Ep 14 - "Ask the Builder" - Tim Carter Interview, featuring comments and thoughts of "Coach Gary" Micheloni, Dave Ramsey, Mike Rowe

Ep 14 - "Ask the Builder" - Tim Carter Interview, featuring comments and thoughts of "Coach Gary" Micheloni, Dave Ramsey & Mike Rowe 

Podcast Episode 14 – “Ask the Builder” – Tim Carter

Have you ever asked the question: What would it take for me to develop a side hustle or go into a business for myself?

Is that crazy—or something I should even attempt? Can I take my skills and do something further with them?

Well…we’re going to try and answer that for you today, with the help of my very special guest.

Anybody remember back to a time when you could take a shop class in school? My high school had a department called Industrial Arts. You could learn automotive skills, metal and woodworking, photography, electrical, leather carving, mechanical drafting, jewelry making, home economics…and so on. We learned things that became useful, lifelong skills.

Today…not so much! The teachers and classes have disappeared from being a part of the school day, and eventually, from importance to today’s generations. Kids are being taught that a college education is paramount, and you should get one, even if the costs of it puts you into debt for 10 to 20 years.

Have the skilled trades been rejected by the kids and young adults of today, and been replaced with career thoughts of video game creation and computer programming? Maybe.

That’s not so good…at least in my opinion. To fix it,   all of us really should pay attention to the next several minutes of this podcast because these things affect your life, the well-being of your companies, communities,  and families.

One of my favorite radio personalities , Dave Ramsey, tongue-in-cheek--often speaks of such degrees as German Polka History—implying that there are virtually no jobs to go along with those degrees. He’s right! Debt stacks up. And for what purpose?

Another of my favorite radio/TV/podcast personalities is Mike Rowe, the star of the old—and NEW--series, “Dirty Jobs”, and the voice of shows like “Deadliest Catch”. Mike is a big proponent on the value of the skilled trades. In fact, he puts his money where his mouth is, with the Mike Rowe Works Foundation, offering training scholarships for blue collar jobs like welding to  automotive…to   you name it.

This year he is awarding over one million dollars in scholarships to … WAIT FOR IT… trade schools! A kid can learn an extremely, well-paying skill in a short amount of time—no college debt. Never get laid off.  Mike’s biggest challenge is finding students willing to get their hands dirty and put in an honest day of hard work.

The reason for this explanation of mine has everything to do with why I am so excited to have on the show today Tim Carter. For many years, Tim had the call-in radio show,  ASK THE BUILDER! And this has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOU! Here’s why:

People…homeowners…would call Tim and ask him how to do certain remodeling tasks  and  jobs  around the house. Why did they call Tim? Because they have failed to learn those skills earlier in their lives, such as in school.

There is a market out there for installing those improvements, repairing broken irrigation systems, mending fences; generally creating--and completing for pay-- those projects wanted by people unskilled in the physical trades.

I asked Tim if he might speak about the demand and the markets and types of projects homeowners have asked him about, or asked him to perform for them.

Seems like almost every guy I know in the trades has either thought about doing side work, or is doing side work, or is thinking about starting a business for himself. Tim is just the guy who can shed some light on this.

Hey, everybody, “Coach Gary” here. Thanks for indulging me in my rant. Fortunately,  I have a guest today you’ve just got to meet…and I believe he can help guide us through the problems mentioned in that rant, and talk about solutions.

Tim grew up with the trades. Was a master plumber, a general contractor, specialized in ultra-custom remodeling. He flipped houses before “Flip this House” was even cool! He knows an awful lot about the market many would-be handymen or contractors are considering.

Enough talk on my part. Help me to welcome Tim Carter, “Mr.   ASK THE BUILDER” to the Brick and Block Podcast.

Contacts for names referenced in this podcast:

Tim Carter: www.AsktheBuilder.com and subscribe to his weekly newsletter.

Mike Rowe: Voice of "Dirty Jobs", "Deadliest Catch", and many others; Scholarships--go to Mike Rowe Foundation: MikeRoweWorks.org

Dave Ramsey, Financial Consultant, National Radio and Podcast Producer: RamseySolutions.com

THANKS AGAIN TO TIM CARTER, AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE IN THE INDUSTRY.

NOW…FOR THE BRICK AND BLOCK PODCAST,    

I’M COACH GARY.  www.BrickAndBlockPodcast.com; email me BrickAndBlockPodcast@gmail.com;

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY,   EVERYBODY!