Make Trades Great Again
Whether you're a seasoned professional, a newcomer, or simply interested in the trades, the "Make Trades Great Again" podcast offers something for everyone. Our goal is to promote the value of skilled trades, provide essential resources, and build a strong community of passionate individuals.
Industry Insights - Educational Content - Community Stories - Technology in Trades
Tune in now and be part of the movement to make trades great again!
Episodes
317 episodes
Van Talk: Guess what? Wrong Part!
It's never great when service vehicles break down but it's even worse when local mechanics are out weeks for repairs and parts are hard to track down. This week Andy retells the story of a relative simple fix for a recent breakdown...
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Season 8
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Episode 308
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30:32
Tech in the Trades: Smarter Small Businesses
In this episode of Make Trades Great Again, Eric and Andy dive into how artificial intelligence, especially tools like ChatGPT, is reshaping the trades industry. They share personal experiences on using AI for everything from generatin...
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Season 8
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Episode 308
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44:07
Hey ChatGPT: What trade shows should we attend?
Industry trade shows are an awesome way to see the latest new technology, to network with manufacturers and their reps, or even make purchases with some of the best deals of the year. This week the guys ask ChatGPT for a list of im...
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37:51
The really big listener question episode!
Have you sent in a message to the guys recently? This was a fun episode, we tried to get to all the questions, thank you for sending them our way!
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Season 8
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Episode 306
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37:14
All new heating & hot water system at Eric’s house
What do you do when your spouse leaves town for the weekend? The only obvious answer for Eric was to tear out their two tankless water heaters and the boiler so he could start over. But wait, there’s more! In order for this to be c...
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Season 8
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Episode 306
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50:21
Eric hates trailers
The title may be confusing or even misleading. The guys talk about a recent trailer purchase Eric made for the business. It's not anything special but it should help with the workflow. Here's to hoping he made the right purchase!
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Season 8
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Episode 305
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32:59
Have you ever taken over a job someone else started?
Thanks to longtime listener Will Rutherford for writing in to the show asking our thoughts on taking a job started by another contractor. Also, have you ever walked on a job? You might be surprised who actually has (Andy or Eric?)!...
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Season 8
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Episode 304
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36:31
Throw back from down under!
Hey we got caught up in vacation, so here is a throw back from our conversation with Patrick Caldow @caldowplumbing on IG. We'll be back soon with new content!
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Season 7
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Episode 303
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42:10
Update from a recent HPWH install
Industry news starts off today's episode with earning report from Lowe's indicating a droopy economy related to home improvements. But don't let that get you down! Eric gives us a recap of a recent Heat Pump Water Heater install.
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Season 7
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Episode 302
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37:37
Dealing with a tough day and a difficult customer
Not every day is great. Sometimes you need to depend on the ones who depend on you. Side note: No mater how much you talk thru a project and setting expectations before the job, there’s likely going to be some revelat...
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Season 7
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Episode 301
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30:33
Dude has CO poisoning for sure!
One of Andy's recent projects takes a turn for the worse when the general contractor decides safety is definitely not first! Warning: This episode is probably cool af and you'll likely be hooked for life on the MTGA podcast!
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Season 7
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Episode 300
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43:17
4 Years of MTGA! Looking back
We're so excited and thankful for all the support and reaching this milestone! In this week's episode the guys look back at some highlights from the first four years of the MTGA podcast! There have been many great gues...
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Season 7
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Episode 299
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36:00
Wives Special #2 Working with your spouse...
"Do you have any advice for couples considering starting a business together?"We had so much fun having the girls join us that we asked them back for another episode and it was awesome. Once again we'd like to thank Sheryl ...
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Season 7
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Episode 298
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41:16
Wives Special! Knowing what you know now...
Ever think "If only I knew then what I know now" ?We are so pumped to bring you this and the next episode with special Guests Heather Aune & Sheryl Mickelson, the obvious better halves of the MTGA team. Sheryl runs the ...
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Season 7
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Episode 297
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55:09
The Milwaukee Pipeline podcast you did not expect!
Milwaukee Tool invited Eric out to see all the new tools available and coming soon to a job site near you. Eric gives us an inside look at some of the new tools and info you might not have seen yet. This episode has a ton of visual...
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Season 7
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Episode 296
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39:43
Viking Invasion! BS session with Colton Henkowski
You might know Colton as @viking_pipefitter on the socials. You might know him from a training session or trades show when he worked for Viega but do you know how he got his start? This was a fun conversation, we hope you enjoy it!...
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Season 7
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Episode 295
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41:03
Stress Less!
The guys talk stress relief and how to handle the day-to-day stresses of running a small business. Some days are better than others for sure but having one or two things to keep you sane can make a huge difference!
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Season 7
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Episode 294
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30:07
Andy's Van Upgrade
The guys are bs'ing about vans again. Should we change the title to the podcast to "Van Talk"? lol
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Season 7
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Episode 293
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34:26
Weird Science? Are you using A.I. in your business or on the job?
The guys talk AI and how they've been using it for work. Scheduling, emails, videos etc. are just some of the ways Eric has put ChatGPT to work for him. Are you using any form of artificial intelligence on the job or in the office ...
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Season 7
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Episode 293
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35:30
Where should I buy the water heater?
Most would agree it’s a good idea to have options when it comes to supply chain but we’re often loyal to at least one supplier. So, what would make you switch to another supplier?
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Season 7
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Episode 292
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31:26
Taking On New Jobs
As things slow down and the job outlook or load changes we have to consider how to fill the schedule. Does that mean taking on work you normally wouldn't?
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Season 7
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Episode 291
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30:09
More EV Fleet talk w/ HVAC Jay
Longtime friend of MTGA, Jason Norman joins Eric & Andy to get deeper into the EV Fleet debate. Will we be forced to change our work schedules, driving habits? Will field techs no longer get to drive their work van home? This has been a ver...
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Season 7
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Episode 290
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50:09
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Road trip! HVAC Connected
Eric hits the road, or sky’s to join Andy in Missoula for a special project. We’ve talked connected appliances and controls many times on the podcast and do it again this time. A couple new Tekmar products will serve Andy’s clients...
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Season 7
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Episode 289
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21:31
Keeping It Clean, Starting with the Shop!
There's no other way to say it, it sucks falling behind on keeping the shop and vehicles tidy. Extra money is spent on redundant materials and tools, time is lost looking for that one thing you just know you had... The guys talk ...
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Season 7
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Episode 288
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27:43