The trades can't find people. Employers know this. Yet most are still ghosting qualified applicants and ignoring an entire demographic that wants in. Zoey Bryant's story shows both problems at once young workers getting shut out and women never making it past the application stage.

Zoey dropped out of college after realizing she hated classrooms. Her mom suggested welding. She went to trade school, got her certifications, and then spent six months applying to jobs with zero callbacks. When a pontoon plant finally brought her in to learn aluminum welding on the job, she was outperforming 15-year veterans within two weeks. The talent was there. Employers just weren't looking.

Hiring practices need to change if shops actually want to solve their workforce problems. That means calling applicants back, giving young people a real shot to prove their skills, and actively recruiting women instead of defaulting to the same hiring patterns. Zoey's experience at the pontoon plant proves the model works train on the job, test the skill, stop assuming experience always beats fresh talent.

Her advice to high schoolers mirrors what employers need to hear: try it before deciding it's not for you. The worst that happens is failure. The best that happens is finding work that actually fits. But young people can't try if shops won't open the door.

Highlights:

• Employers need a hiring system that includes communicating with applicants about where they stand in the process.
• Veterans and young workers both bring value younger ones just need the opportunity to prove their skills.
• Young people should try the trades if they're remotely interested instead of defaulting to college.
• Women bring just as much talent to the trades as men they just need employers willing to give them a real chance to prove it.

Are you having a problem with hiring? This episode could be an eye-opener as to one of the reasons.

Make sure to subscribe to Blue Collar BS for conversations about solving real workforce problems. Share this with anyone struggling to find good workers in the trades.

Get in touch with Zoey:

LinkedIn

Instagram

Get in touch with us:

Check out the Blue Collar BS website.

Steve Doyle:

Website

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Email

Brad Herda:

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LinkedIn

Email

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

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OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Steve Doyle (: 00:00

Welcome back everyone to this episode of Bluecaller BS. Hey Brad, how you doing today?

Brad Herda (: 00:06

I am wonderful Mr. Doyle and looking forward I see you that you've been chewing on the Halloween candy stealing from the kids stealing from everybody you're a big ass thief

Steve Doyle (: 00:13

Absolutely, 100%, right? It's called Dad Tax. Dad Tax. My favorite Dad Tax is peanut butter &Ms.

Brad Herda (: 00:20

dad tax and what is your favorite dad tax?

Brad Herda (: 00:29

Not a bad choice. Not a bad choice.

Steve Doyle (: 00:30

Mm Or, you know, those those those are usually handed to me as they're walking in the door.

Brad Herda (: 00:36

So it's more, so it's not really a tax, that would be more of a toll. So what's the tax? The toll is the...

Steve Doyle (: 00:41

Well, tax, see, early on in life, we had to teach them about tax. So when they first came, you know, when we first started trick or treating, I had to educate them. There is a dad tax. And so they would literally dump their candy out on the floor, sorted out into dad tax and theirs. And dad tax had to take 45 % of the candy. So we had to learn and educate.

that the government was going to take your money or take your candy. And it wasn't just the crappy candy, they wanted the good candy. So we had to educate them very early on. And so even to this day, and they're in high school, well, junior high and high school, even to this day, they understand that the dad tax is due.

Brad Herda (: 01:28

So this isn't a political soap, what did you do to earn this year's dad tax? I'm confident you did not go trick or treating with them holding their hands and holding.

Steve Doyle (: 01:36

Absolutely not. do anything. It was great. It's just it's now just expected once you start training them that they are going to get taxed. Once you understand there is a tax you can't get out of it so. Horribly wrong, so Brad, who do we got on the show today?

Brad Herda (: 01:39

my.

Brad Herda (: 01:46

We need to pass a law. need to shut down the Doyle government down there. Let's move on. Let's move on. This is going to go horribly wrong. Just keep going.

Today we have an amazing guest Zoe Bryant. She is from Batesburg, South Carolina, a full-time welder, a young lady in a very male-dominated industry, has a huge passion for dogs in the outdoors, and hopefully will get a special appearance from the baby goat.

Welcome to the show, Zoe. That's what everybody says and then it gets the show goes along and then it just falls apart. I don't know why.

Zoey Bryant (: 02:24

Thank y'all for having me, I'm excited.

Steve Doyle (: 02:27

So that's it.

Zoey Bryant (: 02:29

am, I really am.

Steve Doyle (: 02:30

It does. It does. yeah. So before we before we get into the show, Zoe, what generation do you identify or fit in with?

Zoey Bryant (: 02:34

I'm here for it. I'm here for all of it.

Zoey Bryant (: 02:43

would classify as Gen Z.

Steve Doyle (: 02:45

Alright, and do you identify with any other ones? Are you proudly Gen Z? Alright. I. I love it, I love it. So knowing your Gen Z, tell us how did you go down the welding path?

Zoey Bryant (: 02:48

I'm not. I reckon. I'm just here. I'm here. Depends on the day, really. Depends on the day and what's going on.

Zoey Bryant (: 03:05

So honestly just to be completely blunt it was completely impulsive so I graduated high school in 21 and my whole senior year I was kind of indecisive what I wanted to do but growing up I've always had a thing for animals like since the day was born and so I was like cool I wanted to get into agro agribusiness agritourism type of thing like having basically having my own petting zoo so I went to a tech school with this stuff exactly exactly

Brad Herda (: 03:28

Hence the reason for the baby goat.

Zoey Bryant (: 03:32

So I went to a small technical school like local school around here just to start my business degree and I was like cool I can get this just to have it and then I'll figure out what I want to do. It's just a good start something to have I did that for a year and towards the end of the first year I was like this is not for me. I didn't want to sit in a classroom. I was like I'm done so I Remember texting my mom one night and I was like mom. I don't want to do this I really don't and so she had kind of been

Steve Doyle (: 03:52

Yeah.

Zoey Bryant (: 04:01

bugging me here and there like you should get into welding and I was like I don't know anybody personally as a welder I never really knew much about it was like that doesn't seem like it's for me but once I realized the whole college thing wasn't for me I looked more into it and realized we had a trade school well strictly welding school about 10-15 minutes from my mom's house I was like cool this is what I want to do so I texted her and I was like I think I want to weld and she was like alright let's do it and I did a tour at the welding school and I started

think three or four months later.

Steve Doyle (: 04:32

Mm-hmm

Brad Herda (: 04:34

Awesome. I'm so just out of curiosity as you're going through school, how many of the guys asses did you kick as you were doing your certifications and doing all of your testing along the way? Cause I'm going to guess you are probably either one or two in your class. I'm just guessing it's a hunch. Am I right or wrong on that hunch?

Steve Doyle (: 04:44

Thank

Zoey Bryant (: 04:54

There were some that they were kind of upset and then they but then there were some they would come to me and be like how did you just do that and I'm like it's not that hard but then but then there were some that they couldn't bring their egos down enough to Try to compete and they didn't want to think that I was better which I never tried to outdo anybody I just went in did what I had to do because I've realized that if you try to Compete like it is a very competitive field, but if you try to compete it just knocks you down in the end So I just go in

Steve Doyle (: 05:04

Yeah.

Brad Herda (: 05:04

You

Steve Doyle (: 05:08

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 05:24

to like I did at school. just go in, do my thing, go home. I'm there for me, I'm not there for anybody else. So that's kinda how I got through it. But there were some guys we liked to joke around, because they knew I was better. But I didn't, I didn't want to rub it in, but.

Steve Doyle (: 05:27

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 05:38

Yeah.

Brad Herda (: 05:41

All you gotta do is look, it's not that hard. compare, put the two coupons next to each other. It's not gonna be too hard to figure out who's better. So as you went through the schooling, your first job was at a boat or a pontoon organization, is that correct?

Steve Doyle (: 05:43

That's it. It's not hard.

Zoey Bryant (: 05:44

Yeah, really.

Yep. yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 05:48

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 05:58

That was at a boat plant. We built pontoon boats completely from the ground up and shipped them out to dealerships.

Brad Herda (: 06:06

So was that all stainless or aluminum work?

Zoey Bryant (: 06:08

It was aluminum.

Brad Herda (: 06:10

Okay. So, so here you are 20 years old or so, and you are.

probably better than most guys that have been doing it for 30 to 40 years. That's pretty spectacular. That's awesome.

Zoey Bryant (: 06:23

It was pretty interesting because when I started that job was actually pretty interesting the whole time because I graduated in I graduated school in March of 23 I think it was and then I didn't get that job at the pontoon plant until August because I just could not I went all that time without finding a job that was constantly no no no no no and I was like this is I don't know what to do and then they ended up calling me

And I was like, I didn't send in an application. He was like, well, we have it on file. And I was like, well, I'm going to be honest. I don't know. Because I didn't learn aluminum in school. I only did steel welding. And I told him, I'll be honest with you, I've never welded aluminum. I don't know how. He goes, well, if you take the job, we'll teach you. And I was like, all right, cool. At this point, I was honestly kind of desperate. So I took it. And they taught me. And I called on. They told me I called on pretty fast for most people. And I just ended up being one of the better welders there was. And I was only there for about a year and a half.

Steve Doyle (: 07:21

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 07:22

Yeah, it's a skill. I remember with our in robotics, we had a mentor at the high school's robotics program that was teaching. We taught kids how to aluminum weld. And there was a one of the kids as a freshman laid down some we had a bunch of scrap aluminum doing some butt joints and different things. And he laid down this amazing, just beautiful. was like, my God, it was like artistry. And he was going to go and put it in the vice and take the hammer to it and just show that it's a good weld. Like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Steve Doyle (: 07:51

you

Brad Herda (: 07:51

You're going to keep this one because when you go for your first job or you're going to go ask somebody to tell you as a welder, you want to be able to say, I did this when I was 14 years old and, and be able to say, this is what I've done. I deserve at least a conversation. might not deserve the job, but at least I earned the right to have the conversation. So congrats. And then you, so now you're working in a AC and a

Zoey Bryant (: 07:53

Thank

Zoey Bryant (: 08:01

Yeah, for sure

Zoey Bryant (: 08:10

Yeah.

Brad Herda (: 08:17

more of a gauge type metal facility or how what's going on there.

Zoey Bryant (: 08:20

So right now at work, definitely, it's a totally like completely smaller shop than the plant. There's seven welders total, but we do overall, I guess you could say we build HVAC unit support and like bracing system, that's the word. And so just stuff to, we'll ship it out to companies and then it's what supports the HVAC units and stuff like that. But it's...

Brad Herda (: 08:37

Okay.

Zoey Bryant (: 08:45

We do a little bit of aluminum here and there, but not very much. We do mostly galvanized steel. It's like big sheet metal jobs like that. We do a lot of galvanized.

Steve Doyle (: 08:51

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 08:52

Okay.

And I'm going to assume that that's probably slightly different every day as versus putting pontoons together where it's I got the same diameter every day. Yay.

Zoey Bryant (: 09:03

Yup, at the pontoon place I was doing welds about this big for eight hours a day, but now it's just, I have different things to build, different things, stuff like that, different sizes. So it's a little bit here and there.

Steve Doyle (: 09:03

to him.

Steve Doyle (: 09:13

Okay. So question I actually have is if we go back, I do actually have a question. It's really weird day day, Brad. I have a question. has struck me because I'm paying attention today, I guess. So as you were going from you had graduated and you had mentioned that you had a lot of nos and then the boat place called you.

Brad Herda (: 09:21

You actually have a question, Steve.

Zoey Bryant (: 09:38

Yes.

Steve Doyle (: 09:40

For our younger audience, us about that mindset, the no's, and why were people saying no?

Zoey Bryant (: 09:51

So majority of the jobs I would apply, it was almost like a thing, like you get on Indeed and you type in Welder and you apply for everything there and majority of time it was, I just didn't hear back. Like even if I followed up, it was just nothing. And then, well I'm trying to think of the words to say, but like not hearing, yeah. But not hearing from so many people for so long, it got to me where I was like, okay, when I was in school,

Steve Doyle (: 10:02

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 10:09

Just say them. You don't need to You just say them.

Brad Herda (: 10:12

No fail group.

Steve Doyle (: 10:18

Thank

Zoey Bryant (: 10:19

Were they just hyping me up because I was one of two females there or am I really like can I really do this or were they like were they you know like your mom I should be like yeah you're really pretty I'm like you're just my mom you have to say that that's kind of what my mindset was I'm like okay was I really good like they told me I was or were they just kind of trying to not knock me down and then once they I was like they didn't even let me in the door to show me what I could do I'm like you don't have to hire me let me just come in and just

Steve Doyle (: 10:27

Yeah.

Yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 10:37

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 10:48

make somebody believe I can do it. Cause like I didn't even have a chance to go in. Like nobody was like, come up here, we'll talk to you. Nothing. They just wouldn't call me back. I wouldn't get anything. And so once the boat place called me, they, and he kind of lifted my spirits a lot cause he didn't care about my experience, anything like that. He was like, just come in, we'll teach you. I'm like, cool. Cause at that point I didn't care about the pay at all. I was like, I just, just let me work. Pay me $10. I do not care. I just want to weld because

Steve Doyle (: 10:50

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 10:57

Interesting.

Steve Doyle (: 11:05

Okay.

Steve Doyle (: 11:13

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 11:16

My thing is if I learn something and then I don't do it for so long, I'll completely forget it. Like it'll just disappear. So I'm like, it had been close to six months at that point. And I was like, now I almost got to the point where I was scared to go in into an interview. And I'm like, cause I haven't welded since March. And I'm like, I'm not going to know how to do it. I'm going to fail. just, I need somebody to let me in the door. But so it was, my hopes definitely were getting a little crushed, but then I got them picked back up pretty fast. So.

Steve Doyle (: 11:21

Mm-hmm. Yep.

Steve Doyle (: 11:36

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 11:43

Okay.

Brad Herda (: 11:44

Yeah. So, Hey, all you business owners out there going through your hiring process, fucking call people back and let them know where they're at. Just set the expectation. It's not that, it's not that hard. It really isn't that hard folks. Just set the expectation. Just write, Hey, thank you for application. We'll be back in two weeks and to be back in two weeks. Just it's not that hard folks. And then you wonder why as business owners that, well, we can't get anybody younger to apply for us because you

Zoey Bryant (: 11:53

Even if it's just a note, even if it's just a note, just call them back.

Zoey Bryant (: 12:04

Great.

Brad Herda (: 12:13

Probably told friends or other folks that yeah, they never got back to me So why would anybody else ever want to go work there if you're telling them that nobody ever got back to you? So Your onboarding process starts with the application. Mr. And Mrs. Business owner. So make sure that part of the process

Steve Doyle (: 12:14

you

Steve Doyle (: 12:22

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 12:29

Yep. So the other you as you were going through your kind of like that learning of the aluminum with the more experienced welders, what was kind of their take on somebody so young coming in working with an experienced workforce?

Zoey Bryant (: 12:41

Thank

Zoey Bryant (: 12:49

Most of them were actually really surprised because how the plant works, there was probably 50 to 60 welders in there. Like there was a ton of us, but they had certain sections. Like there's one section that did the bottom of the boat, one section that did the top and one section that did the rails type of thing. And so they had hired a couple of females in there, but they were all the females were put in the rail section, like the rails that go around the pond stand. And so those are about this big around and they're TIG welding.

Steve Doyle (: 12:54

you

Steve Doyle (: 13:02

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 13:12

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 13:16

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 13:16

So it's very precise, it's very small welds, very slow welds. And they, for some reason, they put me building the tubes, which are the big tubes that float the boat. And my, think it was my first or second day there, they were like, you know, we've never had a girl over here. And it was like these big burly, all of the big guys were over there. Like they were, they probably had 200 pounds. I'm like, this dude is...

Steve Doyle (: 13:25

Yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 13:35

I'm

Zoey Bryant (: 13:43

Like they were, they made me nervous because they were just walking around all like big and I'm just like, why am I over here? But I was like, I mean, I didn't show them that obviously. And I was like, I just went in there and then they were like, why did they put you over here? And I was like, I have no clue. This is where I was told to be. So here I am. But it wasn't, they were all pretty shocked once I, cause of course the first like week or so it wasn't the best. But after it was about my second week when I called on and they were all like, you.

Steve Doyle (: 13:49

Right.

Steve Doyle (: 13:59

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 14:10

Where did you work before this? And I was like, I'm fresh out of school. I was like, I've never done aluminum before. And they're like, you're lying. I'm like, no, I'm not. was like, just picked up on it. So they were all pretty shocked because most of those guys had been there. The guys in my section, all of them had been there at least seven plus years, majority of them around 15 to 20 years. So they were all pretty shocked at what I could do. So that was also kind of a spirit lifter once they were like, oh, you can do that.

Steve Doyle (: 14:14

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 14:19

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 14:30

Okay.

Steve Doyle (: 14:34

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 14:39

Yeah. Correct. So as you are in a typically male dominated industry scenario here, if you could wave your magic wand for the business owners out there looking to hire young females that are, can, can do the work and have the skill and have the ability, what would you want to change?

Zoey Bryant (: 15:07

I guess just opportunity because just them I feel like my from my point of view like as soon as they see That male or female section on application as soon as females check they just slide it over they're like no because then right under that application There's a 35 year old male that's been welding for 10 years and like cool. I don't even need to talk to him He's hired but little do you know that 22 year old female can do just as good if not better and just give us

Brad Herda (: 15:34

likely better.

Zoey Bryant (: 15:35

Just a chance, just a... because majority, we don't even get chances, like they don't even want to talk to us because they don't really care and that's what I feel like was my struggle within those six months after school was just they saw that female box got checked and they were like, nope.

Steve Doyle (: 15:44

Mm-hmm.

Steve Doyle (: 15:50

Interesting.

Zoey Bryant (: 15:52

So.

Brad Herda (: 15:53

Okay, so outdoors stuff, animals, petting zoo. Where's the goat?

Steve Doyle (: 15:54

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 16:01

He's over here sleeping. I'll get him though, I'll get him.

Brad Herda (: 16:03

wait, you gotta wake the goat up.

Steve Doyle (: 16:07

you

Zoey Bryant (: 16:08

He's here. He's here.

Brad Herda (: 16:11

Right? So there's the goat, solo the goat, right?

Steve Doyle (: 16:12

You woke me up.

Zoey Bryant (: 16:14

This is is so low everybody.

Steve Doyle (: 16:19

That's awesome.

Brad Herda (: 16:19

So where did the passion for the outdoors and for animals and dogs come from?

Zoey Bryant (: 16:25

So I know they're all over, but I don't know if any specific high schools near you guys have the FFA club. If you've heard of that. So my parents, my mom and dad, both, that's how they met was an FFA at a convention. They were walking, my mom was walking the stage. so during like the award ceremony, if certain students aren't there, they'll have one just designated student that'll just walk to keep the system flowing. And that's what my mom was doing. And my dad was in line with his school getting his.

Steve Doyle (: 16:25

you.

Steve Doyle (: 16:30

yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 16:40

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 16:55

and my mom kept walking by and he stopped her finally. And they're from schools about two, three hours away. And he was like, every time you walk by, you just keep getting prettier. And they were both probably 17, 18 at the time. And so it just went on from there because they were both with, my mom's from, she went to Aiken High School and my dad went to Atlanta High School. So they're probably about two and a half hours apart. So they met at a state convention in Clemson, South Carolina. And then they,

Steve Doyle (: 17:00

You

Steve Doyle (: 17:05

Ha

Steve Doyle (: 17:08

Yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 17:21

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 17:24

ended up getting together, got married. And then my dad, he ended up being the, I'm trying to remember what his title was. I think it was like the camp director of the FFA camp in Myrtle Beach. So every summer, the FFA students from South Carolina, we have a camp down in Myrtle Beach and all the students from South Carolina will go down during the summer, have a week long of just all kinds of activities, team bond and stuff like that. And he was the camp director.

And so I was raised for the first three, four years on the FFA camp. So I was always following around the high schoolers when I was two or three, all with the animals. We've always had dogs. But then the hunting aspect of it, my dad, on the, at the FFA camp, my dad had a chocolate lab named Rivers and that was his hunting dog. He raised Rivers, he trained Rivers all by himself, no schooling, nothing. It was just him and Rivers.

Steve Doyle (: 17:57

Hmm. Yeah.

Brad Herda (: 17:57

doing stuff.

Steve Doyle (: 18:11

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 18:18

I would go I mean I was out there my dad we were in the dove field and my dad obviously had his shotgun But I was out there with my bright pink BB gun. I was just I was just happy to be there I didn't really know the concept of what was going on I was just I always remember it was just my dad in Rivers But then once I got old enough to realize what hunting dogs truly were I realized like dang my dad made that dog. That's that's what he did so then

Steve Doyle (: 18:27

Yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 18:43

Mm-hmm.

Zoey Bryant (: 18:45

She's two now, so two years ago I had the opportunity to get my own. So I have a a black Labrador Retriever. She was my first, I've trained her. Now we have, her and then I have a chocolate male named Creedmoor. So I have two, so they're in the process of working, but it's just, I've been around animals my whole life and that's just animals over people any day, so.

Steve Doyle (: 19:04

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 19:07

Hahaha!

Steve Doyle (: 19:08

you

Zoey Bryant (: 19:10

any day.

Steve Doyle (: 19:11

any day. Love it. Love it.

Brad Herda (: 19:15

So solo the goat makes the appearance. This is the first animal we've had on the show. Yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 19:18

Yes. Yep.

Zoey Bryant (: 19:18

Really? Well, I've got plenty. There's plenty around here. I tell people when they come over, just pick an animal. We have a petting zoo. So I guess I did end up with my own petting zoo in the end.

Steve Doyle (: 19:27

Mm-hmm.

So what advice? What advice would you have for high school seniors kind of trying to figure out their path?

Brad Herda (: 19:30

There you go.

Zoey Bryant (: 19:41

I guess from personal experience just go with your gut like if you don't like something don't do it quit doing it just because it's if you don't like it now you're not gonna like it later and If you have something that you can't get out of your head and you're like Yeah, is that is true. Also know that from personal experience but also like if you Have something that you just can't get your head like mmm, maybe

Steve Doyle (: 19:51

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 19:53

That's good relationship advice too, Zoe, just so you know.

Steve Doyle (: 19:56

Yeah.

Zoey Bryant (: 20:07

that sounds kinda cool, that like something you just keep watching or something like that but you're just like, can never do it. Yes you can, just go do it, just try it. Don't knock it till you try it type of thing and just it's not gonna the worst thing is you're if you fail, fail. It is what it is. Just do it. Just go for it.

Steve Doyle (: 20:24

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 20:27

Okay, so if people want to learn more or connect with you or hear your story or you're also part of sisterhood, correct?

Zoey Bryant (: 20:37

Kinda sort of, I haven't talked to a lot of people but I do want to eventually get in with them. Like I talk to Neusha a lot and then there's a couple other girls I'm mutuals with but I'm not a huge part of it but I would like to be at some point.

Brad Herda (: 20:48

Okay. so how do people find, like, they want to learn about your story and how to get involved because, you are, you, the Gen Z is a very connected generation across the planet and state lines don't matter. And it's not a big deal. How do people find you? Where do they, where do they catch you? How do they connect with you?

Zoey Bryant (: 21:04

some moments.

Zoey Bryant (: 21:09

So I'm on obviously LinkedIn and Facebook as Zoe Bryant. You'll see a couple LinkedIn I put I try to post that's where most of my job stuff is and then I do have a TikTok which is redhead welds I need to update that I've been kind of slacking which is like a personal just fun welding videos So anything there and I'm always on my phone. So I will mess like my answer. Absolutely

Steve Doyle (: 21:22

you

Mm-hmm.

Weird. Weird.

Brad Herda (: 21:28

Really? Always on your phone. Weird.

Alright, so this is the other part of the show. This is kind of rapid fire. So I'm going to go through a bunch of questions. Some of them. Some of them might be difficult because I created them so it wasn't necessarily geared towards your generation, but we'll see where we'll see where this goes. Favorite blue collar skill you wish more people had.

Steve Doyle (: 21:46

Yeah, it's geared towards boomers.

Zoey Bryant (: 21:54

probably welding.

Brad Herda (: 21:57

Okay. If you had a time machine, where are you going back to and why?

Zoey Bryant (: 22:02

Um, I have to say the 80s because they just seem really fun and I got That's what I've heard and I was like, I don't I was born way too late

Steve Doyle (: 22:05

You

Brad Herda (: 22:06

They were, they were, they were awesome.

Brad Herda (: 22:12

what's your go-to excuse when you're running late.

Zoey Bryant (: 22:16

My dogs got out.

Steve Doyle (: 22:19

Uh-huh.

Brad Herda (: 22:22

Let's see here.

Brad Herda (: 22:27

Let's see here. Beer, bourbon, or I'm a kombucha person.

Zoey Bryant (: 22:32

beer.

Brad Herda (: 22:34

Biggest workplace BS you wish you could call out more often.

Zoey Bryant (: 22:40

Um, oh. I'm trying to think. Yes, yes, yeah, probably so because I'm very OCD at my station and then the guys they just look like barn animals and I'm like, can you just move and I'll do it for you? Oh. Um, I'm trying to think. There's a few. Um.

Steve Doyle (: 22:42

Ha ha ha ha.

Brad Herda (: 22:45

Clean your shit up, probably.

Steve Doyle (: 22:48

you

Steve Doyle (: 22:53

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 22:57

Go to curse word.

Steve Doyle (: 23:06

You

Brad Herda (: 23:08

What's the one that rolls off the tongue?

Zoey Bryant (: 23:10

It'll probably have to be damn. No, it's not a horrible one, but... Yes, it is. Down here it is.

Brad Herda (: 23:13

Okay.

Steve Doyle (: 23:14

That's not a curse word. That's not a curse word.

Brad Herda (: 23:15

That's not horrible.

It is. It's a word know your audience. Uh, coffee or energy drink. Favorite candy.

Zoey Bryant (: 23:23

energy drinks.

the pink Starburst, the all pink ones.

Brad Herda (: 23:30

Okay. Texting or phone calls? Of course. Early bird or night owl?

Steve Doyle (: 23:31

Okay.

Zoey Bryant (: 23:34

texting don't call me night owl

Brad Herda (: 23:40

Dream job as a kid.

Zoey Bryant (: 23:43

I'm a marine biologist.

Steve Doyle (: 23:44

Mmm.

Brad Herda (: 23:45

Okay, best pizza topping.

Zoey Bryant (: 23:48

just cheese. Yeah, nothing.

Brad Herda (: 23:50

Just cheese. thing you Googled.

Steve Doyle (: 23:51

Okay.

Zoey Bryant (: 23:56

Um, can you, yeah, can you put a diaper on a goat? I did Google that. That's not right. I did. That was the last thing I looked up.

Brad Herda (: 23:56

Your phone's right there.

Steve Doyle (: 23:58

Thank

Brad Herda (: 24:02

Okay.

Steve Doyle (: 24:06

Yep.

Brad Herda (: 24:06

favorite movie quote.

Zoey Bryant (: 24:10

Um... If you ain't first or last...

Steve Doyle (: 24:13

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 24:14

Thank you, Ricky Bobby. Favorite music?

Zoey Bryant (: 24:15

country. Zagat Brian specifically.

Steve Doyle (: 24:18

Mmm. Mmm!

Brad Herda (: 24:18

Favorite sport?

Zoey Bryant (: 24:22

Sport softball.

Brad Herda (: 24:24

And then if you, what's your bucket list vacation?

Zoey Bryant (: 24:27

I want to go to, it's Virginia and Maine to the Assateague and Chincoteague Islands to see the wild ponies.

Steve Doyle (: 24:28

No.

Steve Doyle (: 24:35

Wow.

Brad Herda (: 24:36

Where's this? Hang on, need to learn more about this. sorry folks. I need to hear more about this, what?

Zoey Bryant (: 24:37

So, yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 24:39

You need to Google this.

Zoey Bryant (: 24:42

So there's two where Maine and I think it's Virginia or West Virginia There's two islands on the coast and that are split between the water and there's wild ponies that live out there one islands called the Tinketig Islands and one island is called the Assateague Islands and during low tide the ponies will migrate back and forth between the islands They're wild Mustangs pretty much, but they're called the wild ponies But you can go once a year they have like a big They call it the pony swim and people will go and watch the ponies swim across to the other islands

Brad Herda (: 25:13

Hmm. Didn't even know that existed. Thank you for sharing. You've educated a boomer, a boomer like individual according to Mr. Doyle.

Steve Doyle (: 25:19

I'm

Brad Herda (: 25:25

yeah, Zoe, just want to say, congratulations for all your work and all your effort and for leading the charge for, young adults to be involved in the industry and sharing your voice and letting people know that it exists. And we can't say thank you enough for sharing that with our audience. because Gen Z is the next, is the workforce and the younger folks behind you.

Zoey Bryant (: 25:31

Thank

Steve Doyle (: 25:32

Mm-hmm.

Brad Herda (: 25:53

need a path, they need to be shown. They need to have the opportunity and yourself and others that are out there putting things out on, you know, tick tock, social media, wherever that is all creating opportunity for change. And, us old farts need to pay attention to that and embrace that. So thank you so much for making a change in the blue collar world. Cause we need it and we need you to continue. So thank you so much.

Zoey Bryant (: 26:19

Absolutely.

Steve Doyle (: 26:21

Yes, thank you.

Brad Herda (: 26:23

So go find her out on her channels. And if you need a dog training, talk to her about that too, because I am confident those dogs are very well trained because it takes time, right? It's a pack. Right. So, so Joy, thank you so much for being here today, Zoe. We appreciate you a lot.

Zoey Bryant (: 26:35

One of them. One of them. Yeah. The other words are work in progress. We're getting there.

Steve Doyle (: 26:38

Okay. Yeah.

Steve Doyle (: 26:46

Yes, thank you, Zoe. Yeah, thank you.

Zoey Bryant (: 26:46

Absolutely, thanks for having me.