EP. 54: Marcus Luscombe Vivid Coats: Less Is More - How Marcus Reclaimed His Time, Income & Family

PODCAST SUMMARY:This week on Working the Trade, Living the Life, Kate is joined by one of Ladies With Tradies’ longest-standing clients, Marcus Luscombe from Vivid Coats.A painter by trade and community man at heart, Marcus opens up about the season where “more” was the answer to everything — more staff, more hours, more jobs, more pressure.At one point running a team of 10 and working 60–80 hour weeks, Marcus believed that was just the life of a tradie boss. The hustle. The sacrifice. The grind.But what he discovered over the past three and a half years will challenge everything you think you know about growth.By scaling back his team, stepping out of roles that didn’t align with his strengths, and redefining leadership, Marcus built a more profitable business — with fewer staff, less chaos, and more time for his wife and three boys.This episode is about:Less ego.Less noise.Less people-pleasing.And more impact, more income, more presence, and more legacy.This is a story about:Scaling back to move forwardLetting go of roles that drain youReclaiming family timeAnd building a business that supports your life — not consumes itWhat You’ll Hear in This Episode:What Marcus’ business looked like at 10 staff and 80-hour weeksWhy people-pleasing nearly cost him clarity as a leaderThe hard truth about avoiding confrontationHow hiring the right manager changed everythingWhy fewer staff created more profit and stabilityThe shift from “being in the trenches” to true leadershipHow extended family holidays became possibleThe power of community-driven businessWhat “less is more” actually looks like in real lifeIf you think you have to sacrifice family time to run a great trade business — this one might just change your mind.✨ Key TakeawayYou don’t have to sacrifice family time to build a successful trade business.More staff doesn’t equal more profit.More hours doesn’t equal more respect.More chaos doesn’t equal more growth.Sometimes the breakthrough comes from doing less — but doing it better.You can have income and time.You can lead without burning out.And you don’t have to live in the grind forever. THE MONEY JUNKET: A TRADIE COUPLES RETREAT21st to 23rd AUGUST 2026 - BRISBANE QLDGet on the Same Page. Fix the Numbers. Feel Like a Couple Again.Join us at southbankClick here to register.Limited spots, because we keep these events intimate and interactive. 🎧 Ready to take your tradie business to the next level?🚀 Money Junket 2026 Join us for our biggest event of the year—helping tradie couples build profitable, sustainable businesses (without burning out or breaking their relationship). 👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/the-money-junket-bne-2026💡 The Empowered Tradie Business Program (FREE) Get clarity, structure, and direction in your business—without the overwhelm. 👉 https://ghl.ladieswithtradies.com/empowered-tradie-program📞 Book a ‘What To Fix First’ Call Not sure what’s holding your business back? Let’s figure it out together. 👉 https://links.ladieswithtradies.com/widget/bookings/30min_chatdirect