Episode 36 – Mistakes I Made As An Apprentice Electrician

In this episode I talk about all of the crazy shit I’ve done to hurt myself and break things over the years in hopes that y’all won’t do the same.

When I was an apprentice electrician I made quite a few mistakes, as we all do. There were times that I broke things, times I wired something incorrectly, and of course…times that I’ve shocked myself.

I’ve learned to slow down over the years, and really pay attention to what I’m doing. From early on I chose to pay for my mistakes, and anything I messed up. As an apprentice/helper you don’t get paid the best at first so this really made an impact in my wallet. But that was a huge teacher for me. Being broke and paying for my mistakes helped me not make as many mistakes.

In the electrical trade you are working with a force that is very dangerous. It is your responsibility as an apprentice to watch the guys around you and make sure they are safe. It is also your job as a journeyman and a master to do the same. There’s no reason that you and your crew should not make it home to your families at the end of the day. Being an electrician is dangerous, sure…but that can be significantly reduced by watching out for and communicating with one-another.

Be safe out there my dudes!

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Episode 35 – Day 1 of Your Electrical Career – How To Be A Great Apprentice

What is it like being an apprentice electrician? How do you act, what is your job like, and how do you ensure you’re a good helper?

Showing up for work on day 1 of your apprenticeship can definitely be a strange and unfamiliar feeling. You don’t know what tools you need, what to say, where to stand, how to do anything, or how things are supposed to work.

In this episode I talk about how to be a good apprentice, and what your job will be like in the beginning days. You will be fully in control of how good of an apprentice electrician you become by the work you put in and the depth of interest you show in the trade.

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Episode 34 – Construction vs Service and The Different TYPES of Electrical Work You Can Do

 

I get asked a lot about the different types of electricians that are out there so this episode breaks down the different market segments of this trade, and what types of environments each electrical job entails.

There are 2 main segments to this trade, construction and service. Within those 2 segments of electrical work, there are 3 main sub-categories that are the same on either side – either residential, commercial, or industrial.

Construction is a great segment to be in if you enjoy building things, designing, and being a craftsman.  Service is a good fit for anyone who likes problem-solving and troubleshooting.

Within those two segments there are residential, commercial, and industrial.  You can be in residential construction, residential service, commercial construction, commercial service, industrial construction, or industrial service.  Some companies will do Residential only, but they’ll do both service and construction.  Some companies will only do Commercial and Industrial Service.  There’s a ton of electrical companies out there and each specialize in slightly different things.

There are definitely more options than these within the electrical field but they are so specialized that they don’t often allow the person in them to do anything else in the trade. For example there are automotive electricians, marine electricians, pool electricians, guys that just do solar, sign electrician, motor/generator technicians, etc…they’re pigeonholed to the specific environment they’re in and are not referred to as true electricians because their knowledge and experience is not interchangeable across the industry.

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Episode 12 – Creating a Facebook Video Ad

Today I talk about creating a Facebook Video Ad that is native to Facebook Feeds.  I go over how to build a video, and how to set up and distribute your first locally-targeted Facebook ad.

Over the past few weeks I’ve mentioned leaving Angie’s List, Ad IQ, Yodle, and soon Home Advisor.  I’m tired of having to pay a middle-man to feed me leads, and in my opinion it’s never a good idea to allow someone in between you and your customer.

Facebook is so popular today that most of the world’s attention is spent in the platform all day, every day.  Its simply where the attention is at right now.  Nobody watches TV ads, radio spots, or watches for billboards anymore.  Attention is on that touch-screen device in your pocket…and mostly on Facebook.  So developing ads around that platform, while it’s incredibly cheap to do so, is a very good idea.

In this episode I show you the software I use to edit video, create images/logos, and even put the finalized full-length commercial (ad) in the video for you to see my final product.  Afterwards, I go into Facebook on my desktop and record myself setting up the ad and targeting a specific audience.  Please let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions of what I should do differently.

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Episode 10 – Be An Electrician!

In this episode I talk about why becoming an electrician is one of the best moves most a person can make toward getting their shit together.

Are you in need of a job change and have no clue what the hell you want to do? BE AN ELECTRICIAN! Seriously, hear me out.

Being an electrician may not seem as glorifying as your average manicured desk job. Your fingernails will not stay clean, no amount of hair gel can keep your mop in place, and you will be risking your life on a daily basis…….BUT, I swear it’s the one job that finally changed my life.

Without needing a degree, or having any relevant experience I was hired as an electrical Apprentice. I started out working in a residential construction environment, wiring multi-million dollar homes. It was cool seeing how the “other side” lives, and after a little while I got good at doing it. A year in I was working on commercial jobs, and seeing how businesses and large buildings were constructed. This was a lot dirtier, exhausting work but I was intrigued at how much more advanced it seemed than just wiring a house.

After a year of doing this I really started to understand that electricity is not this “bolt” thing. It’s a very hypothetical science that we try to understand and harness, but there’s still no law of electrons because we’ve never seen one. Seeing the science and math behind behind this super powerful force made me instantly fall in love with it. The fact that it’s hard to understand and takes years of study before you grasp the full picture makes it a perfect career choice for anyone out there looking for a change.

Please SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel as well as my podcast on iTunes and Stitcher – Just search Journey 2 Master.

Vlog: http://www.journey2master.com
Company: http://www.livewire-electrical.com

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Episode 8 – MID MAY UPDATE (Rentals, Facebook Ads, Organization, and Hiring)

In this episode I show off the new fancy ride I’m stuck with for the next two weeks as well as talk about some of the things that have been going on since the last episode.

Well it just so happens that a few months back I got into a wreck in downtown Austin.  It was not my fault!  I’m an only child so nothing is ever my fault!  Ok, ok…it was 100% my fault.  I was following too closely and I know better than that.  I have a commercial driver’s license too, so any accident goes on my record and it’s not a good thing.  Regardless, I now have a Nissan Titan that winks at you!

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Well this happened… 😡😢 Good thing I saved 15% on my car insurance by switching to Geico! 🤓

A post shared by LiveWire Electrical (@livewireelectrical) on Jan 5, 2017 at 5:45am PST

I have commercial insurance so it wasn’t a big deal, but we’ve been so slammed for the past couple months that I haven’t had a single day off to take care of it.  Finally I took a day off and went to a local shop to get it taken care of.  They gave me a schnazzy new 2017 Ford Expedition to tear up in the mean time!  I got a call today that said it will take 2 weeks to fix everything lol.  So this poor expedition is going to be ripped to shit when I give it back to them.  Good thing I paid the extra “shit happens” insurance to Enterprise.

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This week's work truck! Getting my front end redone and all they had at enterprise was this sexy beast lol. Hey it fits an 8ft ladder in it so I'll take it! #electricianlife #worktruck #servicetruck

A post shared by LiveWire Electrical (@livewireelectrical) on May 15, 2017 at 12:29pm PDT

Other than that I talk about Facebook advertising, Home Advisor, Houzz, organization and structure to running the office side of things, and the decision I made to hire another guy.  Let me know what you think.

Please SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel as well as my podcast on iTunes and Stitcher – Just search Journey 2 Master.

Vlog: http://www.journey2master.com
Company: http://www.livewire-electrical.com

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Episode 4 – Why I Chose To Be An Electrician

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Being an electrician was not my first pick of things to do with my life.  After flying planes, working construction, being a chef, working in restaurants, being in the Marines, working in factories, and being a corporate salesman I was given the opportunity to try my hand as an electrician.

At first I didn’t like it.  I didn’t want my friends to know I was working with my hands.  I figured they would look down on me for being in construction.  This is back when I gave a shit about what they thought.  After a few years however I started making real money, and working around some guys that changed my perception of reality.  I grew up, learned a skill, and found stability in my life because I found a purpose.  I was able to raise my son as a single father and found something that would lay the foundation for a great life, as well as maintain my drive and passion to learn.

I’ve always had to hustle.  Being a single dad at the age of 18 is never easy, and between the government taking a quarter of your income and child support taking another quarter, you’re not left with much regardless what your wage is.  And as an early 20-something, I wasn’t spending the remaining 50% of my money well.  In the midst of being broke and nearly homeless, having a suspended license, and needing to get my kid to school and get to work, I had multiple run-ins with the law with no money to get myself out of the hole.  Since I’ve been of working age I’ve always had to hold down at least 2 jobs, sometimes 3.  Its the only way I could put food on the table since graduating high school.  I made my own bed (of course), and I realized that taking this craft seriously was the only way I could pull myself out of it.

Now I’m 32 and after years of working around wise men, and learning to be really good at something that changes constantly forced me to focus my attention and set goals for myself.  I was able to see a light at the end of the tunnel and found a way to climb out of the struggle.  Now I have a commercial driver’s license, own a home, am married, and have financial freedom that I’d never known existed.

Doing this everyday has given me a way of living and a way of thinking that has changed everything in my life.  Now I own a company and have the freedom to make my own way in this crazy life.

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Episode 3 – How To Make The Phones Ring

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

Well its April, we’re 7 months in and we’ve gained a lot of knowledge of many of the paid services out there to advertise your business through. We’ve tried most of them, but there are still a few we need to test.

In this episode we talk about the different paid lead services we’ve used since inception and which ones are worth the buck. From Angie’s List, to Home Advisor, Yelp, Yellow Pages, Houzz, Facebook, AdIQ, Google AdWords, and Yodle – we’ve tried them all. I talk about the pros and cons, and who we’ve liked using but most importantly which one makes the phones ring! Starting your own electrical contracting company requires paying money to be seen by customers. There’s no getting around it until you get to the point where you can work from straight referrals.

I’m here to teach and be taught. I’m documenting my journey from becoming a Master Electrician to growing an electrical contracting company from scratch.

Please like, comment, share, or DM me if you have any thoughts or would like to get in touch.  If you like this podcast PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and LIKE my videos on YouTube.

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Episode 2 – Where We’re Headed (Goals)

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

In this video I talk about my plans for where I’d like to be over the next decade. I’d like LiveWire Electrical to be a company that’s known for the quality of work we do, as well as the quality of relationships we nurture.

Customer service is a big deal, as well as treating your employees right. I don’t want a company that has a high turnover rate, but one where electricians come to be better electricians. I want to build a legacy as one of the best companies around, and would like education and humility to be the thing that ushers that in.

My belief is that I can train anyone to be an electrician, but that you can’t train good into a bad person. I want to take my time and vet out a group of outstanding men and women to lay a firm foundation for the framework of the company I have planned.

I’m here to teach and be taught. I’m documenting my journey from becoming a Master Electrician to growing an electrical contracting company from scratch.

Please like, comment, share, or DM me if you have any thoughts or would like to get in touch.  If you like this podcast PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and LIKE my videos on YouTube.

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Episode 1 – Documenting My Startup

 

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

I’m Dustin Stelzer, I own an electrical contracting company called LiveWire Electrical Services, Inc. based out of Austin, Texas.  I took my Master Electrican license exam in October of 2016 and passed on the first attempt.  Ever since then I’ve been documenting my work and I’d like to share what I’ve learned has worked/not worked along the way.

This vlog and all its content is about starting an Electrical Contracting company and documenting our successes and failures.  I will use it to ask questions as well, so please interact if you have anything that you think will help us out.  I’d like to meet other guys out there like me and share tips and tricks that we’ve learned, as well as advice for ways to avoid headaches going into this.

In this video I introduce myself and talk about why I’ve created this channel. I’d like to meet other people that are just starting out their journey to growing an electrical contracting company. This is mainly for electricians…more specifically young hustling electricians, to be able to get and give advice for how to start your own company and talk about the lessons learned along the way. Whether you’re an Apprentice, Journeyman, or Master, please comment and watch our journey. It may help you on yours.

I talk a little about being young and trying to find guys (and gals) that are young like me and are hustling and grinding everyday because this is their passion. I’d like to use this channel as a way to meet other electricians and get insight into how I can better grow my company.  I’d also like to use this as a platform to show other electricians what we’re doing and what problems we run into along the way.

I’m here to teach and be taught. I’m documenting my journey from becoming a Master Electrician to growing an electrical contracting company from scratch.

Please like, comment, share, or DM me if you have any thoughts or would like to get in touch.  If you like this podcast PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and LIKE my videos on YouTube.

LISTEN TO AUDIO HERE: