Welcome to this episode of The Roofer Show! My co-host, John DeLaurier, is not with us today because he is attending a seminar and learning cool, new stuff. I’m talking with one of our mastermind group members about why and when you might need an attorney when working with insurance companies. Join us to learn more!    

Brian Huf is the owner of Modern Roofing Group in Denver, Colorado. We are getting Brian’s take on working with insurance companies and how he’s learned to make this relationship work. His attorney, Michelle Le, joins us to give valuable insight from her role in the process. She is the owner of her practice, the Law Offices of Michelle C. Le, and is licensed to practice law in four states: Texas, Colorado, Kansas, and Mississippi.     

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• What Brian gets out of our residential mastermind group at The Roofer Coach
•  Brian’s background and work as the owner of Modern Roofing Group
• Michelle’s background and work as the owner of her law practice
• What Brian sees as the problem AND the solution in working with insurance companies
• How Brian gains the trust of the homeowner by being transparent and educating them about the roofing and insurance claim process
• Why Brian works with Michelle to address problems when insurance companies don’t want to pay    
• How Brian works with insurance adjusters and gets paid
• How Michelle works on a contingency fee agreement to get paid
• What roofing contractors can do to improve their process and get paid
• Brian’s recent rebrand and how it’s made him easier for people to find

Resources Mentioned: 

Connect with Brian Huf: Modern Roofing Group website  or text 720-334-3449  

Connect with Michelle C. Le: The Law Offices of Michelle C. Le website  or text 210-491-2054  

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

Do you know that having a written business plan can make all the difference for roofing contractors? In the latest episode of "The Roofer Show," Dave Sullivan and John DeLaurier dive deep into the essentials of business planning for 2025. We cover everything from setting realistic sales goals to structuring your marketing strategies. It's more than just growing your business, it's about making it serve you, not the other way around.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Importance of business planning for roofing contractors in preparation for 2025
• Understanding financials and the necessity of regular financial reviews
• The concept of the "three-legged stool" of business: selling work, doing work, and keeping score
• Job costing and financial tracking to improve profitability
• The significance of accurate estimating and managing labor costs
• Development of structured marketing strategies for lead generation
• Importance of tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) for business health
• The role of customer reviews in building trust and credibility
• Strategies for setting realistic sales and profit goals based on historical data
• Encouragement for contractors to seek support through coaching and CRM solutions

Resources

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

In this episode, John DeLaurier and I discuss our WHY, which is the most important thing about

your business. Why do you want to run a roofing business in the first place? Knowing and

understanding your why is the best way to come into 2025 prepared for success. Join us to

learn more about aligning with your why and having a plan to accomplish it in the coming year.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

● What’s new with John DeLaurier? Learn why John’s company has rebranded to

Roofvana.

● The value in consulting a trademark attorney and prioritizing your brand (Spend the

money to protect yourself!)

● Identify your WHY.

● John’s perspective on his WHY about income and what he wants his days and weeks to

look like

● Risks, being relentless, and learning from your failures

● Want to be a wise business owner? Be willing to learn and educate yourself.

● Become a great leader in your business.

● The value of mentors and accountability partners for EVERY business owner

● More profit over more sales!

Resources

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

Marketing is a common topic on The Roofer Coach for the simple reason that so many roofing contractors are doing it wrong. They hire agencies that don’t produce the desired outcomes, throw money into futile efforts, or simply don’t budget enough for the right kind of marketing. Today’s show covers how to approach marketing to become “5-mile famous.” Join us to learn more!

Elizabeth Lytle is with Contractor Dynamics, the roofing industry’s leading marketing training company. Their marketing training program is exclusively focused on growth-minded roofing companies. They partner with business owners and companies to equip them to take control over their marketing to create predictable growth. 

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Why a relationship with an ad agency doesn’t work for roofing contractors: “YOU need to steer that ship!”
• Why in-house marketing allows for more clarity, transparency, and tracking the numbers
• How to get started with a marketing program through Contractor Dynamics
• Why a business owner has to take extreme ownership of their marketing
• How to identify your ideal client avatar, find out where he/she hangs out, and follow up with your messaging (John explains how he has done this in his rebranding process.)
• Why success happens when the marketing team and sales team are collaborating
• Why you should be marketing all year long and always align with your core values
• How to begin with a marketing budget
• How to focus on differentiating your business and demonstrating your value
• How to be “5-mile famous”

Resources

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

In this episode, Dave Sullivan and John DeLaurier speak with Scott TeBay from Rain Stoppers Roofing. They discuss strategies for scaling roofing businesses, emphasizing the importance of systems, processes, and market understanding. Scott shares his experience with financial training and innovative canvassing techniques, while John highlights the critical role of financing in increasing sales. They highlight the significance of education, technology, and continuous learning for contractors aiming to grow their businesses and navigate market challenges effectively. 

This episode is packed with valuable lessons on the role of financing in the roofing industry. Scott and John DeLaurier discuss the gap many contractors face in understanding financing options. With programs like ImproveFi simplifying the process, they've seen a significant increase in financed projects. As roofing costs rise, having a solid financing strategy is crucial. If you’re struggling with selling financing, this discussion is a must-listen!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Strategies for scaling roofing businesses
• Importance of systems and processes in business growth
• Challenges faced by contractors in the roofing industry
• Role of technology in enhancing operational efficiency
• Significance of financial planning and understanding financing options
• Effective lead generation techniques and innovative canvassing methods
• Building and managing a successful sales team
• Compensation structures and their impact on sales performance
• Importance of company culture and employee supportConnect with Dave and John:

Resources

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

Connect with Scott Tebay and Rainstoppers Roofing

Rainstoppers Roofing

Email Scott! [email protected]

Give Scott a Call! (740) 434-7127

We have an exciting episode for you that you will want to catch! Today, we discuss the importance of effective communication in the roofing industry with AnneMarie Grisham, VP of Sales and Partnerships at Ruby. You’ll hear why it is a necessity for contractors to answer their phones promptly to improve customer service and drive sales. AnneMarie explains how Ruby's chat and reception services can help contractors manage phone calls and enhance customer interactions. We also discuss the detrimental effects of missed calls and explore how Ruby's services can capture leads, streamline communication, and support business growth.

Be sure to tune in!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• The critical need for contractors to answer their phones to enhance customer service
• How Ruby's chat and reception services designed to assist roofing contractors with customer interactions
• Difficulties contractors face when managing phone calls while working on roofs
• Why missed calls lead to negative reviews
• Customer touchpoints and the significance of the first phone call
• High costs of acquiring customers and the importance of converting calls into appointments
• Why impressions are crucial for building trust with potential clients
• The stress relief Ruby's services provide 
• Explanation of how a typical call is handled by Ruby's receptionists
• Dave highlights how many prospects call after hours, emphasizing the need for constant coverage.
• The need for contractors to maintain focus on tasks without phone distractions
• Comparison of the cost of hiring in-house staff versus utilizing Ruby’s services for call management
• Dave emphasizes the importance of a business audit and planning for the upcoming year and the need for strong processes in sales, operations, and financial management.

Resources:

Special Offer! Call Ruby (866) 613-1332 and Mention The Roofer Show…or Tell them Dave sent you for a special discount!

Connect with Dave and John:

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

As we head into the holiday season, we must acknowledge that 2024 is almost over. Have you hit your goals? Did you have specific, written goals? What went right and what went wrong? Dave Sullivan and John DeLaurier discuss strategies for higher profits by breaking down John’s business goals at Peach State Roofing, along with how he’s planning now for 2025. If you’re feeling stuck and don’t know how to move forward, this show is for you!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• John’s perspective on where he is right now in identifying strengths and weaknesses
• “This is the time to work ON your business.”
• Having success with a higher close rate and fewer leads
• Finding balance with your three-legged stool
• Sales depend on converted leads, which depend on your website.
• John’s tips for a great website that stands out
• “Big revenue doesn’t mean big profits.”
• Niching down is the wisest action.
• Three specific videos every roofer should have on their website
• Common questions roofing customers ask
• Lower your customer acquisition cost.
• Guard against profit slippages that are costing you BIG.
• A virtual assistant can make a huge difference in the customer experience.
• 5-star reviews mean everything!
• 5 components of business success: admin, accounting, marketing, sales, and production
• Know your numbers—and understand what they mean!
• The bottom line: “Do the basics to balance your three-legged stool: sell work, do work, and keep score.”

Resources:

Connect with Dave and John:

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

Have you considered what a virtual assistant can do for your roofing business? If you aren’t sure how the process works or what the specific benefits are, today’s show lays it all out for you. Dave and John are joined by Adam Patterson of SMA Support, which provides an amazing service that is crucial to the success of many contractors. They hire, train, and provide VAs to help improve your business process and run the nuts and bolts of your business as dedicated team members. Join us to learn more!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• John’s testimonial about what a VA can do for your roofing business (Check out Episode 373: Everything You Need to Know About Virtual Assistants with Chris Diroll.)
• Adam’s path from consulting and private equity to SMA Support
• Building a business of value by taking advantage of outsourcing opportunities
• Identify the WHY of your business
• Achieving your goals in an affordable, efficient way with a VA
• Characteristics of an engaged employee—like an SMA Support VA
• Eliminate the struggle and potential mistakes in the hiring process by employing a VA
• Repeatability structure, decision mapping, and nesting: how an SMA Support VA gets it done
• John’s perspective of Kathleen’s valuable role as the VA for Peach State Roofing
• No time to train a VA? SMA takes care of that!
• Adam’s take on managing people and offering incremental bonuses to exceptional VAs
• The role of a VA in getting reviews, getting faster payments, and providing excellent customer service
• What can a VA do for you? You, the business owner, can spend less time each week in “the drudge zone.”
• Adam’s view of what’s going on right now in the private equity world

Resources:

Connect with Adam Patterson and SMA Support:

Website

Connect with Dave and John:

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

Marketing is a huge issue for most contractors, especially when business slows down. Questions about marketing are common and frequent in contractor Facebook groups and mastermind groups. The goal is to acquire customers in the most efficient way possible, but how do we accomplish that? Dave and John are joined by two friends who have gold nuggets of wisdom to share, along with practical tips to upgrade your marketing strategy. Join us to learn more!

Emily May is the owner of M and M Roofing, a commercial and residential roofing company in Lufkin, TX. Crystal Williams is the Marketing Strategist at Lemon Seed Marketing, also in TX. Emily has seen big successes at M and M Roofing because of her work with Crystal on all aspects of her marketing strategy. Emily and Crystal join the show to share their best tips to make the most of your branding and marketing strategies.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

●  An overview of Emily’s work (as a nurse who bought a roofing company!)--and why she reached out to Crystal for brand and marketing help

●  The benefits of a good mastermind group as an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded people and learn from them

●  A look at Crystal’s role as a branding and marketing partner for contractors

●  John’s biggest lesson learned about marketing: “Trust your marketing person–and let them do their thing.”

●  Crystal’s philosophy of marketing—and how it has worked for Emily’s company

●  Outperforming your competitors is easier than you think!

●  “Be operationally prepared to book EVERY lead!”

●  Your normal operational procedure should be to react and respond immediately to every lead.

●  Every marketing plan should be curated for YOUR business.

●  Is your three-legged stool wobbly? Learn three strategies to grow your business: operational excellence, pricing, and marketing.

●  Questions to answer about your brand, opportunities to gather leads, CRM, sales process, digital footprint, and more

●  Emily’s testimony about marketing success at M and M Roofing

●  The marketing piece influences the sales piece of your business.

●  Emily’s perspective of what’s working and what’s not working in marketing

●  Meet “Roofus,” the armadillo mascot for M and M Roofing

Resources:

M&M Roofing

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!

Believe it or not, we are in the fourth quarter of 2024. What are you doing to finish strong? In

today’s episode, we take a look at end-of-year tax strategies that can set you up for success

and increase the revenue you keep. We also check in with John DeLaurier in Georgia about his

process after a big storm. Join us to learn more!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

● A check-in with John and his plan of action after a big storm like Hurricane Helene

● From John: perspectives on “speed to lead” and leads from Yelp, Thumbtack, and LSA

(local service ads)

● Why John doesn’t like insurance jobs

● A breakdown of “revenue per capita”–and what it really means for profitability

● Understanding net profit at the end of each job

● “Every lead is costing you money. You have to understand what that cost is.”

● You have to have a plan!

● Tax advantages for contractors–plan ahead and get professional help!

● Using money wisely to buy real estate, company vehicles, and marketing before the end

of the year

● Your business plan for 2025: Do it now!

● Thoughts on hiring and firing to keep a lean machine at your business

Resources

Check out our YouTube channel and be sure to subscribe:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveSullivanRooferShow

Set up a FREE strategy call with Dave and get a few tips on how you can improve your business:  https://davesullivan.as.me/free-strategy-call

Interested in learning more about our 1-on-1 coaching, mastermind groups, or fractional CFO services? Email me or send me a text at (510) 612-1450.

No Plan? No problem. Download our FREE 1-Page Business Plan For Roofing Contractors: https://theroofershow.com/plan

The Roofer Show’s Vetted Sponsors

Have RUBY answer your phones and tee up the sale by leaving a great first impression. Use this link to get up to $150 off your first month’s service: http://get.ruby.com/roofershow.

SMA Support Services fills a need by empowering contractors to simplify and optimize their operational processes with virtual assistant services. Explore what a virtual assistant can do for your contracting business. Let SMA do the hiring, training, and onboarding. Check out SMA Support Services! (Tell them Dave sent you.)

Automate your follow-up process and close more sales with ProLine. Get started for FREE at https://useproline.com/. Use promo code “Dave50” for $50 off your first month’s service!