Today’s guest, Ryan Redding, didn’t hold back — we got into how AI, customer experience, and smart leadership are rewriting the rules for trades businesses.

Ryan shared how he accidentally found his way into marketing for the trades and how that detour turned into building Levergy, a digital marketing agency focused on helping home service companies grow smarter and stronger. Ryan’s journey wasn’t traditional — it was built on real-world experience, quick learning, and finding smart ways to grow along the way.

We dug into the serious shifts happening in the trades: from AI taking over customer service tasks to how companies are changing their pricing models to stay profitable in slower markets. Ryan didn’t sugarcoat it — if you’re still doing business the way you did ten years ago, you’re already falling behind.

We also talked about the real danger of trying to compete on price. Ryan laid it out clearly: if you’re not building a strong brand and delivering a top-notch customer experience, you’re making yourself a commodity — and commodities are easy to replace.

We wrapped up with Ryan’s belief that success in today’s market isn’t just about showing up — it’s about leading smarter, focusing on the right customers, and constantly adapting to what’s coming next.

Highlights:

• How AI is reshaping home service companies.
• Why COVID made bad business habits look good temporarily.
• Why competing on price is a fast track to failure.
• How trades businesses are using tech and leadership to pull ahead.
• Why a strong brand experience matters more than ever.

If you’re enjoying the show, hit subscribe, leave us a review, rate the episode on Apple Podcasts, and share it with someone who’s ready to stop making excuses and start building smarter.

Connect with Ryan:

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Connect with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

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Brad Herda:

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We’ve both looked at our to-do lists and thought, “Yeah… not today.” The harder the task, the easier it is to avoid. Let’s talk about why that happens—and what to do when procrastination starts running the show.

We’ve all been there—staring at a task we know we should handle but keep pushing to the bottom of the pile. In this episode, we talk about why we do that and what to do instead.

James Clear might call it habit formation. We like to call it getting shit done. We dig into why “touch it once” works, what to do when the shiny object wins, and how chaos becomes the default when nobody sets the tone. If your team doesn’t know what “done” looks like, that’s a leadership problem—and we’ve got thoughts on how to fix it.

We also swap stories about corporate clutter (literally and figuratively), share how 5S-ing our desks led to a 35% productivity jump, and call out the real culprit behind your “I’m too busy” excuse—hint: it’s not the sales team.

Stick around until the end, where we each commit to one habit we’re working on—because we’re not just talking the talk. We’re in it, too.

• Why we avoid tasks we don’t want to deal with.
• “Touch it once” and the art of doing the damn thing.
• Desk audits, 5S, and how less clutter = more productivity.
• When leaders create confusion by dodging hard conversations
• The difference between being present vs. multitasking yourself into mediocrity.

If this episode hit home (or made you laugh), do us a favor—subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Then share it with someone who’s still avoiding that one thing they said they’d get to last week.

Connect with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

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LinkedIn

Email

Brad Herda:

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LinkedIn

Email

We’ve all wasted time chasing jobs that go nowhere—or worse, driving across town for something we could’ve solved with one look. That’s why when James Hatfield showed us how LiveSwitch works, it felt like the most obvious tool every crew should be using.

James Hatfield isn’t your average tech guy—he calls himself a high-tech redneck, and once you hear his story, you’ll get why. From painting houses and power washing driveways to leading a tech company helping blue collar pros get their time (and sanity) back, James brings the kind of common sense innovation we’re all looking for. He’s not trying to reinvent the wheel—he’s just making sure it actually gets you there faster.

In this episode, we talk about how LiveSwitch lets contractors skip the truck ride and close jobs from anywhere with a quick text and video call—no app needed. That’s not just cool, it’s what a lot of us need to compete with Amazon-level expectations from customers who want things now. James breaks down why tech doesn’t have to be complicated to be game-changing—and how simplicity is actually the smartest move in business.

We also dig into the generational gap when it comes to technology. It’s not about age, it’s about willingness to learn. James shares how his team keeps things dead simple so anyone—from your apprentice to your grandma—can use it without feeling lost or left behind.

And if you’ve ever been burned by tech that overpromised and underdelivered, this episode is for you. James is the kind of guy who actually builds things for the people using them. No buzzwords, no fluff—just tools that work.

Episode Highlights:

• Why LiveSwitch was built with blue collar folks in mind
• How to save hours of windshield time and still close the deal
• The moment a moving company owner said, “You don’t even know what you’ve got”
• Making tech adoption easier for both young crews and old-school pros
• What engineers learn when they spend a day on the job site
• James’ take on why simplicity isn’t just smart—it sells

Like what you heard? Make sure to subscribe, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and share this episode with someone who’s tired of wasting time on jobs that should’ve been done already.

Connect with James:

Website

LinkedIn

Connect with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

Website

LinkedIn

Email

Brad Herda:

Website

LinkedIn

Email