The Roofer Show

Dave Sullivan
  • 4.9 (143)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

If you’re a Roofing Contractor looking to grow your business, make more money, and have more free time this is the podcast for you. Your host Dave Sullivan has been a successful roofing contractor for over 30 years and he shares the good, bad, and the ugly of his experience in contracting. Each week Dave interviews the industry’s top experts to pull out their best business tips and strategies that you can use to take your business to the next level. Get the answers to the questions you have to the day to day problems you face in the “real world of construction” from those that have been there and done it. Whether you have a shop of 1 or 100 there’s something here for you.

  1. 483: How He Built a $13M Roofing Company in Just 3 Years

    7h ago

    483: How He Built a $13M Roofing Company in Just 3 Years

    Most roofing contractors think growth comes from more leads. John Starry took a different approach. In just three years, he built Steadfast Roofing into a $13 million company while earning nearly 800 Google reviews, creating a strong company culture, and building systems that support sustainable growth. In this episode, John shares how his team generates referrals from every project, follows up with leads faster, creates a consistent customer experience, and tracks profitability as the company grows. If you’re looking to grow your roofing company without creating more chaos, this episode is packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately. WHAT YOU’LL LEARNHow John built a $13M roofing company in just three yearsHow Steadfast Roofing earned nearly 800 Google reviewsThe review process that creates consistent 5-star customer experiencesWhy speed-to-lead is critical for converting expensive leadsHow to generate referrals from every job siteThe systems and processes that support sustainable growthHow company culture impacts accountability and performanceWhy job costing and profitability tracking matter as you scale CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 05:13 Starting Steadfast Roofing 08:36 Growing to $3.7M in Year One 12:00 Neighborhood Marketing and Referrals 13:42 How They Earned Nearly 800 Google Reviews 16:47 Lead Generation That Works 18:40 Speed-to-Lead and Follow-Up 23:39 Building a Website That Converts 25:40 Growing to $13M 30:45 Managing a Growing Sales Team 33:13 Building Company Culture 34:29 Production Systems and Communication 42:00 Job Costing and Profitability 47:24 Managing Growth and Cash Flow 51:32 Lessons Learned 53:19 Final Thoughts SPONSORSSMA SupportMissed calls, poor follow-up, and stale estimates are costing roofing contractors thousands every month. SMA Support provides trained virtual assistants, inside sales support, lead follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support built specifically for roofing companies. Learn more: https://theroofercoach.com/sma ProLineProLine helps roofing contractors streamline operations, automate follow-up, improve communication, and gain visibility into every stage of the customer journey. From lead management to production and reporting, ProLine helps contractors create the systems needed to scale. Learn more: https://theroofercoach.com/proline RESOURCES The Roofer Coach https://theroofercoach.com Free Roofing Business Resources https://theroofercoach.com/resources Roofing Business Success Audit https://theroofercoach.com/resources CONNECTIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Roofer Show and leave a review. It helps other roofing contractors build more profitable businesses with less stress and more freedom. About The Roofer Show The Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    50 min
  2. 482: Tommy Mello: Build a Roofing Business That Works Without You

    Jun 5

    482: Tommy Mello: Build a Roofing Business That Works Without You

    What separates a roofing business from a roofing job? In this replay episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Door Service and one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the home service industry. Tommy shares lessons learned while building a highly valuable company, including how to create a business that works without you, why profit must come before growth, how to hire and retain great people, and why most contractors never build a company that can actually be sold. Whether you’re trying to grow your roofing company, improve profitability, or build a business that gives you more freedom, this episode is packed with practical insights. In this episode you’ll learn: The difference between owning a business and owning a jobWhy most contractors struggle to build a sellable companyHow EBITDA impacts business valueThe importance of profit before growthWhy hiring A-players changes everythingHow to create accountability with KPIs and scorecardsThe power of delegation and building systemsWhy culture is one of your greatest competitive advantagesHow successful contractors build teams that operate without themLessons from scaling a home service company Resources Mentioned:Tommy MelloA1 Garage Door ServiceHome Service MillionaireThe E-Myth RevisitedRocket FuelThe Dream ManagerThe One Thing Sponsors:ProLine CRM: theroofercoach.com/proline Built specifically for contractors to help manage leads, sales, production, follow-up, and customer communication. SMA Support: theroofercoach.com/sma Virtual team members for lead management, appointment setting, customer follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support. Connect with Dave Sullivan:Website: https://theroofercoach.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow Subscribe to The Roofer Show for weekly conversations focused on the business end of the roofing business About The Roofer Show The Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    48 min
  3. 481: How to Start a Roofing Business in 2026 (What Most Roofers Get Wrong)

    May 29

    481: How to Start a Roofing Business in 2026 (What Most Roofers Get Wrong)

    Thinking about starting a roofing business in 2026 — or trying to grow the one you already have? In this episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with former Roofer Show co-host John DeLaurier to break down what it actually takes to build a profitable roofing company in today’s market. John started a roofing business from scratch, built it into a successful company, eventually sold it, and now works with roofing contractors across the country through ProLine CRM. Together, Dave and John discuss the systems, numbers, leadership, marketing, customer experience, and technology that separate successful roofing businesses from the ones that struggle. They cover: Why profit matters more than revenueHow to reverse engineer your business goalsThe importance of branding and customer experience Speed to lead and follow-up systemsHiring and building a sales teamMarketing strategies that actually workCRM systems, automations, and KPIsWhat most roofing contractors get wrong when starting out If you want to build a roofing business that’s profitable, scalable, and less dependent on you — this episode is packed with practical advice. SPONSORS:SMA SupportAs your roofing company grows, the chaos usually grows with it: production tracking, supplements, admin work, scheduling, follow-up, and more. SMA Support helps roofing companies simplify operations with trained virtual assistants, inside sales support, CRM management, and back-office help so owners can focus on growing the business instead of constantly putting out fires. Learn more at: https://theroofercoach.com/sma ProLine CRM Most roofing companies don’t have a lead problem — they have a follow-up problem. ProLine CRM helps roofing contractors automate follow-up, manage pipelines, track leads, build proposals, and sell more jobs without the chaos. Learn more at: https://theroofercoach.com/proline Use promo code DAVE50 for 50% off your first month.WEBSITE: https://theroofercoach.com YOUTUBE:https://www.youtube.com/@TheRooferShow Looking for guidance and accountability to help build a more profitable roofing business? Schedule a strategy call at: https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call About The Roofer ShowThe Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    1h 5m
  4. 480: THIS IS WHERE PROFITS DISAPPEAR

    May 22

    480: THIS IS WHERE PROFITS DISAPPEAR

    Selling the job is only the beginning. In Part 2 of this conversation, Dave Sullivan and John DeLaurie get into the next two legs of the stool: doing the workand keeping score They talk about:where roofing companies start losing moneycommunication breakdowns with homeownersproduction handoff problemscustomer experience and reviewsjob costingdashboards and KPIsbookkeeping and cash flowaccountability and ownershipAI and operational systems This episode focuses on what actually happens after the sale — and why so many roofing companies struggle operationally even when sales are strong. Looking for help building a more profitable roofing business with better systems and accountability? Let’s talk. Take the Profit Leak Audit: https://theroofercoach.com/audit Recommended ToolsProLine CRM – Know your numbers and close more jobs. Track your leads, follow-ups, and pipeline so nothing falls through the cracks. 👉 Check it out: https://theroofercoach.com/proline SMA Support – Never miss another call or follow-up. They handle your calls and lead follow-up so you stop losing the jobs you’re already paying for. 👉 Learn more: https://theroofercoach.com/sma About The Roofer Show The Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    23 min
  5. 479: Why Most Roofing Companies Stay Stuck

    May 15

    479: Why Most Roofing Companies Stay Stuck

    Most roofing companies don’t have a lead problem — they have a systems problem. In this episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with John DeLaurie to talk about: what top roofing contractors are doing differentlywhy so many companies stay stuck operationallylead generation that actually workssales process and follow-upanswering the phone and speed to lead CRM systems and automationsbuilding a roofing business that runs profitably John also shares insights from talking with contractors around the country and what separates companies that are growing from those that stay stuck. Next week, Dave and John get into the next two legs of the stool — doing the work and keeping score — where most roofing companies really start losing money. Looking for help building a more profitable roofing business with better systems and accountability? Let’s talk. Take the Profit Leak Audit: https://theroofercoach.com/audit Recommended Tools ProLine CRM – Know your numbers and close more jobs. Track your leads, follow-ups, and pipeline so nothing falls through the cracks. 👉 Check it out: https://useproline.com/ SMA Support – Never miss another call or follow-up. They handle your calls and lead follow-up so you stop losing the jobs you’re already paying for. 👉 Learn more: https://funnels.smasupport.us/the-roofer-show About The Roofer Show The Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    52 min
  6. 478: How to Build a $500K Service Truck (Roofing Maintenance Step-by-Step)

    May 11

    478: How to Build a $500K Service Truck (Roofing Maintenance Step-by-Step)

    If you’re a roofing contractor tired of chasing jobs and inconsistent revenue… this episode will change how you think about your business. In this episode, I sit down with Bryan Mitchell to break down how to build a profitable repair and maintenance division—and why it can be one of the most overlooked opportunities in roofing. We walk through it step-by-step:Why only 5–7% of roofs get replaced each yearHow service creates recurring revenueWhat a service division actually looks likeHow to start (even if you’re small)The numbers behind a $500K service truckHow to find opportunities and win the workThe biggest mistakes contractors make This isn’t theory—this is how real roofing businesses build profit, stability, and long-term value. Learn more about Bryan Mitchell: https://serviceadvantedge.net Looking for a mentor to help build a more profitable roofing business? https://theroofercoach.com SPONSOR:SMA Support https://theroofercoach.com/sma About The Roofer ShowThe Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    33 min
  7. 477: The 2-Week Vacation Test: Why Your Roofing Business Still Owns You

    May 1

    477: The 2-Week Vacation Test: Why Your Roofing Business Still Owns You

    If you had to step away from your business for two weeks… would it run—or fall apart? In this episode, I break down the “2-Week Vacation Test”—a simple way to see whether you actually own a business… or just a job. Most contractors don’t have a lead problem. They have a structure problem. If everything depends on you—calls, sales, production, decisions—your business can’t grow. We walk through the 3 core areas every roofing business needs to function without the owner: Selling the work (lead handling & follow-up)Doing the work (production & accountability)Keeping score (financial visibility) I’ll also show you where most contractors are leaking money—and how to start fixing it. If you want to know exactly where your business is breaking, download the Roofing Business Success Audit below. LINKS:👉 Roofing Business Success Audit: https://theroofercoach.com/audit 👉 Learn more about SMA Support: https://theroofercoach.com/sma 👉 Learn more about ProLine CRM: https://theroofercoach.com/proline TIMESTAMPS:00:00 – The 2-Week Vacation Test 00:30 – Welcome to The Roofer Show 01:15 – The Real Problem (You Are the System) 03:30 – The 3-Legged Stool Explained 07:00 – Run the Test on Your Business 10:00 – Fixing the Bottlenecks 10:30 – SMA (Lead Handling & Follow-Up) 11:45 – ProLine CRM (Systems & Pipeline) 13:00 – Why This Actually Matters 16:00 – Download the Audit 18:30 – Final Thoughts Download the Roofing Business Success Audit: https://theroofercoach.com/download-audit About The Roofer ShowThe Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

    19 min
  8. 476: Stop Buying Roofing Leads: The $3,000 Mistake Most Contractors Make

    Apr 24

    476: Stop Buying Roofing Leads: The $3,000 Mistake Most Contractors Make

    Most roofing contractors think they need more leads… But the real problem is what happens AFTER the lead comes in. In this episode, we break down what it actually costs to get a customer — and why chasing more leads is probably costing you thousands. If you’ve been spending money on Google Ads, SEO, or lead services and not seeing the results you want… this will change how you look at your business. 👉 Find your biggest profit leak in 2 minutes: https://theroofercoach.com/audit In this episode:The real cost per lead and cost per customerWhy most contractors don’t know their close rateHow one job should create multiple opportunitiesThe simple referral system most companies skipHow to grow without relying on more leads Looking for a mentor to help guide you and accountability to building a more profitable roofing business? Let’s talk. Take the Profit Leak Audit:https://theroofercoach.com/audit Recommended ToolsProLine CRM – Know your numbers and close more jobs. Track your leads, follow-ups, and pipeline so nothing falls through the cracks. 👉 Check it out: https://useproline.com/ SMA Support – Never miss another call or follow-up. They handle your calls and lead follow-up so you stop losing the jobs you’re already paying for. 👉 Learn more: https://funnels.smasupport.us/the-roofer-show

    57 min
See All (500)

4.9
out of 5
143 Ratings

About

If you’re a Roofing Contractor looking to grow your business, make more money, and have more free time this is the podcast for you. Your host Dave Sullivan has been a successful roofing contractor for over 30 years and he shares the good, bad, and the ugly of his experience in contracting. Each week Dave interviews the industry’s top experts to pull out their best business tips and strategies that you can use to take your business to the next level. Get the answers to the questions you have to the day to day problems you face in the “real world of construction” from those that have been there and done it. Whether you have a shop of 1 or 100 there’s something here for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Dave Sullivan
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Dave Sullivan
  • Show Website
    The Roofer Show

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