Proudly Launching a New Book: Trade Up

It’s been my goal to write fiction. Now, finally, my first fiction work is out.

Trade Up is a collaboration between me and John Finan, owner of Finan Home Service and other companies in London, Ontario. It started with an idea John had for doing a Wealthy Barber-style story about people in the skilled trades. I took his idea, flipped it on its head, wrote like a maniac, and together we gave birth to this book.

Last night about 100 people came out to London’s convention centre for the official launch. I have wonderful friends who showed up to give their support and I’m humbled. John and I had a fireside chat (with no fire!) with London Mayor Josh Morgan, who was engaging and informative.

As the owner of trades-related businesses, John has had challenges trying to hire skilled tradespeople and apprentices. I have two nephews who are in the trades and I’ve written before about how a lack of tradespeople can affect homeowners. We felt it acutely when we lived in Wallaceburg. Thousands of tradespeople are about to reach retirement age and there aren’t enough people coming up behind them to replace them.

The Trade Up Mission

John and I have plans for this book, for him to speak to students and others, and to really show people what a career in the trades can turn into. Our approach isn’t anti-university but it is anti-student debt. There are other ways to get a great start in life without immediately burying oneself in student loans. You might also be surprised by how much a plumber or welder earns. It can be a great living, and a debt-free beginning. A degree can come later. Earn it part-time and pay as you go.

Like The Wealthy Barber, Trade Up follows fictional people doing real-life things, and experiencing what it’s like to follow their hearts. In some cases, they’re having to educate their parents about what a career in a trade really means. As John is fond of saying, “the trades used to be something you failed into.” Meantime, trades attract people who like to work with their hands. And later in life, like John who is an electrician by trade, they put down their tools and accumulate wealth. A trade is a smart choice.

Trade Up is for sale on Amazon. And we have a website HERE. We wrote the book for someone who’s thinking of getting into a trade, or has a kid who’s going to graduate in a year or two, or IS a kid who’s trying to figure out their future. It’s an easy read, packed with real scenarios and facts about the skilled trades. I hope you’ll check it out.