In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Ryan Kiscaden, owner of Kiscaden Consulting and creator of the Next Up Trades children's book series, to discuss how storytelling can reshape the future of recruiting in the trades.

Ryan shares how a conversation with his plumber brother-in-law sparked the idea to create books that explain HVAC and plumbing to children in a way they can understand and connect with emotionally.

Instead of focusing only on wages, debt, and job security, Ryan believes the industry needs to tell a better story about purpose, problem solving, and helping people.

They discuss:

Why the trades struggle with perception problems

How recruiting really starts in childhood

The emotional side of working in HVAC and plumbing

Why storytelling matters more than statistics

The disconnect between schools and skilled trades

How contractors can become community educators

Why ADHD and hands-on learning may actually be strengths in the trades

How AI and technology are changing the perception of blue-collar careers

If your company struggles to recruit young talent, this episode offers a completely different perspective on building the next generation of skilled trades professionals.

Timestamps

00:00 Promoting trades to young kids

04:15 Explaining skilled trades to kids

07:56 Changing perspectives in education

10:35 Changing perceptions around AI jobs

13:48 The gratification of helping others

17:36 Industry collaboration and collective effort

19:33 Interviewing teachers and donors

24:38 Creative uses by contractors

28:19 Challenges for kids with ADHD

32:22 Challenges with traditional schooling

33:34 Learning with technology and AI

36:32 Where to find more info

Follow the Host and Guest

Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/

Ryan Kiscaden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryankiscaden/

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