Behind the Toolbelt

Send us Fan Mail We unpack how AI is changing homeowner search and why reputation must live beyond a website. Steven Spence shares how Project Map It helps contractors prove local work, capture more written reviews, and create fresh, trustworthy signals that AI can surface. • Mapping real jobs to prove local trust • Dual-path review capture without logins • Public profile pages that aggregate proo...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Bob Burg to explore how Go-Giver principles turn craftsmanship into community trust and why money is an echo of value. The talk moves from referrals and influence to culture, purpose, and the inner work leaders must do to remove hidden limits. • becoming the first call through referrals and reputation • networking by asking, listening and helping • influence as pu...

Send us Fan Mail We close the year with gratitude, clarity, and a challenge to lead from the inside out. Success becomes the person we’re becoming, not just the things we build, and we thank our team, families, guests, and listeners for sharpening that aim. • reflection on purpose over profit  • alignment across home, work and community  • healthy fear versus unhealthy fear  • lessons from failure...

Send us Fan Mail We share why competitive greatness isn’t domination but the courage to own mistakes, restore trust, and finish the year strong. From overdue apologies to faster client callbacks, we focus on action, humility, and raising the standard when no one is watching. • defining competitive greatness as character under pressure • choosing ownership without excuses • practicing humility to l...

Send us Fan Mail We celebrate six years and 312 episodes by laying out a clear, tough roadmap for a stronger year: show up when no one claps, set goals your future self would approve, prune what drains you, and build the inner tool belt that carries you through hard seasons. Health, wealth, and spirit align as we focus on consistency, accountability, and resilience that outlasts the highs and lows...

Send us Fan Mail We share why Bob Burg’s ideas reshaped how we lead, sell, and serve, and we announce his upcoming guest spot. From the five laws to practical persuasion and follow-up, we map how value-first thinking builds trust, referrals, and durable teams. • Why value is the experience, not the product • Compensation tied to how many you serve and how well • Influence as putting others’ intere...

Send us Fan Mail What if your pipeline never had to run dry? We break down a practical, human approach to growth that outlasts algorithms and ad fatigue: show up in your community, give first without keeping score, and make people feel understood at every step. From trunk-or-treats that spark thousands of touchpoints to a 45-minute conversation that turned a routine check drop into a lifelong prom...

Send us Fan Mail A city street, 27 roaring fryers, and a mountain of sides turned a gray morning into a bright, communal feast. We fired up the sixth annual 21 Turkey Salute with 122 birds, a volunteer army, and partners who transformed a church kitchen into a production line. What began during a season of distance has grown into a tradition that feeds bodies, lifts spirits, and re-centers our tea...

Send us Fan Mail We unpack how real relationships beat random outreach, why brand congruency matters more than louder ads, and how trades can cut through noise with human, focused marketing. We get tactical on AI, after-hours lead capture, cost-per-lead math, seasonality, and planning the next 12 months. • returning to local roots and community-led networking • quality over quantity conversations,...

Send us Fan Mail We share how a scrappy idea during COVID grew into the 21 Turkey Salute, a community feast that now doubles as our public stress test and private operating system. Service created trust, trust shaped culture, and culture sharpened execution across our jobs. • origin of the 21 Turkey Salute and early hurdles • turning a record attempt into a yearly tradition • how service forged tr...

Send us Fan Mail We reflect on six seasons of consistent creation, why vulnerability beats polish, and how real accountability changes behavior. The talk moves from viral mistakes to practical resets, from empathy as a learned skill to redemption earned over years. • consistency as a trust contract with listeners • authenticity over optics in personal brand • the two‑minute reset for breath, movem...

Send us Fan Mail We crack open how inputs shape outputs, how to quiet the loud inner critic, and how to swap victim thinking for real ownership with simple, repeatable drills. Practical stories, crew‑ready scripts, and a five‑minute morning stack make the shift doable today. • inputs across reading, watching, listening, and circle audits • five guided questions for an input audit • five‑minute mor...

Send us Fan Mail We trace a full season’s lessons:How personal growth sets the ceiling, how training builds culture, and how brand is earned through service, while recapping community wins like Swing Fore Recovery and trunk-or-treat that make trust tangible. Leadership shows up as responsibility, clarity, and consistency, with a challenge to mentor the next person and share one honest story this w...

Send us Fan Mail We dig into how to build momentum when the market feels soft, why your internal economy matters more than headlines, and the simple daily actions that turn trust into referrals and referrals into pipeline. We share a clear seven-day sprint, a weekly audit habit, and the brand moves that make growth repeatable. • charity golf updates and funds raised for treatment access • creating...

Send us Fan Mail We unpack the season when the right message finally lands, how vulnerability, accountability, and early adopters turn good intentions into real change. Along the way, a roadside breakdown becomes a masterclass in composure, gratitude, and leading when it’s hard. • timing and teachability shaping real growth • courage and vulnerability as daily practice • hard conversations and acc...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Stephen Spence of Project Map It to unpack how visual proof and clean integrations help contractors win trust, then open up about addiction, mental health, and why Swing Fore Recovery sends people in the trades to treatment. Purpose, partnerships, and practical steps turn a tool into a lifeline. • origins of Project Map It and Stephen’s career shift • interactive...

Send us Fan Mail We celebrate a major milestone—300 episodes of Behind the Tool Belt—and reflect on the journey from our basement beginnings to building a community that spans across the country. • The podcast started as a way to promote charity events and share insights about roofing, but evolved into a platform for personal development and leadership • Consistency has been the key to success—sho...

Send us Fan Mail Ty Cobb-Backer reflects on the importance of authentic leadership culture and how TC Backer Construction has developed over 17 years by making hard choices that align with core values. After extensive self-reflection, Ty shares the three pillars that have guided the company's success: Purpose, Ownership, and Organizational Health. • Moving employees from 1099 contractors to W...

Send us Fan Mail We explore the 90-10 rule of leadership and why focusing on what's going right instead of fixating on problems transforms both results and team energy. • Running towards problems instead of avoiding them—the obstacle is the way • How our perspective and focus determine the energy of our company and team • Creating a standard of excellence by making good things even better • T...

Send us Fan Mail Ty Cobb Backer plunges into the essence of true leadership, emphasizing that your leadership quality directly reflects what you tolerate and how consistently you embody your principles. Personal growth and self-mastery must precede any attempt to lead others effectively. • Leadership begins with self-awareness and personal development • Your true character emerges in how you respo...

Send us Fan Mail Dashaun Bryant, sales powerhouse and roofing industry influencer, returns to the podcast to share wisdom on developing a winner's mindset and finding fulfillment in success. • Winners Win philosophy - understanding the formula for winning and consistently applying it • The BFF framework - Beliefs, Focus, and Freedom • Winners know they're going to win, they just don&apos...

Send us Fan Mail Ty shares his leadership journey and the core principles behind building a successful business with strong company culture, highlighting the importance of vision, energy, and servant leadership. • Leadership is about servantship, not exercising power over others • Your team reflects your energy as a CEO (Chief Energy Officer), you set the tone • Leading with fear and anger never b...

Send us Fan Mail Energy is the most powerful currency a leader possesses, with the ability to transform organizations and build movements that change lives. Ty Cobb-Backer revisits the profound impact of John Gordon's "The Energy Bus" and breaks down the 10 rules that have shaped his leadership philosophy and earned him the title of "Chief Energy Officer." • You're th...

Send us Fan Mail Tim Brown shares his journey of writing "How to Become a Hometown Hero" and reveals strategies for building legendary status in your local community through marketing, leadership, and service. The conversation explores deep insights about creating impact while scaling a business effectively. • Creating a book that captures marketing wisdom while transitioning to an execu...

Send us Fan Mail Elijah Muhm, owner of Roman's Roofing and host of The Roof Trollz podcast, shares his journey of building a mission-driven company focused on culture over profits and authenticity in the roofing industry. • Creating a company focused on culture first, prioritizing both customers and employees  • Building a local brand that gives back to the community and provides real value •...