Forge Contractor Alliance Podcast

In this episode of the Forge Contractor Podcast, the conversation becomes a year-end reflection centered on one defining idea: real growth comes from pruning, not piling on. What begins as a thought about revisiting the AGM quickly shifts into a deeper discussion about 2025 as a season of cutting back so the right things can grow.
Josh and Kenton talk candidly about what pruning has looked like at Ridgeline. Saying no to work that isn’t healthy, even when it’s emotionally difficult. Letting people go, hiring slower, and choosing values, mindset, and culture fit over raw talent. Moving away from transactional approaches to labor and toward a team built on trust, buy-in, and shared standards.
The conversation expands to the future of the trades and why craftsmanship and human skill aren’t disappearing anytime soon. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, Josh and Kenton argue that real-world problem solving and hands-on experience will only become more valuable. A central theme throughout the episode is brotherhood and accountability through Forge.
They reflect on why the group exists, the importance of having peers who can speak honestly without being entangled in day-to-day operations, and why keeping the podcast free from financial pressure helps preserve integrity and intention.
The episode closes with optimism for 2026, gratitude for the listeners, and thanks to Seth Steward Productions and Kalen Wookey for their continued support behind the scenes. If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who would appreciate it and help grow the Forge community.
Original theme music composed and performed by: Ben Smith
Produced by: Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by: Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

In this episode of the Forge Contractor Podcast, the conversation turns toward success, trust, and the deeper motivations that shape how leaders show up at work and in life. Josh and Kenton reflect on what it actually means to build something meaningful, not just profitable, and how trust inside a team can either fuel momentum or quietly erode it.
They explore how trust inside a team can either accelerate growth or quietly drain energy, and why shared vision is one of the most powerful forces in any organization. Josh reflects on a recent staff Christmas party and the reality of turnover, growth, and leadership responsibility over the past year, while Kenton speaks to the importance of teamwork and mutual buy-in at every level of a business.
The conversation also looks back on the journey of the podcast itself. Josh and Kenton share why Forge exists, the kind of conversations they hope to create, and how listener feedback has shaped the show into something both thought-provoking and enjoyable. They discuss the value of content that is life-giving, honest, and rooted in real experience rather than surface-level advice. Faith naturally weaves its way into the discussion.
While Forge isn’t positioned as a Christian podcast, Josh and Kenton are open about how faith informs their leadership, decision-making, and approach to generosity. They talk about giving without expectation, vulnerability in leadership, and the responsibility to support community, especially during the Christmas season.
This episode is a reflection on growth, hard work, generosity, and the deeper purpose behind building something that lasts. If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who would appreciate it and help grow the Forge community.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

In this episode of the Forge Contractor Podcast, the conversation takes an honest, unfiltered look at leadership, governance, and the real work behind running a meaningful Annual General Meeting as a growing contractor-led company.
With Ridgeline’s AGM only days away, the discussion opens with the tension many founders feel when stepping into a more structured, formal leadership environment, moving from informal conversations and surface-level financial reviews into a fully agenda-driven meeting with accountability, metrics, and outside advisory input. For the first time, the Forge team is stepping in as an advisory board, including a designated chair, creating both excitement and intimidation for a CEO used to leading from the front.
The episode explores why so many contractors underestimate AGMs, how poorly structured meetings create confusion and conflict, and why strong leadership doesn’t mean controlling the room, it often means creating space to listen. The conversation digs into the value of outside perspective, board experience, and learning how to receive critique without immediately tying it to personal identity.
From there, the dialogue goes deeper into emotional maturity, tone, and conflict. The hosts unpack why legitimate feedback often gets dismissed when delivered poorly, how insecurity shows up in leadership reactions, and why perception, even when inaccurate, still needs to be addressed. Drawing from personal experience in business, marriage counseling, and board environments, the episode highlights the difference between positional critique and personal attack, and why leaders must learn to separate the two.
Tone becomes a central theme, how it shapes meetings, relationships, and outcomes. The conversation reflects on why leaders often regret how they spoke more than what they said, how emotional state affects communication, and why high-stakes meetings require as much mental preparation as strategic planning. Practical analogies from roofing, icy roads, and physical risk reinforce the idea that awareness, preparation, and restraint are critical when navigating difficult conversations.
The episode also wrestles with governance questions many small businesses face but rarely articulate:
Who should be in the room for an AGM?
When should team leads observe versus participate?
How do you balance transparency with productivity and context?
Rather than offering rigid answers, the discussion emphasizes intentional structure, segmenting meetings, clarifying roles, and ensuring decisions are clearly communicated to the broader team afterward.
The episode closes with a focus on outcomes and implementation. Vision, accountability, metrics, and role clarity only matter if they lead to action. From recording and transcribing meetings to creating clear follow-ups and strategic plans, the conversation reinforces that the real value of leadership meetings is found not in inspiration alone, but in execution.
This episode is a candid look at what it takes to mature as a leader learning to listen, receive feedback, manage emotion, and build systems that allow a company to grow with clarity, trust, and alignment.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

In this episode of the Forge Contractor Alliance, Josh and Kenton open round two with a conversation about a leadership principle that is rarely talked about but deeply shapes teams, families, and culture: honor. Not the vague, ceremonial version most people imagine, but the real, practical posture of how we treat those above us, beside us, and under our care.
The conversation begins with a vivid story from Kenton’s time in Caracas, where two street tough brothers raised in hard circumstances showed unwavering honor toward their mother. That contrast sparks a deeper question: what actually is honor? And how is it different from trust, respect, leadership, or integrity? In business, we talk endlessly about vision, values, trust, and culture, yet almost never about honor, even though Scripture places massive weight on it: “Honor your father and mother… so that it may go well with you.”
They explore why honor is such a rare topic in leadership circles, how it influences both personal and organizational health, and why it might be a missing pillar in modern business. Josh and Kenton unpack how honor shows up not just in big gestures but in small, consistent behaviors, how we greet people, how we disagree, how we give credit, and how we speak about those who have invested in us.
They dig into the way culture reveals honor through action more than words, and how many high performing teams unintentionally reward results even when behavior is dishonoring. They talk about how dishonor can quietly erode trust, fracture alignment, and create ceilings on growth long before performance metrics show it.
Throughout the episode, they wrestle with defining honor in a modern context, what it looks like in families, in leadership, on job sites, and in boardrooms. They explore why honor is not weakness or blind loyalty, but strength expressed through humility, gratitude, and disciplined speech. They discuss how reintroducing honor can reshape team dynamics, reduce friction, and create environments where people can thrive.
Josh and Kenton also share practical steps for building a culture of honor: defining what honor means for your household or organization, practicing daily honoring behaviors, calling out good actions by name, and auditing whether your culture rewards character as much as it rewards output.
This episode is a grounded, challenging, and transformational look at what honor really is and why recovering it may be one of the most important leadership decisions you can make in the years ahead.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

In this episode of the Forge Contractor Alliance, Josh and Joel sit down for a deep dive into one of the most difficult and defining topics for any business leader: partnership. Not the surface-level talk about revenue projections or financial models, but the real heart of partnership, people, values, alignment, and the long-term consequences of saying yes or no.
The conversation begins with the tension so many CEOs feel when the spreadsheets say one thing but your gut says another. Once you start quantifying the benefits of merging, teaming up, or sharing ownership, it becomes easy to reduce everything to revenue, margins, and numbers you can present to a board. But those numbers are only one piece of a much more complicated picture.
They explore what happens when owners are not involved in day-to-day operations, how different personalities measure success differently, and why generosity, trust, and shared vision matter just as much as the financial upside.
Josh talks about the fear, uncertainty, and pressure to make the right decision, and how that often leads to paralysis. What if the partnership slows your growth? What if turning it down limits your potential? What if a new structure changes your role or steals the joy you once had in your work?
Joel speaks to the responsibility of being a visionary and the weight of standing up, casting the future, and selling an idea to the people who share ownership with you, even when you know they may reject it.
They both acknowledge a hard truth: you can model every scenario down to the penny and still overlook the most important factor — the people involved.
Throughout the conversation, they unpack why partnerships succeed or fail even before anything is signed. They talk about thinking beyond dollars and looking at people, synergy, and long-term alignment. They dig into situations where partnerships double revenue but destroy your love for the job.
They discuss how decisions affect not just owners but every person in the organization. They explore the difference between fears that are warnings and fears that are opportunities for growth. They talk about how rushing a decision out of fear can lead to regret and why clarity comes from mapping out roles, responsibilities, and expectations before saying yes.
Joel and Josh also explore the challenges of giving up control, merging cultures, reconciling different motivations, and asking one essential question: whether this partnership will make you a better human, leader, and founder in five years.
This episode is a candid, vulnerable, and practical look at what it really takes to evaluate partnership, acquisition, team mergers, shared ownership, and high-impact decisions that shape the future of a company and the people inside it.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.
In this episode of the Foraged Contractor Podcast, we dig into what success really looks like and why trust sits at the center of every healthy team, family, or company. Josh opens the conversation with a powerful reminder: when everyone is rowing in the same direction, aligned in vision and commitment, the energy in the room changes. Work becomes smoother. Leadership becomes easier. Growth becomes inevitable. But without trust, even simple tasks feel heavy.
Today’s guest is someone who helped shape that reality from the inside out. John isn’t just a business partner, he’s practically family. Their story goes back to childhood car rides, parents who grew up together, and a friendship that turned into one of Ridgeline’s longest standing and most meaningful partnerships. John shares his unexpected journey into the trades, how he left a fast climbing corporate career that looked successful on paper but left him completely drained.
What started as a summer job on the roof became the doorway to a new life. He talks honestly about the physical shock of roofing, the respect he gained for the craft, and how one coffee meeting he thought was a farewell turned into an offer that changed his entire direction.
This episode dives into the real stuff behind building something meaningful: trust, vision, taking risks, listening to the tension in your own life, and having the courage to pivot when the path you’re on isn’t the one you actually want. You’ll hear about the value of character over resumes, the lessons the trades teach you quickly, and why John ultimately found more purpose and more peace working with his hands and helping build a company grounded in integrity.
Whether you’re in construction, sales, leadership, or simply trying to figure out your next move, this episode will give you clarity, honesty, and encouragement you didn’t know you needed. If you enjoy it, hit like, subscribe, and share it with someone who is wrestling with their own career crossroads.
No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.
In this episode of The Foraged Contractor Alliance, Josh and Kenton explore a truth most leaders eventually face: suffering is inevitable, but joy is a choice. They break down the blurred line between joy and happiness, arguing the two overlap more than most admit. Kenton reflects on his father’s quiet vow at seventeen “not to be discouraged,” and how that conviction, forged in hardship, shaped a lifetime of deliberate joy.
From sunsets at the lake and minus forty nights under northern lights, to business splits and reconciled friendships, they explore how gratitude, faith, and presence make joy possible even in the grind. Joy, they argue, isn’t a mask for optimism—it’s discipline, honesty, and the willingness to see the best in people.
For contractors and leaders alike, this episode is both a reflection and a challenge: choose joy, name it out loud, and model it in the small moments that shape culture. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.
In this episode, Kenton sits down with longtime friend Jeff Burkinshaw — engineer, author, and creator of the YouTube channel Gridlessness, to explore what it truly means to live intentionally, build balance, and find freedom beyond the 9–5.
Jeff opens up about how a serious back injury became a turning point in his life, leading him to write Gridlessness: Finding Freedom Off Grid using text-to-speech while recovering in a hammock.
What began as a physical setback evolved into a story of reflection, resilience, and a deeper understanding of purpose. Together, Kenton and Jeff discuss the transition from engineering to homesteading, the mindset behind living “gridlessly,” and the balance between autonomy and connection. They dive into how modern technology, from solar power to internet acces, enables self-sufficient living without disconnecting from the world.
The conversation also touches on the realities of balancing business ownership, creative work, and family time, while finding peace in the slower rhythms of off-grid life. Far from rejecting modern life, Jeff’s story celebrates how technology, community, and self-discipline can support real independence. Honest, funny, and deeply relatable, this episode reminds us that success isn’t defined by what you earn, but by how you live.
No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.
Leadership isn’t about speed; it’s about rhythm. The rhythm you build, the trust you extend, and the systems that keep your business healthy. In this episode, Josh and Kenton unpack what it really looks like to grow from being on the tools to leading people who are.
They talk openly about the struggles that come with building trust, creating structure, and letting go of control while still keeping accountability in place. It’s a candid conversation about the messy parts of growth when your business gets big enough that working harder no longer works. They discuss how easy it is to mistake chaos for momentum, why unclear roles cause good people to drift, and how management isn’t about micromanaging but about stewardship.
Drawing from personal experience, they reflect on how early work habits and blue-collar values can both build and limit a company if leaders don’t evolve with them. For contractors across Canada trying to build something sustainable, not just profitable, this episode offers a grounded look at what mature leadership really requires.
It’s about learning to slow down without losing drive, creating systems that serve people, and finding your own cadence as a leader so your team and your company can find theirs. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: ⁠https://forgealliance.ca/⁠ 
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance⁠ 
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797⁠ 
X: ⁠https://x.com/forge_ca⁠ (@Forge_CA) / X

Welcome to the Foraged Contractor Podcast — real talk for builders, tradesmen, and business owners shaping a life that matters as much as the work they do. We’re not just chasing growth; we’re redefining success through purpose, integrity, and the relationships that last longer than any project.
In this episode of the Forge Contractor Alliance, we dive into one of the hardest and most important disciplines for small business owners: managing cash flow. From walking ladders down the road to fund the next job, to realizing how money “blueprints” from childhood shape our financial habits, this conversation gets real about the tension between risk-taking and stewardship.
Kenton and Josh unpack the mindset behind cash flow and how it reflects not just business health, but personal discipline, freedom, and even the way we value relationships over money. They explore what it means to “raise your waterline” as a contractor: creating stability without losing the entrepreneurial drive that built the business in the first place.
If you’ve ever felt the pressure of a tight season or the discomfort of looking at your own financial habits, this one’s for you. It’s raw, honest, and packed with perspective on what true financial stewardship looks like in the trades. No fluff. No filters. Just straight talk about what it takes to build a business and a life that actually mean something.
Original theme music composed and performed by - Ben Smith
Produced by - Seth Steward Productions
Co-produced by - Kalen Wookey
Website: https://forgealliance.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgecontractoralliance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575541841797
X: https://x.com/forge_ca (@Forge_CA) / X