Where are you taking your family on a summer vacation this year? If you can’t take a two-week vacation, then you don’t run a business–you have a JOB. Your business can’t rely on just you or one or two key people. You have to have systems in place so that your business can run without you there every single day. Let’s take a closer look! 

Benny Fisher is the Founder and Visionary of Big Fish Contracting Company, Pittsburgh’s #1 residential roofer. He shares his personal story of growing his business, holding fast to his WHY, and always learning from others about success. Benny has a knack for networking among business owners, and his podcast, The Big Fish Cares, showcases his talent for capturing and sharing stories of business, entrepreneurial journeys, and overcoming adversity.  

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why visionaries and entrepreneurs need HOW guys on their teams
• Why being super-clear on your vision and your WHY will make an easier path—IF you don’t step outside of your vision
• The Big Fish story–how it all began for Benny
• How Benny came to the point where his business and personal life became great–through curiosity and determination
• Why a successful contractor has to solve customers’ problems
• How Benny’s upcoming events all around the country can help you meet and learn from other contractors who have been where you are (Find out more at www.oneindustryonemodel.com. See Resources for a discount code!)

Resources:

Connect with Benny: 

Use code “15BigFish” for 15% off One Industry One Model The Tour at www.oneindustryonemodel.com

Check out Benny’s podcast: www.thebigfishcares.com 

Mentioned in this episode:

Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman

Nailed It! The Business of Construction by Joseph Hughes of Contractor Dynamics

Vetted Sponsors of the Roofer Show

Check out the programs that will help you gain confidence in your sales process, become a better leader, and build a winning sales team at Salestransformationgroup.com/roofershow

Tee up the sale and make a great first impression by having a friendly, professional receptionist answer your phone with https://www.callruby.com/roofer 

Be the modern-day contractor! We help you leverage technology to generate, organize and maximize commercial roofing leads. Find out more about Peak Leads -  Peakleads.io.

On today's episode Dave is joined by Jen Silver.

With only five years in the roofing industry, Jen Silver is a relative newcomer compared to many. But in this short period of time, Jen has already made her mark in the Utah roofing community. She began working the phones as an inside sales representative at Roofline Supply, a subsidiary of SRS Distribution. From there she went on to work at a small Utah roofing company as its sales manager. Jen distinguished herself as talented and hard-working, quickly rising through the ranks to become the company’s general manager. Under Jen’s leadership, in less than two years the company nearly doubled its annual sales.

In late 2019, Jen formed her own company, Roofing Utah. Today, Roofing Utah is one of the fastest-growing roofing companies in Utah.

You may know Jen through the One Industry, One Model Event, where Jen shares on financing, and brings together roofing industry leaders speaking on everything from leadership, sales, marketing, operations and the future of roofing. Jen is taking the industry by storm and shaking up the ways our businesses have traditionally been run. This is a "must-listen" episode, for sure, so be sure to tune in!

Connect with Jen

One Industry One Model Tour

RoofingUtah.com

Before the stages, the books, and the $200 million company — there was the grind.

In this early conversation with Tommy Mello, founder of A1 Garage Doors and author of Home Service Millionaire, we talk about what it actually takes to build a profitable business that doesn’t consume your life. At the time of this interview, Tommy was already successful — but nowhere near the scale he’s reached today.

That’s what makes this episode powerful.

We dig into systems, leadership, financial discipline, and clarity of purpose — the foundational decisions that separate businesses that stall from those that scale. This isn’t hype or theory. It’s an honest look at the mindset and structure required to build a business that creates profit, freedom, and long-term opportunity.

This episode also sets the stage for a future conversation — comparing where Tommy was then to what it took to grow from $30 million to $200 million, and what contractors can learn from that journey today.

Every contractor talks about growth — very few build businesses that actually support it.

In this episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with Tommy Mello in one of their earliest conversations, long before A1 Garage Doors became a $200 million company. What stands out isn’t tactics or hacks — it’s the focus on fundamentals.

They discuss why systems matter more than hustle, how leadership impacts profitability, and why understanding your numbers is non-negotiable if you want long-term success. Tommy shares how clarity of purpose, disciplined execution, and surrounding yourself with the right people allows a business to grow without depending entirely on the owner.

This episode is especially valuable for contractors who feel stuck — busy, stressed, and unsure why success hasn’t translated into freedom. It’s a reminder that the businesses that scale later are built correctly early.

• Growth without systems leads to chaos, not freedom
• Financial clarity is the foundation of sustainable scaling
• Leadership is about structure, not control
• Clear goals drive better decisions and better teams
• Strong businesses don’t rely on the owner for everything
• Long-term success comes from discipline, not shortcuts

00:00 – Introduction to The Roofer Show

07:59 – Avoiding Financial Pitfalls in Contracting

10:31 – Protecting the Business as It Grows

21:44 – Financial Planning, Relationships, and Perspective

31:51 – Finding Your “Why” as a Business Owner

44:00 – Profit, Structure, and Decision-Making

54:24 – Building Company Culture

01:01:07 – Mentorship and Learning From Others

01:05:11 – Why Focus Beats Doing Everything

https://theroofercoach.com

https://callruby.com

https://peakleads.io

https://salestransformationgroup.com

👉 Download the Roofing Business Success Audit:

https://theroofercoach.com/resources

Ruby Receptionists

Peak Leads

Sales Transformation Group

A1 Garage Doors

Home Service Millionaire

“There just aren’t people out there who want to work.” You’ve heard this statement–or made this statement–hundreds of times. The truth is that it’s an excuse for why you aren’t doing what it takes to build a quality workforce. My guest today is Joel Patzke, who owns and operates TrueWorks Roofing in Houston. Joel shares how he and his co-owner, his wife Laura, have solved their #1 problem, which is also your #1 problem. He tells us his amazing story of how he took action, held a job fair, and recruited A-players for his team. Packed with lots of insight from Joel, there is much to learn in today’s show, so join us to get the whole story!

Joel is a repeat guest who joined me a while back in Episode 247, How to Build a Brand that Matters, so take a listen if you haven’t heard it yet!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How Joel transitioned from the hospitality industry to the roofing business–and why he does this work
• How Joel attracts the smartest, best, and most ambitious team members to outshine the competition in recruiting, training, and retaining A-players
• Why your brand, logo, and culture are important as a starting point
• How Joel runs unusual contests for his employees that promote company values, like their “Thoughtful Cherry on Top” extras for customers
• Why many other things matter SO much more than money in attracting and retaining A-players
• Why you need to understand the importance of well-defined specialist positions in your company (Read The Roofing Machine by Martin Pettigrew.)
• Why SOPs (standard operating procedures) must be detailed and specific for every position
• How your training programs should align with SOPs
• Why your guidelines, HR procedures, and everything related to pay should be clearly communicated with team members
• Why your on-boarding process should be documented, organized, and detailed
• How to put out an ad on social media and job recruiting websites, and remember, the prospective employee wants to know what working for your company will do for them!
• How Joel has found success with Indeed and Zip Recruiter, with over 400 applicants in 1-2 days!
• How Joel organized and carried out a hiring event for applicants
• Why Joel believes that looking outside the roofing industry is a good way to find valuable team members
• How daily employee briefings give opportunities for coaching, training, and growth
• How Joel runs his business according to the numbers for maximum growth and profitability

Resources:

Connect with Joel:

www.trueworksroofing.com  

On LinkedIn

Joel’s email: [email protected]

Laura’s email: [email protected]

Connect with Dave:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 – Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

Vetted Sponsors of the Roofer Show

Check out the programs that will help you gain confidence in your sales process, become a better leader, and build a winning sales team at Salestransformationgroup.com/roofershow

Tee up the sale and make a great first impression by having a friendly, professional receptionist answer your phone with  https://www.callruby.com/roofer 

If contractors think they can’t leave business behind to take their family on a two-week vacation, that just means they don’t have their systems and processes in place, yet.

Today’s guest is a regular listener to the podcast and someone I’ve stayed in touch with over the last few years. If you’re a roofing contractor who’s interested in hearing from another roofing contractor about what’s working and not working for them in business, you’re really going to enjoy my conversation with George Boudreaux.

I think you’ll come away with some great ideas about how to get your own systems and processes in place so that your company can run successfully without you being there, giving you more time to do the things that matter to you.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• George relates how he got into the roofing business.
• Once you define your goals, you can start implementing systems and processes to help you get there.
• Why you must have a mechanism for measurement.
• George shares what success means to him.
• In order to scale your business, not only do you have to have your processes down, but you have to have the right team members.
• The best way to deal with pain points.
• Getting help from people who have been there will help make you a better leader and a better business person.
• What is YOUR sweet spot?
• George discusses the challenges he encountered when he started expanding into different markets.
• George addresses what he'd like to see over the next five years.
• Exit plan: Do you have one?

Connect with George!

Email

Website

Facebook

Referenced Website: 

Get More Reviews

Resources:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 – Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Find Out How Ruby Receptionists Can Help Bring In Leads!!

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out their app!

To run a profitable roofing business, you have to understand the basics of accounting and the basics of setting up your financial system.

In this episode, I discuss with my go-to accounting expert, Diane Gilson, the easiest way to do just that!

Diane Gilson created Info Plus(+) Accounting® In 1994 to help business owners establish job-cost accounting systems so they can access critical day-to-day operations data using QuickBooks as their primary management accounting tool.

Diane’s passion is designing, customizing, and upgrading accounting systems and financial controls for small to mid-sized construction and manufacturing companies.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Re-organize the Chart of Accounts so that it provides more meaningful and useful information
• Construction businesses fail when owners don’t charge enough money because they don’t understand their costs
• The Chart of Accounts is your accounting system foundation
• Understanding direct costs
• Above and below the line and why it’s important to get this right
• Consistency is necessary to do comparisons of estimates vs. actuals
• How to keep your Chart of Accounts simple
• Having a consistent cash flow allows you to take a regular salary
• Net profit is NOT part of your salary, it is money that you’ll be reinvesting into the business
• Diane has created a Building Your Chart of Accounts Class!
• Why you shouldn’t ignore your balance sheet

Diane’s Resources:

Diane’s Website: Build Your Numbers

Building Your Chart of Accounts Class

Remodeling Your QuickBooks Chart of Accounts

Time Tracking and (Job-Costing) Payroll Class

Resources:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 – Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

Vetted Sponsors of the Roofer Show

Check out the programs that will help you gain confidence in your sales process, become a better leader, and build a winning sales team at Salestransformationgroup.com/roofershow

Tee up the sale and make a great first impression by having a friendly, professional receptionist answer your phone with  https://www.callruby.com/roofer 

Enjoy These Other Podcast Episodes Featuring Diane Gilson:

77: The Cost of Chaos: What’s It Costing Your Company with Diane Gilson

112: How To Calculate Your True Labor Burden And Why It Matters With Diane Gilson

105: Increase Your Profit With Effective Job Costing Reports With Diane Gilson

There are 2 ways to make more profit on your roofing jobs. First, sell your jobs for more money. The second is to reduce your costs to do the job. Simple isn't it? But if you're like most contractors you already have a full book of business. And you're not getting any more money for that work. Today's podcast is all about production and reviews some new ways to reduce your costs and make more money that you may not have thought of.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• There are two ways to make more money: sell your work for more money or do the work for less cost (See Episode 22)
• One component of doing the work smarter is to take care of your employees
• Many contractors go out of business when they are booming, simply because they run out of cash
• “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.”
• Examples of learning the hard way:
  • Writing down the wrong address
  • Leaving a ladder on the job site
  • Misunderstandings due to lack of clear communication with customers
  
  
• How to turn it around:
  • Use checklists and put systems in place
  • Set goals for how you want to do the work
    • Get in and out with the most profit
    • Have a happy, happy customer that pays his bills and gives 5-star reviews
    • Have customers who refer you to other like-minded customers
    • Spend the least amount of time supervising
    
    
  
  
• The most important part of the job is the Pre-job work:
  • Assemble the job package
  • Meet with the customer
  • Hand the job off to the foreman or job supervisor
  • Communicate clearly to the customer
  • Go over payment terms and job specifics
  
  
• Specific things to accomplish during the job:(See Episode 16)
• Specific things to accomplish during the post-job (See Episode 19)
• How to conduct the job post-mortem
• Don’t forget to ask for a review and referrals
  • Make the review process easy for the customer
  • Send a small thank-you gift to the customer
  • Try to secure one new job in the neighborhood
  
  

Links:

Resources

Are you are tired of wearing all the hats and putting out fires all day? Take action and remove the chaos in your business by downloading my free 1-Page Business Plan and get stated now!

Need help growing your business, making more money, and getting more free time? Set up a free call with someone that's been there and done it! TheRooferCoach.com

Or text me at (510) 612-1450 and ask me your questions. I’ll give you the answers.

Are you getting value from the podcast? Please leave me a review on iTunes!

Vetted Sponsors of the Roofer Show

Check out the programs that will help you gain confidence in your sales process, become a better leader, and build a winning sales team at Salestransformationgroup.com/roofershow

Tee up the sale and make a great first impression by having a friendly, professional receptionist answer your phone with  https://www.callruby.com/roofer 

I have an important question for you today. Where are you taking your family on your two-week vacation this summer? If that sounds absolutely crazy and far-fetched, then your company is too reliant on you. Your business should work for you–not the other way around. If you are stuck on the hamster wheel of “Maybe next year” that never comes, I can help!

Join me as we take a deep dive into beefing up your sales process so you can work less and sell more. “Nothing happens in your business until someone sells something!”Join me for today’s show about improving your sales close rates and freeing up more of your time!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• How to improve your sales close rate:

• Identify the problem. Why are you not selling?

• What excuses are you making?
• How much time are you spending on unprofitable tasks?
• Have you identified your ideal customer? 
• Are you pre-qualifying leads?
• Do you have systems and processes in place, including a CRM system?
• Are you building the know-like-trust factor with ideal customers?
• Do you know your close rate?
• Are you differentiating your business to be different from the competition?

• Communicate with your prospects. “You can eliminate 50-60% of the competition by simply answering your phone.”  

• Are most of your incoming calls going to voicemail? (Ruby Receptionists can help you make a great first impression with every prospect!)
• Are you pre-qualifying prospects with questions from a Project Discovery Sheet? (“The customer will give you a roadmap on how to sell if you ask open-ended questions and listen to their answers.”)
• Are you entering every lead into your CRM system?
• Are you following up leads by setting appointments, giving quotes, and using an auto-responder?
• Are you differentiating your company at every touchpoint?
• Are you using opportunities for building trust with every customer?
• Are you asking open-ended questions about their problem and how you can solve it?
• Are you getting reviews and referrals from EVERY SINGLE JOB?
• Are you following up with customers with newsletters and small gestures that separate you from the competition?

Resources:

Our show sponsor: Call my buddy, Ryan, and check out these programs to help you gain confidence in your sales process, become a better leader, and build a winning sales team at:

Salestransformationgroup.com/roofershow

Connect with me. Check out my NEW website: The Roofer Coach

Download my FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text me @ (510) 612-1450 and say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros and cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!

Please share my podcast with other contractors!

The good, the bad, and the ugly: On today’s episode, I’ll be sharing my experiences with being a successful roofing contractor from that least favorite (but very effective) educator of ours: the school of hard knocks.

I also cover some of the most common problems that my coaching clients encounter.

Learn how to avoid these pitfalls so that you can build a sustainably profitable roofing business!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why you must FIRST take a look at your financials.
• Polish up your sales skills.
• The importance of having systems and processes in place (from start to finish) when you’re doing a job.
• Know ALL of your costs associated with each job. Run your business by the numbers.
• Can your business run without you?
• This is what a profitable business in the roofing industry looks like: A 10% salary for the owner and a 10% net profit. Are you paying yourself a salary?
• Commercial vs. residential: Where are you making your money? What about overhead?
• Devise a strategic plan for how you want to niche your work.
• Do you need one-on-one coaching? I'm here to help! Contact me here and let’s get to know each other over a FREE one-hour call.

Resources:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 – Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Find Out How Ruby Receptionists Can Help Bring In Leads!!

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out their app!

Contractors ask me all the time if I were to start another roofing business what would be the #1 thing I would do. I always tell them the same thing. I would start with a written business plan. Without a written plan you can’t have the clarity of where you want to take your business and how you’re going to get there.

That’s why I wrote the 1 Page Business Plan. You can download it for free from my website and fill in the PDF. This will give you a professional business plan in just a couple of hours that you can review with your team to be sure everyone is headed in the same direction---a better business and bigger profits!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• What is your plan for your business for 2022?
• Two things made a difference for me when I was driving my business into the ground: hiring a consultant and developing a business plan
• A business plan will get you organized, get everyone on board, and foster confidence in your leadership
• Common misconceptions that contractors have about a business plan
• Why do you need a business plan?
• My 8-step template to give you an overview of the future of your business:
  • The End: What is your destination? How to plan ahead for when you will exit the business
  • The Customer: You can’t be everything to everybody. Determine the what, who, where, and why of the customer
  • The Focus: Have an elevator pitch that covers three questions: What problems do you solve? How do you solve them better than your competition? What action do you want the customer to take?
  • The SWOT: What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats?
  • The Operation: You have to sell work, do work, and keep score (the three-legged stool) “Not getting invoices out means not getting the cash in.”
  • The Process: See where the problems are in your business. Have systems and processes in place, and get good people in and train them to do a great job.
  • The Action: What is the ONE thing that will make the most difference in your business?
  • The View: What is your business going to look like at “the end”?
  
  
• “Everybody’s got a plan until you get punched in the face.” ---Mike Tyson
• A business plan will give you a more profitable business, more satisfied employees, and more free time!
• Be ready to adapt, make changes, and have a plan!

Resources:

Call Ruby  Use promo code “Roofer50” for $50 off your first service!

Download the 1-Page Business Plan Here: https://theroofershow.com/plan