Australian State of the Trades Report 2026: Operational Realities for Aussie Contractors

Adrian Fadini, founder of TradesFormation and one of Australia and New Zealand's top trade business coaches, returns to the podcast to dissect the key findings of the Australian State of the Trades Report for 2026. Surveying over 1,000 senior decision-makers across Australian trade businesses, the report highlights a critical shift: while demand remains steady and over 40% of businesses continue to grow revenue, contractors are redlining their capacity and turning their focus inward. Adrian breaks down why fixing business model root causes beats putting out operational fires, how to solve the surging 57% accounts receivable pain point by transitioning from hourly billing to upfront pricing, and why adopting AI requires a clear business vision rather than tactical chasing.

Join us as we discuss: 

• [1:57] Why cross-shadowing between departmental roles is critical to your business
• [7:31] Identifying blind spots and fixing your business model instead of patching symptoms
• [10:42] Achieving a holistic view of your operations and the number one pain point for Aussie contractors in 2026
• [17:27] How a tailored Pricebook can save you from hidden costs and hourly vs flat rates
• [26:14] Why your business needs a clear vision before adopting AI tools and what NOT to do when managing rising fuel costs and interest rates
  

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

• Check out the Australian State of the Trades Report for 2026 here!
  

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