A Daredevil's Descent into the Blue Collar World with the CEO of Windy City Equipment Service, Josh Zolin

In this episode, Chris is joined by Josh Zolin - CEO at Windy City Equipment Service – an Arizona based restaurant repair service dedicated to setting a new standard HVAC, refrigeration and kitchen equipment service! Josh's journey into equipment repair began in a family of Hollywood stunt performers, including a grandfather who doubled for Charles Bronson. Growing up surrounded by car rolls and building jumps, Josh moved to Hollywood at 18 to pursue a stunt career. However, he soon realized that he didn't want a lifetime of getting hit by cars. Tired of being overshadowed, Josh left Hollywood. Inspired by his dad's entrepreneurial spirit in restaurant repair, he joined his father as a technician. Josh's journey led his company to appear on the INC 5000 list, one of the fastest-growing companies in the USA. Josh currently has about 70 employees contributing to the company's growth. The INC 5000 recognition helped in marketing the company but, more importantly, it created a sense of pride within the team. Besides the business, Josh delves into content creation with a podcast and a book, "Blue is the New White." The podcast explores blue-collar skill trades in a white-collar career perspective, demonstrating the fulfillment that these professions bring. Josh's podcast has even resulted in executive hires from his former guests! To market the podcast, Josh uses personal outreach or coordination with the director of marketing, selecting individuals worth interviewing. "Blue is the New White" highlights the transformation of blue-collar trades into high-paying, fulfilling careers, challenging the perception of avoiding getting one's hands dirty. Josh's journey from Hollywood to the INC 5000, aided by podcasting and content creation, reflects a transition from adrenaline-fueled stunts to a fulfilling career celebrating the often-overlooked world of equipment repair and skilled trades. Check out the full episode to learn more on Josh’s journey from being a Holywood stuntman to becoming a tradesman and CEO! Connect with Josh Zolin - https://www.blueisthenewwhite.com/ Connect with Chris - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hopfer/ Don't be a stranger! If you have a guest in mind you'd love to hear on the show, or a burning question you'd love answered - reach out to the executive producer Ed via email - [email protected] - and we will take a look and see if we can make your day!