RCS Influencers celebrates its sixth year of giving back to the roofing industry.

RoofersCoffeeShop®, celebrating 20 years as the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announces the 2022 RCS Roofing Influencers.    

RCS Influencers contribute thoughts and wisdom monthly through interviews, videos and articles on RoofersCoffeeShop concerning pertinent industry and roofing topics. The Influencers represent all facets of the industry including contractors, associations and industry service providers. Their insights are recognized in a special category on the site called RCS Influencers.   

“We have been committed to sharing the thought leadership of our RCS Influencers since 2017,” states Heidi J. Ellsworth, president of RoofersCoffeeShop. “Each influencer brings a unique perspective to issues that are of importance to roofing contractors and the overall roofing industry. We are thankful and appreciative of their willingness to share their insights.”

We are proud to announce the following 2022 RCS Influencers: 

1. Anna Anderson – Art Unlimited 

2. Charles Antis - Antis Roofing & Waterproofing 

3. Julissa Chavez – SRS Distribution, Inc. 

4. Trent Cotney - Cotney Construction Law 

5. Kendall & Chris Ekerson – SA Roofing 

6. Heidi Ellsworth – RoofersCoffeeShop® 

7. John Esbenshade, Jr. – National Roofing Contractors Association 

8. Rudy Gutierrez - Shell Roofing Solutions 

9. Tammy Hall – CFS Roofing Services 

10. Mike Hicks – Hicks Industrial Roofing 

11. Joe Hoffman – Hoffman Weber 

12. Rae July – Chinook Roofing

13. Danny Kerr – Breakthrough Academy 

14. John Kiesel – Imagine Technologies/Division 7 Roofing 

15. Wendy Marvin - Matrix Roofing and Home Solutions 

16. Mandy McIntyre - 1st Choice Roofing 

17. Arty Molinari – Tremco Roofing & Waterproofing 

18. Mike Pickel - Texas Traditions Roofing 

19. Ashley and Seth Pietsch - Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc 

20. Camila Santander – ASA Roofing 

21. Greg Serevetas – USA General Contractors  

22. Marty Stout - Go Roof Tune Up 

23. Curtis Sutton - Rackley Roofing

For more information on the 2022 RCS Influencers, meet them here. Download the Top 20 insights from our 2021 influencers eBook here.

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com.

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter. 

¿Cómo vas a celebrar el Día de los Muertos este año? (How will you be celebrating Day of the Dead this year?) 

In Season 3, Episode 63 of Roofing Road Trips, RCS Podcast Producer, Megan Ellsworth, is joined by Julissa Chavez of SRS Distribution. In this special episode, Julissa walks us through the history and traditions of Día De Los Muertos, one of Mexico’s most treasured holidays.  

Día De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead is usually celebrated from October 31 through November 2 whereby families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives. The life and memories of loved ones are honored with lots of delicious food, drinks and rich family traditions. Most people will also choose specific foods and beverages that were the favorites of a late friend or family member. 

“What you will see in a lot of households, and this is common to me, is an altar,” said Julissa. “It'll have photos of family members who have passed away, you'll usually see candles set on the altar to reminisce and glorify and give them kind of that yearly acknowledgement that even though they're no longer with us, they're still in spirit in our hearts and in our memory." 

Julissa remembers helping her grandmother construct large colorful wreaths out of paper mache every year in preparation for Día de los Muertos. She also remembers taking these wreaths, as well as flowers and other decorations, to the graves of her relatives.  

"What everybody does in Mexico is they'll go to the place where their relatives are buried," said Julissa. “[We] clean their graves, sweep it and put fresh flowers on them. We go and visit [our past relatives] and make their grave site pretty for one time a year.” 

Many people will also dress in skulls, eat skull sugar candy and decorate their altars and homes with skulls. Traditional food and drink like, Pad de Muerto of All Saints or Atole, which is a spicy dark chocolate corn-based drink, is enjoyed by many families across Mexico and the U.S. during this time of year.  

"You can wish anyone happy Day of the Dead by saying Feliz Día de los Muertos,” said Julissa.  

Listen to the entire podcast to hear more from Julissa and about the culturally rich traditions of Día de los Muertos.

By SRS Distribution.

Join SRS Distribution in celebrating the history and cultural richness of the Hispanic and Latino community and their contributions to the construction and roofing industry.

English 

At SRS Distribution Para Latinos, we are honored to join our great community of contractors in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. During this month, from September 15 to October 15, we commemorate the history and cultural richness of the Hispanic and Latino community that have had a positive impact on our nation through their effort and hard work. We especially appreciate the contributions made to the construction and roofing industry in the United States.   

We kicked off this month with a special event via Facebook Live hosted by Julissa Chávez with guest panelist Veronica Cool, CEO of Cool & Associates, LLC: "El Contratista Latino: Dinero, Poder y Herencia." During this event, we shared the Hispanic community's impact in shaping our industry. You can watch a replay of the event here: https://fb.watch/82gW2Ow4k0/. 

Recent reports indicate that 18.4% of roofers nationwide are Hispanic or Latino. This population is the second largest after white non-Hispanics. Another surprising fact is that 82.2% of roofers speak Spanish.   

During this special time, we also want to take this opportunity to thank the Hispanic and Latino contractors who make up our team. Every day, thanks to your valued input, hard work and labor, we can offer the best service to our clients, to whom we emphasize our commitment to providing them the best service experience.  

At SRS Distribution Para Latinos we also stay true to our promise of being 100% inclusive. We offer bilingual support to our clients, training in Spanish and the best products that suit client needs. Our distinct privilege is to serve the Hispanic community, and far beyond this commemorative month, we celebrate you! 

Spanish 

En SRS Distribution Para Latinos, nos sentimos honrados de unirnos a nuestra gran comunidad de contratista s y obreros para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana. Durante este mes, del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre, conmemoramos la historia y la riqueza cultural de la comunidad hispana y latina, que ha tenido un impacto positivo en nuestra nación a través de sus esfuerzos y arduo trabajo. Agradecemos especialmente las contribuciones realizadas a la industria de la construcción y techos en los Estados Unidos. 

Comenzamos este mes con un evento especial a través de Facebook Live presentado por Julissa Chávez con la oradora invitada Veronica Cool, CEO de Cool & Associates, LLC: "El Contratista Latino: Dinero, Poder y Herencia". Durante este evento, compartimos el impacto de la comunidad hispana en la configuración de nuestra industria. La transmisión del evento se puede encontrar aquí: https://fb.watch/82gW2Ow4k0/. 

Las estadísticas muestran que el 18.4% de los rooferos en todo el país son hispanos o latinos. Esta población es la segunda más grande después de los blancos no hispanos. Otro dato sorprendente es que el 82.2% de los rooferos hablan español. 

Durante este tiempo especial, también queremos aprovechar esta oportunidad para agradecer a los contratistas hispanos y latinos que forman nuestro equipo. Cada día, gracias a su valioso aporte, arduo trabajo y labor, podemos ofrecer el mejor servicio a nuestros clientes, a quienes enfatizamos nuestro compromiso de brindarles la mejor experiencia de servicio. 

En SRS Distribution Para Latinos también nos mantenemos fieles a nuestra promesa de ser 100% inclusivos. Ofrecemos apoyo bilingüe a nuestros clientes, formación en español y los mejores productos que se adapten a las necesidades del cliente. Es un privilegio para nosotros servirle a la comunidad hispana, y mucho más allá de este mes conmemorativo, ¡los celebramos! 

Learn more about SRS Distribution in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit srsdistribution.com.

By Ellen Breipohl Thorp for National Women in Roofing (NWiR). 

Honor women within the industry by learning about their stories. 

Julissa Chavez is a program manager with SRS Distribution focusing on Latino marketing. She has built a successful career by bringing a strong focus on SRS’s current and potential Latino customers, including building the Latino sales and marketing strategy, developing key programs to drive sales, building lasting relationships and creating tools to improve the customer experience. In addition, she is a member of NWiR and SRS Women’s Leadership Forum. 

1 - How did you get involved in the roofing industry?  

I was recruited from Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, Georgia) in 2014 as a Territory Manager. 

2 - What is one of the key things you’ve learned about yourself that you wish you would’ve known when you first entered the roofing industry?  

I am tenacious. 

3 - In the spirit of Women’s History Month, who in your life has been an inspiring female figure that has helped you get to where you are today, physically, emotionally, intellectually and/or spiritually?  

My mother Bertha Chavez has been my rock through all the challenges in my life, without her love and inspiration I would not be the woman I am today. 

4 - Who is one of your favorite women in history?  

The notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

5 - As we know, many of the women in our industry are always juggling multiple responsibilities. How do you manage a work-life balance?  

Great question, I had to learn how to balance work-life balance when I started my professional career in 2014. It is easy when you are hungry especially in sales to miss the balance of work-life. However, my husband always reminded me of the importance this has on our home life. I had to learn to prioritize well and time management skills to get all things done and still have a happy life at home. 

6 - Share an example of a time when you realized you were one of the first women at your job, school, family, or social organization to do something that had a meaningful impact or caused a positive change?  

When I was hired at SRS Distribution, I was the only female territory manager in the Atlanta, Georgia market for our company. The positive change this created was being able to demonstrate to other women who were in the roofing industry that it’s possible for a woman to be a successful outside sales representative. 

7 - Share something that you have been a part of that other women can follow in your footsteps and pave new trails in the industry? 

• National Women in Roofing 

• Professional Women in Building (Atlanta, Georgia) 

• SRS Women’s Leadership Forum 

• In my current role, I am open to mentor women who want to enter the roofing industry and help them see all the careers within the industry that are available. 

Learn more about NWiR  in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit www.nationalwomeninroofing.org 

Original article source: NWiR  

RCS Influencers celebrates its fifth year of giving back to the roofing industry. 

RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business announces the 2021 RCS Roofing Influencers.    

RCS Influencers contribute thoughts and wisdom monthly through interviews,videos and articles on RoofersCoffeeShop concerning pertinent industry and roofing topics. The Influencers represent all facets of the industry including contractors, associations and industry service providers. Their insights are recognized in a special category on the site called RCS Influencers.   

“We have been asking important questions to diverse groups of RCS Influencers for the last four years and have found that they all have expertise in completely different areas of a roofing contractor’s business.  We have been committed to sharing that thought leadership since 2017,” states Heidi J. Ellsworth of RoofersCoffeeShop. “With our RCS Influencers’ opinions, tips or advice, our readers get a feeling for all sides of a topic. Our Influencers are true thought leaders in the roofing industry and bring diverse and informative perspectives based on their interactions and relationships.” 

We are proud to announce the following 2021 RCS Influencers: 

1. Rae July – Chinook Roofing 

2. Tammy Hall – CFS Roofing Services 

3. Pete Harding – Go Green Roofing 

4. Greta Bajrami – Golden Group Roofing 

5. Michelle and Christian Kettering – LTD Exteriors 

6. Danny Kerr – Breakthrough Academy 

7. Julissa Chavez – SRS Distribution, Inc. 

8. Rod Petrick – Ridgeworth Roofing Co Inc 

9. Charles Antis - Antis Roofing & Waterproofing 

10. Michelle Boykin and Curtis Sutton - Rackley Roofing 

11. Trent Cotney - Cotney Construction Law 

12. Thea Dudley – Pocket Protectors, LLC  

13. Heidi Ellsworth – RoofersCoffeeShop® 

14. Rudy Gutierrez - Shell Roofing Solutions 

15. Wendy Marvin - Matrix Roofing and Home Solutions 

16. Mandy McIntyre - 1st Choice Roofing 

17. Mike Pickel - Texas Traditions Roofing 

18. Marty Stout - Go Roof Tune Up 

19. Ashley and Seth Pietsch - Integrity Insurance & Bonding Inc 

For more information on the 2021 RCS Influencers, meet them here.  

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com.

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter. 

Learn about Julissa’s progressive work and what SRS is doing to promote inclusivity for all Spanish speaking roofing professionals.  

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips, RoofersCoffeeShop® (RCS) partner, Heidi J. Ellsworth, visits with Julissa Chavez, the Program Manager Latino Marketing & Sales at SRS. Listen in as they talk about the rich Latinx culture in the roofing industry as well as what the industry is doing to promote the careers of Latinx contractors. 

“I have been in the roofing industry going on five years,” said Julissa. “I started with SRS Distribution as a territory manager in the Atlanta, Georgia market, and I've been doing that for the last couple of years. Last fall, SRS launched a Latino Forum, which is incorporating Latinos from all levels at our company. So, we have drivers, we have salespeople, branch managers, that are all creating this Latino Forum internally.”  

Julissa is leading the way for SRS promoting inclusive programming like the company’s new Latino Facebook page. In recent years, through the SRS Latino Forum, everyone came to the consensus that a Latino program for bilingual contractors was needed. Since the beginning of 2020, that program has been a focal point for SRS Distribution, which created the position Program Manager and Latino Marketing and Sales, the latter filled by Julissa.  

“In this new role, we want the roofing industry to know that SRS is committed to providing education and business resources to Latino contractors, businesses and workers,” said Julissa. 

About 30% of the roofing industry is Latinx according to a study done by the NRCA. Latinx is a gender-neutral term that has entered public discourse relatively recently. It provides an inclusive way to address women, men and gender nonconforming folk with a Spanish background.  

“I love [Latinx] because it's inclusive. The industry is understanding how important inclusivity is and by including all genders [and] all races, we get to celebrate the richness of our roofing industry,” said Heidi.   

Historically, the majority of roofing labor has been Hispanic. Now, as we move to a more inclusive world with second and third generations of Latinx Americans growing into their adulthood, more and more Latinx contractors are finding opportunities in the roofing industry.  

“Fast forward, these kids are now comfortable because they've grown [up] in America. They're comfortable with the English language and the way that business is conducted in America. They're more entrepreneurial, as well, compared to their parents, due to the confidence and ability to understand and speak the English language. Today, these children who have grown up are creating their own roofing companies and embracing how great the industry truly is.” 

Listen to the full podcast to learn more about what SRS is doing to promote the careers and advancement of Hispanic/Latinx workers and contractors. 

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of an interview with Julissa Chavez, Program Manager and Latino Marketing and Sales Director at SRS. You can read the interview below or listen to the podcast here.

Heidi Ellsworth: Hello, and welcome to Roofing Road Trips with Heidi, part of RoofersCoffeeShop, our Read, Listen, Watch initiative, where you can listen, read, watch, whatever you like, and these podcasts are the best part of it. Really getting to sit and visit with amazing people in the industry. Today I am with Julissa Chavez. She is the Program Manager and Latino Marketing and Sales Director at SRS. I have to tell you, anyone who's listening to this podcast, you are in for a treat. Welcome, Julissa, to the show.

Julissa Chavez: Thank you so much, Heidi. I'm so excited to be on your platform today. So, I just want to start with thanking you for hosting me today and this great podcast that I've been very excited and fortunate to be part of today.

Heidi Ellsworth: Thank you, Julissa. I am so excited to have you on the show today. We've been doing so many great things together, and this is just like now we get to talk about all of it.

Julissa Chavez: I know. I can't wait to spread the word and share these exciting things we've been working on.

Heidi Ellsworth: I know.

Julissa Chavez: So, I'm thrilled.

Heidi Ellsworth: So, you know what? Tell us, tell everybody out there a little bit about yourself, what you've been doing in your new role at SRS, and your initiatives.

Julissa Chavez: Thank you so much. Absolutely. So, I have been in the roofing industry going on for five years. I started with SRS Distribution as a territory manager in the Atlanta, Georgia market, and I've been doing that for the last couple of years. Last fall, SRS launched a Latino Forum, which is incorporating Latinos from all levels at our company. So we have drivers, we have salespeople, branch managers, that are all creating this Latino Forum internally. Through the forum, we all came to a consensus that we needed a Latino Program for our bilingual contractors. Fast forward, since the beginning of this year in 2020, the Latino Program has been a very strong focus for SRS Distribution. Therefore, the Program Manager Latino Marketing and Sales position was created and filled. In this new role, we want the roofing industry to know that SRS is committed to providing education and business resources to Latino contractors, businesses, and workers.

Heidi Ellsworth: That is cool. That's cool. The NRCA came out with a study and I don't if you've seen it yet, Julissa, but it had the demographics and it was about 30% of our industry is Latino. You and I were kind of talking about it a little too, the new term, Latinx, which is for Latino and Latina, because [crosstalk] roofing, right?

Julissa Chavez: Yes. Yes. That is the new term, which it's a new learning curve for all of us. Oftentimes I get asked, "Hey, what is the difference between Hispanic and Latino, and when do I use each word in what tense?" So, Latinx is the new new that we were just talking about before we started this podcast. So again, it's a new concept that I think a lot of you will start to embrace and really get to know what the Latinx means.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah.

Julissa Chavez: So, just a quick [inaudible] as well, with you.

Heidi Ellsworth: Well, and I love it because it's inclusive and that's exactly what you're doing. The industry is understanding how important inclusivity is and including all genders, all races, we got to celebrate the richness of our roofing industry, and so I really like that Latinx. It brings both the male and the female, and it brings us all together.

Julissa Chavez: Yes, I agree. It's the gender neutral appropriate way of how do we address women and men, because women have jumped into the roofing industry in great numbers. That's what we're seeing the most growth when it comes to demographics, as well as the emergent of National Women in Roofing. Which was when I started in roofing in 2014, we didn't really have any associations for women in the male dominated industry, so the fact that we're now having so many women participate in the industry is just so exciting.

Heidi Ellsworth:  It is, and that's where you and I met the first time was at a council meeting.

Julissa Chavez: Yes, it is.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yep, in Atlanta. Well, okay, so let's talk a little bit more. So what are you seeing with this next generation of Latinx contractors and their opportunities in roofing?

Julissa Chavez: Sure, Heidi. This is a great question. Historically, as we know, the majority of the roofing labor has been Hispanic. What I started to see in Atlanta as a territory manager was that the second and the third generation of children from these laborers have been aware and are accustomed to the roofing industry, because often at job sites they're riding with their dad, they're working during the summer, seeing all that the roofing labor entails, so they're very familiar with the technical aspect of the roofing world. Fast forward, these kids are now comfortable because they've grown in America in the United States. They're comfortable with the English language and the way that business conducted in America. They're more entrepreneurial, as well, compared to their parents, due to the confidence and ability to understand and speak the English language. Some parents are not as comfortable in their experience being in the United States. Today, these kids are creating their own roofing companies and embracing how great the industry truly is. I have met companies that are Latino from the bottom up. Labor crews are Hispanic, door knockers, salespeople are Hispanic or Latino, up to the company owner is Latino. This is the trend that I believe we'll continue to see in the roofing industry for more years to come and in the future.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. You know what? I think that's so true. You would think as a society, we would have already figured this out. So for example, five generations ago my family came from Ireland and I was in the fifth generation. It took us a little bit longer, but I was the first one to graduate from college. The generations are just this beautiful melting pot, and these children who are coming up, this next generation, they're just going to rock it when it comes to business. I mean, they've seen, they know, and they have had the education. I agree. I think we're going to see some amazing minority businesses, which is going to also be a huge asset for them, too.

Julissa Chavez: Absolutely.

Heidi Ellsworth: So, [inaudible] kind of thinking about this, I think you have a huge challenge with your initiatives, in that you're obviously speaking to second and third generation, very fluent in English, that's not even a thought, but then you also have immigration, even though that's a lot less, and you have first generation coming in. So you need to be able to provide it in Spanish and in English, and you need to be able to kind of bring it all together. Tell us what you're doing with those communication initiatives in SRS?

Julissa Chavez: Absolutely. I would love to. Thanks for the question. So first off, we have the SRS para Latinos Facebook page that we started actively posting every week, since June, Father's Day, where our contractors can stay in the loop with our training events, educational webinars, and positions that we're hiring for available within our company. The Latino program goals are to be the number one distribution choice for roofing contractors, and to be the number one distribution company that employs Latino talent in the roofing industry. Aside from the SRS para Latinos social page, we are also translating every communication/promotion into English and Spanish as the new standard at SRS Distribution. So we're definitely like, okay, we're going to create this as moving forward now that the Latino program is here, this is what we're going to do, both languages with anything that we have to announce or say to our customers or our employees. I think, like you said, you have many generations that we're trying to communicate with, so it's not just as easy as saying, "Okay, here's my message, and I'm just going to put it on Google translate and think that that's going to work." Right? So what you really need is just that tactile to know how does this message resonate with number one, the Latinos, the language, and how does this message also come across multiple generations, which is where we're at today? So I think it entails a little bit of more attention and somebody who is understanding of the culture in order for us to be able to have the best communication that resonates with our customer and that market.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yes. I think that is it exactly. We've been trying to do the same thing at Roofers Coffee Shop, and you and Monica did this awesome video for RCS, and we're doing the same thing. Monica is really helping us to ... It's like being a woman in National Women in Roofing, you need to be able to kind of understand and understand the language. I wish I was bilingual. Oh, I wish. Maybe someday.

Julissa Chavez: It's never late.

Heidi Ellsworth: It's never too late. That's right. That's the great part. So, I'm really curious on kind of some of your viewpoints on what you think the roofing industry should be doing to recruit more minorities, specifically Latinx professionals into roofing, both in the office and on the roof. As an industry, what do you think we need to be doing different, or what do we need to be doing more?

Julissa Chavez: Great question again, Heidi. I think if I had to narrow it down to three things, I'm going to say number one and the most important is just having a cultural understanding. It's important for employers to get familiar and understand Hispanic culture and be sensitive to what are those values that we value a lot, such as being hardworking, such as loving the family setting. Those are very important characteristic traits of who we are as Latino culture. So, just leaning in and getting to know a little bit more. Like for example, it's Hispanic Heritage Month right now, which is why I'm to be doing this podcast with you because we're [inaudible 00:11:55]. For example, this is what we're doing. We're leaning in and we want to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, so it's just like knowing those little things. It doesn't necessarily mean you have to be the professional who knows anything and everything about the culture, but just basically learning basic things such as September 15th through October 15, that's the month that we celebrate. That would be the first and foremost. My second tip would be the flexibility. So like the non-Hispanic workforce, offering flexibility is crucial to attracting and retaining your employees. Which the roofing industry is a great industry for flexibility for many roofing professionals that are in the door knocking sales and home selling roles. I've met many Latinx people that tell me the reason why they love door knocking and selling roofs is the flexibility, because oftentimes when they're door knocking it's typically during the evening hours and you can do it with a friend, which is great and fun, right? You get to work with your friend and door knock in the evening, and then basically earn a great amount of money with your commissions. So, I think the flexibility and just ability to give people the knowledge to know these are the things that you could potentially do and how you could make a career out of this is definitely important. Then, thirdly, I would say benefits, communication, developing people is key, too. Communication is key to employees having a developmental program or plan, what is the next level for the employee within the organization? Offer career paths to create loyalty, especially when you have a great talent within your workforce or in your company. The reason why I've heard people who are working for a roofing company oftentimes leave is because there's no new challenges for them. They've been doing the sales, they've aced it, now they're kind of at the place in their career where they're like, "Where is that next challenge for me?" There's no new challenges. There's not a path to say, "Hey, you've done great in sales. We think we're ready to partner up with you and create a second division of this company," which is another growth path. If you do find that individual that's a great employee for you, then help them grow in that entrepreneurial mindset. The third thing would be the mentorship. In roofing, people make a great amount of money, but there's not really people that will mentor you. So having a mentorship program where you take somebody who's a new person joining the company, partnered them up with someone who's been with the company for a couple of years or has more experience, and let them learn off each other. I think that's important, as well.

Heidi Ellsworth: I do, too. I love that list. That list is perfect. In fact, we're going to make sure we take that off and put that into a blog so that people who want to read about that in the transcript or on a blog can have those tips. And it's not just for Latino. That is for everyone. Like you said, it's just common ... Building a strong culture, valuing people, and creating amazing richness in diversity and then being inclusive. I love it.

Julissa Chavez: Thank you.

Heidi Ellsworth: That is so cool. I know that we've been doing a lot together. We did the video for Roofers Coffee Shop. I shouldn't say, "We." You and Monica did, and it is awesome.

Julissa Chavez: Thank you.

Heidi Ellsworth: Then you also have been doing some ... I mean, there's just a buzz, Julissa, around you. I've been hearing all these different people like, "Hey, have you met her?", and what are you doing? You've been doing a lot of really cool webinar series, partnering with a number of thought leaders and just really amazing people. Can you tell us a little bit? I mean, specifically I know you just did some great stuff with Cotney Construction, and also with Owens Corning. Tell us about that.

Julissa Chavez: Yes, Heidi. So thank you so much for sharing the buzz that we're generating [inaudible] this. I think it all started when we listened. It all starts with listening to what the issues or problems are for our Latino roofing communities, because we're listening and we're tapping into what is your need. In a deeper way, we're uncovering problems that a lot of the same companies are having. So for example, one of our territory managers in Atlanta reached out to me about a month ago and he said, "Hi, Julissa. I need a referral to legal counsel due to an issue of nonpayment after labor was rendered." This happens to be a very common issue that not only did this territory manager uncover, but I also remember in my experience as a TM in Atlanta, I would often get asked for legal referrals on, "Hey, I have this situation with the contract or this homeowner doesn't want to pay me, or I've done the work and I'm not getting paid for the labor." So this is a very common situation in the Latino roofing labor community and owners, as well, so therefore it just kind of sparked my interest to reach out to Cotney Construction Law Group and ask them if they would be willing to participate in an informational session to share some insights as to what contractors or laborers can do in these common situations, and they agree to it. So I'm very excited to be able to have worked with the Cotney Construction Law Group, and they've been working in the roofing industry for a long time and are part of the NRCA. I know they do a lot with you too, Heidi, at RCS.

Heidi Ellsworth: Oh, yeah.

Julissa Chavez: So, I'm very excited to be able to get that out pretty soon once we finish the editing process onto that video. So, it just kind of started with how do we help somebody?

Heidi Ellsworth: Well, and Jacqueline is bilingual. She speaks fluent Spanish.

Julissa Chavez: Absolutely.

Heidi Ellsworth: That's the thing I love about Cotney. A Lot of our companies are really trying to expand and have that bilingual opportunities. We're doing tons of that on Roofers Coffee Shop. So yeah, I think that is really key.

Julissa Chavez: I think so, too, because I think ... When I reached out to Trent, I said, "Hey, do you guys offer bilingual legal services?" And he said, "Of course." So I think that's the key, again with that legal group, that they have somebody that can speak the language and now the Latinos that need these legal services can basically ask the questions that they want to ask, get the answers in their own language, and that just makes them feel so much more comfortable than having to rely on somebody to translate the message back and forth. So, that's so amazing that Cotney Construction Law has Jacqueline [inaudible] on the team that can speak the language and help people, and help my people with [inaudible] that they're facing.

Heidi Ellsworth: Well, the thing is understanding legal issues and understanding law and all of that is hard enough on its own, and I think Cotney makes it really easy. They really bring it down to a level to help everybody understand, but then to be able to make sure that they're speaking in the language. I know they also have lawyers there who speak French, and so yeah, now we're getting global. Now we're really kind of reaching out, so it's pretty cool.

Julissa Chavez: Yeah, it is. I thought that was really cool how they're multilingual when it comes to operating in Canada, the United States. Having that representation of bilingual lawyers that can assist our community, I think they're on the right track with the whole inclusion and diversity and just embracing how we can all lean on each other.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. I was just so lucky to work with a lot of the same people at a different company, Owens Corning, and I was [crosstalk] it a couple of different times on diversity and really kind of more from the National Women in Roofing angle, but tell me what you're doing there. I know that's more of a five parter. You have a lot going on. That's pretty cool.

Julissa Chavez: Yes. So Owens Corning, again, is another great partner for SRS Distribution. Like you said, we're currently developing a five part webinar series called SRS Distribution and Owens Corning Present a Roofing Contractor Journey, Helping You Take Your Business to the Next Level. The content we will share will be regarding multiple topics such as leveraging partnerships for growth when it comes to distribution partnerships, manufacturing partnerships. Really highlighting the triangle importance of the roofing contractor business when it comes to the contractor being at the top and your foundation, which is your distribution relationships and your manufacturing relationships. Why the Roofing System is another one that we actually have coming up this month, October 21st. This one, we're basically going to talk about the benefits of why the roofing system. How do we educate the homeowner and understanding what all parts come into your roofing system, and what does that create for you and your business as the differentiator on how you're different from your competition? We have other topics such as a shingle bootcamp. How do we sell good, better, best? Which is coming in November. We also have one in December, Powerful In Home Sales Tools to Help Close More Sales. So again, in here we're basically guiding the door knocker who's doing in home sales presentations for the contractor on best practices on basically how you can close more sales when you're doing in home sales presentations. And then our fifth installment of the webinar series will be Third Party Business Services To Help Build Your Business. So we kind of started from the beginning beginning of the relationship part, to the aspect of the end where you're actually getting to utilize financing in your business, utilize marketing companies that can help you with your search engine optimization, CRMs and their importance for our roofing industry business. Those are all the topics that we're going to hit on, so I'm super excited to be partnering with them and some of our other top vendors to create more content around how do we help the Latino business owner grow their business to the next level?

Heidi Ellsworth: That's amazing. I love it. I love it. Just in kind of talking through this to you, you've really made me think, Julissa, about how important it is that contractors have really good relationships with their distribution partners, with their branches, and that they can talk about credit, that they can talk about material allocations, they can talk about all those kinds of things and really have a ... Because that gives your business a differentiation. It gives you an advantage. So how are you seeing that? I mean, is this kind of helping to start maybe giving more confidence in some of the company owners to start developing stronger relationships on the branch level?

Julissa Chavez: Absolutely. That is the whole purpose of the first webinar, was to say, "Hey, when we look at the triangle and the importance of the triangle, it's all about relationships." This is an industry that's very heavily focused on relationships.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yes.

Julissa Chavez: And without those, we can't grow to the next level. We can't expect that we're going to outgrow our projections. We can't think that we can do it alone. So, I believe truthfully that relationships are everything in this industry

Heidi Ellsworth: That is so true, and boy, are you doing the right things to bring those relationships together. I love it. That is so awesome. How can our listeners, how can the roofing industry ... I know you answered this a little bit later, but maybe just kind of just bring us home with how can they look at the culture and make sure they are being inclusive and welcoming to all minorities and all genders to help them build their businesses? What are some of your last thoughts on that?

Julissa Chavez: That is a great last headway for us to finish, because I know John de Rosa and I are going to work on a webinar geared towards the same topic of how can roofing companies hire, retain, and recruit Latinx talent. I'm very excited to be able to be part of that with John de Rosa at a later webinar. To answer your question, I would just first and foremost be [inaudible] to the culture. And number two, let's share the word on all the career possibilities in the roofing industry, from being a laborer, to having a sales career with a manufacturing position, with a door knocking position, to owning your own company and being your own entrepreneur. Most people only see the labor side of things when it comes to the Latino market, which is not so appealing to the newer generations of people, which is why we're struggling how do we get younger people in the industry and how do we attract those people? So, people oftentimes think, "Okay, roofing. I don't want to be on a roof. That's too hard. I just don't want to even look into that industry." But the sales side or the company ownership does sound a little more lucrative to the entrepreneurial person or roofing industry professional. So I would say I think bringing the awareness of all the different career paths that we can take in the roofing industry, and communicating those well.

Heidi Ellsworth: I agree 100% and really playing to people's strengths, because I know there's a lot of people out there who would never want to work in an office, who love driving a truck or working and building these beautiful roofs and installing them and doing all that, and then there's a lot of people who just want to do technology. There's lot of people who just want to do office, be in there, and sales. So you're right, there's just so much opportunity in this industry for every type of person.

Julissa Chavez: Yes, I agree. I hope that our roofing industry leaders are able to communicate and articulate all the opportunities in this great industry.

Heidi Ellsworth: Well, I think you and I are doing a little bit of that right now, so that's pretty cool.

Julissa Chavez: [inaudible 00:27:51].

Heidi Ellsworth: We're getting it out there. Well, that's great. So Julissa, I would encourage everybody out there to look for Julissa's work. You're going to find it on Roofers Coffee Shop under the SRS directory on our Spanish page, where we collect, we find all this great stuff. Julissa sends it, all of our partners send it, and so we have a full page in Spanish for resources, for articles, tools, podcast, and then of course all the directories, the great stuff that SRS is doing. I mean, so many amazing initiatives from the Latino to the Raise The Roof Foundation to honor their heroes right now. I mean, you just do not let grass grow under your feet over there.

Julissa Chavez: It's so exciting. There's so much to do and I'm just enthusiastic about the future of the roofing industry and where we're going to go in the future.

Heidi Ellsworth: Yeah. I'm very excited about the leadership that I'm seeing coming out on diversity and inclusion, and SRS has been right at the forefront of that, and obviously with the concert at IRE next year, they're really putting the priority of diversity out there, and I love that. Thank you so much for being here today. Thank you for all your wisdom, and we will see you back here again, I'm sure, because we're going to have a lot more to talk about.

Julissa Chavez: Thanks, Heidi. I appreciate it, and I look forward to doing a lot more with Roofers Coffee Shop. Thank you for your support, and I'll look forward to growing with you in this new journey.

Heidi Ellsworth: We are going to have fun. This is going to be great. I want to thank all of you for listening and to really spending this time with Julissa and I to learn more about this great Latinx initiative by SRS, and from the industry overall. You can find all of this under our Read, Listen, Watch, along with many other podcasts, webinars, and resources that can help you and your company grow. Thank you again, and have a great day.

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor. 

Here’s what’s trending on RoofersCoffeeShop® this past month. 

September's top stories covered a wide range of topics but the most read article by far was the one shared by Chris Hill at SRS Distribution honoring and remembering first responders and those whose lives were lost on September 11, 2001. They also shared information in there about how contractors can offer $250 to their customers who are first responders or members of the military.  

SRS Distribution’s announcement for the 2021 International Roofing Expo concert was the second most-read article. Their concerts raise money for the SRS Raise the Roof Foundation and the 2021 concert will also help provide funds for National Women in Roofing and the Roofing Alliance. If you missed the announcement, use the link below to see who will be performing at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.  

If you didn’t know, Hispanic Heritage month was September 15 – October 15 and Julissa Chavez of SRS shared eight fun ways to celebrate. Based on the popularity of the article, we hope that many of you had a chance to participate.  

As if 2020 weren’t crazy enough, it’s brought with it a crazy hurricane and wildfire season so it’s no surprise that the articles about that made the top stories list. If you didn’t get the chance to read the articles, follow the links below to check them out.  

Honorable Mention (#6-#10) 

#10 - What Qualities Does a Safety Leader Possess? 

#9 - Fires Forcing Worksite Shutdowns  

#8 – 3 Surprising Facts About This Year's Atlantic Hurricane Season 

#7 – Scholarship Program’s Goal is to Support the Future Generation of Construction and Roofing 

#6 -  Horsepower Has a New Meaning for this Roofing Project 

Read the Top 5 articles: 

#5 - 8 Ideas for Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month 2020 

#4 - Hard Rock® Casino Continues to use SOPREMA Products for their Roof 

#3 -  Malarkey’s Industry-Leading Shingles Exemplify Their Longstanding Commitment to Sustainability 

#2 - SRS Announces 2021 IRE Concert  

#1 - We Remember and Support Our Heroes 

Get the top news each week in your inbox when you sign up for the Week in Review email newsletter.  

By Julissa Chavez, SRS Distribution.

Celebrations start this year on September 15 and run through October 15.

Did you know? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “The Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2019 is 60.6 million, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority. Hispanics constituted 18.5% of the nation’s total population. Ten states have over 1 million Hispanic residents: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York & Texas. The United States has the second largest population of Hispanic people in the world, second only to Mexico.” 

Hispanicheritagemonth.gov reports that, “Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. 

The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and later expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. The month long celebration became law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.”

September 15 signifies the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries, including Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica. Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16 and Chile celebrates on September 18. Columbus Day, also known as Día de la Raza, falls during Hispanic Heritage Month and is celebrated October 12.  

Besides the Hispanic Heritage Month website additional resources, including online events, can be found at the following locations:

• National Archives and Records Administration

• National Endowment for the Humanities

• National Park Service

• Smithsonian Education – Hispanic Heritage Month

It’s time to celebrate! Now that you know about this celebrated month, here are eight suggestions on how to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month:

1. Honor Hispanic People

2. Appreciate Hispanic Art

3. Read Hispanic Literature

4. Listen to the Music of Talented Hispanic Performers

5. Discover Hispanic-American History

6. Have Fun the Hispanic Way

7. Explore the Hispanic World

8. (and my favorite) Dine the Hispanic Way

Learn more about SRS Distribution in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory.

SRS teamed up with RoofersCoffeeShop to create this resource for their Latino members. Watch now.

SRS para Latinos presenta Roofer’s Coffee Shop.
En este video, nuestro objetivo es demonstrar los recursos disponibles para la comunidad Latina con la publicación digital Roofer’s Coffee Shop.