Faith-Based Leadership
Queen of the Trades
What if leadership wasn’t just about systems and results? What if it was about being a spiritually minded leader and managing with soul? In an industry as tough and gritty as the trades, that idea might seem out of place. But I’ve learned firsthand that being spiritually grounded can completely shift how you show up for your team, your business, and yourself. I didn’t always see our business as a calling, but over time, it became clear. The path was never perfectly mapped out if anything, it was full of unknowns. But there was a purpose behind it, something bigger than just making a...
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Replay: Bringing Passion Back To The Trades With Alexis Aranda
Queen of the Trades
Please enjoy this replay of my very first episode! I'm your host Alexis Aranda. Today, I'm sharing my story with all of you, listeners. I was born in a suburb outside of Chicago and had a fantastic childhood. My parents were supportive. We had a lot of love and a lot of great memories, but we didn't have a lot of money. At a very young age, I strongly desired to create wealth for my family. I knew this was what I was called to do. I also had a passion for working. From babysitting to working at a local grocery store, I was always earning money. My best friend's dad was a tradesman....
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Avoid Burn Out
Queen of the Trades
Spring’s hectic pace hits hard in the trades and lately I’ve felt the pressure myself. Long hours, tight deadlines, and family commitments can drain every bit of energy if we let them. In today’s episode I open up about the moment I realized I was saying yes to everything except rest, and how that wake up call pushed me to build habits that protect both mind and body. You’ll hear why real burnout statistics in our industry matter, especially for men who still feel they have to tough it out. I’ll walk you through five practices that keep me grounded, from carving out a true day...
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Extreme Ownership Part 2
Queen of the Trades
A few weeks ago I shared some thoughts on extreme ownership and the response was overwhelming. It’s clear that a lot of us are ready to stop pointing fingers and start stepping into real leadership. So today, I want to go even deeper. Specifically, we're talking about how to take ownership without getting defensive. If you've ever felt your ego kick in during a tough conversation or found yourself making excuses instead of taking the hit, this is for you. We’ll break down what it actually looks like to let go of ego, build self-awareness, listen with intention, and communicate with...
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6 Functions of a Professional Manager
Queen of the Trades
Do you ever feel like you're juggling a million things as a manager and still wondering if you’re doing it right? I get it because I’ve been there. In this episode, I’m sharing the six core functions every professional manager needs to master in order to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose, especially in the fast-paced world of the trades. These aren’t just generic leadership tips. This is the real, practical framework that changed how I run teams, build people up, and keep our business on track. Whether you’re brand new to management or you’ve been in the game for a while...
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Emotional Intelligence
Queen of the Trades
It’s easy to underestimate just how powerful emotional intelligence can be, especially when you're managing a business, leading a team, or simply trying to keep it all together. But what if mastering your emotions was the key to transforming frustration into growth, and conflict into clarity? In this episode, we talk about what emotional intelligence really means and why it's one of the most underrated leadership tools in the trades. You’ll hear a real story of what happens when emotions start to take over, and how a moment of self-awareness changed the course of an entire...
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Extreme Ownership
Queen of the Trades
There’s a moment in business where everything feels like it’s falling apart—a job goes sideways, a customer’s upset, and your first instinct is to say, “This isn’t my fault.” Been there? Me too. But what if I told you that the most powerful thing you can do as a leader is to say, “This is on me—let’s fix it.” That mindset? It’s called extreme ownership, and it has completely changed the way I lead my team, run our business, and show up every day in the trades. In this episode, I’m breaking down what extreme ownership really means, how Jocko Willink, a former Navy SEAL...
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Navigating Conflict Keeping the Peace
Queen of the Trades
Properly navigating conflict builds trust, strengthens relationships, and turns challenges into opportunities for growth.Whether it’s with a customer, an employee, or even a competitor, conflict is bound to happen. And let’s be real, when you’re pushing for growth and making big moves, you’re going to ruffle some feathers. But here’s the thing, conflict doesn’t have to be a disaster. In fact, if you handle it right, it can actually help you build trust and strengthen relationships. In this episode, I’m sharing a real-life situation where I had to step in and de-escalate a tough...
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The Power of EOS: Breaking Through Business Plateaus
Queen of the Trades
When I first started implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System, or EOS, in my business, I had no idea just how much it would change the way we operated. At the time, our leadership team was all over the place—juggling too many projects, struggling to finish what we started, and feeling like we were just maintaining instead of truly growing. Something had to change. That’s when I came across the book Traction by Gino Wickman, and it felt like it was written just for us. Today, I want to take you inside our EOS journey, share how we’ve used this system to create more clarity and...
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My Biggest Leadership Mistakes
Queen of the Trades
Leadership is not about avoiding mistakes; it is about learning from them and growing stronger. In this episode, I want to share with you the three biggest mistakes I've made as a leader in the trades. I'm sharing these with you because I want you, as fellow leaders in the trades, to learn from my mistakes and avoid these pitfalls. As leaders, growth comes from learning, evolving, and improving ourselves, our teams, and our companies. Remember, leadership is not about being perfect. I'll explain how I wrongly assumed that all trade operations functioned identically, undervalued the...
info_outlineFueling your body is like fueling your success—especially in the trades. The right nutrition isn’t just about what you eat; it’s about optimizing your energy, boosting your mood, and powering through your day with strength and focus. In this episode, we’ll explore how what you put on your plate can transform not only your health but also your performance on the job.
I’m thrilled to introduce Julia Mitchell, a functional nutrition coach who has been a game-changer in my own health journey. Julia is part of Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s team, where she specializes in helping people understand the right balance of protein, carbs, and fats for their body and activity level. She has been instrumental in guiding me toward healthier eating habits, and I’m so grateful to have her on the show today.
In this episode, we’ll discuss the importance of fueling the body properly and the unique challenges of maintaining good nutrition in the trades. We’ll dive into customized nutrition plans that work for your individual needs, and explore a muscle-centric approach to health, focusing on how building and maintaining muscle can improve performance and longevity.
Julia Mitchell is a highly skilled functional nutritionist, bison rancher, and mother, dedicated to helping individuals achieve optimal health through a holistic and personalized approach. As a Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and Licensed Dietitian-Nutritionist (LDN) in the renowned practice of Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Julia combines her expertise in Muscle-Centric Medicine® with functional medicine principles to create comprehensive, individualized nutrition and wellness plans tailored to each person’s unique needs.
Episode Highlights:
[02:29] I meant Julia through Dr Lyons who is a concierge doctor with a different approach. She also said she had a nutritional coach that could help me customize my diet.
[03:34] Dr. Gabrielle Lyons founded the Center for Muscle Centric Medicine. She practices medicine with the philosophy that skeletal muscle is the foundation for health.
[04:32] Julia has patients as part of Dr Lyons team, and she also works with clients directly.
[05:05] Functional means how the plan works for the individual.
[06:03] They support muscle growth through health and nutrition.
[07:19] The importance of having a plan and hitting your goals while still being able to enjoy life and the foods you like.
[08:58] Nutrition is about trade-offs and understanding what's important to you and what your priorities are.
[09:19] It's important to be aware of what you eat on a daily basis, because it's what fuels your performance.
[11:11] Being in the trades can be like going to a gym, and it's a win-win in many ways.
[13:24] First steps include assessing where you're at now.
[14:15] The importance of starting with protein as the foundational component of your nutrition plan. Then vegetables and whole grains for fiber.
[15:55] Protein has a high satiety value and makes you feel full. It's also a foundational need for our bodies, especially for those who do physical jobs.
[18:03] It does take practice to set good habits and implement the skills you want in your life.
[19:31] Stick to the outside aisles and grab fresh food when you go to the grocery store.
[22:25] Soul searching and finding your true priorities when getting healthier.
[26:57] We're a reflection of the five people we spend the most time with, so choose your circle wisely.
[27:37] Julia shares her opinion on new fads.
[29:22] It's really about finding a way of eating that suits you.
[31:55] Food is preventative medicine. It's fuel for our body.
[34:32] Muscle mass is important for longevity, and dietary protein is important for muscle mass.
[35:00] Eat protein and lift heavy weights.
[36:35] Lifting weights should be part of everybody's program, no matter what their job is.
[37:24] The key is establishing something that you can be consistent with.
[38:38] 1. Eating healthy and being healthy does not have to be hard. 2. Be aware of your priorities. 3. Focus on building muscle. 4. Eat high quality protein.
[39:38] Food is preventative medicine.
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