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The Site Shed | Systems, Strategy and Growth for Tradies and Contractors

The Site Shed | Systems, Strategy and Growth for Tradies and Contractors

By: Matt Jones - Helping Tradies Build Smarter Scalable Businesses
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About this listen

The Site Shed is a global podcast for tradies and contractors who want clearer systems, stronger strategy, and steadier business growth. Each episode is designed to educate and inform around the topics that matter most in running and scaling a modern trade business.

Hosted by former plumber and digital agency owner Matt Jones, the podcast dives into real-world conversations on marketing, operations, apprenticeships, technology, hiring, leadership, finance, and more, all tailored to the trades and construction industry.

You’ll hear practical insights, honest lessons, and expert perspectives from across the globe.


Whether you work as a tradie, contractor, builder, electrician, landscaper, or run any service-based business, you’ll find ideas and experiences you can put into action straight away.


If you're ready to work smarter, not harder, The Site Shed gives you the tools, frameworks, and viewpoints to help your business move forward with confidence.

© 2026 The Site Shed | Systems, Strategy and Growth for Tradies and Contractors
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • Plumbing Memberships Are Complete BS, Do This Instead | ft. Scott Irwin | Ep. 491
    Mar 24 2026

    🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
    🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

    Want to stop selling “membership discounts” and start building repeat work the simple way? Earn loyalty with trust, follow-up, and a customer experience that makes you the only plumber they remember.

    In Episode 491, Matt sits down with Scott Irwin from Network Plumbing to talk about why plumbing memberships usually do more harm than good for reactive residential services. Scott breaks down how the membership model got dragged over from HVAC, why discounts are “illusion value”, and why most tradies would be better off building loyalty through simple follow-up and consistent customer experience instead.

    You will also hear practical ideas on staying top of mind without spamming people, why direct mail still wins, when scheduled maintenance style programmes actually make sense (think strata and commercials), and how to upsell ethically by having the right conversation with the right decision- maker on site.

    Key Chapters:

    📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen

    🎙 About Our Guest: Scott Irwin
    Scott Irwin is the driving force behind Network Plumbing, an Australian plumbing business focused on delivering reliable service and long-term customer relationships.

    Connect With Scott Irwin:
    Website: https://networkplumbing.com.au/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/networkplumbing
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networktradies_/
    LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/network-plumbing/
    Scott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-irwin-5b413a31/

    CONNECT WITH THE SITE SHED!
    Website: https://www.thesiteshed.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSiteShed?sub_confirmation=1
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesiteshed
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesiteshed/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-site-shed/
    Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

    CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
    Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
    LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
    Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

    If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review:
    ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
    ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    #podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys

    Your Next Step:

    Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

    👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

    Follow The Site Shed:

    • Facebook: The Site Shed
    • Instagram: @thesiteshed
    • LinkedIn: Matt Jones
    • Website: thesiteshed.com
    • YouTube: @TheSiteShed

    If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review:
    ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
    ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • Forget Cost Per Acquisition. It’s All About Lifetime Value | ft. Scott Irwin | Ep. 490
    Mar 17 2026

    If you are obsessing over CPA (cost per acquisition) in your plumbing business, you might be making decisions that hurt your long-term profit.

    In episode 490, Matt Jones sits down with Scott Irwin from Network Plumbing (Sydney) to break down why reactive trades like plumbing and electrical need to stop judging marketing only by short-term lead costs and start thinking in lifetime value (LTV).

    You will learn how to turn one-off callers into long-term customers through better service, follow-up, urgency, and training your team to deliver a standout in-home experience that drives repeat work and referrals.

    Key Chapters:


    Related Episodes:
    Episode 439 with Scott Irwin (Network Plumbing journey)
    Episode 440 with Scott Irwin (Designing your ideal life)

    📲 Listen On The Go! https://tradie.wiki/listen

    🎙️ About Our Guest: Scott Irwin
    Scott Irwin owns Network Plumbing in Sydney, leading a 120-person team across plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and handyman services. Having been in the industry since 1987, he shares practical insights on enhancing long-term customer value in reactive trade businesses.

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT IRWIN
    Website: https://networkplumbing.com.au/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/networkplumbing
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/networktradies_/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/network-plumbing/
    Scott’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-irwin-5b413a31/

    CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
    Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
    LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
    Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

    If you enjoyed this podcast, please take a moment to leave us a review:
    ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
    ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    #podcast #thesiteshed #tradiewebguys

    Your Next Step:

    Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

    👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

    Follow The Site Shed:

    • Facebook: The Site Shed
    • Instagram: @thesiteshed
    • LinkedIn: Matt Jones
    • Website: thesiteshed.com
    • YouTube: @TheSiteShed

    If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review:
    ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
    ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • This Is What Separates $1M Builders From $10M Builders | ft. Greg Wilkes | Ep. 489
    Mar 10 2026

    🎯 Free Tools for Growing Trade Businesses: https://tradie.wiki/pod
    🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Book a Free Strategy Call with Tradie Web Guys: https://tradie.wiki/tssyt

    If you feel like you’re flat out in your building business but the profit still doesn’t match the effort, this episode is for you.

    In Episode 489, Matt sits down with Greg Wilkes from Develop Coaching to unpack what actually separates a $1M builder from a $10M builder and the shift from being the best tradie on site to becoming the business leader who builds a team, installs simple systems, protects margins, and creates a pipeline that doesn’t rely on you doing everything.

    🎥 Watch the video version of this podcast at: @TheSiteShed


    Key Chapters:
    00:00 - Mindset Shift: Tradesperson to Entrepreneur

    00:44 - Meet Greg Wilkes: Construction Industry Expert

    01:10 - Scaling from $1 Million to $10 Million

    04:47 - The Pitfall of High Net Profit (and Not Investing)

    08:04 - Healthy Net Profit Margins for Builders

    10:00 - The Myth of Staying on the Tools

    16:43 - The Importance of Org Charts and Future Hiring

    17:54 - Strategy for First Hires: Start Low with Admin/VA

    24:17 - First Big Hire: The Site Supervisor

    25:10 - The Business Owner's Focus: Marketing and Sales

    27:19 - The Challenge of Systemizing and AI's Impact

    33:46 - Systemizing for Leverage: Focus on Repeatable Tasks

    38:54 - The Importance of Knowing Your Numbers

    42:15 - Simplifying Financial Numbers for Builders

    46:10 - Mapping Out a Plan for Growth: Job Value Over Volume

    48:40 - How to Contact Greg Wilkes (Develop Coaching)


    🎙️ About Our Guest: Greg Wilkes
    Greg Wilkes is a trade business coach at Develop Coaching, helping builders and tradies scale from being on the tools to running a profitable, systemised business.

    CONNECT WITH GREG WILKES
    Website: https://developcoaching.co.uk/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greg.wilkes.coach
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greg.wilkes.coach/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-wilkes/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DevelopCoaching

    Links mentioned:
    Develop Coaching (Australia): https://developcoaching.com.au/
    Develop Coaching (UK): https://developcoaching.co.uk/
    Free book download: Building Your Future: https://developcoaching.com.au/download-building-your-future/

    CONNECT WITH THE TRADIE WEB GUYS!
    Website: https://www.tradiewebguys.com.au/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TradieWebGuysOfficial?sub_confirmation=1
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradieWebGuysOfficial
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradiewebguys/
    LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/tradie-web-guys
    Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamthemattj/

    Your Next Step:

    Join Tradie Academy, our free community packed with templates, checklists, and resources shared by podcast guests, coaches, and successful tradies.

    👉 Join free and grab your next growth tool here: https://tradie.wiki/pod

    Follow The Site Shed:

    • Facebook: The Site Shed
    • Instagram: @thesiteshed
    • LinkedIn: Matt Jones
    • Website: thesiteshed.com
    • YouTube: @TheSiteShed

    If you enjoyed this podcast and the series, please take 5 minutes to leave us a review:
    ⭐ https://lovethepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Love the audio version of this podcast? Subscribe to the link below:
    ⭐ https://followthepodcast.com/TheSiteShed

    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
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