Jan. 7, 2026

S3 EP13 How Much Can Electricians Really Make in 2026?

Are electricians really making $100K in 2026? Or even more? In this episode of The Million Dollar Electrician, we unpack exactly how much different electricians are earning right now, from apprentices to seasoned business owners. We share real stories from the field, exact income numbers, and the simple formula for unlocking six figures in the trade: Time × Value. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your shop, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on what’s possible i...

Are electricians really making $100K in 2026? Or even more?

In this episode of The Million Dollar Electrician, we unpack exactly how much different electricians are earning right now, from apprentices to seasoned business owners. We share real stories from the field, exact income numbers, and the simple formula for unlocking six figures in the trade: Time × Value.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your shop, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on what’s possible in the trade and how top-performing electricians are doing it without burning out.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

-How much apprentices, journeymen & service techs make today

-Why some electricians break $100K and others don’t

-The one question that unlocked a million-dollar mindset

-From $14/hour to $250K years: real stories from the trade

-Why time × value = schedule control + income growth

⚡️Want more tools, strategies & trainings to take your electrical service business to the next level? Join the community inside SLE Pro App!

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📞 Call: 909-490-5789

⚡️ Book your complimentary call with Forrest Schwartz
CoFounder and CEO of TopLineGrowth
Focused on helping companies grow their top line revenue via digital marketing.

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⚡️Jump into the Million Dollar Electrician Community and connect with real business-minded sparkies!

⚡️If you are an electrician looking for trade-specific business training in pricing, options, sales, attraction, and marketing strategies, Then our Loop Method is your answer!

⚡️Learn how to serve and earn at the highest level. Contact us, we’d love to help!

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#ElectricianPodcast

00:00 - Can Any Electrician Hit $100K?

01:27 - What Electricians Are Worth In 2026

02:25 - Personal Growth And Mindset Shifts

04:31 - Early Apprenticeship Pay Stories

07:33 - Asking For Raises And Proving Value

10:02 - Purpose, Survival, And Career Vision

12:41 - Falling In Love With The Trade

15:14 - Time vs Value: Fast Paths To $100K

18:18 - The Notepad Method For Rapid Learning

21:44 - Concrete Numbers: Apprentice To Journeyman Pay

23:19 - The Million-Dollar Value Equation

26:03 - Market Wages, Hours, And Union Paths

28:11 - Building A Million-Dollar Service Business

30:25 - Final Thoughts And Community Invite

WEBVTT

00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.360
So do you believe in 2026 that any electrician can earn a hundred K plus?

00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:10.880
I personally think that not just electricians, but specifically service electricians.

00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:15.119
The reason being was the value that I found was learning how to sell.

00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:20.800
It's like I can do the job, but I could also convince the customer that working with us is the right decision.

00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.800
And when we were able to do that, unlock that skill, now you're in a niche in and of itself.

00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:28.399
Because there are salespeople and there are electricians, but there's very few who do both.

00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:35.200
If you want to make a six-figure salary in today's industry, it's doable, but you have to find the niche that people are willing to reward at this point.

00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.240
Get into service and learn how to communicate.

00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:45.359
Because if you can communicate, they will ship you off install and they will put you somewhere else because now you have to be someone who's customer faces.

00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:46.640
And that guy's working.

00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:59.280
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Million Dollar Electrician Podcast, where we help home service pros like you supercharge your business and spark up those sales.

00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:07.359
I'm Joseph Lucani, and together with my co-host Clay New Meyer, we're here to share the secrets that have helped electricians sell over a million dollars to a single service man.

00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:10.159
Now it's time for sales.

00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.560
It's time for scale.

00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:18.159
It's time to become a million-dollar electrician.

00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:24.719
Hello guys, and welcome back to another great episode of the Million Dollar Electrician.

00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:27.040
Today we've got something super fun in store.

00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:38.560
We haven't really covered this before, but the more we've gone over and found relatability in our past journeys, Joe, the more we've been excited about this particular episode, which is how much can you make as an electrician really?

00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:41.040
What is an electrician worth in 2026?

00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:42.319
Use my blip there.

00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.480
And by the way, guys, welcome to the new year.

00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:45.439
Happy New Year, Joe.

00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:46.319
How are you doing, brother?

00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:47.439
It's a great year, man.

00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:49.760
Honestly, what continuously feeling blessed.

00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.280
I'm very grateful to have what we have.

00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:53.120
I'm great, very grateful to be where we are.

00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.120
Uh, it's a lot of reflections this year.

00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:59.519
You know, it's a lot of really good things happening and just putting it forward to continue in the future.

00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:00.239
I love it.

00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:01.040
You know what?

00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:04.640
Since this episode is actually, I mean, yeah, it's about money and what you guys are gonna make.

00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:07.120
And we're gonna give you hard numbers on this episode.

00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:23.599
Not only what we made, but what we're seeing people make now and what you could expect as an apprentice, as an electrician, as someone coming up in the trade and the different niches within the trade, and even heck, like we're doing, helping other electricians is an avenue that we all have available to us at some point.

00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.759
We're gonna explore all of that, all of it.

00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:33.919
But Joe, you said something important to me last week about how much in reflection on 2025, how much you feel you grew just in the last year.

00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:36.240
You shed some light on that just a little bit.

00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:37.280
Let us in.

00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:46.159
Now, just in the last year, as far as like as a person, because I know that was like one of the conversations we had, is I'm a kind of person who's overly hard on themselves.

00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:55.439
I'm sure if anyone who's grown up similar to me, where you feel like you constantly need to prove yourself to earn love or earn self-worth, I never show I never shook that quite.

00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:57.840
And as a result, I always want to be a better coach.

00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:04.000
I want to be a better teacher, I want to be a better partner, I want to be a better friend, a better son, a better, you know, a better husband, a better father.

00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:12.000
And I think that if we don't continuously focus on those things, even our professional selves won't thrive the same way they should.

00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:17.840
So, what I can say for certain is that I've learned a lot from coaching a lot of people at this point.

00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:25.520
And I can say that my teaching strategy has definitely improved and that I'm seeing a lot of great wins coming from our clients as a result from it.

00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:28.240
Um, I'm loving how I can be more present with my children.

00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:32.960
I love that I could be still present with my wife and treat them with the the love that they deserve.

00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:36.560
And I'm grateful to be a good partner to you and I'm able to serve this wonderful mission.

00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:37.599
Thanks, man.

00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:39.919
Yeah, it was a big year for me too.

00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:45.520
I think anyone that works close to me understands that my standards are unforgiving.

00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:47.680
And so it's like it's not even an option, you know?

00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:50.639
And I'm sure there's people listening that feel this the same way.

00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:57.599
Um, Austin, one of our uh support specialists, he he said to me, Hey, maybe you should try jujitsu.

00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:02.240
I feel, Joe, like I already do jujitsu every day.

00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:04.560
I'm tapping, man, every night.

00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:08.560
It's like I put myself in a submission for higher standards, if you know what I mean.

00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:11.759
You know, so 2025 was a big year for me too.

00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:12.319
I love that.

00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:14.319
And I'm gonna I'm gonna throw in with Austin here.

00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:17.600
I've been boxing now for almost about, let's say, half a year.

00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:22.480
And there's nothing better than waking up and just absolutely punching the bag like it owes you money.

00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:24.560
Your day just starts so much better from there.

00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:27.040
So I guarantee if you haven't tried it yet, just hit something.

00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:28.240
I guarantee you'll feel better.

00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:29.279
Yeah, fair enough.

00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:29.759
Fair enough.

00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:30.879
I've thought about that.

00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:41.839
Uh, if you follow me on social media at all, I recently did a teenage girl post about uh my teens and some of the troubles and the uh acknowledgments of of self-growth through that.

00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:44.800
And a punching bag definitely comes to mind, Joe.

00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.920
Something, something for uh not just for me.

00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:49.519
I've thought about getting one for them.

00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:52.959
Hey, uh, maybe hit this instead of the old man.

00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:56.240
Not physical, just a verbal joke.

00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:58.399
Joe, let's jump into the trade stuff, though.

00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:04.319
Man, tell me, when you started as an apprentice, what was it worth being an electrical apprentice back then?

00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:12.399
Now it feels weird even thinking back because I started when I was somewhere between 14 and 15, depending on what month I actually started.

00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:21.279
But I got right into the field working for my brother's boss, and they were an electrical company, and I was making, and I'm proud of this.

00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:24.720
It was at the time I was making$14 an hour.

00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:29.680
And at the time, this is like 2007, 2006, my mind is blown.

00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:32.879
I'm like,$14 an hour.

00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:38.720
Oh my god, my friends are making seven working at these restaurants in the Woodbury Commons.

00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:39.680
I'm working double.

00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:41.680
This is great, this is amazing.

00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:43.120
I could buy stuff now.

00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:46.240
It was it was the craziest feeling, and all I wanted was overtime.

00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:47.920
All I wanted was more overtime.

00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:49.600
I thought I was rolling in it.

00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:55.199
I'm curious what your pathway to growth was on your side over in New York.

00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:02.480
Uh, for us, I started similarly uh late 2007, early 2008, which was really interesting because it was in a crash.

00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:09.199
I think other staff at this company were actually pissed off that I got hired at that time because there wasn't a ton of work.

00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:14.720
It was almost like they saw potential and just made the hire because I had already been in business.

00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:21.120
And of course, for those of you that know me and been following for a while, my first business was concrete, fell short, absolutely.

00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:27.040
Um, you know,$44 million project that I just completely dropped the ball on the foundation for.

00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:30.560
But sticking to this trade,$15 an hour.

00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:31.839
That's what it started.

00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:32.240
What was it?

00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:34.160
$15, so dollar more than you.

00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:35.360
But it was Canadian.

00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:37.360
Let that let that's Canadian.

00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:38.240
That's why, yeah.

00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.120
And the dollar was a little more even, so about the same, I guess.

00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:42.800
It was$15 an hour.

00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:47.920
Now, I hear guys paying more than that in some places now, and some places less than that.

00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:50.399
But I think there's something really important to note.

00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:52.399
We're starting at the barrel bottom.

00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:54.399
Neither of us really had electrical experience.

00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:55.199
Is that true for you?

00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:55.600
Yeah.

00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:58.000
I mean, I I did not know anything.

00:06:58.160 --> 00:06:59.519
My parents were not handy.

00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:00.720
I didn't learn how to be handy.

00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:04.720
I just knew I wanted to be like my grandparents who could fix everything.

00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:09.040
So I was told to get into the trade, and yes, sir, I did it, you know.

00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:14.560
I remember back then at this point, I had already read a book called The Wealthy Barber.

00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:15.680
You ever hear about that one?

00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:16.560
Can't say that I have.

00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:16.800
No.

00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:17.759
I think you've mentioned it before.

00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:18.959
I don't think I actually read it though.

00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:20.480
It's not my favorite book.

00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:30.240
I don't think a ton of people love this one a ton because it's it's that whole saving to millions kind of piece with a couple extra get some more out of life uh uh nuggets in there.

00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:37.439
But one of those get more out of life nuggets was a stat that I don't remember, but it was essentially saying that not enough people ask for raises.

00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:43.759
Sorry to all the guys uh with companies that your staff hear this, but it's a real thing.

00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:49.279
Uh, a lot of people just work for years without acknowledgement or performance review and no raise.

00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.319
And so I took that to heart in my early apprenticeship.

00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:54.560
And I remember the first raise I asked for.

00:07:54.720 --> 00:08:05.759
I asked to go from 15 to 16, and I asked the owner of the company, despite there being about 30 other people in management that could have helped me with this.

00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:08.639
And the story I gave him, I remember this.

00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:18.000
I was at the supply house with my journey one min one morning, and I was eyeing up this uh UE meter, this multimeter, the clamp, right?

00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:28.240
Had had uh basic functions, and it's like uh 259, somewhere in there, dollar multimeter with the construction and some of the service work we were doing.

00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:30.079
It was like, hey, this is a useful device.

00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.199
Everyone else has one.

00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:31.920
I want one.

00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:36.480
So I literally asked for a dollar raise so that I could afford that meter.

00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:38.159
You know what he said?

00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:42.960
Yeah, yeah, for sure.

00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:44.320
I got the raise that day.

00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:49.039
So I got to 16 in my first eight months of the apprenticeship.

00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:51.600
Joe, let me ask you this though.

00:08:51.919 --> 00:08:52.799
What did you see?

00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:55.440
What do you remember seeing for yourself at that time?

00:08:55.759 --> 00:09:02.320
Like as far as where could this go for me and what could I earn that I'm committed to this trade?

00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:06.399
So it's a weird, it's a it's a hard question to answer.

00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:09.600
And the reason being is because I was in a very different place.

00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:17.519
I was at that time when I first started, I knew there was something different, but I didn't think I was gonna make it to 21.

00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:22.000
So I was just doing everything I could to find inspiration and hope.

00:09:22.799 --> 00:09:31.519
I knew if I was going to somehow get through what I was going through, I needed to find a way to get into a higher position.

00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:36.559
I needed I thought if I learned more skills, they would treat me nicer at work.

00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:43.440
If I learned more skills, they wouldn't know people wouldn't be as insulting or as rude or treat me like I was that much different.

00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:47.600
I figured if I just knew more skills, I could be worth something.

00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:56.399
So I just busted my ass to try and learn everything and ask as many questions, even if it annoyed everyone around me, because I didn't see myself staying there.

00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:04.159
But I said I gotta learn everything I can here, and eventually when I get to that new place, I'll have something and then I'll be worth something.

00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:10.080
You know, so it's may not be the answer you're necessarily looking for, but that's that's where I was at at the time.

00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:10.960
Okay.

00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:24.320
Did you have any amount of like financial forecast for your future, whether that be an hourly rate or I could make XYZ per year, and so I know this trade is worth it?

00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:28.399
Yes, but it wasn't routed, it wasn't rooted in actual forethought.

00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:32.399
And here's why I said at the youngest age, I want to retire at 55.

00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.399
I didn't know how I was gonna get there.

00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:56.399
I knew the end goal was I wanted to have all the things that I seem to have now, but I wanted to be able to retire early so that I could actually enjoy life because I saw my grandparents, they were in the trades, whereas everyone else was white collar, and they ended up with hurt knees and bad backs and broken hands and missing limbs and hearing damage and all this stuff.

00:10:56.720 --> 00:11:01.360
I'm like, I don't want to work to that point where I'm dying while I'm still alive.

00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:03.840
So I said, I gotta retire early.

00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:05.759
I had no idea how I was gonna get there.

00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:10.960
I just assumed that once again, if I learn more skills, people will naturally pay me more.

00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:12.879
I just thought it was hand in hand.

00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:14.480
You know, you know more, you're worth more.

00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:15.759
No more, worth more.

00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:18.960
So I had no idea how I was gonna get there, other than just learning more stuff.

00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:21.120
Yep, I agree.

00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:22.320
I agree 100%.

00:11:22.960 --> 00:11:39.279
And I want to preface um my kind of take on this by saying obviously, uh maybe obviously it's the wrong word, but I think it's fairly obvious that we believe as an electrician, you could make over a million dollars in a year just based on the name of this podcast.

00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:40.320
I agree with that.

00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:50.480
Now there's some things that need to happen for that to fall in place, but I will also say that I never imagined myself making a million dollars a year as an electrician.

00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:52.960
That that was not on the radar.

00:11:53.200 --> 00:12:01.519
I remember when I took my job in this trade, I literally said the words to the guy that hired me, that's fine, just give me the ticket.

00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:04.240
Which actually suggests something.

00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:07.840
It sounds arrogant, and it was an answer to, like, hey, do you want a job here?

00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:10.879
I can get you in electrical, because they also did instrumentation.

00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:13.679
So I was like, you know what, that's fine, just give me the ticket.

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:17.120
But what it also suggested is I knew it was plan B.

00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:26.879
I knew that I needed something to substantiate my value for the rest of my life, and that's how I thought of the electrical ticket at first.

00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:31.279
But that's like day one before I realized how much I actually loved this trade.

00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:32.320
Does that make sense, Joe?

00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:33.039
It does.

00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:42.320
And you know, like eventually when I got to the point where I was owning my own business and I had a little bit of a different view of the world, I really loved being an electrician.

00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:48.399
And I remember specifically going back and finishing a panel, and there was one panel that it was it was perfect.

00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:49.279
You know what I mean?

00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:50.240
Like we did the whole thing.

00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:57.279
My partner had a bad situation happen, and I took on the job, I did all by myself, and the panel was great and the service was great, and every line was parallel.

00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:03.519
And I walked back and I remember staring at it, just staring at it for like probably 30 minutes, going, I did that.

00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.360
Like, wow, I did that.

00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:07.039
That came out so nice.

00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:09.600
And I just circled the property looking at it.

00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:14.320
So yeah, I didn't really fall in love in love with it until I owned my own thing.

00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.799
But yeah, I know what you're talking about, man.

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:19.039
It's a feeling that's almost indescribable.

00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:21.840
I loved that, and I just wrote an email recently about this.

00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:27.600
So if you're on our email list, uh our newsletter, I send a daily one out that I write over coffee each morning.

00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:32.720
And one of these was my first project in the trade was actually on a rotophase project.

00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:34.000
You know what that is, Joe?

00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:39.600
I know that it's a tool that is good for bumping voltages, but I've never used one as I'm a res residential guy.

00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:41.360
Yeah, it's really not common.

00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:53.519
And this is like my first week in the trade, but we were at a pig farm that was miles from the nearest three phase, and the utility had quoted them like a quarter to a half million bucks for running three phase to their farm.

00:13:53.759 --> 00:14:02.320
So instead, what rotaphase does is you use single phase motors to spin a three-phase motor and basically generate three phases.

00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:02.879
Okay.

00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:08.320
So they call it like an idler motor or whatever, but it's not an exact science.

00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:11.440
And there's some tuning, you got to kind of mess with the legs a bit.

00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:17.919
And there was a lot of stuff I didn't understand at this time, and I still deem this to be a fairly technical challenge.

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:37.519
But what happened was I was working with this very new, or maybe not even quite a journeyman at the time, who was my senior that I was working with direct, but we would spend like half hour to an hour on the whiteboard every morning with our master electrician who'd been in the trade for 40 years, and no one was right.

00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:42.879
And what I mean by that is in all the technical back and forth, we didn't really know.

00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:51.759
And that to me, coming from a concrete and carpentry and different contractors in that regard, was like there was so much arrogance and so much everyone knows everything.

00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:56.879
And coming into this trade and experiencing that firsthand early on, I was like, wow.

00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:02.879
The master in this case, with three decades more experience, doesn't know the answer.

00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:08.080
We have to literally test and measure and find our result and and learn as a team.

00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:09.600
That was an incredible feeling.

00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:11.600
That's when I actually fell in love with electrical.

00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:12.559
That's really awesome, man.

00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.879
You know, and it actually matches your personality.

00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:20.159
Like, I love how you live in the 30,000 looking down and saying, like, all right, how does this work?

00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:21.279
Why does this work?

00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:22.639
How can I replicate it?

00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:23.679
What's the next move?

00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:25.279
And I love that about your personality.

00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:31.120
So I can almost imagine young play in that class with the gears turning inside your head, like, all right, we're gonna figure this out.

00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.559
Yeah, it's crazy time.

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.840
It's crazy time.

00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:41.759
So my journey in the trade, like at that time, basically in the industry I was in, which was more industrial, doing a lot of oil and gas stuff and bigger projects.

00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:44.799
Of course, I had failed a project and I had failed a business already.

00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:50.000
So my drive has always been here to help first recover my own mistakes.

00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:51.200
I had to do that.

00:15:51.360 --> 00:16:00.399
But then also, like, I learned later on that, hey, I want to help people solve those problems so they don't have to go through the same shit that I went through and basically lose everything.

00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:05.679
I'm so glad I was young when this happened because I didn't have a lot to lose other than my dignity.

00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:09.759
That said, that's what kind of catapulted me in the trade.

00:16:09.840 --> 00:16:20.799
So I could see a clear direction to a hundred to even two hundred thousand dollars a year as an electrician in that field, in those positions.

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:23.440
However, it was a major trade-off.

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.480
These guys were like getting divorced left and right, right?

00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:33.120
You're out in camp for weeks at a time, and no one knows what the missus is doing.

00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:38.000
All of a sudden she's doing I don't even want to go down that road, but you get it.

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:40.720
It's just like constant chaos.

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:47.679
You're missing uh weekends with your kids, you're missing the evenings, you're missing all the tuck-ins, all the moments, right?

00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:50.159
And so the trade-off was massive.

00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:54.480
And I remember thinking to myself, like, this is just the home of the delinquents.

00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:56.559
And I was one of them.

00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:05.440
And we were just like a bunch of misfits together out in the bush, drinking too much, working too many hours, and really having a very hard life.

00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:08.480
So in the end, I kind of got settled and stuck in that.

00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:21.119
And my greatest year in those positions, I started running managing projects, not managing, but running like supervisor stuff as a second year electrician because of my background and my understanding and quick learning.

00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.680
So I cracked my first 100K year in my second year in the trade, actually.

00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:27.279
I was very fortunate to do that.

00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.759
But I think that's still possible today.

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.039
What are your thoughts on that, Joe?

00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:31.839
I agree with that.

00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:38.400
You know, and it really comes down to positioning yourself in a way that you can either provide value or you can provide time, right?

00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:43.039
And the reason why I say that is because you can almost hit the grind wheel.

00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:46.000
And that's like the hourly punch-in, the clock kind of guys.

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:49.359
Like, if I put time in, yeah, you can do it.

00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:51.920
But then there's other people, like you mentioned the instrumentation.

00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:56.240
One thing I did was I actually worked as a robotics tech before I actually started my own company.

00:17:56.400 --> 00:17:58.079
Actually, no, no, that was during the props.

00:17:58.240 --> 00:17:58.960
I was actually doing nice.

00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.680
I was doing nice as a robotic while I was trying to pay for the company.

00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:09.200
But the reason I actually got into that was because I had the background in college and that offered a great, like kind of supplemental income.

00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:16.799
The benefit was I was able to pay for all my materials and actually fronting the business and doing all the things while also paying for a wedding.

00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:17.920
So it was great.

00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.039
So I understand what you mean.

00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:22.960
You either have the time, you're on the grind wheel, or you have something of value that you can cash in on.

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.319
Yeah, I love that you said that.

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:29.039
That's exactly where I would have taken it to was I found the value that they needed.

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:35.920
And that's the only logical reason that anyone would ever take a second-year apprentice and give them a truck and the keys to their own project.

00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:44.480
The value of that project is like, I don't know, they were$1.5,$2 million projects, a bunch of cookie cutter um gas compressor stations, natural gas.

00:18:44.640 --> 00:19:00.799
Anyways, I had known just from working on them for a year, year and a half, I was a quick learner, so I was able to adapt, but it's the value and my commitment of time, both the things that you said, that led to that really kind of extraordinary income for an apprentice.

00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:13.680
Although these days, I think even in service, if you're someone that really leans into the service side and is able to treat customers well, uh, residential electrical isn't really rocket science.

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:17.680
You can learn it pretty quick, really, if you put your mind to it.

00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:26.160
And on this episode, I also wanted to share with you guys just a couple of the tricks that I use to accelerate extremely quick in anything new that I learn.

00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:29.359
And it was something that I really became known for in the field, if that was all right.

00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.079
By all means.

00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:32.480
I mean, you're gonna share some of the value, everyone's gonna benefit from it.

00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.160
They used to call me, and this I'm not proud of this name, but it's true.

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:47.359
They would call me the notepad Nazi because literally what would happen that I recognized in the trade is Joe, you ever you ever speak to someone and you're giving them directions and they go, uh huh.

00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:48.079
Mm-hmm.

00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:48.880
Yep.

00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:50.160
Yep.

00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:53.599
And then at the end you say, Okay, now what is your instruction?

00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:54.720
What are your next steps?

00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:58.960
And they go, uh uh, uh, and they don't know.

00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:00.960
That was like the Biggest problem.

00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:09.119
And when there's so many moving parts, all you got to do is recognize that one of the biggest values is just knowing you can trust someone to do what they said they would do.

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:12.640
So notepad's your best friend for that.

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:17.119
But I didn't just grab the standard little steno pad that you'd fit in your pocket.

00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:18.640
That's what they gave away for free.

00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:24.400
I would go and buy a$30 eight by 11 and I would fill pages every day.

00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:30.559
And as I learned the trade and our niche more and more, those pages started filling less and less.

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:34.319
So you could literally tell how much the absorption was kicking in.

00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:35.039
Does that make sense?

00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:35.920
It actually does.

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:42.079
And I didn't know we had that in common because when I first started, the weird name they gave me was Safety Joe.

00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:47.680
Because I came out of college and I'm like, I just assumed I didn't remember, I didn't want to be like my grandparents.

00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:54.400
So I had the safety glasses and the hard hat and the thing, the full like tickered thing, and all my other guys are like looking at me like, what are you wearing?

00:20:54.559 --> 00:21:00.000
But the reason I bring it up is I had a notepad in my front pocket and I was like, anything someone tells me I think he's gonna learn, I'm gonna write it down.

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:04.000
And you're right, it's like the best way of doing it because that's how you learn things.

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:11.920
If I can look at it, I may miss it in the moment, but if I can record it and reflect on it in the evening, I'll be better the next day.

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:24.160
And maybe it takes a little bit longer to do, but if I keep making that effort every day and I retain even a fraction of what I'm writing down, I will improve faster than everyone else who's yes manning the boss.

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:24.799
100%.

00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:26.799
Yeah, it's a major tactic, guys.

00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:33.440
If you're not taking notes already, like if you're an apprentice or someone thinking about our trade or any trade for that matter, this applies to anyone.

00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:35.119
Please get a big notepad.

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:44.640
Jim Rohn used to say, why buy an expensive empty book to make sure I put enough value in it to tip the scales on that, on that uh price, on that expense, on that investment.

00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:47.200
And I think that's such a great way to look at it.

00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:59.680
To cut right to the chase, as an apprentice today, going 2026 now to 2027, you should easily be able to generate between 16 and 26 bucks an hour the whole way up.

00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:07.359
And if you're creating extra value, like myself and Joe were able to do, you could easily break near that$30 an hour threshold.

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:17.119
But again, all this takes is understanding what the business needs, not just my journeyman's next tool, not just the next cover to put on.

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:20.319
Like, how do I serve the business and the value as a whole?

00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:23.119
And for that reason, I wanted to bring up another lesson I had.

00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.240
I was about a third or fourth year running projects for a while.

00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:29.359
I might have even been a journeyman already, but it would have been pretty fresh.

00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:38.880
And the owner of this family business that I worked with before, who's actually the son of the guy I asked for a raise from, we were driving out to a site, it was about a one-hour drive.

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:44.559
And he looked over at me and he said, Clay, is it unreasonable to think that I would pay you a million dollars a year?

00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:45.440
And I laughed.

00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:47.440
Like, who did a nervous laughter?

00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:50.240
But like, well, I mean, yeah.

00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:53.839
I wasn't unlocked yet.

00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:54.799
I didn't understand.

00:22:54.880 --> 00:23:01.359
But there's an unlock in this moment because he followed that up with saying, Well, if you earned me$2 million, why wouldn't I pay you a million?

00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:05.039
And in that moment, I realized exactly what you pointed out, Joe.

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:06.720
Value, time.

00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:10.559
How do I increase my impact for this business?

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.559
Because I'm actually in control.

00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:18.480
So it's not all just about asking for a raise, it's not all just about positioning yourself to look shiny and clean.

00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:25.599
It's actually how do I improve the revenue and the profitability of this business to justify a greater wage?

00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:30.559
And if you do that and you work with us, I'll increase your pay all day, every day.

00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.279
I agree.

00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:36.480
You know, one of the things that I like is that I remember struggling against like all these.

00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:45.920
I remember when the at somewhere was it, like 2015, 2014, somewhere around there, all the fast food industries were like, we'll pay$20 an hour, we'll pay like it was something ridiculous.

00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:50.640
We'll pay like$18 or$22 an hour for like the entry 11 McDonald's job.

00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:57.119
And everyone's argument was I'm here digging a trench for$17 an hour, and I can flip burgers for$20.

00:23:57.359 --> 00:24:01.599
So what we did was we said whatever the fast food was doing, we tried doing a dollar more than that.

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:10.720
Because I wanted to at least say if you could flip burgers for this, and I'm once again, I'm not insulting the fast food industry, you guys have a hard job to an extent, but at the same time, I'm digging a trench, right?

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.640
I want to make sure that if I'm gonna do this, I gotta get paid for it.

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:20.160
Like, I don't want to say I could do something easier and pay more, then do something harder and get paid less.

00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:22.720
Yeah, no, I agree 100%.

00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:28.720
Joe, in your on the tools career, what's the most you're able to make?

00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:32.400
I know that you really took off when you started in your own business.

00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:35.440
So where did that kind of cap for you for other people?

00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:44.799
So it's a mixed answer because I remember being able to cross a six-figure salary right around 24, 25, somewhere around like as far as like my age.

00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:48.240
And I remember being like, wow, it for a 25-year-old, that was pretty nuts.

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:58.880
But a lot of it wasn't as much a salary because when we were running our business, we had so much structured about like this is covered and this is covered, and this is a perk, and that's a perk, and this is a perk.

00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:05.440
So on paper, it was a six-figure salary, but we were doing very, very, very, very well for ourselves.

00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:10.559
And I'm very happy about that because it allowed me to be in a situation where I didn't have any debt.

00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:13.200
Like everything was paid off.

00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:18.160
I didn't buy boats or planes or cars, I just everything was paid, and I was able to enjoy that.

00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.519
Those boats and planes you mentioned were a direct shot at me, by the way, guys.

00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.799
Don't ignore that.

00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:25.680
That was a straight jab to the solar plaques.

00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:26.880
You know what?

00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.079
It's you know me.

00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.240
My thing is my first goal is pay the mortgage.

00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:32.480
When the mortgage is paid, then I can buy the things.

00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:33.680
So that was my goal.

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:36.559
Once the mortgage was cleared, we're good.

00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:42.799
So do you believe in 2026 that any electrician can earn a hundred K plus?

00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:44.880
Yeah, I really think so.

00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:50.960
And the reason being is because if you can understand almost how to hack the formula, right?

00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:59.839
Like you start off turning the wheel, but if you can get off that line and say, either I actually personally, I'll even be more direct.

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:10.319
I personally think that not just electricians, but specifically service electricians, the reason being was the value that I found was learning how to sell.

00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:16.799
It's like I can do the job, but I could also convince the customer that working with us is the right decision.

00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:21.359
And when we were able to do that, unlock that skill, now you're in a niche in and of itself.

00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:25.200
Because there are salespeople and there are electricians, but there's very few who can do both.

00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:30.240
And then when I got into generator niching and saying, I just want to do generators, like that's it.

00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:31.599
That's all I want to do.

00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:36.000
It's like, okay, how many real generator specialists are there?

00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:37.759
So I agree.

00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:44.480
If you want to make a six-figure salary in today's industry, it's doable, but you have to find the niche that people are willing to reward at this point.

00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:49.839
So my first suggestion get into service and learn how to communicate.

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:59.039
Because if you can communicate, they will ship you off install and they will put you somewhere else because now you can be someone who's customer-facing, and that guy's worth more.

00:26:59.279 --> 00:26:59.920
I agree.

00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:00.640
I agree.

00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:11.039
We're hearing uh rates all all across the industry right now, US and Canada, for a good journeyman, you're 35 to 40 an hour in service or even in other trades.

00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:18.559
I know there's some low spots in the projects, et cetera, guys, but even just that times your 2,000 hours a year, 35, that's 70K.

00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.000
So$70,000.

00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:34.079
What we're suggesting is you can, you have the opportunity to break$100K by just adding another 30 to 40% value over what others in your company or the company you're working at are providing.

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:38.640
And I do believe that's possible for anyone here, either by time or value, right?

00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:42.400
You could also work more hours, which was a huge part of my strategy.

00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:48.480
We worked not 2,000 hours, like some years it was three, 3,500, even 4,000 hours.

00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.240
Like we cranked out some hours.

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:55.920
I think my longest shift was 92 days of 12 and 13 hour days straight.

00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.880
Oh it got insane.

00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:06.000
Now I'm not saying you guys have to do that to make this because that was when I was making 28, right?

00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:07.200
30 bucks an hour.

00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:11.519
The wages were lower, and in that industry they were lower, and in that time they were lower.

00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:19.920
So now I mean, union guys, 50 bucks an hour, you know, 90,000 to 100,000 a year already.

00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:26.000
Some union guys are are on the fast track to 120, 130 a year just for showing up.

00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:29.279
So I really believe there's big opportunities out here.

00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:34.240
Joe, I just want to thank you for sharing some of the inside scoops uh from your history.

00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:36.960
I know I always enjoy those discussions as well.

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:38.079
So appreciate it, man.

00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:39.119
Truly my pleasure.

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:43.839