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May 8, 2025 15 mins

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🎧 In this episode: Welcome back to Sparky Life, where we challenge everything you’ve been told about success, college, and the so-called “right” career path. If you’ve ever felt lost, lied to, or stuck in a soul-sucking cubicle — this one’s for you.

This episode is a wake-up call.

You’ve been fed a fairytale — go to college, find your passion, land a job, live happily ever after. But here’s the truth: That system is broken, and Lia’s here to show you the way out.

💥 Lia gets raw about:

  • How the education system sets young people up for debt and disappointment
  • Why “following your passion” is nonsense without real-world experience
  • How skilled trades flipped her life from homeless shelter to financial freedom
  • Why apprenticeships are the real golden ticket — get paid to learn, no debt required
  • Eye-popping salary comparisons: skilled trades vs. college grads
  • Why AI is replacing office jobs — but not electricians, welders, and tower crane operators
  • What it really takes to succeed in trades as an adult starting from zero

This is your permission to quit the cubicle.

To throw out the script.

To choose a path that actually pays — in dollars, dignity, and freedom.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 - Welcome to Sparky Life

00:01:05 - “I Don’t Know What I Want to Be When I Grow Up”

00:03:42 - The Lie of the 4-Year Degree

00:06:10 - The Student Loan Trap

00:08:30 - The Labor Shortage = Your Opportunity

00:11:25 - Getting Paid to Learn in the Trades

00:13:45 - “It’s Like Hogwarts… with Welding Torches”

00:17:15 - Office Politics vs. On-the-Job Promotions

00:20:00 - AI Is Coming… but Not for Skilled Labor

00:22:40 - Construction Careers: High-Tech, High-Pay

00:26:00 - Real Numbers: What Tradespeople Are Earning Today

00:29:55 - The Power of Practical Skills

00:33:00 - Lia’s Journey: From Women’s Shelter to 6 Figures

00:36:45 - Final Message: The Opportunity Is Yours

👇 Follow for more blue collar badassery every Thursday!


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