The Trade Den

As the year winds down, we’re feeling grateful for the conversations we’ve shared, the lessons learned, and the stories from those who’ve stepped up to build better businesses and richer lives. Your support, feedback, and commitment to growth mean the world to us. 

Now’s the time to put the tools down, switch off the phone, and enjoy the simple moments that really count. Rest, recharge, and soak up the ...

As we close in on the end of the year, give yourself some space to reflect. Don’t just glance back at what has happened; take the time to dig deep and review the year with intent. Doing so will help you uncover valuable lessons, celebrate the wins that often go unnoticed, and strengthen the confidence needed to move forward. 

We outline a clear five-question framework to guide you through the process, helping you to turn...

Fourteen months ago, plasterer Jerry Redman was stuck on the hamster wheel: long hours, tight cashflow, confused on how to break the cycle. 

Then he discovered The Trade Den and made the commitment to change. 

Today, he runs a $2M+ owner-operator business, is completely off the tools, leads an eight-man high-end plastering crew, has support in the office, and is building a business that actually serves his family, lifesty...

It’s that time of year again where everyone’s counting the days to a well-earned break. The last thing you want to hear about is another checklist or another thing to do. But here’s the truth: the businesses that plan their shutdown properly are the ones that actually get to switch off. They come back refreshed, ready, and miles ahead of the ones still checking emails on Christmas Eve. 

So before you throw in...

Have you ever felt that tug-of-war between wanting to let go and needing to stay in control? 

You know the business can’t grow unless you start trusting your team; but the last time you did, something went wrong. A mistake on a job. A quote that blew out. A client that complained. And since then, your grip has only tightened. Fear keeps you stuck. Because without trust, you become the bottleneck. You stop your team from ...

Most business owners tackle time the wrong way. They cram more in with new systems, apps or hires, hoping it will fix the chaos. But when your cup is already overflowing, adding more only makes the mess worse. 

The real fix starts with one question: What should I stop doing immediately? 

When you stop, you create capacity. Then you can start the things that matter and continue what’s already working. The simplest an...

Grant Hateley was winging it as a tradie with zero business systems, charging minimal margin and drowning in debt. With self-reflection and grit, he’s managed to breakthrough and turn it all around, and today he’s leading a high-performance team, managing multi-million-dollar builds, and winning top accolades. 

Late 2023 was a face the facts moment, after borrowing $200k from his dad to keep things afloat, Grant ma...

Stress isn’t just a feeling. It’s not simply being busy or under pressure, it’s your body’s primal response to threat. The same surge of cortisol that once saved us from a lion still fires when the invoice is overdue, a staff member quits, or the pipeline runs dry. 

Why is that a problem? Well, in business that lion never stops chasing us. For months or years, we can stay in fight-or-flight mode, and th...

If you’ve ever caught yourself saying, “It’s just easier if I do it myself,” you might be caught in the control trap. And it’s likely costing your business more than you think. One of the biggest blockers to growth in trades businesses is the control freak mindset. Over time, it creates dependency, stalls decision-making, and drains time and energy from the owner. Growth slows, stress builds, and the t...

What if the smartest move you could make in business… was saying no? 

Not just to the wrong jobs. But to the wrong clients. The tempting work that looks good today could wreck your team, reputation, and bottom line tomorrow. 

Every successful trade business hits a point where demand outweighs capacity. More calls, more bookings, more “can you just…?” requests. And the gut instinct is to say yes t...

Phil Kerr was overworked, frustrated…angry. He was running a seven-day-a-week business that had plateaued, barely paying himself, and missing time with his young family. The breaking point? An honest drawing from his four-year-old son: a picture of his dad as an angry man. 

That moment changed everything. Phil realised something had to give. He couldn’t just keep working harder; he needed to work smarter and lead ...

The language we use as parents plays a critical role in shaping a child’s mindset, self-belief, and relationship with challenge. 

Every time we speak to our kids, we’re either setting them up to grow or teaching them to avoid challenge. It’s not about being perfect parents. It’s about becoming more aware. 

From “you’re so smart” to “you tried your best,” we unpack the ...

Too many tradies burn out trying to be everything at once – accountant, lawyer, marketer, and still a hands-on business owner – and it’s costing them time, money, and growth. 

The smartest operators build a “power team” of professionals who protect their business, unlock opportunity, and keep them focused on what they do best. 

There are two layers of support every growing trades business nee...

When something goes wrong in your business, what’s your first reaction? Do you spiral into self-doubt, or ask yourself what you can learn from this? That instant response reveals your mindset …and it’s either propelling your business forward or holding it back. 

Today, we dive into one of the most powerful concepts in business psychology: fixed versus growth mindset. It’s not just theory. It’s th...

True growth in business often starts with personal transformation. By facing his own struggles head-on, from burnout to self-doubt, Shaun Bates became a stronger leader, husband, and father, proving that the most powerful changes happen from the inside out. 

Shaun opens up about the messy, honest road to building Elk Electrical into a thriving Gold Coast trade business. He shares how coaching helped him stop drowning in admin,...

Join us as we relive the energy, connection, and clarity that came out of Pravar’s recent Lifestyle Mastermind & Awards event on Hamilton Island. We celebrated the real growth – both personal and professional – of the best trades business owners in the country. 

For those of you who weren’t in the room, today’s episode is the next best thing. You’ll hear about the awards, the heroes&rsqu...

When customers say, “You’re too expensive,” that gnawing temptation to shave a few dollars off your quote can feel irresistible. In markets crowded with lowball offers and shrinking margins, discounting seems like the only way to survive. But, even a small discount can slice a huge amount from your profit. 

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the real maths of discounting – and why caving on ...

You’ve done the hard yards of selling the job to a client. You’ve planned it to perfection and teed up the crew. But just when you think you’re off the tools for good, the phone starts ringing. Again. And again. And again. It’s like you’ve built a business… just to answer questions from your team all day. 

It’s not because they’re incompetent. It’s often because they&rsquo...

If you’re wondering why life feels stuck on repeat, look no further than the standards you enforce – or fail to. Standards aren’t lofty wishes scribbled in a journal. They’re the invisible lines you draw every day between what you accept and what you refuse to tolerate. They shape how you treat yourself, how you show up for others, and what you expect in return. 

Low standards breed excuses, sloppy habi...