Post

How to get URL link on X (Twitter) App

On the Twitter thread, click on or icon on the bottom
Click again on or Share Via icon
Click on Copy Link to Tweet
Paste it above and click "Unroll Thread"!
More info at Twitter Help

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

May 18, 2024 • 16 tweets • 5 min read • Read on X

Scrolly

We could be seeing the death of the white-collar job.

10 trends that prove the Blue-Collar Wave is happening right now:

1. 56% of Gen Z would rather turn a wrench than type in a spreadsheet.

They see:
• Insane college costs
• Rising pay of blue-collar jobs
• Less stigma on working with your hands

The Wall Street Journal calls them the 'Toolbelt Generation.' It's easy to see why:

2. College ROI is being questioned like never before

Studies show 40-50% of recent grads end up in jobs that don't use their degree.

With skyrocketing tuition and student loan debt, many are rethinking the value of higher ed altogether.

More and more are opting for career paths wihtout expensive schooling.

Is the college premium still worth it? Gen Z isn't so sure.

3. AI anxiety has workers rethinking what fields are "safe"

ChatGPT's showing how many white-collar jobs could be automated.

But plumbers? Electricians? Mechanics? Not so much.

Gen Z now believes the trades = security

4. Dirty fingernails are starting to out-earn clean ones

Recent construction hires saw pay jump 5.1% to a median of $48,089.

That's almost twice as fast as professional service roles, which rose just 2.7% to $39,520.

The median construction worker now earns $69,200—not far behind business roles at $78,500.

5. Vocational schools have soaring growth

Trade school enrollment surged 16% last year alone.

74% of people still see a stigma around vocational education—but that's expected to fade fast.

6. Innovative new school models are blending the classroom and the jobsite

Campuses like Opportunity Central in Texas mix academics with real-world work experience.

The future of education may look more like this than a lecture hall:

7. Retiring boomers are creating a surge in blue-collar demand

Mass retirements are leaving huge gaps in critical fields.

It's creating a desperate need for young talent in the trades.

8. Trades workers ARE younger than ever

The average age of electricians, plumbers, & mechanics is trending down.

This is a stark contrast to the overall aging of the population.

As boomers retire, Gen Z is stepping up.

9. Tech & falling stigmas are making dirty jobs more attractive than ever

Advancing tools & safety tech are modernizing blue-collar fields.

Attitudes are shifting.

The jobs that keep our world running are finally getting their due.

10. Young people are realizing the potential of local business

They see the upside in owning a welding shop over being a cubicle dweller.

Our community alone has seen dozens & dozens of ex-teachers and laid-off techies opt for cashflowing biz's over re-entering the rat race.

The tides are turning.

Those who build and fix may soon out-earn those who type and talk.

It's not just a trend. It's a movement.

And it's just getting started...

https://twitter.com/Codie_Sanchez/status/1791824568597774810

Shoutout to our builders @_CTCommunity riding the Blue Collar Wave.

Share here if you want others to see this, and follow me @Codie_Sanchez for more:

https://twitter.com/Codie_Sanchez/status/1791824568597774810

@_CTCommunity A lot of you are interested by this idea.

Yes, it's Gen Z. But it's also you and me.

If you feel serious about business-buying, you can book a consult with our team:
contrarianthinking.biz/community-tw

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @Codie_Sanchez

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

Oct 9

The richest business owners I know all have one thing in common:

They built their business to sell it from Day 1.

Here are the 14 ingredients that turn any business into an asset someone will gladly pay millions for:

1. Exit-based goals

The first step to building a sellable biz - start with the end in mind.

Most founders think they’ll run their biz forever, then burn out and sell under pressure. Instead, plan the exit early so you sell on your terms.

My own framework for Contrarian Thinking:

Once you’ve set your goals, the next step is knowing what your biz is worth.

Most small businesses sell for a multiple of revenue or profit - think 2-3X profit for a laundromat or car wash… versus 10X+ for a tech company.

Your job is to nail down three numbers:

1. What your biz is worth today
2. What you want it to be worth
3. The plan to close that gap

The rest of these steps will help you do that…

Read 17 tweets

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

Oct 1

The most underrated superpower in business:

Attention.

I recently broke down how anyone can break into content on Jon Youshaei’s podcast.

9 nuggets everyone who wants to build a personal brand should steal:

The Rule of Thirds

Most people think creating content is a dream job. But the reality is:

- 1/3 of your time will be exceptional (you'll love what you do)
- 1/3 will be neutral (manageable, but unremarkable)
- 1/3 will be challenging (demanding, exhausting, overwhelming)

It's a continuous cycle.

When you're in the difficult phase, remember the next phase is coming.

The 3x3 Rule

The creators who burn out are those without systems.

They have to reinvent the wheel with every piece of content they create.

If you want sustainable output, use the 3x3 Rule:

If something has more than 3 steps AND you do it more than 3 times, document it as an SOP.

Read 5 tweets

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

Sep 27

Every week, we do live deal reviews in our business buying community.

And recently, we dissected a $2.6M offer for an accounting firm.

Here’s the breakdown (and how we determined whether it was a winner or a loser):

Here’s what the deal looked like:

- 3 locations
- $1.7M revenue
- $730K SDE
- Recent roll-up with zero integration

The seller had been busy buying up smaller practices but never actually combined them.

That means they’d be buying 3 separate entities, not 1 unified business.

I should mention that this isn't some first-time buyer gambling their life savings.

The buyer already runs a multi-site accounting operation and has closed 5 acquisitions in the space. They know exactly how to fold in offices and implement systems.

More importantly, they see the geographic play:

Read 11 tweets

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

Sep 17

I recently turned 39.

Here are 39 brutal truths I wish I knew at 20:

1. Choose your hard. If you don't choose your hard, hard will choose you.

2. Ask more questions. As Socrates said: “Smart people learn from everything and everyone. Average people learn from their experiences. Stupid people already have all the answers.”

3. Do whatever it takes

4. Chase purpose. A friend once told me: “I wish you not one penny over $299 million. Reality gets lost somewhere after that.”

5. Not every moment has to be productive. Silence is not your enemy.

6. Be bored more often

Read 17 tweets

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

Sep 16

The smartest youth are losing faith in traditional education.

And I don’t blame them.

Here’s why MBAs are rapidly declining in value:

(*and a breakdown of the “DOJO” model that’s replacing $100k+ degrees)

When Stanford GSB students say things like this, you know we've hit rock bottom.

That's one of the top business schools in the world being criticized by its own students.

If elite institutions are failing, what does that say about the rest?

Everyone loves to cite networking as the value of traditional education.

"It's all about the connections."

But technology has enabled new distributed networks that don't cost $250k.

The network effect is now a diminishing value proposition.

Read 16 tweets

Codie Sanchez

@Codie_Sanchez

Sep 6

Wall Street has one rule:

Never start what you can buy.

Here’s everything you need to know about buying a biz in 2025 (full guide):

While 90% of startups fail, 80% of acquisitions survive the first year.

88% of people worth $30M+ have done at lease one acquisition.

That means the best way to get rich isn’t to start a business like they love to tell us.

The best way to wealth with the highest degree of certainty is through acquisitions.

The average small business owner in the US is 67 years old. When you’ve run a business for 10+ years, you're bound to be exhausted.

These owners are motivated to sell by what I call the 7 D's:

- Departure
• Divorce
• Disease
• Disagreement
• Distress
• Death
• Dullness

They’re desperate to exit the game but don't know how. That’s where YOU come in.