TradeWins & Ivy Tech Career Link Workforce Training

Business Foundations for the Trades

Business Foundations for the Trades is an eight-week, in-person course designed specifically for trade professionals who want to understand how a real contracting business should be structured, managed, and grown.

Many tradespeople are highly skilled at the work but were never taught how to run the business behind it. This course focuses on building the foundational structure that supports profitability, growth, accountability, and long-term stability.

The course is led by experienced trade business owners through TradeWins, a local blue-collar collective focused on helping owner-led contractors build businesses that work without everything running through them.

Course Overview
This hands-on course helps trade professionals move from jobsite thinking to business ownership thinking. Participants learn how successful trade businesses are structured, how roles and responsibilities should be defined, which numbers actually matter, and how to set clear direction for sustainable growth.
​
The content is practical and immediately applicable. Participants leave with a clearer understanding of how to run their business, not just work in it.

What Participants Will Learn

• How a trade business should be structured for clarity and accountability
• How to define roles and responsibilities within a contracting business
• Which numbers matter and how to track them consistently
• How to build effective weekly rhythms and meetings
• How to clarify business values, purpose, and ideal customers
• How to create simple, repeatable processes for delivering work
• How to set long-term, one-year, and 90-day goals that support growth

Who Should Attend

• Trades professionals considering business ownership
• Owners of small or growing contracting businesses
• Crew leaders, supervisors, or managers preparing for leadership roles
• Trades professionals who want a clearer understanding of how a business should operate

No prior business education is required.

Course Details
Course Name:
Business Foundations for the Trades
Format:
In-person, instructor-led
8-week course
Start Date:
March 24
Schedule:
Tuesdays and Thursdays
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Location:
Ivy Tech Community College
Bloomington, IN
Cost:
$600 per participant
Instructor:
TradeWins – A Blue-Collar Collective
Led by experienced trade business owners

Registration Links
Course Information Page:
https://www.ivytech.edu/locations/bloomington/partnerships-special-programs/career-link-workforce-training/
Registration Page:
https://ivyforce.my.site.com/skills/s/login?crn=41461