Lost in the Graft: More Than Driveways with Trevor Macken from Ashbourne Paving.

From upside down to right way up, Trevor’s story is one of resilience, grit, and rebuilding.

In this episode, Trevor from Ashbourne Paving opens up about a life that’s been anything but straightforward—showing up to just two Leaving Cert exams, becoming the only person in his school to fail art, and feeling like he wasted two years at school before finding his way onto a factory floor.

He talks about losing eight friends, four before the age of 21, getting into trouble on construction sites and even ending up in prison—only to be bailed out by his boss (with the bail money taken out of his wages). By 25, Trevor decided to go out on his own, starting small with just two lads and growing his crew through sheer work ethic, persistence, and lessons learned the hard way.

We get into the highs and lows: scaling from 2 to 36 men, losing everything, then fighting his way back. He shares how mistakes—even sending his team to the wrong site—helped push his business forward, and why it takes 10 years to truly learn a trade or trust a crew.

But Trevor’s story isn’t just about paving. It’s about mental health, addiction, and change. He speaks candidly about hitting rock bottom, going through treatment in Thailand and Wexford, and setting up his own mental health group and Cocaine Anonymous meetings to help others every week.

We also dive into:

• Building a paving business in the age of social media (and dealing with the hate).

• Firing staff, second chances, and setting boundaries.

• Why doesn’t he travel more than an hour for work and take bookings months in advance?

• Trial and error with suppliers, business ventures outside paving, and his love of nice things.

• Whether he should start his own paving school.

Trevor’s journey is raw, real, and full of lessons—about graft, setbacks, redemption, and becoming a man when it’s easier to stay a child.

• Website: Ashbourne Paving | Paving, Porcelain Tiles & Artificial Grass – Their main site showcases services, project galleries, and contact info. https://ashbournepaving.ie/

• Instagram: @ashbournepavingltd – Active account with reels and posts featuring paving projects, behind-the-scenes footage, and family-run business highlights. https://www.instagram.com/ashbournepavingltd/?hl=en&utm_source=chatgpt.com

• Facebook: Ashbourne Paving Ltd – Company page with project showcases, customer feedback, and video posts from Trevor and the team.

https://www.facebook.com/ashbourne.paving/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

This episode is brought to you by Top Drawer Talent — the Supply Chain & Procurement Specialists.

HERE WE GO! I

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