Originally released as Episode 444, I’m bringing this conversation back because the lessons are even more relevant today than when we first recorded it.

Most roofing contractors don’t have a business plan—they have ideas, goals, and good intentions.

That was me too… until everything changed.

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime business coach, Rick Dutmer, to share how a simple business plan transformed my roofing company from chaos and constant firefighting into a profitable business I was ultimately able to sell.

If you’re working too many hours, making every decision yourself, or wondering whether all your hard work will ever pay off someday, this episode will show you what’s possible when you stop reacting and start running your business on purpose.

Running a roofing company without a clear business plan almost guarantees stress, burnout, and uncertainty—even when sales are strong.

In this replay, I sit down with my longtime business coach, Rick Dutmer, to discuss the strategies that helped transform my roofing company into a profitable, systems-driven business that no longer depended on me for every decision.

We cover why most contractors avoid planning, why chasing revenue can actually make your business weaker, and how focusing on profitability, leadership, and systems creates a company that’s easier to run, more enjoyable to own, and ultimately far more valuable.

Whether your goal is to make more money, take more time off, or someday sell your business, the principles in this episode are just as relevant today as when we first recorded it.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why “Volume kills, profit thrills.”
• Why growth without profit can destroy a business.
• How a simple business plan creates clarity and confidence.
• Why profitability matters more than revenue.
• How to build a management team that doesn’t depend on you.
• What makes a roofing company valuable to a future buyer.
• Why planning years ahead gives you more options and more freedom.

📥 Download my FREE One Page Business Plan:

https://theroofercoach.com/resources

📅 Book a free Roofing Business Strategy Call:

https://theroofercoach.com

SMA Support

Missed calls, poor follow-up, and stale estimates are costing roofing contractors thousands every month.

SMA Support provides trained virtual assistants, inside sales support, lead follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support built specifically for roofing companies.

Learn more:

https://theroofercoach.com/sma

ProLine

ProLine helps roofing contractors streamline operations, automate follow-up, improve communication, and gain visibility into every stage of the customer journey.

From lead management to production and reporting, ProLine helps contractors create the systems needed to scale.

Learn more:

https://theroofercoach.com/proline

About The Roofer Show

The 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.

Most roofing contractors think they have a lead problem.

After working with hundreds of roofing companies over the years, I've learned that's usually not the real issue.

The contractors who stay stuck are often dealing with the same challenges:

• No clear vision for where they're going
• Working in the business instead of on the business
• Bad financial information
• No scoreboard or KPIs
• No sales system
• No clear identity or story
• Chasing shiny objects instead of focusing on fundamentals

In this episode, I break down the seven most common problems I see in roofing companies and share practical insights from my own experience building and selling a roofing company, as well as working with contractors across North America.

If you're working harder than ever but feel like you're not getting ahead, this episode is for you.

Whether your goal is more profit, more freedom, a better team, or building a business that can run without you, these lessons will help you identify what's really holding you back.

• Why more leads usually aren't the answer
• The Two Week Vacation Test and what it reveals about your business
• The difference between financials and scorekeeping
• Why most contractors leave money sitting in their CRM
• How your story impacts sales and pricing
• Why shiny object syndrome keeps contractors stuck
• The Sell Work, Do Work, Keep Score framework

SMA Support

Missed calls, poor follow-up, and stale estimates are costing roofing contractors thousands every month.

SMA Support provides trained virtual assistants, inside sales support, lead follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support built specifically for roofing companies.

Learn more:

https://theroofercoach.com/sma

ProLine

ProLine helps roofing contractors streamline operations, automate follow-up, improve communication, and gain visibility into every stage of the customer journey.

From lead management to production and reporting, ProLine helps contractors create the systems needed to scale.

Learn more:

https://theroofercoach.com/proline

The Roofer Coach

https://theroofercoach.com

Free Roofing Business Resources

https://theroofercoach.com/resources

Roofing Business Success Audit

https://theroofercoach.com/resources

Facebook:

https://facebook.com/theroofercoach

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/@TheRooferCoach

About The Roofer Show

The 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.

Most roofing contractors think growth comes from more leads.

John Starry took a different approach.

In just three years, he built Steadfast Roofing into a $13 million company while earning nearly 800 Google reviews, creating a strong company culture, and building systems that support sustainable growth.

In this episode, John shares how his team generates referrals from every project, follows up with leads faster, creates a consistent customer experience, and tracks profitability as the company grows.

If you’re looking to grow your roofing company without creating more chaos, this episode is packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately.

• How John built a $13M roofing company in just three years
• How Steadfast Roofing earned nearly 800 Google reviews
• The review process that creates consistent 5-star customer experiences
• Why speed-to-lead is critical for converting expensive leads
• How to generate referrals from every job site
• The systems and processes that support sustainable growth
• How company culture impacts accountability and performance
• Why job costing and profitability tracking matter as you scale

00:00 Introduction

05:13 Starting Steadfast Roofing

08:36 Growing to $3.7M in Year One

12:00 Neighborhood Marketing and Referrals

13:42 How They Earned Nearly 800 Google Reviews

16:47 Lead Generation That Works

18:40 Speed-to-Lead and Follow-Up

23:39 Building a Website That Converts

25:40 Growing to $13M

30:45 Managing a Growing Sales Team

33:13 Building Company Culture

34:29 Production Systems and Communication

42:00 Job Costing and Profitability

47:24 Managing Growth and Cash Flow

51:32 Lessons Learned

53:19 Final Thoughts

SMA Support

Missed calls, poor follow-up, and stale estimates are costing roofing contractors thousands every month.

SMA Support provides trained virtual assistants, inside sales support, lead follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support built specifically for roofing companies.

Learn more:

https://theroofercoach.com/sma

ProLine

ProLine helps roofing contractors streamline operations, automate follow-up, improve communication, and gain visibility into every stage of the customer journey.

From lead management to production and reporting, ProLine helps contractors create the systems needed to scale.

Learn more:

https://theroofercoach.com/proline

The Roofer Coach

https://theroofercoach.com

Free Roofing Business Resources

https://theroofercoach.com/resources

Roofing Business Success Audit

https://theroofercoach.com/resources

CONNECT

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to The Roofer Show and leave a review. It helps other roofing contractors build more profitable businesses with less stress and more freedom.

About The Roofer Show

The 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.