Why Your Employees Should Attend Roofing Day

RCS Influencer Charles Antis shares some stories about the impact that inviting your employees to Roofing Day has with legislators. 

Editor’s note: Watch Charles, along with two employees, Fernando and Jesus, share why it was so impactful to have them attend Roofing Day last year. Or you can keep scrolling to read the transcript below the video.

Hi, this is Charles Antis. I'm the founder and CEO here at Antis Roofing in Irvine, California. This month, I'm joined by two of my teammates, Fernando in Estimating and Jesus, a Field Supervisor. The reason they're here is, these guys have gone with me on the multiple journeys back to Washington. This month's topic is, are you going to Roofing Day in DC April 21st and April 22nd and if you're going to bring your employees. I want to tell you some stories about why it's important to bring your employees, because when I go, they're used to hearing me. I'm the CEO, I'm used to pitching and it's the same song and dance.

Charles: When a Congressman and when a legislator and their team, hears the people that do the work and then from the presence they see and they realize and we tell them that there's over half a million of us out there, it has great impact. Like the time that Fernando and Jesus and I went to Washington and we sat in Mimi Walter's office and we went around the room, 40 of us introducing ourselves and I, "Hi, I'm Charles Antis." They got to Jesus, and Jesus, by the way, just talk. Say my name is Jesus.

Jesus: My name is Jesus and I am from Antis Roofing.

Charles: That's what he said, but when he said it there it was, it was like, "I am Jesus." That's not it. It was profound because you are the face of roofing as it exists in this company, over half a million strong. We have mostly immigrant labor, and I love it. Fernando, you had the same experience. We set in that same office.

Fernando: Correct.

Charles: You are a second generation in this country.

Fernando: Correct.

Charles: You don't have the accent, but you are somebody that's gone from the field, now is an estimator.

Fernando: Correct.

Charles: You know what it's like.

Fernando: Definitely.

Charles: Okay. Last year, Jesus also two years ago, met Congressman Lou Correa. What was phenomenal is, he got pulled. There was 500 of us there in Washington and he got pulled by himself. I am this experienced lobbyist, and how come I'm not going to go see Congressman Correa? He went by himself in there and the reason he went by himself in there is, he lives in Congressman Correa's district. When he went in there, Congressman met him one on one and what was so profound about that is, Jesus had an amazing experience because his daughter's studying political science and he talked about it and she talked him into going to Washington and it was so uplifting to him and to our employees and to our team.

Charles: When I saw Congressman Correa at a fundraiser the next month I went up to him so excited to go, "Congressman Correa," and I hadn't even seen him for a year or two, and I said, "you have no idea the impact that you had on my employee, Jesus. He cut me off and he grabbed my arm and he said, "Charles, you have no idea the impact that Jesus had on me."

Charles: He said, "I wasn't even going into the office that day because I've been working so many hours sleeping in the office. I saw that this man, not even an American citizen, but a legal resident, who was going to meet me, and I came and met him there."

Charles: That story resonates strong in our culture, and so does the story of last year being in DC at the PAC meeting, at the political action committee meeting and I got a text from Katie Porter who he had met, Jesus had met the next year, this last year. I had asked her previously a few days earlier, if she remembered me. She said, "Charles, I remember you and I remember this employee that you brought." Those stories of our real people mean a lot. In fact, at the end of this, I'm going to play the tape of Katie Porter when she came and visited us here at Antis campus three weeks ago. Come to Washington April 21st and 22nd and bring your employees. Yeah, bring your executive team, bring your PR people. Let's do this but bring those that do the work and let your company and our brand have that lift. Thank you. Good job guys.

Fernando: Cool.

Katie: You were the first business who has brought one of your employees with you, not just as an executive, but an employee. Most people in Charles's position, no offense, will that they bring their kid, or they bring their number two or they when their government affairs person, and that's nice. Those people have information to share. But it really meant a lot to me that you were giving your employees of literal voice in Washington.

Jesus: [Translated from Spanish] We’ll see you in Washington, D.C., April 21 and 22.

Charles Antis is the founder and CEO of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing. See his full bio here.