What’s the hardest part of running a tradie business solo? For Tom, it was the grind of finding work, chasing leads, and trying to build a name from scratch.

Then he joined Jim’s Fencing.

In this episode, Tom breaks down the real difference between going independent and plugging into an established brand. He shares how he went from signing up to every lead app under the sun to managing a flood of enquiries. And why, within his first 2 to 3 weeks, he’d already quoted $200k to $300k worth of work.

We also get into:

Why he watched Jim’s for 5 years before making the jump

What changed immediately once the brand was on the shirt

How he approaches pricing when you’re no longer racing to the bottom

The fencing jobs he’s focusing on right now (Colorbond and timber)

The mindset piece. Including his story as a professional boxer and massive weight loss journey

If you’re a fencer, landscaper, or anyone thinking about going out on your own (or joining a franchise), this one’s a ripper.

00:00 – Independent life: the real struggle
00:22 – The result: $200k to $300k quoted in weeks
00:32 – Intro: Tom from Jim’s Fencing
00:44 – Why Jim’s: following the brand for 5 years
01:30 – The long courtship: relationship with Dan Cahill
01:52 – Discovering Jim’s Fencing as a landscaper
02:19 – What he did before: landscaping construction plus fences
02:33 – Doing everything yourself as an independent
03:06 – Biggest challenge: finding work and getting known
03:33 – Chasing leads through apps and marketplaces
03:46 – The shift: Jim’s brings leads, now it’s lead management
04:34 – Started around Christmas and hit it hard
04:47 – Pipeline shock: $200k to $300k quoted in 2 to 3 weeks
05:10 – Half the work already confirmed, just waiting on dates
05:17 – Why it happened: due diligence and knowing the model
06:00 – Team size: just him and one other bloke
06:16 – Fit edge: pro boxer background helps
06:33 – Workflow and relationship skills leveling up
07:07 – Real life: 50 50 with his daughter, she comes along
07:22 – What he’s quoting: Colorbond and timber focus
07:49 – Staying narrow to manage volume
08:16 – Training: already experienced, used it as a refresh
09:13 – Brand power: the difference an independent feels
10:08 – Why independents can’t compete: cost of software and marketing
11:26 – Lead quality: apps are a race to the bottom
12:13 – No “salesman mode” required, just relationships
12:49 – Fence question: who pays, usually split
13:42 – Why talk to both neighbours: more work flows from it
14:41 – Trust and the work guarantee matters for big ticket jobs
15:08 – Customers refinancing. Stakes are real
15:42 – What good customer service means: communication
16:57 – If you’re good, you can turn leads off
17:19 – People walk up on-site because they recognise Jim’s
18:02 – On the tools: first jobs done, feeling wrecked but loving it
18:39 – Pricing confidence: getting paid what he’s worth
19:01 – Independent trap: cutting margins to win work
19:18 – Jim’s shift: focus on quality, still make profit
19:57 – Jobs so far: 51m job, vehicle gate, Colorbond and timber
20:25 – Personal best: 100 metres in a day
21:10 – Training balance: business first for first 6 months
22:07 – Boxing story: turned pro in 2023
22:23 – Transformation: 210kg down to 95kg
24:11 – Business and boxing: you’ve got to be a fighter
25:29 – How he did it: one book changed everything
25:38 – Book: Own the Day, Own Your Life (Marcus Aubrey)
26:46 – Psychology habit: Peterson, Gabor Maté, metacognition
27:52 – Where to find him: Tom Gant on YouTube
28:08 – Wrap: record pipeline. check-in in 6 to 12 months
28:46 – Outro and contact details

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Jim’s Group is Australia and New Zealand’s largest home services brand with over 580 divisions. Our franchisees complete 5 million+ jobs every year.

Here’s what you’ll find here:

Straight advice from Jim Penman on business and franchising

Franchisee success stories and behind-the-scenes insight

Practical how-to guides for home and business services

We’re also recruiting. In 2024 alone, 245,000+ leads went un-serviced. If you want guaranteed work, full training, and the backing of Jim’s, we’d love to hear from you.

Start here
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