The First 500.
The Tip of the Spear.
Everybody loves to moan about the trades shortage. Usually while clinking glasses and blaming “kids these days.” Cute, but last we checked, beer foam doesn’t frame houses, and barstool talk doesn’t keep the lights on. These 500 companies? They didn’t just run their mouths. They signed up, stepped up, and put their names on the wall. They’re the Founding 500, the slightly unhinged crew who decided it was better to swing a hammer than wag a finger.
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This is the GSD Built Allies Wall, a hall of fame for companies that were in before it was fashionable, before hashtags, before “trade shortage” became a conference buzzword. They’re not talking about saving the trades, they’re actually doing it.
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At the end of the year, we’ll drop the first official Allies Wall post. Best case? All 500 slots are filled — a wall packed tighter than a contractor’s truck bed. Worst case? We still have a wall stacked with the real ones while the rest keep solving America’s problems at Happy Hour.
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Either way, history won’t remember the talkers. It’ll remember the builders.
Lead with Action, Not Talk
You don’t just talk about supporting the trades, you build pathways for them. You hire, mentor, and train with intentionality, knowing your team is only as strong as the people you develop.
Be a Guardian of Grit
You protect the culture of hard work. You show your team, and the world, that there’s still honor in showing up early, getting your hands dirty, and building something that lasts.
Invest in the Future
You are committed to investing in the future of the trades through your time, your resources, or both. That might look like mentoring the next generation, speaking in classrooms, opening apprenticeship doors, or contributing to local scholarship funds that help young people get to trade school.
Promote With Integrity
You agree to use the GSD Built logo respectfully and never for resale purposes (no bootleg shirts, hats, or merch). Apparel sales help fund the mission, your role is to represent, not replicate.
Represent the Movement With Respect
You wear the badge with pride, not for clicks, but for credibility. You understand that representing GSD Built means walking the walk, not just slapping a logo on a jobsite.
Stand With the Forgotten
You stand up for the workers the world forgot. The ones who dig, weld, wire, grow, grind, and haul, and have for generations. You fight to keep them in the spotlight.
Stay in the Fight
Being a GSD Built Company is a lifestyle, not a one-time commitment. You show up, you stay engaged, and you carry this movement forward every day, in your hiring, in your leadership, and in your example.
Benefits for the Founding 500
Here’s the straight truth: being one of the First 500 doesn’t come with a yacht, a parade, or a golden hard hat (yet). Like any real movement, we’re starting with little more than a vision, some grit, and a whole lot of stubborn drive. But that’s the point, you’re not here for perks, you’re here because you give a damn.
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That said, we’re not leaving you empty-handed. The Founding 500 will always get first dibs as GSD Built grows: early access to product launches, surprise drops before anyone else, and yes, the occasional freebie when we can afford it (don’t expect Rolexes, expect t-shirts and gear that actually mean something). As this thing builds, so will the benefits.
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Bottom line: you’re not just joining a list. You’re cementing your place as one of the companies that jumped in before the bandwagon had wheels.
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What Do You Get?
Official use rights to the GSD Built Company Badge
on your digital and print materials.
(excluding branded apparel and merchandise)
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10% off all GSD Built gear for you and your team.
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Recognition on the GSD First 500 Allies Wall,
permanently featured on our site.
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Exclusive first-access to future events, initiatives,
and partnership opportunities.​
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No fluff. No fine print. Just fuel for the future.​
“No trades, no homes. No roads. No future.
That’s the truth.”
GSD Built