For the Next Roofing Entrepreneur

RCS Influencer Carla Sims says that new contractors should look to their peers in the roofing industry as an important piece of business success.

Roofing companies are opening everyday… everyone needs a roof, and everyone wants to be an entrepreneur.  As an entrepreneur you need to be sure you have the necessary items in place to have a successful business, from a competent working crew inside the office and on the job to insurance coverage to effective marketing in your community.  But have you thought about the relationships with other contractors in the roofing industry as an important piece of your successful business?

In today’s society, roofing companies look at each other as competitors versus a friend/colleague to a successful business.  Having that friend/colleague in the same profession and industry as you, not only serves as a benefit to growing your business but also a benefit to helping your industry grow. 

Relationships built within the professional environment can lead to a relationship personally.  But how do you build these relationships?  I would like to refer you to your local/regional association as a great place to start.  Your local/regional association hosts a variety of opportunities for you to meet other industry professionals in your area that are also looking for opportunities to grow their business. 

Associations can provide you the networking events to allow you to meet industry professionals; provide you and your employees education to learn the latest trends and/or certification training needed for on the job training; provide you contacts and leads for legislative and regulation concerns; and provide you additional resources to help your business become successful and building relationships with other industry professionals.

While being a part of an association gives you many benefits on a company/business level, you are also putting yourself in front of many other professionals just like you.  You may be called on as a mentor to help someone with questions or looking to be their own entrepreneur.  You may be called on to serve as an “expert” due to your experience.  You may be called to serve further in your industry through your support of your local/regional association and therefore, helping your industry grow.

Carla B. Sims is the executive director of CRSMCA. See her full bio here