Modern Craftsman

Dependability is the quiet backbone of every project—show up, follow through, communicate. Tyler breaks down how to be the person no one has to chase: say “no” to protect your best “yes,” model reliability for your crew, build simple systems, and rebuild trust when you drop the ball. Show Notes:  Dependability in Leadership and Business (0:00) Contractor Coalition Summit Announcement (1:25) Personal Commitment to Dependability (3:25) Dependability in Business and Employment (8:43) Leadership and Dependability (11:14) Maintaining Dependability to Oneself (13:46) Rebuilding Trust and Dependability (22:00) Promoting the Modern Craftsman Podcast (26:24) Video Version:  https://youtu.be/HUM7j1h5UPs   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Three elementary-schoolers sound off on work, the trades, and whether construction is “just for boys.” Tyler turns their unfiltered takes into a reminder to open doors early and make the jobsite welcoming to everyone. Show Notes: 00:00 Cold open: “You’re capable” 03:02 What do adults actually do at work? 06:23 What is “construction,” in their words 09:31 Is construction just for boys? 11:02 Tyler on inclusion & respect on site 17:25 Starting a company: passion vs business 18:22 Advice for grown-ups about work 20:28 Behind the scenes: why Tyler recorded this Video Version:  https://youtu.be/A3A8qquiiVc   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

In this follow-up to the previous episode the guys expand on their discussion of 'buying your peace'. They get blunt about arrival fallacy, hustle-as-band-aid, and where to buy back time instead of chasing the next dollar. Show Notes: 00:00 Money vs. Life: Who’s in Charge? 04:36 Arrival Fallacy: ‘I’ll Be Happy When…’ 05:17 Fixer-Upper Reality Check 07:49 Time Tradeoffs with Young Kids 09:36 Working More = Seeing Them Less 11:20 What’s ‘Necessary’ vs. Nice-to-Have 14:02 Non-Negotiables: Housing & Healthcare 17:22 House Math: 4% Then, 8–9% Now 18:01 When Interest Eats $40K/Year 32:40 Hustle Culture—What It’s Hiding 33:49 I Hustled Because Things Were Broken 38:31 Beware Hustle “Advice” That’s Selling You 51:00 Buying Back Time: Help at Home? 53:13 Everyday Chores, Real Costs (Well Water Life) 57:01 Wrap-Up: What Are You Optimizing For? Video Version:  https://youtu.be/lwcq_qhXhD0   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Your jobsite sits inside someone else’s daily life—treat the neighbors like stakeholders or they’ll turn into adversaries. Tyler breaks down parking, noise, intros, and real-world fixes (including a septic test-pit fiasco) so the job finishes strong and the street still waves when you drive off. Show Notes:00:04 Why this matters beyond the client 00:36 Fence down, new neighbor, new stakes 00:39 First impressions: pregnant neighbor & empathy 01:14 If neighbors had a bad time, you didn’t win 01:31 Control noise, disruption, and expectations 01:35 Neighbors: allies vs. adversaries 02:07 Return client context & scope 04:40 Parking, habits, and daily routines 07:23 Bringing the dog over (reading the room) 15:28 “You don’t own the road”—but you own the impact 17:28 Owning it: apology, phone number, solutions 22:37 Septic test-pit fiasco & fallout   Video Version:  https://youtu.be/uvtgv-WybYw   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Money solves problems, but it doesn’t buy peace—and the squeeze is real. We get into the cost-of-living crunch, time freedom, and how builders decide between making more or needing less. Show Notes: 00:00 Money’s weird: easy to make, hard to keep 02:45 Cost of living vs “money buys happiness” 05:07 Is the problem money—or imbalance? 07:13 Personal equity, real-world numbers 11:15 Make more or need less? 11:54 Would zero money stress equal happiness? 13:23 Trips, houses, and what money can’t fix 14:38 If I had cash, here’s what I’d change 16:02 Anxiety about the kids’ future 16:32 Maslow on the jobsite (security vs purpose) 22:02 Life’s more expensive—so where’s your time go? 24:36 System pressure: mortgages then vs now 27:44 Starter homes, rates, and fewer choices 28:37 Debt out of college = treadmill life 31:20 Generational shift and the cost of well-being Video Version:  https://youtu.be/a3QQw8RXT7Y   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Tyler gets honest about the seasons that beat you up -  money stress, mistakes, and imposter syndrome, and why those are the moments that actually forge better builders. This one’s about leaning on your people, pushing through, and coming out with more grit and clarity. Show Notes: 00:00 Cold open — don’t fear the struggle 00:13 Intro: midweek + skipping the “state of the world” 01:59 Housekeeping: YT comments & newsletter 02:44 Why hard seasons become our favorite memories 08:16 Self-taught, scared to ask, imposter syndrome 09:38 Mistakes that cost time & money → growth 10:05 Becoming an adult, cresting the hill 12:53 Overwhelm and “this too shall pass” 15:36 Story #1: gaming school vs learning the lesson 21:09 Story #2: second kid, house sale, septic fail 22:30 Perspective: gratitude after the pain 23:09 Struggle builds closeness: marriage & friends 24:41 Why Modern Craftsman exists: find your people 30:40 Podcast as therapy/journaling 35:39 Two questions for you + wrap-up Video Version:  https://youtu.be/ldiHi0aC2-Y   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

The guys cut through the noise and talk about staying positive when the world, and the jobsite, feels stacked against you. They hit spirals, sleep-as-a-reset, self-care without guilt, and building a team that actually buys in so you can keep momentum. Show Notes: 00:00 Cold Open: No BS 00:50 Chaos vs Control: What You Can Control 09:09 When the Spiral Starts (and How to Stop It) 11:29 Arrival Fallacy & Hedonic Adaptation 15:54 Hard Stop + Sleep as a Reset 26:49 Drop the Guilt: Make Space for Hobbies 32:56 Toxic Positivity vs Real Resilience 46:16 Punch-List Wins: Momentum from Small Finishes 59:44 Cut the Cancers: Protect Team Energy 65:42 Vision & Agency: Let People Own the Win 72:56 Weekly Inventory: Check Your Mind & Business Video Version:  https://youtu.be/MLgkNEzR-_s   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Tyler breaks down how fixed bids had him bleeding on projects and why switching to Time & Materials, vetting hard, and charging for everyday hiccups kept the business alive. He gets into a real day-in-the-life, how he stays motivated when the work is repetitive, what younger trades are valuing now, and how being a dad changed his decisions. Show Notes:00:00 Back in the studio & why this one matters 01:23 A builder’s daily reality (no fluff) 05:29 The early mistake that cost me—switching to T&M 09:15 Picking jobs and saying no (on purpose) 12:29 The client vet list that saves profit 16:13 Charge for hiccups (yes, even tool jams) 20:04 Staying motivated when the work’s repetitive 22:44 What the next generation values (and the wage squeeze) 27:51 How being a dad changed how I run the business 32:50 1:1 help, next steps, wrap-up   Video Version:  https://youtu.be/8m_ur5LCHYI   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Some shops run clean because the people do—no late-night texts, threaded comms, and a lean, full-sub model that actually protects margin. We also get into the personal discipline behind it (sobriety, routines, boundaries) and how that steadied cash flow and home life. https://www.clarkandaldine.com Video Notes:  00:00 Intro & sponsors 05:07 Year in review + first new build 06:16 Cash-flow punch forces a reset 16:05 Sober season: anxiety, sleep, showing up 28:00 Reading & meditation with the kids 38:47 Client comms: no texting—use threads 40:27 Only call for emergencies (house flooding) 60:00 Picking the right scopes for margins 60:50 Running lean: 99.5% subbed out 68:20 Onboarding that sets expectations 78:35 Website, portfolio & finding your client 90:00 Life/business tradeoffs you don’t see on IG 104:50 Wrap-up & where to find Clark + Aldine Video Version:  https://youtu.be/ZckcifjgzLo   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media

Some days the hardest work is in your own head—Tyler gets into anxiety, pressure, and the habits that keep him steady on and off the job. He talks rock bottoms, drawing lines, and choosing family over every extra dollar so he can build for the long haul. Show Notes:  00:00 Not broken—just built different 03:15 Dirt bikes, wrestling, and finding an outlet 07:55 Marriage, space, and being a better partner 11:00 Serving clients without losing yourself 17:30 Anxiety, fear, and doing it anyway 19:45 Cutting out the party to get clear 24:30 Fatherhood raised the stakes 30:26 Catching myself in a manic spiral 34:59 Deadlines, profit, and pressure 38:30 Time management and saying no 40:45 Choosing family over extra dollars 44:30 Leaning into the flaws (and why that works) Video Version:  https://youtu.be/7JjBgOU8E1g   Partners:  Andersen Windows Buildertrend Harnish Workwear  Use code H1025 and get 10% off their H-label gear   The Modern Craftsman: linktr.ee/moderncraftsmanpodcast Find Our Hosts:  Nick Schiffer  Tyler Grace  Podcast Produced By: Motif Media