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Designers pick the finishes. Trades make them work. This week Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFayden sit down with Erica of Studio E Design Co. to find out what really happens when the drawings hit the drywall. Erica breaks down how she designs spaces people actually live in - where homeowners waste money, which trends age badly, and why the best builds start with the designer and the trades in the same room instead of pointing at each other over a change order. Whether you swing a hammer, sign the cheques, or just doomscroll reno content at 1am, there's something in here for you. Follow Erica at @studioedesignco

Misha from Winni Designs has built one of the biggest audiences in construction - 4.2M on TikTok, 1.7M on Instagram, 1.26M on YouTube, and 4.6M on Facebook. This week, Michael and Ian find out how he actually did it. Misha breaks down how he grew from zero, what he thinks about chasing trends, and what a real day on site looks like when the camera's rolling. If you're in the trades and wondering whether posting your work is worth the effort - this one's for you. We're big fans of Misha's content. Go give him a follow: https://www.youtube.com/@WINNI.Designs @winni.designs

Your real estate agent has never seen behind a wall. Rob Collier has torn out a few. Michael and Ian sit down with Rob Collier - tradesman turned real estate agent, Michael's brother-in-law, and the guy you've seen working hard (playing hard?) alongside them on Holmes & Homes Season 1 and 2. This one gets into: Owning vs. renting - and why the "obvious" answer might be wrongWhat actually makes a flip profitable (and what quietly kills one)Why an agent who knows construction is worth their weight in copper pipeThe red flags Rob spots on a walkthrough that most buyers walk right past A house is the biggest purchase most people will ever make. Bring someone who can see past the fresh paint. @robcollierrealty 🎧 New Trade Life Podcast episodes every week. 👍 Subscribe if you'd rather learn this from us than from a $40k surprise. #TradeLifePodcast #RealEstate #HomeBuying #SkilledTrades #HouseFlipping #HomeInspection #Contractors #FirstTimeHomeBuyer

This week Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian sit down with Evan of Evan's Workshop - a young tradesman who skipped the "figure it out later" route and went straight into the trades. We get into what it actually takes to start young, the stuff nobody warns you about, and why the industry is desperate for the next generation to show up. If you're a parent wondering whether the trades are a real career for your kid, or you're 18 and tired of being told a degree is the only option - this one's for you.

Kyle Kelland has spent twenty years on job sites. Now he's Partner and VP of Construction at Hummingbird Hill Homes... and a camera crew follows him around all day. He tells Mike what that's actually like: the fear that the guys he came up with will stop seeing him as a carpenter and start writing him off as "the HGTV guy who shows up at the end." That opens into the real conversation. Every rung of the ladder thinks the rung above it does nothing, until you get there and realize the physical load didn't disappear, it just turned into a mental one that never shuts off. Kyle talks about lying awake during a thunderstorm with fifteen active sites, and the two weeks he covered for a site super and remembered why he loved the job in the first place. Plus: Mike's account of going on Live with Kelly and Mark with about sixty seconds' warning, right before Wyclef Jean — and why the best pizza in New York has leopard spotting on the crust.

Michael and Ian discuss the reality of getting into the trades and what it takes to survive once you're in.

Tonight, Ian runs 135 kilometers through the night up the coast past Quebec City - a projected 30 hours on his feet, with his wife Leanne doing a 50K in the same ultra. In this episode, Michael gets inside the mind of a former powerlifter who swore he'd never run: the pain, the mud, the feet that fell apart at 100K, and why he keeps coming back. Last year he was pulled from this exact race at 85K. Tonight, it's redemption. 🏃 GOOD LUCK, IAN - we're all cheering you on this weekend. Go get it, brother! 🏃 Catch Ian mid-race on Instagram, and send him a message to wish him luck. #UltraMarathon #TrailRunning #TradeLife #Powerlifting #EnduranceSports #135K

In this episode of Trade Life Podcast, Mike and Ian get real about men's mental health during Men's Mental Health Awareness Month. They're not therapists - they're two guys from the trades who've been through it: stillbirth, near-bankruptcy, anxiety, and the slow work of learning to actually feel things. They share what helped, what didn't, and why talking to another man might be the most underrated thing you can do. If you're carrying something heavy right now, this one's for you. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

What does it actually take to build a startup from scratch? Mike and Ian are in the middle of it - and they're pulling back the curtain. In this episode, we get into the real story behind Projekt Network (a LinkedIn alternative built specifically for the skilled trades) and Point Load Media - two ventures born from frustration, late nights, and a whole lot of belief. We break down: Why your idea is the least important part of a startupThe difference between a startup and a small business (and why it matters)How to raise a seed round when you have no profit — just projectionsWhy the "side hustle" approach will kill your startupThe truth about wearing every hat when funds are limitedWhy you should sell your vision, not your productHow to know if you're actually ready to go all in Projekt Network is an app with $250K+ invested and a $50 billion market in its sights. Point Load Media is a $150K small business built to fuel content for the brands they're building. Two very different vehicles. One shared vision. Whether you're a tradesperson thinking about your next move, an entrepreneur in the early grind, or just someone curious about what building something from nothing really looks like - this one's for you. We're not here to teach you how to succeed. We're living it in real time. Come along for the ride.

Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFayden aren't verified love experts but this week they get real about one of the most overlooked parts of the trade life: your marriage. In this episode, they break down what it actually takes to prioritize your relationship when you're grinding long hours, running a business, and raising kids. They know they aren't perfect, but they are trying, just like you. From knowing your wife's love language, to planning ahead for birthdays (set that two-month reminder!), to why giving her the gift of time beats any physical present, this one's a must-listen for every tradesman who wants to be a better husband. Subscribe for more Trade Life content every week. #TradeLife #TradeLifePodcast #MikeHolmesJr #Relationships #MarriageAdvice #Tradesmen

Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFayden hit the floor at Skills Canada 2026 and they've got a lot to say. From jaw-dropping student competitors to the future of the trades, the two sit down to recap everything they saw, felt, and took away from one of Canada's biggest skilled trades events. If you believe in building the next generation of tradespeople, this one's for you.

Mike Holmes Jr. and Ian MacFadyen sit down to go through the photos submitted to the Fence & Deck Competition sponsored by Turkstra Lumbar on Projekt Network, and they don't hold back. The guys break down what's working, what's not, and what separates a good build from a great one before crowning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Plus, find out who took home the People's Choice Award as voted by the Projekt Network community. If you submitted, entered, or just love a solid outdoor build, this one's for you.

If you could start your trade over, what would you pick? Two carpenters debate the trade they'd choose for love vs. the one they'd choose for money - and hand out plenty of grief to electricians, roofers, and painters along the way. Carpentry wins their hearts, but the cash points somewhere else entirely. No trade is safe. 🎧 New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Shortage of workers or shortage of skill? On this episode of Trade Life Podcast, the guys pour a Carlsberg and dig into the skilled trades shortage from every angle: the stigma that's followed contractors for decades, the guidance counselors who steered kids away from the trades, the gap between 100 job applicants and zero qualified hires, and why post-secondary education shouldn't be the automatic next step after high school. Expect honest stories, a few tangents, and a clear message by the end: don't sleep on the trades, or you'll get slept. In this episode: Why "shortage" might be the wrong wordThe stigma problem and where it came fromEducation pathways that fail tradespeople (and everyone else)Why trades should be the default - and college the exceptionEmpowering the next generation to try a trade 👍 Like, subscribe, and share if this hit home. We're a small show growing fast - every follow helps. #SkilledTrades #TradeLife #Construction #CareerAdvice #Trades

What’s it really like growing up as the son of a TV icon? In this deeply personal episode of the Trade Life Podcast, Mike Holmes Jr. opens up about his childhood, family struggles, growing up around construction, and the realities behind the public image people thought they knew. From bankruptcy and divorce to working construction at 14 and eventually joining his dad on set, Mike shares the experiences that shaped his work ethic, mindset, and approach to fatherhood today. This isn’t just a story about TV or the trades, it’s about resilience, family, identity, and building a better future from difficult beginnings. Topics covered: Growing up before fameFinancial struggles and family instabilityMike Holmes’ rise from contractor to TV personalityChildhood anxiety and overcoming adversityStarting in the trades at 14The pressure of proving yourselfFatherhood, work ethic, and breaking generational patterns 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations from the trades, construction, entrepreneurship, and real life behind the scenes. #TradeLifePodcast #MikeHolmesJr #Construction #Trades #BlueCollar #Podcast #Tradespeople #MikeHolmes #BuildingTheTrades