The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

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 successful entrepreneurs have in common Why your business is falling apart Developing the high-performance habits of success Being fanatical about your passion The two most important words in success—know what you want, and do what you have to do every day to achieve it The story of Cliff walks at Newport, Rhode Island Why do some people purposely sabotage certain areas of their lives Earning your potential to find more opportunities The process of maximizing your earning power  The truth behind, “I don’t care about money. Money is not really important to me.” Problems in your life that are correlated with money Your success depends on the people you hang out with The fat gym syndrome To win the battle between your ears and you need to find yourself a Battleground  About the battleground program—a powerful community of sales, marketing, leadership, and legal professionals   Resources: == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Up your sales game! Find everything your contracting business needs to price, sell and produce for profit in one comprehensive program - BATTLEGROUND. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground    Get your free copy of Tom's book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship): https://thecontractorfight.com/book Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: http://thecontractorfight.com/facebook Grab the Gear: https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/    == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber Instagram: http://thecontractorfight.com/ig Live Unafraid Swag: http://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid  

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 getting success: You don't lead your team with confidence and vision—because you don't trust yourself as a leader.  You don't trust yourself because you continue to break your promises—this erodes your confidence. You are not having company meetings regularly.  You're changing habits in your business, marketing, sales, etc., but you're not making any adjustments at home or with your overhead. You're sabotaging yourself and not doing what you know you need to do because you're afraid to grow—you just want to stay small and profitable. Resources: Follow Tom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realtomreber    == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground Get your free copy of Tom's book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship): https://thecontractorfight.com/book Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: http://thecontractorfight.com/facebook Grab the Gear: https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/  == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber Instagram: http://thecontractorfight.com/ig Live Unafraid Swag: http://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid   The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.

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 seasonal contractor Overeating during the winter season What to do to clear off seasonal depression Ways to keep yourself mentally and physically sharp in the offseason Listen to some thought-provoking podcasts Keep yourself involved in physical activities Keep learning and pass on your knowledge   Resources:  Tim Cutroni, Pond Builder at New England Aquatic Landscapinghttps://iloveponds.com/  == Join us in BATTLEGROUND ==Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground  == Order your free copy of Tom’s book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship) == https://thecontractorfight.com/book  == Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight:https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook  == Grab the Gear ==https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/  == Find Us on Social Media ==YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber Instagram: https://thecontractorfight.com/ig Live Unafraid Swag: https://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid  The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.

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 escape.  Three examples of people escaping from unwanted situations from the Battleground group The cost worksheet led a guy to analyze his overhead and labor costs. People who quit drinking and focus on their mental and physical health A guy ended his partnership in business after realizing that it wasn't going to work Resources:  == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground  == Get your questions answered and connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook  == Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook  == Grab the Gear == https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/  == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber  Instagram: https://thecontractorfight.com/ig  Live Unafraid Swag: https://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid  The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid. 

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, we talk about…    Question 1: I'm running an electrical company in Australia, and the material prices have skyrocketed. Is it better to charge by the hour or by the job?  The most successful contractors have a minimum service call. Inflation is not your problem—it's the customer's problem—charge what you need to charge to do the job. Make 60-70% of your gross labor profit. Have $100 per project sundries fees and hand the rest of the sundries receipts to the customer.  The materials are not your problem as contractors—the customers are the ones that have to pay for it.    Question 2: How do you gauge when to hire your first employee?  Figure out your own pricing and start making the profit that you need to make Market your brand and learn how to sell Build relationships with other contractors  Get your money before you bring on employees Sub everything out that you need to  Set a goal for yourself to put $1,000 a day in your pocket   Question 3: I need help working on a minimum call-out and price a job. It's very risky to replace a water meter in a building—it won't take much time, but there's a high risk The price is the solution, not the time charge—charge what it's worth This is about salesmanship, having a conversation, and setting expectations   Question 4: When it comes to marking up subs, like a deck or a pavilion, what percent do you recommend?  100%—if subs charge me five, I charge 10 for the job Let them price the job in a healthy margin—be happy, show up on time and then double it Great marketing and salesmanship makes this easy.   Question 5: What habits have you developed to overcome your limiting beliefs? Objectively analyze yourself regularly- Dan My affirmations are based on the kind of person I want to be in the future, and then develop the habits and actions that will make me more like him, and then your confidence grows- Tom. Surround yourself with FWS and people that think the same way   Question 6: Why do clients prefer free estimates instead of professional charge quotes, even if we're registered members of a professional body? Contractors have trained consumers to get free estimates. Clients prefer it because it's free. When you learn to sell and connect with their motives, position yourself and dig into the emotions of the thing, then they're happy to pay a consultation fee.   Question 7: Give one of the best one-line advice for a brand new starter. Do something that's going to set you up where you need to be and set yourself up to win- Dan. Be passionate about building your brand and marketing your business every single day—build that habit early on, because you will not make any money and you won't sell jobs without opportunities- Tom   Resources:  == Get your questions answered and connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook    == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground    == Order your free copy of Tom’s book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship) == https://thecontractorfight.com/book    == Grab the Gear == https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/    == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber  Instagram: https://thecontractorfight.com/ig  Live Unafraid Swag: https://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid    The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.

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 grand in 2021.   In this episode, we talk about… How bad was Anthony's sales and revenue situation before he joined the $100k program Mistakes he was making in his business before 2020 How he was able to turn his business and income around Changes Anthony made to his mindset, sales process, and business model How he was able to change his multiplier from 1.27x to 3.8x as a remodeler Putting yourself on the payroll as the business owner How his bad business was affecting his relationship with his wife and life at home The 50% gross profit rule—don't sell anything less than 50% gross profit The biggest changes he has made in himself as a leader in the last year Things he still struggles with within his business Anthony’s advice to contractors   Resources: = Greystone Remodeling Website: https://greystoneremodelinginc.com/    = Join us in BATTLEGROUND - Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground = Get your free copy of Tom's book Winning the Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/book (Just pay to ship) = Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: http://thecontractorfight.com/facebook = Grab the Gear: https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/ The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid. = Find Us on Social Media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber Instagram: http://thecontractorfight.com/ig Live Unafraid Swag: http://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid 

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 world is full of trash-talkers. Don't be one of them There are too many contractors out there that are all talk and no action    Resources: Follow Tom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realtomreber    == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground == Get your free copy of Tom's book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship) == https://thecontractorfight.com/book == Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: http://thecontractorfight.com/facebook == Grab the Gear == https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/   == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber Instagram: http://thecontractorfight.com/ig Live Unafraid Swag: http://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid     The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.

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 sailor and a young professor The most important thing we need to master in life Creating an action plan to achieve your goals   Resources:    == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground    == Get your questions answered and connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook    == Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook    == Grab the Gear == https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/    == Find Us on Social Media ==   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber    Instagram: https://thecontractorfight.com/ig    Live Unafraid Swag: https://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid    The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid. 

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 it necessary to have the logo and the website to do your business. In this episode, we talk about…    Question 1: Can you give any suggestions on courses to be a better, more encouraging leader in my business? Check out anything by John Maxwell—the guru on leadership Read Winning the Contractor Fight book by Tom Read Uncommon Leadership book by Ben Newman If you want to be a better leader, be the example Put yourself in the shoes of a past leader Question 2: What should I do if I am losing passion for my business and finding it difficult to hire skilled employees? Figure out what you like about your business Be positive, and then start spreading your business Whether you find people or not right now, start having fun yourself in the business and finding ways to win. Put on your own job fair Build your brand consistently Have a careers page on your website Question 3: When you're new to the business, do you start off at 50% GP or punish yourself for a couple of decades undercharging until you're in trouble? It's much easier to have conversations with new customers than with old clients.  Position yourself as not the cheap guy Build your brand the way you want it to be right from the start Question 4: What do you do when you find out that one of your staff members uses office time, utilities, and resources to work on other projects? Figure out what your employee handbook says. Explain clearly during onboarding that company resources and time cannot be used for side projects Before you take any action, find out why they are doing that. Question 5: Is it essential to have the logo and the website to do the business?  If you're going to have a real business, it's very important to have a real company identity, branding campaign, and strategy. If you are a company, you need to be branded. You're irrelevant if you're not out there branding and marketing your business and telling a story. Resources:  Visit our sponsors of this episode, NiceJob. NiceJob is Reputation Marketing software that will help your business collect 2-3 times more reviews on Google, Facebook, and the platforms that matter. Don’t forget to use code “Fight” for $50 off the first month on new accounts!  https://www.TheContractorFight.com/nicejob  == Get your questions answered and connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook  == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground  == Get your free copy of Tom’s book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship) == https://thecontractorfight.com/book  == Grab the Gear == https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/  == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber  Instagram: https://thecontractorfight.com/ig  Live Unafraid Swag: https://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid  The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.

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 yourself with winners The experience Chris gained in The Contractor Fight group and 100k program The necessity of holding regular team meetings The 50% gross profit rule—don’t sell anything less than 50% gross profit Fear of being underpriced for a job Chris’ experience with the pre-Shin-Fu sales process Why it is important to understand other people’s reasons for buying Setting up a consultation fee for your clients Confidence building for the sales process Understanding the value of your employees and their ability to solve problems Charging enough to have some margin for mistakes Resources: Pacific Home Maintenance Website: https://pacifichomewa.com/   == Join us in BATTLEGROUND == Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program with three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info check out: https://TheContractorFight.com/Battleground == Get your free copy of Tom’s book Winning the Contractor Fight (Just pay to ship) == https://thecontractorfight.com/book == Connect with other contractors building stronger businesses in The Contractor Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook == Grab the Gear == https://gear.thecontractorfight.com/   == Find Us on Social Media == YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber Instagram: https://thecontractorfight.com/ig Live Unafraid Swag: https://thecontractorfight.com/unafraid The Contractor Fight is the ultimate resource for becoming an uncommon contractor! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.