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. 475: The #1 Reason Roofing Contractors Go Broke (It’s Not Leads)

    4D AGO

    475: The #1 Reason Roofing Contractors Go Broke (It’s Not Leads)

    Most roofing contractors don’t go out of business because of lack of leads. They go out of business because they don’t understand their numbers. In this episode, Dave Sullivan breaks down why contractors stay busy but still go broke—and what to fix before it’s too late. Featuring insights from Michael Stone from Markup and Profit , this episode covers: Why 9 out of 10 contractors failThe biggest pricing mistakes roofers makeThe difference between markup and marginWhy more sales can actually make things worseThe minimum profit you need to stay in business If you’re not clear on your numbers, none of the marketing or leads matter. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube (recommended to see the slides and numbers): Watch Now 📊 Want help breaking down your business? Book a Free Roofing Business Review: https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call 🔧 ProLine CRM (built for roofing contractors): Track your leads, follow up consistently, and close more jobs 👉https://useproline.com 📞 SMA Support: Never miss calls or follow-ups again—turn more leads into jobs 👉 https://www.smasupport.us/contractor-back-office-outsourcing-bpo-services-about/contact/ 📚 Learn more from Michael Stone: https://markupandprofit.com 🎧 More from The Roofer Show: https://theroofercoach.com 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.

    32 min
  2. 474: 5 Profit Leaks Costing Roofers $1M+ (Without Buying More Leads)

    APR 10

    474: 5 Profit Leaks Costing Roofers $1M+ (Without Buying More Leads)

    Most roofing contractors don’t have a lead problem—they’re losing money in their follow-up, systems, and execution. In this episode, I sit down with Chris Diroll from SMA Support to break down 5 profit leaks that are quietly costing roofing businesses serious revenue. We cover:The 1-minute rule (speed to lead)Mining your CRM graveyard (rehash opportunities)Keeping your reps focused on sellingNeighborhood marketing for free leadsBuilding a referral system that actually work If you fix these, you don’t need more leads—you just need to convert better. LINKS:Take the Profit Leak Audit: https://theroofercoach.com/sma Book a Free Strategy Call: Schedule Now ProLine (Recommended Tool): https://useproline.com/ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YVmloP2au3k 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.

    36 min
  3. 473: The Biggest Sales Hiring Mistake Roofing Contractors Make

    APR 3

    473: The Biggest Sales Hiring Mistake Roofing Contractors Make

    Most roofing contractors think hiring a salesperson will solve their problems. In reality… it usually creates new ones. In this episode, I break down why your first sales hire often costs you money, how it impacts your margins, and what you need in place before you even think about bringing someone on. If you’re doing $1M–$4M and thinking about hiring—or already have salespeople and things aren’t working the way you expected—this episode will help you take back control. Show NotesIn this episode, we cover: Why most contractors screw up their first sales hireThe truth about “commission-only” salespeopleHow hiring too early actually reduces your profitThe math behind what a salesperson really needs to produceWhy this is a control problem—not a sales problemWhat needs to be in place before you hire LinksFree 1-Page Business Plan: https://theroofercoach.com 2026 Roofing Business Success Audit: https://theroofercoach.com/resources/ ProLine CRM: https://useproline.com SMA Support: https://smasupport.us 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.

    15 min
  4. 354: Why You Can’t Find Good Employees (And What to Do Instead)

    MAR 27

    354: Why You Can’t Find Good Employees (And What to Do Instead)

    If you’re struggling to find good employees, you’re not alone. Most roofing contractors say the same thing: “There’s no good people out there.” But that’s not the real problem. The truth is — there ARE good people. They’re just not working for you. In this episode, I sit down with Paul from Contractor Staffing Source to break down how to actually build a recruiting system that attracts better people, responds faster, and helps you stop the revolving door. We cover: Why writing a job post doesn’t work (and what to do instead)The biggest mistake contractors make when hiringWhy speed matters more than you thinkHow to filter and assess the right candidatesWhy hiring the wrong person can cost you $50,000+ If you want to build a business that doesn’t rely on you for everything, this is a must-listen. 👉 Want help building a more profitable roofing business? Book a free strategy call: https://theroofercoach.com 🔖 SHOW NOTESGuest: Paul Sandeman – Contractor Staffing Source Key Takeaways: Always be recruitingWrite an ad, not a job postSpeed to lead applies to hiringYou can’t fix character — hire for itBuild a system or expect a revolving door Looking for a mentor to help guide you and accountability to building a more profitable roofing business? Let’s talk. 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.

    29 min
  5. 454: Stop Buying Roofing Leads: Build Your Own Marketing Machine with Joe Hughes

    MAR 20

    454: Stop Buying Roofing Leads: Build Your Own Marketing Machine with Joe Hughes

    Most roofing companies try to solve their marketing problems by buying more leads. But what if that’s actually the problem? In this episode of The Roofer Show, I talk with Joe Hughes from Contractor Dynamics about why traditional roofing marketing isn’t working like it used to — and what contractors should be doing instead. We break down how to build your own in-house marketing machine so you’re not dependent on agencies, lead services, or constantly chasing new leads. In this episode, we cover: Why blindly outsourcing marketing doesn’t work anymore The idea of becoming the “general contractor” of your marketingWhy homeowners are more skeptical than everThe importance of speed to lead and answering the phoneHow to become “five mile famous” in your marketWhat marketing is actually working right now If you want more consistent leads and a more profitable roofing business, this episode will change how you think about marketing. Resources & Links:Contractor Dynamics https://contractordynamics.com/ Call to Action: Looking for a mentor to help guide you and accountability to building a more profitable roofing business? Let’s talk. Schedule Now 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 2m
  6. 431: Roofing Financing: Close More Jobs Without Lowering Your Price

    MAR 13

    431: Roofing Financing: Close More Jobs Without Lowering Your Price

    Most homeowners don’t have $25,000 sitting around for a new roof. In this episode of The Roofer Show, Dave Sullivan talks with financing expert Chris Scoville about how roofing contractors can use financing to close more jobs. With roofing prices higher than ever, many homeowners don’t have the cash available to pay for a new roof upfront. Contractors who offer financing give customers more options and remove one of the biggest barriers to saying yes. Chris explains why contractors should offer financing early, always, and often, and how monthly payment options help homeowners move forward with roofing projects. They also discuss how financing can be integrated into proposals, websites, and CRM systems like ProLine to make the process simple for both contractors and homeowners. If you're not offering financing, you may be losing jobs to competitors who are. Episode Highlights• Why many roofing contractors lose jobs because they don’t offer financing • The rule: offer financing early, always, and often • Why homeowners respond better to monthly payments than total price • How financing helps contractors close more jobs without lowering their price • Simple ways to integrate financing into proposals and websites Show NotesMany roofing contractors struggle with price objections when presenting large projects to homeowners. Financing can remove one of the biggest barriers to closing roofing jobs by giving customers options and spreading payments over time. In this episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with financing expert Chris Scoville to discuss how contractors can use financing effectively to grow their business and close more jobs. Chris shares practical advice on how financing works, why contractors should present it early in the sales process, and how showing monthly payment options can dramatically change how homeowners make decisions. If you’re not offering financing today, this conversation may change the way you approach selling roofing projects. HostDave Sullivan The Roofer Coach Helping roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time. If you're looking for help building a more profitable roofing business, let’s talk. Visit: https://theroofercoach.com Podcast LinksWebsite https://theroofercoach.com YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow Roofing Business Podcast Topics CoveredThis episode discusses topics important to roofing contractors including: • roofing financing • roofing sales strategies • selling high-ticket roofing projects • roofing business growth • contractor marketing and sales • closing more roofing jobs 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.

    30 min
  7. 469: Why Roofers Stay Busy but Still Go Broke: Markup & Profit with Michael Stone

    MAR 6

    469: Why Roofers Stay Busy but Still Go Broke: Markup & Profit with Michael Stone

    EPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode, I’m joined by Michael Stone, author of Markup & Profit, to talk about the real reason so many roofing contractors go broke: they don’t charge enough and they don’t know their numbers. We break down markup vs. profit, why job costing is mandatory, how to set pricing to cover overhead + owner pay + net profit, and how to market to the right customer so you can charge what you’re worth. EPISODE DESCRIPTIONMost roofing contractors don’t go out of business because they can’t sell. They go out of business because they don’t charge enough, don’t job cost, and don’t know their real numbers. In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Stone, author of the classic book Markup & Profit, to talk about the fundamentals that never change — and why “the market price” mentality keeps contractors broke. We cover:Why 9 out of 10 contractors go broke (and what the profitable ones do differently)The difference between markup and gross profit (and why it matters)Why job costing is non-negotiable if you want consistent profitHow to set pricing to cover overhead, owner pay, and net profitWhy “being competitive” is optional — but being profitable isn’tHow to market to the right customer so you can charge what you’re worthCash flow and payment schedules: why contractors run out of cash even when they’re busyBuilding a business that’s actually sellable (systems + financials + profit) Connect with Michael Stone:Website: markupandprofit.com Connect with Dave / The Roofer Coach:Free Strategy Call: Schedule Now Free Resource (1-Page Business Plan): theroofercoach.com/plan Text Dave: (510) 612-1450 SPONSORS:✅ ProLine — Automate follow-up and close more jobs with text + email. Try it FREE and save 50% off your first month with code DAVE50 → useproline.com ✅ SMA Support — Virtual assistants for roofing companies (calls, admin, lead follow-up) → smasupport.us

    37 min
  8. 468: How to Start a Roofing Business in 2026: Profit, Systems & What Most Get Wrong

    FEB 27

    468: How to Start a Roofing Business in 2026: Profit, Systems & What Most Get Wrong

    EPISODE DESCRIPTIONThinking about starting a roofing business? Or trying to run yours more professionally? In this episode, Dave sits down with former co-host and roofing business owner John Delaurier to talk about what it actually takes to build a profitable roofing company in 2026. They cover profit margins, speed to lead, branding, hiring your first sales rep, neighborhood domination marketing, and the key KPIs every contractor must track. If you want to build it right — this episode is for you. 📄 SHOW NOTESHow to Start a Roofing Business in 2026: Profit, Systems & What Most Get Wrong A lot of contractors want to start a roofing company. Very few understand what it actually takes to build one that’s profitable, stable, and scalable. In this episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with former co-host and former coaching client John Delaurier — who started a roofing company from scratch, built it to $3M, ran it profitably, and eventually sold it. Now working with contractors across the country, John shares what he’s seeing in today’s market and what separates contractors who win from those who struggle. What We Cover: Why “slow market” doesn’t mean you can’t winThe importance of defining your “why” before startingWhy revenue means nothing without marginWhy 35% gross profit should be your minimum target (retail)The 4–5M revenue sweet spot for lifestyle + profitabilitySpeed-to-lead and why seconds matterBranding mistakes most contractors makeWhy you must dominate neighborhoodsWhy the owner should sell the first $1MHiring and training your first sales repThe three KPIs that drive everything:Close rateAverage ticket sizeGross profit marginWhy job costing must happen on every single jobKey TakeawaysYou don’t grow into profitability — you build it intentionally.If you’re not tracking your numbers, you’re guessing.Speed to lead wins in a shrinking market.Branding is about your customer — not your ego.You must learn to sell before you hire salespeople. Sponsors Ruby If your phone isn’t getting answered live, you’re losing jobs. Ruby provides professional virtual receptionists who answer calls and book appointments so you never miss an opportunity. 👉 theroofercoach.com/ruby SMA Support As your roofing business grows, operations get messy fast. SMA Support helps simplify and systemize your back-end operations so you can scale without chaos. 👉 smasupport.us Resources Mentioned ProLine CRM – useproline.com Top Rep STG (Sales Transformation Group) KickCharge Branding (Dan Antonelli) Brad Akers – Neighborhood Domination Strategy Looking for Mentorship? If you’re serious about building a profitable roofing business and want accountability and guidance… 👉 Head over to theroofercoach.com and schedule a call. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS (Chapters)00:00 – Intro 03:00 – State of the roofing market in 2025–2026 10:54 – Defining your “why” before starting 13:51 – Reverse engineering income goals 15:30 – Revenue per capita and staffing 17:00 – Why 35% gross profit matters 23:00 – Branding mistakes contractors make 32:00 – Speed to lead and instant response systems 37:40 – Neighborhood domination marketing 48:18 – Why the owner sells the first $1M 57:04 – The 3 KPIs every contractor must track 1:00:20 – Financials, bookkeeping, and keeping score

    1h 6m
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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
    492
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Dave Sullivan
  • Show Website
    The Roofer Show

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