We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ivan Fredette. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ivan below.

Alright, Ivan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

When I was 17, I lost the closest person in my life to suicide. That shattered me. I spent the next 17 years doing whatever I could to numb the pain, drinking daily, chasing dopamine, pretending I was fine. Even as an addict, I held onto my work ethic and managed to build a small tree service business. But behind the scenes, I was a drunk, an absent father, and a poor husband.

On Boxing Day of 2020, I hit rock bottom. I looked in the mirror and said, No more.

I tried the traditional recovery programs, but they didn’t align with me. I saw a culture of victimhood, being told I was powerless, that I was sick, and needed to surrender everything to a higher power. I knew that if I leaned into that mindset, I’d stay stuck in the relapse cycle forever.

So I did the only thing I knew how to do, I built my own system.
A system grounded in personal responsibility, discipline, and mental toughness. A system that didn’t rely on external saviors, but on becoming the man I was meant to be.

Over the next three years, I transformed. I became the father, leader, and man I’d always wanted to be, and I kept raising the standard.

Then, on November 26, 2023, my system was tested.
My sister, the closest person to me in the world—took her life. That month was the darkest season of my life. But I didn’t break. I stayed the course. I faced the pain head-on and found meaning in the adversity.

One day, my mother looked at me through tears and said,
“You know, Hunny… if this had happened three years ago, I would’ve lost both of my children.”
And she was right.

That moment lit the fire. I knew I had to share what I’d built.
So I documented everything I had done and created a system that other men could follow, men who wanted to break their cycles, reclaim their lives, and lead with purpose.

That’s what Ironclad Brotherhood is.
It’s not a support group. It’s a system for building resilient men, men who lead their families, own their choices, and never surrender their standards.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I coach men to gain control of alcohol, rebuild their masculinity, and lead lives they’re proud of.

I created Ironclad Brotherhood after walking through hell myself, 17 years of addiction, broken relationships, and numbing pain. When traditional programs failed me, I built my own system from the ground up. A system that doesn’t rely on labels or victimhood, but on action, discipline, and a relentless commitment to personal standards.

What sets us apart is our Ironclad Method, rooted in two core frameworks:

The Iron C’s – Clarity, Confidence, Courage, Consistency, Charisma, and Core Values. These six internal traits are what we forge first, because when a man rewires his mind, his habits follow.

The A.R.M.O.R. Framework – Aspirations, Revenue, Muscle, Oneness, and Relationships. These are the five pillars we help men master. Not through wishful thinking, but through daily execution and full ownership of every area of their lives.

This isn’t therapy. It’s not a support group. It’s a brotherhood for high-performing men who are sick of negotiating with their potential. Our clients come from all walks of life, entrepreneurs, executives, tradesmen, and fathers, but what they share is a decision to stop being a slave to alcohol and start leading their own lives again.

What I’m most proud of is seeing men become the role models they never had. Watching a father show up fully for his kids. Seeing a husband reignite his marriage. Watching men stop hiding and start living with purpose.

Ironclad Brotherhood exists because I believe masculinity isn’t toxic, mediocrity is.
And when one man levels up, it creates a ripple effect that impacts families, communities, and generations.

This isn’t for everyone. But if you’re done with excuses, and ready to lead, you belong here.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots I’ve ever made was when I realized my life’s mission was no longer just about running a tree service, it was about helping men gain control of alcohol and reclaim their masculinity. But before I could fully step into that purpose, I knew I had to scale my company, Safe Tree, to a place where it could run without needing me in the trenches every day.

At the time, I was wearing every hat, handling sales, overseeing operations, and jumping on the crew when things got tight. If I wanted to lead Ironclad Brotherhood without compromise, I had to build a company that could function at a high level without my constant presence. That meant getting Safe Tree to seven figures and developing a team I could trust.

So I made a decision most people aren’t willing to make:
I sacrificed everything I could, took a pay cut, sold personal assets, and even delayed building our family home by a few years. All so I could afford to hire the right people to fill critical roles. I poured my energy into building systems, refining processes, and coaching my team to lead with the same values that had transformed my own life.

Now that I was sober, I had clarity. And that clarity became my edge.
To my surprise, the growth happened faster than I expected, not because I got lucky, but because I committed to consistency, delayed gratification, and non-negotiable values. I refused to compromise on culture, and I hired people who aligned with our mission.

That pivot created the space I needed to launch Ironclad Brotherhood.
Today, Safe Tree thrives under strong leadership, and I get to show up fully for the men I mentor, men who are fighting their own battles and learning how to win them with discipline and purpose.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the hardest lessons I had to unlearn was this:
Just because someone’s great at the job doesn’t mean they belong on your team.

For years, I believed that when you find someone highly skilled, you should do whatever it takes to keep them. But I learned the hard way, that mindset can destroy your culture from the inside out.

I kept the wrong people around because they were “good at the job,” even when their attitude was toxic or they refused to align with our values. In the short term, it felt like the practical move. In the long term, it cost me everything that actually matters, morale, potential rockstar employees who never applied, and even great clients who quietly walked away.

Now, at both Safe Tree and Ironclad Brotherhood, we hire, fire, and reward based on one thing: our values.
Skill can be taught. Character cannot.
And if someone doesn’t align with the mission, they’re gone, no matter how good they are or how painful it feels in the moment.

That mindset shift changed everything. Culture isn’t something we hope for anymore, it’s something we protect. Relentlessly.

Contact Info:

• Website: ironcladbrotherhood.com, safetree.ca, ivanfredette.com
• Instagram: @ivanfredette
• Facebook: Ivan Fredette
• Linkedin: Ivan Fredette
• Twitter: @ivanfredette
• Youtube: @ivan.fredette