Podcast
Blue Collar Smart
Hosted by Hugh Hornsby · ENGLISH
Blue Collar Smart is the podcast for trade industry leaders who are ready to stop competing on price and start building organizations that win through people, leadership, and strategic alignment. The trades have never lacked hard work. What they need is stronger leadership. As workforce challenges grow and competition increases, the businesses that rise above the rest will be the ones that invest in their people, develop leaders, and build organizations that outlast the founder.
Hosted by Hugh Hornsby, a trade industry executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience, Blue Collar Smart brings real conversations shaped by decades of growing organizations, developing talent, and leading from the field to the boardroom.
Each episode features business owners, executives, industry experts, and innovators discussing people development, leadership clarity, organizational alignment, succession planning, private equity, and the future of the trades. Every conversation is grounded in real-world execution, not theory. Our mission is simple: To transform how trade industry leaders think, lead, and grow by proving that people are the only sustainable competitive advantage.
Subscribe to Blue Collar Smart and discover practical leadership conversations that help you build stronger teams, stronger organizations, and a stronger future for the trades.
5episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Building the Future of Contractor Commerce with Jim Kolchin
4d ago00:36:23Tap to summarizeJim Kolchin, founder and CEO of iWallet, joins Hugh Hornsby to explore how financial technology is reshaping the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and broader trades industries. Drawing from his experience as an HVAC contractor and serial entrepreneur, Kolchin shares his journey from immigrating to the United States with just $200 to building multiple successful companies dedicated to helping contractors operate more efficiently. He explains how iWallet simplifies payment processing, eliminates friction between contractors and distributors, and creates a better digital buying experience.The conversation examines the industry's shift toward B2B2C commerce, where contractors can build complete equipment bundles online and homeowners can seamlessly approve estimates, finance projects, and make payments. Kolchin discusses the growing importance of digital adoption, the challenges distributors face with outdated ordering systems, and why improving user experience is critical for the future of the trades. They also explore private equity's influence, faster payment models, bundled solutions, and the entrepreneurial mindset required to identify opportunities others overlook. Throughout the discussion, both emphasize gratitude, innovation, and serving contractors through better technology.00:00 Digital Commerce Is Changing the Trades01:00 Welcome and Meet Jim Kolchin02:10 From Soviet Union to HVAC Entrepreneur04:10 Understanding Financial Technology05:10 Solving Contractor Payment Problems07:10 How iWallet Started08:10 Processing Over One Billion Dollars09:20 The Evolution of Distributor Technology11:00 Digital Ordering Is the Future13:05 Understanding the B2B2C Model14:35 Why User Experience Matters16:10 Bridging Contractors and Distributors17:00 Building an Amazon-Style Buying Experience18:30 Closing the Digital Adoption Gap20:25 Creating Equipment Bundles That Work22:50 Private Equity and Industry Growth25:45 How Distributors Can Get Started27:20 Splitting Payments Seamlessly29:10 Eliminating Net-30 and Net-60 Delays30:15 Staying Ahead of Industry Trends31:15 Entrepreneurship and Opportunity32:30 The Power of Gratitude33:45 Final Leadership Advice34:50 How to Connect with iWalletThanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades.Have a great day.Hugh Hornsby"People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future."CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar SmartGet practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership.Join the Community:www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.comFollow Hugh Hornsby:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact.About GuestJim Kolchin is a serial entrepreneur and inventor who has built companies in IoT, robotics, fintech, and now AI. His ventures have been featured by TechCrunch and Forbes, and today he leads iWallet, a profitable fintech platform processing hundreds of millions of dollars annually while building AI infrastructure for the home service industry.
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Integrity and Relationship Building with Mark Hunter
2w ago00:41:12Tap to summarizeHugh Hornsby hosts Mark Hunter, author of five books including "Integrity First Selling," on a trades-focused podcast about sales as relationship-based service. Hunter recounts entering sales only to get a company car after too many speeding tickets, being fired twice, and then learning from a leader to listen, ask questions, and build authentic trust. They discuss prospecting as an obligation to help, alignment of values with customers, and walking away from misaligned deals. The conversation covers private equity’s growing role, AI as an efficiency tool that supports rather than replaces people, and challenges from an aging workforce and lost institutional knowledge. They emphasize recurring revenue models, digital transactions growth, and investing in training and culture to retain talent. Hunter argues nothing is a commodity because sellers bundle outcomes and reliability, shares a disciplined morning routine, and says salespeople will remain essential; he can be reached at thesaleshunter.com.00:00 Welcome to the Podcast01:22 Why Integrity Matters03:21 Mark’s Sales Origin Story04:45 Getting Fired and Getting Real05:19 The Mentor Who Changed Everything08:12 Sales Is Listening09:18 Prospecting as Service11:25 Client Alignment and Values13:37 Private Equity in the Trades15:41 AI Tools for Efficiency19:09 Aging Workforce and Opportunity20:40 Recurring Revenue Matters21:28 Seasonal Profit Lessons22:20 Digital HVAC Shift24:18 Investing in People27:39 Founder Trap Burnout29:19 Rollups Efficiency Gains30:26 Techs vs Sales Roles31:51 Stop Selling Commodities34:10 Bundling Value Add36:54 Yellow Pad Routine37:53 Future of Sales AI38:54 Where to Find Mark39:35 Closing AppreciationThanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades.Have a great day.Hugh Hornsby"People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future."CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar SmartGet practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership.Join the Community:www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.comFollow Hugh Hornsby:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact.About Guest: Mark Hunter is a globally sought after keynote speaker, trainer, and consultant on sales leadership. His mission is to motivate sales teams to rethink their prospecting process.With more than 15+ years in the corporate market working for Fortune 200 companies in senior positions leading hundreds of salespeople combined with his 20+ years experience as a sales consultant, speaker, and coach, Mark has been able to develop a methodology that salespeople and companies around the world use and have success with.Links:Website: https://thesaleshunter.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSalesHunterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesaleshunter/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkHunterTheSalesHunterLinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thesaleshunter/
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From Turmoil to Triumph with Dave Sanderson
3w ago00:45:44Tap to summarizeHost Hugh Hornsby introduces the Blue Collar Smart podcast and interviews Dave Sanderson, a Miracle on the Hudson survivor and former sales leader. Sanderson recounts starting in factories and restaurants, learning humility and responsibility from a Christmas Eve shift where Bill Marriott helped run the kitchen, and developing resilience through door-to-door copier sales and handling rejection. He describes a key sales lesson at ADP about earning the right to be in influential rooms, later formalized as his A-to-I (access to influence to affinity) framework, and how strong client relationships showed up after the crash. Sanderson retells the 2009 ditching in the Hudson, his decision to help others, and how a manager’s response at Oracle pushed him toward speaking, books, and advising organizations via resilience frameworks, including VCR and ASSESS, emphasizing caring for people over numbers and managing state of mind.00:00 Miracle on the Hudson00:50 Podcast Introduction01:40 Dave’s Background04:27 Starting at the Bottom06:12 Marriott Leadership Lesson10:05 Door to Door Sales12:24 Mentor in the Restaurant16:05 Depression Era Innovation18:55 Enterprise Sales Mindset19:32 ADP Wormhole Lesson22:20 Reputation on the Line23:14 Earning the Room24:03 Access to Influence25:38 Naming the Framework26:42 Affinity in Action30:17 Miracle on the Hudson34:43 Back at Work Reality36:03 People Over Numbers38:04 Resilience Frameworks40:56 Yellow Pad Mindset42:20 Triggers and GrowthThanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades.Have a great day.Hugh Hornsby"People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future."CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar SmartGet practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership.Join the Community:www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.comFollow Hugh Hornsby:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact.About Guest:Dave Sanderson is a nationally recognized leadership speaker, author, and resilience expert best known as the last passenger off US Airways Flight 1549, the “Miracle on the Hudson.” Drawing on that defining experience, his years as a top sales leader at Oracle, and his work with Tony Robbins, Dave works with leaders and organizations to turn disruption into a competitive advantage. He has spoken to more than 1,700 audiences worldwide, sharing practical strategies on resilience, leadership, gratitude, and performing under pressure.LinksWebsite https://resiliencepartnersgroup.comLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredavesanderson/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSandersonKeynoteSpeakerFacebook https://www.facebook.com/dave.sanderson.73
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Building a People First Business Culture with Eric Himes
4w ago00:37:11Tap to summarizeIn this Blue Collar Smart Podcast episode, host Hugh interviews Eric Himes, creator of the Inspirational/Inspired Operating System and founder of The Inspired Culture, about leadership that multiplies and empowers people. Eric shares his career path from Home Depot to 19 years in medical devices, then burnout and losing his first marriage after prioritizing performance and travel over family, plus a faith-driven transformation that reshaped his view of worth and leadership. They discuss helping founders avoid carrying everything alone, trusting God, and building inclusive cultures without forcing beliefs. Eric outlines the Inspired OS framework to measure growth mindset weekly—personal why, vision alignment, habits, goals, wins, challenges to build strategic thinking, and frequent two-way feedback—plus organizational mindset scoring. He shares self-care practices, his website/contact, and the Inspired Culture Summit (Nov 16–17, Naperville, IL, with livestream).00:00 Multiply Through People00:51 Podcast Welcome Guest Intro01:51 Eric Background Journey03:59 Performance Burnout Wakeup07:17 Faith Pivot Healing09:39 Advice For Founders12:09 Leading Across Beliefs13:38 Inspired Culture At Work17:09 Service Why Purpose19:42 Self Care Alignment22:41 Inspired OS Framework26:09 Weekly Wins Challenges29:50 Feedback Multiplies Leaders31:48 Mindset Score Dashboards32:51 Connect Summit ClosingThanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades.Have a great day.Hugh Hornsby"People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future."CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar SmartGet practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership.Join the Community:www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.comFollow Hugh Hornsby:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact.Guest Bio:Eric Himes is the Founder of The Inspired Culture™, author of the forthcoming book The Empty Chair, and a thought leader in holistic leadership development. He's a member of Thought Leaders 100, and his frameworks have driven a 46% reduction in turnover, 92% OKR completion, and $490K+ in annualized value. He is the creator of the Growth Mindset Framework & Measurement System, the Inspired Culture Framework, and the 50 Masks of Leadership. He is also Founder and Host of Inspired Culture TV and creator of The Rising 99™ and The Inspired OS™. Outside of work, he is a husband, father of five, and marathon runner who has completed 8 marathons.Links:Website: www.yourpathinspired.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-himes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheInspiredCulture
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Rooted in Resolve with Marlon Mueller
Jul 1600:35:28Tap to summarizeIn this inaugural episode of Blue Collar Smart, Hugh Hornsby welcomes financial strategist and fourth-generation farmer Marlon Mueller to discuss the mindset behind lasting wealth, resilience, and leadership.Drawing from his experiences navigating the farm crisis, preserving his family's legacy, and mastering financial systems, Marlon shares practical lessons on money, mentorship, long-term thinking, and building wealth that lasts for generations. The conversation also explores why investing in people, continuous learning, and strong values creates success both in business and in life.Key TakeawaysWhy financial freedom starts with mindset, not incomeThe importance of mentors and lifelong learningBuilding wealth through systems instead of shortcutsHow faith, family, fitness, and finances create lasting successTimestamps:00:00 — Why mentorship changes your future01:10 — The vision behind Blue Collar Smart03:00 — Saving the family farm and learning money10:50 — Why wealth begins with mindset17:45 — Advice for the next generation entering the trades30:15 — The Four Fs for building a meaningful lifeThanks for listening, and please share this episode with a trade leader who is ready to build something bigger than a business. Every share helps us reach more owners, executives, and industry leaders who are committed to investing in their people and strengthening the future of the trades.Have a great day.Hugh Hornsby"People build businesses. Invest in your people, and they'll invest in your future."CONNECT with Hugh Hornsby & Blue Collar SmartGet practical leadership insights, proven people-first strategies, and resources designed to help trade leaders build stronger teams, grow profitable businesses, and create organizations that stand the test of time. Join a community of owners, executives, and industry leaders who believe the future of the trades is built on people, relationships, and leadership.Join the Community:www.thebluecollarsmart.com and www.hughhornsby.comFollow Hugh Hornsby:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-hornsby-51986b10/Interested in executive advisory, leadership coaching, speaking, or mastermind opportunities? Connect with Hugh and discover how a people-first approach can help your organization grow with purpose, clarity, and lasting impact.About the GuestMarlon Mueller is a financial educator, investor, and fourth-generation farmer who helps individuals and business owners build lasting wealth through financial education, mindset, and long-term planning. His work focuses on helping people create financial freedom while leaving a meaningful legacy for future generations.
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