked around it, We've talked about it
, and we're talking about theconstruction world.
Yes, sir, um, you, you as a, asa construction person, whether
you're the guy in the trance oryou're the business owner, um,
if you go into the mindset ofI'm going to cover my ass, no
(06:35):
matter what, um, you're notgoing to be successful and
people are not going to want towork with you.
Then the phrase that manycontractors like to use but,
quite frankly, this, I guarantee, is going to get them into
issues is when they say well, Ijust built it for the plants,
and you know the engineer, theowners.
(06:56):
They'll look at them and say,well, why didn't you ask the
question?
Why didn't you ask a question?
Why didn't you do it?
And it comes back to effectivecommunication.
It doesn't matter if it's ablue collar job, a white collar
job or anywhere in between.
If you want to be successful,you have to be a communicator,
(07:19):
you have to be able tocommunicate effectively, and it
doesn't matter if it's reading,writing or speaking.
Whatever it is, Effectivecommunication is the key.
Like I said.
The other side of it, though,is just an intention to detail
and be willing to work hard.
I'm always impressed when I seethe guy out in the field who is
(07:42):
working hard, getting after it,doing whatever it takes to make
it happen, I can tell on anyproject, doesn't matter which
one it is.
I can tell you within a weekthe superintendents that I'm
going to like and thesuperintendents I'm not going to
like, just by how they interactwith the other guys in the
(08:03):
field, whether or not theirboots are clean by the way, I
like your nice dirty stuff and Ican literally tell within a
week if this can be a successfulproject or not.
Everybody remembers Jimmy Jones.
I think, oh my gosh, In thisarea, yeah for sure, Jimmy
(08:24):
actually taught me a lot.
I'll never forget.
One time he told me I forgetwhere we're in that at and we
get out of the truck and he'sgoing to look at me and he goes
man, I'm glad to see you gotdirty boots on he goes.
I can tell that you get out inthe field and that you get out
and talk to people.
And you know you can say a lotof things about Jimmy, but Jimmy
and I we did the same thing.
We talked it out and we figuredout a lot of stuff in the field
(08:49):
.
It made it work.
That's why we're here.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Jimmy did build a lot of the original subdivision
here and he and I did ittogether out here standing in
the dirt.
It's really the only way to doit.
It is the only way.
The communication I speak onbut it's not just communication,
it's clear, effective, direct,intentional communication.
(09:12):
Direct, intentionalcommunication.
Don't be with if you're goingto write an email and you need a
response.
Don't be all around the bushand here and there and legal
beagle If you're trying to getthrough it.
They need direct information sothey can move.
I need direct information, Ican move.
So if I'm needing directinformation, why do I give all
these indirect questions Realquick here?
(09:38):
I've got to give a shout out toour guys over at Blue Collar
Performance Marketing, ike andhis team.
They have been helping theSciCon team and been helping
behind the scenes here with theBlue Collar Business Podcast and
helping push it out.
They are an incredible teamfrom a value standpoint of.
I'm an excavation guy and I'mtrying to tiptoe into the
(10:01):
marketing world.
Obviously we're pushing prettyhard, but I needed somebody to
guide me.
I don't know what I'm doingwith the marketing side of
things, I'm just creatingcontent.
There was no strategy behind it.
Ike and his team have done agreat job pointing me in the
right direction and making sureI'm spending my dollars wisely
on sponsored ads, targeted ads.
(10:22):
So shout out to those guys andthank you so much for your avid
sponsorship here on the BlueCollar Business Podcast.
What's the takeaway for theblue collar worker who is stuck
dead in the water, just tired ofbeing stuck in the mud?
Maybe literally, because that'skind of our space.
(10:45):
But what about the foreman outthere who thinks he's never
going to make it or advance?
What do you see from yourposition?
You see blue collar men andwomen.
You hear me talk about thethings that they struggle with.
What's the things that you seethat they could take away from
(11:07):
this conversation to help themmove forward in any parameter?
Speaker 4 (11:13):
I don't really know if it's a part of this
conversation, but theblue-collar industry, the
blue-collar world, is so big andit is daunting and overwhelming
at times.
But nothing changes if nothingchanges.
And so you know, if, if you aretired of being stuck where
(11:38):
you're at or you feel like thereis no hope or way to move past
what you're going through rightnow, smart start with small
changes.
You know, like, if you arerunning into constantly not
having CEOs paid for, if you'rerunning into problems like that,
(12:01):
start with taking a pictureevery single day of your job
site.
You know when it, when you feellike it doesn't matter, take a
picture, take a picture, take apicture, take a picture.
You know what I mean.
Like nothing changes if nothingchanges.
And so, like, if you feel likeyou're stuck where you're at and
where you don't want to be,find some kind of something to
(12:25):
make a change with it.
And I can't tell you how manytimes that we've done that and
it's been frustrating andoverwhelming.
But you know you're never stuckwhere you're at.
It's not over till it's over.
And when they're putting you ina box six foot under, that's
(12:46):
when you know you've done it allyou can do, and until then just
try something different, causeyou know what's the worst that
can happen.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
And actually consistently do it.
Yes, yeah, consistency, yesyeah.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Consistency yes, like it does take consistency,
because in our world it's athree month turnaround.
So, like you, just need to youjust need to remember.
So if you start something,start something for 90 days, and
if in 90 days you don't see apositive impact, maybe let it go
(13:18):
, try something different.
But whatever you start, stickwith it for 90 days, because in
the blue-collar industryeverything happens in 90-day
cycles.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Everything can change in three months.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yes, everything, yep absolutely.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
That is such a good takeaway.
Seriously, what's a takeawayfor the blue-collar worker who's
just physically, mentally,emotionally, just stuck in the
mud, or, quite literally, how dowe help him?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
Well, I think first we've got to understand what his
goal is.
You know, is you know?
Because when we talk about bluecollar guys, there's a lot of
them there.
I don't know that they reallywant to be anything more than a
ditch hand.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
You're right.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
They may not want to be more than a foreman.
They may not want to be morethan a foreman.
They may not want to be morethan a superintendent.
They may not want to come inthe office and be the project
manager.
They're the guy that wants tobe out in the elements every day
.
So I think we've got tounderstand what they want first,
and once you identify thatperson, then I think you just
(14:26):
need to feed them and encouragethem, man, that's right.
You know, get down on theirlevel and talk to them, whatever
level that is, you know, anddon't, because I can tell you,
dude, ditch hand's the hardestwork there is going on in a
construction project.
You bet.
So you better appreciate them.
On a construction project, youbet.
So you better appreciate them.
(14:48):
And so I would just say that toall the guys out there that
maybe are struggling.
You know, if you're not gettingthat kind of encouragement from
the people you work for, maybeyou're not working for the right
people you know, Maybe you needto be looking for another place
to work.
someone that's going to, youknow, encourage you and help you
, you know now you got to doyour part too.
You can't call in on Mondaysand Fridays, sick all the time.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Come on, talk about it.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
You can't have no Monday and Friday-itis.
So you've, got to do your parttoo, no matter what level you're
at, but I would just say, theculture of the company that you
work for is what you should besizing up.
That's what you should belooking for.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
And if you're not?
Speaker 6 (15:28):
feeling that right now and it's got you in that
place you just described andwhere it's it's life ain't fun
right now, then, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
It's hard to stay motivated.
Yeah, it's hard, you know it'shard hard to stay motivated man.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
And so you know, you got, you got.
You got your wife at homehollering at you because you
ain't bringing home enough moneypay the bills mine happens to
be the pay lady I mean I'musually yelling at her.
I need numbers you know, she'slike I need money right so so
you know it's, it's all achallenge.
I mean no matter what levelyou're in, but I would just
(15:59):
encourage those guys out thereto to, to look for a better
place to work, man becausethey're out there If you're a
good construction worker.
I promise you, there's peoplelooking for you right now.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Because I talk to owners just like you, every day
you bet.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
And I've yet to talk to one in the last I don't know
how many years that said man, Idon't need nobody, I got plenty.
I'm having to turn guys down.
That conversation very quicklyis always about man.
If I could just find a couplemore good guys.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
And that could be ditch hand, that could be
superintendent, it could be shophand.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
I hired a guy on Monday.
Two new faces on Monday.
We've hired a few in the lastcouple of weeks because we've
got a ton of work.
This guy called my office 14times in three days.
That's how he's wanting to work.
He's wanting to work and turnsout he don't want to work, so
(16:56):
he's going to go down a rut.
But what I'm getting at is Iwasn't really looking for that
extra, extra one.
But if somebody wants to showme, man, dude, all I need a
chance, all I need a chance, Iam the guy that gives the
chances.
unfortunately, right andnormally I get burnt right, um,
but at the same time I try totake care of my people, etc.
(17:16):
Um, it's a long road out there,man.
It's hard, it's a long road.
Speaker 6 (17:23):
You're not picking an easy profession.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
No, and any of you guys listening.
I encourage you, man, becausewe're all grinding this out
together and 2024 has been hard,I don't care what level you're
at.
It has been brutally hard athome, which of course drives a
lot of our attitudes duringbusiness, during the day,
(17:46):
because I don't care if you'rean employer, an employee or
you're pretty much trying tojust get by this year.
That's right, and just byliving, I mean groceries and gas
and everything's so damn high.
But at the same time I justencourage you get up.
Nothing changes if nothingchanges, and just change
something small about your day.
(18:06):
Just one Carry that for a week.
Second week make sure we'restill doing that change.
Add another change.
Discipline, of course, equatesinto that.
If you've enjoyed this episode,be sure to give it a like,
Share it with the fellers.
Check out our website to sendus any questions and comments
about your experience in theblue collar business.
(18:27):
Who do you want to hear from?
Send them our way and we'll doour best to answer any questions
you may have.
Till next time, guys.
Hey guys, welcome to the Blue Collar Business Podcast
, where we discuss the realest,rawest, most relevant stories
and strategies behind buildingevery corner of a blue collar
business.
I'm your host, Cy Kirby, and Iwant to help you in what it took
me trial and error and a wholelot of money to learn the
information that no one in thisindustry is willing to share.
Whether you're under that shadetree or have your hard hat on,
(00:30):
let's expand your toolbox.
I ask everybody on this show.
Every episode we end with thiswhat's a takeaway for just the
blue collar worker who is sickand tired of being stuck in the
mud and that may be um mostliteral, like you're thinking um
(00:51):
in those irrigation muddyditches, or it can be a guy up
here, and that's what a lot ofus face is that mental mindset
that we can't get out of?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I think that we all have that from time to time.
There's no way you're going towork for yourself, and not in
some of those slow moments orwhen something happens beyond
your control.
Go, what am I doing, right,brother?
(01:23):
So that's pretty normal.
I think that, putting one footin front of the other.
In the 25, 30 years I've beendoing this, the things that I
can remember having majorworries about are just water
(01:48):
under the bridge.
Now, Well that's reassuring.
I hear you know.
So, when there are issues, evenif they arise and they seem
pretty big and keep putting onefoot in front of the other, it's
not going to be long beforeyou're on the other side of it
the biggest thing is to not losewho you are through those
(02:11):
issues.
Some of my biggest issues I'vehad with jobs in the past.
Those people became thosecustomers, became my biggest
supporters, and it was becauseof the effort I was willing to
put in to make sure things wereright.
Um, you know, people havematerials that aren't what
(02:37):
they're supposed to be.
You know, they have things thatdon't go together the way
they're designed to.
Uh, there's just always going tobe something, and it's not that
you may have a problem, it'show are you going to handle it?
Um, you know, uh, thisintegrity that you have through
(02:59):
that is going to catapult yourbusiness, going to catapult your
business.
It's not going to destroy yourbusiness, okay, it's.
You sit there and you worry.
It's like, ah, I've ruinedeverything I'm fixing to.
Just I'm fixing to go under.
I just, you know, and it's, andjust just keep, keep going,
(03:19):
cause it it honestly is, uh, notquite as bad as you thought it
was, and it's going to work out.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Man, that's reassuring.
It's just reassuring to hearand you know what Getting up,
watching that sun come up,watching that sun go down every
day.
And you're right, time's ahealer of all.
And keep on trucking, guys.
I ask everybody that comes onthe show, what's the takeaway
for the blue-collar worker whois sick and tired of being stuck
(03:50):
in the mud?
And that's not just physically,I'm talking about mentally, as
you guys know what we've gonethrough over the years, just
talking about putting Trey onsuicide watch when he's got 60s,
having to coach running.
There's so much more of amental game going up here.
But what about that labor handthat hasn't had the opportunity
and he's the greatest operatorout there in the world and
(04:10):
nobody knows him and he hasn'tbeen given that opportunity.
What can they use every day tokeep?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
going.
What can they use every day tokeep going?
Well, a Red Bull will start itoff pretty damn good.
Or a monster drag that all ourguys do it, hell, you know
there'll be a trash can pullingdown empty can analysis sales
use.
You know, if you get that youngguy, that or a woman that
doesn't feel like that, they'regoing up.
You know I'm saying, yes, sir,maybe they go talk to the boss.
(04:40):
Just go, go have a good talk,you know.
And which, if you're working forsomebody, it's an asshole, just
quit tomorrow because you cango work for somebody appreciate.
You know, if you ever work forsomebody don't appreciate you,
you're in the wrong spot.
Agreed, don't never work forsomebody don't appreciate you.
And but you know, and if you'reworking for a boss that is not
(05:00):
just a total ass, he's going tolisten to you and he's's going
to say you know what, tomorrow,let's go put some time in this
machine, you know.
Or if you're on this job, getout of the water truck, go over,
tell the excavator operator tolet you run.
You know the last two hours, youknow that can speak up, be, or
you won't see it, ideally.
But what you want to do is youwant to be the guy that's on the
(05:22):
job site, that that boss, thatwhoever's running it for your
company knows, like whetherthey're like, hey, you need to
go fill up the water jugs,they're the one that they'll go
do it.
But if you're also, you knowyou want to be the one you're
gonna water jug.
But if they're 15 years, we gotpallets of bottled water.
They They'll have two drinksand set it on the machine.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
What can you say and this is kind of the running
question here of the show.
What's a takeaway for theblue-collar worker that is just
stuck in the mud?
Whether he's a foreman that youcan see potential in and wonder
why he's there.
Whether it's just a ditch handlistening to this trying to
(06:04):
figure out what's his next step,or a business owner that is
struggling to have aconversation with you.
What for that guy?
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Well, we've talked around it, We've talked about it
, and we're talking about theconstruction world.
Yes, sir, um, you, you as a, asa construction person, whether
you're the guy in the trance oryou're the business owner, um,
if you go into the mindset ofI'm going to cover my ass, no
(06:35):
matter what, um, you're notgoing to be successful and
people are not going to want towork with you.
Then the phrase that manycontractors like to use but,
quite frankly, this, I guarantee, is going to get them into
issues is when they say well, Ijust built it for the plants,
and you know the engineer, theowners.
(06:56):
They'll look at them and say,well, why didn't you ask the
question?
Why didn't you ask a question?
Why didn't you do it?
And it comes back to effectivecommunication.
It doesn't matter if it's ablue collar job, a white collar
job or anywhere in between.
If you want to be successful,you have to be a communicator,
(07:19):
you have to be able tocommunicate effectively, and it
doesn't matter if it's reading,writing or speaking.
Whatever it is, Effectivecommunication is the key.
Like I said.
The other side of it, though,is just an intention to detail
and be willing to work hard.
I'm always impressed when I seethe guy out in the field who is
(07:42):
working hard, getting after it,doing whatever it takes to make
it happen, I can tell on anyproject, doesn't matter which
one it is.
I can tell you within a weekthe superintendents that I'm
going to like and thesuperintendents I'm not going to
like, just by how they interactwith the other guys in the
(08:03):
field, whether or not theirboots are clean by the way, I
like your nice dirty stuff and Ican literally tell within a
week if this can be a successfulproject or not.
Everybody remembers Jimmy Jones.
I think, oh my gosh, In thisarea, yeah for sure, Jimmy
(08:24):
actually taught me a lot.
I'll never forget.
One time he told me I forgetwhere we're in that at and we
get out of the truck and he'sgoing to look at me and he goes
man, I'm glad to see you gotdirty boots on he goes.
I can tell that you get out inthe field and that you get out
and talk to people.
And you know you can say a lotof things about Jimmy, but Jimmy
and I we did the same thing.
We talked it out and we figuredout a lot of stuff in the field
(08:49):
.
It made it work.
That's why we're here.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Jimmy did build a lot of the original subdivision
here and he and I did ittogether out here standing in
the dirt.
It's really the only way to doit.
It is the only way.
The communication I speak onbut it's not just communication,
it's clear, effective, direct,intentional communication.
(09:12):
Direct, intentionalcommunication.
Don't be with if you're goingto write an email and you need a
response.
Don't be all around the bushand here and there and legal
beagle If you're trying to getthrough it.
They need direct information sothey can move.
I need direct information, Ican move.
So if I'm needing directinformation, why do I give all
these indirect questions Realquick here?
(09:38):
I've got to give a shout out toour guys over at Blue Collar
Performance Marketing, ike andhis team.
They have been helping theSciCon team and been helping
behind the scenes here with theBlue Collar Business Podcast and
helping push it out.
They are an incredible teamfrom a value standpoint of.
I'm an excavation guy and I'mtrying to tiptoe into the
(10:01):
marketing world.
Obviously we're pushing prettyhard, but I needed somebody to
guide me.
I don't know what I'm doingwith the marketing side of
things, I'm just creatingcontent.
There was no strategy behind it.
Ike and his team have done agreat job pointing me in the
right direction and making sureI'm spending my dollars wisely
on sponsored ads, targeted ads.
(10:22):
So shout out to those guys andthank you so much for your avid
sponsorship here on the BlueCollar Business Podcast.
What's the takeaway for theblue collar worker who is stuck
dead in the water, just tired ofbeing stuck in the mud?
Maybe literally, because that'skind of our space.
(10:45):
But what about the foreman outthere who thinks he's never
going to make it or advance?
What do you see from yourposition?
You see blue collar men andwomen.
You hear me talk about thethings that they struggle with.
What's the things that you seethat they could take away from
(11:07):
this conversation to help themmove forward in any parameter?
Speaker 4 (11:13):
I don't really know if it's a part of this
conversation, but theblue-collar industry, the
blue-collar world, is so big andit is daunting and overwhelming
at times.
But nothing changes if nothingchanges.
And so you know, if, if you aretired of being stuck where
(11:38):
you're at or you feel like thereis no hope or way to move past
what you're going through rightnow, smart start with small
changes.
You know, like, if you arerunning into constantly not
having CEOs paid for, if you'rerunning into problems like that,
(12:01):
start with taking a pictureevery single day of your job
site.
You know when it, when you feellike it doesn't matter, take a
picture, take a picture, take apicture, take a picture.
You know what I mean.
Like nothing changes if nothingchanges.
And so, like, if you feel likeyou're stuck where you're at and
where you don't want to be,find some kind of something to
(12:25):
make a change with it.
And I can't tell you how manytimes that we've done that and
it's been frustrating andoverwhelming.
But you know you're never stuckwhere you're at.
It's not over till it's over.
And when they're putting you ina box six foot under, that's
(12:46):
when you know you've done it allyou can do, and until then just
try something different, causeyou know what's the worst that
can happen.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
And actually consistently do it.
Yes, yeah, consistency, yesyeah.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Consistency yes, like it does take consistency,
because in our world it's athree month turnaround.
So, like you, just need to youjust need to remember.
So if you start something,start something for 90 days, and
if in 90 days you don't see apositive impact, maybe let it go
(13:18):
, try something different.
But whatever you start, stickwith it for 90 days, because in
the blue-collar industryeverything happens in 90-day
cycles.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Everything can change in three months.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yes, everything, yep absolutely.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
That is such a good takeaway.
Seriously, what's a takeawayfor the blue-collar worker who's
just physically, mentally,emotionally, just stuck in the
mud, or, quite literally, how dowe help him?
Speaker 6 (13:52):
Well, I think first we've got to understand what his
goal is.
You know, is you know?
Because when we talk about bluecollar guys, there's a lot of
them there.
I don't know that they reallywant to be anything more than a
ditch hand.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
You're right.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
They may not want to be more than a foreman.
They may not want to be morethan a foreman.
They may not want to be morethan a superintendent.
They may not want to come inthe office and be the project
manager.
They're the guy that wants tobe out in the elements every day
.
So I think we've got tounderstand what they want first,
and once you identify thatperson, then I think you just
(14:26):
need to feed them and encouragethem, man, that's right.
You know, get down on theirlevel and talk to them, whatever
level that is, you know, anddon't, because I can tell you,
dude, ditch hand's the hardestwork there is going on in a
construction project.
You bet.
So you better appreciate them.
On a construction project, youbet.
So you better appreciate them.
(14:48):
And so I would just say that toall the guys out there that
maybe are struggling.
You know, if you're not gettingthat kind of encouragement from
the people you work for, maybeyou're not working for the right
people you know, Maybe you needto be looking for another place
to work.
someone that's going to, youknow, encourage you and help you
, you know now you got to doyour part too.
You can't call in on Mondaysand Fridays, sick all the time.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Come on, talk about it.
Speaker 6 (15:09):
You can't have no Monday and Friday-itis.
So you've, got to do your parttoo, no matter what level you're
at, but I would just say, theculture of the company that you
work for is what you should besizing up.
That's what you should belooking for.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
And if you're not?
Speaker 6 (15:28):
feeling that right now and it's got you in that
place you just described andwhere it's it's life ain't fun
right now, then, it's hard.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
It's hard to stay motivated.
Yeah, it's hard, you know it'shard hard to stay motivated man.
Speaker 6 (15:38):
And so you know, you got, you got.
You got your wife at homehollering at you because you
ain't bringing home enough moneypay the bills mine happens to
be the pay lady I mean I'musually yelling at her.
I need numbers you know, she'slike I need money right so so
you know it's, it's all achallenge.
I mean no matter what levelyou're in, but I would just
(15:59):
encourage those guys out thereto to, to look for a better
place to work, man becausethey're out there If you're a
good construction worker.
I promise you, there's peoplelooking for you right now.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Because I talk to owners just like you, every day
you bet.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
And I've yet to talk to one in the last I don't know
how many years that said man, Idon't need nobody, I got plenty.
I'm having to turn guys down.
That conversation very quicklyis always about man.
If I could just find a couplemore good guys.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
That's right.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
And that could be ditch hand, that could be
superintendent, it could be shophand.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
I hired a guy on Monday.
Two new faces on Monday.
We've hired a few in the lastcouple of weeks because we've
got a ton of work.
This guy called my office 14times in three days.
That's how he's wanting to work.
He's wanting to work and turnsout he don't want to work, so
(16:56):
he's going to go down a rut.
But what I'm getting at is Iwasn't really looking for that
extra, extra one.
But if somebody wants to showme, man, dude, all I need a
chance, all I need a chance, Iam the guy that gives the
chances.
unfortunately, right andnormally I get burnt right, um,
but at the same time I try totake care of my people, etc.
(17:16):
Um, it's a long road out there,man.
It's hard, it's a long road.
Speaker 6 (17:23):
You're not picking an easy profession.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
No, and any of you guys listening.
I encourage you, man, becausewe're all grinding this out
together and 2024 has been hard,I don't care what level you're
at.
It has been brutally hard athome, which of course drives a
lot of our attitudes duringbusiness, during the day,
(17:46):
because I don't care if you'rean employer, an employee or
you're pretty much trying tojust get by this year.
That's right, and just byliving, I mean groceries and gas
and everything's so damn high.
But at the same time I justencourage you get up.
Nothing changes if nothingchanges, and just change
something small about your day.
(18:06):
Just one Carry that for a week.
Second week make sure we'restill doing that change.
Add another change.
Discipline, of course, equatesinto that.
If you've enjoyed this episode,be sure to give it a like,
Share it with the fellers.
Check out our website to sendus any questions and comments
about your experience in theblue collar business.
(18:27):
Who do you want to hear from?
Send them our way and we'll doour best to answer any questions
you may have.
Till next time, guys.
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