In the season finale we talk with the legendary Bryce Sparks AKA Whiskey Biz. Star of Discovery Channel's hit TV show “Mud Madness,” and a beast on TikTok and Instagram, Bryce is an off-road racing legend with a background in the trades. In this episode, host Jeremy Perkins talks with Bryce about coming up in HVAC and getting into welding, the wild life of mud racing, and where Whiskey Biz is going next.

About

Bryce Sparks AKA Whiskey Biz (@whiskeybizzz) is a lifelong off-road racer, known for his role in Discovery Channel's “Mud Madness" and for his hilarious teenager commentary and pranks on Instagram and TikTok. While you listen to the episode, grab yourself some Whiskey Biz swag at www.whiskeybizswag.com.

Britney Friesen is one of a kind. Raised under the hood, Britney has a deep connection with cars - whether as a builder or when she's behind the wheel drag racing. In this episode, host Jeremy Perkins talks with Britney about navigating the world of automative on social media, the Ford vs Chevy debate, how to deal with internet trolls, and the trials and tribulations of being a race car builder.

About

Britney Friesen is a powerhouse. Her deep experience in the auto industry as both a builder and racer, coupled with her gifts as a creator and influencer, have earned @britneyautomotive over 1.5 million fans and followers across Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.

There aren't a lot of people out there who know more about train engines than our guest this week Nelson Cabrera aka “Crazy Salvadorian." Nelson fell in love with engines at a young age - starting his career working on diesel engines before making the jump to working in the railroad industry. In this episode Jeremy and Nelson talk through the ins and outs of his career path, the tricks of the trade he learned along the way, and dig into the history of locomotives and what it takes to stop a train when it takes three miles to slow down.

About

Tune in to hear more from Crazy Salvadorian about his engine addiction, his family life, and what it took to pivot from building Mustang engines that race trains to working on the trains he used to try and beat.

Is masonry a trade, a craft, or an art? After our conversation with Matthew Nunn, we’re firmly in the camp that it’s a blend of all three. Matt is a natural stone mason with over a decade of experience as a landscaper, hardscaper, and stone mason based in the New England area. Everyday he works with the locally-sourced stone to craft walls, stairs, paths, and outdoor environments that pay tribute to those built hundreds (sometimes even thousands) of years ago. On this episode, Matt and Bucket Talk host, Jeremy Perkins, discuss the old-school masonry trade, the process of building a moon gate, whether the Egyptian pyramids were built by aliens, and so much more. You don’t need a time machine or a history book for this episode, but we’re going to be diving into an ancient trade with centuries of backstory so buckle up.

About

From the Roman colosseum to the Egyptian pyramids to the Mayan temples, Matthew Nunn looks to the ancient stone masters for his everyday inspiration. As a natural stone mason based in New England, Matt uses old-school techniques to craft walls, stairs, paths, and outdoor environments out of locally sourced stone found in nearby farms and forests. He got his start in the trade after deciding to leave college after two years as a history major. Matt wanted to build something of his own, and he was heavily influenced by what he was learning in class and the historic dry stone walls he grew up around in Connecticut. To him, masonry is both an everyday trade and a dying art—it’s being seen as a luxury instead of necessity—so it takes a sharp eye for detail and a dedication to the traditional craft in order to keep it going in today’s society. Lucky for all of us, we’ve got guys like Matt.

This episode is all about taking life by the horns. Professional bull rider and BRUNT-sponsored athlete, Austin Richardson has been on the PBR tour since 2019 and is one of the top riders in the world. He and Bucket Talk host, Jeremy Perkins, talk about how he got into bull riding, the tight knit community of riders, his training regimen, what the future holds after his bull riding career, and all the ins and outs of being a PBR rider. We’re not only excited to have Austin on the pod, but we’re pumped to have him repping the BRUNT name on his gear—tune in to hear his story and dive into the world of professional bull riding.

About

Most kids by the age of 13 are riding bikes and skateboards, but by then, our guy Austin Richardson was already taking on some of the toughest bulls in the world. Growing up outside of Dallas, he and his buddies got a shot at bull riding at an early age, and Austin showed he was natural from his very first ride. By 16 Austin was all in on bull riding and decided that he wanted to go pro. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long, because at only 18 Austin got his PBR card and began competing on the biggest stages in the sport. Since then he’s become one of the most competitive riders in PBR, and he’s been a BRUNT-sponsored athlete for the last couple seasons. This year he was #1 in the world before a season-ending injury, but Austin’s recovery has gone according to plan and he’s on-track to be at full strength for next season. For a dude who’s only 24, Austin spits a lot of wisdom and speaks very humbly about his talents—if you’re looking for someone to root for in PBR, he’s your guy.

Between the rough conditions, the crazy heights, and everything in between, iron working might not be everyone—but it’s a perfect fit for our guy Travis Seifert. Though he’s been a union ironworker for seven years now, you can also find Travis on stage as Dirty Prescott Kids performing his unique blend of country, rap, and hip hop. He’s been supporting BRUNT since day one, and we were pumped to have him on the show to chat with Bucket Talk host, Jeremy Perkins, about how he balances life in the trades and life as a musician. If there was ever a guy to give you a good perspective on work-life balance, it’s our guy Travis.

About

When the sun’s up, you can find Travis Seifert working on buildings and bridges as a union ironworker. When the sun’s down, you can find him on stages as Dirty Prescott Kids playing a unique blend of country, rap, and hip hop. Proudly born and raised in Prescott, Wisconsin, Travis got his start in iron working seven years ago with the help of a friend. He’s been a musician for even longer, and even though Travis kept that side of him a secret from his iron brothers for a while (more on that in the episode), they’ve become some of his biggest supporters over the years. If you follow Travis on social media, you know his iron work and life as a musician keep him traveling around the country—and if you don’t follow him, you’re missing out on some of the funniest content on the internet. He’s just as much Waka Flocka Flame as he is Chris Stapleton and we’re pumped to have a guy like Travis in our corner.

Our guy Dustin puts new meaning behind the old phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”. Since the day he started walking, Dustin “Battle Ax” Jones has been grinding to set himself up for success. He grew up working on his family’s farm in Louisiana, earned an academic scholarship to Louisiana Tech, helped start one of the biggest UTV and side-by-side shops in the country, and is now running S3 Power Sports by day and earning first-place trophies as a professional dirt racer by night. On this episode, Dustin sits down with Bucket Talk host, Jeremy Perkins, to chat about his journey in the trades, his career as a professional racer, and how he still has the grit and strength to tackle every day like it’s his last. You won’t need any coffee after listening to this episode—it’ll have you ready to run through a brick wall.

About

From growing up on a farm in Louisiana to hoisting massive trophies on the biggest stages in dirt racing, Dustin Jones is proof that if you work your ass off, good things will come. As a kid, Dustin would help his father on their family farm for 14+ hours a day, and developed a serious work ethic that would translate across everything he did as an adult. After graduating with honors from Louisiana Tech with a mechanical engineering degree, Dustin got a well-paying job at an engineering firm—but it just wasn’t what he wanted his career to be. He got an opportunity to help start a UTV and side-by-side shop and never looked back. That company grew into S3 Power Sports and is one of the biggest repair, distribution, and customization shops in the country. Through his work with S3, Dustin got into racing UTVs and found out pretty quickly that he was wicked good. His determination and drive to be the best got him sponsorships from major brands like Monster Energy, Can-Am, and Fox—all while still running and operating S3. Dustin’s awake before his alarm clock every morning to beat the sh*t out of the day, and he’ll teach you what it takes to make the most of any opportunity that life gives you.

It’s a shame there isn’t a union for storytellers, because our guy Donald “Dirty Water Don” Gann would be the president. Instead, he’s a member of the Local Union 1556 dockbuilders and timbermen as an underwater welder—diving deep into the New York and New Jersey’s rivers, sewers, and waterways for construction and maintenance needs. He and Bucket Talk host, Jeremy Perkins, chat about how Don got in the game, some of the craziest dives he’s ever gone on, what it’s like to be on a Discovery Channel’s Sewer Divers, and everything in between. Only Don can really do his story justice, so tune in and hear it from the man himself.

About

Between hunting for mammoth bones in the East River, having a show on Discovery Channel, and creating some of the best content on the internet, Donald Gann is no ordinary underwater welder. His path to being one of (if not the) most famous underwater welders in the country started a couple decades back with a simple google search: what are the most dangerous jobs in America? Underwater welding popped up, and Don was all in. A lot of people would get claustrophobic and panicky down in the depths where he works, but his heart rate stays steady at 68 beats per minute no matter how bad the current is or how brutal the conditions are. You can usually find him in the New York and New Jersey area working in the local sewers, rivers, and waterways, but he’s always down for an adventure and doesn’t mind diving anywhere the job takes him. Beyond the television presence and internet notoriety, Don owns his own company, Siren Marine Solutions, and helps educate the youth in his community about the world of underwater welding. He’s a multifaceted dude who can make anyone laugh, and his story is more than worth your time.

Jeremy sits down to chat with Zach Johnson about all things agriculture—as a sixth-generation farmer, very few people have a perspective quite like Zach’s. He shares his thoughts on the state of farm-to-table businesses, what it takes to operate both small and large-scale farms, and what it means to be a farmer working on the same plot of land as his ancestors.” If you’ve ever had the thought “Man, it’d be awesome to own a farm one day” this episode is a must-listen.

About

In 1868, a family from Sweden moved to western Minnesota to start a farm, and by 1876, they had officially established a successful 160-acre homestead. Today, that family is on their sixth-generation of farmers which is led by our friend, Zach Johnson. American agriculture has greatly changed in all that time, but the Johnson family was built to handle that burden and has thrived in a highly competitive industry over the past 150+ years. Zach is putting his own stamp on the family’s legacy by keeping production strong, growing the business where he can, and garnering a massive YouTube platform with over 1 million subscribers. He proudly refers to himself as the “Millennial Farmer” because his YouTube channel helps educate today’s generation on the agriculture industry in a way that’s appealing to younger audiences, all while paying tribute to one of the oldest trades in the world. Zach’s an old soul that’s adapted to the modern age, and we respect the hell out of that.

This week we have One Three Motorsports owner and former professional snowmobile rider, Lincoln Lemieux. Lincoln takes us through the life of a racing team owner, and also shares stories from his professional riding career. We talk about the evolution of motorsports and the impressive athletes that put their lives on the line to earn the gold.

About

Amsoil snocross gold medalist and One Three Motorsports co-owner, Lincoln Lemieux, hops on the Bucket this week with Jeremy to talk high-octane sports. Lincoln is a former professional snowmobile racer, and a decorated veteran of the sport with multiple podium placements. After a highly successful career as a snocross athlete, he’s now coaching the next generation of young racers—including his own kids—with his years of experience leading the charge.

Bucket Talk’s eighth season kicks off with host Jeremy Perkins sitting down with Shaquille “Shaq” Hinkson, owner and operator of Nick’s Professional Supplies, a car detailing supply company based in Long Island, NY. Tune-in to hear about Shaq’s exotic cars, his expansion into custom car modifications, his relentless work ethic, and his business partnership with his wife as they rise to the top of the industry.

About

Shaquille “Shaq” Hinkson is a business owner, tireless networker, husband and exotics car enthusiast who got his start with a mobile car detailing business that taught him how hard work pays off. This venture lead Shaq to opening up his own shop, Nick’s Professional Supplies, where he is bringing expert detailing services to the NYC area with style. Shaq has now expanded into merchandise and supplies sales, along with a full customization shop, solidifying him as a true success in the car service industry. Thank you for coming on Shaq, links to social below.

Season Finale ALERT! We have some familiar faces on the podcast this week for the last episode from this year. Special guest, Brennan Ruault from the TV Show "Gold Rush" joins us this week for a hell of a final episode. Along with Brennan, BRUNT Workwear CEO and former co-host of Bucket Talk, Eric Girouard grabs a bucket to join the conversation with the guys. Take a peak at this inside look at the TV show Gold Rush and what it takes to make it in forestry and mining.

About

Most of you may know who Brennan Ruault is from his time as one of the main characters in the reality TV Show Gold Rush. Brennan Spends his days now up in the Yukon mining gold.

Brennan was obsessed with heavy machinery and hard work from day one learning from his dad and always wanting to be on a jobsite. After climbing through the ranks in forestry, Brennan made the jump to golf mining where the Gold Rush oppurtunity presented itself.

Brennan takes us through some hilarious stories from the set of the show, what it was like working a labor job on a television set, and just all the ins and outs of Gold Rush.

Honest, humble, and wicked talented, Bryan Martin is one of country music’s biggest emerging artists with deep roots in the trades lifestyle. For 15 years he worked as a roughneck on an oil rig while teaching himself to play guitar and honing his singing chops in his spare time. It was by no means easy, but he now has over 6 million monthly streams on Spotify with sold-out shows across the world. Between Bryan’s insights on working in the oil fields and the stories he has as a full-time touring musician, this is an episode that you can’t skip.

About

Hell of a guest with country music star Bryan Martin. He is a rising star in the country music scene and as far as he knows he is here to stay. Alongside being a great singer/songwriter, Bryan, was a roughneck working hard on an oil rig for a decade and a half.

Working on an oil rig seems like a hell of an experience that is tough work but pays the bills. Bryan brings us through some lighthearted and heavy hitting stories from his days on the rig.

If you are a fan of country music keep your eye out for Bryan because he's the real deal. Authentic country. Tune in this week for this seasons second to last episode!

Billy Kunelius eats, sleeps, and breathes trees—he’s a fulltime forester, is a BRUNT sponsored timbersports athlete, and loves the woods more than pretty much anyone else we know. Like a lot of kids growing up, Billy spent his childhood exploring the outdoors, and enjoyed hunting and fishing with his dad. But he knew he was destined to be a true outdoorsman when he saved up his money at age 8 to purchase his first axe. In college he joined the timbersports team at the University of New Hampshire and he’s been competing in events across the country as a professional ever since graduating. Our Head of Community and Bucket Talk host, Jeremy Perkins, sat down with Billy to chat about what goes into maintaining a healthy forest and hear some of the wild stories of being a timbersports athlete.

About

This weeks episode brings us to the world of professional timbersports and forestry. Our guest, Billy Kunelius, hails from New Hampshire and spends his days with an axe in hand. Billy takes us through bits of his childhood detailing how he became passionate about forestry.

Billy studied forestry in college which lead to him pushing himself to be one of the best in the world at using an axe and chainsaw.

We get to hear the crazy stories of being a timbersports athlete while getting to hear some funny forestry stories about common land alteration requests. Tune in for a great pod.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone more determined than our friend Luke McFadden. A self-taught waterman and crab fisherman out of Maryland, Luke knew from as far back as he can remember that he wanted to be on the water fishing crabs. But the big problem was that he didn’t know anyone in an industry that’s traditionally a family business. Against all odds he learned the ropes to become a fulltime waterman as the captain of the F.V. Southern Girl, and runs his own YouTube channel with over 380,000 subscribers. Check out his whole story and learn what it takes to never give up on your dreams.

About

Calling all fisherman and mechanics this week. Luke McFadden is the new up and coming expert crabber in Maryland and has made quite a name for himself. Luke details his journey of finding his passion in crabbing through a love of fishing and hunting as a kid.

Luke has documented his entire rise on his social media creating informative and fun content for everyone to enjoy ranging from crabbing to fixing up old vehicles. Luke does it all.

Luke takes us on the wild ride that was his start in the crabbing industry that required endless determination and hard work. Tune in for another heater of an episode!

You might know him as The Muscle from Diesel Brothers, but Keaton Hoskins is much more than an automotive expert and builder—he’s got a bottomless well of insight and ingenuity that’s set him apart from traditional trades workers. For one of our most highly anticipated episodes yet, Keaton and Jeremy hit on what it takes to build a successful company and the keys Keaton has learned in his years of business. Buckle up and tune into a seriously inspiring episode with a legend of the game.

About

We've been real excited to drop this pod, tune in this week and listen in on a great conversation between Jeremy and Keaton AKA The Muscle. Keaton is known for his work on the discovery channel with Diesel Brothers.

Since then Keaton has been transforming himself into being the best man and father he can be while motivating others to do the same. On this episode we get to listen to what motivated Keaton to get to where he is today and some things he lives by.

We get the whole story here today so take a listen and enjoy!

You might love trucks, but our friend Chelsey Holdosi is on another level. When she’s not working full time as a project manager for an excavation company, she’s rebuilding an old Dodge from the ground up—it’s a fully custom build that’s insanely impressive. Over time, working on her truck has become much more than just a hobby, and now Chelsey tours to truck shows across the country while keeping her Instagram up to date with her truck’s progress. If you’ve ever thought about rebuilding an old car yourself or simply appreciate quality craftsmanship, this episode is a must listen for you.

About

We are back this week with another great episode with the special guest Chelsey Holdosi. Chelsey is a full time project manager/estimator for an excavation company and when she isn't doing that she builds bad ass trucks from the ground up.

We get the full story on how Chelsey got to where she is today in her career and the hurdles she had to jump to get there. With the SEMA car show just passing us we get an inside look on what goes into preparing for SEMA.

We've got everything from excavation estimating to racing against the clock to get her new truck to the show in time! Tune in for another episode of Bucket Talk.

Forklift operator by day, animal rescuer by night—Zach Martin is a seriously interesting guy with a wide range of passions and expertise. Right out of high school he was driving tractors and cleaning out chicken houses before diving into the forklift scene full time. Growing up, he always had a deep appreciation for native Alabama wildlife, and started rehabilitating animals at a very young age with his family. Today, he cares for everything from foxes to coyotes to skunks to truly any creature that needs a hand getting healthy and back into the wild. Hear all about his forklift operating career and his work with the local wildlife in this episode of Bucket Talk.

About

Hilarious pod this week, we welcome the "Possum King" Zach Martin on board to talk everything from critters that most of us would never mess with to forklift operating and how to get into and succeed in that trade.

Zach gives us an inside look at how to become a forklift operator and the good and bad that comes along with it. We get to hear some hilarious work stories and we get to dive into Zach's incredibly unique hobby, saving critters.

Zach even gives us the hilarious story as to how he got the nickname "Possum King" and how that led him into a life of saving animals and releasing them back into the wild. Stay tuned for this one!

If you want to see a master at work, go check out any of the projects Daniel Preston is working on. He’s an absolute magician in the hardscape space, with over 20 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge in both designing and building. Daniel also runs a mentorship program that guides young workers in their path hardscape journey, and the funny thing is, he more or less fell into hardscaping after dropping out of art school. It’s a story you’re going to want to hear first hand from Daniel, so tune in and enjoy this week’s episode.

About

Dan Preston joins us this week for another great episode of Bucket Talk. Dan is an expert hardscaper and designer who has worked tooth and nail to get to where he is today with his business.

We walk through Dans story from dropping out to hone his craft to becoming the designer he is today and how he got to where he is. Dan walks us through the ups and downs of building a business and having faith in hard work.

Dan shares how to use social media as a backbone for growing a blue collar business making it easier for potential clients to catch wind of your work. Tune in for another great episode of Bucket Talk

Our friend Robert Voss is one of the most unique guys we know. He’s a third-generation garbageman who knows all the ins and outs of the sanitation game with plenty of wild stories from his 20 years on the job. But what really sets him apart is his focus on health and fitness. Since garbage collecting is such a physically demanding job, he exercises his whole body to stay injury-free and perform at the best of his ability. As a small business owner, he works his tail off to help his community in the rural midwest while maintaining a healthy lifestyle—tune in and hear all about Robert’s incredible daily grind.

Analysis

We are back this week with a very interesting guest. Robert Voss has been working in the sanitation industry for as long as he can remember. Robert owns his business and gives it his all every single day. Listen to Robert talk to us about the ups and downs to owning a business and why exactly Robert loves what he does.

Aside from sanitation Voss is an athletic specimen who dedicates most of his day to training and staying healthy. To be an avid runner and work on a trash truck is no easy feat.

Tune in to catch some crazy stories of neighbors and their trash and what crazy stuff Robert has found along the way.

Talking shop with Rudy Del Bosque is always a riot. A couple months back when we were out in his neck of the woods for the PBR Worlds in Fort Worth, we knew he had to come on BucketTalk to share some stories. His old man is a lifelong trucker who built a successful trucking company that’s now become a family business, with Rudy set to take the reins when the time comes. Rudy came on to talk about everything from the future of the trucking industry to maintaining a family business and what that means to the Del Bosque legacy and everything in between. He’s chalk full of funny Texas sayings, and we were pumped to have him on the podcast.

About

We have a very special guest this week. The Silver Bullet Mullet aka Rudy Del Bosque joins us on the pod this week. Rudy is a gem hailing from Texas. He spends his day driving a big rig and running the family business.

This weeks episode is full of funny moments. We get to hear some hilarious stories from Rudy along with a background on how he got to where he is today. Rudy runs us through some great stories from his past while giving great tips on how to get motivated and learn from your elders.

If you drive a truck or plan on it this is the podcast for you. Rudy doesn't miss a thing in this one. Join us for some laughs!

This week’s episode features an absolute legend of the landscaping/lawncare game, and goes by the name of BYD aka The Big Yard Dawg. Micheal Bowman is a hardworking man trying to instill his knowledge onto his kids and generations to come showing us the right way to treat a lawn. Jeremy and Michael dive into all things landscaping from tips and tricks to funny stories from the job. Tune in if you have some brown patches on your lawn!

About

What an episode this week, Michael Bowman, hailing from Georgia gave us a visit on the podcast. Michael who also goes by BYD aka The Big Yard Dawg is an expert landscaper and works alongside his son specializing in Bermuda grass. We get a firsthand look at what it takes to be the best and the work that goes into building a successful landscaping business.

We get to hear about everything from what first got Michael into landscaping just trying to make a buck at age 10 to what it is like working alongside your son. Michael is a social media OG who has been active for decades showing others how to get a lawn like him.

Listen up if you have Bermuda grass because BYD is giving all the tips on all things Bermuda grass lawn care. We get all the trade secrets in this one so if you care about your grass I’d give this one a listen.

If you grew up in the 90s and early 00s, there’s no chance you missed Streetbike Tommy on MTV’s Nitro Circus—this dude was a legend on the schoolyard for his insane stunts and hilarious antics. But what most guys don’t know is that Tommy grew up in a blue-collar house, learning how to hang drywall from his dad and working construction through high school. Today, when he’s not touring for the entertainment business, he’s working with his hands doing sheetrock, carpentry, and general contracting projects across the country. Tommy’s a one-of-a-kind dude with a tradesman’s heart and an endless supply of funny stories.

About

In today's episode Jeremy gets to sit down with a living legend in the extreme sports world. "Streetbike" Tommy has probably made us all laugh at some point in time over the years at the expense of his own body, either on Nitro Circus, Jackass, or any other crazy MTV show. What some might not know about Tommy is that he has been in the drywall and construction business his entire life. Tommy grew up in a blue collar household and worked at a young age on the jobsite.

Jeremy and Tommy dive into some stories about Tommy's MTV days along with how he has thrived in the construction industry along the way. Tune in for our crazy season opener!!

Season Finale time! We have a very special guest for our Season 6 finale, a BBQ legend featured on Next Level Chef on Fox. Matt Groark, hailing from Philly, takes us through his journey of becoming a chef gives us a glimpse of what the life of a celebrity chef is like. Matt and Jeremy cover a range of topics from the foundations Matt supports and represents to what it was like working alongside the Gordon Ramsay. Tune in for the Season 6 wrap up.

About

Matt Groark, is a legendary BBQ chef from the Philly area. He specializes in smoking meats and is not limited to just that. Matt was even selected and competed on a Gordon Ramsay cooking competition to show off that he can do more than just a BBQ chef. Matt gives us the inside scoop of what it was like working with the most famous celebrity chef of all time.

On top of his skills as a chef Matt is a devout husband and father who supports multiple foundations supporting the less fortunate. These foundations are held close to Matts heart as he has a personal connection to all of them.

Matt supports his community in a number of other ways including being a teacher, basketball coach, and a driving instructor doing anything he can to help others with what he has at his disposal. A true representation of the BRUNT mentality. Great to have you on Matt, looking forward to seeing more success from you.

Morgan Tayek brings us on her unorthodox journey to becoming a maker in the woodworking space and a talented one at that. Morgan takes us from cosmetology, to the cannabis industry, to being inspired to finding her niche in woodworking and selling her artwork. Morgan has dedicated many years into perfecting her craft and shows us what it took to get great at what she does.

About

Raised by artists Morgan, who was always well rounded, felt a need to find a way to express herself artistically and she found that through woodworking. Through trial and error dabbling in the cannabis industry and letting us know the ups and downs to that industry, Morgan struck gold when she discovered woodworking.

Morgan found her niche with the scroll saw and immediately took a liking to it. She brings us through the trial and error of learning and trying to master the tool while sharing her work and starting a business from her artwork.

We talk about possible next steps for Morgan as she wants to expand on her business and get more custom projects out to clients the sky is the limit for Morgan and we are all for it. Tune in to this great episode.

Happy to have Erik Perkins from the @perinns_builder_brothers on the podcast this week. Erik is a custom homebuilder who started a small business with a tight crew that builds custom homes all over the North Carolina area. The work Erik does is nothing short of amazing and has built a great business building custom homes and even taking any jobs during the rocky roads of the economy. Tune in for some hilarious stories and maybe learn a thing or two for your next home improvement or investment property.

About

Erik is a proud father and husband always going the extra mile for his family and to provide for his family. Erik and his brother started a custom home building business run with only a few other employees where they build custom models from start to finish. From excavation to roofing these guys do it all. 

Erik and Jeremy get into the quirks and tedious work that involve home building, letting us know what not to screw up and what to pay extra attention for. Erik covers everything from how he bills clients to giving free quotes.

Building custom dream homes for people that have been envisioning this for decades can be difficult. Luckily we have Erik for funny customer stories and what speed bumps he runs into with clients who might be indecisive or too particular about what they like. Hell of a podcast this week, tune in!

Very special guest this week on Bucket Talk. Eli Vastbinder is a veteran professional bull rider who just recently won his first buckle with PBR this year. Eli has been thriving this year and has qualified for, PBR World Finals in Fort Worth next month. Eli brings us through the life of a pro cowboy and everything he has encountered along the way. Ups and downs we get the inside look into the career of a cowboy and what it is like to be living your childhood dreams.

About

Hailing from North Carolina, Eli is a seasoned vet to the PBR rodeo series and spends the majority of his time honing in his craft and getting better. Eli met his now wife in North Carolina and is no stranger to moving around. He has lived all over the country to compete at the highest level in the sport.

Vastbinder is one of the grittiest guys around and shows us how a real man balances family and work life. Eli brings us through his training routine and the joys of being a father and raising a child with his wife. Eli is 33 years old and has been with PBR since 2020 and rode professionally for years before then in a rodeo series more broad expanding past bull riding.

We get to see why Eli made the decision to switch to PBR and what it is like having the gnarliest sport on the planet as an occupation and the dangers that come with being a pro bull rider and getting on the back of an animal that could easily cause deadly harm. Tune in for this action packed episode. 

Patriots day brings us a guest who has worked a plethora of blue collar jobs and has solidified himself as a legend in multiple fields. Randy Nessman, aka. @master_pipe_layer, grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota, transitioned from the farm to becoming a firefighter while also being a pipe layer and considered a master at what he does. Randy gives us the run-down on farming, struggles of being a firefighter in a rural area, and just the everyday struggles of the tradesman.

About

Randy Nessman was born and raised on a dairy farm that was run by his parents. The business was successful until the turn of the century and the family had to move on and start fresh. Randy tells us about life on the farm as a kid and the skills you pick up doing the tough work involving farms.

We get to hear what led Randy to becoming a pipelayer and eventually following the footsteps of his buddies and becoming a firefighter. We get an inside scoop on the dangers of these tough jobs and the major drainage projects Randy has been a part of. 

Taking a step back from work we see what Randy does for fun with his family and friends and the fun times that come along with working in the trades. Randy is a proud firefighter and we thank him and all first responders for your service.

Back this week with a messy guest to say the least. Dominic Rosales aka. @poorpumpersociety. Dominic is a septic pumper/content creator located in Texas. Raised in a household of hard work Dominic left the office job to help his dad with his business. Dominic and Jeremy dive into the messy business of pumping septic tanks and all the hilarious junk that goes along with the job.

About

Dominic Rosales is the guy you need to listen to for anything septic. Dominic’s father, at a young age, started a business and started supporting his family. After seeing his dad grow the business as soon as Dom got the call the two weeks notice was on his old bosses desk. After dropping everything to help grow the business, Dominic has managed to gain extensive knowledge in his field while growing a following on social media with refreshing and hilarious content.

Dom has seen and heard it all and we get a glimpse into the messy work that septic pumping is. We get to hear funny client interactions and the safety of water in Texas. Rosales has used this messy job to have a niche way to deliver funny content while still doing his job. A true hustler.

If you need to learn basics about your septic system and beyond this is the episode for you aside from all the shenanigans Dom delivers an informative episode. Tune in!

Very special guest this week. Jeremy and the Iron Mike Sharp, one of the most entertaining personalities in the space, have their long awaited meeting. Iron Mike is a seasoned trucker and has taken his larger than life personality and catchphrases to social media and has amassed quite a following in doing so. Mike gives us the quick life story while jumping into his trucking career and joking around with Jeremy. Tune in and don’t miss Iron Mike unapologetically be himself.

About

Iron Mike Sharp is a trucker hailing from North Carolina but originally grew up in New Jersey. By trade Mike is a heavy equipment hauler traveling all around the country hauling loads doing the lord's work. Mike does not hold back in this episode he tells us what’s on his mind pertaining to the trucking industry everything from drug testing to licensing.

Mike and Jeremy talk about unions and how the trucking industry has and always will have a mafia feel. Mike shows us first hand why his personality has gotten a major following online. We get an inside look into what it is like to work for a company similar to that of Mike’s.

Mike also lets us in on the sores of trucking with all of the regulations going on, even lets us in on some old trucker jokes. Trucking can be a lonely job and we all know these men and women have their own code. We get to hear some radio stories from both sides that will have you laughing. Enjoy this week’s episode and can't wait to have Mike back on.

Great episode this week. Jeremy takes a deep dive into the life of a hydraulic mechanic with Shane LaBedelle. Shane was raised in the shop that he runs now and was taught everything he knows from his father who started the shop decades ago. Kick back and listen to Shane and Jeremy joke around and talk shop. Stick around at the end of the episode for a tour of Shane's shop.

About

Shane LaBedelle, born and raised in the shop. Shane’s father introduced him to the world of mechanics when he started his own shop and taught Shane everything he knows now about hydraulic mechanics. Nowadays, Shane will be running the show soon, his way and has come into his own as one of the best in the trade.

Jeremy, being a former mechanic himself, is like a kid in a candy store bouncing questions off Shane looking for any wisdom he has. Shane gives us the inside scoop on being ready to assume the position of running the company and is eager for the future. 

The fellas laugh through the episode of the dangers and funny moments that come along with working in these trades. Everything from fun tools, how Shane learned the trade, what it is like to run a business in the blue collar world and even a tour through Shane's shop.

Jeremy and Garit meet again after a memorable time at Makers Camp in New York. Garit is a craft woodworker who makes custom pieces. Starting out just selling to friends and the product quickly picking up popularity Garit soon realized this could be a career. So he jumped at the opportunity and hasn’t looked back since. In today’s podcast we talk about building businesses, house hopping along the journey, maintaining family life and much more.

About

Garit Sullivan is a custom woodworker who has his own business crafting custom pieces and selling them. Along with being a woodworker by trade Garit works in the tech world and as a project manager with a few employees working under him for all of his endeavors. True entrepreneurial mindset mixed in with the trades.

Some of Garit’s most popular pieces include anything from tables to cutting boards being in high demand around the holidays; he stays busy with the plethora of occupations. Garit and Jeremy talk about the dangers of working in the shop and the rewarding experience surrounding teaching someone under you and having an apprentice, passing on knowledge.

Garit gives us a fresh perspective on how amateur some people may be starting out a job and the growing pains of having young struggling employees. Being a boss and learning yourself is a process and everyone learns at their own speed; some words Garit goes by.

In today’s episode we have a guest that could test the knowledge of our host Jeremy. @autotechmike is a mechanic who runs his own shop and has been in the trade for decades. Mike takes us step by step through his journey as a mechanic while cracking jokes and sharing crazy client experiences with Jeremy. We get to hear what it is like going from employee to employer and the hardships that come with being a mechanic and a business owner.

About

Seasoned mechanic @autotechmike is bursting with mechanic knowledge as is our host and former mechanic Jeremy Perkins. This week’s episode is a treat with these two chatting about anything and everything mechanic. The boys go on about all crazy problems mechanics deal with from disposing of hazardous waste, troubles of being a mobile mechanic, working in a shop after being mobile and much more.

Mike got his start as a trash picking mechanic finding anything on someone's curb and fixing it up for a resale. From here Mike became a mobile mechanic driving around helping those broken down on the side of the road to moving into a shop and eventually becoming the owner of said shop. 

Other than problems we get to hear some hilarious stories about crazy clients who gave the guys some hard times. Although they could’ve gone all day with crazy personal stories, Jeremy and Mike finish it off with how to work through problems and the difficulties of having the responsibilities of a business owner. 

We have an amazing guest for you this week on Bucket Talk. Adam Anderson, the son of legendary monster truck driver Dennis Anderson, creator and operator of the Grave Digger. Take a listen as Adam walks us through the hectic lifestyle of a champion monster truck driver/entertainer. Jeremy and Adam talk about the toughness needed for action sports, the similarities between nascar and monster trucks, and what it is like being born into the spotlight and carrying on the legacy of a legend.

About

Adam Anderson, although being brought up in the shadow of his father, has made quite a name for himself in the monster truck industry. He became only the fourth person in history to win a monster jam world title in both freestyle and racing. Safe to say Adam can hold his own out there. 

We get an inside look at the start to his career being a mechanic on these big rigs and transitioning into driving, operating and entertaining in these massive machines. Adam explains his love for the shop and his addiction to being a mechanic and always working on something. 

Anderson has held about every position you can in this industry, even took a turn at the corporate level and just about logged into his business computer once or twice. Safe to say the office wasn’t for him. He preferred spending his time helping turn a wrench or give guidance wherever needed in the shop. Being born into something that became his passion, Adam gives Jeremy the inside scoop on staying the course, balancing family and career, and the wild life of a monster truck racer/entertainer.             

Bucket Talk is back this week with Evan Steger, metal polisher, out of the great state of Wisconsin. Evan talks about what it was like growing up in a family with two parents working blue collar jobs and how that inspired him in his life and career. The trials and tribulations of posting your work online and gaining success through that. Listen to what motivated Evan to build a successful company and how he built his legacy along the way. 

About

Evan Steger is a true entrepreneur with the spirit to prove everyone wrong. Raised by a mother who operated a forklift and a father who was a welder, Evan was primarily around his grandfather in his early childhood due to his parents constantly working. This attitude stuck with Evan and is a key pillar in his work ethic today. In the beginning of his career, after securing his work permit at 13, Evan started at a truck wash business which eventually led to him falling in love with the polish process. 

After working at the truck wash for years with no raise Evan put in his two weeks to start his own polish shop. His boss said some crucial words after this. He said, “When the metal polish business doesn’t work out, you can always come back and work for me.” That is all the motivation Evan needed to take over this space. On the contrast Jeremy and Evan talk about what makes a great boss and the dangers of the blue collar industry being scarce with employees.

Starting a new business isn’t always easy and with a family it’s even more difficult. The boys talk about the sacrifices the people in your family and yourself will have to make if trying to start a business. Evan will walk you through the ups and downs of the polishing life and show you how he looks back and smiles at his journey, still hungry for more.

Season 6 kickoff started with a bang with one of the top female influencers in the blue collar space. Going to school to become a plastic surgeon to taking welding classes at a vocational school Chloe the @arcweldingangel has mastered the 180° career change. In this season's premier Chloe explains to us what called her to become an industrial welder. Listen to Chloe and Jeremy talk about the difficulties of mastering a trade, the importance of the trades, and the perks to welding and working in the industry.

About

To start the new season and the new year of Bucket Talk we are sitting down with the one and only Chloe Hudson, TIG welder and fabricator. Chloe walks us through her path to falling in love with welding and the life decisions she made to get to where she is today. Growing up and in her high school days Chloe aspired to be a plastic surgeon. Needing to fill her class schedule with something Chloe chose a welding class. She grew up around welders and wanted to be of some assistance so she made herself useful.

Immediately, Chloe was hooked and enjoyed the gratification of getting better and better every time she picked up the torch. Right after high school it didn’t take long for Chloe to realize that her clinical job nursing was not her cup of tea, so she did what anyone would do and started working maintenance in a nuclear sector. Chloe took notes on the guys walking around the job site that seemed to be making the most dough and set out to hone her craft to get paid more. This became apparent in her first interviews with recruiters being called the jack of all trades yet master of none. This motivated her and she immediately enrolled in vocational school to master the craft.

Chloe began to excel and she found herself in some amazing welding jobs working on extremely impressive aircraft and even having the opportunity to work with nascar teams. Chloe has climbed the ladder of blue collar work and has come out on top while building an extremely strong social media presence without losing her identity as a woman. Take a listen to Jeremy and Chloe talk about the importance of the trades and blue collar work today and hear this amazing story of one welder's path to serious success.

A true maker at heart, Rob Rojas has had a creative spirit since he was young. This curiosity led him to carpentry class in high school, which he ended up studying three times a day by the time he was an upperclassman. He ended up moving on to college to study emergency preparedness, cyber security and homeland security, though he felt the pull right back to carpentry once he graduated. 

“My entire life I was always involved in creating things whether it was when I was younger with Legos and clay or wanted to smash that old toy apart and figure out how it worked. And really, the whole carpentry thing started actually in high school.”

While he is interested in getting into hazard mitigation and natural disaster work in the future, he’s found that he truly enjoys the trades. Not only that, but he’s found himself working under one of the top makers in the game right now, Jimmy Diresta — a dream job for most folks in the maker community. 

“So I thought about reaching out to Jimmy and just saying, hey, you know, can I work for you? I'll work for free, pick up the dog shit, whatever you want to do. And he just texted me the next morning and he's like, come on by and you know the rest has been history.”

Today, he’s focused on being a sponge, learning from Jimmy and others in the industry, like Anne of Anne of All Trades who works in Tennessee. He’s got a ton of options ahead of him, but he’s leaning toward fine carpentry, where he can really perfect his craft and design skills all under his own New York-based business, Rojas Carpentry LLC. 

Kevin’s family moved to San Diego when he was in sixth grade and he lived the life most kids live through high school: he played soccer, got into graphic design and had to figure out what to do with his life. He decided to go to community college, where he wanted to major in Business Administration and minor in graphic design. However, after a tragic accident and some devastating injuries, he was forced to change his path. He takes this in stride, though, knowing that he learned a lot from the adversity.

“I don't feel like a lot of people have gone through anything close to that and I don't wish them to but it made me really realize and grow up as fast as I did, and mature as fast as I did. And you know, just start thinking about the way life is and all those things, right?”

After recovering, he linked up with a temp agency, he bounced around to businesses like Bose and Ashley Furniture. He did this for a while, but eventually he landed a gig working for an electric company in San Diego, delivering equipment to Northern California each week. He worked around the warehouse for a while, but then, thanks to some encouragement from his cousins, he got the guts to ask for a way into something bigger.

“So I got the guts, I went and asked them like, Hey, so what's up with the apprenticeship? And he just looked at me with a smile. He's like, Oh, so you're ready.”

Well, he landed the apprenticeship. Turns out having some gumption works. After patiently working his way through the apprenticeship, he was finally at the job site, like he wanted. This is where _ksparky was born. He was seeing people posting about the trades on Instagram and he decided he wanted to put his hat in the ring, too, sharing his day-to-day life in the electrician world.

“But it got me thinking, too, if I'm doing this every day, all these crazy job sites, you know, why not share my journey.”

This past April, Kevin got his certificate and was able to join his local union in San Diego — a huge step after a five year apprenticeship. Not only that, he’s already made it to foreman. He’s come a long way very quickly, but he knows he needs to keep growing and working hard every day to ensure he continues to be someone people can look up to, be it someone on social media or a lifelong tradesman who works for him.

From an early age, Geoff knew he wanted to join the Marines. Once he made up his mind, that was the target he had his eyes on and it came to fruition in 2013, when he signed the dotted line. He served as a small-craft mechanic, working on outboard boat engines for most of his career. Though he was in the military and didn’t have an exact plan for the future, he knew he always wanted to incorporate art and social media into his life. 

“So [art] was always something I kind of worked on on the side and just tried to grow and, you know, TikTok hadn't been around yet. So I was like, in the event, I do get out [of the military], maybe this could be something. Maybe, maybe not, I'm not sure. But it's fun.”

Once he decided to leave the Marines, he wanted to get into the freelance or art world in some capacity. After moving to Coronado for his final spell in the military, he decided that he’d like to live his life on the move. He lived #vanlife for a while, posting videos about that since he was not really able to share about military life on his social media channels anymore.

“I was like, let's just get a van. We do this all the time. When I ended up moving to Coronado, I was like, I can just do this full time, save my money. And I kind of started making videos about that, because I knew with the content I was creating, a lot of it was military based.” 

After his time in the van had ended, he went back to Nebraska for a spell, but ended up back in California attending farrier school. Though he didn’t have any real equine experience, the career made sense to him and school was paid for by the GI Bill, so he went for it. 

“I found there's a, there's a farrier school where you can learn how to shoe horses, and it's covered by the GI Bill…And I was like, Well, you know, that sounds like a decent paycheck…that sounds pretty cool. I can do that.”

Today, he’s got his hands full with his freelance art and photography work and job as a farrier, but he’s able to do it on the go. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but now that he’s out of the military and on his own, he’s able to find his own rhythm.

A Wyoming native, Danny got started in the welding trade at just 15 years old. He always knew he wanted to do something hands-on, even as a kid, so once he got to high school, he decided that was the direction he was definitely headed. At his first job, he started out at the bottom, fixing rough welds and cutting metal, but ended up working his way up to lead welder. From there, he went out on his own, contracting on different jobs, working for himself. 

“I contract welded pipelines, compressor stations, basically [doing] the same thing I'd been doing for a while. It was amazing. I made some of the greatest money in my life, and it was fulfilling, you know — just a dream to me.”

Next thing Danny knew and he was starting a welding school. The school took off like wildfire and, thanks to the nudging of his marketing team, he dove into social media, posting tips and tricks in the welding world. Even our host Jeremy has relied on Danny’s welding tricks in the past. To Danny, being able to share his knowledge has been one of the best parts of his career. 

“I appreciate that you say that I'm an inspiration because that means a lot to me, believe it or not, not not in an egotistical way. But it just warms my heart…That's what I live for. I love that.”

What’s next for Danny? He just wants to continue inspiring folks in the future. This shouldn’t be a problem — not only is he a master welder with tons of helpful tricks up his sleeve, but he’s on one of the most difficult roads to recovery you can imagine: a tragic accident left him without use of his arms or legs. While he has recovered some use of his hands, he’s still unable to walk. This hasn’t deterred him, though, and he wants to be known for his welding prowess, not his current condition. He knows he’s good, and that is inspiring in itself. 

“I guess that was my claim to fame when I was out in the field: I was a pretty good welder, a pretty sought after guy to get on the job. And I think that was mainly just because I literally live, breathe, and sleep welding. It was pretty high up there on my goals list to just weld you know, anything welding, I just was always ahead of the game.”

While Danny isn’t able to do exactly what he wants to do right now, he has an infectious positivity. He is taking everything in stride, knowing that even if he can’t weld like he used to, he’s got so much to offer up, whether it is teaching or inspiring the younger generations. We can’t wait to see what is in store for him.

Originally hailing from Maine, Lilly decided to spend her college years in Florida, just to get out of town for a while and experience something new. There she got a degree in marketing, an industry where she imagined she’d be able to combine all of her skills to really thrive. While she was successful there and continues to love her work, she was looking for something more, so she decided to make the move back home when the pandemic started. 

“I'm from Maine, born and raised Mainer over here. I went away for college just to experience a new place, [to] rebel a little bit [and] be in a bigger city. But I was ready to come home.”

As a self-proclaimed personal finance geek, Lilly knew she wanted to capitalize on the benefits of owning a multi-family home. While the process of buying was tedious, she managed to get her hands on a fixer upper that ended up being a much larger undertaking than she expected. She took the challenges in stride, knowing it was what she really wanted. 

“It was a daunting thing and an intimidating thing. But I couldn't shake the feeling that, like, this is my house. I just, I loved it too much. And before I could talk myself out of it, I went right home and called the realtor and got to work on buying it.”

While there are a number of challenges she’s facing, such as delayed plumbing and electrical support along with the frustrations of getting through a successful demo, she’s pushing forward, learning a ton on the way. She’s taking on this endeavor single handedly, albeit with some support from family and friends — but not too much support. At some point, she knows she has to be tactical in her requests to loved ones for help. 

“There were like nine people at my house who came to help. And so from that point, I got a little more comfortable asking for help. But to your point, I don't want to overdo it. I have not found that line yet. And I'm happy about that. But I know it exists.”

Renovating this house is a huge task — she’s taking it from borderline haunted back to its former glory — but when things get tough, she just looks at adversity as a positive thing. One day, the home will be finished, she’ll have a little reading nook for herself and things will be just fine.

Born and raised near Keene, New Hampshire, Kaila got her start doing knife reviews on YouTube. After some time reviewing the work of others, she decided it was time for her to learn how to make knives herself, so she sold her gun and knife collections and taught herself how to forge. From there, she says, the rest is history. 

“I started off by doing knife reviews on YouTube. And then I kind of just fell in love with it. And I was like, you know, if I want to be reviewing other people's products, I really should know how to do this myself.”

While knives may have given Kaila her chance to make a name in the trades, it was just the beginning. Having grown up hunting and shooting, she was uniquely prepared for survival. Discovery Channel took notice and, in 2015, recruited her for its show Naked and Afraid. While growing up in the woods of New England certainly prepared her to be a survivalist, she went with a unique training regiment to survive naked in the wilderness for 40 days. 

“But honestly, the biggest thing I do to prep for these challenges is I just gain a lot of weight. Got it? Yeah, I just fatten up; so I eat a lot of McFlurries and cheeseburgers and pizza. That's my favorite part of the training.”

Since returning from her adventures with the Discovery Channel, Kaila has really dug into the knife-making business, forging knives not only under her own brand, but by collaborating with other brands on custom lines. She’s also interested in upcycling old metals to make new knives. She made knives for the players of the Boston Bruins using their old skate blades and a knife for a veteran who lost a leg in Iraq using the metal rod doctor’s used to keep him together. All of this keeps her busy, but that’s how she likes it. 

“I mean, honestly, every day is an adventure for me. So it's not good when I get bored. So if I spend too much time out in the shop, which I tend to do, I basically live out here.”

These days, she has carved out a space for herself in the industry that allows her to do a ton of custom work, forge knives for herself and spend some time getting out and about with her daughter, being outdoorsy and going on metal detection excursions. Oh yeah, she also loves breaking into abandoned asylums.

This week on Bucket Talk, Eric is back to host with Jeremy. This week’s episode is unique — we’ve got two guests, Will Posey and Jackson Conn. Based in Hokes Bluff, Alabama, Will owns Big Oak Garage, a hot rod shop specializing on design, fabrication and paint. Jackson is a welder/fabricator you can find on the TV Series Ride of Your Life, which you can find on MotorTrend TV. Listen in as they chat about their backgrounds in the automotive world, how they met each other and more. 

ABOUT WILL AND JACKSON

Will grew up in Alabama racing hot rods with his dad. After getting a degree in automotive restoration from one of the only schools in America that offer that degree, McPherson College. Will started Big Oak Garage in 2007. There, they design, fabricate, and paint hot rods. Jackson’s education was less formal, but he’s still elbows deep in the auto world. After graduating from high school in 2017, he interned in Atlanta, learning metal fab and all the skills that come with it.  

“I learned a lot from a lot of people and a lot of stuff I had to pick up on my own. So it's been a wild journey.”

Will was initially brought on to be part of Ride of Your Life, and this is where he met Jackson. After a few weeks, they realized that they needed more hands on deck, so Jackson was brought in. Initially introduced just to work on the show together, Will and Jackson were fast friends, making for a lifelong friendship. 

“My eyes and Will's eyes locked each other. With somebody, you're in love with somebody and you're like, oh, my gosh, that's my person.”

One thing that binds the two of them, other than the automotive world, is passion. They both credit that to get them where they are today. All of the trades require hard work, time away from the family and a ton of skill, but when it comes down to it, you’ve got to love it. You can’t get through a conversation with these two guys without realizing that passion is essential to their current and future success. 

“Gotta have a passion to do this. If it's not what you eat, breathe, sleep, shit. You know, you're just gonna be another normal guy out there trying to make a living doing something, you know?”

This conversation is special, and a must-listen, because these guys are infectious. Just listen to their stories, the way they work, and you’ll be inspired to do more. They’re both in a great place in their careers, but they aren’t complacent, and this is something BRUNT strives for. Listen in to not only get practical advice for the automotive world, but advice on how to succeed in any trade you can imagine.

At the ripe age of 15, John Shevlin made the move from Ireland to Queens in an effort to pursue the American dream. The youngest of 10, John hailed from a long line of hard working tradespeople, so it was no surprise that he spent his first few moments in the U.S. working for his brother, a framer. With no knowledge of the trade, John threw himself into the trial by fire environment, paying his dues as he put in his 10,000 hours, mastering the art of framing. 

Now, seasoned with 25 years of experience under his belt, John has spent the last 10 month’s building out Shevlin Construction, a self-owned commercial and residential framing and finishing company that prides itself on providing clients with loyalty and high quality workmanship. While it may sound cliche, the proof is in the pudding with John’s book’s, booked out for the next 10 months. Tune into this week’s podcast, as we sit down with John to learn a little more about his background, how he got to where he is today, and what he sees as his biggest challenge down the road for Shevlin Construction and the trade itself. 

About John

John Shevlin moved to Queens, New York right from Ireland at just 15 years old in 1997. The youngest of 10, John, despite going through a major life transition, was set up for success with the help of his older brother, a framer. Through him, John was able to learn the art of framing and finish from the ground up, paying his dues as an order taker while navigating the trial by fire environment that came with learning the trade. 

Not long after making the move to Queens, John and his brother made yet another move. This time to Springfield, Massachusetts, attending school for the first time ever at East Longmeadow High. John spent the next few years earning his GED before jumping right back into the trade working for a variety of jobs, both at construction companies and with a union. 

His time in the trade had it’s pros and cons, but his leap to entrepreneurship really bubbled up when he realized his work life was overtaking his family life. In the years after high school, John found himself married with two kids. With more at stake, John pushed himself to take on all the work he could get in an effort to support his family. Soon his workload hit a peak, and after 6 years of a 5:30 A.M. - 10:30 P.M. daily shift, John took note that his kids were getting older, and his was missing out on that time - so he took matters into his own hands 

Today, seasoned with over 25 years of experience, John run’s Shevlin Construction, a 10-month old, self owned business that is already booked out for the next 10 months. His biggest challenge? Finding good help. In his generation, if you weren’t first you were last, and more often than not he has struggled to find that same mentality in the younger generations coming into the trades. From his stance, framing feels like a dying trade, but yet there’s still so much opportunity. In his eyes all it takes is drive and loyalty. Sure, it’s hard work, but anyone motivated enough to take on the challenge is sure to find a wealth of success. Tune in to take a deep dive into John’s full background, and more.

For our second episode of season 5, we caught up with Matt Gentry, owner of Gentry Custom Knives. Based out of southwest Michigan, Gentry crafts each custom knife himself, to the exact specifications of the customer. Amongst Matt’s work, you’ll find hog splitters, fixed-blade bird and trout knives, gut-hook skinners and even chef’s knives. Listen in as Matt chats with our hosts Jeremy and Eric about learning a craft with the help of YouTube, the ins and outs of getting into social media, how COVID impacted his career trajectory, and much more.

ABOUT MATT

When Matt started making knives about eight years ago, it was just a hobby. After receiving a handful of inquiries into how to buy one of these custom knives, he realized this could be more than a hobby. He took it on as a side hustle to supplement his income and things took off from there. Once COVID hit and his day job took a hit, however, he realized this knife business could be something much bigger.

“After doing that for like a week, I was like, man, we got to make a change. And I got to sell this business because it's just way more lucrative to make knives and just I enjoyed it a lot more, you know.”

He sold his half of his auto shop to his business partner and went all-in on the knife work, which has taken off in a big way. He’s now seen so much success that he just takes custom orders; he’s already booked into 2023. What makes his business special is that anyone can contact him, share their vision for the knife and from there, the rest is up to him. While it is still a job, he’s in a place he wants to be — and he doesn’t take it for granted.

“A lot of people that reach out to me like, Matt, what do you do? And how do you do it? And I think I'm not saying it's locked [in], because I've worked my ass off to promote and grow and do all this stuff. But I just am really, really grateful for all the awesome customers that I've gained over the years.”

To kick off Season 5, we linked up with Paul and Susan Kadilak, the Massachusetts-based couple at the helm of Kadilak Homes. They take on renovation projects with a goal of helping homeowners fall back in love with their homes. Not only that, but they document it on their TV show Renovation Rekindle which you can tune into for free on their website. Listen in as our hosts chat with Paul and Susan about how they met, how they balance careers, and what their family history means to their business.

ABOUT THE KADILAKS

Susan Kadilak, as she puts it, grew up “in the dirt.” Her dad and grandfather were builders — essentially she was around the trades from birth, learning everything she could along the way. Paul spent years working to get himself a job as a firefighter, which he did and still does today. After meeting in the late 2000s, they joined forces renovating homes. Their road to the top had humble beginnings.

“That was like the worst, [most] humbling time to come. We were doing, you know, projects in Boston — all structural work — a ton of old houses that needed foundation work, nothing Instagram or nothing social media worthy at all…he's probably like, why are you doing this?”

The hard work and keen eye for quality work paid off. Having grown up around masons, Susan wasn’t going to half-ass it — it was all or nothing. Quality and true craftsmanship was the most important thing. This attitude has been highly rewarding, and it’s something they try to prove to each and every one of their clients — they know what they’re doing.

“I think we've always taken control of the projects because we truly want the clients to love their house… We do love being home because we love our house.”

Now that they’ve really built something for themselves, they’re focused on doing the best work they can and passing their knowledge along to the next generation. When it comes to hard work, you don’t have to look far with these two. If you’re looking for some inspiration or want to figure out how to get a renovation going yourself, look no further than the Kadilak’s website or social media channels, where you’ll see the fruits of all their hard work over the years.

For our season 4 finale of Bucket Talk, we talk with Don Ducharme, who is a stonemason by trade but also is the Director of Career Technical Education at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School in Danvers, Massachusetts — just a short way from BRUNT HQ. He started doing masonry from a young age but went to school for Medical Technology. After a short career in the med-tech world, he got into teaching masonry at a vocational school, eventually working his way up to administration. Listen in as he chats with Eric and Jeremy about getting into masonry with his father, his intro to teaching and administration, and much more.

ABOUT DON

In seventh grade, Don started working summers with his father’s masonry business. In college he studied Medical Technology, but his stay in that field was short-lived. He was eager to get back into the trades but also to become a teacher. He taught masonry at a vocational school for seven years and eventually got into administration, where he still works today as Director of Career Technical Education at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical school in Danvers, MA.

“Many of the trade guys are actually pulled right out of the trades. The week prior to starting to teach, I was laying bricks, then I learned to become a teacher. What works is that everybody has apprentices along the way. So you're teaching guys, when you're in the field, and that kind of gives you the inclination that you'll be good at teaching as well.”

Though he had been a masonry teacher for some time, he now oversees a ton of other departments at the school, giving him the opportunity to reach even more students, though he’s not directly instructing them anymore. He likens it to being a foreman — you manage and lead the folks directly beneath you, and the knowledge trickles down.

“I wish I got into education sooner. To be able to have the effect that I have on students every day. And then the other thing that I've learned most recently is to say, ‘No, this is a job that's 24/7.’ As far as education, obviously, everything we went through with the pandemic has really changed the scope of things. But sometimes it's not about just making the dollar every weekend. It's about being happy, being comfortable in your shoes and that sort of thing.”

Since he is in a position to work with so many kids, he was the ideal liaison for BRUNT to make an impact in the future of the trades. Through Don, BRUNT has been able to cultivate an ongoing partnership with Essex North Shore, donating boots to students in the Carpentry, Construction Craft Laborers, Electrical, Landscape & Turf Management, Masonry & Tile Setting, and Plumbing pathways. And that is, hopefully, just the beginning of a lasting relationship.

“It's really about building relationships. One of the things that many teachers that become administrators are wary of is losing that connection with the students. So instead of you having that direct connection with the students, you're helping many other teachers become better. When you look back at it, you're really helping so many more students. If I help five teachers that have 30 kids in front of them, instead of just helping 30 Kids, I'm helping 150 kids.”

Don doesn’t plan on moving on anytime soon — he loves his current job and is always working to take on more. Not only is that an important character trait as a tradesman, but it makes him an invaluable role model to the hundreds of students that come through his school each year.

This week on Bucket Talk, we meet HVAC technician and hobby woodworker Nate Adams, who you can find on Instagram as @builtby_n8. He’s been in the HVAC trade for 20 years, working on the sales side for the last 15 after starting his career with an apprenticeship. Since he’s no longer out and about working with his hands, he decided to get a woodworking shop going. To Nate, woodworking is not only a fun way to get his hands dirty, but it is a form of therapy and a time to relax. Listen in as Nate chats with our hosts about making his way from apprentice to sales, finding solace in the workshop and helping others learn their craft.

ABOUT NATE

As of now, Nate has been in the HVAC trade for 20 years. He got his start like many others in the trades, with an apprenticeship. Initially inspired by seeing his father build a house from scratch with his buddies in the days before YouTube, he knew that getting into the trades was what he wanted to do.

“My dad was always tinkering and fixing stuff. [He] built the house he currently lives in…[If] he was under the car, I was under the car with him. If he was under the tractor, I was under the tractor with him. So that's kind of where I think my love of tools and working with my hands came from.”

After an unfortunate setback, Nate found himself off of the hands-on side and on the side of the manufacturers — initially working in shipping and receiving, and eventually working his way up into a role in sales. When most folks would have thrown their hands up and quit, Nate pushed forward.

“The way I look at it is you can never give up, like whatever situation you've dealt with, whether it's pushed on you or you put yourself in it, you got to keep just plugging away and figure it out and do the best you can”

Since he’s no longer spending his days actually working hands-on with HVAC stuff, finding time to work with his hands is a void he has to fill; working with his hands is what he loves to do. This is where he found his passion for woodworking. Once he had his space built out, he started posting his work on social media and his Instagram took off from there. He wasn't woodworking just to be popular on social media — he was looking to find some zen in the craziness of life.

“I just enjoy what I do. It's my outlet, my stress relief, if you will. So my goal with the shop was to set it up so that I didn't have to spend an hour setting the shop up and then try to do a few minutes of work because that's all the time I had left. I got two kids and a job and a lot of other things that pull me in different directions. I wanted my shop to be set up so I could walk out, spend 30 minutes, set it down, walk away from it, and then come back, you know, without having to do a ton of setup.”

Now that he’s got social media worked out, he’s finding new ways to use his platform to help other makers, whether it is a video on tips and tricks or unboxing a new tool someone might be looking for. He’s got a pretty good setup in the HVAC space and wants to continue doing what he’s doing, both there and with his woodworking. From the sound of it, he has a handful of paths in front of him, all which lead to success.

On this week’s episode of Bucket Talk, we chat with Boston-based hardscaper & business owner Victor Oliveira, aka @thegoodbossofficial on Instagram and TikTok, along with his long-time mentor, OG Dave. At 16, Victor bought a truck from his uncle for $700, whipped up some business cards at the local Fedex Kinkos and started his own landscape business.

ABOUT VICTOR

From an early age, Victor knew school wasn’t for him. When he was in 10th grade he dropped out of high school and decided to start his own landscape business. He bought a truck from his uncle, made some business cards at the local Kinkos and got started from there. By the time his first year ended, he already had seven accounts, in spite of the challenges that come with starting a company.

“The easiest way to do it is just to do it. You know, like, just don't think about it, just ask questions, you know, just keep going. Don't let something so simple shut you down. Just find a way around it. If you can't get through that wall, just find a way around it.” - Victor

Victor was working on one of his first big jobs with OG Dave’s son Sean, and when they realized they needed some help they called on Dave and his 42 years of experience to lend a hand. From that day on, it has been a collaborative effort. Just a few moments with OG Dave and Victor and you know that their work is their true passion. Take a quick look at their work and you can tell they’re not only experts of the landscape and hardscape craft, but guys you just want to be around.

“My biggest thing is, I go above and beyond to make someone happy. You know, if I'm working on the house, I want to make sure they're extremely happy. Even if I have to take money off. Because you know, that's how I get more work. Word of mouth is my best and only advertisement.” - Victor

Between the two of them, there is a lot of wisdom. Dave brings decades of experience and knowledge to the job and Victor, along with his skills, brings an attitude and leadership that is hard to compete with. He is known as The Good Boss for a reason; he keeps his team tight and treats his people well. If you’re on their team, you’re taken care of.

“I would say try to do what you like to do. Whatever it is. It's cliche, but in the beginning, it's all about the money. But you know, after a certain amount of time, you've got to like what you do, or sell it and move on to something else.” - OG Dave

When it comes to advertising, Victor and OG Dave let their work and their character do the talking. Something isn’t up to par? They won’t charge for it. It is all about relationships for them — without honesty and a humble spirit there is no new work. To them, a few thousand bucks isn’t worth losing a solid account and it shows.

On this week’s episode of Bucket Talk, we chat with heavy hauler Teddy Verras, who you may know as @heavy_haul_n_fool on Instagram and TikTok. After securing a commercial driver’s license just out of high school, he started hauling heavy freight, such as 200,000 pound excavators and other oversized loads. Listen in as he chats with Eric and Jeremy about the ins and outs of heavy freight hauling and the future of the trucking industry.

ABOUT TEDDY

After high school, Teddy moved to Elko, Nevada where he applied for a summer job with Nevada Department of Transportation, which led him to get his commercial driver’s license, and, eventually, into heavy freight hauling.

“I started getting my feet wet by hauling like excavators and stuff like that…that's how I got into like the medium duty stuff. And from there, I got put into a heavy truck, another four axle truck with a big trailer and they sent me down to Arizona to pick up a big drill rig. And they were pretty much like, please figure it out and don't break nothing or get hurt. It took me forever to get this job done. But I got it done.”

Today, Teddy hauls excavators and other heavy, oddly shaped loads for his company, oftentimes with rigs so big that he’s got the highway patrol escorting him from place to place. He’s been in the game long enough at this point that if something needs to be moved, no matter the size, he can handle it.

“...Excavators and rollers and backhoes and you name it, I can drive it. One of my favorites was when one of our customers had a Hitachi 600 excavator, weighing like 200,000 pounds. It was freaking crazy.”

Moving forward, Teddy says he’s looking into buying his own truck in the future and building his own company from the ground up. But for now he’s enjoying being a company man on the road while he works towards the next level.

“It's always like the next logical step. You know, some people become a company driver and they're okay with it. But you know, I could make more money hauling groceries owning my own truck than I do now as a company driver heavy hauling.”

If you want to know what life on the road is like for a heavy hauler, Teddy documents his life in depth on TikTok and Instagram.

On this week’s Bucket Talk, we catch up with Captain Dave Marciano, captain of the F/V Hard Merchandise, which you may know from National Geographic’s hit show Wicked Tuna. Based near Gloucester, Massachusetts, prime fishing country, Marciano has been a fisherman all his life and has been on boats since he was 12. Listen in as Jeremy and Eric sit down with Captain Marciano to learn about commercial fishing, being a fisherman on TV, the challenges of the current fishing industry in America and tools of the fishing trade.

ABOUT DAVE

Raised in Beverly, MA, about 15 minutes from the fishing mecca of Gloucester, Dave had a passion for fishing from a young age — he loved it enough to get a job on a boat when he was just 12 years old.

“Nobody in my family was a fisherman before me. I just had a passion for fishing. That started when I was a young kid; my parents couldn't keep me away from the water. I just started fishing. You know, nothing fancy, with barbers and minnows for bass and panfish and everything else and trout. And you know, that passion just kept growing.”

He started from the bottom and worked his way up, eventually buying his own boat, the Angelica Joseph, and starting his own business, Angelica Fisheries, in 1995. While fishing was his passion, as he got older and more in-tune with the business, he realized that commercial fishing was not entirely about passion, but about the thrill of succeeding.

“Commercial fishermen are opportunists. We're not in it for the sport, we're not in it for the thrill — although it is a very thrilling occupation. Maybe that's part of the adrenaline rush that keeps you into it…the search for the big score. But, you know, that became part of the year, you know what I mean? If tuna fishing was good (if we say good, if it was lucrative), if we could make some money doing it, we would do it. I've always felt that was the key to successful tuna fishing.”

After some time running a successful business, Captain Marciano got the opportunity to join the National Geographic’s show Wicked Tuna, which documents the lives of tuna fisherman in the Atlantic — revealing just how difficult a life on the water can be. Despite the difficulties, Marciano has seen his time on TV, not only as a way to grow his business, but as a blessing to him and his family.

“[Fishing] is quite an anonymous way to make a living. But [the show] has been one hell of a wild ride, you know. I will say that it's been an opportunity of a lifetime for me and my kids…It's given me an opportunity to figure out how to continue, you know, owning my boats, and surviving, and even thriving in the fishing industry.”

Marciano is still thriving in his industry, and putting on a show for us on NatGeo. It is hard to know what will happen in the future of commercial fishing, but it is evident that the F/V Hard Merchandise will continue to be a force in the northeastern fishing community.

On this week’s Bucket Talk, we talk with plumber George DeJesus, who calls in from Morris County, New Jersey. He learned how to be a plumber at an early age, taking a plumbing job in midtown Manhattan fixing up five-star hotels. After some time on the job, he realized that there was an opportunity to grow outside of the confines of contracting, so he decided it was time to be his own boss. From there, he got his own gear, started doing his own marketing and built a company that lets him do work on his terms.

ABOUT GEORGE

George DeJesus began his career as a plumber in New York City, leading crews in high rises in downtown Manhattan. He realized that a job as the leader of a plumbing crew was his calling after working some jobs in NYC where he was able to learn and thrive on the job in a really short time.

“My dad was a general contractor and he used to take us to work with [him] because that was just a way for daycare to kind of watch us during our day instead of having someone watch us he took us to work…I'm a plumber, I chose the plumbing trade, because…I just happened to enjoy more of just putting stuff together.”

Working in hotels and in other parts of New York City, he was able to not only see some crazy vistas at the top of high-rises, but he learned skills and work ethic that helped him grow into the plumber that he is today — and the skills that equipped him for a steady career. After some time working with volatile contractors, though, he realized that he was leaving a lot of work, and money, on the table. He was ready to work for himself, in spite of the challenges that lay ahead.

“[My friends] kept telling me, you know, you should be working for yourself. I don't want to do that. I already failed one time. I don't want to do it again. I'm afraid, I don't want to do it. You know, and, and I just fought myself and I came back…I made it to the point where I'm like, yeah, I should be on my own.”

George made that vision a reality — he’s now his own boss, no restrictions, nobody to report to. He has taken on his own clients and does his own marketing, meaning he can work when he wants to. Not only is he crushing it in his day job, but he’s also gained a huge following on social media, reaching over 38,000 followers on Instagram by posting videos of the work he’s doing. Check out George on Instagram @georgetheplumber.

On this week’s Bucket Talk, we talk with DIY interior designer Cori Bosco, who calls in from her home in Florida. She began her career as a PE teacher but in the late 2000s, she got her real estate license and started flipping houses on the side. Fast forward 10 years, she has amassed a following of over 5 million on TikTok as East Coast DIY, sharing her journey as a house-flipper and designer. Listen in as Eric and Jeremy chat with Cori about getting into real estate

ABOUT CORI

Cori Bosco - known as @eastcoastfloridadiy on Instagram and East Coast DIY on TikTok - has been flipping houses for a long time now. After starting her career as a teacher, she started flipping houses on the side. When her and her husband bought a house in late 2019, they suddenly had a bunch of time on their hands thanks to COVID. Her kids told her about TikTok and she decided to post videos about her journey flipping houses and designing their interiors.

“So in May of 2020, I [make] my first post, and I didn't think it was gonna go anywhere. Like I was never out to, you know, try to get followers or anything like that…my first post which was of our kitchen, our family room and then out to like the view of it in our backyard view and it like within the first day got like 2.2 million views. Wow, like, oh my gosh, this is kind of cool.”

By December of 2020, Cori had amassed 500,000 followers, posting photos and videos of projects they had done around the house along with some videos of her favorite Amazon finds. Around that time, she entered a competition through Jeffrey Court tile to see who could do the best renovation of one room in their house using their tile. Just when she found out she got selected, though, her husband got activated for the Army Reserves and had to leave for a year.

“We had our little thing, where I would do some parts, he would do some parts and we made a great team, but [this time] I'd have to do everything on my own. I was like, I don't know if I'm up for this, no, you know what, I can do it, I can do this…if I remember correctly, it was the same week he left that I had to start this project and I'm like, What am I getting myself into…but it ended up being awesome.”

This was a turning point, not only for Cori, because she learned so many new skills, but for her TikTok. Once she realized that social media was a viable source of income, she went full steam ahead, creating content around the house renovation she was doing. One thing she realized was that to keep gaining followers, she needed to be constantly creating new content.

“We're excited to see what happens, you know, and what renovations and stuff we have coming up. So I definitely can't sit still, I know I'm gonna be busy, you know, doing stuff. And with my followers expecting new content, you know, every day every other day, I gotta come up with something new.”

Moving forward, Cori and her husband Vinnie are taking on new projects, currently working on a condo they bought. The plan is to keep flipping houses, with Cori eventually getting her contractor’s license to unlock the ability to do bigger projects without jumping through hoops.

On this week’s Bucket Talk, we talk with Jason Costello, a landscape curber based in Southern California. Over 20 years ago, Jason and his family all needed some curbing done at their homes. Rather than pay out of pocket, they bought a machine and did it themselves. Jason has been curbing ever since. Listen in as Eric and Jeremy chat with Jason about becoming a landscape curber, incorporating his family into the business, and making some of the most satisfying TikTok videos out there.

ABOUT JASON

Jason Costello, known by Jason Costco on social media, has been landscape curbing for over two decades now. After realizing the exorbitant cost of having someone else outfit his new home with landscape curbs, he decided to take matters into his own hands and buy a curbing machine himself. This allowed him and his family to do their own projects, while taking on some others to pay off the machine.

“...how I got into it, [is] kind of a funny thing because it was actually an accident…I started looking through the phone book and found someone that actually offered landscape curbing. Call them, get an estimate…and by the time I was done with the math on what I wanted to put in my yard, the total was pretty good. So the idea came about…I wonder what one of these machines would cost.”

At the time, there was no YouTube to turn to for instruction and the only classes he could take were hundreds of miles away, so everything he learned was through trial and error. A curb didn’t come out right? Tear it up and do it again. Since then, he has taken some real classes to hone his craft, but to get his start, he did it all the old fashioned way.

“So I had a couple phone numbers that I called kind of, you know, pick these guys brains a little bit and ask how they did certain things. And, you know, if you have a bump here, how would you do that? Why is my curb doing this? So it was kind of just, ask some questions, trial and error.”

There is an art to landscape curbing. Many landscapers see it as a specialty job, which has helped Jason get work over the years. He comes in to build a specific part of the landscaper’s vision, then moves on to the next gig.

“I'm kind of a specialty guy… basically like a framer, [who] would, for the house, come to your framing and get out of there. When I come in, the landscapers will either have a line painted on the ground, or a landscaper that just comes out and freehand. He'll just start dragging designs on the ground and say, ‘Hey, can you do this?’”

Jason has also managed to find a cool way to get involved with social media: his oddly satisfying TikTok videos. Mixing the ASMR of his trowel gliding across fresh concrete and the satisfaction of watching a curb take the perfect shape, his videos not only take you through a bit of the curbing process, but leave you feeling better for having watched them. This has led to his account, @jasoncostco, having over 725,000 followers and over 8,000,000 likes.

“The real message is, for us anyway, is to try to just get more people that are inclined to work with their hands to do so. I mean, I feel that some people are just pushed away because that's not what they're supposed to do when really, they were born to do it.”

On this week’s Bucket Talk, we catch up with James Smith, also known as Lion Dad. James is a caretaker of exotic animals in Stanton, Missouri. After getting his start cleaning horse stalls, he worked his way up into working with wildlife and the rest is history. Listen in as the guys chat with James about transitioning into being a caretaker, what it is like working with wolves vs. coyotes, playing with a 300 pound lion, and a bunch more.

ABOUT JAMES

James Smith, aka Lion Dad, has been working with animals for almost two decades. He started out scooping poop and cleaning horse stalls, and eventually came to the realization that he wanted to work with wild animals. Despite having minimal experience, he was hired on. He attributes this to his willingness to really put in the work.

“I tell everybody, even the people that come through the facility, or all the people that message me and comment, how do we get this job, it's one of those you've got to try, it's a hard job to get. You're going to hear no a lot. But when you finally get that, yes, it makes all of it so worth it.”

Currently, he works with lions, wolves, coyotes, and a handful of other wild animals in Stanton, Missouri. Currently, he spends most of his time with their wolves — and he even spent the last nine years raising a few of them himself. When he’s not spending time with his wolves, he takes care of other exotic animals at the facility.

“If I continue to do this for the rest of my life, working underneath someone and just raising animals and spreading the positive side of these big cats and these wolves, I'd be completely fine with that.”

We got a little insight into his future and what he has planned out. Rather than open his own wildlife facility, he is passionate about his job, and couldn’t see himself doing anything else than what he’s doing right now. The thing that got him involved in the first place was his passion for the animals themselves, so maximizing personal time with the wolves and big cats is what he enjoys most.

This week we’re joined by beekeeper Santos Vasquez, aka @isavebz on Instagram. After taking over for his beekeeper ex father-in-law, Santos has spent the last 18 years keeping bees as both a honey producer and bee removal specialist. Eric and Jeremy get into it with Santos, chatting about becoming a beekeeper, making honey, dealing with stings, and much more.

ABOUT SANTOS

Santos decided he was ready to join the beekeeping trade when his ex father-in-law showed him the ropes. After some time in the trade he realized it was his responsibility and desire to take care of bees for the rest of his life.

“I didn't know a single thing about bees - I learned on the job. And that's pretty much the way you have to learn. You got to stick your hand in the beehive otherwise you're not gonna need and you go from there.”

Once he acquired a few bee hives of his own, he knew it was time to take it to the next level. Not only was he relocating large groups of bees, he was also adopting groups of bees for himself, harvesting honey to keep the dream of beekeeping alive.

“My [ex] father-in-law's dad always said if you take care of the bees they’ll take care of you. And it's it's really that simple. You know, they're gonna do for you what you're going to do for them.”

Santos and his partner Shawn White have built a company that specializes in everything from honey production to bee removal services. Their native, pollen-absorbing honey is one of the largest parts of the business and being able to sell it directly to his customers in person is one of the his favorite parts.

“We want to be authentic as possible and that's why we are so transparent. On Instagram, on TikTok.. we just want you to know where your honey is coming from, that you get the best quality product and that we are true beekeepers.”

After almost two decades of beekeeping, Santos plans on continuing to add hives in hopes of being able to add pollination to the company’s repertoire. Through determination, dedication and a healthy respect for the bees he takes care of, Santos has made something that will only continue to propel him to the top of the industry.

Mt. Phillip Metal Works is a metalworking studio that forges and fabricates a variety of metal goods, from small tools to enormous vintage-inspired pieces to art and sculpture. At the helm of Mt. Phillip is this week’s guest on the podcast, Chris Cash. Along with being a metal fabricator, Chris also co-hosts the Axe and Iron Podcast, a weekly show that highlights badass makers. Join Eric and Jeremy as they get into it with Chris about podcasting, the difference between a blacksmith and a metalworker, working on cars, and much more.

ABOUT CHRIS

Chris got his start working on cars, doing production auto body work in a collision shop. This is where he began tinkering with vintage tools, finding a niche that he was able to make his own. After years in the auto world, he decided to make the transition to forging and fabrication, a transition that lets him do anything he sets his mind to.

“So I was the young guy, the young punk in there. And I decided to take that on and learn the system and learn the machines that we were using. And then I ended up becoming very successful at it and was making a really, really good living.”

He’s currently running his own business, Mt. Phillip Metal Works, where he makes and sells his work. He’s also got a podcast of his own called Axe and Iron, where he and his buddy Roy Scott highlight other badass makers in the metalworking world. Chris was also able to hop onto Instagram at the perfect time, allowing him to amass well over 30,000 followers.

“It's like, yeah, if you're not happy where you're at, it doesn't matter how much money you're making, how great your insurance is, it really doesn't. Like in the grand scheme of things, I get these comments like, oh, you probably made a killing doing that. It's like, not, I didn't really but waking up with a smile on my face. As cheesy as it sounds, is so much better than any amount of money that I get.”

He’s always on the move, which is one of the benefits of working for himself. If he has to go to Indiana to pick up a part, he can. If he has to spend all day in his car, he can. He’s had a unique journey through the trades, but that is exactly where he wants to be. Working seven days a week sounds like a burden to some, but Chris says he’d rather spend every day in his shop than do anything else.

To kick off season 4, we’re back with Maggie Rogosienski, aka Electric Mags. Back home in Wisconsin by way North Carolina, Maggie is working as an electrician in Milwaukee. Not only is she moving swiftly through the ranks of her trade, but she has grown a following of almost 14,000 on her Instagram where she talks tools, the trades, and being a mom. Listen in as Jeremy and Eric talk with Maggie about switching careers, being part of a union, and being a woman in what is largely a male-dominated industry.

ABOUT MAGGIE

Born in Wisconsin, Maggie escaped down to North Carolina where she planned on going to medical school but ended up getting into personal training instead. After some time in the South she ventured back home to the midwest and eventually fell in love with Crossfit, enough to open her own gym. She even double-dipped into the fitness world as a USA Weightlifting-certified lifting coach. After some big life changes and a bit of time off, she was inspired to join the trades by her cousin, who works as a seam-fitter. Though she was skeptical at first, she and her brother jumped into electrical work head-on.

“You could never have paid me enough to believe I would actually be here talking to you about being in construction, but it fits perfectly with what I feel like my personality is. I'm pretty, pretty much a tomboy, got two brothers that beat the hell out of me. And so I've learned to be humble, and also just stand my ground.”

A year after her brother joined, Maggie got an apprenticeship with a union in Milwaukee and is now years into her work towards her journeyman’s card. She speaks on her experience as a woman in a male-dominated career:

”I know that as a woman, I got to prove that I'm not here to just take it easy, and let the guys you know, pick up the work, you know, whether or not they choose to do more, whatever. I never said no or, oh, ‘I can't handle that’ before. I've actually busted my ass to try to do something.”

After some uncertainty surrounding the future of the trade and what things would look like during (and after) the pandemic, she has found a place she wants to be for the foreseeable future. Along with her apprenticeship she has found a steady crew of followers on Instagram who keep up with her life in the trades through workplace memes, tool reviews, and her life as a mother.

A natural-born jack-of-all-trades, Lucas D’Angelo has been taking on a handful of projects since an early age. Based in Massachusetts, Lucas has dabbled with various hobbies throughout the years from woodworking, to metal fabrication, to restoring vintage equipment. Listen in as Jeremy and Eric sit down with Lucas to learn about his career, setting up shop, tool restoration, future plans, and much more in this very exciting season finale of Bucket Talk.

ABOUT LUCAS

Coming from a family of woodworkers and carpenters, Lucas D’Angelo got his start in developing a handful of skills at an early age. As a kid, Lucas would work on small woodworking projects with his uncles, such as making pens, picture frames, cutting boards, and other items. This interest continued through high school, where he began customizing his 2002 Subaru and eventually started dabbling with metal fabrication.

“I got to learn a little bit of metal fabrication to work on this. So, you know, I learned how to weld and I really found that while woodworking was cool, you know, metalworking I really loved it because it almost felt like you were taking something so innocuous and turning it into something totally different, you know? And so it just really, I mean, it went from there.”

After high school, Lucas went to college initially for video production, before switching to a business major with a minor in tech education. Meanwhile, he continued working his way up at Ace Hardware, from a stockperson to store manager to director of facilities.

“Ultimately what I do right now is essentially director of facilities. And that's a pretty multifaceted job… we have four retail hardware stores, and a total of five properties… And so with that that's a lot to take care of. They're all older buildings being in Massachusetts, you know, so there's always stuff to fix to repair.”

To this day, Lucas continues his dayjob at Ace Hardware, while making time to focus on his various hobbies and side hustles. With a shop at home which has grown over the years, Lucas particularly enjoys taking on very unique projects for his clients. He has set up his shop to handle every step of the fabrication and restoration process, so that he does not need to subcontract anything out for any given project.

"I don't do the traditional kind of… make cutting boards or make the kind of stuff that I think is a very common thing to see out of a hobbyist or side business woodworking or metal fabrication, but I do a lot more kind of unique job to job stuff. So someone might say… I need this fabricated you know, here's some drawings or I need this repaired, I don't know how to do it or I need this. That's my bread and butter. That's the stuff I really enjoy doing because it's a lot more of a creative problem solving situation…”

One of Lucas’s main hobbies-turned-side-business is restoring and repairing vintage machinery, tools, and equipment. Luca’s began fixing old equipment out of necessity, since newer machinery can be very costly. Once he began to dive in, he learned that there is a whole community for vintage equipment, and a market of people willing to buy these restored tools because they are better quality. From full factory restorations to “resto mods” or customized restorations of vintage machinery, Lucas takes on a variety of projects for client, such as this drill press he found half buried in Long Island.

“To make it a perfect restoration that would have been, you know, brought back to factory paint factory colors, all of that. And to some people, that's what they want. But what I've found is so many people want something that's, you know, unique for them or fits their style. So for this one, he wanted it painted… Mohito green… cause he's got a couple other things that color… I did that colorway [with] gold accents. And so that's sort of a ‘resto mod’, but that's exactly what he wanted. And to him that's got all the value in the world and he can turn around sell it, because it's unique, but it's mechanically perfect. Whereas… being restored back to factory condition in factory color and factory everything that is its highest worth its highest value.”

Looking to the future, Lucas is playing things by year as his skills, side business, and career continue to grow. Among renovating apartments, restoring machinery, working a dayjob, and managing his social media presence, his main goal is to continue growing in his skills and sharing his knowledge with the world.

As an ironworker for over two decades, Larry Roughton has become a seasoned veteran on the job. A member of Ironworkers Local 55 in Toledo, Ohio and recent inductee of the International Ironworkers Hall of Fame, Larry puts in long hours on the job, while also making time to document his day-to-day life to over 189,000 followers. Listen in as Jeremy and Eric sit down with Larry to talk about his early career, raising a family of ironworkers, the dangers of ironworking, being part of a strong union, and much more.

ABOUT LARRY

Born in Ohio, Larry Roughton was introduced to the trades early coming from a family of boilermakers. As a hockey player throughout high school and college, Larry always had the drive to push himself to the limits within his team. However, there came a point when he realized he needed to find a way to pay the bills. He took his competitive drive and turned it towards ironworking, after a high school friend inspired him to take an apprenticeship.

“I'm super competitive. So I was like, Well, I'm gonna do it and be the best I can be. You know, and that's kinda how it started. I was tired of working odd jobs and holding on to a dream that wasn't gonna happen. So I went in, went down to the apprenticeship and applied, and maybe… six months later, I get a phone call, 'Hey, come do the test.' And that's kind of how it all began.”

Now in the trade for well over 20 years, Larry is a seasoned veteran and has passed the lineage to his sons, who are all ironworkers themselves. As a leader on the jobsite, Larry conducts safety meetings and trains new apprentices, among other responsibilities.

“As far as like training and stuff… we have a four year apprenticeship, you go in, and you learn, you go through the basics of rebar, and then you go through like year two, year three, year four. Same thing with welding, steel erection, post tensioning, all those various aspects…”

Larry has found a niche TikTok, amassing a huge following as he documents day-to-day life on the job. His videos cover just about everything, from something as simple as forgetting your lunch to how the benefits of a strong union make life on the job a bit less stressful.

“I was like, What are you guys watching? TikTok. It's young people stuff dude. And I'm like, what? So I started watching it. I’m like, I can be funny and so I said alright, challenge accepted.”

Every year, Larry attends the International Ironworkers Festival in Mackinaw City, MI. Along with winning several trophies over the past 20 years, Larry has also been inducted into the International Ironworkers Hall of Fame, becoming the first in his union to ever receive the accolade.

“They had told my kids and a couple other people that they were going to induct me, and then they did it on the day that I was, you know, getting my other trophies for winning this year or whatever. And they pulled me to come up there and gave it to me and was like, ‘Yeah, you know, you've put so much time into this tournament so much time in the ironworkers as a whole promoting ironwork and safety’ and this and that and you know stuff and you know, trying to make me be all in my feelings and stuff.”

With three sons and an ever-growing TikTok presence, Larry still continues to grow every day on the job as an ironworker, as a father, and an online personality whom many look up to.

From a self-taught hobby to fully-realized craftsmanship, Dustin Loftis has turned his passion for art and western lifestyle into a tangible living. Owner of Dusty Hide Leather Company, Dustin has specialized in creating one-of-a-kind custom leather goods for the past 10 years. Listen in as Jeremy sits down with Dustin to learn about his start in tooling leather, custom upholstery, teaching, horseback riding, and more.

ABOUT DUSTIN

With a background in art from an early age, Dustin Loftis has always wanted to apply his artistic talent to a craft he can earn a living from. He had considered tattooing and other crafts, but working an unpaid apprenticeship was not a practical situation. One day, a friend introduced him to leather crafting and let him design a belt.

“I had no idea how to draw Western floral patterns at the time, but I drew some out, kind of Googled some stuff. And then, you know, figured out kind of where I wanted to go with it. I knew a few things. And I was good at art. So I drew a pattern out, gave it to him, and he put it on the belt. When I got it in the mail a few months later, man, I thought it was the coolest thing ever.”

Dustin has now been making custom leather goods for almost ten years. What started off as a self-taught hobby flourished into his lifelong craft - from making custom belts for a few close friends to owning a full-fledged business. Throughout this process, Dustin has become disciplined in his artistry through striving to master his craft.

“I mean, essentially, I learned how to tool leather off of YouTube. And so it was kind of funny because I was by myself, I've always pretty much done it on my own...I filled up sketchbook after sketchbook just drawing patterns, trying to figure out what is my main goal… And I told myself, you know, I want to be one of the best, if not the best down the road… as long as I'm doing the highest quality work that I can do... I wanted to be known for doing really, really good work.”

Expanding into other mediums, Dustin has more recently been taking commissions for custom automotive interior detail. His journey into this space began when a friend gave him a center console to work on. After learning his friend’s truck burned down, he finished the piece anyway and found success.

“I didn't have a customer in mind for it or anything, I made a couple videos of it and kind of put the word out there to try to generate some interest in it. And then it blew up, I was really surprised at how much interest I got, and put it up for auction on eBay. And I think that one ended up selling for somewhere around 1400 bucks.”

Looking ahead, Dustin wants to continue growing his business to take on more automotive interior projects. By expanding, he can continue with his core business in creating smaller leather pieces, and take on bigger commissions that require a longer lead time.

“I would like to build an addition off in my shop, to where someone could put their vehicle in and leave it with me for a couple of weeks. And I'm, you know, I'm able to really go to town on the interior. And to me, getting into that crowd and everything with the passion that I have for, you know, fixing up vehicles and stuff, I think it's a really good fit for me.”

Dustin also teaches a wide range of students how to craft leather, along with having written a couple ebooks and guides. From a self-taught hobby to fully-realized craftsmanship, Dustin Loftis has turned his passion for art and western lifestyle into a tangible living.

This week on Bucket Talk, we’re learning about everything solar. Brian Buzbee, aka The Solar Slayer, has worked his way up through the solar industry over the past decade. From an apprentice installer to a Sr. Electrical Foreman, he has put in time and dedication on the field to become a seasoned veteran in the game, and has even written his own field guide for others in the trade. Dive in as Jeremy and Eric learn about his start as an electrician, the benefits of solar, the future of the industry, and much more.

ABOUT BRIAN

Starting as an installer, Brian Buzbee has worked his way up through the ranks to become a fully trained electrician. Having obtained a degree at a four year university, working in solar was not in his career plan. However, seeing the opportunity in the growing industry, Brian made the switch to focus on solar.

“...I had a friend who was just like, ‘Hey, you know, solar is paying really well, hop over here.’ And I kind of just went for it. As soon as I got into it I was, you know, really enthralled with it. I loved it. I loved everything about it, sort of learning as much as I could. And then I just kind of built my knowledge base...”

Now 7 years into his career, Brian is now a Sr. Electrical Foreman for a large company and has worked in just about every electrical role within a solar company - from lead installer, to electrical helper electrician, to corpsman construction supervisor, and so on.

“You don't have to necessarily go to a solar trade school or... electrical trade school, you can work, you know, under an electrician at a solar company for a while... build up your hours, go to schooling in the evening, things like that... become an electrician that way. So there's multiple avenues to get into the solar trade.”

The solar industry has taken off over the past 10 years, with the past 3 years seeing an unprecedented boom in the industry. As a relatively new business, Brian and his team are continually working on past projects from when solar installations were less calculated.

“...it was kind of wild west back then. So I would say... people just need to, you know, make sure they're not looking for companies that just want to slap solar up as quickly as possible. Find a company that's... focused on their quality and their safety... make sure they're providing the right safety gear and all that, a lot of companies will try to skimp there.”

Looking forward to the next 10 years, Brian is expecting the solar industry to continue growing in and innovating. For example, in California all newly-built homes are required to have solar, which opens new business opportunities. The industry will also likely see new technologies such as solar shingles and other components that can absorb light.

“They have windows now that can generate electricity... maybe even siding one day, so just you know, any side of your house or portion, your house that get sunlight, probably power the house, I'm hoping that's what we can get to.”

In his free time, Brian enjoys DJing and skateboarding. He is also the author of a field handbook on solar installations which can be found on his website. With the sky as the limit, Brian has made his way to the top of the solar game.

Growing up on the move, Anne Briggs has always bounced from one thing to another, both literally and figuratively. From traveling internationally to homeschooling, she has had the opportunity to learn from non-traditional educational experiences and choose her interests from an early age. Now as an adult, “Anne Of All Trades” continues to build her skills with the same curiosity and self-directed learning style. In this special re-airing of one of our favorite Bucket Talk episodes, Jeremy sits down with Anne to learn about her incredibly diverse background, from homeschooling, to blacksmithing, to woodworking, to farming, and much more.

ABOUT ANNE

From an early age, Anne Briggs has learned in a non-traditional educational setting that is different from most Americans. Anne’s parents were part of a missions organization for a majority of her life, and as a result she was exposed to a wide array of cultures and ways of living.

“...I had a really cool upbringing, getting to live all over the world with a group of people… That's kind of, you know, I got exposed to a lot of different cultures and a lot of different things as a kid. And I've had a vast array of interests over the years as a result. And that kind of basically led me to what I'm currently doing with the ‘Anne Of All Trades’ thing is basically giving a name to my utter and complete lack of direction and short attention span”

While her unique upbringing made schooling difficult in some regards, it also brought many crucial formative experiences which helped to shape the person Anne is today. For instance, instead of sitting in a public school classroom, there were points where she spent her days in a 19th century museum as a homeschooled student, or in her grandfather’s workshop. This helped her to develop an early interest in woodworking, hand tools, and farming.

“So it was kind of at the back of my mind, always from, you know, from that living history museum and my experience with my grandfather that someday, if I ever lived in America, I wanted to have my own farm. And I wanted to have my own workshop where I could do and fix anything that I wanted.”

Fast forward many years, Anne moved back to the U.S. from Taiwan to pursue a tech job in Seattle, WA. On the side, she continued developing her hand skills and engineering mindset by buying cheap tools, reverse engineering them, selling them, then buying new tools until she eventually had a full workshop to use.

“...I had no intention of ever, you know, doing all this stuff for a living. But the more tools that I acquired and the more hand skills that I learned, the more passionate about it I got, and the more dissatisfied with my job that I got. And I basically realized then that I wanted to figure out a way out of that lifestyle.”

Eventually, Anne leveraged her workshop to start woodworking. After a while, she quit her job to build furniture full-time, ended up failing, and learned from her mistakes to bring her to the next opportunity. She recalls:

“I quit my job working in tech because I wanted to spend less time working at the computer. But then all of a sudden, I had to figure out how to make a website and I had to become my own accountant and I had to market my stuff. And I had to send invoices and all those things that like, took all this computer time. And suddenly I was actually in the shop even less.”

After this chain of events, Anne eventually was lead in the right direction through connections she made on Instagram. One thing lead to another, and she landed a job at a Fine Arts Center, where she entirely revamped their woodworking program.

“...I ended up getting a job running a woodworking program at a Fine Arts Center. And so that was basically my ticket into doing this full time for a living again. And through that they basically needed someone to revamp their entire education program. So I got to hire new teachers and right new course curriculum. And basically, I created the woodworking school that I always wished that I had been able to attend, and then used that job to attend it.”

With a solid foundation for her business which she had been building in her free time, Anne eventually left her job when the time was right. Owning an organic farm, Anne has been able to focus on a variety of different trades such as woodworking and raising livestock. Having learned in a non-traditional setting her whole life, Anne continues expanding her knowledge with the same curiosity she had in her childhood. She recalls learning to milk a goat:

“I just literally like got this goat and brought it home. And just, like, assumed that it would just stand there and let me milk it. So I like you know went out there like proudly with my little milk pail that first time and like bent down to squeeze that little teet and I got kicked in the face.”

Fast forward to today, Anne has been running a successful business and recently bought a new farm. She continues to grow her skills through various projects, from restoring a 1953 Chevy, to modding golf carts, to building a new workshop for woodworking and teaching. From start to end, “Anne Of All Trades” has come to fully embody her persona through years of dedication, curiosity, and self-directed learning.

As a commercial diver and welder by trade, Kendal Keating is immersed in a sea of opportunity every day. Hailing from New Brunswick, Canada, Kendal has worked a large variety of jobs across the country in just about every province. What began as an interesting possibility when his high school teacher mentioned “underwater welding” has manifested into the foundation for his lifelong career across welding and diving. Listen in as Jeremy takes a deep dive with Kendal to learn about his early career, welding in Canada, commercial diving, safety, and much more.

ABOUT KENDAL

Growing up in a small Canadian town, Kendal Keating always had the ambition to travel but was unsure of what career path to take. Kendal had been surrounded by trades since childhood, living on a farm with a tight knit blue-collar family. He did well in high school, but like many other students, was not too interested in the material. However, one day in an elective course was when Kendal first learned of his future career.

“Actually, I was in a shop class that was just a burner course because I already had all my credits to graduate and stuff. Basically, my shop teacher one day brought up the thing of underwater welding, and I was like “Wait, what? What was that? And it's something that really stuck in my head and it just seemed like something that was so cool but also very unattainable.”

As graduation approached, Kendal was looking into the sciences in pursuit of his original career plan to become a pharmacist. However, he also enrolled in welding courses at the local community college for a backup plan. As it turns out, Kendal was accepted into the sciences program being a high-performing student, but went with welding instead.

“At the community college there, my parents were very, very supportive. Like I said, I grew up with a lot of blue collar background. However, my older brother went to university. He has a financial background now, as well as my little brother's a chemical engineer. Obviously, I got the brains of the family being a welder.”

After graduating the welding program, Kendal studied in Alberta for an apprenticeship program before obtaining his Red Seal in 2017. In Canada, a Red Seal is essentially the equivalent to becoming a Master Welder in the U.S., which would allow him to start his own business and take jobs across Canada and beyond. Kendal explains:

“So basically, a journeyman allows you to work in one province as like the top of your trade. But if you get your red seal, you can work at any province as the top of your trade. So it allows you to travel… I can head over [to] Australia and go to Europe, all that fun stuff with a red seal and still be recognized as the top of my trade.”

As a welder, Kendal would bounce job to job as opportunities present themselves. Over his career, he has been able to work in just about every province across Canada. His work is split across welding and metal fabrication work, which Kendal enjoys due to the building element. 

“I want to be building stuff, I want to see something going down the road, like a full trailer with a twin deck stream deck on it for rock crushing, and be like, I built that or something along those lines, right, I get a lot more satisfaction of building something than just welding something that somebody else put together for me.”

As Kendal got older, he wanted to tie in the underwater welding element to his career. Looking deeper into the job, he learned that in order to do that, he needed to become a commercial diver which is a completely separate set of certifications. This would allow him to become a jack-of-all-trades in diving, but specialize as a commercial diver who welds. Through both of his experiences as a welder and commercial diver, Kendal has found a job which combines the two.

“So the job I'm currently on, we're actually doing a refacing of an old dam - the dam was built in 1950s. And all that concrete on the upstream side is kind of getting washed away. So we're going down, we're chipping everything off. And then I'm putting like steel plates on it, almost like an armor, welding all those plates on and then refilling, where we ship with new concrete. So now instead of water hitting concrete and hitting the steel, they're bolted on.”

Looking ahead, Kendal is planning to go in the direction of inspection for his welding career, which will provide longevity in terms of physical ability as he grows older. This will require more certifications that will allow him to certify X-ray and work in nuclear plants. However, in the time being, he is incredibly happy as an underwater welder, as he is able to do and see things every day that many people might never get to in their lifetime. Kendal recounts:

“I'm 40 feet deep in the middle of nowhere in Ontario welding, basically a big armor plate onto a bullnose on a dam. And I'm there and like a bass swims by my face as I'm welding. So I can't see for a second and I'm like what's happening? And then I lift my lid, and there's just a bass looking at me. And I'm like, how many other people that have ever walked this earth or ever will walk the earth are going to have that experience, right? Like, you kind of sit there and first I can think is like, oh, this is... this is surreal.”

Becoming disciplined in both worlds of welding and commercial diving, Kendal now finds himself immersed in a sea of opportunity. With the sky as the limit, he continues learning new things every day about how he can apply his skills across a wide range of professions.

Meet Terry and Kyle Dutton, the father and son tag team duo that spends their days cutting stone by hand. Based in Rockport, MA, they have accumulated a large social media following by sharing with the world laborious footage of their hand splitting process and stone masonry. In this special episode of Bucket Talk,Jeremy and Eric visit the duo for our very first on-site interview, as the Rockport team works on finishing a retaining wall and walkway. Tune in as we learn about their family’s humble beginnings in stonework, hand splitting, and the rich history behind American stone masonry, among other topics.

ABOUT TERRY AND KYLE

Going back to 1969, Terry got his start in masonry after returning from Vietnam. Him and his wife bought their first home with money he had never spent while in the military. Terry needed a retaining wall built on the side of his property. After asking a few masons, he was shocked at the price of the project and decided that he could do it himself. Terry began taking trips to the nearby quarry to collect small pieces of material from the discard pile to build his wall.

“I ran into the person that used to own the quarry called Pearson... He's like, so son, what are you doing? And I'm like, ‘Well, I'm trying to build a little wall in my side yard.’ And he looked at me and he said, ‘Anybody willing to climb up and down the pile that much to put stones in their truck - God bless you, you can have all you want.’ And he gave me a few pointers on how things were cut in and everything else.”

From there, Terry attracted the attention of neighbors and friends who saw his stone work and started inquiring about small projects. He began working with different types of materials and finding a deeper understanding of masonry. As time went on, Terry refined his stone work skills and began building his lifelong career in the trade.

“The real stone work didn't start till probably 25 or 30 years ago, when I really, really started to understand the process that was involved in cutting, trimming and fitting the way it should be. It's kind of sad. It's one of those things where if you go back and look at some of the work you did 40 or 45 years ago, you're like, wow, I could have done that so much better.”

Terry’s son, Kyle, has been working under his father on and off since high school. Originally, Kyle pursued a college degree in Sports Medicine, and would work with stone on the side. However, he was stopped short after being diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma in his 20’s. After recovery, Kyle eased back into the labor force again by working with his father. Through the years of switching between different jobs, he learned that working with stone is what he enjoys best.

“...at the end of the day you have a literal pile to show for yourself like ‘this is what I did today. This is what we got done today.’ And it's the same thing with building and I find that to be like this incontrovertible satisfaction… At the end of the day, you go home and you sleep well, because you're like, ‘This is what I got done.’”

Terry and Kyle started hand splitting stone as part of their core business during a project for Rockport National Bank in 2009. Up until then, they focused strictly on masonry work. For this particular project, they had to source a large quantity of granite from two different quarries.

“Some of the contractors that also do granite work, saw the quality of the material that we were cutting for the project, and asked us if we could in turn cut material for them if they needed it. And it blossomed from there initially… to the part that it is now where it's at least half of our time is spent cutting stone.”

Part of what drives Terry and Kyle is their shared passion for masonry and the rich history behind the trade. American stonework dates back centuries in time to when many of the modern tools were not available. While it is often taken for granted at face value, those who are familiar with the trade can recognize the skill and labor that was required.

“It's crazy that the reach of this stuff and again, you know, all of this was done back in the late 18, early 1900s, talking about... getting it to the trains via oxen. And the big gerrymander carts... you look at the history, and even just what that took in labor and manpower just to even get started. It's really neat.”

To an onlooker, hand splitting stone might seem like cruel and torturous work. It’s not an easy job in any sense. But for Terry and Kyle, the intense labor is highly rewarding and driven by passion. Through decades of hard work and dedication, the father and son duo have become rock stars in the fascinating world of masonry.

From working for his neighbors landscaping company, to starting his own business, to bankrupting that business, to starting a second business that is thriving, Caleb Auman has experienced all the pains and rewards of entrepreneurship firsthand. Founder and owner of Auman Landscaping LLC based in Southeast Ohio, his company specializes in landscape design construction and contracting services for a wide range of clients. Through 20 years in the industry, Caleb has put his knowledge and business skills to the ultimate test, creating an empire that will outlast his legacy for years to come. Join us as Jeremy and Eric sit down with Caleb to learn about his early career, bankruptcy, properly scaling, the key to long term business, and much more in this extremely informative episode of Bucket Talk.

About Caleb

Starting in the “gateway” to trades, Caleb began work mowing grass at age 15 for his vocational agriculture teacher. At 16, he was eager to work for himself and began his own company. Caleb bought a mower and trailer with a small loan, and began finding his own clients.

“I was so excited to mow my first property that I got turned away from it because I was too early in the season. I stopped to mow a place - like one of my first properties I ever got - in like mid-February, and the guy's like ‘Man, I don't think we need cut.’”

As a young business owner in the industry, Caleb’s enthusiasm for landscaping continued to grow through the years. He began reading about landscape construction and working on small projects, before eventually enrolling in Columbia State’s landscape design build program. During this time, his professors inspired Caleb to become a more strategic businessman.

“...they were adamant about, you know, being a professional and running a legitimate company and turning the image of the trade around… not being a bunch of shirtless guys out working in the yard.. and purposely trying to elevate the industry... command better prices and more respect for the industry… pricing yourself and your work better.”

Equipped with the knowledge to build his empire, Caleb began applying his teachings to his landscaping business. However, his enthusiasm to scale the company quickly outweighed his mental preparedness and eventually led to his demise. In practice, his business was doing great. But when it came to finances, taxes, and administrative work, he fell behind.

“I wasn't in so much debt as I was just in terrible tax debt and terrible tax issues, and the bureaucracy and paperwork and stuff that comes with that. And long story short, just completely crashed the company and filed bankruptcy the whole bit and learned so much from that I had to learn from rock bottom kind of stuff.”

Applying lessons from his failures to his second business, Caleb became more disciplined in his strategic approach and has been thriving ever since. He learned to properly scale his company by focusing on his strengths, while outsourcing his weaknesses to other people.

“The number one thing there is you have to be a businessman. First you have to pay attention to numbers. And if you can't be a businessman... you have no reason to be in business... And I was a technician... I didn't delegate the business aspect of it to anyone. And I didn't do it myself. So it slipped through the cracks… The biggest thing is just learning, you know how to delegate that stuff out, as soon as you can afford to delegate out your weaknesses so that you can focus on what you're strong on and just go crazy on what you're good at.”

Caleb has successfully built his new company by placing a strong emphasis on areas such as customer service, employee satisfaction, community engagement, and more. By doing so, he is playing the long game both externally and internally to maintain a well-rounded, thriving business.

“That's the key to long business… I look at businesses that I admire locally and people I know. And I mean that that's how they look at it, a lot of the most successful businesses I know that are in the trades, that is their policy, they're in it for the long game, they're not in at the turn a quick buck. And that's just it at the end of the day. And they have long standing companies that are wealthy, and well off and well respected.”

At age 40 and in the industry for about twenty years, Caleb is always looking for new business opportunities, while staying mindful to balance his workload with family life. Looking to the future, he is looking to create a business that will outlast him for years to come. From the depths of financial hell to building a successful company, Caleb has endured the ups and downs of an entrepreneur to reap the rewards of hard work, discipline, and determination.

From building houses to building his own business, Garrett Davis a.k.a. Bub is living the dream. Garrett is the owner and founder of G.W. Davis Company based in Central Maine. Through his 16 years in the carpentry world, he has endured the ups and downs of overcoming a turbulent battle with alcoholism and substance abuse. Now in his mid-thirties, Garrett is four years sober and business is booming for his company. Listen in as Jeremy and Eric sit down with Bub to discuss his early career, building houses in New England, addiction, tool belts, and many other topics in this very special episode of Bucket Talk.

About Garrett

Starting in frame work after high school, Garrett learned early on that he enjoyed building things from scratch. Coming from a family of college-educated businessmen and women, he took his own path building houses after deciding that college was not for him. Instead, Garrett started building houses with his uncle for most of his early adulthood.

“I was just the guy getting everybody everything except I always wanted to understand what I was handing them.. I knew like if I was going to make a living doing this I wanted to excel I wanted to be better I wanted to have a skill set”

On the jobsite, he mostly helped with simple tasks by assisting the other workers before moving into finish work. What set Garrett apart from others was his fascination with the process of building a house. Instead of just working for the sake of paying bills, he wanted to understand the bigger picture.

“I feel like a lot of younger kids nowadays do not have that mindset, they're just ready to make a paycheck and they don't give a shit what they're handing, they just want to get through the day and that was not me.”

As Garretts career progressed, he began doing jobs that required more detail such as baseboards and door trim, then eventually kitchen, bathroom, and deck renovations. After a falling out with his Uncle, he moved on to working for a company in Portland, ME along with various jobs in between. These experiences laid the foundation for his future work (and eventually, his future home).

“I really, I really enjoy doing everything from the ground up. Like I love seeing a pile of dirt turn into a foundation, I love seeing a foundation turned into a house, and I just love finishing it”

After working through several jobs, Garrett eventually decided to start his own business and build houses on his own at age 26. Among some of the reasons influencing this decision, he often struggled keeping jobs due to his lifestyle and wanted to work for himself.

“And maybe I'd show up on Monday, maybe I wouldn't and then finally do that (until) like 26… I was really quick to make decisions when I was not sober and I was like you know what I'm done making people money I'm gonna start my own business. And you know I had like no work lined up and barely had any tools… and I just dove into it man”

Garrett struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse for a majority of his career until deciding to become sober in his 30s. Starting work early on in an environment that enabled this lifestyle created an ongoing conflict in between his habits and work life. 

“I didn't realize how much this stuff was affecting my mindset.. until I cleared up my mind and I got sober.. I literally I'm living proof of what sobriety can do for someone.. I wouldn't be standing on my front porch on the house that I built talking to you guys right now, if I wasn't sober.”

In his 30’s, Garrett is learning to channel his energy into being a workaholic and continue building his business. Recently, his company landed a contract to build a custom home. From partying hard and working job to job, to being sober and working for himself, Garrett has built his way to the top from the ground up. 

As a pool technician and business owner in Southern California, Brandon Reed spends day in and day out at your neighbors’ swimming pool. But he’s not just lounging around, nor does he deserve to be referred to as simply “the pool guy”. Brandon has become a master in all things pool-related - from building, installing remodeling, maintaining, and repairing pool equipment. This fascinating profession requires a jack-of-all-trades, borrowing skills from electricians, plumbers, construction, and more to serve America’s favorite and often overlooked home luxury. Listen in as Jeremy sits down with Brandon to learn the ins and outs of owning a business in the pool industry, building and repairing pools, how he found his career, and much more.

ABOUT BRANDON

Shortly after graduating high school, Brandon started working for his father’s HVAC company for much of his early adulthood. However, during the housing market crash in the late-2000’s, business began to dwindle significantly as crucial accounts sought ways to cut costs. With a career change already in mind, he met a family friend one day, who was making ends meet in the pool business. One thing led to another and Brandon found himself cleaning pools, and eventually building them from scratch.

“So I talked to that guy for a little bit and next thing I knew I was working for him, you know, low wages, I wasn't making anything but to me, which is fun, learning a new trade. And then from there, it just went from hanging out with that guy for a little bit then all of a sudden, that same guy, his name was Robert we started building pools together.”

Over the years, Brandon has become a master of all things pool-related. Applying elements from several trades, he often finds himself doing plumbing, HVAC, construction, and electrician work all at once. He is on the job 365-days a year as a pool technician and business owner based in the sunny state of California. Compared to HVAC work, Brandon has found that being a self-employed pool technician is a significantly higher maintenance trade.

“When I install a five ton condenser unit I'm not seeing that customer again for another five or 10 years. With a pool I'm seeing my customers every four to six months because there's constantly always something breaking and there's always something going on”

Working through the pandemic, Brandon has also experienced an unprecedented boom in the pool industry due to families quarantining and dumping money into their at-home environment.

“Yeah, the pandemic happened. And I'm going okay, I'm gonna have to go back in the air conditioner or something because you know, in my opinion, people are gonna be smart, we're gonna save money because they don't know what's going to happen. And the exact thing opposite happened. People stayed home, they didn't know what to do with their kids, so everybody wanted a pool now.”

Transitioning as a worker in his father’s company to a business owner himself, Brandon has gained context over the years for being self-employed. Having now experienced both sides of the same coin, he can now understand many of the struggles his father went through.

“I could see a lot of things that he had to go through now that I'm on the other end of the stick as well… it's not as easy and the grass isn't always greener. On the other side, it's a lot of stress. Owning any type of business, in any industry by yourself, man, you feel like you got to constantly be working, because you don't know if there's going to be more work.”

From working in HVAC as a young adult, to learning a completely new trade and making a business out of it, Brandon has brought himself to the forefront of the pool industry through a mix of trial-and-error, experience, and hard work.

From his start as welder, to teaching, to hosting the Arc Junkies Podcast, Jason Becker fully immerses himself in his profession every single day. In this episode, Jeremy and Eric sit down with Jason to talk about his fascinating journey as a welder. Among other topics, we learn about his early career, his passion for teaching the next generation of welders, and how he became the host of Arc Junkies. Be sure to listen in as Jeremy and Eric get another compelling story of a devoted trades worker and fellow podcaster.

About Jason

Jason Becker never planned to pursue a lifelong career in the trade when he started working as a welder at age 15. Shortly after high school, he joined the US Marine Corps and found himself as a combat engineer for four years. While considering re-enlisting, Jason decided that he wanted to do more with his skills outside of the military.

He eventually left the Marines to obtain an Associate’s Degree in Construction. While studying to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Welding, Jason began teaching at Valenci College in Florida. He immediately fell in love with it and has been teaching ever since.

“It's been a hell of a ride.. teaching something that I'm truly passionate about. It's just amazing, you know, and that's kind of what drives me to get out of bed in the morning, every morning, I don't dread going to work, I get up, I'm excited. And you know, I get to pass that knowledge off to the next generation. It's really cool.”

One of the biggest values Jason instills in his students is having a good work ethic. He recounts the opportunities presented for him in his own experiences, and tries to pay it forward as an instructor himself.

“Everything that I've done I think it's based off of my work ethics and efforts that I put forward and people see something in you and they give you an opportunity just like my professor.. he saw I showed up to class every day I was there early.. turning on my assignments on time.. He saw enough in me to say hey, you know I think you'd be a really good fit for this position over here with the college.”

While in college, Jason also had several jobs over the course of ten years doing structural steel iron work. He first got into structural steel by accident through a welding job he found through classified ads. On the second day of work, Jason was brought onto a jobsite where the team was executing more construction-oriented work, which opened up a whole new world for him.

“I started getting into helping them out doing I-beams and bar joists and decking.. framing steel buildings and all that stuff and, you know, doing the stairs and when I wasn't doing the stairs, I'd be back out with the iron work crew.”

Jason grew accustomed to long hours, working as much as 84-hours per week between studying in college. During this time, he had to learn the importance of keeping his mental and physical health in check to carry out his job on the highest level.

“I think the biggest thing that's helped out is like physically taking care of myself, trying to find time to get to the gym and stay away from crap foods.. give my body the best fuel, take all the vitamins I'm supposed to.. you gotta take care of your body. The biggest tool that you have is your body.”

In April 2020, Jason was asked to take over the Arc Welding Podcast from former host and good friend Jimmy McKnight, who was moving on from welding. As an avid listener of the podcast, he was caught off guard when asked by Jimmy to carry the torch. From there on, Jason taught himself the ins and outs of podcasting after one episode and a brief instructional Zoom call with Jimmy.

“He gave me a list of equipment you know good better best and I kind of bought the best that I could afford at the time we did an episode together and he kind of walked me through via zoom how to record the podcast and then once we're done he did a screen share showed me how to edit and upload everything to the hosting service and he's like alright man, good luck!”

From welding, to teaching, to podcasting, and everything in between, Jason has opened doors for himself through hard work and dedication to his craft.

Working as a pit mechanic for B.J. McLeod Motorsports, Lauryn Scott is in the heart of professional racing every day of her job. Lauryn puts her skills to the test for 36 weeks a year, competing on the track as the backbone for her team’s drivers. From her start on a late model team, to a truck team, and eventually in the pit crew for Mason Massey and the BRUNT Workwear No. 99 car, Lauryn’s passion and discipline has guided her career every step of the way. In this episode, we learn about getting started in motorsports, what it takes to be a professional NASCAR pit mechanic, and what a day on the job looks like for Lauryn. Be sure to listen in on this very special episode of Bucket Talk.

About Lauryn

Lauryn got her start in motorsports while studying at NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina. When not in class or working at O’Reilly’s, she was refining her skills as a pit mechanic. Starting on a late model team, opportunities began to open up once she started meeting and working with people in the field.

“The biggest challenge is getting somebody to give you a shot, especially being a female in a very male dominated sport.” She continues “[You have to] prove to people that you know what you’re doing and deserve to be there just like they do.”

While Lauryn grew up working around cars from an early age, it was her education and field experience that propelled her career. In the modern world, technology for motorsports is evolving rapidly, and receiving specialized training in an automotive program can give you a competitive upperhand. 

“The stigma around NASCAR is the good ol’ boys. I don’t wanna say they're turning away from that, but they’re turning more towards the engineering side.” She goes on to explain, “If you really wanna set yourself apart and put yourself in a better position, definitely go to school for motorsport engineering and mechanics”

Fast forward to today, Lauryn is on the job year round traveling from race to race with her team. More recently, the team propelled Mason Massey and his BRUNT Workwear No. 99 car to finish Top 25 in the Xfinity Series. She explains the excitement of being a part of the team in Daytona:

“You think of the history that has gone on and you are building something to go to that race track, you know? You’re putting your work on the race track. It’s a really cool feeling”

Lauryn was also in the pit during the BRUNT car’s first race in New Hampshire. About 30 laps into the race, the car had crashed and the pit crew battled to get the car back together. Competing against others to get the car back on the track, Lauryn’s team works like a finely-tuned machine to problem solve on site. 

“It’s wreck-by-wreck. Once we actually see it, we can work out a plan to fix it but it has to be the quickest plan possible you ever made” She continues, “You have to be mentally sharp as well as physically fit”.

From quickly solving mechanical issues, to formulating and executing repairs with her team, Lauryn has persevered wreck-by-wreck as a top tier mechanic in her sport.

For the 3rd episode of Bucket Talk Season 3, we got the chance to sit down with the legendary Mike Gaffin; infamous to the trucking community under the Instagram alias, Boston Trucker. Having spent his life on the road as a professional trucker, Mike has a wealth of stories to share. This episode is a must listen if you're someone who's ever been interested in trucking or just want to understand what a day in the life is like.

About Mike Gaffin:

Growing up, Mike's father told him routinely "Don't become a trucker." A professional trucker himself, his intentions were good. Mike's father understand just how tough the gig was, and was doing it to support his family. Mike didn't end up taking his fathers advice. As a child watching his father, and learning everything to know about trucks, his interest became a passion. This passion has carried Mike all across the country for over 15 years. While he's since retired, the passion that fueled him is still very much alive. One look at his Instagram confirm this. Having accrued a following of over 64k, it's clear that Mike has become an industry leader and spokes person for the trucking community. Tune in to hear what Mike has learned over the years on this exciting episode of Bucket Talk.

On this weeks Bucket Talk, Eric and Jeremy reflect on BRUNT's first NASCAR race. From a recap of the race itself, to meeting and speaking to some of BRUNT and Bucket Talk's day one supporters for the first time, the 1st NASCAR race was a day to remember. We also got the chance to sit down with Ben Snure, Rancher/Blacksmith extraordinaire. Tune in, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

About Ben Snure

Hailing from a long line of Ranchers and Cowboys, Ben Snure has taken the family trade to the next level. While Ben is currently Foreman at Cottonwood Springs Ranch in Clarendon, Texas; on the side he's best known for his blacksmithing. Known across Instagram for his custom hammers, Ben has made a name for himself with over 15.9k followers and counting.

You can get to know Ben via his Instagram @bensnure and even shop some of his custom hammers via his online store.

Bucket Talk is back. Now fully backed by BRUNT, Season 3 is set to be our biggest season yet. But before we dig in, we wanted to give all of our listeners (old and new) some insight into why Bucket Talk started, how things have gone up until this point, and where it's headed. Tune in as Eric and Jeremy take a deep dive into the origins of Bucket Talk, and preview what's to come in Season 3.

About Bucket Talk

Hosted by seasoned veteran and mechanic, Jeremy Perkins, alongside serial entrepreneur Eric Girouard, Bucket Talk takes a deep dive into how successful CEO’s, business owners, and everyday trades people started their career. We learn about the path they took, and some of the key lessons they’ve picked up along the way. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for a path for growth, we hope the lessons learned from some of the industries best will give you the tools and resources you need to make the most out of your career.

By 18, he had found a niche for himself in custom woodworking, and carpentry and within a few years he was running a 10,000 square foot facility, with over a dozen staffed employees. 

Things took a turn in 2006. With an impending economic crash, and clients holding out on payments, Brian soon found himself bankrupt and back at square one. 

Within the next year, Brian sold every asset, collected a small crew,  and built out two box trucks geared for residential and commercial millwork installation. For Brian, this was a huge turning point. Going from a huge facility to running a workshop from his truck, was no small feat. Over the next 10 years, he dialed in the art of maximizing his work space. 

One of the key products Brian utilized to create systems of efficiency? Foam. Buying sheets of foam, and cutting out space for his tools became a huge factor in his day-day work management. Not only that, but others started to notice as well. "...everyone that saw the stuff always had something to say...they were enamored with what we were doing...."

This was yet another major turning point for Brian as he not only found a system for himself, but realized what he was doing might be a need for others. A short while later, he purchased a CNC cutting machine (a programmed saw) and began cutting foam templates of his tools to sell online. "...they'd sell. they were doing really well on e-bay for a while, and it got to the point where I couldn't really keep up..." 

Still working his day-job installing millwork, Brian would come home to work more just to keep this side hustle alive. Soon, the workload was extending past that and Brian was hiring a full-time worker just to manage the orders coming in. "...he said to me, you know Brian, I think you're standing in front of a freight train and you need to get out of it's way." 

6 months had passed since Brian first put the products online and he began to realize that things were getting out of control. It was at this time that Brian made the leap and brought what is today known as Kaizen Inserts into existence. The business has grown immensely since it's humble beginnings as a side-hustle from Brian's garage. With over 92k followers on Instagram, there is still room to grow, but Brian has big plans for what's next. 

Tune into to hear Brian's full story. Where he is going, and all the insights he’s offering along the way.

In the 10 years after high school Russ covered everything from laying down conduit, to becoming a conductor for a railroad company, to even handling finances for an automotive dealer. In between all of that, he married, became a fathered, and divorced. 

Now in his late 20’s, fathering a young daughter, and living in Massachusetts, Russ set out to build his own business. With no connections and no prior business experience, taking the leap was no simple feat. Not only was he struggling to acquire customers, but bills were adding up and Russ was feeling the pressures of running a business. 

“I went from being hyped up, to this is real….I tell you that first year and a half, I didn’t sleep very well.”

Now in his mid 30’s Russ looks back on those times as a pivotal moment. With Quality Sewer serving a multitude of clients everywhere from Maine to Boston, Russ’s big take-away from this experience comes down to hustle. 

“I don’t want to be working all day...but sometimes you get stuck and you gotta get stuff done so we can have time to do things…”

For Russ, it's an important lesson, and something he wants any young person delving into the trades, but at the end of the day it’s key to success.

 “I'm 36, still considered a millennial, some of the younger generation, they just don’t have the go power..they show up late, they don’t call…:

While Russ’s career wasn’t certainly not a traditional path, he managed to carve a way for himself and connect to people all over the country while learning the ins and outs of business from finances to logistics and scaling growth. Tune into to hear how he went from 0 to hero and what he sees next up for Quality Sewer and Drain.

For Lucas, woodworking runs in the family, growing up in Denver, Colorado with his father a cabinet maker, he was always surrounded by woodworking. As a kid, Lucas spent the majority of his summer working alongside his father. Throughout high school, he quickly learned how much money there was in this business, taking on large contracts that would really pay out for him and his buddies. 

By 18 however, the perils of being the assumed family business torch passing took their effect. Where Lucas was interested in a wide range of opportunities, his father was not keen on the idea of Lucas not taking over. Being pushed further away, and torn by the tension, Lucas set out traveling across the country. Picking up odd job after odd job before landing in New York. From there he was able to hone in his craftsman skills all while learning the ins and out of business. 

Soon Lucas found himself settling with what was looking like a long term gig, it wasn’t until that same job tried to lock him into what would’ve been a career ending contract, Lucas jumped into his dream of launching Lighthouse. 

From his early childhood years around woodwork, to the later span of his career, it’s clear why Lucas has found success as a master woodworker. His story, however, runs deeper than that. Tune in to hear how all the layers that made Lighouse what it is today came to be, and the insights Lucas brings to the table for young people looking to delve deeper into the trades.

While even those who have worked landscaping jobs may assume this as common knowledge, Mark Aquilino has spent enough years in the trenches to know that’s not necessarily true. 

The now 32 year old president of Outdoor Pride Landscaping Inc, Mark spent a majority of his formative years knee deep in the landscaping industry. His father, Outdoor Pride's former President, utilized his entrepreneurial skills to build the bones of what is now a $10 million plus a year business. “I got paid, when I was 12 years old, in Frostys at Wendys just to go in and help out. By the time Mark was 27, the need for advanced technology and robust finances needed to scale his business had outdated his fathers expertise and he looked to Mark to carry the torch. 

While it may seem easy to assume Mark's early success with the family business was a cakewalk, his story runs deeper than that.  Over the years since he’s taking the helm, Mark has worked tirelessly to build a structure that favors teamwork over strategy. “We are so driven and focused on our team members...I am a firm believer that culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Not only has Mark built a viable culture, but he’s done the unthinkable and transformed the stereotypical seasonal landscaping gig into a platform that is able to sustain over 70 employees year round.

Listen in to this riveting conversation as we hear about Mark's full background, how he quadrupled his family business, and why he thinks landscaping is a missed career opportunity.

 Based in Crown Point, Indiana, Andy continued his career in the trades post-high school, and a few years later he and his wife were at a crossroads. They could either try to buy the landscaping business he had worked at for years or start their own. To acquire the current business, it would require Andy to go into debt. While some take that risk, Andy wasn’t about to take that step. 

Learning personal finance from the likes of Dave Ramsey, Andy took on the challenge of building his business debt-free. A slow transition, it wasn’t another two years until Andy finally launched Mulder Maintenance and Services. His next challenge growing and scaling his business in a lean and efficient manner, a constant challenge in any industry let alone hardscaping. 

“I wanna go out there and do what I love, and do it not just to make the next payment….I’m not stressed to do the next job, I’m not going to do a cheaper job because I am too stressed to do the next job..”

To do this, Andy leverages heavy equipment. Close with the likes of Tom Gardocki, Andy has acquired a range of heavy equipment apt to carry the weight of his business.

 “It's a high risk..high reward, but it pays off...” Where human power can’t do the job, Andy’s carefully curated machinery can. This allows him to complete jobs efficiently without added manpower and apply the man power in the areas needed most.

Andy’s success hasn’t been completely self-guided, however. After reaching out to a competing landscaping company in hopes of attaining a trailer, he met with the owner and took a younger Andy under his wing.

“I didn't have much to base off of..I didn’t know about that stuff...I never went to college so I never really took those business courses…I started talking to this guy about numbers and bidding, and how to price correctly...so many things I missed out on….because of that I completely changed my business..”

It’s this experience that makes Andy much more than just any old business owner. Andy first caught the attention of Bucket Talk via instagram. There he’s collected a hefty following, indoctering anyone willing to learn with the knowledge they need to go out and do what they love each and every day. 

Tune in to learn more about Andy, the insights he brings to the table, and everything he is learning along the way. 

“There was a guy in the shop..he was big into wheeling and building rock crawlers and stuff..and he kind of gave me the crash course on tig welding.”

Leaving school then working his way up through the ranks, Flottman soon realized not just the immense potential of this career path, but that it was something that he actually wanted to do. Even more incredible? He managed to master his craft in a tough environment with little resources. 

“It’s real hard getting a guy who hates his job, who's just getting through his day to show you anything…” 

While Flottman has spent the last 20 plus years working as a welder in the packaging and conveyor systems spector by day, it’s his craftsy side hustle that eventually put him on the map. 

“Tig welding art on weird stainless steel…I was just messing around at first, but people started to really like what I was doing.”

Shortly after creating an Instagram account, Flottman found himself gaining thousands of followers. Now he touts a monster reach and has become a staple in the trades community, but It’s not just Flottmans reach that caught our eye; He has continuously  demonstrated just how much opportunity lies within his trades, and is a firm believer that any young person today can capitalize on these resources.    

“20 years ago when I was learning..you were lucky if you could get a 45 second video. If a young guy or girl is out there..there is no excuse..if you’ve got the thirst for knowledge. On Instagram, once you get involved in the community..there are plenty of people who can help.”

Be sure to listen in on this electric episode, as we dig into how Sean got his start, what’s next, and where he sees the future of this trade. 

“I scared a ton of customers. My dad would literally..we would go into a new front lawn, and he would get all the equipment ready and he would leave..we had to put a 50 lb bag of seed behind me so I could reach the petals”

Spending countless summers working alongside the company foreman, Tom not only picked up a wealth of knowledge, but a deep love for running equipment. Hardscaping, however, was no easy feat. It’s laborious nature had taken a toll on his father over the years and Tom knew early on, long term, he did not want to carry the torch. Instead, he set his sites on Excavation which was able to combine his landscaping knowledge with his love for heavy machinery.

“I grew up in the family business so I knew hardscaping was hard work...I’d rather let the machines do the work”

Fast forward to 2010. Eager to show off his equipment skills, Tom created a YouTube account under the pseudonym “Dirt Ninja”. Not expecting much, he uploaded video after video all while learning the basics of the channel. It wasn’t until he posted a video of him stacking glass bottles with an excavator did things take a wild turn. The video was gaining 500,000 views a day and reached a level of virality some content creators can only dream of.

Now at 32, Tom’s is the co-owner of New Era Excavation out of Londonderry, NH and has a hand in a multitude of other businesses (including his parents), and While “Dirt Ninja”channel  has garnered a global following opening up doors he could have never imagined, Tom’s purpose behind the platform runs deeper than just creating a cool video. 

“My content is not just about me..it’s about what I’m doing. Not many 32 year olds have been running equipment since they were four..the main purpose of social media is making connections and helping promote and show off our business..”

From his early days in hardscaping to his current role as serial entrepreneur and social media guru, we've been blown by Tom's story. Be sure to listen as we dig into how the “Dirt Ninja'' came to be and what’s next for Tom Gardocki 

Kyle Stumpenhorst  wasn't always a tradesman. Growing up, his father worked in IT with D.I.Y. projects as a side-hobby. When Kyle graduated at the top of his high school class, he pursued a degree in computer science positioning himself to follow a path much like his fathers. After graduation, Kyle took the route of most recent graduates and pursued a 9-5 office job. As Kyle mentions, "it literally took me less than a year to realize..I just didn't want to do that.." With a yearning to get out of the more white-collar career path, he left his job in the city to take on the remodeling of an old farmhouse him and his then fiancé were looking to buy. Having nothing else but his fathers limited DIY expertise and some DIY television shows, Kyle spent the next two years learning the art of remodeling from scratch. 

Tune in to hear how this former 9-5er not only took on a full time career in the trades, but capitalized on the massive opportunities and became an integral part of the community along the way.

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Jeremy on LinkedIn

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