The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

If you are going to give 100% to one aspect, you have to leave the rest of your life behind. Life is not just about making money or running a business; it is about having a little bit of everything!   Tom, Steve, and Derek are here to show you that you can have a great family life, be involved in your kids' lives, and own a successful business at the same time.   In this episode, we talk about… Ho...

Tom explains that success doesn't care about your feelings, so take courage to do the uncomfortable things and grow, and this applies to anything you strive for.   In this episode, we talk about… The challenges you face are opportunities for you to improve Things don't always go as planned, but that's a test of your commitment to your goals Don't let your feelings get in the way of your goal—just...

Make sure you take care of things when they are not in use, so they are ready when you need them! Tim and Greg remind you to take care of what you need to take care of.   In this episode, we talk about…  Keeping things in good condition when they aren't in use The habit of neglecting stuff until they're a problem Taking care of your body, skills, equipment, etc. Some employees may be struggling —...

Dan encourages you to take a look at your money mindset, see where you stand in terms of how you price jobs and make sure you are being fair to yourself and your company because your profitability is the lifeblood of your business.  In this episode, we talk about…  Avoid selling based on your own perception of a budget. Do you want to make money, or do you want to make yourself feel good? The only...

Listen in as Tom and Dan answer your questions about who should handle materials and quotes when you hire a sub, a reasonable warranty timeline, explaining profit margins to customers when you hire a sub and determining what rate to charge.   In this episode, we answer the questions…   Question1: I hire subs, and take care of the quotes, materials, orders, designs, etc. Is that your responsibility...

Dan and Tom speak with guest Chris Treese. Chris is the owner of a construction company called Classic Home Concepts. Chris discusses the value of being part of the right community, the power of meeting people in person, and the importance of participating in live events.   In this episode, we talk about… His financial condition before he joined the Contractor Fight  How being a part of the Contra...

Tom and Steve discuss the "Bucketization" of your business so that you can run your business more efficiently. They also discuss what contractors struggle with and what they can do to overcome those issues.   In this episode, we talk about… How to bucketize your business for greater efficiency The issue of having lots of cash flow but no profit Pricing your work and selling it at a 50% gross profi...

If a battle cannot be won, do not fight it! Tom recommends that you pick your job wisely, i.e., do not begin a project if you do not feel 100% sure that you are going to win.   In this episode, we talk about… Never accept a job unless you are confident that you will keep at least 50% of the money. Learning how to pre-plan projects to win before you even step foot on the job site Organizing pre-job...

Stop giving unsolicited advice—unsolicited advice never helps anyone! Tim and Greg tell you why acting like an expert never benefits anyone and why you should become a better listener and process your thoughts before speaking.   In this episode, we talk about…   Why you shouldn't act like an expert How to be a good communicator What are you missing, if you don't listen to your prospects Taking a f...

Dan explains that the fundamentals of the contracting industry—communicating, marketing, selling, interacting with homeowners, fulfilling the job, leading your crew, etc.—are all the same. So get rid of the unicorn syndrome.    In this episode, we talk about…     We all suffer from snowflakes syndrome and think we're just super unique. Share your experiences with other contractors, take their advi...

Tom and Dan answer your questions about how to pay yourself as the owner of the company, providing your subcontractors with shirts and magnets to give them a sense of your company's identity, how to inform your clients about hiring subcontractors, and how to get leads in winter, etc.   In this episode, we talk about…   Question1: As a result of COVID, I was unable to find good employees to work fo...

Tom and Dan talk with guest Ben Schneider. Ben is the owner of Peak Sodding in North Carolina and is also a BATTLEGROUND program member. Ben discusses how you're not alone in the business world, getting involved in a community that can help you grow, building relationships, and the changes he has made to his business that turned his business and family life around.   In this episode, we talk about...

Money should not be the cause of your problems, but a tool for your happy and problem-free life! Tom and Steve remind us that you can have money, be happy, and have great relationships in your life, and it’s not hard to earn money—all you need to do is keep doing what you're good at with proper guidance.  In this episode, we talk about… The mindset that most powerful business owners have Things su...

Honoring your commitments will keep you moving toward your goals in your business and life! Today Tom shares his tips for a successful 2022. In this episode, we talk about… What is making you unattractive to your team and potential team members Learning how to run a meeting and how to be a better leader Becoming a fanatic about growing profitable sales and building your team Reasons why you're not...

Today, Tom introduces The Long & Short of It with Tim Cutroni and Greg. Tim and Greg are sales coaches in The Contractor Fight and are also active contractors. The two discuss how to keep yourself mentally and physically fit during the offseason.   In this episode, we talk about…    The hosts of the Long and Short of it, Tim and Greg How the winter season looks for a season...

Dan is here to remind you to look at your business and your life, to find out if you're getting sucked into a predictable path you don't want to follow, and to get off that path as fast as you can.  In this episode, we talk about…   What is a rip current and how does it relate to your life If you feel that you’re in a situation that does not feel right, you should reevaluate the situation and esca...

Listen in as Tom and Dan answer your questions about how to price a job, how to decide when to hire your first employee, what percent should you make when it comes to marking up subs, why do clients prefer free estimates instead of professional charge quotes, even if the contractor is a registered member of a professional body and the best one-line advice for a brand new starter.   In this episode...

Today, Tom's guest is Anthony Abbott. Anthony is a United States Army veteran and a remodeling contractor. He runs a company called Greystone Remodeling in Raleigh, North Carolina. Anthony shares how he could never make more than $275k in sales in a year and paid himself only 12 grand in 2020 as a business owner, and what changes he made in his business, so he was able to pay himself over 100 gran...

All talk and no action—it's a habit that kills your business, relationships, and health and sabotages your life! Tom is here to remind you that start working on the cattle part instead of worrying about how cool your hat looks.   In this episode we talk about… Wearing all the hats and not making any money Story of a guy with all hat and no cattle What should you do to improve your business The wor...

The real action begins when you begin to get serious about the work! Dan is here to remind you to take a moment to write down your action plan to follow up on those big promises you made to yourself at the start of the year. Just start by taking small steps, and you'll get there.     In this episode, we talk about…   Being compassionate and knowing what is really important in life Story of an old...

Listen in as Tom and Dan answer your questions about how to be a better and more encouraging leader, what should you do if you're losing passion for your business, how to find skilled people, what should be your GP when you're new to the business, what action you should take when you find out one of your staff members is using office time, utilities, and resources to work on other projects, and is...

Today, Tom’s guest is Chris Olson, the owner of Pacific Home Maintenance, LLC in Washington state. Chris has earned a brown belt in Shin-Fu training. Chris talked about working hard, staying focused, and surrounding yourself with winners. In this episode, we talk about… Marketing, selling, and leading—and how to know your numbers Going all-in, putting in the work, staying focused, and surrounding...

Every action you take and every habit you have is a vote for the type of person you want to become! We are kicking off a new year, and Tom is here to tell you about the things that will make or break your business.   In this episode, we talk about…  Things that will derail your 2022 The mindset that will determine your success  TBAR—Thoughts lead to Beliefs, which lead to Actions, which get Result...

Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it! Dan is here to remind you that knowing something, being aware of something doesn't mean it won't happen again.     In this episode, we talk about…   Do not prioritize business over family Knowing about something doesn't mean it won't happen again—be proactive and avoid repeating the same mistake Assessing where you are and what you can do...

Today, Tom’s guests are Andrew Houston and Liam Morin from Profit For Contractors. Liam and Andrew have a book coming out called, How to Steal Your Competitors' Tradespeople Ethically. Today they share some strategies and tactics to help you attract your competitors' employees and make them want to work for you.   In this episode, we talk about…   What the book How to Steal Your Competitors' Trade...