In this very special 500th episode of the Blue Collar Leadership Podcast, Mack Story reunites with Derek Brown—the man who inspired him to launch the Blue Collar Leadership podcast eight years ago.

Derek shares the story of how he and Mack first connected, his own powerful personal growth journey, the professional path that shaped him, and what he’s doing today as National Sales Director at CrewPlex, where he helps construction, industrial, and high-risk teams communicate safely and effectively in loud, demanding environments. Check out the products Derek offers at CrewPlex.com

With a focus on human-first leadership, sales coaching, and team development, Derek delivers real-world insights on growth, resilience, and leading people the right way—whether you’re on the shop floor, in the field, or running a team.

This milestone conversation is both a heartfelt look back at the podcast’s beginnings and an inspiring forward look at what authentic leadership looks like in blue-collar industries today.

If you’ve ever been impacted by the show, you won’t want to miss this one.

#leadershippodcast #leadershiptips #bluecollarleadership #podcast #growthjourney

Practical, straightforward, and recorded for real blue-collar leaders, aspiring leaders, and workers who want to climb to the next level and beyond.

In this special husband-and-wife episode, Mack and Ria Story give listeners a brief, practical overview of the eight core books in the Blue-Collar Leadership® Series—part of the 35 books they’ve published.

They walk through the five 30-chapter/3 pages per chapter books:

1. Blue-Collar Leadership® & Culture: The 5 Components for Building High Performance Teams
2. Blue-Collar Leadership®: Leading from the Front Lines
3. Blue-Collar Leadership® & Teamwork: 30 Traits of High Impact Players
4. Blue-Collar Leadership® & Supervision: Unleash Your Team’s Potential
5. Blue-Collar Kaizen: Leading Lean & Lean Teams

Plus the three quick-hit Blue-Collar Leadership® Toolbox Tips books which are packed with 60 micro-lessons each.

Mack and Ria share how frontline team members can use these books for personal growth and how formal leaders and supervisors can turn them into powerful team-development tools through short book studies or by sharing weekly Toolbox Tips.

Whether you’re looking to build better habits, improve communication, strengthen culture, or lead change on the shop floor or the job site, this episode gives you the roadmap to start using these proven resources immediately—no matter your role or experience level.

#bluecollarleadership #skilledtrades #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #workforcedevelopment

In this special tribute episode of Blue Collar Leadership, Mack Story honors the life and legacy of Bob Chapman, the legendary Chairman of Barry-Wehmiller who passed away on March 19, 2026.

For over a decade, Mack has collected Bob’s most powerful quotes on leadership, culture, and what it truly means to put people before profits.

In this episode, Mack shares 50 of those quotes—raw, practical, and deeply human—straight from the man who transformed a struggling manufacturing company into a multibillion-dollar global leader while building one of the most admired workplace cultures in the world.

Whether you’re a frontline supervisor, plant manager, or CEO, these quotes will challenge how you think about leadership, inspire you to lead with more heart, and show you why Bob Chapman’s “Truly Human Leadership” philosophy remains more relevant today than ever.

This is more than a tribute—it’s a masterclass in leadership from one of the greatest voices our industry has ever known.

#leadership #bluecollarleadership #TrulyHumanLeadership #BobChampan #EverybodyMatters #servantleadership