Welcome to Grit Nation, the Building Trades Podcast. I’m Joe Cadwell, the writer, producer, and host of the show and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Ken Rusk. Ken is a blue-collar career choice advocate, construction industry entrepreneur and the author of Blue-Collar Cash which details how you can…. Love Your Work, Secure Your Future an…

On today’s episode I discuss organized labor movements in America and why it is so important for UBC carpenters to develop and appreciate the storied history of our organization. Without knowing how we got to where we are, many may find it easy to undervalue the vast amount of blood, sweat and tears that were spilled in achieving the benefits we al…

Welcome to Grit Nation. I’m Joe Cadwell the writer, producer, and host of the show and on today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with author Kathleen McLaughlin, about her new book titled; Blood Money – The Story of Life, Death and Profit Inside America’s Blood Industry. In her book Kathleen turns the lights on a healthcare crisis hidden i…

On todays episode I have the pleasure of speaking with authors Ali Winston and Darwin BondGraham about their new book titled, The Riders Come Out at Night: Brutality, Corruption and Cover-up in Oakland. Their book is a meticulously researched and engaging account of a police force rotten to its core and serves as a poignant reminder that the proble…

Use the link below to see the NBC Nightly News Story. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/hidden-scourge-wage-theft-when-higher-profits-come-out-workers-n1272238 This episode of Stolen begins in the early morning of August 2020, when a storm system develops on the barren plains of the Nebraska and South Dakota border. Known as a Derecho,…

On today’s episode we will meet labor attorney, member of Teamster’s Local 810 in New York City and author, Mark Torres. Mark’s latest book, Long Island Migrant Labor Camps: Dust for Blood, chronicles the plight of thousands of poverty stricken migrant workers lured to the agricultural fields of New York State for decades with the promise of good w…

On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with management professor, leadership expert and author of, The Seismic Shift in Leadership. Her name is Michelle Johnston and on today’s show we discuss her book to learn more about how to be a better, more connected leader in today’s world whether in the boardroom or on the jobsite. We’ll open our c…

Welcome to Grit Nation. I'm Joe Cadwell, the host of the show, and on today's episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with urban law expert and author Michelle Wilde Anderson about her book, The Fight to Save the Town - Reimagining Discarded America. The San Francisco Chronicle writes that her book is "a sweeping and eye opening study of wealth in…

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Mike Rucker about his book, The Fun Habit - How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life. The Fun Habit is a science-backed, actionable case for the importance of seeking fun, rather than happiness, in our daily lives. Mike argues that fun is a resource available to anyone, at al…

On todays episode I have the pleasure of speaking with professor of sociology at Middlebury College and author Jamie McCallum. Jamie’s latest work titled, Essential: How the Pandemic Transformed the Long Fight for Worker Justice, digs deep into the of today’s working class rage and uncovers the unravelling of the nation’s social safety net and regu…

Welcome to Grit Nation. On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Dan Kerrigan the author of Functional Firefighter Fitness. Though written for firefighters this book is packed full of solid advice to help you maximize your output on the job no matter what your trade is. We’ll open our conversation by discussing what it means to be “fit …

Welcome to Grit Nation. I'm Joe Cadwell, the host of the show, and on today's episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with the co-writer of a newly released book titled Dead in the Water, a true story of hijacking murderer and a global maritime conspiracy. His name is Matthew Campbell, and he's an award winning reporter and editor for Bloomberg Bu…

Welcome to Grit Nation. In this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with journalist, professor of sociology and author Eyal Press. Eyal’s latest book titled Dirty Work – Essential Jobs and the Hidden Toll of Inequality in America, addresses the morally troubling work that society silently condones and the hidden class of workers who do it. Eyal…

Welcome to Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the host of the show and on today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Waldo Waldman, a former Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, who is now a highly sought after motivational speaker and executive coach. He is also the author of The New York Times best seeking book, Never Fly Solo. Known to the tens of …

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with retired US Navy Commander, and author of the new fictional thriller, Secrets in Depth. His name is Joe Dituri and his laid-back persona and colorful and exciting life truly make for an interesting episode. We’ll open our conversation by learning about Joe’s journey as an enlisted sailor to bei…

Welcome to Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the host of the show and on today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with physician, adventurer and author of the newly published book titled, The Unseen Body. His name is Dr. Jonathan Reisman, and on today’s show Jonathan and I will discuss how his passion for, travel, prehistoric crafts, food, and pr…

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of talking with internationally acclaimed speaker and bestselling author, D.J. Vanas. D.J.’s latest work titled, The Warrior Within - Own Your Power to Serve, Fight, Protect and Heal, draws upon Native American philosophy and tradition to reveal insight on how to develop the resilience and toughness needed to …

Welcome to Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the host of the show and on today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with strength coach, self-defense instructor, and author, Varg Freeborn. I first came upon Varg’s unique perspective to self-defense and violence preparedness a few years ago and became a fan of his straight shooting, no BS philosophy…

Hi, I’m Joe Cadwell, writer, producer, and host of Grit Nation, but in this special episode of the Building Trades Podcast I’ll actually be the guest on someone else’s show. Join me today as I talk with Nate Wadsworth from the Essential Craftsman Podcast. If you haven’t heard of the Essential Craftsman, you should really check them out. I’m a big f…

On today’s episode I have the honor and privilege of speaking with Brian Bogert founder of the Brian Bogert Companies. Brian is a human behavior and performance coach, motivational speaker, and business strategist who has change the lives of thousands with his revolutionary coaching programs. Brian starts today’s conversation by sharing with us the…

On today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with history professor and author Aaron Goings. Aaron’s latest work titled, The Port of Missing Men, is an in depth look into the life and legend surrounding Billy Gohl the charismatic, controversial and infamous labor organizer of the Sailors Union of the Pacific. After being convicted for the mur…

Welcome to Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the host of the show and today I will be talking with the national account manager for Milwaukee Tools, Justin Ross. Milwaukee Tools has been a leader in the construction industry since 1924, and they continue to develop innovative solutions that deliver increased productivity and unparalleled durability for …

In this episode I’ll be talking with bestselling author Todd Brewster who together with co-writer Marc Lamont Hill have written Seen and Unseen – Technology, Social Media and the Fight for Racial Justice. This powerful book is a riveting exploration of the ways in which visual media has shaped the nations narrative on race and has fundamentally alt…

Welcome to the Grit Nation podcast, I’m Joe Cadwell and in this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with logger, blacksmith, carpenter, and internet sensation Scott Wadsworth. Better known to over 1 million YouTube followers as the Essential Craftsman, Scott, together with his son Nate, have created a wealth of entertaining and educational vide…

Welcome to Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the host of the show and today I have the pleasure of speaking with author Kim Kelly about her new book titled Fight Like Hell – The Untold History of American Labor. Kim’s book is a remarkable interweaving of past and present that brings America’s rich and bloody labor history to vivid life. Her book comes a…

Welcome to another episode of Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the host of the show and today I will be talking with investigative reporter David McSwane about his new book Pandemic Inc. – Chasing the Capitalists and Thieves Who Got Rich While We Got Sick. David’s book is an explosive look inside the rush to profit from the Covid-19 pandemic and connec…

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with the Chief Style Officer for Diamondback Toolbelts, Damani Harrison. Headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, Diamondback is taking building trades toolbelts and gear to the next level with their innovative design, ergonomic fit and manufacturing processes. We’ll start our conversation by disc…

On today’s episode I have the pleasure to speak with author Daisy Pitken about her new book titled, On the Line - A story of class, solidarity, and Two Women’s Epic Fight to Build a Union. In her book, Daisy recounts the story of a grueling 5 yearlong bottom-up campaign she was involved in to help unionize industrial laundry workers in Phoenix, Ari…

Welcome to Grit Nation, I’m Joe Cadwell the writer, producer, and host of the show and on today’s episode I’ll be looking into the complex world of finance credit. To help me better understand the role credit plays in a building trades professionals life and career I have invited back to the show Patrick Town, director of operations for Union Home …

Welcome to Grit Nation. I’m Joe Cadwell the writer, producer and host of the show and in this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Josh Ruyle from Image Pointe and Dignity Apparel both based in Waterloo, Iowa. Though I originally went into this conversation with the intent of discussing union printed apparel, I came away with a greater und…

In this episode I speak with Katrina Onstad, author of The Weekend Effect. Her book addresses the life changing benefits of taking time off and challenging the cult of overwork and makes the case for reclaiming our weekends to increase creativity, productivity, and success in our lives. Katrina and I open our conversation by discussing the historic…

Welcome to Grit Nation, The Building Trades Podcast. On today’s episode I will be talking with returning guest, Frank Manzo, from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. This time around Frank and I discuss building trades apprenticeships. We’ll start our conversation by looking into how the Illinois Economic Policy Institute gathers the data neede…

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with professor of sociology at Middlebury College, workers’ rights activist, and the author of two books on labor, Jamie McCallum. Jamie’s latest effort titled, Worked Over: How Round-the-Clock Work is Killing the American Dream; addresses the loss of agency the average American worker has in managing their wor…

On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Mark Martinez, founder of the Martinez Tool Company. Mark is the designer of the M-1 and M-4 Titanium hybrid hammers and has a long history of tool innovation and design. He has also worked as a builder for most of his life and has great insight into what it means to be a professional carpenter. …

In this episode I look into the cornerstone of the typical American dream, home ownership. To help me understand the ins and outs of this significant milestone in anyone’s life, I have invited back to the show Patrick Town, the owner of Union Home Plus, a Seattle based company that for nearly 20 years has been providing union members the safest, mo…

On today’s episode I speak with Frank Manzo from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. We will start our conversation by understanding how Frank teamed up with academics at Oregon State University to co-author his report on the effect Prevailed Wage laws have on taxpayer funded construction projects in the state of Oregon. We will then look into …

On this episode we will be taking about money, or more importantly how to maximize its growth potential through adopting sensible lifestyle and finance management planning strategies. Whether you’re a first term apprentice, a seasoned carpenter or someone nearing retirement age it’s never too early or too late to learn how to better secure a solid …

Today I talk with nationally recognized public speaker, lifelong worker rights activist and friend of the show Mark McDermott. We’ll open todays conversation by learning about Marks efforts to combat the war of misinformation that is being waged daily in American in order to undermine our faith in the democratic process as well as deter union membe…