Craftsmanship Matters (Talking Out Loud)

It's fair to say that most electricians that spend time on the internet, which is almost all of us, have heard of and been educated by Dustin Stelzer. Dustin is a Master Electrician and founder of Electrician U, an online electrical education platform that helps any electrician hoping to grow and learn become better at their craft. The past few years have been a whirlwind for Dustin but he still found time to sit down with yer boys for a little interview. We've been fans of Dustin's for some time and have been fortunate enough to spend quality time with him. He's a great guy who has a lot to give to the world. If you're an electrician whose interested in stepping up your game, getting better at theory or technique or getting ready for an exam, check out www.https://electricianu.com/ and get yourself signed up. Enjoy the episode! Electrician U on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ElectricianU Electrician U on IG: @electrician_u Electrician U on TikTok: @electricianu

Welcome back to the show everyone! We know its been a few months since we've launched an episode and we want to thank you all for your patience. We're back with a new season and with the new season comes new segments. And what better way to come back than to make fun of all of us collectively! Today, we roll our a new segment called "Talking Out Loud." In these short clips, we take a second to share some thoughts, make some jokes and connect with those of us out there thinking about similar things. These segments give us a chance to share thoughts on processes and approaches to work and life. Sometimes they'll be funny, sometimes they'll be productive and sometimes they'll be deeper thoughts on life and work. In today's segment, Doug makes fun of an age old argument in the electrical trade: Vertical or Horizontal. Doug makes a lot of jokes in this segment and they're designed to have a little fun at our expense. Hopefully you can relate and enjoy the episode and not be hurt by Doug's candid remarks. So sit back, relax and welcome back to the Modern Electrician Podcast.

In today's episode of "Talking Out Loud," Doug shares his thoughts on the importance of craftsmanship in our work. Whether we're taking on a small project or installing large equipment, it's out responsibility as tradespeople to care about the final product. We're the one's who set the tone for how blue collar people are viewed by society, at large and it starts with quality work. We show ourselves respect, the industry respect and those who came before us respect when we approach our trade with care. This is our legacy. What's your's gonna be? #craftsmanship #care #caring #craftsman #craftswoman #craftsperson #tradework #bluecollarpeople #bluecollar #electrician #masterelectrician #thoughts #journeymanelectrician #jourmeyman #apprenticeelectrician #apprenticetips #apprentice #electric #softskills #bluecollarsoftskills #softskillsinthetrades

Welcome back everyone! In today's episode of "Talking Out Loud" we discuss coincidences. Now, I don't normally believe in coincidences... until they happen! Tell me if this sounds familiar to you: You're in someone's house completing a project and while you're there, something in their home stops working. This item is seemingly unrelated to the work you've done but it's very challenging to describe that to the client. It makes sense to them that, since this was working before you got here and now it's not... how do you NOT have anything to do with it. This is an all-too-common issue we face in this industry and in today's short episode we discuss the complications of navigating these situations with your clients. Enjoy!

Welcome back Modern Electricians, We've got a new episode of "Drive Time Live" for you today. These segments are designed to give your boys a chance to catch up and share notes and thoughts on our way to and from projects. This helps us make the most of our drive time while we get ourselves on the same page as a company. In today's episode, we discuss all sorts of topics but the one that stands out the most to us is the idea of needing to love your work. We question whether it's necessary to love the work that you do or is it just as good, if not better to not care as much about your professional work and to fulfill your passions outside of work. Enjoy the episode! #modernelectricianpodcast #modernelectrician #trades #loveyourwork #passion #workwithyourhands #tradepodcast #bluecollar #electrician #masterelectrician #podcast #electric #electrical #commute

Welcome back everyone, In today's episode of "Coffee & Code" we discuss two past projects that may have been outside of our scope of work. We've all been there, you do some work for a client, develop a trusting relationship and then they ask you to help them with a project that is larger than you or your company can probably handle. What's the right thing to do in this situation? Do you send them to someone else and risk losing a client that you've worked hard to develop or do you take on the project and risk losing your ass and the client's trust and respect. We discuss the two biggest projects in Lumen Brothers short history. Each of these projects had the potential to sink our company and there were so many pitfalls we didn't account for out of sheer ignorance. But there are two philosophies when it comes to this kind of thing. The first is that taking on jobs larger than you can handle is bad business. The other is that taking on projects outside of your comfort zone can help you grow as a craftsman and a company. Please comment with your thoughts on this topic. Enjoy the episode! #modernelectricianpodcast #modernelectrician #trades #loveyourwork #passion #workwithyourhands #tradepodcast #bluecollar #electrician #masterelectrician #podcast #electric #electrical #largejobs #client #clients #wisdom #knowledge

Welcome back! In today's episode of "Coffee & Code" we discuss historic wiring. We live and work in an historic town and we are hired to repair and replace historic wiring of all sorts. Much of this type of work is not taught in detail in school and needs to be learned overtime in the field. Today, we share our thoughts, processes and techniques for identifying, repairing and replacing really old wiring systems. We also discuss why historic wiring can cause problems, not only in terms of overall home safety but also in regards to your ability (or inability for that matter) to upgrade your historic home with new, modern technologies. While we've had our share of experience in these settings, we are by no means an authority on this matter, so, as always, if you have some thoughts or ideas to add to the conversation, we'd love to hear them. Enjoy the episode!

Change is inevitable. Whether we like it or not, everything we experience in our day to day life will change. Our jobs will change. We'll develop new friendships and shed old ones. Our taste for food, art and entertainment will change. So it's not crazy to imagine that the way we've always done something within our industry will eventually change too. Today's conversation is with Cameron Vogelsang, better known as Tennessee Electrician. Cameron is part of the next generation of electricians and trade workers entering the workforce today. He's young, understands technology and is very polite... so you can only imagine that he's gonna ruffle a few feathers on his way through. We first noticed Cameron online when he posted a series of videos and photos which sparked an online debate around one very small, yet detailed rule. The online debates got a bit carried away and shed some light on how we can let ourselves be very ugly to people online. We get into that more toward the end of this conversation but we really wanted to touch base with Cameron because he just passed a licensing exam which allows him to work for himself. We wanted to chat with him about the test, what it was like and what he can do with the license in his area. We also talk about the goods, the bads and the pitfalls of starting your own trade company. We think you're really gonna like this one but let's be honest... we typically think that about all of these eps, so... Enjoy!

Sometimes we get to exactly where we were going only to realize that this place isn't for us. I actually think that this is more of a phenomena than we might understand. But it makes sense when you consider that many of us are pressured to go to college and choose careers that we might not care about but we do it because the pay is good or because our family expects us to. When you find yourself in this situation, you're typically in your late 20s, 30s or early 40s. By now, you've more-than-likely gotten married, started a family and maybe even purchased a house. At this point, whether you like your career or not doesn't really matter because you have bills to pay and people to care for. So, how does someone make that transition? Well, it's tricky and it depends on your situation. In today's conversation, we sit down with Kris Daniel, a licensed electrician and owner / operator of Daniel Electric out of Northern Virginia. Kris, much like myself, came to the electrical industry a bit later than most. Kris is a college grad who worked in the white collar world for years until he just couldn't do it anymore. He felt a sense of lacking in his vocation that he couldn't put his finger on. He chose to enter the electrical trade at age 32 after contemplating the work of the men in his family who came before him. The work that they left behind and the care they put into their work inspired and encouraged him to leave the white collar world and enter the trades. How did he do it and how is it going? Tune in to find out. Special thanks you to the amazing crew at Attaboy Beer right here in Frederick! Thanks so much for your hospitality and offering up your space to us.

In today's episode, we sit down with our friend Marty Humerickhouse to check in and hear how things have been in his world since he passed his California Journeyman's exam last year. Marty works alongside our good friend Sean Dee at Sean's company Unity Electric. Since becoming a Journeyman Electrician, Marty has been assigned an apprentice and has been taking on much more responsibility within the organization. So, sit back, relax and hear what it's like to go from an apprentice to a journeyman electrician in this industry. You can find Marty on IG @that_one_electrician_guy and you can find Unity electric online at www.unity-electric.com and on IG @unityelectric. Enjoy the episode! #journeymanelectrician #journeyman #management #apprentice #apprenticeship #Progress #learningprocess #growthmindset #electricalcontractor #modernelectrician #modernelectricianpodcast #tradepodcasts #bluecollar #electricians #startingabusiness #electricalcontractor #smallbusiness #education #tradecompany #constructioncompany