The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

Many contractors struggle to pay themselves consistently, let alone invest in their future. In this episode, Tom lays out a no-fluff roadmap to help you earn at least $100,000 in personal income from your contracting business. From reverse engineering your financial targets to becoming relentless with marketing and sales, Tom breaks down the exact steps needed to take control of your income, stop living paycheck to paycheck, and start building lasting wealth.

In this episode, Tom discusses:

• [00:00] The reality of contractor income and why most struggle to pay themselves properly
• [01:43] The first step: reverse engineer your financial goals to determine revenue and pricing targets
• [03:49] How to calculate the number of jobs and leads you need to hit your income target
• [05:15] Step two: avoid complacency and stay consistent with momentum-building activities
• [06:49] The critical role of always marketing to keep your pipeline full
• [08:06] Why you must sell daily and take control of your sales process
• [09:24] Building relationships and prospecting consistently to keep the cash flowing
• [10:16] Raising your standards to attract better clients and demand higher prices
• [11:11] Step three: be fanatical about branding and sell unafraid
• [12:39] How to build trust by sharing your values and operations through content
• [13:27] Owning your local market by getting involved in your community
• [14:08] Creating value through education instead of relying on traditional ads
• [16:00] Being confident in your pricing and eliminating “head trash” around money
• [17:25] The power of sales training and controlling the conversation
• [18:41] Becoming an uncommon salesperson by identifying pain points and guiding clients
• [19:06] The importance of consistent follow-up and building long-term customer relationships
• [20:04] Why sales is a skill you must continually work on to increase your income
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Resources:

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🛡️ Join us in BATTLEGROUND

Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program. Three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info visit:

https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground

==================================

💰 You didn’t become a contractor to struggle financially.

Download our worksheet and start calculating a 50% gross profit on every job. It’s time to get your shit together!

https://thecontractorfight.com/50/

🎥 Explore over 1,400 free videos on Contractor Fight TV:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber

💬 Join over 18,000 contractors in the free Facebook group:

https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook

== Rate the Podcast ==

Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.

Apple Podcasts

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In this episode of The Contractor Fight, Tim and Derek explore the power of simplifying the sales process—for both the contractor and the customer. Tim shares a real-life example of how a low-friction, transparent sales approach helped him close a $5,000 deal in under 10 minutes. They discuss how readily available pricing, setting expectations early, and reducing buyer friction can lead to faster, more confident customer decisions.

In this episode, they discuss:

• Why simplifying your sales process helps eliminate confusion and speeds up the buying decision.
• How Tim closed a $5,000 aeration system sale in less than 10 minutes using transparent pricing.
• The benefits of listing pricing on your website to reduce friction and increase trust.
• The difference between low-pressure, informed buying versus high-pressure, charisma-driven sales that often lead to buyer's remorse.
• A relatable story of a past customer who immediately regretted a purchase—and how to avoid that scenario in your business.
• A commitment between Tim and Derek to improve their own websites with more service-specific content to serve their clients better.
• The value of having up-to-date, accessible pricing systems so you’re always prepared for a sales call.

Resources:

=================================

🛡️ Join us in BATTLEGROUND

Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program. Three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info visit:

https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground

==================================

💰 You didn’t become a contractor to struggle financially.

Download our worksheet and start calculating a 50% gross profit on every job. It’s time to get your shit together!

https://thecontractorfight.com/50/

🎥 Explore over 1,400 free videos on Contractor Fight TV:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber

💬 Join over 18,000 contractors in the free Facebook group:

https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook

== Rate the Podcast ==

Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Hiring your first employee is a major milestone in your contracting business—and one that often comes with a lot of questions and hesitation. In this episode, Tom sits down with Battleground coach and remodelling business owner Anthony Abbott to talk through the ins and outs of bringing on your first team member. From knowing when it’s the right time to hire, to setting expectations, training, and finding the right fit, this conversation is packed with hard-earned wisdom and practical advice.

In this episode, they discuss:

• [00:00] – Why contractors struggle with knowing when and how to hire
• [00:32] – Introduction to Anthony Abbott, his role in The Fight, and his business growth story
• [02:20] – The real secret behind Anthony’s rapid success: hiring the right people
• [03:45] – How to know it’s time to hire your first employee
• [04:49] – The importance of finding someone who is adaptable and a culture fit
• [06:44] – Interviewing for character over competency and spotting growth potential
• [08:55] – Setting clear expectations to avoid misalignment as your business grows
• [10:50] – Hiring subcontractors vs. full-time employees—key differences and tips
• [12:36] – Training your team to handle responsibilities effectively
• [13:33] – Why hiring slowly can save you major headaches
• [14:54] – Choosing the right first hire: admin or project manager?
• [16:02] – The power of delegation: how Tom’s team structure freed up his time
• [16:54] – Breaking through the head trash of “people are the problem”
• [17:59] – How better leadership could have changed Anthony’s early hiring experiences
• [18:48] – The financial side: viewing employees as investments, not expenses
• [20:20] – Real numbers: Anthony’s explosive revenue growth tied to strategic hiring
• [21:32] – “I need more money before I can hire”—busting this common myth
• [22:45] – Battleground: how it helps overwhelmed contractors regain time and control
• [23:09] – Where to connect with Anthony online and get more hiring insights

Resources:

=================================

🛡️ Join us in BATTLEGROUND

Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program. Three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info visit:

https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground

==================================

💰 You didn’t become a contractor to struggle financially.

Download our worksheet and start calculating a 50% gross profit on every job. It’s time to get your shit together!

https://thecontractorfight.com/50/

🎥 Explore over 1,400 free videos on Contractor Fight TV:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber

💬 Join over 18,000 contractors in the free Facebook group:

https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook

== Rate the Podcast ==

Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

In this episode, hosts Derek Johnson and Tim Controni dive deep into the hard truths about personal responsibility and growth in the contracting business. They challenge listeners to reflect on why many continue repeating the same struggles without making real changes, even after joining coaching groups like Battleground. Derek and Tim share their personal experiences of hitting "rock bottom" and how finding the right community helped them change the trajectory of their lives and businesses. The key message? You have to choose your hard — the hard of staying stuck, or the hard of growing and thriving.

In this episode, Derek and Tim discuss:

• Why contractors often stay stuck in a cycle of frustration despite having access to solutions
• The illusion that joining a coaching group alone will solve your problems
• The real reasons behind failure to implement what you learn
• Personal rock-bottom moments and how they led to breakthrough growth
• How passion for your trade can keep you moving even through tough times
• The importance of choosing to face the pain of growth rather than the pain of regret
• How participating fully in coaching groups like Battleground can change your business and life
• The concept of "choose your pain" and how to leverage discomfort to fuel your success

Resources:

💸 LEADS ON DEMAND

It’s time to OWN YOUR PIPELINE and become a master at MARKETING your contracting business. Stop the guesswork and get The Marketing System for Contractors today.

https://thecontractorfight.com/marketing

=================================

🛡️ Join us in BATTLEGROUND

Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program. Three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info visit:

https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground

==================================

💰 You didn’t become a contractor to struggle financially.

Download our worksheet and start calculating a 50% gross profit on every job. It’s time to get your shit together!

https://thecontractorfight.com/50/

🎥 Explore over 1,400 free videos on Contractor Fight TV:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber

💬 Join over 18,000 contractors in the free Facebook group:

https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook

== Rate the Podcast ==

Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

In this episode, Tom sits down with Taylor, a general contractor from Casa Grande, Arizona, who’s on a mission to become an absentee owner of his business. With impressive growth projections and a plan to eliminate debt by the end of the year, Taylor opens up about the struggles that come with being the bottleneck in his company. Together, Tom and Taylor dive deep into the importance of systems, scorecards, leadership, and the mindset shifts needed to build a business that can run without you.

In this episode, they discuss:

• [00:24] – Taylor’s background, current business structure, and revenue growth
• [01:33] – Tracking sales and profitability in Q1 and forecasting for 2025
• [04:14] – Understanding gross profit and net profit goals
• [05:30] – Identifying the biggest bottleneck in Taylor's business—himself
• [07:59] – The role of trust and letting go in leadership
• [11:18] – System issues vs. people issues: how to create and refine internal processes
• [17:02] – Training and development: empowering your team to own their roles
• [22:53] – Weekly "rally point" meetings and their impact on efficiency and profit
• [25:57] – The power of using scorecards to track performance and make data-driven decisions
• [34:59] – Leading with vulnerability and communicating your vision to the team
• [39:19] – Creating a culture of accountability and ownership
• [43:32] – How financial stress influences control issues and the path to becoming debt-free
• [47:44] – The math behind paying off $200k in debt by adding a few high-margin projects
• [51:00] – Shifting roles within the team: evaluating sales capacity and strategy
• [58:08] – Rallying the team around a shared financial goal
• [01:02:32] – Taylor's timeline to move and manage the business remotely
• [01:05:33] – Residential vs. commercial focus: letting data guide future strategy
• [01:09:05] – Final thoughts on staying focused, taking action, and empowering the team

Resources: 

=================================

🛡️ Join us in BATTLEGROUND

Everything your contracting business needs in one comprehensive program. Three main focus areas: Leadership, Communication, and Numbers. For more info visit:

https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground

==================================

💰 You didn’t become a contractor to struggle financially.

Download our worksheet and start calculating a 50% gross profit on every job. It’s time to get your shit together!

https://thecontractorfight.com/50/

🎥 Explore over 1,400 free videos on Contractor Fight TV:

https://www.youtube.com/c/TomReber

💬 Join over 18,000 contractors in the free Facebook group:

https://thecontractorfight.com/facebook

== Rate the Podcast ==

Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify