Most businesses don’t struggle because the work isn’t good.
They struggle because ownership quietly becomes heavier than anyone expects.

In this episode of Builders, Makers, Doers, Andy and Elliot sit down with Chuck Wiethop, founder of Design Eight Studios, for a grounded, no-BS conversation about what it really takes to build and sustain a trades business over decades.

This is not a signage episode.
It’s an ownership episode.

Chuck shares what 30 years in the trades teaches you about leadership, labor, profit protection, and the long-term consequences of the decisions owners make when pressure is high.

From starting with zero industry experience to building one of the most diverse sign and graphics operations in the Midwest, Chuck walks through the moments that shaped how he leads today.

Not the wins.
The weight.

This conversation explores what ownership actually demands when you’re responsible for people, margins, timelines, and reputation all at once.

You’ll hear how Chuck:

• Started a company without industry experience and learned by making mistakes
• Discovered the reality behind “being your own boss”
• Navigated labor shortages and the responsibility of keeping people working
• Learned how saying yes too often quietly destroys profit
• Lost money on purpose to build long-term capability
• Built resilience through systems, not hustle
• Earned trust by standing behind work when it would have been easier to walk away
• Balanced growth, capacity, and reputation over three decades

This episode is about responsibility, discipline, and long-term thinking.

Because resilience isn’t motivation.
It’s structure.
And it’s built long before the pressure shows up.

If you own — or plan to own — a trades, manufacturing, or operations-driven business, this conversation will hit close to home.

🎧 Watch the full episode and subscribe to Builders, Makers, Doers.

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Connect with the Hosts

Andy Bassett, CEO, Ellerbrock-Norris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-bassett-cpcu-cic-7711853/

Elliot Bassett, President and Partner, Ellerbrock-Norris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-bassett-aip-cpcu-84499515/

🌐 https://www.ellerbrock-norris.com/