Episode Overview
In episode 122 of Blue Collar StartUp, hosts Michael Nelson and Derek Foster sit down with Richard Ruzzo, who shares how he built Shepherd Communication & Security from a small telecom contracting operation into a growing commercial security company by refocusing the business, embracing enterprise thinking, and betting on the right people. He talks about losing a major revenue stream, rebuilding from the ground up, and the lessons every trade business owner should learn.
You can learn more about Richard Ruzzo and Shepherd Communication & Security at shepherdcny.com.
Time Stamps
0:00 Intro
0:15 Welcome to Blue Collar StartUp
1:04 Business owner group therapy
2:15 Help us grow the show
4:28 Patreon and business growth insights
5:36 Introducing Richard Ruzzo
6:14 What Shepherd Communication & Security does
8:03 Why security and low-voltage work is still a trade
11:58 Growing the company to 34 employees
13:11 Why trades can outperform traditional college paths
16:13 The garage business that sparked the idea
17:28 Landing their first telecom contract
18:36 Building the Shepherd brand
19:30 Why relying on one client is dangerous
20:45 Lifestyle business vs enterprise business
23:03 Rethinking the entire company strategy
24:38 Losing a major revenue stream
27:06 The people who helped transform the company
32:00 Landing a project 10x bigger than anything before
35:06 How Shepherd decides which services to offer
41:57 Why security matters more than ever today
43:00 Final thoughts and where to find Shepherd
Details
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Hosts
Michael Nelson & Derek Foster
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Guests
Richard Ruzzo
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Runtime
45 mins, 26 secs
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Airing Date
April 1, 2026