The AI Tradesman Podcast helps sole traders, tradesmen and small business owners use practical AI in the real world.
Hosted by Rick Seaby — a working window cleaner, former estate agent and Army veteran — this podcast cuts through the hype and explains how AI can genuinely help small businesses save time, win more work and reduce stress.
No Silicon Valley waffle.
No technical jargon.
No pretending robots are taking over the world.
Just practical conversations about:
AI tools for small business
automation
customer response
marketing
organisation
productivity
and working smarter without losing the personal touch
Whether you’re a plumber, electrician, roofer, decorator, window cleaner or self-employed business owner, this podcast is about helping ordinary businesses use extraordinary tools.
The 10-Minute Debrief That Could Improve Your Business
Ever finish a job and think, “I’m not making that mistake again” — only to make a similar one six months later?
In the Army, we used a simple debrief process to learn from what had happened: what was supposed to happen, what actually happened, why was there a difference, and what should we do differently next time?
In this episode of The AI Tradesman, I look at how the same simple idea can work in a small trade business.
I share lessons from Arctic Warfare training, a gutter-cleaning job I badly underquoted back in 2008, and how AI can help you record these little business lessons and start spotting patterns you might otherwise miss.
No complicated technology. Just ten minutes of reflection that could help you make better decisions, price jobs better and avoid repeating expensive mistakes.
Practical AI. No hype. Just useful stuff for tradespeople.
12 Aug 2026
Stop Doing £10 Tasks — and Start Paying Yourself Properly
Busy isn't the same as valuable. In this episode, Rick digs into one of the biggest — and most common — mistakes tradesmen make: spending skilled, £50-£80+ an-hour time on £10-an-hour admin.
Drawing on a real story of losing a customer's quote and spending twenty minutes hunting through emails and spreadsheets to find it, Rick explains how that moment changed the way he ran his business — and how AI has helped him build a proper system so it never happens again.
In this episode:
The uncomfortable question every tradesman should ask themselves about how they spend their week
Why your real hourly rate is probably lower than you think once admin, driving and prep are counted in
Why AI isn't about replacing skill — it's about removing friction: the searching, the remembering, the repeating
A simple three-day exercise — Keep, Automate, Eliminate — to find the jobs eating your time
Two real examples from Rick's own week: learning to edit this podcast in GarageBand in two days with AI, and a five-minute conversation that saved £38 on a subscription renewal
This week's challenge: swap one £10-an-hour job for a £50-an-hour one
4 Aug 2026
Episode 12: How To Understand Your Business Numbers With AI
Discover the five business numbers every tradesman should know and how AI can help you track, understand and improve them. Learn why Customer Acquisition Cost, Lifetime Value, conversion rate, response time and profit per hour can transform the way you run your business.
28 Jul 2026
Lessons From the Army That Work in Business
Three practical business lessons I learnt in the British Army—planning, discipline and adaptability—that every tradesman can use to work smarter and build a better business.
21 Jul 2026
The Four Hidden Leaks Costing Tradesmen Customers
You could be the best tradesman in town and still be losing customers without ever realising it. Discover the four hidden leaks that quietly cost trades businesses work every week.
14 Jul 2026
Episode 9: The First Hour
Why the first hour after a customer contacts your business can determine whether you win or lose the job.
7 Jul 2026
AI Isn't Taking Your Job... But...
Everyone's asking the wrong question.
Is AI going to take your job?
For most tradespeople and small business owners, the answer is no.
But the person using AI effectively might.
In this episode, I explain why AI is becoming another tool in the toolbox rather than a replacement for skilled people, and how sole traders can start using it today to save time, improve customer service and grow their business.
In this episode:
• Why AI isn't replacing skilled trades• How AI gives small businesses a competitive edge• Practical ways to save time with AI• Why customers still buy from people they know and trust• Simple ideas you can start using today
If you're enjoying The AI Tradesman Podcast, please follow the show and leave a review. It really helps more sole traders discover practical AI.
New episodes every Tuesday.
30 Jun 2026
The £10,000 Question
Episode 7 – The £10,000 Episode
If someone handed you £10,000 and said, "You can only invest this in your business," what would you do?
A new van?
Better tools?
Or something else entirely?
In this episode of The AI Tradesman, I explore the difference between buying and investing, and why the best investments often aren't the most obvious ones.
Drawing on my own experience of running an estate agency in the early days of the internet, I share a lesson that still shapes how I think about business today: sometimes the thing that looks optional today becomes essential tomorrow.
We also look at why AI is changing the game for sole traders and small business owners, not because it's clever, but because it can save time, improve customer service and free you up to focus on the work that really matters.
In this episode:
Why buying and investing aren't the same thing.
The questions every business owner should ask before spending money.
What I learned from missing the early opportunity of investing properly in a business website.
Why I believe AI is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for small businesses.
How AI can save time, improve customer experience and deliver a genuine return on investment.
Why I focus on building systems rather than collecting shiny new tools.
I'm also building a free resource at theaitradesman.com to help UK tradesmen and small business owners learn how to train AI to handle everyday admin tasks. More on that very soon.
Remember:
Get Found.Be Chosen.Stay Remembered.
Thanks for listening, and if you know another tradesman or small business owner who'd enjoy this episode, I'd really appreciate you sharing it with them.
Have a question about AI or running a trade business? Send it in via theaitradesman.com and I may answer it in a future episode.
22 Jun 2026
You Don't Need More Leads...Until...
Most tradesmen and small business owners think they have a lead problem.
"I'm not getting enough enquiries."
"If I could just get more leads, everything would be fine."
But what if that's not the real problem?
In this episode of The AI Tradesman, Rick explores why many businesses don't need more leads until they stop losing the ones they already have.
Using the simple "Leaky Bucket" analogy, Rick explains how missed calls, slow email responses, forgotten enquiries and poor follow-up can quietly cost businesses thousands of pounds every year.
Drawing on his own experience running a window cleaning business, Rick shares how he discovered that speed of response often matters more than marketing spend, and why many business owners are unknowingly paying for leads that end up becoming customers of their competitors.
You'll learn:
• Why "more leads" isn't always the answer• The hidden cost of missed enquiries• How customer expectations have changed• Why responsiveness is now a competitive advantage• How simple systems can help capture more business• The principle behind Swift Response
If you're a sole trader, tradesman or small business owner looking to grow your business without increasing your advertising budget, this episode is for you.
Get Found. Be Chosen. Stay Remembered.
Connect with Rick and follow The AI Tradesman on Facebook for updates, tips and future episodes.
Questions, feedback or ideas for future episodes?
Email: rick@realsbs.com
15 Jun 2026
Episode 5 – Found, Chosen, Remembered
In this episode of The AI Tradesman, Rick reflects on 35 years of watching technology transform the way we live and work.
From leaving the Army in 1990 with no mobile phone and no internet, to a world where customers can now ask AI to recommend a local tradesman, one thing remains constant:
Customer behaviour changes. Human nature doesn't.
People still want to save time, save money, and make good decisions.
If Rick were starting a trade business from scratch today, he'd focus on just three outcomes:
✅ Being Found
✅ Getting Chosen
✅ Staying Remembered
In this episode, he shares the five practical actions he'd take to make that happen, without needing a degree in computing or becoming a technology expert.
Whether you're a plumber, electrician, window cleaner, builder, landscaper, decorator, or any other small business owner, these principles can help you attract more customers and build a stronger business.
This week's challenge:
Ask yourself:
If I was starting my business from scratch today, what would I do differently?
Write down three answers.
Pick one.
Take action.
Because small improvements, repeated consistently, create remarkable results.
The AI Tradesman
Helping Small Businesses Use Practical AI.
8 Jun 2026
Let AI Read the Small Print
Most business owners don't read terms and conditions.
Not because we're lazy.
Because we're busy and Ts & Cs are boring, long and written in legalese.
In this episode of The AI Tradesman, I explain how a simple email from Google about a trial ending made me realise just how many subscriptions and contracts most of us have running quietly in the background.
I show you how to use free AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to review terms and conditions before you sign up for software, memberships, services and subscriptions.
We cover:
• Hidden renewal clauses
• Lock-in periods
• Cancellation policies
• Price increases
• Contract traps buried in the small print
• Carrying out your own subscription audit
AI won't replace a solicitor, but it can act as a fast and effective first filter before you commit your hard earned money.
Prompt Used In This Episode
You are an expert legal assistant helping a small trade business owner.
Analyse these terms and conditions.
Look specifically for:
• Hidden traps
• Automatic renewal clauses
• Minimum lock-in periods
• Unusual cancellation policies
• Clauses allowing price increases
• Any inconsistencies or contradictions
• Anything that seems potentially unfair to a small business
Provide a summary in plain English using simple bullet points.
This Week's Challenge
Choose one subscription, software platform, membership or business service you're paying for.
Copy the terms and conditions into ChatGPT or Gemini.
See what it finds.
You may discover everything is fine.
Or you may discover a renewal date, lock-in period or hidden clause you didn't know existed.
Either way, you'll know.
And knowing is always better than guessing.
Contact: rick@realsbs.com
1 Jun 2026
The Leaky Bucket: Why Slow Replies Lose Customers
In this episode of The AI Tradesman, I talk about one of the biggest problems facing tradesmen and local service businesses — losing enquiries because nobody responds quickly enough.
I explain the concept of "Speed to Lead", share a few lessons from my own window cleaning business, and discuss why being first to respond often matters more than being the cheapest.
Download my free guide:
https://guide.realsbs.com/free-guide-page
26 May 2026
The AI Mistake Almost Everyone Makes (And How To Avoid)
In Episode 2 of The AI Tradesman Podcast, Rick explains the biggest mistake most people make when using AI — treating it like Google instead of giving it proper context.
Using real-world examples from his own window cleaning business, Rick shows how tools like ChatGPT can help tradesmen and small business owners handle awkward customer emails, save time, reduce stress, and communicate better without sounding robotic or corporate.
This episode also introduces the concept of “plugging the leak” — why businesses lose customers simply because they reply too slowly — and how automated systems can help stop enquiries slipping through the cracks.
Inside this episode:
• Why most AI prompts fail• How to get far better results from ChatGPT and Claude• A real example of using AI to write a difficult price increase email• Why speed of response matters massively in business• How automated replies can stop you losing customers over weekends• Rick’s upcoming free GoHighLevel response-system guide
No tech waffle. No Silicon Valley nonsense. Just practical AI for real tradesmen and small business owners.
Facebook: The AI TradesmanEmail: rick@tryswiftresponse.com
26 May 2026
The AI Mistake Almost Everyone Makes (And How To Avoid It)
In Episode 2 of The AI Tradesman Podcast, Rick explains the biggest mistake most people make when using AI — treating it like Google instead of giving it proper context.
Using real-world examples from his own window cleaning business, Rick shows how tools like ChatGPT can help tradesmen and small business owners handle awkward customer emails, save time, reduce stress, and communicate better without sounding robotic or corporate.
This episode also introduces the concept of “plugging the leak” — why businesses lose customers simply because they reply too slowly — and how automated systems can help stop enquiries slipping through the cracks.
Inside this episode:
• Why most AI prompts fail• How to get far better results from ChatGPT and Claude• A real example of using AI to write a difficult price increase email• Why speed of response matters massively in business• How automated replies can stop you losing customers over weekends• Rick’s upcoming free GoHighLevel response-system guide
No tech waffle. No Silicon Valley nonsense. Just practical AI for real tradesmen and small business owners.
Facebook: The AI TradesmanEmail: rick@tryswiftresponse.com
18 May 2026
Why I Finally Started Using AI in My Business
In the very first episode of The AI Tradesman Podcast, Rick shares the real reason he started paying attention to AI — after losing customers in his window cleaning business simply because he didn’t reply quickly enough.
This isn’t a tech podcast for Silicon Valley programmers.
It’s a practical, honest look at how AI can help tradesmen, self-employed people and small businesses save time, respond faster and stay competitive without becoming computer experts.
In this episode:
How missed enquiries cost real money
The idea of “speed to lead”
Why modern customers expect instant replies
How AI started becoming useful in a real-world business
A simple AI challenge any business owner can try this week
Email: rick@tryswiftresponse.com
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