Earthworks Hub Podcast

Watch video version here: YouTubeEpisode 190 of the Earthworks Hub PodcastIn this episode of the Earthworks Hub Podcast, I’m joined in the studio by Tavis Shearer from TRS Resourcing for a great conversation about recruitment, finding and keeping good workers, and the challenges facing businesses across Australia, particularly in the earthmoving, civil construction and trades industries.With 27 years of recruitment experience, Tavis shares some valuable insights into what workers are really looking for, why businesses struggle to attract and retain skilled employees, and how employers can improve their job advertisements to attract the right candidates.We also look at research from SEEK covering employee expectations, including pay, travel, working conditions and career development, along with CreditorWatch data providing insights into the current state of the construction industry.But the conversation goes well beyond recruitment. We discuss tight margins, cash flow, the importance of training the next generation, building a good workplace culture and the realities of running a business. Tavis also shares his own business journey, including some of the mistakes and lessons he's learnt along the way.We even get into where the Victorian economy might be heading and whether better times could be ahead for the industry.Whether you're an employer struggling to find workers, an employee considering your next move, or a business owner navigating challenging conditions, there's plenty of practical advice and interesting discussion in this episode.Thanks to Tavis for coming into the Earthworks Hub studio and sharing his experience and insights.If you're operating machinery, running a contracting business or thinking about going out on your own, there's plenty of useful information in this conversation.**Earthworks Hub – Australia's Earthmoving Industry Platform**Visit Earthworks Hub to explore Work Leads, the Business Directory, operator profiles, Marketplace, Tip Sites, Academy resources and Earthworks Hub Membership.Proudly supported by Earthworks Hub partnersView all partners: https://earthworkshub.com.au/partnersExplore Earthworks HubWebsite: https://earthworkshub.com.auTools & templates: https://earthworkshub.com.au/tools-and-shop/Join Our social platform and discussions: https://earthworkshub.com.au/communityConnect with contractors and suppliers, browse the business directory, access practical templates and calculators, learn through the Earthworks Hub Academy, and join Australia's dedicated online community for the earthmoving industry.Subscribe to the channel for more earthmoving podcasts, machinery content, site visits, industry discussions and interviews.#EarthworksHub #Earthmoving #Excavators #ConstructionAustralia #HeavyEquipment #EarthmovingAustralia #PodcastJoin me live every Sunday at 8 PM Melbourne time on Instagram for The Sunday Live Show.

Watch the video version here: YouTubeEpisode 189 of the Earthworks Hub PodcastIn this episode, I wanted to talk about something nearly every earthmoving contractor has either experienced, nearly experienced, or knows someone who has — hitting an underground service.Power, gas, water, sewer, fibre, telecommunications — one minute you’re digging normally, and the next minute the whole job can change.I went through 10 things I think every contractor should know, including what to do immediately after a strike, who to call, how to find the relevant network or utility provider, what to do while you’re waiting, who might be responsible for the damage, what happens if the service wasn’t on the plans, what the repair could cost, whether insurance will cover you, and how to protect yourself before you start digging.We also had plenty of real stories come through from people watching live — gas mains, fibre, water mains, services that weren’t where the plans said they were, and situations where the operator had done everything they could and still ended up hitting something.One of the biggest things I wanted to get across is that Before You Dig Australia plans are only part of the process. You still need to understand the plans, locate services properly, pothole where required, keep records, and know what your insurance policy actually expects from you before you start excavating.We also talk about public liability insurance, why your machinery insurance may not cover damage to underground assets, how important it is to keep evidence such as BYDA plans, locator reports, photos and SWMS, and why contractors should be checking their contracts before accepting responsibility for underground services. Probably the biggest takeaway from this episode is this:The best protection usually isn’t what you do after you hit something — it’s what you do before the bucket goes into the ground.Know what’s there, know who owns it, know what your insurance actually covers, keep your records, and if something does go wrong, stop work, make the area safe and get the right people involved.If you're operating machinery, running a contracting business or thinking about going out on your own, there's plenty of useful information in this conversation.**Earthworks Hub – Australia's Earthmoving Industry Platform**Visit Earthworks Hub to explore Work Leads, the Business Directory, operator profiles, Marketplace, Tip Sites, Academy resources and Earthworks Hub Membership.Proudly supported by Earthworks Hub partnersView all partners: https://earthworkshub.com.au/partnersExplore Earthworks HubWebsite: https://earthworkshub.com.auTools & templates: https://earthworkshub.com.au/tools-and-shop/Join Our social platform and discussions: https://earthworkshub.com.au/communityConnect with contractors and suppliers, browse the business directory, access practical templates and calculators, learn through the Earthworks Hub Academy, and join Australia's dedicated online community for the earthmoving industry.Subscribe to the channel for more earthmoving podcasts, machinery content, site visits, industry discussions and interviews.#EarthworksHub #Earthmoving #Excavators #ConstructionAustralia #HeavyEquipment #EarthmovingAustralia #PodcastJoin me live every Sunday at 8 PM Melbourne time on Instagram for The Sunday Live Show.

Watch the video version here: YouTubeEpisode 188 of the Earthworks Hub PodcastIn this episode of the Earthworks Hub Podcast, I sit down with Colin Evans from The Asset Finance Shop (TAFS) to talk about something that affects just about every earthmoving and civil construction business — financing machinery and managing your money.Whether you're looking to buy your first excavator, upgrade your truck, expand your fleet or start your own earthmoving business, understanding how equipment finance works can make a massive difference.Colin has been involved in asset finance for around 15 years, and his team at The Asset Finance Shop specialises in helping businesses across the transport, construction and earthmoving industries.We kick things off by talking about the growth of TAFS and their impressive new headquarters in Alexandria, Sydney, before getting into some practical advice for operators and business owners.In this episode, we cover:* How to prepare financially before buying your first excavator or truck* The biggest mistakes people make when financing machinery* Buying new versus used equipment and what makes better financial sense* How credit scores and your financial history affect loan applications* Getting finance pre-approved before bidding at machinery auctions* How minimising tax can affect your borrowing capacity* What lenders look for when you're starting your own earthmoving business* Why cash flow is so important when running a business* Balloon payments, interest rates and the real cost of equipment finance* The current challenges facing the earthmoving industryI also share my own experience of buying a $250,000 truck that ended up sitting around more than it was working. It's a good example of why buying machinery isn't always the smartest decision, even when you can afford the repayments.One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that just because you can get finance for a machine doesn't necessarily mean you should buy it. You need to understand how that machine will contribute to your business and whether the repayments make financial sense.Colin also shares some insights into how the current economic conditions are affecting equipment purchases, contractors and finance approvals across the industry.The Asset Finance Shop is an Earthworks Hub industry partner, and we're also working together on a series of educational workshops and articles designed to help earthmoving business owners better understand machinery finance.If you're operating machinery, running a contracting business or thinking about going out on your own, there's plenty of useful information in this conversation.**Earthworks Hub – Australia's Earthmoving Industry Platform**Visit Earthworks Hub to explore Work Leads, the Business Directory, operator profiles, Marketplace, Tip Sites, Academy resources and Earthworks Hub Membership.Proudly supported by Earthworks Hub partnersView all partners: https://earthworkshub.com.au/partnersExplore Earthworks HubWebsite: https://earthworkshub.com.auTools & templates: https://earthworkshub.com.au/tools-and-shop/Join Our social platform and discussions: https://earthworkshub.com.au/communityConnect with contractors and suppliers, browse the business directory, access practical templates and calculators, learn through the Earthworks Hub Academy, and join Australia's dedicated online community for the earthmoving industry.Subscribe to the channel for more earthmoving podcasts, machinery content, site visits, industry discussions and interviews.#EarthworksHub #Earthmoving #Excavators #ConstructionAustralia #HeavyEquipment #EarthmovingAustralia #PodcastJoin me live every Sunday at 8 PM Melbourne time on Instagram for The Sunday Live Show

Watch the video version here: YouTubeEpisode 187 of the Earthworks Hub PodcastA plumber charges $130 an hour and nobody questions it, but an earthmoving contractor turns up with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and gets questioned for charging $140 an hour. What's going wrong?This week's Sunday Live Show was a big one after a clip from my podcast with Beau from BRC Dirtworks went viral, attracting over 200,000 views and hundreds of comments, particularly from plumbers who weren't too happy with the comparison!But the real conversation isn't about plumbers versus earthmovers. It's about whether we're actually charging enough to make a decent living in the earthmoving industry.In this episode, I get into the real costs of running machinery, why so many contractors are undercutting each other, and whether some of us are simply buying ourselves a job rather than building a profitable business.We also discuss:- **Are earthmoving contractors charging enough?** Why $140 an hour might not be as profitable as people think.- **The race to the bottom:** Are we our own worst enemies when it comes to pricing?- **Hourly rates vs quoted work:** Why fixed-price jobs can offer better opportunities to make money.- **Busy but broke:** Why having plenty of work doesn't necessarily mean you're making a profit.- **Should you own a tipper?** I share my own experience of selling my truck and why it actually worked out better for my business.- **Machinery costs and utilisation:** How downtime, finance, insurance, maintenance and wet weather affect your bottom line.- **Pinnacle Earthworks:** I recap my recent studio podcast with brothers Jimmy and Caleb Trinkle, who flew down from Adelaide to share their business journey.- **The Asset Finance Shop:** A look at my conversation with Colin about equipment finance, business profitability and the use of AI in finance.- **Earthworks Hub Work Leads:** An update on the opportunities we're bringing into the platform to help members find work.There were plenty of great opinions from the industry during the live discussion, and it raises an important question:**Are we working hard to build profitable businesses, or are we just working hard to keep our machines paid for?**I'd love to hear your thoughts. Are you charging enough for your equipment? Have you increased your rates recently? And would you be better off on wages rather than running your own business?Drop your thoughts in the comments!**Earthworks Hub – Australia's Earthmoving Industry Platform**Visit Earthworks Hub to explore Work Leads, the Business Directory, operator profiles, Marketplace, Tip Sites, Academy resources and Earthworks Hub Membership.Proudly supported by Earthworks Hub partnersView all partners: https://earthworkshub.com.au/partnersExplore Earthworks HubWebsite: https://earthworkshub.com.auTools & templates: https://earthworkshub.com.au/tools-and-shop/Join Our social platform and discussions: https://earthworkshub.com.au/communityConnect with contractors and suppliers, browse the business directory, access practical templates and calculators, learn through the Earthworks Hub Academy, and join Australia's dedicated online community for the earthmoving industry.Subscribe to the channel for more earthmoving podcasts, machinery content, site visits, industry discussions and interviews.#EarthworksHub #Earthmoving #Excavators #ConstructionAustralia #HeavyEquipment #EarthmovingAustralia #PodcastJoin me live every Sunday at 8 PM Melbourne time on Instagram for The Sunday Live Show.

Video version available here: YouTubeEpisode 186 of the Earthworks Hub Podcast In this episode of the Earthworks Hub Podcast, I sat down in my Melbourne studio with brothers Jimmy and Caleb Trinkle from Pinnacle Earthworks, who flew over from South Australia to share their incredible journey in the earthmoving industry.What makes their story so interesting is that neither of them started out running a big earthmoving business. They were working in their family's bakery before purchasing a small 1.8-tonne excavator and deciding to give earthmoving a go.Fast forward to today, and they're building a growing earthmoving business, running multiple crews, investing in larger Caterpillar machinery and GPS technology, and making the transition from residential jobs into major commercial earthworks projects.Episode of the Earthworks Hub PodcastAnd here's the impressive part — they're only 20 and 22 years old!We had a great conversation about what it actually takes to build and grow an earthmoving business, including:- How they went from working in a bakery to starting Pinnacle Earthworks.- Why investing in marketing completely changed their business.- How they're breaking into commercial contracts and learning to tender for bigger projects.- Growing their machinery fleet from a small excavator to a Cat 315 and 330.- Why they've invested in UniControl GPS technology.- The challenges of quoting jobs, managing cash flow and keeping employees busy.- The real cost of diesel, fuel levies and why wet hire rates aren't always sustainable.- How they're using AI to help with estimating, tendering and business administration.- What it's like running a business together as brothers and dividing responsibilities.- Their ambitions for the future and the sacrifices they've made to get where they are today.What really stood out to me was their determination to grow, their willingness to invest in their business and the way they've approached challenges despite being so young.We also had a few laughs along the way!Whether you're thinking about starting your own earthmoving business, trying to move into larger commercial projects or simply enjoy hearing how other contractors are building their businesses, there's plenty to take away from this conversation.A big thanks to Jimmy and Caleb for making the trip from Adelaide to Melbourne and sharing their story with us.Check out Pinnacle Earthworks and connect with them through the Earthworks Hub Directory.**Earthworks Hub – Australia's Earthmoving Industry Platform**Visit Earthworks Hub to explore Work Leads, the Business Directory, operator profiles, Marketplace, Tip Sites, Academy resources and Earthworks Hub Membership.Proudly supported by Earthworks Hub partnersView all partners: https://earthworkshub.com.au/partnersExplore Earthworks HubWebsite: https://earthworkshub.com.auTools & templates: https://earthworkshub.com.au/tools-and-shop/Join Our social platform and discussions: https://earthworkshub.com.au/communityConnect with contractors and suppliers, browse the business directory, access practical templates and calculators, learn through the Earthworks Hub Academy, and join Australia's dedicated online community for the earthmoving industry.Subscribe to the channel for more earthmoving podcasts, machinery content, site visits, industry discussions and interviews.#EarthworksHub #Earthmoving #Excavators #ConstructionAustralia #HeavyEquipment #EarthmovingAustralia #Podcast