Growing the electrical industry’s workforce is a multidimensional effort, and technology plays a big part. Younger generations often turn to those they trust online to embrace new ways of learning the work. Social media content creators have carved out authentic spaces where followers can learn about their daily lives as electricians. These digital trailblazers—each of whom was inspired to join the trades by their family—are reshaping how knowledge is shared and skills are honed, bridging the gap between traditional learning and today’s technology.

Let’s meet five content creators offering a unique blend of expertise, innovation and inspiration to aspiring electricians and seasoned workers. In turn, they may introduce you to a whole galaxy of construction content creators. 

Lexi Abreu (Lex the Electrician)

Lexi Abreu was introduced to the electrical contracting industry early. She grew up in a family of electricians, and she frequently lent a hand with their work throughout her childhood. Her career as an electrician started almost by accident. While studying pre-med, she held part-time jobs as a bartender, personal trainer and electrical worker. Can you guess which side gig stuck?

Abreu’s journey as an influencer started when she saw tradespeople sharing their work on social media. Inspired, she began posting her own content, and got her big break when a TikTok video attracted significant attention (and criticism) for her work on a residential job.

Her genuine approach has particularly inspired other women to join the trades. Abreu believes the influencer community has greatly impacted the tool industry, as she showcases various brands and tools in action. Abreu has also discovered new tools through influencers she follows.

Her advice to those looking to pursue a career in electrical construction is to “get in wherever you can. Start wherever you get. Don’t wait for other people to start your career.”

As an influencer, Abreu feels a strong responsibility to be transparent and true to herself. She takes pride in posting content and recommendations she genuinely believes in. Looking ahead, Abreu aims to continue providing meaningful and insightful content. Her posts extend beyond electrical work, including recipes, hobbies and other lifestyle content, creating an authentic viewer experience.

Find Abreu on YouTube and Instagram.

Jeff Goldalian (The 360 Electrician)

Goldalian’s journey into the social media world was a winding one. Growing up in a family renowned for its tire business, financial instability led him to diversify his skills, earning a degree in electrical construction and maintenance. After various business ventures, Goldalian discovered his calling in electrical contracting, eventually founding his own company.

Recognizing a gap in the electrical contractor niche, Goldalian started his YouTube channel, The 360 Electrician. His direct, experience­-based content quickly made him a leading voice, attracting a substantial audience of aspiring and current electrical contractors.

Goldalian believes true influence comes from sharing practical knowledge. His success is rooted in helping others succeed through YouTube tutorials, coaching programs and business systems. Driven by his faith and passion for helping others, he aims to make a tangible difference in his viewers’ lives.

He feels a responsibility to his audience to be as honest as possible. 

"Truth counts, give people true value, change lives, help them succeed and the rewards are incredible. Anyone can be an 'influencer' just take a look at the 1,000 electrical channel, but only very few can truly influence. To be most effective, show what you preach or teach. Words are words, viral videos are fun but don’t lead to a change. Showing the audience what I do, how I do it, what I charge etc., is the showing. Then I tell them how they can do it as well. Like the saying goes, you have to win minds before you can win hearts, and hearts are what makes your channel great.

“I like to say, ‘let’s sit crooked and talk straight,’ which means I always try to get the best advice, brands, products and software highlighted on my channels to make the most difference in the businesses of my subscribers,” Goldalian said. “Without my audience, there is no ‘me’ on social media. It’s always hard to try and take me out of the picture and only focus on the audience. This isn’t my channel; it’s the channel for those seeking the content I put out.”

For aspiring electrical professionals, Goldalian advises verifying the credibility of those they follow online and understanding the trade’s demands and challenges for long-term success.

"I think the hardest part of providing value is the amount of push back electricians like to give. They will nit pick and call out anything that’s not to code 'in their minds or areas of work' when it may be perfectly OK in your jurisdiction. This can sometimes make you second guess what to post or if you should be putting out these trade secrets at all. That’s where your subscribers come in," he said. "They are the professional relationships every channel needs. The ones that have tried your courses and succeeded or watched a product review and how it helped make money for us and get the same results. You just have to keep giving what you feel is valuable and hope that the people watching on the other side feel the same. What I don’t suggest is blatantly showing OSHA violations and performing dangerous work on purpose just to get views. Laughing about it, or using tools in an unsafe manner does not make it OK to put out. We, including me, can do better."

Looking ahead, he plans to expand his coaching business and introduce his “micro-franchising” method to new or struggling electrical contractors. By prioritizing his community’s needs over personal gain, Jeff exemplifies true influence in the digital age.

Find Goldalian on YouTube, Instagram and the360electrician.com.

Stephen Madrosen (Mad Electrician)

Stephen Madrosen’s journey into the electrical industry was sparked by family roots and a desire for change. Transitioning from a career in retail management, he found inspiration in conversations with his electrician brother-in-law, Tim Turc. Recognizing the lack of accessible information for aspiring electricians, Madrosen began creating content under the name Mad Electrician in May 2020 to fill this void. On his YouTube channel, he shares valuable insights and guidance.

“It was really the lack of good information and guidance when I was applying to become an electrician that inspired me to start creating content. That and needing to give advice to and explain the steps over and over again to friends and family who were also interested in becoming an electrician,” Madrosen said.

Motivated by the positive feedback from his viewers, Madrosen remains committed to providing useful content that resonates with new and experienced workers in the industry.

"It has been a pretty incredible experience to read comments and messages from people over the years who have found my content. I’ve been told time and time again that my videos have quite literally changed the trajectory of their lives and that they wouldn’t be where they are today if they hadn’t watched my videos. As my content has gained traction over the years, I’ve started running into people every now and again who recognize me while I’m out and about. It’s still wild when people recognize me out in public, but I’m truly grateful to have made it this far in my content creator journey and it’s always such a great feeling to see the faces of people whose lives have been impacted from my content. 

“Overall, I just want to provide high-quality content that’s helpful to both electricians and aspiring apprentices. I want to spread awareness about the electrical trade and what a great option it is.” he said. “My target audience that I’m really trying to reach is me when I was first looking to become an electrician and when I first got into the trade. Every piece of content that I create is with that target audience in mind. Anything that I can do to help those individuals out is considered a huge win in my book.”

His primary focus remains making a meaningful impact on his audience. Through live streams, engaging with comments and seeking content ideas from followers, Madrosen fosters a strong connection with his community.

Madrosen offers some advice to aspiring professionals looking to pursue a career in electrical construction: "

Don’t make the same mistake I did initially and think for one second that you’re “too good to work in construction” or that you should do something “bigger” with your life. Don’t get me wrong, if you feel called to pursue something else, by all means, go for it. I’m just saying that working in the trades is viewed by some as something for people who were too dumb or lazy to go to college, and I’m telling you, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The trades, and being an electrician specifically, is something that needs to be much more seriously considered as a viable career path. In this career you get to do some really cool things and see some really awesome places. And you get to make some really great money doing it. It can be difficult to first get in, but I would encourage you that if this is something you want to pursue, don’t give up and do whatever it takes to make this happen for you! And if you need any assistance becoming an electrician, make sure to check out my YouTube channel for guidance!" 

He also follows Electrician U, The 360 Electrician, Daily Electrician, Lex the Electrician, K Sparky, Spartan Hero Electric, Right Wire Electric, Lumenati Electric, Montreal Sparky and Re.plumb.

Find Mad Electrician on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and at madelectrician.com.

Adam Sperry (Completely Cordless)

Adam Sperry found his passion for the electrical industry early on, inspired by his family’s involvement in the field. His journey into social media was sparked by an apprentice’s insight into the need for an authentic voice in the trades. Embracing this role, Sperry shares his expertise and experiences, aiming to provide reliable information from a real-world perspective.

“After being shown the world of social media and realizing its potential as a source of information, I became motivated to share my experiences and training as a reliable source of accurate information,” Sperry said. “I would hope that my impact has been providing that source of information from a real world, real job site perspective from someone who makes a living as an electrician, not as an influencer.”

Navigating the balance between providing insights and maintaining professional relationships comes naturally to Sperry, as he values open dialogue and mutual learning within the electrical construction community. Looking ahead, his aspirations include being part of a collaborative platform that highlights innovative building practices and tools.

To stay connected with his audience, Sperry prioritizes authenticity, sharing personal experiences, tips and innovative tools that enhance job efficiency. He also follows other influencers who provide genuine perspectives on various building industries, fostering a network of trusted sources within the community.

“Electrical construction offers many advantages in the construction industry for those who love to see things made from the inception of a project to its completion,” he said. “Electricians are often involved from the design phase to the completion of a project without ever leaving the site. These experiences offer many insights into the entire construction process and not just the role we play in that process. My advice to aspiring professionals would be to pay attention and be aware of the whole process because the electrical industry is integral to all aspects.

"I aspire to continue to provide an honest view and trustworthy source for information on social media. I would love to find and be a part of a combined source of information for the building trades that brings together multiple "influencers" from all trades, manufacturers from those trades and various tool manufacturers to hopefully highlight the newest building practices as well as the most technologically advanced tools and processes to accomplish them," Sperry said. 

He follows other accounts on social media “that provide honest and real perspectives into various building industries,” including mechanicalhub, thebuildshow, concordcarpenter, figueroa_electrical, cnc_electric, hd_carpentry, lower_48 and montrealsparky.

Find Completely Cordless on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Dustin Stelzer (Electrician U)

Dustin Stelzer embarked on his journey in the electrical industry through on-the-job training at 22, inspired by his family’s background in the trades.

“While studying as a journeyman I realized I was seeking explanations many of the electricians I was around didn’t have answers to. I’m also a visual learner and connect concepts to analogy to help myself understand things clearer; video just seemed like a natural progression. Once I started getting feedback from the community that they liked my explanations I started listening to see what else they wanted to hear about," Stelzer said. "When I tested for my master license, I started filming content since nobody out there was doing it. I love teaching and learning, so I wanted to create a resource for apprentices to use to improve in the field. It was never, and is still not, about influence. That term ‘influencer’ makes me throw up in my mouth a little—I’m just an electrician making videos about electrician stuff.”

He started Electrician U in 2016 and shares his expertise and experiences, while providing valuable insights to the community. His advice to aspiring professionals underscores the importance of curiosity, professionalism and perseverance in the electrical construction field.

“I hope to help at least one struggling apprentice navigate their way to earning their license or running their own company. The icing on the cake [is] maybe they stick around long enough to develop gratitude and turn around and help someone else coming up somewhere down the road,” he said. “This trade needs more inclusiveness, humility and bridges built rather than destroyed. We need to understand that it is our duty to bring up others behind us, and without it, the trade wouldn’t survive. If I can help someone find their path in life and encourage them along the way, that’s good enough for me. I owe that to this trade.”

Staying connected with his audience involves building online communities and prioritizing authenticity. He values engagement and interaction, believing that genuine connections are key to a meaningful online presence.

"One thing I did early on was build communities of electricians online. This way there’s a group of us helping each other out, rather than it being about me. I actually created a brand for this very reason I don’t want my face and name to be the thing people pay attention to. I’d prefer if we all collectively participated in helping each other," Stelzer said. "I also believe authenticity has a huge deal to do with why people follow people. The more real you are with the people watching you, the more they’re going to engage with your content. Sure, there are videos I do that troll the audience or I’ll say things that are a bit controversial to get people talking, but this is what I do in real life too. So, I’m just me. If people like it and want to engage, cool. If not, that’s cool too.

Stelzer follows other influencers in the trades industry, appreciating their authenticity and dedication to their craft: Lex the Electrician, Tennessee_Electrician, Modern_Electrician, ElectricianJoe, Stevenj120volts, Karly the Sparky, Mad Electrician, Utah_Electrician and Roger Wakefield.

Find Electrician U on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, at ElectricianU.com and in this magazine. Electrician U’s content producers now collaborate in writing our long-running Cool Tools column. See this month’s edition on tool vests and belts. 

stock.adobe.com / darkovujic / Rassco