Guest: Randy Hurtado, DT Roofing
Host: Jim Ahlin, Roofing Success Podcast
Links:
https://dtroofing.net
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC40CA_iIvloTsNSWEf2_lEA https://www.instagram.com/dt_roofingandconstruction https://www.facebook.com/DTRoofingandConstruction/
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Why Most Roofing Companies Get Stuck — And How to Break Through $5M
Most roofing companies hit a wall somewhere around $2M–$3M. The owner is doing everything, sales are inconsistent, and the business never truly grows beyond the “owner-operator” stage. But Randy Hurtado, CEO, leader, and now COO of The Good Contractor List, took a roofing company stuck at under $2M and scaled it to over $30M in roofing revenue — and nearly $50M across all DT Companies.
His story isn’t the typical “my dad was a roofer” background. In fact, Randy spent 20+ years as a computer and cybersecurity professional, even working with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. But when an unexpected layoff created an opening, he stepped into roofing and changed the direction of a company — and his life — forever.
This episode breaks down why most companies never crack $5M and how to build a scalable, profitable business that grows long after the owner steps away from the day-to-day.
Purpose: Understand What Business You’re Really In
Randy didn’t join DT Roofing to be a salesperson. He joined because he saw a bigger opportunity — the chance to build a real company, not just a job.
He noticed something immediately: roofing isn’t just construction. It’s a relationships business. “Relationships, relationships, relationships,” Randy says. That became the foundation of everything they built.
Instead of trying to look “flashy,” DT Roofing focused on trust, consistency, and involvement in the communities they served. Their brand wasn’t a bright truck or fancy slogan. It was showing up everywhere that mattered — churches, chambers, food banks, schools, charity projects, and small local businesses.
That purpose drove the company forward and created long-term loyalty money can’t buy.
People: The Hardest Shift for Owners—And the One That Unlocks Scale
Almost every roofing owner knows they need help… but few let go of control.
Randy realized something early: he had to quit roofing sales to grow the roofing company.
At the time, he made up half the revenue. His partner thought he was crazy. But Randy’s logic was simple:
“I can hire and train more salespeople and grow faster than I ever could selling on my own.”
So he stepped fully out of sales, built a team, and the company doubled the next year.
But here’s the twist: Randy didn’t hire roofing pros. Most of their top reps today never sold anything before roofing. One was a billboard installer. One was a radiology tech who got laid off during COVID.
Randy hires for integrity, character, and coachability, not industry experience.
Skill can be trained. Character can’t.
Product: Don’t Be “Everything Roofing & More”—Build Real Identity
One of the biggest reasons companies get stuck is lack of focus.
DT Roofing eventually expanded into gutters, remodeling, garage doors, and more — but each one became its own separate company with its own P&L and brand.
Why?
Because when homeowners see “Jim’s Roofing, Painting, Siding & Construction,” they don’t know what you actually do well. As Randy puts it:
“If we’re going to do a trade, it needs to be its own company. Identity matters.”
By building standalone brands under the DT Companies umbrella, Randy protected the roofing identity while launching new profitable ventures.
Promotion: Community Involvement Beats Every Lead Source You Can Buy
Most owners chase leads — HomeAdvisor, Angi, Facebook ads, Google ads, anything to make the phone ring.
Randy flipped the script.
He built his business on community first, marketing second. And when they launch a new market, their first move isn’t to run ads. It’s to find a local business and pour into it.
One great example: When they opened in Parker County, DT Roofing bought free malts for two hours at the local malt shop — the slowest day of the week. The turnout was massive. And it wasn’t the ice cream that mattered. It was the relationships.
Community involvement makes every other marketing channel hit harder because people already know, like, and trust you.
Prestige: Become the Company People Brag About Choosing
The more the DT team was seen in the community, the more they became the “trusted name” in every town they served. Awards followed. Reviews exploded. Referrals multiplied.
But Randy doubled down even more by partnering with The Good Contractor List — long before he later became its COO.
The Good Contractor List is the only directory that guarantees every job up to $25,000. That alone creates instant trust with homeowners.
“Homeowners aren’t choosing the best roofer. They’re choosing the least risk.”
The guarantee removes risk, so DT wins more deals — even against bigger competitors.
Process & Profit: The Real Reason Companies Stay Stuck Under $5M
According to Randy, it usually comes down to one of two problems:
1. Owners are doing too much.
They refuse to get out of sales, admin, production, supplements, accounting, and every other task. They become the bottleneck.
2. Owners aren’t doing enough.
They hire too soon, lead poorly, and avoid the hard things — training, accountability, process creation, and culture building.
To scale, you must either:
- Wear more hats (if you’re not grinding hard enough), or
- Take hats off (if you’re doing everything and drowning)
Either way, you have to be brutally honest with yourself.
Closing Reflection
Randy’s message is simple: you’re not stuck because the market is bad, your area is too competitive, or you don’t have the “right” team. You’re stuck because your business has outgrown the version of you that built it.
When you embrace leadership, build real relationships, hire for character, create clear identities, and actually work on the business — not in it — you stop being the reason your company is stuck.
And you become the reason it scales.
FAQs: Roofing Business Takeaways from This Episode
1. Topic: Operations-Management
Q: How do I know when it’s time to step out of roofing sales as the owner?
A: If you’re spending your nights doing supplements, ordering materials, managing production, and still trying to sell full-time, you’ve already hit the ceiling. Randy explains that the biggest unlock in scaling DT Roofing was stepping out of sales and training a team to take his place. When the owner stops being the top salesperson and starts being the leader, the company can finally grow beyond what one person can produce.
2. Topic: People (Education-Training)
Q: Should I hire experienced roofing salespeople or train from scratch?
A: Hire for character, not experience. Randy’s top performers came from completely different industries — radiology, billboard construction, IT — but shared integrity, work ethic, and coachability. Roofing skills can be trained quickly. Character cannot. This also helps protect your culture long-term.
3. Topic: Growth-Expansion
Q: What’s the right way to expand into a new market?
A: Don’t just “serve” a new city; set up a real presence. DT Roofing avoided the DFW metro and instead grew by opening satellite locations, joining local chambers, building local relationships, and assigning full-time reps to each territory. Expansion works when each market has dedicated people, identity, and community involvement.
4. Topic: Marketing
Q: What’s the most effective marketing strategy for roofers trying to grow?
A: Community involvement outperforms any paid ad channel. Sponsoring local schools, supporting nonprofits, partnering with small businesses, and offering value-first outreach builds reputation faster than digital ads alone. When a storm hits, the company with the strongest local relationships wins.
5. Topic: Sales
Q: How do I instantly build trust with homeowners during a sales appointment?
A: Certifications and reviews matter, but homeowners ultimately choose the contractor they trust most. Partnering with a trusted third party like The Good Contractor List — which backs every job with a $25,000 guarantee — reduces risk for the homeowner and dramatically increases close rates.
6. Topic: Operations-Management
Q: Should I run all trades under one company or separate them?
A: Separate them. If you offer roofing, gutters, painting, or garage doors under one brand, your identity gets diluted and your P&L becomes messy. By creating standalone companies with their own leadership and financials, you can track performance clearly and ensure each business is profitable on its own.
7. Topic: Growth-Expansion
Q: Why do so many roofing companies get stuck around $2M–$3M?
A: Because the owner becomes the bottleneck. They’re selling, supplementing, managing, hiring, and putting out fires. There’s no time to train people, build processes, or lead. Scaling past $5M requires shifting from doer to leader — and trusting others to take on meaningful responsibility.
8. Topic: Customer-Service
Q: How does community involvement actually help close roofing jobs?
A: When homeowners see you supporting schools, charities, local shops, and nonprofits, they feel connected to your brand. That connection builds emotional trust before the sales pitch even starts. When a storm hits, people call the roofer they already know — not the one with the newest billboard.
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