The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber
by Tom Reber
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.
Episodes
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Busy Estimators vs. Actual Sales: What's Going Wrong?
Train your salespeople to turn more opportunities into profitable jobs with The Command: https://bit.ly/Command_yeb1 Your salespeople are running appointments, sending estimates, and telling you how busy they are. But when Friday comes and you look at what they actually sold, the numbers aren't...
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Markup vs. Margin: Why You're Underpricing Every Job
Find out what's costing your contracting business jobs and profit: https://bit.ly/ContractorFightScorecard_mvm1 Are you adding 50% markup to your jobs and assuming you're making 50% gross profit? You might be making a lot less than you think. Most contractors know they need to charge more than a...
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The Real Reason You Aren't Making 50% Gross Profit
Find out what's costing your contracting business jobs and profit: https://bit.ly/ContractorFightScorecard_fgp1 Are you bidding jobs at 50% gross profit but still wondering where all your money goes? Most contractors think they know what a job costs. They estimate labor, add materials, calculate...
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They Almost Gave Up on Their Contracting Business - Here's What Changed
See if you've built a business worth having: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_itf1 Craig and Naomi spent years running an electrical contracting business that kept them busy but left them with little profit and almost no freedom. Craig was doing everything in the field. Naomi was handling...
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Do you know what it actually costs to operate your contracting business for one hour?
See what needs your attention in your contracting business: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_cto Do you know what it actually costs to operate your contracting business for one hour? Most contractors know what they charge customers. They know what they pay their employees. But they don't...
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Contractor Finances: 6 Numbers You Can’t Afford to Ignore
See what needs your attention in your contracting business: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_cf1 Contractor finances are about more than revenue. You can run a $2 million, $5 million, or even $10 million contracting business and still not know if you’re actually making money. Revenue…
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He Built a Contracting Business That Gave Him His Life Back
See if you've built a business worth having: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_itf1 Jarrod was working sunup to sundown at least six days a week. He had moved to Colorado with his wife to build a new life, but instead of having the freedom to enjoy it, most of his time was consumed by…
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Why You’re Trapped in Your Own Contracting Business
https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_tob Successful, Miserable, Trapped You got the trucks, the crew, and the revenue number you used to dream about. From the outside, it looks like you’ve made it. But you can’t take a week off. Every important decision comes back to you. And somewhere along...
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The Real Reason You're Burnt Out (It's Not the Work)
https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_rbo Why More Revenue Won't Fix Your Burnout You’re doing $1 million, maybe $2 million a year. You’ve got a crew. Your trucks are wrapped. People in town know your name. And somehow, you’re more exhausted than when you were running the business solo. In…
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His $2.7M Contracting Business Runs Without Him
See if you've built a business worth having: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_itf1 Most contractors build a business that depends on them being there every day. Taylor built one that allowed him to move to another state. After years of working nonstop, struggling to trust his team, and...
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Why The Best Salespeople Disqualify More Than They Sell
https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Why The Best Salespeople Disqualify More Than They Sell The best salespeople don’t try to close everyone. They identify the wrong prospects early so they can spend their time on the right ones. In this episode, Tom explains why chasing every lead isn’t...
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Stop Trying to Build Rapport
www.thecontractorfight.com/leak Stop Trying to Build Rapport Your prospects don’t need another contractor pretending to care about their dog, boat or favorite football team. They need to trust that you can solve their problem. In this episode, Tom challenges one of the oldest beliefs in sales:...
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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...
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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...
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The Going Rate Is Killing Your Business
Take the Sales Leak Scorecard Here Episode 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...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Stop Negotiating Against Yourself
Sales training for Contractors: https://thecontractorfight.com/command Grab Tom's book FREE: https://thecontractorfight.com/book/ Before the customer ever asks for a discount, most contractors have already given them one. You lower the labor hours. You shave the material costs. You cut your…
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The First Fight is Always with Yourself
The First Fight is Always with Yourself Ready to grow your life & business? http://bit.ly/4fbjCgo Most contractors think the fight is with the economy. Cheap competitors. Bad employees. Price shoppers. They're wrong. The first fight is always with yourself. In this video, Tom Reber shares the...
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Your Business Owns YOU (Here's How to Take It Back)
Your business was supposed to give you freedom. So why does it feel like you're working more than ever? Too many contractors build themselves into the center of everything. Every estimate. Every phone call. Every problem. Every decision. In this episode, Tim and Derek break down why that happens...
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Say This When They Say "We Need to Think About It"
The Command: https://thecontractorfight.com/command "I need to think about it." If you're hearing that over and over on your sales calls, here's the truth: it's probably not the objection you think it is. In this video, Tom Reber explains why "I need to think about it" is usually an out...not an...
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The Contractor Leadership Mistake Nobody's Talking About
Become More: https://www..thecontractorfight.com/battleground Most contractors think their biggest leadership problem is finding good people. They're wrong. The real problem is how they respond when good people make mistakes. In this episode, we unpack one of the most overlooked leadership…
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What to Say When They Say "We're Getting More Bids."
Check out THE COMMAND: https://go.thecontractorfight.com/command "We're getting a few more bids." Every contractor has heard it. Most immediately assume the homeowner is shopping for the cheapest price. That's usually not what's happening. In this episode, Tom Reber explains why getting more bids...
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Do This When You’re Frustrated With Your Team
Do This When You’re Frustrated With Your Team When business gets hard, morale gets weird, and your team starts slipping, it’s real easy to let your frustration lead the room. That’s a mistake. In this episode, Tim and Derek talk about what contractors need to do when they’re frustrated with their...
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Stop Letting Marketing Companies Rob You Blind
Join us in Colorado: https://go.thecontractorfight.com/forge Contractors don’t just get screwed by bad marketing agencies. They get screwed because they hand over money, stop asking questions, ignore their numbers, and hope some “expert” is going to save their business. In this episode, Tom Reber...
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One Phrase...$35,000
Check out BATTLEGROUND: https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground Tim and Derek get into the real numbers behind running a profitable contracting business, why most owners have no idea what their overhead actually costs them, and how that blind spot kills their confidence at the table. They…
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Exactly What to Say When You Hear: "You're Too Expensive."
Checkout The Command: https://thecontractorfight.com/command Contractor sales training for handling price objections. If you've ever heard "you're too expensive," this video shows exactly what to say, how to uncover the real objection, and how to close more contractor jobs without discounting…
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Contractor Sales Has Changed. Have You?
Contractor Sales Has Changed. Have You? The way homeowners buy today is different than it was just a few years ago. They're researching more. Comparing more options. Taking longer to make decisions. Visiting your website multiple times before they ever reach out. And when they do reach out, many...
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AI Is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Contractors
Watch This: https://youtu.be/C8Me5SpjcPY?si=CSMLN4e7FNfSvXMC Everyone is talking about how AI is going to replace jobs. Lawyers are worried. Writers are worried. Marketers are worried. Accountants are worried. Meanwhile, you're in one of the safest industries on the planet. AI can't paint a…
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He Broke His Leg on a Sunday. I Was at the Hospital on Monday.
WATCH THIS VIDEO: https://youtu.be/C8Me5SpjcPY?si=pgar2FOCHlNI5E2a When Tim's employee Zach sent him a picture of his leg at midnight, he knew something was wrong. Two broken bones, surgery scheduled, and the first thing Zach was worried about wasn't his leg. It was his job. That hit Tim hard. In...
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3 FREE Ways to Get Better Leads
WATCH THIS VIDEO: https://youtu.be/C8Me5SpjcPY?si=pgar2FOCHlNI5E2a Most contractors think they need more leads. They're wrong. Because bad leads create bad clients. Bad clients create low margins. Low margins create stress. And stress follows you home every night. In this video, Tom Reber shares…
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What Every Contractor Mistakes for a Lead Problem
Stop trying to fix your sales process when your head isn't straight. In this episode, Tim and Derek pull back the curtain on NashVegas 2026 and look at what actually happens when contractors drop the corporate ego and show up real. We don't care about polished consultant theories here. We talk...
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The Busy-Season Sales System
You spend hours tracking down leads, burning fuel in your truck, and writing detailed proposals for homeowners who were never going to buy from you at full margin. It’s a classic trap: high close rates but your debt keeps climbing every single year. In this episode, we break down why true sales...
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The Conversation That Could Save Your Business
You walk onto a job that’s already sold, the deposit is in the bank, and your crew hits an unpredicted roadblock. Something was missed in the initial walkthrough. Do you eat the cost and call it "the price of doing business," or do you face the discomfort and write a change order? In this…
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The $28K Job from Hell
You aren't going to get rich off a $28,000 sale if it costs you $45,000 to do the work. In this episode, I’m ripping the band-aid off my most expensive mistake from my first year in business to show you how to stop being "just over broke." I’ll walk you through the three massive errors, ignoring...
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The Art of Handling a Pissed Off Customer
Stop being a punching bag for clients who don't respect your time or your team. In this episode, Derek and Tim break down a real-world blow-up with a customer who thought yelling would get him a free pass on the rules. You’ll learn how to match energy without losing your cool, why paperwork is…
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Command the Gate or Stay Broke
You’re out there busting your ass 60 hours a week, but your bank account is a joke because you’re selling at margins that wouldn't keep a lightbulb on. Most contractors close 30% of their leads; you need to be hitting 80% plus, or you’re just a glorified volunteer. In this episode, I’m breaking...
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TCF1123: Discipline: More Than Just Clean Shingles
You wouldn't let a truck engine run without oil, so why are you doing it to your body? If you’re foggy, sluggish, and neglecting your health, you aren't playing at the level your family and your business deserve. In this episode, Tim and Derek break down why physical discipline is the ultimate...
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TCF1122: The Truth About Starting a Trade Business in 2026
Most of you guys start your business because you’re good at the trade, but you’re absolute trash at the business side. You quit your job, paint a few houses for family, and then panic when the phone stops ringing. This episode is the down-and-dirty reality of what it actually takes to build a...
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TCF1121: Is Your Team Brave Enough to Tell the Truth?
Stop acting like a handyman and start leading like a pro. In this episode, Derek shares a nightmare story where an irrigation guy literally took a razor knife to a brand-new $75,000 pond liner. Most contractors would lose their minds, but Derek’s team used Shin-Fu communication to turn a…
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TCF1120: 5 Old Ways to Sell vs. The Contractor Fight Way
You’re stealing time and money from your family because you’re still selling like it’s 1995. Stop chasing every tire-kicker with a pulse and start commanding your calendar. In this episode, I’m breaking down the 5 old ways of selling that act like friendly fire to your business and showing you…
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TCF1119: The Pilot Doesn't Pass Out Peanuts
You’re frustrated because your team isn’t following instructions, but the truth is, you haven’t given them a map. In this episode, Derek and Uncle Tim tear down the "Groundhog Day" cycle that keeps contractors broke, tired, and stuck in the field. We dive deep into why fancy binders don't work...
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TCF1118: The Contractor Wife's Survival Guide
Stop being the silent partner in a business that’s consuming your life. Most contractors aren't actually making money; they're just moving it from one hand to the other while the family gets the leftovers. If you’re tired of managing a household on a budget that doesn't match how hard your…
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TCF1117: Stop Selling Projects. Start Finding Motive.
You aren't a contractor; you’re a professional problem solver, but you can't solve a problem you don't understand. Most of you lose jobs because you talk too much and listen too little. In this episode, Tim and Derek break down "Motive" (the engine of the Shinfu sales process) and how to use...
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TCF1116: Commitment is the Only Way to Win
Stop lying to yourself that your "good intentions" are going to pay the mortgage. In this episode, I’m calling out the guys who know exactly what they need to do, (raise prices, fire that s******d, or fix their numbers0, but keep choosing comfort over growth. Execution is the only thing that…
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TCF1115: Your Customer Experience is a Dumpster Fire
Stop acting like a typical contractor and start acting like a world-class brand. In this episode, Tim shares how a trip on a Virgin Voyages cruise completely shifted his perspective on what it means to actually care for a customer. We’re breaking down why your "sales process" is failing, how your...
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TCF1114: Set Boundaries Now, or Summer Will Crush You
Stop being a slave to your cell phone and your "pain-in-the-ass" customers. If you don't draw a line in the sand right now, your busy season isn't going to make you rich, it’s going to burn you out and steal your life. In this episode, we’re talking about the five non-negotiable boundaries you…
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About this show
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.
Hosted by
Tom Reber
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