Why Skilled Trades Are the Future: Alvin Townley on Scholarships, Workforce Gaps, and Building a Skilled Nation

The Cost of Keeping the Wrong Person

In this episode of The Why We Build Podcast, Greg tackles one of the hardest leadership decisions in remodeling: knowing when it is time to move on from an underperforming team member. This conversation is not about blame. It is about clarity. Many owners already know the decision they need to make, but fear, timing, sunk cost, and self-doubt keep them stuck. Greg breaks down the real cost of waiting, including lost productivity, management time, team morale, client risk, and cultural damage. In this episode: * Why owners delay hard personnel decisions * The hidden financial cost of keeping the wrong person * How underperformance affects your best people * Warning signs that the decision has already been made * How to have the conversation with honesty and dignity * Why moving on cleanly protects your culture Key Takeaway: The cost of keeping the wrong person is rarely just one salary. It is financial, operational, emotional, and cultural. Strong leaders do not make perfect hires. They recognize when something is not working, act with integrity, and protect the team. Best Quote: “Your standard will only elevate to the worst possible behavior you will tolerate.”

More Than the Build: The Human Side of Remodeling with Mike Whalen

In this episode of The Why We Build Podcast, Greg sits down with longtime lead carpenter and industry leader Mike Whalen for an honest conversation about what remodeling really demands from the people doing the work. This isn’t just a conversation about tile layouts, production schedules, or project management systems. It’s about the human side of remodeling. The part that often gets overlooked. Mike shares his journey from building tree forts as a kid to working in commercial construction, running his own company, and eventually finding a long-term home at DBS Remodel, where he has spent more than two decades helping shape projects, teams, and company culture. Together, Greg and Mike explore: * Why remodeling is as emotional as it is technical * The importance of communication and empathy on the jobsite * Managing client expectations during stressful projects * The balance between craftsmanship and customer experience * What separates healthy remodeling companies from unhealthy ones * How leadership evolves from “bags on” production to strategic thinking * The role of organizational culture in long-term success * Why continuing education transformed Mike’s career * The impact of industry communities like JLC Live Mike also shares practical insight into: * Leading monthly production meetings * Using client feedback to improve communication * Reading client personalities and stress levels * Managing trade partner relationships * Handling recurring project challenges * Maintaining craftsmanship while scaling leadership responsibilities One of the biggest themes in this episode is that great remodeling professionals are not just builders. They are guides, communicators, problem-solvers, and leaders helping clients navigate deeply personal experiences inside their homes. This episode is a reminder that success in remodeling is not just about technical excellence. It is about how you show up for people.

Why Skilled Trades Are the Future: Alvin Townley on Scholarships, Workforce Gaps, and Building a Skilled Nation

In this episode of The Why We Build Podcast, host Greg Woleck talks with Alvin Townley, CEO of Skilled Nation, about the future of skilled trades, workforce development, and why career pathways in the trades deserve more respect, visibility, and support. For years, the common message around success was simple: go to college, get a degree, and follow the traditional path. For some people, that path works. But for many others, it can lead to debt, uncertainty, and work that does not feel meaningful. At the same time, industries like construction, remodeling, manufacturing, transportation, energy, and home services continue to need skilled people who can build, fix, install, create, and solve real problems. Alvin shares how Skilled Nation is working to close that gap by providing scholarships for people pursuing training in high-demand skilled careers. These scholarships help cover more than tuition. They can also help with tools, transportation, childcare, and other real-life barriers that often prevent people from completing training. Greg and Alvin also discuss the perception problem facing the trades. Too often, skilled careers are treated like a backup plan instead of a smart, honorable, and profitable path. But that conversation is beginning to change. More parents, students, educators, and employers are starting to recognize that skilled work offers dignity, stability, purpose, and opportunity. The conversation also explores the impact of AI, the importance of better storytelling, and the responsibility industry leaders have to help build a stronger talent pipeline for the future. Key Takeaways The skilled trades are not a backup plan. They are honorable, needed, and often highly rewarding careers. The workforce gap is also an awareness gap. Many people simply do not understand the opportunities available in skilled careers. Scholarships can remove real barriers. For many students, the issue is not motivation. It is affordability and access. Industry has a responsibility to help build the pipeline. Employers, educators, foundations, and trade partners all benefit when more people are trained and connected to meaningful work. Technology will change the trades, but it will not eliminate the need for skilled people. AI may reshape the workforce, but hands-on skilled careers remain essential. Featured Guest Alvin Townley is the CEO of Skilled Nation, an organization focused on expanding access to skilled career training through scholarships and industry partnerships. Alvin is a social entrepreneur, author, fundraising executive, and storyteller who is passionate about helping people discover meaningful opportunities and build better futures through skilled careers. Why This Episode Matters For those of us in remodeling and construction, this conversation hits close to home. We do not just need more workers. We need more people who can see a future in this work. That means better messaging. Better pathways. Better support. And a stronger commitment from business owners, educators, and industry leaders to tell the story of the trades with the respect it deserves. The future of remodeling depends on the people willing to build, fix, solve, lead, and carry the work forward. Resources Mentioned Skilled Nation skilled-nation.org [http://skilled-nation.org] Partners mentioned include The Home Depot Foundation, 3M, DeWalt, Ford Philanthropy, GE Vernova Foundation, Schneider Electric, Norfolk Southern, PulteGroup, Ball Corporation, and others.

Building the Future: Gregg Helmich on Trades Education, Mentorship, and the Power of Showing Up

In this episode of The Why We Build Podcast, Greg Woleck talks with Gregg Helmich, Building Trades Associate Professor at North Iowa Area Community College, about trades education, mentorship, industry partnerships, gratitude, and developing the next generation of craftspeople. Gregg shares how his love for building began as a child, working beside his father, tearing down old barns, straightening nails, reusing lumber, and helping build an A-frame cabin with hand tools. Those early experiences gave him a lasting appreciation for craft, usefulness, and the pride that comes from making something with your own hands. He also reflects on the shop teachers who shaped him. They gave him extra time, saw potential in him, and made the shop feel like a place where he belonged. That same spirit now shows up in the way Gregg teaches and mentors his own students. A major thread in the conversation is the challenge and value of trades education today. Gregg talks about the difficulty of measuring hands-on learning, assessing soft skills, and balancing curriculum standards with the real-world nature of job-site training. He also shares his vision for an ideal program: a large facility where students could build full homes indoors, work from permanent mockups, and learn in a more controlled environment. Gregg and Greg also dig into job-site culture. Employers want technical ability, but they also need people who are willing to learn, work safely, clean up, support the team, and bring humility to the job. Gregg models that by working alongside his students, even in the simple tasks. One of the strongest parts of the episode is Gregg’s approach to industry partnerships. He explains how a fun student idea involving a rewritten Brooks & Dunn song led to a major Makita tool donation, and how that moment helped him see the power of intentional relationships. Since then, Gregg has helped build partnerships that have brought more than $1.7 million in equipment and in-kind support to the program. The conversation also touches on social media, generosity, and the importance of giving back. Gregg’s “attitude of gratitude” is clear in how he thanks partners, promotes their work, and continues nurturing relationships long after a donation or event. Key Takeaways The next generation does not happen by accident. People enter the trades because someone encouraged them, taught them, and helped them see what was possible. Trades education is about more than technical skill. Students need safety, communication, humility, teamwork, and a willingness to keep learning. Mentorship matters. Gregg was shaped by teachers who saw something in him, and now he is doing the same for others. Partnerships work best when they are relational. The strongest industry partnerships are built on mutual value, trust, gratitude, and long-term connection. Generosity has a ripple effect. When companies invest in students and educators, they help build the future workforce and strengthen the industry. About Gregg Helmich Gregg Helmich is a Building Trades Associate Professor at North Iowa Area Community College. Over his career in trades education, he has helped prepare students for careers in construction by combining hands-on skill development, leadership, soft skills, and meaningful industry partnerships. Outside the classroom, Gregg is also a musician, worship leader, woodworker, and custom guitar builder. Closing Thought This conversation is a reminder that the future of remodeling and construction depends on people who are willing to invest before there is an immediate return. The next generation needs skill, but they also need access, encouragement, relationships, and people who care enough to show up.

From Corporate Comfort to Remodeling Reality with Corey Plourde

In this episode of The Why We Build Podcast, Greg talks with Corey of Core Remodeling Services about leaving a stable corporate career, starting as a handyman business, and growing into a remodeling company. Corey shares the real story behind the leap: the early momentum, the pressure of being underfunded, the challenge of building a team, and the moment he realized he had hit the wall as an owner. The conversation digs into leadership, profitability, peer accountability, learning the numbers, working with family, and what it takes to build a company that can grow beyond the owner. This episode is a great listen for remodelers who are trying to move from survival mode to a more intentional, profitable, and sustainable business. Topics include: * Leaving corporate America to start a remodeling business * The early challenges of building Core Remodeling Services * Hitting the wall as a business owner * Learning what you don’t know * The value of peer groups and accountability * Building a family business * Moving from revenue growth to real profitability Connect with Corey: Corey@coreremodelingservices.com [Corey@coreremodelingservices.com] coreremodelingservices.com [http://coreremodelingservices.com]