In this episode of the Off The Tools Podcast, Wayne Bettess and Andy Jones talk about one of the biggest things holding tradesmen back:

taking advice from the wrong people.

There are plenty of people in the trade industry willing to give advice. Some mean well. Some are stuck in the past. Some are projecting their own limits onto you. And some simply haven’t built the kind of business you actually want.

Wayne and Andy break down why you need to be careful who you listen to, especially when it comes to pricing, hiring, marketing, software, AI, admin, growth and building a real business.

A simple question to ask yourself is:

Would you swap your business for theirs?

If the answer is no, be careful how much weight you give their advice.

Inside this episode, we cover:

• Why broke tradesmen often give dangerous business advice

• Why experience alone does not always mean good advice

• Why “I’ve done it this way for 30 years” can hold you back

• How outdated thinking keeps tradesmen stuck

• Why pricing advice from cheap tradesmen can damage your business

• Why taking advice from family and friends can be risky

• The danger of listening to people who have never built what you want

• Why trade businesses need current advice, not advice from 10 years ago

• How AI, software and customer expectations are changing the game

• Why AI is a tool, not a magic replacement for people

• Why surrounding yourself with the right people changes your standards

• Why being in the right environment helps you think bigger

This episode is perfect for plumbers, heating engineers, electricians, builders, gas engineers and trade business owners who want to grow but keep getting pulled back by old-school advice, negative opinions or people telling them what cannot be done.

Because the truth is, the advice you follow shapes the business you build.

If you keep listening to people who are stuck, you will probably stay stuck.

If this episode hits home and you know it is time to stop winging it, stop taking advice from the wrong people, and start building your business properly, then The 90 Day Forge has been built for you.

This is Off The Tools’ new 90-day programme designed to help heating business owners forge the foundations of a stronger, more profitable and more organised business. Over 90 days, we help you focus on the key areas that matter — pricing, systems, numbers, marketing, software, admin, customer journey, and the mindset shift from tradesman to business owner.

It is not about fluffy motivation. It is about building the foundations properly so you can create more time, more freedom and more profit.

Find out more here:
https://offthetools.co.uk/90dayforge

Be careful who you take advice from.

Someone might have good intentions, but if they have not built what you want to build, their advice could keep you stuck.

Take advice from people who are ahead of you, people who are current, people who understand the modern trade industry, and people who have actually built what they are talking about.