Year-End Planning: Lead or Panic

This week we get into the stretch of the year most business owners dread: the final seven or eight weeks before the holidays hit and half the workforce disappears into deer blinds, vacation time, and holiday shutdowns. We talk through why this crunch catches so many owners off guard every single year, even though it’s completely predictable, and what separates the organizations that handle it smoothly from the ones that end up scrambling.A lot of the conversation centers on transparency, and why so many owners avoid having honest conversations with their teams about where the business actually stands. We talk through what a real all-employee, year-end meeting should look like: current state, future state, what the company can actually control versus what it can’t, and why vague goals like “be better” leave employees with nothing to actually act on. We also get into why leaders need to show up and deliver that message themselves instead of handing it off, and why staying consistent with your own message matters just as much as the message itself.HighlightsWhy the last two months of the year catch so many businesses off guard, even though it happens every year.What a real current state, future state conversation with your team should sound like.Why vague goals like “be better” fail employees who need something concrete to work toward.The importance of leaders being present and consistent with their own message, not just delegating it.Why transparency about the business builds trust, and why avoiding it usually backfires.Get in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week we welcome Mayce DelValle and Missy Washam, co-founders of Impactful Message, a leadership training company built around connection, curiosity, and helping leaders learn how to lead, not just manage.We dig into one of the biggest traps they see across generations: blaming each other instead of asking questions. Mayce and Missy share why curiosity, not control, is the real foundation of leadership, and why so many leaders are handed a team to run without ever being taught how to lead people. We talk about why knowing personal details about your team isn’t about being touchy-feely, it’s strategic. Following up on something small an employee mentioned in passing shows people they’re seen, and that’s what earns their trust and effort when it counts.We also get into empowerment, and why so many experienced leaders still struggle to let go of control. Younger employees especially want ownership over how they get a job done, not just a task handed to them with no room to make it their own. Mayce and Missy share why setting clear expectations upfront prevents resentment down the line, and share one memorable story about a leader who flatly refused to believe his team deserved to be led well at all.HighlightsWhy curiosity, not control, is the real foundation of good leadership.How small personal details build the trust that gets people to go the extra mile.Why empowerment is one of the hardest things for experienced leaders to practice.The gap between managing a process and leading people, and why so many leaders were never taught the difference.Why recognition often motivates people more than a paycheck does.Get in touch with Missy & Mayce:WebsiteMissy's LinkedInMayce's LinkedInGet in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week Steve brings back some real-world insight from an industry event he attended, Driven by Innovation, where leaders from several automotive and manufacturing companies talked about labor shortages, automation, and AI. One panelist’s comment stuck with both of us: instead of hiring to backfill every open role, their company is pausing hiring and focusing on developing the people they already have.We dig into what that actually looks like in practice, including an electrical contractor who pre-builds customized components in-house so field crews spend less time building and more time installing. We talk about what automation and AI are really changing on the floor, not necessarily eliminating people, but shifting what skills and judgment are needed from them. We also get into what happens to employee time once automation frees some of it up, something most companies don’t think through. More output isn’t the only answer, and treating people as disposable the moment efficiency improves is a mistake a lot of companies are learning the hard way.The conversation also touches on a surprisingly fun detour into Jeep’s design process, including how they still build full-scale clay models by hand even with AI in the mix, and the origin story behind the now-famous “Jeep duck” traditionHighlightsWhy one company chose to pause hiring and invest in developing existing employees instead.How a contractor cut field time by pre-building components in-house.What happens to employee time once automation frees some of it up, and why so few companies plan for it.Why using AI and automation to justify layoffs often backfires.A fun look at Jeep’s design process, including full-scale clay models and the origin of the Jeep duck tradition.Get in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week we welcome back Matt Guse, owner of MRS Machining, for his second appearance on the show. Matt is also a board member of the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation and Chippewa Valley Technical College, and an NCAA Division III football official.We talk about the shifting employment landscape and how younger workers often expect to leapfrog straight to leadership without putting in the time to earn it, and how Matt approaches building real leaders on his shop floor instead. He shares how bringing in a new robot to the shop, something everyone initially feared, ended up becoming one of the team's favorite tools once people saw it as something that made their jobs easier rather than a threat. We also get into how Matt built MRS's reputation in the community, from being known by name at the local school and gas station to a customer who was won over before ever stepping through the door just from what he heard around town.Matt also opens up about writing his first book to preserve MRS's story and legacy for his family, and how that same book unexpectedly turned into a business development tool that brought in over a million dollars in new work. We close out talking about presence, self-care as a leader, and why face-to-face connection still matters more than anything digital.HighlightsWhy younger workers often expect leadership before they've earned it, and how Matt addresses that.How MRS turned a feared new robot into one of the team's most valued tools.Building a business reputation in the community, one gas station and diner conversation at a time.How writing a legacy book for his family turned into a surprise business development win.Why real, face-to-face connection matters more than ever in a distracted, phone-first world.Get in touch with Matt:WebsiteLinkedInBookGet in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week we dig into a topic every business owner deals with but rarely talks about openly: cash flow. Not revenue, not sales volume, but the actual timing of money moving in and out of a business, and why that timing matters more than most owners realize.We talk through what strong cash flow looks like in practice, invoicing quickly, collecting on time, and knowing predictable expenses well before they hit, so a business can plan ahead instead of reacting. We share a story about a client who tracks a simple weekly ratio of receivables to payables as his single most important number, and another example where speeding up invoicing turned a 45-day backlog into same-day billing, freeing up serious cash without adding headcount. We also get into why collecting payment on the spot, rather than waiting weeks for a check, can change a business's entire financial position.We also cover what cash flow means during a business transition, especially when handing a company to a family member, and why having a financial cushion matters when new leadership means mistakes will happen. Brad shares a personal story from early in his career about a costly supplier mistake and how owning it directly, rather than hiding from it, became one of the most important lessons of his career.HighlightsWhy predictable cash outflow and unpredictable cash inflow require different strategies.A simple weekly ratio one business owner uses to track his cash position.How speeding up invoicing turned a major backlog into a same-day process.Why cash reserves matter most when selling a business to a family member.A personal story about owning a costly mistake early in a career, and why it built long-term trust.Get in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week's guest is Sue Schuster, partner at BizFi.io, where she helps small businesses access the right kind of capital to grow. Before finance, Sue spent 18 years building and running a swim school with her parents, eventually selling it after COVID upended the business, so she's coming at this from real experience building and exiting a company, not just advising from the outside.We get into the difference between good debt and bad debt, why a line of credit is worth having even when you don't think you need one, and how dangerous merchant cash advances and credit card stacking can be for a business that gets stuck needing fast cash. Sue also explains the generational divide she sees in how people approach debt, with younger business owners often not understanding how credit actually works, and older owners sometimes being too debt-averse to grow. We also talk about why she prefers debt over giving up equity, and the risks small business owners take when they don't fully understand what a loan actually costs.HighlightsThe difference between good debt and bad debt, and why it matters for growing a business.Why every business should have a line of credit, even if they never use it.The dangers of merchant cash advances and credit card stacking.Why debt is often a smarter move than giving up equity in your company.Sue's own journey building, scaling, and selling her swim school business.Get in touch with Sue: WebsiteFacebookLinkedInGet in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week we dig into one of the trickiest conversations in small business: handing a family business down to the next generation. It's a topic that comes up constantly in the work we both do outside the show, and it rarely goes the way anyone expects.We talk about the gap between owning a business and actually operating it, and how often parents assume they're still running the day-to-day when the reality has already shifted without them fully realizing it. We get into the emotional side too, the assumptions everyone makes without ever putting them into words, the resentment that builds when expectations aren't clear, and the awkward reality of a parent still drawing a full salary for a fraction of the hours. We also talk about the professional team around a family business, the accountant, the advisor, the insurance person, who's been there for decades and may not actually be equipped to help with a transition like this.The through-line of the conversation is that almost none of these problems are really about money. They're about clarity, communication, and having the hard conversation early instead of waiting until resentment has already set in.HighlightsWhy parents and kids often disagree on what "running the business" actually means.The financial and emotional tension that builds when compensation and hours don't match up.Why the trusted advisors around a family business may not be right for the next chapter.The difference between talking to family as family and talking to family as coworkers.Why clarity, not money, is usually the real obstacle in a family business transition.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week's guest is Cary Sparrow, founder and CEO of WageScape, a company that pulls together the world's largest and most current labor market data set. Before building WageScape, Cary spent time on nuclear submarines in the Navy and had a long career in engineering, military consulting, and operations leadership.We get into how WageScape works, scanning job ads across the country every day to build a real, unbiased picture of what companies are paying for specific roles, rather than relying on guesswork, outdated averages, or word of mouth. Cary explains why relying on anecdotes about what a competitor paid someone can lead companies to make costly decisions in either direction, overpaying out of fear or underpaying and losing the right people for critical roles.We also talk about the wild swings in wage growth since the pandemic, jumping from a steady 3% a year to 30% a year during the labor shortage, and why that whiplash is still causing headaches for companies trying to figure out fair pay today. Cary shares his read on the current job market, including why so many people are on edge right now, and where he sees real opportunity, especially for people willing to learn how to use AI tools in their work. We also touch on the challenge veterans face translating military experience into skills that make sense to civilian employers.HighlightsHow WageScape collects and uses real-time labor market data.Why anecdotal pay comparisons can lead companies to make costly mistakes.The wild wage swings since the pandemic and what they mean for hiring today.Where Cary sees real opportunity in today's uncertain job market.The challenge of translating military experience into civilian job skills.Get in touch with Cary: WebsiteLinkedInGet in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week's episode is a little different. On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, we set aside the usual format to talk about where we were that day, what we remember, and how it shaped the years that followed.We walk through the morning as it unfolded for each of us, from the confusion of realizing what was actually happening to the strange stillness that settled over everything in the hours after. We talk about the images that stuck with us most, the return of air travel, the way people leaned into community and country in a way that felt different from anything before or since. We also touch on stories from that day we didn't learn about until years later, including the diversion of dozens of flights to a small town in Newfoundland and how that community responded.This episode is also a reminder that the impact of that day didn't end in 2001. The effects reached people in ways that aren't always visible, and for anyone who was a kid at the time, it shaped how they understand the world without them fully realizing it. We wanted to use this episode as an invitation to check in with the people around you, especially today.HighlightsPersonal memories from the morning of September 11th and how the day unfolded.The eerie quiet that followed and how quickly the world changed.Lesser-known stories from that day, including the flight diversions to Newfoundland.The lasting, sometimes invisible impact on families and later generations.A reminder to check in on the people around you.Get in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

This week on the show we talk with Jared Millar, co-founder and head of operations at Big Blue Collar, a growth partner built specifically for blue collar businesses. Before getting into marketing and operations, Jared spent years running his own tile setting business, so he's coming at this from inside the trades, not just as an outside consultant.A lot of the conversation centers on a mindset shift Jared sees constantly: business owners think their problem is a lack of leads, when the real issue is usually what happens after the phone rings. Missed calls, no follow-up system, no plan for staying in touch with a customer who isn't ready to buy yet, these gaps cost more than any ad spend ever could. Jared also gets into the value of looking inward before spending more on marketing, using the idea of finding the biggest leak first instead of trying to patch everything at once.We also dig into team culture and training, including a story about a crew that didn't feel empowered to answer a simple question on the spot, and what that costs a business in missed opportunities. Jared closes out with his read on how different generations of owners are adapting to newer tools and marketing channels, and where he sees the biggest room for growth right now.HighlightsJared's background running his own trades business before moving into growth and marketing.The "find the biggest hole and plug it" approach to fixing a struggling business.How team culture and training affect whether missed opportunities get caught or lost.How different generations of blue collar owners are adapting to newer marketing tools.Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. We bring on guests to talk about topics you won't find anywhere else, straight from people who actually work in the trades.Get in touch with Jared:WebsiteLinkedInGet in touch with us:Check out the Blue Collar BS website.Steve Doyle:WebsiteLinkedInEmailBrad Herda:WebsiteLinkedInEmailThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpOP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy