Booth & Vanguard Consulting

09/09/2025

Your kid just told you they want to be a welder instead of going to college.

And honestly? They might be onto something.

I've been talking to young business owners in trades and manufacturing, and they think completely different than we did. No more "work 60 hours because that's what you do." No more "figure it out yourself, kid."

These guys want real skills that pay real money. They want work-life balance. They want to use tech and data to get better results, not just work harder.

And here's the kicker - 83% of young tradespeople would choose their career again. Compare that to college grads drowning in debt and regretting their choices.

The new generation gets it. They'd rather master something valuable with their hands than sit in meetings talking about synergy and paradigm shifts.

They want straight talk about advancement. Fair pay. Leaders who actually listen instead of just bark orders.

Smart move if you ask me.

If you're running a trades business, you better start thinking like them or you'll lose the best talent to someone who does.

What do you think? Are the young guns getting it right?

09/07/2025

I have chatted with a contractor before who spent $800/month on project management software that his crew never uses.

His guys were still texting him job updates and using the same old spreadsheet for scheduling. The fancy software? Collecting digital dust.

Here's the thing - your crew doesn't need another app to learn. They need systems that actually work with how they already operate.

Before you drop serious cash on the next "game-changing" platform, ask yourself:
- Are my guys actually going to use this?
- What problem am I really trying to solve?
- Can I solve it with tools I already have?

Most of the time, a simple Excel sheet, group text, or even a whiteboard beats expensive software that nobody touches.

Your money is better spent on things that actually move the needle - better tools, training your team, or just keeping it in your pocket.

What's the fanciest software you bought that your crew never uses? Drop it in the comments - let's save each other some cash!

Be great!

09/03/2025

I'll be honest with you.

I've never held a wrench in my life.

But over the past 15 years, I've sat across from hundreds of electricians, plumbers, welders, and manufacturers. I've walked their job sites, reviewed their books, and listened to their real problems.

Here's what I learned: The best business advice doesn't come from textbooks.

It comes from understanding that your 2 PM appointment might run until 8 PM because the previous job hit a snag. That your best supplier just raised prices 15% with two weeks notice. That finding good people is harder than finding good customers.

Academic credentials matter, but they don't teach you that material delays can kill cash flow, or that your reputation travels faster than any marketing campaign.

What works is combining an outsider's perspective with deep respect for your expertise. I bring the business systems and financial clarity. You bring the trade knowledge and customer relationships.

Together, we solve problems that neither of us could tackle alone.

The trades don't need another consultant who talks theory. They need a partner who understands their world and helps them build better businesses within it.

What's the biggest gap between business advice and your daily reality?

Be great!

09/02/2025

Hey guys, I was chatting with a shop owner yesterday who said something that hit me hard...

"Those big consulting firms send kids in suits who've never held a wrench telling me how to run my business."

Sound familiar?

Here's the thing - small consulting shops like ours get it. We've been there. Dirty hands, real problems, no time for fancy PowerPoints.

While corporate consultants are billing you for 6-month studies, we're rolling up our sleeves and fixing what's broken TODAY.

No jargon. No red tape. No waiting for approval from some boardroom.

Just straight talk and solutions that actually work in the real world.

We know the difference between theory and what happens when the rubber meets the road.

Big firms treat you like a case study. We treat you like family.

What's your biggest headache right now that some suit couldn't possibly understand? Drop a comment - let's talk real solutions.

Be great!

11/21/2024

I wrote an ebook for Blue collar companies but if you're a local business who wants to build marketing and brand. Drop a me in the comments and I'll send it to you!

11/21/2024

I made this for Blue Collor Business but if you have a local business this will help you build your marketing and branding efforts today.

GET YOUR FREE EBOOK NOW - (click the link)

11/18/2024

It's all about people and systems. And to make your people the most effective, it's all about simple systems!

If you like the idea of simple and effective then this blog post is for you... (check it out by clicking below!)

You ever watch a guy (or gal) on the internet and they tell you about "an easy to use" system that will "explode your business" And then when you start looking into it, it's not so easy and you have no idea how it will work for your business... Yeah me too. What I've found in my

11/15/2024

What's your biggest struggle with closing sales?

11/15/2024

Need to follow up with customers? Here are two tips.

1. Pre-plan using a calendar or CRM. (Make notes on what the follow-up will be about.

2. Don't be afraid to get creative and personal. Use memes and talk about personal things (them or you) in the follow-up.

Remember the follow-up is about creating relationships and connections!

11/11/2024

In Flanders Fields

By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.