The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

One of the first things a contractor needs to get right is the bid — it's the foundation of everything. Bidding mistakes can lead to costly mistakes, so it's important to get it right. Tom discusses the three most common bidding mistakes he sees contractors make that end up costing them profits and causing frustration.   Communication Highlights: [00:00] -  Intro [00:33] - Mistake #1 - Lack of cla...

Tom interviews Eric Fortenberry, founder and CEO of JobTread. JobTread is an all-in-one construction and project management software that helps contractors handle estimating, job costing, invoicing, scheduling, logging, tracking, and more. It was built based on Eric’s experience running a construction company and was recently named the #1 construction management and estimating software.   In this...

Want to become a millionaire? Tune in to learn how from Steve, who achieved millionaire status by the age of 30. With the experience of starting four companies, three of which propelled him to millionaire success, Steve shares the secrets that will help you to succeed beyond your wildest dreams. He shares the three key things every small contracting business needs to do in order to become a millio...

In this episode, Tom dives into the art of selling. He shares the key element that will boost your sales and meet your needs — being curious. Tom tells why it’s crucial for contractors to shift from showcasing their expertise to understanding the true motives of the prospects. He wants contractors to be curious when talking to prospects instead of telling them how amazing they are.   In this episo...

Today, Tim and Derek talk about the art of pricing. They explain how to find the right balance between numbers and emotions when quoting your price to clients, and share a personal story of Tim about underestimating a job quote, and highlight the valuable lessons he learned from it. They also emphasize the power of starting with a higher price to get an emotional reaction from the client.   In thi...

As a contractor, do you often find yourself struggling with pricing your work? Are you unsure how to best answer the question, “How do I price my work?” Then this episode is for you. Today, Tom helps you get the answer by providing your 2023 contractor pricing guide. He provides an overview of different pricing models you can use and discusses the pros and cons of each model.   Conversation Highli...

Nine out of ten contractors know that getting reviews is important. They get frustrated because it becomes something they never get around to doing – But what if you can effortlessly collect reviews through automation? Tom’s guest today is Oscar Wimshurst from Nice Job. They discuss the importance of reviews for contractors and how his company, NiceJob, helps automate the review collection process...

“To be or not to be in business for yourself?” — Steve asks every contractor this question that he helps. Unfortunately, many contractors treat their business as a hobby or side gig and lack the true business mindset needed for success. In this episode, Steve shares if contractors want to run their business successfully, they need to stop treating it like a hobby or side gig. He challenges contrac...

Most contractors do this – wandering the crowded expo hall at a trade show, ogling the latest power tools, equipment, and gadgets on display. It's easy to get distracted by the flashy demos and shiny new toys. But are you really getting the most value out of these events?   In this episode, Tom shares his blunt opinion on why most contractors go to trade shows: "to jerk off to all the tools and th...

Tim and Derek discuss the story about a consulting job Derek did for a local church which they call “The Tarantino Close.” The two discuss how Derek used his skills to read the different personalities – which is an effective sales technique – and move the conversation directly towards a close even in situations where that doesn't always occur.   In this episode, they discuss: The Story of "The Tar...

"When should you charge 50% gross profit?" — Tom answers this common question asked by many contractors and breaks down the rule of thumb for achieving the 50% gross profit. He also addresses the common objections by some contractors, like "I'm a GC. 50% Gross Profit is not possible for me," and dispels myths around what industries can and can't hit the 50% mark.   Conversation Highlights: [00:00]...

Investing in marketing is essential to grow your business, but it's tough when you're not seeing the returns from your marketing. Tom welcomes Spencer Powell from Builder Funnel, who brings his 13 years of experience in strategic marketing for remodelers and custom home builders. Spencer shares tips and actionable strategies contractors can use to learn what's working and what's not with their mar...

We've all felt negative emotions — anger, fear, frustration, anxiety, resentment, negative emotions. These emotions can easily overwhelm us and affect our health. Tom is here to share his thoughts on handling negative emotions like anger, fear, frustration, and anxiety when they start to creep up and discusses some benefits of negative emotions.   In this episode, Tom discusses: Benefits of negati...

Is your phone not ringing? Are you waiting for potential clients to reach out? Then, stop being passive order takers and start building meaningful relationships with clients and nurture them.   Tim and Derek are here to tell you not to wait for customers to stumble upon your website; instead, be proactive sales hunters rather than passive order takers. They talk about nurturing existing clients an...

Have you ever found yourself investing a lot of time with a prospect, only to discover that they were just price shopping? In fact, they don't intend to do anything anytime soon. Today, Tom teaches you how to spot those prospects who're just price shopping from the ones who are ready to get started and buy your service. Tune in as he guides you through the process of spotting genuine prospects and...

Today’s guest Michelle Myers of Pink Callers, shares insights into setting up an effective customer service function for your business. She discusses the challenges, processes, and intricacies involved in hiring and training for administrative roles.   Pink Callers is an insourcing company that takes over administrative roles like customer service representatives for other businesses. They assign...

Do you want to tap into your untapped potential? Then Be Unreasonable. Be unreasonable with your goals, set the unreasonable standard, put in unreasonable amounts of work, and be unreasonable with the experience you deliver to your clients — this will set you and your service apart, and your bank account and business will grow beyond your expectations. Tom wants you to set targets way outside your...

Creating successful client interactions is a crucial aspect of your contracting business, especially when it comes to building strong client relationships and closing sales! Tim and Derek are here to talk to you about structuring your initial client interaction and share their processes for getting potential clients on the phone to start the sales conversation.    In this episode, they discuss: Fi...

Tom reveals one of the most common mistakes contractors make when talking with potential clients and trying to get a sale — the mistake of asking them, "What's your budget?" He explains why this question can be the worst thing to hear during a sales conversation and how it can be detrimental to your sales process. He offers alternative strategies that will help you close more deals and build stron...

Tom welcomes Jon Bryant from PaintScout, who is also one of the sponsors of Mile High Profit Summit. Jon sheds light on the common challenges contractors face during the estimation process and the innovative solutions that PaintScout offers.    PaintScout is a software platform specifically developed to address the uncertainties and anxieties that often arise when estimating painting jobs. In this...

Tom has a powerful truth to drop on you — Success doesn't care about your feelings. It doesn't care if you woke up today feeling like a champion or if you felt like crawling back into bed. It doesn't care how you felt yesterday or how you'll feel tomorrow. Success is indifferent to your emotions — it demands action.   In this episode, Tom discusses… Not letting your feelings dictate your actions D...

Are you ready to unlock the key to achieving ultimate freedom and skyrocketing productivity in your business? Join Tim and Derek as they discuss the power of having a calendar and scheduling to manage and optimize your daily activities.   In this episode, Tim and Derek share their first-hand experience and the benefits they've gained from using calendars to allocate specific time blocks for variou...

Are you losing potential clients often because they believe your prices are "too high"? Don't worry! Tom is here to help you! In this episode, Tom shares his invaluable advice on handling the most-dreaded objection that has previously cost you deals. He discusses the common sales objection of "Your Price is Too High" and provides three practical strategies to master this objection and close deals....

Tom teams up with Jeff Wraley from GroundWork to explore the synergy between GroundWork and Shin-Fu Sales Process, boosting lead qualification and streamlining sales. GroundWork is a sales automation tool that helps contractors get video walkthroughs from homeowners to prequalify leads and ensure they're pitching the right jobs. GroundWork is also proudly sponsoring the Mile High Profit Summit 202...

Tom uncovers the key to lasting success in sales. With utmost clarity, he emphasizes, "One of the most important sales you make each day is to yourself," highlighting the significance of self-belief. He imparts the wisdom of selling oneself first, a vital ingredient for achieving sales triumph. By sharing his insights and actionable strategies, he sets you up for unparalleled sales success by buil...