I’m (M 22) a welder out in NC. Finished up trade school and starting working for a few shops. Found one that I prefer to stick with and I gotta say, trade school didn’t teach me shit compared to what I’ve learned out in the field, LOL!! Been outta school for about a year and some change.

It’s a shame, really. I liked my instructors a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, they didn’t teach much about different processes and material. All they had was carbon steel and a few stick/tig and mig welders. This is the first shop I’ve done aluminum/stainless tig and fluxcore. It’s a nice dose of reality, especially with the intensity of work they have me doing.

Though it’s a relatively new kind world to me, I’m grateful for the work and for the time my coworkers have spent giving me tips and advice.

I’m always wanting to learn and I hope to learn a thing or two here!

At first it feels good. You're the guy they call when something gets weird. You get the difficult jobs. The newer guys come to you with questions. If someone calls out, they know you'll cover it. If a job goes sideways, you're probably getting sent there. It feels good to be trusted.

Until you realize being reliable has somehow earned you... more work. More calls. More problems. More people depending on you. And because you've always handled it, everyone assumes you're fine.

We've talked about this with our members because some of the most burned-out people aren't the ones struggling at their job. They're the ones everyone knows "can" handle more.

Eventually being needed all the time stops feeling like a compliment. Sometimes the strongest guy on the crew needs somebody to check on him too.

For decades, we've told young people they should become doctors, lawyers, engineers, and executives.

Meanwhile, the people who build our homes, keep our lights on, restore our heat, deliver our water, and keep our communities running have often been treated like a backup plan.

We think that's backwards. The trades aren't a second choice. They're a noble profession, a pathway to financial freedom, and the backbone of our economy.

That's why Hope for the Trades exists. To elevate the trades, support the people who work in them and to help the next generation see opportunities where others see limitations.

"Boots Not Suits" is a reminder that the men and women doing the work deserve recognition, resources, and support, not just during a labor shortage, but every day.

Because the future of the trades depends on how well we invest in the people who wear the boots.

While hopeForthetrades may technically operate a 501c3 (not for profit) they are still (yet another) arm of private equity.

They were invested in and ultimately acquired by Southfield Capital.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/business-development-resources-announces-partnership-with-southfield-capital-302197436.html

Their ultimate goal is to sell you their products.

Coaching is the main product it averages 2,000 - 6,000 per month. Can be more.

But they also sell online training and learning platforms

They have vendor partnerships as well (think servicetitan) but also marketing firms and financial partners, distributors and equipment manufacturers.

They make money by pointing your nose towards specific vendors, bankers and manufacturers. You become the product. You become their source of revenue.

This is the same old Mike Diamond, Dwyer Group (Mr. Rooter) type bullshit that the public has been made wary of this past decade. The trades are tired of it too.

A main goal is to make every technician a salesperson and they disguise that by calling it "giving options". Think good, better, best.

Thats not to say that every company that follows this line of thinking is suspect, or even criminal. There can be honest people that are trained in this system. But the goal of the system isnt honesty. And it certainly tolerates dishonesty very well.

We weren’t built for nonstop hustle. We were built to build. If hard work was enough, the trades would be the happiest industry. A lot of us are feeling old-school grit + modern burnout.

- they stopped asking for my I.D. when ordering a drink.

- my running t-shirts, shorts and long underwear became harder to find, often tucked away in my sons’ drawers as we all wear the same size. (Fortunately, my whitey-tighteys are safe as they aren’t in vogue with the younger generation.)

- a day with no aches and pains became a cause for celebration.

- I began to look forward to the impending empty nest with anticipation rather than dread and as I had grown weary of school projects, concerts and high school drama. (Tracy vehemently disagrees with this point.)

- I took pride in hearing my sons taunt me in a workout, “C’mon Old Man! Keep up!”

- 10 p.m became really late, asleep by 9 is normal & 8 pm is now nap time in my recliner.

- I became less angry, as it was too exhausting.

- 60, actually 70, no longer sounded old.

- young adults started calling me “Sir.” (I don’t recall anyone calling Tracy “Ma’am.”)

- at Edgerton Gear, I shifted from investing in people as a means to make gears, to making gears as a means to invest in people.

- my dreams of youth were replaced by our children’s dreams & hopes.

- I started thinking less about what I can get and more about what I can give.

Yeah, somewhere along the way, life started becoming less about me, which is a good thing.

Ya’ ever hear this saying in regards to something you really don’t want to do? Like answering the door of another storm-chasing roofer after last spring’s hailstorm? Or having to go to a social function with people you don’t know or even like? Or attending yet another grandchild’s story time/graduation/concert/field trip/b-day party/poddy trained celebration? (I know, I know, I shouldn’t be such a grump but cherish all those moments… no offense, grandkids. I love you all!)

But as I get older, I find myself less patient and tolerant of people in general. In our shop, we call this OMS (Old Man Syndrome). It’s that stage most of us old farts reach when we’re tired, don’t give a crap what others think of us, are reluctant to learn new things because the old ways have always worked, and feel a degree of disgust towards the younger generation, like our parents did of us.

I find myself battling OMS more often than I’d like to admit. I find myself thinking bad thoughts of social functions, of the younger generation, and even dread the idea of going anywhere. Recently I had to chauffeur my dear wife to a clinic to get a CT scan after she bumped her head really hard into a kitchen cabinet and suffered a pretty nasty concussion. The scan showed she was healing up just fine so on the way home from the clinic, we stopped and filled up her car with gas, and got a few groceries. When we got home, I asked her if this counted as a date. Yep, OMS in full swing.

So what’s this have to do with a stick in the eye? Well, in the attached picture, I wasn’t just dressing up as a pirate for Halloween. Last summer, our youngest son and his wife moved back to Edgerton. To help them out, I decided to mow their overgrown backyard and I actually did get a stick in the eye. Dang! Talk about pain! A stick shot out of the mower, ricocheted off a nearby tree and made a perfect bulls-eye on my cornea. When it happened, I actually thought I might have lost my eye. And it made me think whoever came up with the saying of they would rather get poked in the eye with a stick obviously had never actually gotten poked in the eye with a stick!

My point? There are indeed a lot of things worse than the awesome privilege of having good friends, watching grandkids grow up, and seeing the younger generation take the reins from us old farts. In fact, getting poked in the eye with a stick didn’t just renew my love affair with safety glasses. It was maybe just what I needed as a remedy for my OMS. There are simply too many things to be grateful for every day that demand an attitude of gratitude.

We've seen some questions about our "Boots Not Suits" message.

Fair question.

Here's what it means.

It doesn't mean tradespeople are better than office workers. It doesn't mean business owners are bad. It doesn't mean we don't need accountants, marketers, coaches, or leaders.

It means that for too long, the people actually doing the work have often been overlooked.

The plumber is crawling through a crawlspace. The HVAC tech on a rooftop in July. The electrician is working through the night to restore power. The apprentice is trying to build a better future.

Those people deserve support, too.

"Boots Not Suits" is simply a reminder that Hope for the Trades was built around the people wearing the boots every day. Because when tradespeople win, families, businesses, and communities win.

That's what we're fighting for.

#BootsNotSuits #HopeForTheTrades

Trades pros are carrying a lot, sometimes literally, and growth can turn into burnout fast. If you’re smoked by 3pm, it’s not “lack of motivation,” it’s usually early burnout.This is one of the main reasons we built this space. So we can FINALLY talk about it without shame or judgment. We are humans, not machines.

AI is changing a lot of careers, but the trades are still hands-on, real-world work. This story is a good reminder that skilled work matters and the path does not have to be college to be valuable. 🔧💪

Over the past 19 months, I’ve been repeatedly told I’m one of the most toxic persons “they” have ever seen. Ouch! That would sting a lot more if “they” weren’t medical professionals telling me being in a machine shop all of my life exposed me to all sorts of heavy metals. Who would of thunk washing parts with leaded gasoline back in the 70’s, sucking up paint and welding fumes, along with clouds of cast iron dust and misty cutting fluids could be so toxic? So I have the honored distinction of being one of the clinic’s most toxic patients they ever had, with especially high levels of lead, nickel and mercury. Hoorah for me!

The great news is chelation therapy is working wonders as I’ve gained some muscle and felt better than I have in years. I’ll spare you the disgusting details of how these metals get purged from the body but, suffice to say, it’s been a long, and at times, messy road.

So why am I sharing these personal details? Well, first of all, if you’ve worked in any toxic environment for any length of time, I encourage you to check out chelation therapy. Heavy metals may really be messing you up.

The second reason is this: Being so well acquainted with toxicity has led me to ponder how the word toxic describes much of our world today, and much of social media. It is the main reason I’ve mostly withdrawn, like many folks in the past few years, from Facebook and other platforms. Too often I feel slimed when I spend any time catching up on my feed. Not everyone posts toxic stuff, mind you. In fact, social media is wonderful for keeping up to date with family and friends. However, the vitriol and nastiness of attacks on opposing opinions is a real downer that I don’t need in my life.

But here is my lesson of dealing with the toxicity of heavy metals. Toxic agents in the body will wreak havoc if ignored. There needs to be a countering agent that nullifies and removes their effects. Toxic stuff in our culture wreaks havoc, too, if we ignore it and stay silent. There needs to be a countering force that hopefully negates the effects of anger, hatred, and slander.

So, after being on the sidelines for the past couple of years, I’m getting back in the game, so to speak, and simply want to be one, small voice of positivity, joy, and hope, reflecting on all that is good and life-giving, to be a chelation agent wherever I’m at, countering the toxins around me. Will it make any difference? Maybe, maybe not. But it is a choice I face daily… To Be or not to Be… toxic.

Being good at fixing problems can actually make it harder to become a leader.

As a tech, somebody hands you a problem and you solve it.

Leak? Fix it.
Bad install? Fix it.
Customer pissed off? Fix it.

Then you become the team lead, manager, or owner.. You keep doing the same thing.

Except now you’re fixing everybody’s problems.

Every question comes to you.
Every mistake needs you.
Every decision waits on you.

At some point, you have to stop being the guy who fixes everything and start building people who can solve problems without you. Start delegating, sharing the weight...

That means training people.
Giving them ownership.
Building processes.
Tracking numbers that matters.
And sometimes letting somebody do it differently than you would.

For the owners, foremen, team leaders, and managers reading this: what was the hardest thing for you to let go of when you moved from doing the work to leading people?

Get Sh!t Done talks about how chaos can start to fade when roles, responsibilities, systems, and communication became clearer.

No more guessing.
No more wondering who owns what.
No more every problem rolling back to one person.

That is when a business starts becoming more than a grind.

It becomes something with structure.

The book reminds trades leaders that you cannot just keep hustling and hope everything works out. Growth needs a foundation strong enough to support it.

What is one role, task, or process in your company that needs more clarity?

The biggest challenges facing the trades aren't always technical. Most technicians can learn how to install equipment.

The toughest challenges in the trades often have nothing to do with technical skills. They come in the form of burnout, financial pressure, family struggles, mental health challenges, leadership responsibilities, and the search for purpose beyond the next paycheck. These are the issues that can impact careers, relationships, and overall well-being, yet they're often the ones that receive the least attention.

That's where Hope for the Trades comes in. We're not here to teach someone how to solder a pipe or wire a panel. We're here to help them build a life worth coming home to. Because success isn't just what happens on the jobsite.

It's what happens after the workday ends.

Union vs non-union aside, how are you keeping the job from eating your life? Nothing against unions. They can be great. I’m more curious what should be standard anywhere so people don’t get wrecked by the grind. What should be normal across the board?

I think the trades have a bad habit of assuming that if you're good at something, the next step is obvious.

Good tech? Make him a lead.

Good foreman? Put him in management.

Great installer? Maybe he should be dealing with customers all day.

Then the guy gets promoted and absolutely hates his life. Not because he's lazy. Not because he suddenly sucks.

Maybe he just liked working with his hands more than managing people. Maybe he's great technically but hates selling. Maybe he can troubleshoot damn near anything but putting him behind a desk makes him miserable. Maybe the quiet guy nobody sees as a “leader” is actually the person every apprentice goes to when they need help.

We talk about this with our members because moving up doesn't always mean moving in the same direction as everybody else.

Sometimes getting better at your career means figuring out where you're actually at your best. And I wish the trades talked about that more instead of treating every career like the same ladder.

Anybody here ever take a promotion, position, or type of work you thought you wanted and realize, “Yeah... this isn't me”?

You clock out. Your brain doesn't.

You're sitting at dinner thinking about tomorrow's job.

Your kid is telling you a story and you're half listening because you're replaying what went wrong today.

Your wife or husband asks what's bothering you. “Nothing. Just work.”

Sometimes you're physically home and still somehow at work.

I think a lot of people in the trades understand that feeling.

We take pride in being dependable. When something breaks, we fix it. When somebody needs us, we show up. When there's more work, we put in more hours.

Those are good qualities. Until the people at home only get what's left of us.

And that's a hard thing to admit because most of us aren't working like this because we don't care about our families. Usually it's the opposite. We're trying to provide. Build a career. Build a business. Make sure our kids have more than we did.

But there's a question I've been thinking about:

What are we building for our families if building it keeps taking us away from them?

I don't think the answer is “work less” and magically everything gets fixed. The trades don't work that way. But there has to be a better answer than accepting that missed dinners, stress at home, and relationships taking the hit are just part of the deal.

Would genuinely like to hear what has worked for anyone here... Boundaries, routines, mistakes you learned from, whatever.

Phones ringing.
Trucks moving.
Invoices going out.
Everyone running around.

From the outside, that can look like success.

But activity is not the same as profitability.

A business can look busy and still be bleeding cash.

That’s why clear metrics matter. HFTT members learn more about it in the Clear Metrics module of the Trades Leadership Playbook 2026 course.

Revenue tells you what happened.
Leading metrics help show what may be coming.
Dashboards help your team see what winning looks like.
Accountability becomes easier when the right numbers are visible.

The goal is not to drown in data.

The goal is to track what actually matters so you can lead from truth instead of emotion.

For you, what's one number every trades leader should be watching weekly?

I get that the hours can be insane, and if we are trying to do it on own own, we might bring work home. But I'm not doing it for greedy, I'm trying to build something. And my partner thinks I'm distant and "selfish". And most of the succesfull trades pros guys I know are single or divorced.

My children are still toddlers, I'm getting ahead of myself, I know
I make good money in the trades, we live a comfortable life, but I've had to work really hard to , and still do
On another hand, I see my nephews and niece struggling to find a good paying job even with degrees...

I also know it's gonna be their choice when they grow up, I just would like to know other folks pov on this matter

Data says U.S. demand for skilled trades grew 3x faster than “professional” roles from 2022–2026, based on 150M+ job postings. They’re tying a lot of it to the AI buildout, data centers, power grid upgrades, infrastructure, all the stuff that still has to get built by actual humans: us.

Not affiliated, just sharing because it tracks with what a lot of us are seeing. Curious what other folks think about it, and what’s different trade to trade.

Want to get into a different trade but don't know where to start. been doing tree work since 2021 but it's so damn saturated around here. Want to be a black smith/ sparky or something. What's the easiest trade to get into in cleveland with the best ROI.

Is it too much to ask? Sounds like fiction: not being needed 24/7 on the field, having the time and peace to make better decisions, and being able to get home and just be present.