The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

Tom Reber
  • 4.8 (404)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Stop stressing out about your contracting business and take back control. The Contractor Fight is bringing respect and dignity back to the trades one contractor at a time. Discover how to market, sell, and consistently produce your projects at a profit with industry expert and powerful motivator Tom Reber. Stop stealing from your family. Earn what you're worth. Build a business that serves you.

  1. 2d ago

    How I Stopped Working 80-Hour Weeks and Made MORE Money

    Have you built a business worth having: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_itf1 Most contractors believe the only way to build a successful business is to work 80 hours a week and sacrifice everything at home. Roberto Diaz thought the exact same thing. He was working non-stop, hiding empty bank accounts from his family, and putting thousands of dollars on credit cards just to survive. Then he hit a breaking point: "Strong Home, Strong Business." In this episode of Into The Fight, Tim and Derek sit down with general contractor Roberto Diaz (owner of Building by Giving in Denver, CO) to talk about how he stopped overworking, started tracking his numbers with job costing, and built a business that lets him be home by 5 PM with his wife and kids. They break down: • Why overworking and sacrificing family time won't save your contracting business • How to transition from doing everything yourself to implementing real business systems • The exact breaking point that forces contractors to stop hiding from their numbers • Why tracking job costing reveals the painful truth about your margins • How to build standards around subs, culture, and hospitality in construction • The power of reaching out to realtors, designers, and local partners to stay busy • Why asking hard questions and practicing active listening saves marriages and businesses Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Into The Fight: Roberto Diaz 00:58 Donating 3% to 5% of Every Project 03:36 The Breaking Point: Strong Home, Strong Business 04:55 Empty Bank Accounts & Taking the Risk 07:27 Deciding to Be a Present Father 12:33 Facing the Truth with Job Costing 15:15 Working with Family and Uncomfortable Conversations 18:34 Scaling with a Subcontractor Model & High Standards 26:28 Becoming a Better Husband & Communicator 32:45 The Question Every Contractor Needs to Ask Running a contracting business should never force you to sacrifice your home life. When you implement job costing and track your actual numbers, you build a company that runs smoothly. That clarity gives you the freedom to be fully present as a husband and father. Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight. He is the host of Contractor Fight TV, an entrepreneur, a speaker, a podcaster, and a former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having. He does this by helping them become the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you will find straight-talk training for your business. We cover sales, pricing, profit, leadership, and mindset. Our goal is to build a Strong You, a Strong Home, and a Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊

  2. 5d ago

    How Contractors Leak $183,000 in Profit Every Year

    How Contractors Leak $183,000 in Profit Every Year Most contractors think they need more leads. They don’t. They need to stop wasting the opportunities already coming into the business. In this episode, Tom breaks down how an $800,000 contractor could be leaking more than $183,000 in gross profit every year without seeing a single expense on the P&L. The money disappears through four common sales leaks: • The Gate: Failing to qualify leads before wasting time on an estimate • The Meeting: Showing up, measuring and quoting without running a proven sales process • The Money: Discounting because the price conversation gets uncomfortable • The Follow-Up: Sending a proposal and hoping the customer eventually responds Using a $12,000 average job, a 30% close rate and a 40% gross profit margin, Tom shows how small improvements could produce: • 84 hours of owner or estimator time recovered through better qualification • $52,800 in additional gross profit from improving the close rate by five points • $20,400 kept by eliminating unnecessary discounts • Approximately $110,000 in additional gross profit from a structured follow-up process You don’t need more water poured into a leaking bucket. Fix the bucket first. In this episode: • The five steps of the Shin-Fu qualification process • Why 80% of the sale happens during the motive conversation • The seven-part structure of a strong sales meeting • How discounting comes directly off your bottom line • The five-touch follow-up sequence every contractor should use • Why profit is the scoreboard • How to find the biggest leak in your sales process Find your biggest sales leak with the free Sales Leak Scorecard: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Stop guessing. Find the leak. Fix the leak. Command your sales.

  3. Aug 24

    The Going Rate Is Killing Your Business

    Take the Sales Leak Scorecard HereEpisode Description"What's the going rate for a project like this?" Wrong question. In this episode, Tom breaks down why pricing off the going rate is the fastest way to price yourself into the gutter and what to ask instead. It's not about what everyone else charges. It's about your production rate, your real costs, and your number. If you're still shaving your price to "stay competitive," this one's for you. What You'll LearnWhy "going rate" pricing means you're averaging other contractors' blind spots into your own bidThe one question to ask instead of "what's the going rate"The three numbers you need to know cold before you price any jobThe blind-spot costs that never show up in a "going rate" conversationWhy revenue hides stupidity — and how a broken pricing model gets worse the more you scale it Episode BreakdownOpen — The question that started this episode, and why it's the wrong one to askThe Going Rate Problem — Why market-average pricing means pricing off other people's guessworkThe Better Question — Production rate vs. going rate, and why one is math and the other is a rumorThe Cost of Guessing — How "going rate" pricing quietly scales a broken businessHow to Build Your Number — The three things to track: actual time, real costs, target marginThe Blind Spots — Access issues, waste, permits, travel — the stuff the going rate never accounts forThe Standard — What strong contractors do differentlyThe Fight This Week — Pull your last five jobs and build your real number Key Quote"The going rate is the kiss of death for a contractor. It keeps you tied to the average. And average is not where you want to live." This Week's FightPull your last five jobs like the one you're about to bid. Look at actual hours, actual costs, actual outcome. Build your production rate... not the going rate. oduction rate — not your going rate. Links & ResourcesSales Leak ScorecardThe Contractor Fight Website: https://thecontractorfight.com

  4. Aug 17

    Why a 10% Discount is Negotiating Against Yourself

    Get Your Sales Leak Score: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak You just found out that "small" discount is costing you way more than 10%. In this episode, Tom breaks down the actual math behind discounting a job, and why giving away 10% off your price can wipe out 20% (or more) of your profit. If you've ever caved on price because a customer pushed back, this one's for you. What you'll learn: Why your costs don't move when your price doesThe real math behind a "harmless" 10% discountHow much additional work you have to sell just to break even on a discountWhy the math gets uglier the thinner your margins already areThe difference between a strategic discount and a fear-based one Timestamps00:00 – The problem: contractors negotiating against themselves the moment a customer pushes back00:40 – The example: a $10K job at 50% gross margin01:00 – What actually happens when you cave and knock off 10%01:40 – Your costs don't drop just because your price did02:00 – The real hit: a 10% price discount = a 20% gross profit hit02:20 – Mid-show break: the Sales Leak Scorecard — find out where your sales process is actually breaking down03:20 – Back to the numbers: what it costs to earn that profit back03:40 – How much additional revenue you have to go sell just to replace what you gave away04:20 – The math gets worse at lower margins (30% example)05:20 – When discounting is okay — legit strategic reasons vs. reacting out of fear06:00 – The close: know your numbers, hold your price, protect your profit Get Your Sales Leak Score: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Follow Tom on IG The Contractor Fight Website

  5. Aug 10

    Profit Is What Gives You Options (Revenue Is Just Noise)

    Book a call with the team: https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground Grab Tom's book FREE: https://thecontractorfight.com/book/ Your business is making more money than ever, but you still hate the damn thing. You’ve got the trucks, the branded wraps, the team, and a schedule that's packed tight. From the outside, it looks like you’re flying high. But you can’t take a single day off without something going sideways. You’re answering every question, putting out every fire, and your margins have anorexia. That business wasn't supposed to be a high-paying prison...it was supposed to give you freedom. In this video, Tom Reber breaks down why top-line revenue is a b******t metric, why scaling a broken business just helps you lose money faster, and how to stop being the ultimate bottleneck in your own company. You’ll learn: • Why revenue is loud, but profit is what gives you options • Why growth doesn't fix a weak business...it just exposes it • Why you are the biggest bottleneck holding your team back • The 5-part order: Strong You, Strong Home, Strong Business • What a real Business Operating System (Fight OS) actually looks like • How to rate your business from 1 to 10 across the 6 key operational pillars Revenue matters, but if your business owns your ass and runs entirely on your personal energy, you don't own a business...you own a personality cult with trucks and logos. It’s time to stop scaling a turd and start building a business worth having. Chapters 0:00 - The High-Paying Prison 1:40 - Revenue Isn't The Goal 3:04 - Growth Doesn't Fix A Weak Business 4:26 - You Are Your Biggest Problem 6:04 - Real Businesses Need Real Systems 8:01 - A Business Worth Having Doesn't Mean Easy 9:29 - I Challenge You... 11:20 - Installing The Fight Operating System Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊

  6. Aug 3

    Is Your Business Worth Having?

    Check out The Fight: www.thecontractorfight.com Is Your Contracting Business Actually Worth Having? Most contractors are chasing more revenue, more trucks, more employees, and more jobs. Wrong scoreboard. You can build a $3M company and still be broke, stressed, overweight, disconnected from your family, and chained to the business you created. In this video, Tom Reber breaks down the real test: Is your business actually worth having? A business worth having should: Make real profitGive you more choicesFunction without you being the heroMake your life better—not consume it Revenue matters. Growth matters. But if the business owns your ass, you’re not winning. Strong You. Strong Home. Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Chapters0:00 Is Your Business Worth Having? 0:29 When “Successful” Contractors Are Miserable 1:16 Bigger Doesn’t Fix Broken 2:27 Test #1: Does It Make Real Money? 3:41 Test #2: Does It Give You Choices? 4:39 Test #3: Can It Run Without You? 5:35 The Biggest Test: Who Are You Becoming? 6:20 Strong You. Strong Home. Strong Business. 6:36 Ask Better Questions About Your Business 7:27 The Five-Year Gut Check 7:42 Start Fixing the Next Thing 8:05 Build a Business Worth Having Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊

  7. Jul 27

    3 Things That Make Customers Accept Premium Pricing

    Business training for Contractors: https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground Contractors hear it every day: “Your price is too high.” But most of the time, price isn’t actually the problem. The problem is that you haven’t given the customer enough evidence to believe you’re worth more. In this episode of Contractor Fight TV, Tom breaks down the 3 things that justify a higher price without defending it, apologizing for it, or trashing the cheaper contractor. You’ll learn how to use: • Communication to build trust before the sale • Content to establish authority before you ever meet • Customer experience to prove you’re worth the premium You don’t get to SAY you’re worth more. You have to prove it. And if you’re constantly hearing that your prices are too high, it might be time to stop blaming cheap customers and start looking at the experience your company is creating. CHAPTERS 00:00 — “Your Price Is Too High” 00:23 — Stop Defending Your Price 01:04 — What “Justifying Your Price” Actually Means 01:29 — #1: Your Communication Justifies Your Price 02:24 — Your Website Is Part of the Sale 03:02 — Bad Follow-Up Kills Trust 04:18 — Confidence vs. Arrogance 04:43 — Speed Is King 05:32 — Price Isn’t the Only Thing Customers Care About 06:12 — #2: Your Content Justifies Your Price 06:30 — Become the Best Educator in Your Market 07:19 — Stop Making Excuses and Create Content 08:17 — “It Takes What It Takes” 08:39 — What Contractors Should Create Content About 09:38 — #3: The Customer Experience Justifies Your Price 10:22 — Your Team Is Part of the Experience 11:18 — Make Your Company Easy to Work With 11:34 — How Pre-Planning Builds Trust 12:39 — Stop Leaving Customers Loose Ends 13:14 — Warranty Problems Are Opportunities 13:45 — Trust Is What Makes the Higher Price Make Sense 14:25 — “People Are Just Cheap” Is an Excuse 14:54 — The Real Reason You’re Getting Price Pushback 15:30 — Why Tom Gets So Fired Up About This 16:08 — Take the Next Step Ready to build a stronger, more profitable contracting business? 👉 https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground

  8. Jul 23

    Family Business Going Wrong? Here's What You're Missing

    Sales training for Contractors: https://thecontractorfight.com/command Grab Tom's book FREE: https://thecontractorfight.com/book/ Running a business with your spouse, kids, parents, or other family members can be incredible.It can also get messy fast.When nobody knows exactly what they're responsible for, business problems become family problems. Roles overlap. People start micromanaging each other. Work follows you home. And suddenly you're talking about customers and employees while lying in bed at night. In this episode, Tim and Derek get into what they've learned from building businesses with family—and the mistakes they wish they'd avoided.They break down why clear roles matter, how to keep business out of your personal life, why every family member needs ownership and autonomy, and how a shared vision can get everyone rowing in the same direction. Chapters 00:00 The Reality of Family Businesses 00:34 Why We Started Our Own Businesses 03:29 What Employees Don't See About Ownership 05:24 The Hidden Cost of Running a Business 07:35 What Your Employees Actually Need 09:32 Why Business Owners Need an Outlet 10:44 How Family Gets Pulled Into the Business 11:40 Family and Business Relationships Are Different 12:02 The Biggest Family Business Mistake 12:23 Define Everyone's Role 13:52 Communication Changes Everything 15:28 Keep the Business Out of the Bedroom 16:33 You Need a Life Outside the Business 17:59 Respect Each Other's Time 18:44 Get Clear on Responsibilities 18:50 Build a Shared Family Business Vision 19:40 Look in the Mirror First 20:01 Treat Family Members With Respect 21:16 Stop Assuming You Have All the Answers 23:12 Let Other People Solve the Problem 24:54 The Simple Advice for Family Businesses Working with family doesn't have to destroy your relationships.Get clear about who's responsible for what. Give people ownership. Communicate like professionals. Build a shared vision. And create boundaries so the business doesn't consume the family you built it for in the first place.Subscribe to The Contractor Fight for straight-talk conversations about sales, leadership, profit, people, and building a contracting business worth owning. Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊

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Stop stressing out about your contracting business and take back control. The Contractor Fight is bringing respect and dignity back to the trades one contractor at a time. Discover how to market, sell, and consistently produce your projects at a profit with industry expert and powerful motivator Tom Reber. Stop stealing from your family. Earn what you're worth. Build a business that serves you.

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