Powerline Podcast

What actually makes someone worth following on a line crew? Ryan sits down with Ross Henault, a second-generation lineman and foreman from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, for a conversation about leadership, communication, crew culture, and where the powerline trade is headed next. Ross got his start in the trade at 20 years old and has spent his career learning that being technically good at the job is only part of what makes someone a strong leader. Together, Ryan and Ross dig into the difference between managing people and actually leading them, why yelling doesn't make someone a better apprentice, what builds trust between a foreman and a crew, and why ownership and vulnerability can make a crew stronger. They also talk about preparing the next generation of lineworkers, giving apprentices room to learn, listening instead of waiting to respond, using new technology and AI in the trade, and why leadership may be one of the biggest competitive advantages for anyone trying to build a career in the trades. The conversation explores what happens when leaders stop needing to be the smartest person on the job, start giving their crews ownership, and create an environment where people actually want to show up and do great work. Whether you're an apprentice trying to stand out, a journeyman stepping into more responsibility, a foreman leading a crew, or someone responsible for developing the next generation of tradespeople, this conversation is about becoming the kind of person others want to work with and learn from. ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE ✌️ 📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥 Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Who do you have in your corner when life starts getting heavy? Ryan sits down with returning guest Kevin Taylor, a longtime lineman who spent nearly 12 years with CenterPoint Energy before heading outside and working on the road for several more years. Kevin first appeared on Powerline Podcast in Episode 76, and this time the conversation goes much deeper into mental health, road life, family, safety, and the people who helped him through some of his hardest seasons. Together, they talk about the reality of isolation on the road, therapy, alcohol, the pressure to appear fine, and why having people you can actually call matters. Kevin shares the idea behind his personal “boardroom,” a small group of trusted people he relies on for different parts of life, and explains how that support system helped change the way he handles difficult moments. Kevin also opens up about the serious 2022 accident that left him in ICU, forced him to relearn everyday tasks, and permanently changed how he thinks about risk, decision-making, and the ripple effect our choices can have on the people around us. He also shares why he started the Ace of Spades Project, built around one goal: helping someone through a place he already knows firsthand. The conversation explores what it really means to have an “ace in the hole,” why sometimes the person struggling will not be the one to reach out first, how road life can amplify isolation, and why one person showing up at the right time can matter more than they realize. Whether you’re a lineman, traveler, foreman, apprentice, spouse, parent, or simply someone trying to show up better for the people around you, this conversation is a reminder that you do not have to handle everything alone. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available. U.S. + Canada: Call or text 988, 24/7. If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE ✌️ 📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⚡️GUESTS: KEVIN TAYLOR⚡️ TikTok: @aceofspadesproject YouTube: @AceofSpadesProject Instagram: @itskmfit 🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥 Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

What does brotherhood look like when life gets hard? Ryan sits down with Christopher Thomas and Clint Vick for a deeply personal conversation about mental health, isolation, identity, and what it really means to look out for one another in the trades. Christopher is a Marine Corps veteran and journeyman lineman with more than 15 years in the trade, whose career has evolved into training, leadership, and helping strengthen the culture around the people doing the work. Clint returns to Powerline Podcast for a second time (listen to his first episode here). He is a longtime journeyman lineman whose career has taken him through utility work, barehand transmission, years on the road, leadership, and substation construction. Clint is also a very talented country artist; check out his music here. Both share openly about periods in their lives when they struggled to keep going, the isolation that made those periods harder, and the people who helped simply by showing up and continuing to check in. Together, they talk about the toll of road life, chasing overtime, losing connection at home, moving from the tools into increasingly isolated leadership roles, and tying too much of your identity to the job. More importantly, they talk about what helped: honest conversations, friends who kept calling, finding the right person to talk to, rebuilding purpose, taking care of your physical health, reconnecting with family and community, and creating a culture where checking on someone is simply part of the brotherhood. This episode isn't about having the perfect words. It's about knowing your people, noticing when something changes, making the call, and staying connected. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate support, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada. ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE ✌️ 📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⚡️GUESTS: CHRISTOPHER THOMAS & CLINT VICK⚡️ Christopher's Instagram: @gummy_bears_and_deadlifts Clint's Instagram: @vickclint 🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥 Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

What if mental health was treated with the same urgency as every other jobsite safety risk? Ryan sits down with Wykisha Thomas-McKinney of MATES North America, alongside Nate Strickland and Tyler Smith of Summit Line Construction, for an important conversation about suicide prevention, mental health, and what it really means to look out for the people working beside you. Wykisha is the Program Operations Manager for MATES North America, helping bring the peer-led suicide prevention model into North American construction. Nate is Summit Line Construction's Safety Director and shares both his professional perspective and personal experience with depression and losing close friends to suicide. Tyler is a Senior Project Manager with 23 years in the industry, including roughly 18 years living the realities of field and road work. Together, they unpack some of the pressures that can make construction and line work uniquely challenging: long rotations, isolation, missed family milestones, relationship strain, workplace trauma, substance use, and a culture that has historically told workers to put their game face on and keep moving. The conversation also breaks down the MATES Network of Safety, including General Awareness training, peer Connectors and advanced suicide intervention training designed to put support directly inside the workforce. The goal isn't to turn coworkers into therapists. It's to give people the tools to notice when something is wrong, ask the question, listen, offer support and help someone find the right resources. They also discuss why leaders set the tone for psychologically safer crews, why being vulnerable doesn't make someone less tough, how to check in with a coworker who seems off, and why building a mental-health plan before a crisis can make it easier to know where to turn when things get difficult. Whether you're an apprentice, journeyman, foreman, supervisor, safety professional, contractor, leader, spouse or friend, this episode is a reminder that safety doesn't stop at the hard hat. CONTENT NOTE: This episode discusses suicide, suicidal thoughts, depression, substance use, loss and workplace trauma. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available: United States: Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Canada: Call or text 9-8-8 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Learn more about MATES North America: matesna.org ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE ✌️ 📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⚡️GUESTS: WYKISHA THOMAS-MCKINNEY & NATE STRICKLAND⚡️ LinkedIn: Wykisha Mckinney | Nathaniel Strickland MATES NORTH AMERICA PILOT Website: matesna.org Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@matesnorthamerica TikTok: @matesnorthamerica LinkedIn: MATES North America Pilot Facebook: @MATES North America Pilot X: @MATESNthAmerica 🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥 Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

What does it take to build a life most people only dream about? Ryan travels to New York to sit down with Dennis Kelly for his third appearance on Powerline Podcast, and this time, they do it in person. Over the course of the visit, Dennis takes Ryan inside the world he has built, from KR Utilities and multiple businesses to airplanes, helicopters, supercars, motorcycles, racing, and the experiences that define his “Live the Lifestyle” mentality. Dennis shares how he went from working in the line trade to building his first fitness centre while working six tens, using every spare hour and available dollar to keep moving forward. He explains why small steps compound, how reputation creates opportunities, why relationships matter, and what it means to live according to your own values instead of someone else’s expectations. This conversation is not about copying Dennis’s lifestyle. It is about deciding what you want your own life to look like and taking practical steps toward it. Dennis breaks down the mindset, work ethic, calculated risks, relationships, and problem-solving that helped him build seven businesses and create a life centred around freedom, progress, and meaningful experiences. Topics covered: What “Live the Lifestyle” really means Starting a business while working full-time in the trade Taking one step and solving one problem at a time Why your reputation can create opportunities years later Building relationships before you need something Using linework as the foundation for entrepreneurship Why success brings bigger problems, not fewer problems Designing a life around freedom, values, and experiences Learning to fly airplanes and helicopters Dennis’s Hurricane Helene rescue and relief efforts Building businesses without taking an early paycheck Why small actions compound into extraordinary results Interested in storm work with KR Utilities? Join the KR Utilities storm list by visiting KRutilities.com. Subscribe to Powerline Podcast for more conversations with the people building careers, businesses, and lives beyond the trade. ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE ✌️ 📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⚡️GUEST: DENNIS KELLY⚡️ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@denkelly10 | @krutilities LinkedIn: Dennis Kelly | KR Utilities 🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠ 💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥 Email: ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠