Advertise on podcast: The ToolShed Podcast

Two builders, $150K in debt between them, and the honest story of how business coaching turned it all around. Wayne Preston and Matthew Auld join Mick Hawes to talk about the financial crisis, mental health, and what it actually takes to build a construction business that works for you instead of against you. Connect with Wayne & Matt: Matt's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034819557003 Wayne's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prestonbuilders1 Wayne's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preston.builders/ Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.auld.builder  Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back. More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

I sat down with residential builders Wayne Preston and Matthew Auld for a raw conversation on mental health in the building industry and what business coaching for builders actually looks like behind the scenes. Wayne shares the financial crisis that nearly cost him his house. Matthew opens up about the day his wife rang me worried about him. Both explain why community, not just systems, is what got them through it. Connect with Wayne & Matt: Matt's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100034819557003 Wayne's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prestonbuilders1 Wayne's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preston.builders/ Matt's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthew.auld.builder  Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back. More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

Most business owners aren't lazy or lost, they're sabotaging themselves without realising it. In this episode, Mick Hawes talks with entrepreneur Kassidy Warren about the real difference between purpose and distraction, why business owners create chaos instead of focus, and why he spent $35,000 to join a community and became a hotel owner within six weeks because of it.. Connect with Kassidy Warren: Website: https://kassidywarren.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qkassidyw/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassidy.warren/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidywarren Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KassidyWarren Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back.

He started with one spare bedroom renting for $35 a night, and turned it into a $13 million short-term rental portfolio. In this episode I sit down with real estate investor Kassidy Warren to talk about how he actually did it, and what it cost him along the way. We get into the discipline it takes to build something that big, why so many of us let our business become a prison instead of the freedom machine it's meant to be, and how setting boundaries as a leader will earn you more respect, not less. If you're a builder who feels like you're always on, always putting out fires, this one will hit home. Connect with Kassidy Warren: Website: https://kassidywarren.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qkassidyw/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassidy.warren/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kassidywarren Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KassidyWarren Subscribe for more conversations like this, and check out buildersbusinessblackbelt.com.au if you're ready to build a business that actually gives you your life back.

Ben Hansen, known as The Profit Doctor, joins Mick Hawes for Part 2 of this conversation on The ToolShed Podcast, and it's a masterclass in why revenue doesn't guarantee profit. Ben explains why the biggest, most exciting projects are often the ones quietly bleeding a building business dry, and why the "sweet spot" jobs most builders overlook tend to be the real money makers. Connect with Ben Hansen: Website: www.profitdoctor.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/benhansen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profitdoctorben/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhansen/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitdoctorben  Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ If you've ever felt like you're working flat out but the bank account doesn't reflect it, this episode will change how you think about pricing, project selection, and what it really means to run a profitable building business.

Ben Hansen, known worldwide as The Profit Doctor, joins Mick Hawes to unpack why so many residential builders and construction business owners are working harder than ever with nothing extra to show for it. Connect with Ben Hansen: Website: www.profitdoctor.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/benhansen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profitdoctorben/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhansen/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitdoctorben  Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ If you have ever felt like your business should be further ahead given how hard you are working, this episode explains why, and what to actually do about it.

In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, host Mick Hawes sits down with Cameron Fraser and Matthew Sablinskis, Directors of Limitless Build, a Melbourne-based residential building company specialising in extensions, renovations and outdoor living. Brother-in-laws who started the business together in 2012, Cam and Matt share the exact turning point where they went from plateauing to growing revenue double digits for three years straight, and the numbers, systems and culture that made it possible. Connect with Limitless Build: Website: www.limitlessbuild.com.au &  www.melbournedecksandpergolas.com.au Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/limitlessbuild/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/limitlessbuild/  Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ This is a raw, honest episode for anyone in the building and construction industry who has ever felt like they were carrying more than they let on.

Peter Coll has spent thirty years in the construction industry, from apprentice plumber to National Advisor for Building and Plumbing. But behind the career, he was fighting a private battle with addiction and mental health that nearly cost him everything. In this episode, Peter sits down with Mick Hawes to talk honestly about what men in construction rarely say out loud. He shares how his body physically broke down after decades on the tools, why traditional counselling didn't always work for him, and how that led him to found Rebuild & Rise, a mental health support program built specifically for tradies and builders. Peter and Mick unpack why men struggle to reach out, why silence is often mistaken for strength, and what it actually takes to start the conversation. Connect with Petter Coll: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterJColl1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peter_coll/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-coll-5aa56848/ Twitter: https://x.com/Peter_Coll Stuck in the day-to-day and wondering why scaling still feels out of reach? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/ This is a raw, honest episode for anyone in the building and construction industry who has ever felt like they were carrying more than they let on.

Ahmed Mahil, founder and CEO of Luyten, joins The ToolShed Podcast to explain how 3D concrete printing is changing residential construction in Australia, and why it matters for the builders running the businesses behind it. If you're a residential builder or construction business owner curious about where the industry is heading, and whether this kind of technology has a place in your business, this conversation gives you the real picture, not just the pitch. Connect with Ahmed: Website: https://www.luyten3d.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075704515841# LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/luyten3d/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luyten3daus/ Twitter: https://x.com/luyten3d Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luyten3daus Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/luyten3d  More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

This is Part 2 of my conversation with Anthony Tarquinio, director of Melbourne construction company Evve Group, currently operating at 8-figure annual revenue across residential and commercial projects. Anthony gets raw about his "Rocky year" in 2025, copping punch after punch, and what kept him grounded through it. He's honest that his business isn't where he thought it would be six years in, and what coaching gave him instead of the result he originally chased. Connect with Anthony: Company: https://evvegroup.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063547690079 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evvegroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evve-group/ More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

Getting to $100 million is possible. The real question is, at what cost? In this episode, Mick sits down with Anthony Tarquinio, Civil Engineer and Director of Evve Group, an 8-figure construction company building multiple projects simultaneously across Melbourne. This is not the highlight reel version of a success story. Anthony opens up about what coaching actually feels like once the early excitement fades, the daily mindset work that keeps him grounded, and the partnership breakdown that forces him to rethink everything he thought he knew about growth. Connect with Anthony: Company: https://evvegroup.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063547690079 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evvegroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/evve-group/ More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

What if the biggest thing holding your building business back isn't a lack of leads, staff, or systems? What if it's trying to do everything on your own? In Part 2 of this inspiring conversation, Mick Hawes sits down again with Andy Kearns, Director of Perway Construction Services and long-time Builders Business Blackbelt member, to dive deeper into the lessons that transformed both his business and personal life. The conversation also explores the power of finding your values, planning your life before your work, giving back through his Build It Forward charity, and how virtual assistants have helped create more freedom and flexibility for his family and business. Connect with Andy Kearns: Website: https://www.perway.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerwayConstruction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perwayconstructionservices/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kearns-a1819631/ More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

What happens when a builder stops trying to do everything alone? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, Andy Kearns shares how coaching transformed his residential building business. We discuss builder mindset, business coaching, construction leadership, builder burnout, personal development, and construction business growth. This is an honest conversation about why success in business isn't just about systems and strategy it's about the person leading the business. Connect with Andy Kearns: Website: https://www.perway.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerwayConstruction/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perwayconstructionservices/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kearns-a1819631/ More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

Could ATO debt be putting your business at risk without you even realising it? In this episode of The ToolShed Podcast, I'm joined down with Registered Liquidator and Chartered Accountant Jarvis Archer to discuss the simple financial mistakes that often lead businesses into trouble. Learn how better visibility of your numbers, understanding director drawings, and managing ATO debt can help protect your business and create a clearer path forward. Connect with Jarvis: Website: https://businessreset.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573289395251 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessresetteam LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarvisarcher/  More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/

What if the biggest thing holding your building business back isn't a lack of staff, it's a lack of the right systems? In this episode, Mick Hawes sits down with Andrew Sirianni, Managing Director of Dcode Group, to talk about one of the most practical topics for any builder or tradie running a small team: how to use automation and custom software to get more done without growing your headcount. Andrew shares how a single workflow automation early in his career produced a 400% jump in productivity and how that moment led him to build an entire company around solving the same problem for small and medium businesses across Australia. Connect with Andrew: Andrew's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsirianni/ Website: https://dcodegroup.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dcodegroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcode_group/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/comp More profit, less grind? Take the Builder Freedom Readiness Scorecard: https://buildersfreedomreadiness.scoreapp.com/