🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

If you have plenty of work booked in but you still feel broke, stressed, or behind on cash, this episode is for you.

In Episode 488, Matt sits down with Kurt Hegeschweiler from Builders Coach to unpack the real reason tradies and builders get squeezed: you end up financing the job while you wait to get paid.

You will learn how to stop bleeding cash, protect your margin, and set your business up so money comes in before it goes out.

Key Chapters:

00:00 - Teaser
00:53 - Welcome to the podcast, Kurt!
01:26 - Kurt's background and specialty in helping builders with optimization and peak performance
06:05 - The preservation mindset of many accountants and bookkeepers
12:49 - The importance of having a plan in place
18:09 - Positioning yourself as the expert within your specific vertical
24:40 - Processes are essential for successfully scaling a business
31:15 - Kurt's simplified financial metrics: 25% Gross Margin, 10% Overheads, 15% Net Profit (25/10/15)
37:41 - The confusion between net profit and money in the bank
42:07 - Good process and proactive communication is a form of marketing and value-add
48:53 - The power of the Profit First business model for financial clarity
54:49 - A goal without a strategy is a wish

📲 Watch on YouTube!

🎙️ About Our Guest: Kurt Hegeschweiler
Kurt Hegeschweiler is a business coach who works primarily with residential builders (custom homes and renovations) through Builders Coach. He's best known for helping builders optimise profit, cash flow, and performance, including guiding over 100 builders to seven-figure net profit results.

CONNECT WITH KURT HEGESCHWEILER
Website: Builder's Coach
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
Links mentioned in this episode:
Million Dollar Builder 2.0 (Amazon and Audible): https://amzn.to/4pv6rd3
Psycho-Cybernetics: https://amzn.to/3LCOviK

CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

In Episode 487, Matt sits down with Jed Bolton, a Perth-based solar and electrical business owner who has quietly built a seriously scalable operation without obsessing over more leads.

Jed shares how shifting from subcontractor-heavy work to a system-driven sales process helped him 10x revenue while keeping the team lean and the growth manageable.

If you’re flat out, wearing every hat, and still feel like you’re chasing your tail, this episode is a blueprint for stepping back from lead chaos, tightening your process, and spending your time where it actually moves the needle (closing jobs and building the team).

Key Chapters:
00:00 - Teaser
01:14 - Welcome Jed Bolton!
03:27 - Shift from predominantly subcontracting work to having leads
06:17 - Subcontracting work is just a job
09:11 - Customers often think they know what they want more than they actually do
13:00 - The first constraint hit is in fulfilment
15:38 - The value of the sales executive program
18:32 - Site visits should be for closing jobs, not checking out work
20:40 - Drive around closing jobs, not doing quotes
24:34 - The impact roadmap session
27:21 - The goal of consistency and manageable growth
28:33 - Final thoughts

📲 Watch on YouTube!

🎙 About Our Guest: Jed Bolton
Jed Bolton is a Perth-based solar and electrical business owner who specialises in larger-scale residential solar installations (around 13 kW to 50 kW), as well as batteries and renewables. He built a scalable operation by tightening his sales process, focusing on close rate, and shifting from subcontractor-heavy work to a more system-driven model.

CONNECT WITH JED BOLTON
Website: https://boltonec.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bolton.ec/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552818021459
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jed-bolton-a21a1a300/

CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

If you've established a strong trade business but it's beginning to feel repetitive, this episode offers a fresh start.

In Episode 486, Matt sits down with Jeremiah Webb from Shop On Fire to unpack why the fire dies (even when the numbers look positive) and how you can get your energy, purpose, and momentum back without blowing up what you have already built.

You will learn practical ways to snap out of the grind, stop feeling overwhelmed by everything on your plate, and lead with energy again so your team lifts too.

0:00 Teaser
1:14 Welcome and Jeremiah's Background
4:44 Reigniting Passion and Scaling Business
8:16 Fulfillment is Not Default: Manual vs. Autopilot
12:11 Staying Motivated and the Value of Habits over Goals
15:31 The Myth of Overwhelm: Being Stretched is Not More Than You Can Handle
17:28 The Importance of Foundational Grit and Pushing Limits
22:51 Great Athlete vs. Elite Athlete: Bouncing Back Faster
24:55 Reframing Failure as a Lesson
27:01 Recovery Time and Suffering is Optional
31:57 Framework for Moving Past Setbacks
35:08 Problems Never Go Away, They Increase in Quality
39:03 The Cure-All: Massive Action and the Physiology of Motivation
46:01 Defining Purpose and Maintaining Focus
47:37 Meetings Should be for Making Decisions
51:57 Sticking to Something and Steady Growth
55:42 Framework for Coaching Cadence and Levers for Change
58:31 VIP Coaching and the Window of Opportunity

📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen

🎙️ About Our Guest: Jeremiah Webb
Jeremiah Webb is the founder of Shop On Fire and a high-performance coach who helps trade business owners rebuild energy, clarity, and momentum when the grind starts to take over. With a background in the trades (including HVAC) and years working with business owners, he shares practical frameworks you can use to lead better, feel better, and grow without burning out.

CONNECT WITH JEREMIAH WEBB
Website: https://shoponfire.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremiahwebb.1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremiahwebb.official
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremiahwebb/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremiahwebb.official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeremiahwebb.official
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jeremiahwebb

CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

It's no longer just fast food to franchise.
It could also be one of the best ways for tradies to grow without getting too tired.

In this 485th episode of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt sits down with Jon Ostenson, CEO of FranBridge Consulting, to break down what franchising really looks like for trade and service-based businesses.

If you’re stuck in the day-to-day, thinking about growth, or wondering how others scale using systems, people, and capital that aren’t all on their shoulders, this episode is a must-watch.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
✔ The biggest myths tradies believe about franchising
✔ Franchise vs licensing vs alliance models (what’s the difference?)
✔ Why private equity is chasing trade & home service franchises
✔ When franchising actually makes sense (and when it doesn’t)

Key Chapters:
0:00 - Teaser
1:12 - Discussing the dynamics of franchising and non-food franchising
6:04 - Reasons to consider a franchise model for an existing business
10:07 - Limitations and "red tape" of franchising
12:11 - Addressing the perception of increased cost for customers of franchises
15:15 - Expectations and systems within a franchise
17:31 - Legalities and approval around branding and marketing
19:09 - Digital marketing challenges for franchisees
23:21 - Backgrounds of people who join a franchise
25:26 - Support available for franchisees and their teams
27:13 - Choosing between buying an existing business and a new franchise
29:16 - Exit strategy and typical returns for a franchisee
31:49 - Ownership of intellectual property (IP) like customer databases
35:57 - John Austinen's book, *Non-Food Franchising*
38:13 - The typical avatar best suited to the franchise dynamic

📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen

🎙 About Our Guest: Jon Ostenson
Jon Ostenson is a leading expert in non-food franchising and the founder of FranBridge Consulting, where he helps business owners scale through proven franchise models. He has collaborated with numerous entrepreneurs and trade professionals to establish scalable, systematised businesses, avoiding the need to start from the beginning.

🤝 CONNECT WITH JON OSTENSON
Website: https://franbridgeconsulting.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonOstenson1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.ostenson/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonostenson/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JonOstensonFBC

CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!

Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools To Help Your Business:
https://tradie.wiki/pod

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Marketing For Your Business – Book A Call with Tradie Web Guys:
https://tradie.wiki/yt

In Episode 484 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones is joined by entrepreneur and investor Greg Cassar to break down one of the biggest questions tradies is starting to ask: is taking control of your super actually worth the extra work?

Greg shares why many business owners unknowingly rely too heavily on their business or default super fund and how shifting from “business owner only” to “business owner + investor” can completely change your long-term freedom. This episode unpacks how superannuation really works, why set-and-forget isn’t always the best approach, and what tradies should understand before considering a self-managed super fund (SMSF).

If you’re making good money but haven’t thought deeply about how it’s growing for your future, this conversation is a practical wake-up call; focused on control, education, and playing the long game.

🎥 Watch the video version of this podcast at:
https://youtu.be/DxSzs1M8zNY

Key Chapters:

00:00 – Teaser
04:40 – The trap of relying only on your business
08:10 – How inflation and fees eat away at super
12:10 – What a self-managed super fund really involves
16:40 – Thinking long-term instead of short-term gains
21:10 – Emotional control and investing discipline
25:40 – Playing the long game as a tradie
30:10 – Business owner vs business owner + investor
34:40 – Final mindset shifts for long-term freedom

CONNECT WITH GREG CASSAR

Website: https://collective.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregcassar
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gregcassar
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@greg_cassar

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

Most tradie business owners want great staff…
But retaining them long-term is a whole different challenge.

In this episode of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt sits down with Chris Buttenham, founder of Reins, to unpack a smarter way to reward and retain key team members, without giving away control of your business.

They break down phantom equity, profit sharing, and incentive structures that help trade business owners:
✔️ Build loyalty
✔️ Align staff with business growth
✔️ Create real exit options
✔️ Avoid the risks of traditional equity

If you’re struggling to keep good people, thinking about your long-term exit, or want your team to care about the numbers as much as you do, this episode is a must-watch.

KEY CHAPTERS
00:00 – Teaser
02:00 – Meet Chris Buttenham & his contractor background
04:40 – Why exit planning is broken for most tradies
07:05 – Real stories: equity, private equity & staff buy-in
09:40 – What is phantom equity?
12:25 – Phantom equity vs real equity explained
15:15 – Using equity to retain and motivate key staff
18:35 – Vesting, performance rules & protecting the owner
23:45 – Equity vs profit share: what to use and when
28:25 – Transparency, numbers & educating your team
34:05 – How to set this up properly (and keep it simple)
38:55 – Where to learn more & final takeaways

📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Chris Buttenham is the co-founder and CEO of Reins, a platform helping contractors reward and retain key staff through simple, low-risk equity incentives. With roots in a family contracting business and experience in tech and M&A, Chris specialises in making complex equity and exit strategies practical for trade business owners.

CONNECT WITH CHRIS BUTTENHAM
Website: https://www.myreins.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myreins
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reinstechnologies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myreins/

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools To Help Your Business:
https://tradie.wiki/pod

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Marketing For Your Business – Learn More About Tradie Web Guys:
https://tradie.wiki/yt

In Episode 482, Matt is joined by Claudio Gambin, a financial adviser and tax strategist who specialises in helping trade and construction business owners stop overpaying tax and start using smarter financial strategies.

If your accountant only speaks to you at tax time, pushes generic advice, or can’t explain how to legally reduce your effective tax rate, this episode will open your eyes. Claudio breaks down the most common tax red flags tradies miss, why being proactive matters more than minimising tax at all costs, and how to reinvest savings back into your business to fuel long-term growth.

This conversation goes beyond tax returns and dives into strategy, cash flow, scalability, and what actually makes a trade business bankable and sellable.

🎥 Watch the video version of this podcast at:
https://youtu.be/8bLf7qGbibM

Key Chapters:

00:00 – The tax questions tradies should be asking
01:10 – Why most tradies overpay tax
03:54 – The best investment is your business (not more assets)
08:41 – Why reinvesting profit is tax-effective
10:00 – Proactive tax planning explained
15:08 – Depreciation, leverage & overlooked tax wins
18:04 – The 3 golden questions for your accountant
21:20 – Using tax savings to fuel growth
24:45 – Eliminating lifestyle expenses from your business
28:13 – What makes a trade business sellable
38:05 – Strategy, time, and staying proactive

Links mentioned in this episode:

GFG Solutions: https://gfgsolutions.com/

Claudio on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudgambin/

Connect With Claudio Gambin:

Website: https://gfgsolutions.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudgambin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudio.gambin/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiogambin

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

With online ads becoming noisier, more expensive, and harder to trust, many trade business owners are rediscovering the power of physical, personalised marketing that actually gets noticed.

In Episode 481 of The Site Shed Podcast, Matt Jones sits down with Wilson Zehr, direct mail and marketing automation expert from Zairmail, to unpack why direct mail is making a serious comeback for tradies in 2026 and why relying on digital-only marketing may be hurting your conversions.

This episode is packed with real-world examples, practical frameworks, and clear do’s and don’ts for using direct mail alongside digital marketing to win more local jobs, improve follow-up, and stand out in crowded markets, so make sure to listen until the end!

Key Chapters:
00:00 - Teaser
02:43 - Meet Wilson Zehr: From Software Engineer to Strategic Marketing
06:17 - The Nike Success Story and Why *Shoe Dog* is a Must-Read
08:52 - From Surfboards to Zairmail (Mail as Fast as Email)
12:26 - The "Junk Mail" Flip: Why Direct Mail Breaks the Digital Noise
15:04 - Marketing as a Mechanic (Direct Mail & Digital)
17:42 - Building Communication into the American Routine
20:30 - The 70/20/10 Rule (The Ultimate Direct Response Formula)
24:43 - Segmenting Voters for Overwhelming Success
27:32 - Proximity Mail: The Best Way for Home Service Businesses to Target Geographically
30:40 - Case Study or Offer, How Real Estate Agents Use Mail?
33:41 - Avoid the Shotgun Approach (Hyper-Personalization is Key)
36:25 - Why You Need to Be Remembered Before Disaster Strikes
39:34 - The Power of Fridge Magnets and Referral Stickers
43:56 - Scaling Past Word-of-Mouth
47:37 - Why Monthly Newsletters Beat Unreliable Email Deliverability
50:23 - Nurturing Leads with Email, SMS, and Direct Mail
53:24 - Direct Mail Best Practices
56:24 - Keep Messages Short and Drive Traffic to Video
1:00:33 - Your Website is Your Credibility

📲 Watch the video version! https://youtu.be/03B4nwRFBLM

CONNECT WITH WILSON ZEHR
Website: https://www.zairmail.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilsonzehr/
Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/wilson.zehr
Facebook (Business): https://www.facebook.com/Zairmail/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonzehr

CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TradiewebguysAus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

Your Next Step:

Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

Follow The Site Shed:

• Facebook: The Site Shed
• Instagram: @thesiteshed
• LinkedIn: Matt Jones
• Website: thesiteshed.com
• YouTube: @TheSiteShed

If you enjoyed this podcast and this series, please take 5 to leave us a review:
⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed