Sitting in Atlanta Airport

Lefty Said: You will be confronted with ideas that may be hard to digest.

I'd like to think I could accept wild idea's, but I'm as hard headed as the next guy. When I came back to roofing from being a computer networking consultant, I had a lot of ideas that I was afraid to even speak of because I'd be breaking routines. Turns out that a few of the ideas greatly improved our game.

I've also spent a lot of time thinking I might be the lone wolf type in the future, because of employee troubles. 2014 proved to be pretty decent, and I hope to make even more progress in 2015. The lone wolf approach is looking less like my future every day, but it's always a possibility. I know that if I ever have 15+ employee's again, it will be completely different than last time.

The Dude Abides.

There's definitely something to repetitious & communal positive thought, (for lack of a better term). It's been proven to work time & again.....i.e. "prayer", is one of the basic examples.

twill59 Said: I was in a national organization at one time also. Quite a few, (as in the majority) of the successful contractors were using illegals to the MAX. I was very shocked. Not what I expected at all.

I never heard them complain Illegals, Subs, OSHA, the government, either.... :dry:

Funny how that comes-to-be.....

;)

wywoody Said: My goal wasnt to personally install. But when I got much beyond that, I realized my goal wasnt to spend my time putting out fires, managing egos, fixing below-par work and being a constant safety nag.

This is the biggest problem with most employees. They thing the things you listed are not part of running a business. They think that installing is 95% of the business. With that attitude they think that they are the most important part of the business. They think the business owner is just reaping the rewards of the installers hard work.

What you stated is you were looking to reap the rewards of the installers without running a business.

You qualify as running a business. I would dare to say that you are just providing yourself with a good paying job and you hire help to get your job done. And there is nothing wrong with that. Actually that is what is great about this country. Anyone can do that if that is what their goal is.

My goal wasn't to personally install. But when I got much beyond that, I realized my goal wasn't to spend my time putting out fires, managing egos, fixing below-par work and being a constant safety nag.

Wywoody, I would have to use a different password. I hear that all the time.

If the only goal I had was to personally install. Your model would work for me too.

I have operated at "several levels". For more than a decade each, I have operated at the 6-8 man level and the 12-15 man level. I am now on the me-and-two helper level, the same as when I started. I can attest that at no time does moving up a level increase quality. You can improve profitability if you can control the liabilities of the increased volume.

I make a little less than half of what I made in the past. But I have less than 10% of the headaches. I always have a backlog of work. The only way I'll even take on a new customer is if they give me the secret password, (some variation of "I hear you're the best").

A successful roofing company owner that joins RSI, is like a gourmet chef trying to get a McDonalds franchise.

Mike H, Thank You

You saved me a lot of time and money by letting me use your drug policy as a basis for my own drug policy. Your advice on this forum and privately helped me immensely to get my company to where it is today.

Who was the guy that had an all women roofing crew. I think his name was Dave Chewhoveth. I have hired a few women. They were excellent workers. One died otherwise she would still be with me. She came into my office and said "I need a job and if you hire me you will not regret it." She was not lying. I never regretted it or any of the others.

I will have women roofers working for me again. Hopefully this year.

Lefty,

After our talk in VA, it made me wish there was a commercial version of the same.

May all your goals be set so high that it would take a miracle to hit them, but I hope you come darn close. I know it won't be from lack of effort if you don't.

I decided a long time ago that being a lone wolf would not get me to where I wanted to be.

I have a inner need to improve myself and the products I present to the customers. I have no need to reinvent the wheel. I find out who is doing what I want to do and ask them to show me how to do it. They already made the mistakes and save me all that time. It is a no-brainer for me to join.

Richard Kallar used to posted here. I read every one of his posts. Over and over again and gleaned a lot of useful information. I had to much fear to make the commitment of money at the time.

I will be able to provide a better living for more people in the coming years.

Lefty Said: We joined Roofers Success International in Novemeber. The convention was this week. I just spent 4 days with roofers that did not complain once about Mexicans, subs, the economy, osha, or any other goverment agency. The only thing that was talked about was what works to improve your company and how to implement it.

Size does not matter. If you want to take your company to the next level, it is worth it. You will be confronted with ideas that may be hard to digest.

I have been doing a lot of what they suggest you do. Why not get guidence from people that have a proven track record.

If you are willing to make changes in the way you do things, it will not cost you anything. It will pay you in company profits.

When I hired my accountant, he said "this is what I will cost you". I told him "if you cost me anything, you will be fired". He looked at me and said "this relationship will work. I will show you what I am saving you."

Thank you.

Had I known what it costs to be a member, I wouldn't have considered attending the conference. I do however see the value in it after reading some reviews.

I've got six-eight employee's depending on time of year, with a great name in my area. Do you think this membership would be valuable for a company my size who only does roofing? I'm not the best salesman, I'm sure of that.

If you decide on going let me know first. I will refer you.