Best Tony Fraser Jones Podcasts (2024)

1
Where Should I Do My Marketing? 30:12

2h ago30:12

30:12

You’ve been waiting by the phone for weeks, But word of mouth’s not bringing in any new work… You’ve scrambled to keep your guys busy, But you’re running out of side jobs… And with no projects on the horizon, You decide to try online advertising… But you’re overwhelmed by the options… Which one should you use? Google? Facebook? Something else? You …

1
How to Win More Big Jobs 23:10

7d ago23:10

23:10

If you’re really honest, Do you sometimes look around… At your mates’, or competitors’ businesses… And wish you had big chunky jobs like the ones they’re doing? You’re tied up with lots of small jobs… They take a fair amount of work to land… And time to schedule… Plus, you need a bunch of them to keep your guys busy… But if you landed one huge job,…

1
How to Overcome the Fear of Growth 27:38

1h ago27:38

27:38

We’ve all seen it, right? Some dude gets cocky when things start going well for his business. Thinking he’s destined to be a millionaire, he hires a bunch of new guys… Gets a big warehouse, buys extra vehicles… Does a bunch of flashy advertising… All to try and grow the business. But he’s got too big for his boots. Gone too hard, too fast. Soon, th…

1
No Cost Ways To Book Jobs (without being a marketing expert) 34:45

9d ago34:45

34:45

Are you worried about the gaps coming up in your calendar? It’s bloody stressful when you’re about to run out of work. You don’t want your guys standing around doing nothing, so you find something for them to do. But it doesn't make you money. Another problem with holes in your schedule is cash flow. When it’s off, you're in for a whole world of pa…

1
How to Deal with Unhappy Customers 26:18

28d ago26:18

26:18

We’ve all had those shitty phone calls, right Name? When they hang up, you feel bloody awful. The customer called, unhappy with the job. Your stomach sinks as you process what just happened. They said it’s not up to standard... Not what they were promised... They’re disappointed and angry, and it’s all your fault. They want you to fix it. Now. You’…

1
What Is A Fair Market Salary? (And Why You Need It) 31:56

1M ago31:56

31:56

Do you pay yourself a salary? How about a fair market salary? Maybe you’re not quite sure what that is? Many trades and contracting business owners don’t know either. They just make up a number that seems right. And continue working 60+ hour weeks, effectively getting paid below minimum wage... Others pay themselves whatever’s left over at the end …

1
How Your Friends Impact Your Business Success 28:11

1M ago28:11

28:11

In 1954, Roger Bannister ran a mile in under 4 minutes. Before him, nobody thought that was possible. Today, more than a thousand runners have done it. Bannister showed how far the bar could be raised, inspiring his peers to reach further. Do your friends inspire you to take your business to new heights? Do they stretch you? Seeing their achievemen…

1
How to Win Work from Builders & General Contractors w/ Adam Ballinger 34:49

2M ago34:49

34:49

Builders & General Contractors are tricky, right? They can be super unorganized, which can mess you around and kill your profits. If you’re not careful, they can also use you like a bank... On the other hand, they can bring in a lot of work opportunities. So, how can we work with Builders and General Contractors in a productive way? And what’s the …

1
How to Maintain Your Marriage as a Business Owner 32:22

2M ago32:22

32:22

Do you ever get to the end of a long week and think to yourself... “What’s the point of it all?” Despite working 50+ hours, you’re still left... Scrambling to meet unreasonable demands from your customers. Fixing team mistakes and answering the constant barrage of questions. Stressed about getting paid and how you’re going to keep the team busy. An…

1
This Hiring Mistake Could Hurt Your Business 32:12

2M ago32:12

32:12

"I need to hire an [INSERT TITLE HERE], let me promote [INSERT EMPLOYEE NAME HERE] Because he’s my best worker” Here’s the critical mistake. A move from a tradesman to operation manager or similar role is not a promotion. It’s a career change. You should absolutely reward your best worker in any way you can But it’s important to understand the diff…

1
What To Do With Family & Friend Discounts 23:33

2M ago23:33

23:33

Family & Friend Discounts. There’s something about it that makes us feel good. Especially when we use the skills our business offers to give them a valuable service. There are so many business owners who sacrifice a little bit of monthly profit to help their family and friends out. I just wish more of them knew the real cost... Because it’s not jus…

1
Why Your Business Feels Bottlenecked 30:42

3M ago30:42

30:42

Do you have issues in your business but just haven’t had the time to fix them? Let's say your system for tracking your numbers. You know if you get it sorted, your profit will improve. You might even have a plan about how you’re going to do it But to this day the issue is still there... It's probably because you just don’t have the time to make the…

1
How To Win Large Jobs or Projects 49:31

3M ago49:31

49:31

If there’s one thing I miss from my days as an employee, it's the certainty. Getting home at the same time every day and being able to enjoy time with friends & family. Don't get me wrong, being a business owner is much better than being an employee... But having a guaranteed income does have its advantages. That's why landing large jobs is appeali…

1
How Much Should You Pay A Tradesman? 27:46

3M ago27:46

27:46

How much should you pay your employees? It’s not actually all that complicated. But let’s get one thing clear. There is no golden number. For example, I could say that you should pay a new employee $41 per hour. But that number is one I made up and more than likely isn’t the right figure for you. But here’s the good news. It’s not rocket science. E…

1
How To Stop Rollercoaster Income 26:10

3M ago26:10

26:10

Is your work flow up and down? One month it feels like you’re two employees short and the next it feels like you have too many. Phil & I have noticed more and more businesses suffering from this setback. So we recorded a training on what it is and how to avoid it. WHAT YOU’LL GAIN FROM LISTENING TO TODAY’S PODCAST: The tools to achieve consistent w…

1
Show Me Your Calendar, I’ll Show You Your Problems 18:52

4M ago18:52

18:52

After a 10 hour shift on the tools you come home for some quality family time. For about 90 minutes... You then head to the desktop to finish up some estimates, quotes & payroll. Bedtime rolls around sometime after 11 when you find your partner is already out. Unlike her though you toss and turn. It’s hard to sleep with all the stress you’re carryi…

1
The Ultimate Guide For Managing Tradespeople 22:23

4M ago22:23

22:23

Do you HATE when employees make avoidable mistakes? Nobody’s perfect but employees can take a profitable job and screw it up big time. Mistakes in business can be a death sentence. But business owners like you and I can also make mistakes. The difference is our mistakes tend to be a lot more expensive. An apprentice might do a poor job which costs …

1
The Plumber Who Turned His Life Around - Curtis Hancock 44:54

4M ago44:54

44:54

You’ve just finished an excruciating 12-hour day on the tools. It seems that every day for the last year or so has been like this. And you’re not sure when this will end and when life will get better. You get back home and your wife asks, “hey honey, how was your day?” And you say the same thing you say everyday: “It was good... How was yours?” Cur…

1
Why You Need To Scale Back To Grow 24:47

4M ago24:47

24:47

Have you ever heard the phrase, “trim the sails”? It’s one of the most important phrases in business. It originates from sailing, where reducing weight and drag creates more speed. In business it relates to trimming the fat off a business which has become too bloated to grow. It’s too easy to grow quickly only to find yourself with a business which…

1
Why Your Business Could Go Bankrupt 26:07

5M ago26:07

26:07

“I’m scared of losing my business”. That’s something we hear from business owners TOO OFTEN. And it’s often because of a fear that the work is going to dry up. One day you’re moving into a nice new house and the next you can’t afford the mortgage. But what if we told you this sort of thing doesn’t just come out of nowhere. If you know what you’re l…

1
What To Say When Customers Object To Your Price 32:56

5M ago32:56

32:56

NO. Not the word you want to hear when tendering for a job. We’re not all silky salesmen. So we all know that hearing the N word is part of business ownership. But as you’ve probably heard about negotiation, no doesn’t mean no. Whether someone has outright rejected your quote or is bartering with you to get a better deal... There are certain things…

1
The Mastermind Behind Making Money 39:20

5M ago39:20

39:20

The money side of business is hard. For many it’s downright confusing. Way too many trades business owners stare at their numbers without having a clue what they really mean. Too many business owners aren’t taught about things like pricing, cashflow and profit maximizing until after they’ve already started the business. So they only really pick it …

1
The 2024 Trades Business Survival Guide 28:54

5M ago28:54

28:54

Business has been uncertain over the last few years. 2020: Covid 2021: Lockdowns 2022: Inflation 2023: Interest Rate Spikes And now in 2024 the forecast is for depression and a decline in the construction industry. If you think that things are going to get any better soon, you’re sadly mistaken. We’re in a time where businesses die. And it’s only t…

1
Why Your Clients Are Giving You Less Work 24:11

5M ago24:11

24:11

Here’s one thing that all trades businesses have in common. If they lost their biggest client they would struggle to keep the employees busy. It’s more important than ever to be on your clients’ backs about giving you more work. Because the research shows that when you stop communicating with your clients... They start dishing out work to your comp…

1
Why Change Is Hard And How To Fix It 34:53

6M ago34:53

34:53

Have you ever put your mind to something but not achieved it? Most of us have. But you’d be surprised the amount of business owners who didn’t achieve their goals because they simply gave up. And the reason is because change is hard. Us humans like to keep things within our comfort zone. But you left your comfort zone to start your business. So you…

1
How To Win Your Time Back 26:21

6M ago26:21

26:21

You and your team have knocked off for the week. They’re off to the pub to have a few hard-earned ice-cold beers. Whereas you trudge home to slug away at piles of paperwork and get a head-start on next week already. That work spills over into Saturday and you feel you don’t have the time to watch your kids play sport. And once in a while you’re put…

1
How To Stop Stupid Employee Mistakes 29:03

6M ago29:03

29:03

It can be frustrating when employees make simple mistakes that eat into your profit margins. You’ve likely wanted to scream at them, but at the back of your mind you’re worried they will leave. So the boys sat down to record a training on what you can do to minimize team mistakes. (Without them getting upset and quitting) WHAT YOU’LL GAIN FROM TODA…

1
How To Make Slow Payers Pay On Time (Everytime) 29:53

6M ago29:53

29:53

Do you enjoy paying your bills late? I’m guessing probably not. In fact, I'm willing to bet you value your reputation as somebody who pays their bills on time. So why is it that others seem to do everything they can to avoid them? And after all, it’s these slow payers that stop you from getting money to suppliers. Knowing how to deal with slow paye…

1
The Dark Side of Pricing and How You Can Avoid it 36:46

7M ago36:46

36:46

“Maybe I should lower my prices to get more work” “If prices were lower, vendors would accept more of my bids and I’d be making more money.” It’s a natural thought. The problem is you’d be slashing your profit margins. And asking to go broke. There are plenty of other things you can do to book out jobs which don’t involve cutting your pay. WHAT YOU…

1
How To Take An Unprofitable Business And Make It Worth Millions 53:56

7M ago53:56

53:56

“The stress of facing financial disaster is crippling” The man who told me this had a good business from the outside. 1.5 million in revenue and 8 staff members. But behind closed doors the business was losing money hand over fist. And the owner, Luke, didn’t know what to do. But he was different. 18 months on, his business has doubled its revenue …

1
Take Your Marketing To The Next Level With These Tools 24:54

7M ago24:54

24:54

Have you ever had a crack at marketing and not seen a penny back? Maybe you’ve tried and given up? Preferring to focus on word of mouth, the quality of work and relationships with other contractors. Now these are crucial, don’t get me wrong. But the downside is, if you’re short of work you can’t ‘increase’ your word of mouth. Which can leave you in…

1
Marketing Agencies: How To Get A Flood Of Jobs From Them 28:05

7M ago28:05

28:05

There are so many marketing agencies around that it feels natural to hand control off control to them and forget about it. But that is a huge mistake. Marketing is the heartbeat of your business. And if you put the wrong person in charge, your cash flow will suffer. Don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic agencies out there. But too often you’…

1
Up-leveling Your Business With A Business Partner 42:16

8M ago42:16

42:16

Only you can destroy your business. Until you take on a business partner. Now the fact you read my emails leads me to suggest that you’re pretty good at NOT destroying your business. So, let’s focus on how you can make sure somebody else doesn’t ruin it fopr you. Now there are a bunch of reasons why you might bring on a business partner. But all of…

1
I Will Die With $0 (Here’s Why You Should Too) 28:24

8M ago28:24

28:24

I want to die with $0 to my name. And so should you. Think about your bank account and imagine how difficult your life would be if that was all you had until the day you died. You’d probably be very shrewd with your spending. So why don’t we do that with our time? Right now, we have a bank account with a limited amount of time. It’s great that we u…

1
Building A Business That Runs On Autopilot With Duncan Leask 36:07

8M ago36:07

36:07

He did in 3 years what some business owners never do... Built a sizeable business which can run on autopilot. Now, it might not be your goal right now. But it’s definitely a good goal to have because having a business that doesn’t rely on you is a top feeling. Gaining freedom and a stress-free business was key for Duncan. And the impressive part is…

1
The Secret Behind Getting Paid What You’re Worth 37:43

8M ago37:43

37:43

Most business owners undervalue their work and many do it chronically. When you don’t value the work you do, it leads to charging less than you could and should for the services you provide. And not charging enough creates profitability and cash flow issues for your business. Well, here’s the issue that too many trades buisness owners make. They fe…

1
Holiday Movie Extravaganza 29:21

8M ago29:21

29:21

Aight, picture this: it's Christmas Eve, the fruitcake's gone stale, and the carols are on repeat for the 5,000th time. You're trapped in a family movie marathon with Aunt Mildred's questionable fashion choices burning into your retinas. Sound familiar? Well, fear not, weary travelers, because Bill & Tony's Excellent Adventure is here to rescue you…

1
Movie Review - Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny 45:06

8M ago45:06

45:06

Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny premiered on Disney+ on December 1st and judging by the disappointing box office numbers, a lot of folks didn’t go see this in the theater this summer. Bill and Tony think there is much to commend the movie to you. While it is not a perfect film, any movie with Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Mads Mikk…

1
Most Valuable Training of 2023 37:43

9M ago37:43

37:43

Want to know how to price so you win the job AND make profit? It’s a very fine line. It feels impossible to win jobs unless you eat into your margins. Which is a deadly cash flow sin. As we come to the end of the year, it’s obvious that pricing has been a big issue of 2023. And it’s looking like it’ll be a business killer in 2024 as well. Phil and …

1
How To Book Work Forever: Lessons From A Marketing Expert 42:47

9M ago42:47

42:47

The more you grow the more you need this! At some stage most business owners have to think about how to market their business. One marketing activity that gets talked about a lot is Google Ads. But most business owners don’t fully understand how Google Ads work. As a result, they spend too much money for not enough results. Either through an agency…

1
Sear.Hear.Now Festival 2023 - Concert Review 19:42

9M ago19:42

19:42

Bill and Tony are hard at work recording season 3 of Bill and Tony’s Excellent Adventure in Music. We went to a bunch of concerts this year and to get us back in the swing of things, we present to you episodes recapping some of those experiences. Our first concert episode features Sea Hear Now - the 2-day music festival on the beach in Asbury Park,…

1
How A Holiday Shutdown Can Ruin Your Business 29:59

9M ago29:59

29:59

I’m not implying you keep slaving away through the Christmas break. But holidays and vacations are coming up for the trades businesses. Most owners are thinking about shutting down for a few weeks to give themselves (and their team) a break. It’s a noble idea but most business owners haven’t thought through the consequences of a holiday shutdown. I…

1
Why Your Employees Are Leaving (And How To Stop It) 39:39

9M ago39:39

39:39

Is there anything more disheartening than this… You’ve booked out work and things are looking busy. But then just to throw a spanner in the works, one of your guys quits. If you have a bigger company, you might even have a few resignations within a short period. It can be easy to look down on these guys. Almost like they abandoned you. But here’s t…

1
How To Double Your Business And Take Back Control 29:59

9M ago29:59

29:59

He doubled his revenue. He drastically increased his margins. And he hired a GM so he could get off the tools for good. That sounds like a pipe dream for most trades business owners. But for Kieran Conroy it’s his reality. Before Kieran joined us he was working 60 hours, his gross profit was only 20% and his home life was quickly deteriorating. But…

1
Member Interview: We Were Stuck And Didn't Know What To Do... 20:23

10M ago20:23

20:23

MEMBER INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE: In this episode, we share a recent interview with our members, Josh and Sarah. They share their journey going from being stuck and not knowing what to do to now having a systemized business that doesn't rely on them. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Book a FREE 15-minute call to learn what coaching could do for you busin…

1
How To Get Over The Guilt Of Getting Off The Tools 26:16

10M ago26:16

26:16

How do I get over the guilt of getting off the tools? It’s a tricky one. As Tradesmen we work hard! Some might even say we work too hard. And sometimes they're right. Think about this. The business owner who's in the trenches, making no profit and working 80 hours a week is praised more than the one who takes Fridays off because he's built a succes…

1
Do You Still Have Control Of Your Business? 33:40

10M ago33:40

33:40

It’s too easy as a business owner to get pushed around in your dealings with other people. And you often feel like you have to do what the other person wants. Maybe it's a big client you're bending over backwards for. A supplier who you're letting off the hook for not delivering materials on time. Or a valuable staff member that you're trying not t…

1
How To Ruin Your Business In 5 Simple Steps 34:45

10M ago34:45

34:45

We're always focusing on how we can improve our businesses. Ad in doing so we look towards all the tips and knowledge we've received down the line. But today we're switching it up. In striving to be the best, it's easily to lose track of the fundamentals. And just like in the trades, if you ignore the fundamentals your work will be no good. But the…

1
Stop Your Employees Costing You Money 26:50

10M ago26:50

26:50

Do you have staff that make mistakes, are inefficient, or have no initiative? It can be frustrating for sure and end up costing you a lot of money. Especially because these are super simple and avoidable mistakes. WHAT YOU’LL GAIN FROM TODAY’S PODCAST: Gain skills in how to effectively delegate and make sure they work is to your standard Understand…

1
Why Great Tradesmen Don't Make Good Owners 21:59

11M ago21:59

21:59

Tradesmen and technicians make the best workers. We leave school and get straight into it while everyone else is fluffing around at College. We're hard as nails so no job is too big or too tough. And because of that we always crack on with it, we've got a reputation as better workers than you'll find in any other industry. So why then do we find wh…

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Tony Fraser Jones Podcasts

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