Sean "Dabs" Flottman — welder, fabricator, educator, and bracelet-shipping hustle machine — joins Jason on this month's Weld Wednesday with AWS to tackle one of the most debated topics in the trade: the six-figure welding salary. Is it a myth? Is it achievable? And more importantly, what does it actually take? Dabs brings nearly 30 years of experience to the table, starting at $6.30 an hour and working his way through sheet metal, fabrication, and eventually into welding education at a trade school. He and Jason break down the ingredients required to reach $100K — from the top-10% mindset and willingness to travel, to union packages, financial discipline, and surrounding yourself with the right people. They also dig into what nobody talks about: how to keep that money once you make it, why chasing happiness beats chasing dollars, and what welding school students are doing (and not doing) to set themselves up for success from day one.
Topics covered:
• Why $6.30/hr and a TIG welder changed Dabs' life
• The "ingredients" analogy — not everyone can make a Michelin-star weld career
• Why geography, unions, and willingness to travel matter more than skill alone
• What separates the top 10% from everyone else in welding school
• Multiple non-competing revenue streams and financial smarts for welders
• The "locust" approach to career growth — be the best in the room, then find a new room
• Why happiness beats the six-figure chase at the end of the day
• FabTech Vegas, Chicago, and the road ahead for Dabs and Jason
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