Who are
Andy & Angela Smith
Get to know the husband-and-wife team behind Lifestyle Tradie.
Hi! We’re Andy & Angela…
You might also know us as the authors of Start Up, Scale Up, Sell Up, or as the coaches helping trade business owners all over Australia build a business that actually supports their life… not takes it over.
But before any of this, we were just like you.
Two tradies running a trade business, doing our best to keep our heads above water.
OUR STORY STARTED
ON THE TOOLS
For more than 20 years, we owned and operated our own plumbing business, Dr. DRiP Plumbing.
We poured everything into it. Long days on the tools. Late nights quoting and invoicing. Weekends spent trying to catch up.
Sound familiar?
And for a while, it looked like we were smashing it. We grew a team of 17 tradies. We had eight vehicles on the road. Work was coming in fast. From the outside, it looked like success.
But behind the scenes it was chaos.
WHEN “BUSY” DOESN’T MEAN PROFITABLE
Running a growing trade business can feel like a constant grind.
The phone never stops. The pressure is relentless. Cash flow is tight, even when you’re flat out. And the business starts creeping into every part of life.
We were doing good work… but we had no real systems, no control, and no breathing space. It wasn’t just exhausting. It was unsustainable. And we realised something that changed everything:
Most tradies don’t struggle because they’re bad at their trade.
They struggle because no one teaches you how to run the business side properly.
THE TURNING POINT
Back in 2009, we hit a crossroads. We could keep pushing harder, doing more hours, taking on more jobs – or we could finally step back and build the business properly.
That’s when we began systemising EVERYTHING. How we priced jobs, managed staff, controlled cash flow, marketed to the right customers. We created a business that didn’t rely on us 24/7.
And slowly, the chaos turned to control.
That business turnaround became the foundation for what we now teach thousands of trade business owners today through Lifestyle Tradie.
WHY WE CREATED LIFESTYLE TRADIE
After going through it ourselves, we saw the bigger picture:
Everyone thinks tradies are killing it. But the truth is, about 90% of trade business owners we speak to are stuck in some way:
- working huge hours
- not taking proper time off
- struggling to find good staff
- unsure where the money’s going
- feeling like they’ve built a job, not a business
That’s why we created Lifestyle Tradie – to give trade business owners the coaching, systems, and support we wish we had earlier.
TRADE BUSINESS COACHING BUILT FOR TRADIES
Lifestyle Tradie is an award-winning trade business coaching membership & community built specifically for Australian and New Zealand tradies.
We coach plumbers, electricians, builders, landscapers, painters, tilers, glaziers (and every trade in between) to:
- make consistent profit
- build a business with structure and systems
- attract better customers
- create a reliable team
- finally win back time, money, and control
This isn’t theory. Everything we coach has been tried, tested, and proven in real trade businesses, including our own.
WE’RE NOT DIFFERENT FROM YOU
At the end of the day, there’s nothing special about us. We’re not corporate suits. We’re tradies who learned the hard way, through expensive mistakes, late nights, and plenty of stress. The difference is, we made one decision – to stop putting the business first, and start putting our lifestyle first.
By putting the right systems, structure, and team in place, we were able to grow Dr. DRiP Plumbing into a business that didn’t rely on us 24/7.
And in late 2021, we successfully sold the business. That’s something we’re incredibly proud of, because it proved what we teach is real.
You can build a profitable trade business that gives you freedom, not burnout. And now, through Lifestyle Tradie coaching, we help other trade business owners create the same outcome. Because it is possible.
Today, our mission is simple: help Aussie tradies build a business that works so well, it can one day run without them, or even be sold.
We hope your business is next.
READY TO BUILD A BUSINESS THAT WORKS FOR YOU?
If you’re flat out, stressed, and wondering if this is as good as it gets… you’re not alone.
You don’t have to figure it out the hard way like we did.
Lifestyle Tradie membership is here to help you build a profitable trade business with systems, structure, and support every step of the way.
👇 Click below to see what’s included inside the membership.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do Andy and Angela still run a trade business?
Andy and Angela built Dr. DRiP Plumbing over more than 20 years, and after putting the right systems and team in place, they successfully sold the business in late 2021.
Today, they focus full-time on coaching trade business owners through Lifestyle Tradie.
What is Lifestyle Tradie?
Lifestyle Tradie is a trade business coaching community that helps Australian tradies build profitable businesses with better systems, stronger teams, and more time off.
Is Lifestyle Tradie only for plumbers?
No. Lifestyle Tradie coaching is designed for all trade business owners, including electricians, builders, landscapers, painters, tilers, glaziers, and more.
What does the coaching focus on?
Our coaching focuses on the four key areas every trade business needs to master:
- Profit and cash flow
- Systems and structure
- Marketing and better customers
- People and building a strong team
How do I join Lifestyle Tradie?
The best place to start is by exploring what’s included inside the Lifestyle Tradie coaching membership.