Hardworking Happy Hour

Episode 156: Gordon South aka WoodBully!

March 31st, 2025  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 1 min

business growth, career choices, client satisfaction, communication, company culture, construction management, decision making, education, employee retention, entrepreneurship, hiring practices, keywords construction, passion, red seal certification, scheduling, trades, trades vs office jobs, work-life balance

Summary

In this conversation, Sean and Catherine discuss the evolution of Sean's construction business, focusing on growth, delegation, and hiring practices. They explore the importance of company culture, the challenges of firing employees, and the realities of working in the trades compared to office jobs. The discussion also touches on education and career choices, emphasizing the risks and rewards associated with different paths. In this engaging conversation, Sean and Catherine explore the complexities of career choices, particularly in the trades, the importance of effective communication in construction management, and the realities of scheduling in the industry. They discuss the challenges of transitioning from hands-on work to management roles, the significance of passion in one's career, and the hard truths about hard work. The dialogue emphasizes the need for flexibility, decision-making, and the value of experience in shaping a successful career.

Episode 147: Garrett Davis! aka The Life of Bub!

January 20th, 2025  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 6 mins

addiction, business dynamics, community, construction, coping mechanisms, emotional health, financial decisions, florida, home building, hurricanes, keywords garrett davis, life transition, maine, partnership, partnerships, personal growth, sobriety, support, trades

In this conversation, Garrett Davis shares his journey from Maine to Florida, discussing the significant lifestyle changes and business dynamics he encountered. He reflects on the impact of hurricanes on his work opportunities, the process of building and selling his dream home, and the financial decisions that followed. Garrett also opens up about his experiences with partnerships in business, the challenges he faced, and his journey towards sobriety, emphasizing the importance of personal growth and resilience. In this conversation, Garrett shares his journey through addiction and sobriety, discussing the challenges he faced and the importance of community support. He reflects on his past struggles with substance abuse, the turning point that led him to seek help, and how he now uses his experiences to help others. The discussion also covers the significance of emotional expression and coping mechanisms, particularly for men. Garrett talks about his new business partnership, emphasizing the need for complementary skills and shared vision. He expresses his aspirations for growth while maintaining a good reputation in the construction industry.

Episode 143: Dronepocalypse and Forever Students!

December 23rd, 2024  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 6 mins

business, construction, drones, dump trucks, dumper, education, efficiency, hands-on experience, independence, innovation, keywords drones, learning, lifelong learning, machinery, new jersey, personal growth, photography, safety, sightings, student mindset, success, technology, trades, trivia, vehicles

In this conversation, Sean and Catherine discuss their recent acquisition of a dumptruck and the excitement surrounding it. They transition into a discussion about mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey, exploring various theories and implications. The conversation then shifts to the use of drones in their business, highlighting how drones have transformed their photography and project presentations. They conclude by discussing the future of drone technology and its potential impact on their work. In this conversation, Catherine and Sean discuss the impact of drones on photography, emphasizing the importance of framing and capturing quality images. They also explore the misconceptions surrounding learning styles, particularly in trades, advocating for a broader understanding of what it means to be a 'good student.' The dialogue highlights the value of hands-on experience and continuous learning, encouraging listeners to embrace their unique learning paths. In this engaging conversation, Catherine and Sean explore themes of learning, independence, and the construction industry. They discuss the importance of redefining success in education, share trivia about construction and dump trucks, and highlight the dangers faced by construction workers. The conversation also delves into fun facts about heavy machinery, showcasing their knowledge and humor throughout.

Episode 96 - Cyclical freak-outs and what goes in to being a creative!

December 4th, 2023  |  Season 1  |  59 mins 54 secs

business, creativity, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, rick rubin, small business owner, the creative act, trades

In this weeks episode, Sean and Catherine discuss whether it's normal or not to have cyclical freak outs in business. Is it a part of doing business, or a disruptive distraction? They also discuss Rick Rubins book, The Creative Act and how it could benefit anyone who wants to up their creativity! Tune in!

Episode 55: Special Guest, Scott Kelly of Precision Construction!

January 30th, 2023  |  Season 1  |  58 mins 6 secs

build, builder, business, business owner, deck, deck design, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, hardscape, hardscaper, in the trades, inspiration, motivation, small business owner, trades, tradesmen, tradeswomen

In this weeks episode, Sean and Catherine had the privilege of sitting down with Scott Kelly of Precision Construction at the Deck Superstore's CDX event! Scott is an amazing builder with a great attitude towards the industry and life in general. Tune in!

Episode 51: Decision Fatigue

December 19th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  59 mins 35 secs

business, carpentry, construction, creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, trades, tradesman, tradesperson, tradeswoman

In this weeks episode, Sean and Catherine discuss decision fatigue and the end of the year/holiday 'blahs'. But on the flip side, the mounting excitement for the new year refresh!

Episode 36 - Burn Out

August 29th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  56 mins 28 secs

burn out, business, business strategy, carpenter, carpentry, company leader, construction, contractor, diy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, in the trades, leader, leadership, networking, power of networking, social media, trade show, trade shows, trades, tradesmen, tradeswomen, workalike, worklifebalance, youtube

In this weeks episode, Sean and Catherine discuss the ever present risk of BURN OUT! We all deal with it from time to time, but what can we do to to lessen the blow?

Episode 34 - 10x YOUR LIFE! ... Maybe?

August 15th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 2 mins

business, business strategy, carpenter, carpentry, company leader, construction, contractor, diy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, in the trades, leader, leadership, networking, power of networking, social media, trade show, trade shows, trades, tradesmen, tradeswomen, workalike, worklifebalance, youtube

In this episode, Sean and Catherine play good cop bad cop for the theory of '10xing' your life. A popular entrepreneurship book by Grant Cardone, is it all hype or good information?

Episode 31: Going ALL IN!

July 25th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  56 mins 25 secs

business, business strategy, carpenter, carpentry, company leader, construction, contractor, diy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, in the trades, leader, leadership, networking, power of networking, social media, trade show, trade shows, trades, tradesmen, tradeswomen, workalike, worklifebalance, youtube

On this weeks episode, Sean and Catherine discuss the going ALL IN mentality! This can mean a lot for your business but also personal life!

Episode 30: Analysis Paralysis

July 18th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 1 min

business, business strategy, carpenter, carpentry, company leader, construction, contractor, diy, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, in the trades, leader, leadership, networking, power of networking, social media, trade show, trade shows, trades, tradesmen, tradeswomen, workalike, worklifebalance, youtube

Sean and Catherine are back! After a quick little vacation (aka illness) the crew is back to talk about analysis paralysis! Sometimes it is hard to not get wrapped up in analytics, but lets talk about how we overcome that!