Step Up to the Line: Electrician-Turned-Chairman Joshua Mellott on Grit, Faith & Building Black Line

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What happens when a night-shift apprentice quits a “good job,” jumps into the unknown—and ends up running two trades companies, a training institute and a marketing agency? Meet Joshua Mellott, dual chairman of Legacy Services Group and Black Line, host of The Line podcast, and a no-BS champion for skilled trades. In this candid conversation with Brandon Stanchock, Josh unpacks the mindset shifts, failures and faith that took him from pulling wire to pulling entire industries forward. Brandon & Josh

In this episode you’ll learn

• “Step Up to the Line”—the rally cry born on-air that’s now changing how tradespeople see their value.
• How quitting a secure job (hand-shaking all the way to the parking lot) became Josh’s jump into the darkness moment—and why he still feels imposter syndrome every morning.
• Courage vs. fear math: why learn-and-grow always beats protect-and-defend when opportunity knocks.
• The simple “two ears, one mouth” rule Josh wishes he’d learned before grinding early employees into dust—and how grace-filled leadership keeps talent today.
• Why reading five books at a time (plus Audible on 2×) is his unfair advantage—and how you can steal the habit.
• Inside Black Line Institute & Strategy: the vertically-integrated apprenticeship + media engine training the next gen and telling the trades’ real story. Brandon & Josh

Whether you’re a shovel-to-CEO hopeful, a frontline lead learning to respond, not react, or a marketer trying to serve blue-collar clients, Josh’s raw stories will light a fire under your steel toes.

📣 Sponsor Spotlight — Black Line Strategy & Institute

Need skilled-trades marketing that shows reputation, not fake “image”? Looking for an apprenticeship program that actually graduates job-ready electricians, plumbers and mechanics?
Black Line delivers both:

• 🎥 Trades-by-trades media & social strategy (no stock photos, no fluff)
• 🛠️ Accredited apprenticeship + mobile training labs
• 🤝 Partner programs for contractors & manufacturers

Book a discovery call at BlackLineStrategy.com to grow your people and your brand.

https://www.blacklineltd.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-d-mellott

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