Well, now that we've zoomed by 10k followers... let me reintroduce myself. I’m not a policy guy. I’m a builder who learned the system by getting my hands dirty. I’ve started businesses, made mistakes, burned time and money, and figured things out the hard way. Somewhere along the way, I realized the biggest leverage point wasn’t another app or funnel. It was helping people get skills that lead to real jobs. Now I build and advise trade schools. I work with workforce boards. I help founders turn “training programs” into actual pipelines to employment. Here’s the truth from inside the machine: The trades aren’t dying. They’re being ignored. And while we argue about college ROI, every city is quietly short on the people who keep the lights on, water running, and systems working. If you’re into skills over status and building things that actually matter, welcome. Newsletter and services below. tradeschoolsecret.com/

$250,000 a year fixing equipment that rides on railroad tracks. Railroad maintenance machines, railcar components and specialized track equipment break just like everything else. But you can’t exactly drop them off at your local mechanic. Specialized technicians travel to rail yards and industrial sites to repair them. Imagine averaging $2,500 per job and completing just 2 jobs a week. That’s $250,000/year in revenue over 50 weeks. One specialized repair business. Expensive tools. Serious training and safety requirements. Here’s what I find hilarious. We spend billions building transportation infrastructure, but almost nobody talks about the small businesses keeping the equipment running. Would you rather own 2 rental properties or a niche repair company that nobody in your neighborhood even understands? Day 291 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

For all my new followers, here's a reminder of what I actually do. I help people start, fix, and scale trade schools. I help existing school owners increase enrollment and access workforce funding. I help employers build their own training academies and tap into programs like WIOA, OJT, and IWT. I've built schools, scaled them, and made plenty of mistakes along the way. I share what I've learned for FREE. Website: TradeSchoolSecrets.co Newsletter: TradeSchoolSecret.com (subscribe on my website) The skilled trades are booming, and I'm helping build the schools that train the next generation.

Every Thursday, my kids’ school encourages students to wear their favorite college T-shirt. Texas A&M. Texas Tech. OU. Baylor. Cool tradition, but I have a question. When are we going to have TRADE SCHOOL THURSDAY? Wear your favorite HVAC, welding, electrical, plumbing, or diesel mechanic shirt. We keep telling kids college isn’t the only path, but from elementary school on, we’re already pushing them in that direction. And with the cost of college today, we should probably be talking a whole lot more about ROI. Who decided we should celebrate colleges every week but rarely celebrate the skilled trades? Would you support a Trade School Thursday at your kids’ school, or am I overthinking this? Day 290 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

$250,000 a year fixing tractors in somebody’s field. Not selling tractors. FIXING them. A farmer has a combine break down during harvest, and suddenly a machine worth hundreds of thousands of dollars isn’t moving. Do you think that farmer wants to wait 2 weeks for the dealership? HECK NO. 😂 That’s where mobile agricultural equipment mechanics come in. Imagine averaging $1,000 per service job and completing 5 jobs a week. That’s $250,000/year in revenue over 50 weeks. One properly equipped service truck, mechanical and hydraulic skills, diagnostic equipment and relationships with local farms. Of course, harvest seasons are crazy, and the business isn’t guaranteed to stay busy year-round. But here’s what blows my mind. We tell kids to go get a degree so they can work in agriculture. What about owning the business that every farmer calls when their $500,000 combine breaks down? Day 289 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

My post about buying assets to offset taxes got me thinking. If you had money to invest and wanted to reduce your tax bill while building another income stream, which one would you choose? Heavy equipment rentals? Luxury restroom trailer rentals? Buy a Tesla Cybertruck and rent it on Turo? All 3 have the potential to generate income and qualify for tax deductions, depending on how they're operated. I just found out about the second today. Which one would you pick and WHY? Or am I missing an even better boring business?

How on gods green earth can I get rid of these texts?!! I get 10-12 per day.

$300,000 a year fixing machines that lay asphalt. Mobile asphalt paving equipment repair. Paving contractors have rollers, pavers and milling machines that cost serious money. When one breaks in the middle of a road project, the contractor can have trucks, workers and equipment sitting around waiting. They need someone who can show up and fix the damn thing. Imagine averaging $1,500 per service job and completing 4 jobs a week. That’s $300,000/year in revenue over 50 weeks. Why do we teach kids how to get hired by construction companies but rarely show them the businesses that KEEP those companies running? Day 288 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

I forgot to share this hilarious story. My wife had the COPS called on her at my son's soccer tournament yesterday. 😂 They had a couple of teenage refs, maybe 16 years old, calling the games and let's just say they were struggling. My son got absolutely tackled and there wasn't even a warning. My wife immediately went into full mama bear mode and yelled, "REFS, OPEN YOUR EYES! Someone is going to get seriously hurt!" Other parents started getting involved because the calls were getting ridiculous. After the game, my wife made a couple more comments and one of the refs looked at her and said, "I'm calling the cops on you for harassing a minor!" Every parent around us busted out laughing. I've been married to this woman for years and I don't think I've ever seen her that heated. 😂 The cops never showed up, but my son learned two things yesterday. His mom will ALWAYS have his back. You do NOT mess with mama bear when her kids are involved. Anyone else married to one of these moms? 😂

Parents, before your kid decides to go to college to figure things out show them this one. $300,000 a year welding broken construction equipment. 😂 Who knows someone that does Mobile heavy equipment welding? An excavator bucket cracks. A bulldozer breaks a bracket. A $250,000 piece of equipment is suddenly sitting on a job site doing NOTHING. And the contractor needs it fixed yesterday. Imagine charging an average of $1,500 per repair and completing just 4 jobs a week. That’s $6,000/week or $300,000/year in revenue working 50 weeks. One skilled welder. One properly equipped service truck. Legally print money. Obviously, you’ve got equipment, insurance, materials and other expenses. And some repairs require specialized procedures. But even then. Would you rather your kid chase a corporate title or learn a skill that could eventually turn into a $300k business? 287 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

My buddy Mike owes $180,000 in taxes this year. His CPA told him there are 3 investments worth looking into. Buy an Airbnb. A qualifying short-term rental with cost segregation and material participation could create significant deductions. Invest in oil & gas. Certain direct working-interest investments offer substantial upfront tax deductions. Buy heavy equipment and rent it out. Qualifying equipment may be eligible for 100% bonus depreciation, although passive-loss rules matter. Obviously, none of these are automatic write-offs, and he’d need a good CPA to structure them correctly. But here’s what blows my mind. Some people write a six-figure check to the IRS without ever exploring these options. Others invest in income-producing assets and legally reduce their taxable income. If you owed $180K in taxes, which one would you look into first?

I bet you don’t know one person that does this. $250,000 a year fixing FIRE HYDRANTS. 😂 Yep. Those red things sitting on the side of the road. They leak, freeze, break and need regular inspections and maintenance. Cities, industrial facilities and private commercial properties need people who know how to repair them. Imagine averaging $1,000 per job and completing just 5 jobs a week. That’s $250,000/year in revenue over 50 weeks. Would you rather own a lawn care company competing with 500 guys or a specialized business repairing fire hydrants? Day 286 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

Let that sink in.

$250,000 a year fixing refrigerators. And I’m not talking about the one in your kitchen. Walk-in coolers and freezers. Restaurants, convenience stores, grocery stores and commercial kitchens have thousands of dollars in food sitting inside these things. When a compressor fails at 9 PM on a Friday, do you think the owner wants to wait until Monday? HELL NO. 😂 Imagine averaging $500 per service call and completing 2 calls a day. That’s $1,000/day or $250,000/year in revenue working 5 days a week, 50 weeks. You could even add preventive maintenance contracts. Meanwhile, everyone still wants to open a restaurant. I’d rather own the company that every restaurant has to call when something breaks. Am I wrong? Day 285 tagging @mikeroweworks and bringing awareness to the trades.

This will be the best video you’ll see today. And if you don’t RT it we aren’t friends 😂

There is nothing better than doing deep work on a plane. Change my mind.

Well this is a nice surprise. I get to wear hoodies again 😂