Today's guest, Louise Azzopardi, didn’t just fall into the automotive world. She ran toward it, with confidence and clarity most of us didn’t have at 15. From her earliest days wrenching in rail yards and truck shops to standing on the world stage as the first woman to compete (and win gold) at Australia’s WorldSkills nationals, Louise has never followed the conventional path. She didn’t just want to work in the trades; she wanted to change them.
After enduring bullying, sexism, and mental health challenges, Louise stepped into something more powerful than technical mastery; coaching, mentoring, and equipping tradespeople with the emotional tools they were never taught. Now the host of Anxious Tradeswoman (Building Confidence), a life coach, and a global speaker, Louise is on a mission to make the trades a place where everyone, regardless of gender, background, or body size, can thrive.
In this episode, we cover:
👉 Farm girl to award-winning heavy diesel tech
👉 The emotional and physical toll of “toughing it out”
👉 What she means by “There is no tiger”
👉 Boundaries, not bravado, create lasting leadership
👉 Practical tools leaders use to support teams
Louise offers real-world advice for tradespeople who feel like they’re constantly on edge, overwhelmed, or doubting themselves. Her message is simple but powerful: You don’t have to “stay strong” just to survive. You deserve to exist, grow, and feel safe where you work.
🎙️ Listen to Anxious Tradeswoman wherever you get your podcasts
Follow Louise on
https://www.instagram.com/louiseazzopardicoaching
https://www.youtube.com/@louiseazzopardi9275
A Special Thank You
The Wrench Turners Podcast is made possible thanks to our sponsors and partners who believe in supporting the people behind the wrenches.
FixedOPS Marketing
https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com
Changing the game in dealership service marketing.
The Lion Partnership
https://www.lionpartnership.com/
Your go-to for industry connections that matter.
Digital Communication Solutions GmbH
https://www.dicoso.us
Simplifying sales and service communication.
The Bearded Brotherhood
https://thebeardedbrotherhood.co/wrench15
Premium beard oils, balms, and mustache waxes for the Blue Collar Man. Use code WRENCH15 for 15% off. I do get financial compensation when this happens, I appreciate it when it does.
We appreciate these partnerships for helping push the industry forward.
— j.
Chapters
00:00 Intro to Louise Azzopardi
01:21 Starting at 15
03:33 Mechanic rejection and finding HD
06:36 Meeting Sarah; a pivotal mentor
10:34 Gender bias and physical limitations
13:52 Culture, ego, and asking for help
16:07 First-year apprenticeship in a dealership
17:49 Working on diesel trucks and rail
21:02 How Australian apprenticeships are structured
25:37 Trade stacking and EV education
30:37 EV, infrastructure, and future of fuel
33:09 Sexual harassment, bullying, and mental health
35:16 Winning WorldSkills; first woman to do it
36:56 “I’m tired of being strong”
40:28 Coaching tradespeople in mental resilience
42:27 Boundaries and how to communicate discomfort
45:13 Emotional intelligence and leadership
48:51 You are 50% of every relationship
50:18 Louise’s advice: “There is no tiger”
51:36 Question from Josh Arnold: “How will you change the industry?”
52:08 Louise’s answer: “By giving people the tools to change their world.”
52:47 Louise’s question for the next guest: “What do you do to calm anxiety?”
53:01 Where to find Louise & upcoming appearances
🎧 Listen on Spotify:
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/
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