Skilled hands can build just about anything—homes, machines, entire systems. But when it comes to building a business? That’s where many tradespeople hit a wall. For generations, trades education has focused on technical expertise. But with more workers striking out on their own—and many more dreaming of starting a business—we need to treat entrepreneurship as a core part of the trade itself. Because mastering your craft is just one half of success. The other half…

When we talk about skills in the trades, we usually mean things you do with your hands: installing wiring, fixing HVAC systems, laying tile, tuning engines. But there’s another skill—just as essential, just as practical—that rarely gets taught in trade school: Financial literacy. From cash flow to credit cards, from budgeting to business pricing, understanding money isn’t optional for tradespeople. It’s critical. Because in the real world, you’re not just managing tools—you’re managing your livelihood….

They start with promise. A skilled plumber opens their own shop. An HVAC tech builds a client base. A contractor takes on bigger and bigger jobs. And then—almost suddenly—it’s gone. Despite booming demand for skilled labor, many trades businesses don’t survive beyond their first few years. These aren’t businesses that fail because the work isn’t needed. They fail because knowing your craft isn’t the same as running a company. If we want to grow and…

We often talk about the skilled labor shortage—but there’s a quieter, equally urgent issue hiding in plain sight: the instability of trades businesses themselves. Electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, contractors, and other skilled professionals are in high demand. But too many of their businesses fail within the first few years. When they do, the fallout extends far beyond the owner. It impacts job security, local economies, and the public’s trust in trades. If we want to…