Chelsey Holdosi

Eric Girouard  0:00  

This is Bucha, a weekly podcast for people who work in the trades and construction that aren't just trying to survive, but have the ambition and desire to thrive. The opportunity in the trades and construction is absolutely ridiculous right now. So if you're hungry, it's time to eat. We discuss what it takes to rise from the bottom to the top with people who are well on their way and roll up their sleeves every single day.

Jeremy Perkins  0:28  

All right, we're here with Chelsey. Chelsey goes by the Instagram handle Chelsey 1225 on Instagram, Chelsey, welcome.

Chelsey Holdosi  0:35  

Thank you. Good to try it a take two, right? That's

Jeremy Perkins  0:40  

it. You know, a lot of people don't realize how much goes into a podcast and how much time has taken up. Chelsey and I had recorded earlier, and it just didn't work out because of Wi Fi and connectivity issues and what have you. But yeah, round two. So thanks for taking more time out of your day to get to get your story out there. It's pretty cool, because I got to know your background, and we get to do it again. But Chelsey's in the excavation industry. That being said, Chelsey, how did you get there and and kind of what's your background on that?

Chelsey Holdosi  1:18  

So originally, I was actually supporting the Navy as a independent contractor, as a statistician, all the good stuff, and everyone knows about the big covid ordeal that occurred and they were mandating the vaccine. I was very hesitant on whether to do it or not, because I'm a high risk person when it comes to illnesses and things like that, so I went to go take the first shot to keep my job, and I ended up having a huge reaction once the hospital and my company was still requiring me or wanting me to get the second shot. So at that time, I was working part time at the excavation company optimizing and automating some of their transportation logs and things like that. So I just figured I liked being outside. I was doing nois and things like that, getting a little taste of the excavation. So when I was put in this dilemma of which way to go, I said, let's just do a whole career path change and go into excavation full time.

Jeremy Perkins  2:26  

So obviously, you're there. How's it working out? You enjoying it? You being able to apply everything that you've learned prior to learning new skills. Let's run through some of that like

Chelsey Holdosi  2:41  

so I am still using, like, some aspects that I, you know, my whole college thing wasn't a, you know, ways, it's been helping me a lot when it comes to, like, I said automation and more of, I would say the estimating portion of it. So I'm technically a project manager, but I've been kind of doing everything from beginning to end. So I'll estimate the job, if it's one, then I'll actually do the project management. I'll go in the field with the guys and actually learn how things are installed, quantities, methods, things, and that sort so it makes me a better estimator. I will take that to Profit Loss, and kind of give reports at the end of each job, and kind of be able to give the guys I actually write up, sorry, that's my dog SOPs, which kind of, like this kind of the algorithm of how to complete a job. So like, when it comes to settlement controls or stormwater management, or any type of technique I actually create, you know, a step by step process for the guys so they can actually use it and apply it. Or if anyone new in the excavation scene comes in, I can actually somewhat help out. Obviously, I'm not. It's not going to help them actually, like, operate the machine or anything like that. But, and I do get to practice some of the goodness of some of our machines as well. So that's been great.

Jeremy Perkins  4:02  

No, that's cool. So SOP, correct me, if I'm wrong for my military days, it was standard operating procedure. Is that correct? Yes, awesome. So, so for people out there, it's pretty cool to apply that to jobs and what have you because, you know, now again, there's a step by step procedure on on how to do the specific job. It standardizes things. It allows for better estimating in general. Because you could say, hey, you know what? This is going to take x amount of equipment for this size site, for this many days and this much manpower. And you could say like, Hey, my guys will be here for three days doing this. My guys will be able to go to the next job for five days. So it's, it's, it's interesting, because I've seen a lot of guys that just like, go from job to job, do what it takes. Potentially could be ahead of schedule or behind schedule. Rule, and that can lead to backups and delays, because either the job's not ready or they don't have the material delivered, or what have you, and now guys are standing around for a day and a half figuring out what they're going to do. So it definitely streamlines that, and I think that that's that's cool, being able to apply what you've done in the past and and bring it into a space that may not necessarily have home. I know that, you know, the excavating industry has been around for a long time, so there are procedures in place. But that being said, just kind of furthering the industry when it comes to that. And I'm sure there's not many statisticians that that make it, make the jump to this, which is, which is cool. So, yeah, I mean, leveling up, pushing the industry, there's a lot of new technology out there and, and, you know, I don't know it's, it's, it's getting pretty cool. So walk me through some of the stuff that you're learning on the job side from, from a trade, trade related standpoint, what? What are you doing? What is out of your comfort zone?

Chelsey Holdosi  6:05  

Um, honestly, I guess I don't know if it's uncomfortable, but definitely a learning curve for me is more the commercial side. So I, like, initially, was starting, like, strictly residential, just to get my feet in the water. Um, you know, because our excavation company pretty much does everything but the building construction itself and well. So like we go from literally clearing demolition, settlement controls, all utilities, um, footers, pads, um, storm water management, final stabilization, pretty everything from beginning to end, and then what? But, you know, everything pretty much goes in a relatively similar pattern in residential and commercial. Is not that at all. And then when you bounce from county to county, there's different regulations. You obviously have to make sure, you know, typically you're getting in more bigger situations which you have to make sure you're complying to OSHA, which is fun, and things in that sort of material, approvals and submittals and a lot more paperwork that I didn't expect, but it's been interesting.

Jeremy Perkins  7:21  

Yeah, yeah. So you would say that those are kind of like unexpected things that that you didn't really know about. I'm, you know, all the permitting processes and and the lead times going up to em, I'm sure that, like, you know, one township or one city works a lot faster, and, you know, another one works a lot slower, so it's hard to coordinate assets or move along a job based on just how how they're handled. So it's more familiarity with with each individual building department or sewer department, or whoever you have to collaborate with at the time,

Chelsey Holdosi  8:00  

and, and I will say estimating is definitely a bigger ball game, because you have a lot more, like, mega love kids and, you know, are you doing c9 100 ductile, like, there's so many different things, and you'll literally get a quote that's 200 lines worth of material. And you have to be able to know what each piece of material is where it's going, and if it's the right quantity for the job as well. And that's a big thing kind of going from estimation to actually out there in the field with the guys, because they'll be looking at me and they're like, Well, I'm two mega love's short. Where am I at? But then I'll, you know, so there's things in that aspect, or things that kind of go off plan too, that you have to be quick on your feet and and get stuff there the same day. So,

Jeremy Perkins  8:43  

so what do you find yourself, I guess, as a resource? What? What are you leaning on the most? Are there? Are there manuals, or, I don't know, resources on the internet, or you're relying on the knowledge of of others in the office or or on the job site to to really stay in tune with with what's going on and kind of furthering your knowledge there.

Chelsey Holdosi  9:10  

Uh, so I guess proceed. The only thing that I've actually been able to really get in depth in, like, courses or something that I can do more online is primarily for myself than The septic side.

Jeremy Perkins  9:39  

Sorry, no, you're good. You're good.

Chelsey Holdosi  9:41  

Um, we're, we're we've been doing a family shop day outside, working on my truck. So, um, so online, it's been primarily like septic, like sand mount, like pretty much all of your disposal systems I've been doing. But when it comes to utilities or anything outside of the septic. Tech spectrum. I've actually been really learning it from being in the field, being with the guys and the owners. They're very diverse, and they've had a very longer experience in the constituency. So I've actually been learning everything from them.

Jeremy Perkins  10:17  

That's cool. That's cool. So you, you had said last time you know you're you're hopping in the machine more potentially, want to get a CDL. How's, how's all that going for you?

Chelsey Holdosi  10:31  

So I had to put the CDL stuff to the side, because I am in the process of building my truck right now. So that's been taking a lot of it, um, but I have been able to, actually, I've been using the equipment as, in a sense, to help build the truck as well, because I can't lift my my engine or things like that. Or we've been doing a lot of transportation, and, um, we've been doing stuff around our house too. So that's where I've got to kind of play in the equipment a lot more than probably I could, you know, during my job. But that's kind of a, unfortunately, that's going to be a 2024, goal for

Jeremy Perkins  11:11  

me. So, I mean, if, if you follow Chelsey on Instagram, you notice there's, there's a sprinkle of what she does for work, but the majority of it is your truck. And obviously, working at the truck shows with a lot of companies, or one specific company, is it just

Chelsey Holdosi  11:35  

Renegade? No, I work with others. I primarily travel with them because I do help promote the product, because I do use their detailing products on my truck, but I do work with others as well. I have a I have some partnerships that are directly with the truck, so showing kind of the performance of it, or how it works, because I'm a very big believer that I'm not going to kind of push something that I'm not really into or believe or think that it has a good quality, because, to me, like, I wouldn't want someone promoting or pushing me to buy a product that I don't use. So that's pretty much what the truck shows. Because when you see a big, lifted old truck, a lot of them, unfortunately, are not driven as far, or they're pretty much as you quote trailer queens. But I really want my truck to be exactly the way I want it, but be able to drive long distance. So that's kind of what it's been for,

Jeremy Perkins  12:30  

yeah? So I mean, and I think you've put it out there that, you know, a lot of people have asked you, you know, oh, did you build this yourself? Or, you know, who did you just buy it? Did somebody build it for you? And none of that is the case. You built it yourself with your husband, and you guys have been just going to town on it. Right now you're working to get a new cab on it, correct?

Chelsey Holdosi  13:00  

So my cab has been painted, and it's actually here, um, so that in the front fenders, my husband, I are actually I came before I came in here, we were installing my new brake lines. So we're trying to get and the cab mounts were put on today. So I'm hoping to have the actual cab mounted tomorrow. Um, just because, with all the weather and stuff like that. But this week the cab will be put on, we're actually going to take it back up to PA, because I have to pick up the bed, because it's going to be truly two tone line. They want to match the line with my cab. And picking up the suspension, picking up the motor. It's a lot coming in in the next week. Yeah,

Jeremy Perkins  13:43  

yeah. I mean, I remember doing so I'm a mechanic, so it's funny, because, like, brake lines were the bane of my existence. Like, I hated doing them on rotted out old cars, right? We used to run copper nickel over stainless or, sorry, copper nickel over regular lines. But then they started coming out with stainless prevent lines, um, which were kind of difficult to work with, because stainless doesn't bend very well. And the when it comes it comes in this long box, and usually the one that goes from, you know, the front of the truck all the way to the back axle is bent in half, and it's a pain in the ass to try to straighten it again and get it to line up. Did you guys run your own brake lines? Or did you guys buy a kit?

Chelsey Holdosi  14:28  

I just bought 25 foot line of stainless steel brake line. That's what we've been doing, is bending it. And

Jeremy Perkins  14:36  

this shit is no joke to work with it. And it sucks. Because, like, you know at the end, when you go to bleed it out, there's always one that just won't see. And you hope that you you know, if the flares fucked up, that you have enough line to cut it and stretch it a little bit and put it back together.

Chelsey Holdosi  14:55  

That's, that's kind of what I like the ordeal was, he's like, because, again. Ian, like, I have, this is my first time, like, going through all this. So he's like, Alright, you're gonna he I like, I watched him do the front end and he flared it. And he's like, Alright, here's the tool. Like, let's do it. So I'm trying to and like, I'm like, It's not flaring. It's not so he's like, I don't like that. Let's keep clipping. I'm like, he's like, I don't have much left. And I'm like, Oh, no. So I'm like, Okay, this is great.

Jeremy Perkins  15:24  

I used to, I used to split some of the flares, just because, again, stainless is hard to work with. The copper nickel was was awesome, but it tarnishes and it doesn't look that great later on, but it was definitely, you know, a lot easier to work with. But so you, you powder coated everything. You painted it like walk me through the process of what you're doing for the undercarriage, for the diffs, suspension, all that stuff.

Chelsey Holdosi  15:51  

So I posted, if you, if you've seen my husband actually did the work to actually, I had some rusted out spots and some corroding issues on my frame. He actually fixed all of that, and he's painted the frame. And we had an issue at first because we were trying to kind of do a simple just, he's like, What do you want to do? Do you want to make it look fancy and like, SEMA ready? Or do you like, for me, I'm looking for something just practical and durable, so like undercarriage or like underneath my cab and things like that, I just wanted it right in line, because that's more durable and more practical for me driving it long distance. But he wants me to also make sure that it looks top tier. So he sanded all the exterior sides of the frame and painted in the same Tuxedo Black that I used on my cab. And it turned out phenomenal. Um, so he's done that all of the suspension. My axles just got rebuilt because, um, after they got powder coated, and I, because I was running like 366 differentials with my lip, like my huge lip and tire, so it was screaming. So we were doing, I think it was 538 is what I with these. So, um, running that coil is all, all the coilovers, bars, things in that sort all powder coated. And then that's pretty much it. I think my dry shafts and stuff. I didn't go power code. I think I just lined them because, again, I just wanted something that was a little bit more practical

Jeremy Perkins  17:26  

with with the, you know, obviously the lifted truck and everything like that. What's your advice when you're picking out a lift or picking out tires? I know for me, when we were doing Hot Rod builds. You take like a 32 Chevy or 32 Plymouth, and they'd say, start with, pick your rims and tires first, and then work around building the car. And it didn't make sense until we built the car. And then we went to go pick up rims and tires. And we actually had to get the stuff custom made, because, you know, rims, tires, everything like that, would be rubbing, and you'd size down or size up, skinny it, whatever it was, like, man, it would have been a hell lot easier if we just picked the tires and rims we wanted and then worked around it. Um, what's kind of been the most challenging portion of the job that you could pass on a tidbit of information.

Chelsey Holdosi  18:23  

I I think the process that I've been taking is something that I would recommend to those, which is, it's kind of not I think it's backwards with what the typical person does, but I say work bottom up. So typically, people will get the paint job done, or they'll do the body work and everything, and then they'll go into the suspension. I kind of worked kind of the other way around. I Well, obviously maintenance first, because it was a 30 year old truck that was leaking and had 30 years of oil and grime that was stuck to it. But I did all like I actually worked with the suspension first we did. I kind of just did wheels and tires that I thought would give me full radius. I've done my like, engine repairs, transmission rebuilds, everything kind of to that sort because I was constantly pulling the truck apart and, you know, together and apart and together apart. And I got a lot of crap in the show scene because they saw this fancy suspension and wheels and tires, and they thought that my paint job, like the paint, or how the truck was, was supposed to be finished. So I got a lot of rag on it, because it was like you saw ocean, like the waves you saw, like scratches and rust. But I was trying to explain to everybody that, literally, the body is the last thing I wanted to touch, because I don't want to be constantly tearing it apart and messing up the paint. So that's been kind of my method of madness. I don't know,

Jeremy Perkins  19:55  

no. I mean, you're 100% right, especially when it comes. Like fitment and and what have you. I don't know how many times that you're you're spot on that we had. And it wasn't necessarily during a build, it was more all of a sudden, everything was done, and it rolls out, and you have a head gasket lead because, you know, it was rebuilt and it wasn't torqued properly, or what have you. And now you're climbing around all this new pain you have. I mean, we used to, we used to ask, you know, people in the shop if they had old comforters and rat like and the whole thing would just be padded. And you're, I mean, it just adds a whole another level of of like care and procedure that you need. And it just makes it just makes the the the job go longer. You're just nervous the entire time, not to say that you shouldn't be around, you know, customers paint and what have you. But it was just, it was so nerve wracking, especially when you had like, $50,000 in the paint and body work and you gotta pull the engine out again. Or, you know, for us, we did Corvettes. So we were pulling the way a Corvette was a Corvette restoration was done was it was an all fiberglass body, and we we'd have this four straps from a chain fall, and we'd unbolt the body and lift it off the cab, and then it go to it go right to a dolly and get bolted down. And if it wasn't done perfectly, you could end up cracking the fiberglass body work. Would pop all of that stuff. So if you had to do that with a fully done car at that time, it was like we were up shits Creek at that point in time. So, yeah, no, I think it's good. Get it, get it dialed in, the undercarriage and the engine compartment, all that stuff. And then once you're there, pop that, uh, cab right on top of it, and be be riding in style. So, um, what's your plan for it? Where's the unveiling going to be once you're all done?

Chelsey Holdosi  21:57  

Uh, it's pretty much going to be Sema, which is just in a few weeks. That's stressing me out. So I am I pretty much have three weekends left to mind you. I'm still just praying. Right now, my engine is in one section of PA, my suspensions in Ohio, My bed is in a dip, a whole another section of PA. I have three weeks to get all of that collectively back together and get her ready and running and drivable, because my husband's actually gonna haul my truck out to Iowa to one of a kind customs, and then they actually have a SEMA build, and they're gonna haul both of the trucks down There to Nevada for Halloween weekend.

Jeremy Perkins  22:39  

Oh, that is, that's something you think you're gonna make it. Um, I

Chelsey Holdosi  22:47  

we will make it. Oh, and I don't even have my wheels yet, so I have to still get those powder coated and get my my tire. My tires are sitting in my basement, and I still have to get those mounted and stuff, but I do think we will make it there. But will the truck be 100% like to my standard? No? Like the exterior, yes, but the interior is going to be completely stock. I'm not going to be able to do anything that I want to, because, again, I just need the truck drivable, and says, I really don't need the inside the engine like they're doing because everyone's like, what are you doing to the engine? Um, I'm just fixing the leaks. So, like, my rear main seal is is really bad. And there's a couple other sections that I just want someone that's experienced and can mess with the timing, because I don't have enough time to actually break it down. And like Aaron and I take our time to get that done. So, you know, like with the engine, the interior, those are just some things. And of course, next year, I'm hoping to, right now I'm running the g3 65 speed transmission, and I'd really like to upgrade that to an MV 5600 just be, you know, so it's a smoother and more comfortable ride on the highway. So will it get there? Yes. Will it be 100% No, but I'm hoping for 2024, that I'm a little bit closer.

Jeremy Perkins  24:13  

So you said your next project after this would be the CDL, but I know with any gear head, and especially gearhead families, there's always another project coming along. Do you have line of sight on it? Or is this it for now you're going to enjoy it. And

Chelsey Holdosi  24:35  

my husband and I have agreed that we have to take turns.

Jeremy Perkins  24:40  

His turn.

Chelsey Holdosi  24:43  

Um, he wants to do a semi build. So I'm not going to go too into detail, because he, like, I want that to be his adventure. And like, we also made the agreement that whoever's build it is they get to share it first. Yeah, so something that. He wants to, but that's kind of my motivation to get the CDL, because I don't want to, like him, be the only one who can drive like I want to be able to actually haul it, and he wants to use it as a tote, a hauler too, to actually take my truck and eventually he have another truck as well to show it around.

Jeremy Perkins  25:16  

That is like, you guys are living my dream. That's that is awesome. I know there's plenty of people out there that that want that, but it's, it's amazing the power of of of a couple and what they can accomplish. And I'm sure you feed off his energy and knowledge as well as he feeds off yours. If you guys have a good working relationship, which it sounds like you do, I know that, like when I get in the barn helping my wife from time to time we made butt heads. But yeah, sounds like you guys are dialing it in and and everything's good there. So the best of luck to you guys in that, in that aspect.

Chelsey Holdosi  25:58  

Thank you. Thank you,

Jeremy Perkins  25:59  

awesome. Hold on one sec. Your video just went out.

Chelsey Holdosi  26:11  

I see you okay.

Jeremy Perkins  26:12  

It says live video will return when their internet improves. Oh, no, man,

Chelsey Holdosi  26:19  

I have full

Jeremy Perkins  26:29  

alright, we'll roll with it. We'll see what happens.

Chelsey Holdosi  26:31  

Sorry. I mean, I see you and everything

Jeremy Perkins  26:34  

we we won't shoot it again. All editors will just put my face there or something for for for the time being, alright? So one thing I want to ask you is, and this is always a question that, you know, I ask a lot of up and comers, but you're obviously a female coming into a male dominated industry. Do you feel like you're part of the guys, part of the group, part of everything? Has there been any challenges? There any words of wisdom for, you know, females that want to get into the trade, that are like, I don't want to go work in the shop of guys, but I really like doing the job. I mean, again, actually, it's roles reversed. I have a farm that is run by all females, so I never thought I'd experience that on the other side. And let me tell you, management style is different. You know, work is distributed differently. There's a lot less yelling, which was a lot less swearing. So from that standpoint, like I'm actually learning a lot working amongst a group of females as more so than I would a longer group of of males. But are there any challenges for you, or is it just like, hey, I'm in there. I'm doing what I'm doing. Well respected. No issues.

Chelsey Holdosi  28:07  

You definitely, you definitely grow some thicker skin, I will say that. And the biggest hurdle that I've had to overcome, because it's, you know, being almost two years into it. Now it's, you just gotta let stuff roll off, yeah, because there's, unfortunately, like, look, I'm actually the excavation company that I work for. It's actually woman owned. So, like, I do get to work with women and men. Primarily, we're men in the field. But you know, management wise and things like that. Ownership is female oriented. But when you work with builders or different clients or things like that that are male, I do find a lot of times that they either assume I know nothing, or they just assume that I'm some type of administrative role. So they think I'm like, here to just take notes or things like that when I'm actually in charge of, like, managing the guys and things in that sort and the job. So just just rolling with the punches, and you you know your own experience level and what your knowledge is, and if you keep that to your like, if you know that in the back of your head when you get any type of commentary or disregard from the males like that's pretty much the biggest thing that'll help you out. So I definitely had to learn that very quick. Yeah,

Jeremy Perkins  29:33  

yeah. And, I mean, I could, I could see that, because again, you know, my wife has dealt with numerous contractors or or numerous vendors, and they've said, like, Oh, can I speak to your husband? And she's like, No, I run this barn. And, you know, you talk to me, and they're like, oh, oh, sorry, you know what I mean. And you. Yeah, I mean, she 100% knows what she's doing, usually puts them back on their heels, and it's and it's kind of funny that, like, the world's evolving. We have a very diverse workforce, and we shouldn't take anything for granted, and females or people from different backgrounds usually come with a whole different view on on the job or the task at hand, and it's always welcome to have a difference of opinion or a differing experience. So yeah, more power to you. You're welcome to the workforce. This is great.

Chelsey Holdosi  30:38  

I am. I am really enjoying it. So even with, you know, the big hurdle of just different the genders and different personalities and and thought processes coming together, it's been a really cool experience. I've I'm kind of glad, because it's more like I would have never known half the stuff I should be looking for when it comes to buying a house or building a house or like doing anything. If I was not in the street, I didn't realize how ignorant society and like everyone around is to the process or what to look for until you're actually in it, because I probably would have made some really bad decisions, real estate wise as well, if I didn't know what I know now. So

Jeremy Perkins  31:25  

that's cool. You know, we talk about it a lot, especially when it comes like, education, right? Education, higher learning, all that stuff. And people automatically associate education or higher learning with you know, in person, classroom, time, courses, book, work, stuff like that. I've taken a step back. I've done all of it. I've done every from college to trade school to on the job training. And what I've realized is all of it's beneficial. It's where you put it right. And higher learning, for me is situations like that. And one of the biggest things that I like about the trade schools, or just getting into a trade, even if it's not going to be your career, is there's so much transferable skills that people don't even realize, like, just from the math side of things, like, when I was fabricating and welding, angles and degrees and all that stuff, right? Measurements. I mean, just, just getting comfortable with measuring things. And then once you've measured things for a long period of time, you can actually start to eyeball like, hey, that's 10 yards. That's 50 yards. That's, you know, 10 feet, 12 feet, what have you um, and even, even down to, like, I worked with my brother in law for a little bit. I was a mechanic at the time. I didn't know studs a new construction were 1616, inches on center, right? So for me, when I'm hanging a TV in my house, right? I know that as long as it's modern construction, that if I hit a stud 16 inches from this one is the other stud, right? So to start looking at that, and it's, it's just small stuff, like, like you said, you know, home buying, being able to do the inspection yourself to some degree, right? Is huge. Like, when was it made? Alright? When, when it was made? What were some of the common things used, lead, asbestos, you know, all that stuff. So then your wheels start get turning, okay? Now I'm going to go down and look at the plumbing, you know. Does it look asbestos lined, you know, is this going to be an added cost for me? You know, electrical, when was the last time the electrical has been updated and, and this, that and the other thing. And then you start to realize, alright, maybe, maybe I should pass on this one, because this one's going to be a lot of work. Or maybe, hey, this is a diamond in the rough.

Chelsey Holdosi  33:58  

Well, that's the thing too. It depends on your personality and what you're willing to learn as well. Because there's some couples or families that I found where I'm like, Okay, you definitely need a turnkey kind of home, like property, as my husband and I bought a house that was built in the 30s. So we we've been dealing with a lot, and probably in the last year, I've been hit with probably anything and everything you could possibly think of to go wrong. But we're willing, and we're kind of open to we're fixer uppers, and when we rented, we were doing that, we were like, not half the time, not even calling the landlord, just fixing the things ourselves. So that's kind of the mentality we have. So we are more willing to have a house that needs a little bit more love and care so we can have that big old shop out there, rather than someone else who comes in and just wants something that's already ready to go. Everything's brand new. They just literally have to move in and pick paint colors on their wall and things like that. So well,

Jeremy Perkins  34:56  

also too, like facing adversity and. Going wrong with builds or or, you know, on a job site or something like that. It kind of kind of gives you that that thick skin, as you would, you would say that, hey, there's an there's another solution to this problem. Don't panic. Don't worry about it, like we'll get through this. I know that, like early on in my career, when something went wrong, you almost, like, froze. You wanted to give up. There's nothing. You're like, you're like, Fuck this. I'm done like, I don't even know why I want to be a mechanic, but it comes the same with homeownership. This is like, you go and do something it doesn't go right, but now that you're seasoned and things going wrong, you don't panic as much, and you're like, alright, what? What's the next course of action? How can, how can we resolve this, this issue, and kind of move forward? And I think that seeing a lot of things go wrong actually helps when things do go wrong. I mean, there's just so many, so many examples out there, but yeah,

Chelsey Holdosi  36:01  

i That's why a few years ago, when before I had my truck, I was driving my husband's to Tennessee, and I had a couple girls with me. And once I got into Fairfield, Virginia, because I remember that sound very well, the head gaskets blew, and I was overheating, and everything started going into smoke, and we ended up, like, cycling down to this little rest stop, and pretty much was stranded. And in that moment, I had no idea what to do. I didn't even know what was really going on. Like, people would drive by, they see a cool, lifted truck. They're like, Hey, let me think about it. Bye. Like no one helped. And like, my husband's four hours away, and at that moment, ever since then, whether it comes to the truck, comes to the house, comes to my job, I really think it's really important, whatever aspect you're thinking about is you need to have enough background knowledge or enough knowledge about the situation to either know how to fix it yourself, or know what you need to fix it. Or if there's something like, okay, like you don't have the tools, or whatever you need to actually, is there an alternate like, are there, are there different avenues that you can take to temporarily fix the band aid, things like that? So I think no matter what situation you're in, having that kind of background in yourself, like, Okay, what's the next step? What can I do instead of like you said, freezing, like I did that day, really can help you out and save you in a situation.

Jeremy Perkins  37:27  

Yeah, it's another thing I can add there too, because it comes to mind as we're working through some renovations ourselves, is just being able to call different contractors, speak to different contractors, have them out gage their level of experience, um, you know, their workability and what they're going to do. I had one I was I'm going to be putting, and I don't want to say, like, the name of the company, because they're local to me, but I had, I wanted to put a secondary heating source on my parents side of the the house, because it got like, I guess heat pumps don't, they stop working at like, negative 20 degrees. And we had a we had a we had a cold spat, and last winter that was below that, and they had no heat because the heat pumps wouldn't work. So I'm like, I'm looking for a pellet stove or, like a propane monitor heater or something that we can kick on when it gets that bad. So anyway, I they have this old farmhouse like fireplace that we're not we're not supposed to use. So I was looking for an insert, and potentially a chimney to go up through the middle, or like a liner to go up through the chimney. And I called the company that supplies pellet stoves, and she goes to me, you bring in the dimensions, and you know, we'll get you a pellet stove. And then once the pellet stove is in, the owner of the company will come out and re measure it, and then you can install it. And I was like, I go, I'm more looking along the lines of like, I don't know what you guys have for inventory. I don't know what will or will not work. Um, would you come out and do an on site visit? And she's like, No, he won't do an on site visit. You know, he doesn't do estimates, stuff like that. I go, I will pay for the estimate, because I want to make sure it's right. And a lot of people, as I talk to a whole bunch of contractors, they're starting to charge for estimates. And I wholeheartedly agree that they should charge for estimates. And then when people hear that a contractor charges for estimates, pay it to have them come out there make sure that this job is going to, you know, be good from start to finish. And, you know, there's accountability on on their behalf. But, yeah, it's kind of a an industry shift a little bit, I know a lot. Of them are doing it, and they'll probably be like, You're wrong. We've been doing it for 10 plus years, but yeah, I I actually like paying for estimates now, because they know when you pay that usually means they know what they're doing. So it's kind of funny. But yeah, it's just stuff like that, just being able to network call contractors, stuff like that that I've gotten familiar with over the years has made any renovation or any build out go smoother, sweet. So outside of everything you know, I know you and your husband are are tied to dual building things and renovations, and your work, his work. What do you guys do to unwind? You don't unwind.

Chelsey Holdosi  40:50  

Um, oh my gosh, Ah, she's

Jeremy Perkins  40:56  

like shit. We need to take a vacation.

Chelsey Holdosi  40:57  

I know we, we, we we don't really, I'm just gonna be honest. Like, pretty much working on the trucks is our muse, yeah, like, even though it stresses us out, it's kind of our way to, like, be together. Now, back in the day, when we first started dating, we used to like, find a new city, or, like, we actually hiked and, like, we talk about doing that again, yeah, but we get So, like, even though the truck stresses out and it's something more and it's money and everything else, it's just something that him and I, it's just that that's our thing.

Jeremy Perkins  41:37  

No, no, no, I I always like to see what people do outside of their their work life and and what have you. And it sounds like, yeah, even though it's work, you guys are spending time together. You guys are enjoying people's company. I know others don't necessarily mesh on that level, but no, that's cool. That's super important. That means you're doing something right, right? Yeah,

Chelsey Holdosi  42:01  

well, I mean him and I have just been very work oriented ever, you know, for a long time, so it's just something, like, we so, like, I have a little stepson. He's four, he's about to be five, and he's pretty much the only reason why our motivation to do stuff outside the shop, because, like, we want to be able to take him to, like, go camping and go to the parks and things like that, which it does, motivates us to do, but he also, like, we also want him to see, like, what working hard and dedication and things like that come to your side, as he's already telling me that I have to find him engines off the marketplace For his next build, which a four year old knows about, marketplace. That's probably a bad thing. Tool, like his own tools, he I had a donor truck or, like a little dually body, or frame and body sitting here, and he was cleaning it as his. So I still haven't broke the news to him that it's someone else's now, because we sold it at a show, but he thinks his truck is somewhere getting built, so that's what I'm gonna have to break.

Jeremy Perkins  43:08  

Jeez, no, that's, that's awesome. Sounds like you guys have a good a good balance, a good family setting. So that's, that's awesome. Bill, you guys are raising the next tradesman for for this industry. So putting them, putting them off on the right foot,

Chelsey Holdosi  43:28  

if I could just get him to stop saying that my truck is slow, I'd feel much better, because he definitely calls me out very much.

Jeremy Perkins  43:36  

Already four years old,

Chelsey Holdosi  43:38  

Yes, yep.

Jeremy Perkins  43:41  

Damn well, you know, second time this was awesome. I really appreciate you being on the show. Super informative, really interesting start to your career. You might be the smartest person we've ever had on the show. I But that being said, super cool background. People can take away that like, hey, the path you started off on isn't necessarily the path that you have to finish on, but yeah, super cool. Thanks for being on if they want to follow you. Ask you any questions, potentially any resources. Now's your time to share?

Chelsey Holdosi  44:27  

Yeah, so pretty much on anything and everything. It's Chelsey 1225, Chelsey with a Y, not an A. But I do try as well to get to pretty much a lot of truck events too, because I really do like meeting a lot of people, person to person, just because I like getting other aspects learning. You might learn something off of me, I learned something off of you, kind of ordeal, and it's more down to earth. So whether it's at a show or you message me online. I am here to help any way I can. I. Awesome.

Jeremy Perkins  45:00  

Thank you, Chelsey. And as a special thanks to our loyal listeners, we're giving $10 off your next purchase of $60 or more at Brunt workwear.com Use Discount Code bucket talk 10. That's bucket talk 10. You.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai