Owning a Job vs. Building a Business: Is the American Dream Waiting in the Trades?

September 30, 2026 • 00:09:08
Owning a Job vs. Building a Business: Is the American Dream Waiting in the Trades?
Rush To Reason - Interviews
Owning a Job vs. Building a Business: Is the American Dream Waiting in the Trades?

Sep 30 2026 | 00:09:08

/

Hosted By

John Rush

Show Notes

Owning a Job vs. Building a Business: Is the American Dream Waiting in the Trades?

What if the best path to financial independence doesn’t require a four-year degree—or spending your entire life working inside the business you created? Joe Giacalone, founder of a National Painting Company and author of Beyond the Owner: How to Build a Trades Business That Runs Without You, joins John Rush on Rush To Reason to talk about the enormous opportunities waiting in the skilled trades.

They explore why blue-collar careers were stigmatized for decades, how the push toward college may have caused a serious shortage of skilled workers, and why today’s plumbers, electricians, painters, mechanics, and other tradespeople may have opportunities previous generations never imagined.

But learning a trade is only the beginning. Giacalone explains how young entrepreneurs can move from simply owning their job to building a business that can operate without them,  making money even when you’re not there.

Other Episodes

Episode

December 08, 2020 • 00:49:46
Episode Cover

HR 3 Rush To Reason December 7 2020

HR 3 Rush To Reason December 7 2020 by John Rush

Listen

Episode

September 15, 2020 • 00:54:46
Episode Cover

HR 1 Rush To Reason September 14 2020

HR 1 Rush To Reason September 14 2020 by John Rush

Listen

Episode

February 12, 2021 • 00:50:13
Episode Cover

HR 3 Rush To Reason February 11 2021

HR 3 Rush To Reason February 11 2021 by John Rush

Listen