Blue collar entrepreneurship is exploding — and you don’t need a four-year degree to build a profitable, scalable business. In this episode Ken Rusk (author of Blue Collar Cash) explains why trades are back, how to launch a business from day one, and the mindset you need to win. Ken breaks down practical steps for blue collar entrepreneurship: choose a clear vision, earn while you learn, and build owner-like teams through intrapreneurship. Hear real success stories of employees who became vice presidents and tradespeople who started profitable companies after apprenticeship. Ken also explains how to scale without getting trapped in day-to-day operations, and how to pivot in crises (like COVID) by reframing your service offering. If you’re weighing trade school vs college or want to scale a one-truck operation into a regional business, this episode delivers an actionable path forward for blue collar entrepreneurship. Connect with Ken Rusk: KenRusk.com — Instagram: @KenRuskOfficial Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:13 – Ken’s origin story: ditch-digging to business owner 03:52 – College vs trades: the $400k swing and why trades matter now 16:00 – Coaching & vision: how to turn a worker into an owner 23:13 – Surviving market shocks: pivoting during COVID and reframing services 31:41 – Who Ken coaches & signs of the ideal student 40:45 – Gino wraps it up We're here to help create multifamily entrepreneurs... Here's how: Brand New? Start Here: https://jakeandgino.mykajabi.com/free-wheelbarrowprofits Want To Get Into Multifamily Real Estate Or Scale Your Current Portfolio Faster? Apply to join our PREMIER MULTIFAMILY INVESTING COMMUNITY & MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. (*Note: Our community is not for beginner investors) 👉https://jakeandgino.com/apply About Jake & Gino Jake & Gino are multifamily investors, operators, and mentors who have created a vertically integrated real estate company. They control over $250M in assets under management. They have created the Jake & Gino Premier Multifamily Community to teach others a simple three-step framework for investing in multifamily real estate. Connect with Jake & Gino on the social media platform you are most active on: https://jakeandgino.com/link-tree/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
