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What GaryVee Would Do If He Started a Roofing or HVAC Business Today

Key Takeaways from the 2024 Roofing Process Conference

In early December 2024, I had the opportunity to hear Gary Vaynerchuk speak at the Roofing Process Conference, and as always, he delivered an unfiltered masterclass on business, marketing, and the power of adaptability.

If you're in the trades and still resisting digital marketing, social media, or technology in general, you're already losing market share. Here are my biggest takeaways from his talk.

1. Stop Making Excuses—Technology is Undefeated

Gary said it best: "Technology is oxygen." Whether you like it or not, it's here, and refusing to adapt is a surefire way to lose.

  • If you still think marketing today is about knocking on doors and relying solely on word of mouth, you're bringing a sword to a gunfight.

  • AI, CRMs, social media, and automation tools aren’t just "trends"—they’re business survival essentials.

  • Your feelings about technology don’t matter—what matters is how customers find and interact with your business.

I’ve seen this firsthand working with contractors—those who embrace tech grow faster, while those who resist it slowly fade out.

2. Business Success Comes Down to Extreme Accountability

Gary didn’t sugarcoat it: Everything that’s going wrong in your business is 100 percent your fault.

  • If your team isn’t adapting, that’s on you.

  • If your marketing isn’t working, that’s on you.

  • If your business is struggling, that’s still on you.

Leadership isn’t about making excuses—it’s about making changes. If someone in your company is resisting necessary growth, you either need to get them on board or move on without them.

3. Social Media is the Number One Growth Strategy (And Most of You Still Aren’t Using It Right)

If you’re not creating consistent, engaging, and localized content, you’re leaving money on the table.

What Gary Would Do If He Started a Roofing or HVAC Business Today:

  • Post as much content as possible, every day

  • Focus on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts

  • Run local Facebook ads based on content that performs well

  • Create videos answering the most common customer questions

  • Make a video titled "How to Not Hire Us to Fix Your Roof" (Educate, don’t just sell)

It’s not about fancy production—it’s about building trust and brand awareness.

Example: He mentioned a window company in Texas that built a brand just by making honest, educational YouTube videos. Now, all their leads are inbound, and they don’t even need to worry about advertising costs. That’s the power of brand.

4. If You Want More Leads, Stop Overcomplicating It

Every contractor at this event wanted more leads. Gary's answer?

  1. Create simple, helpful social media content.

  2. Watch what performs best organically.

  3. Take that winning content and run paid ads in a 5-10 mile radius of your business.

That’s it. That’s the entire strategy. No secret formulas—just a commitment to showing up every single day.

5. Brand = Pricing Power

The reason brands like Nike, Apple, and Tesla dominate isn’t because their products are always better—it’s because they built brand loyalty.

  • When customers know, like, and trust you, they don’t price shop.

  • When you’re the first name they think of, you control the conversation.

  • When they come to you, you set the terms—not the other way around.

If people are calling your business instead of you chasing them down, you’ve won.

Final Thought: Get Out of Your Own Way

Gary’s final message was simple:

  • Your resistance to technology is costing you business.

  • Your excuses are the reason you’re not growing.

  • Your customers are online—are you?

If this sounds harsh, good. It’s the wake-up call a lot of contractors need. Either adapt or get left behind.

So, the real question is: What are you going to do about it?