A roof serves as a protective barrier from weather conditions and adds aesthetic value to a house. Properly installed and insulated roofs can help improve energy efficiency by reducing heat loss and gain. Hence, having a roofing solution that keeps one protected is important.
Nick Branon, co-founder and CEO of Hero Roofing, is a person who has made a significant change in the roofing industry. Along with providing basic roofing solutions in residential and commercial areas, he provides a complete experience of services in roof rejuvenation, storm damage repair, gutter installation, skylights, and solar roofing. His aim to simplify the daunting roofing industry and provide transparency to his customers sets him apart.
Inspiration and Journey
Nick Branon was born and raised in Fayette and Coweta County, Georgia. He worked as a bartender and competed as a MMA fighter before working as a salesperson in a roofing company. While working there, he pondered over the process and noticed that it was purely transactional, which he didn’t like. There was no thought into how it may or may not truly help the homeowner. A desire to create a better way of doing business inspired him to start Hero Roofing.
He founded the company with his father Todd Branon in 2018 and won the titles of Best of Coweta & Best in Georgia in 2022, and 2023. Apart from being a CEO, he is also a certified GAF energy solar shingle contractor, a GutterGlovePro contractor, and a Velux skylights specialist. He also consults other businesses to help them navigate the complexities of the roofing industry.
One-Stop Roofing Solution
Hero Roofing is a family-owned roofing company that offers full-service roofing for both residential and commercial clients around Metro Atlanta. Its industry experience, unparalleled customer service, and reliable team are the factors that satisfy customers. It is not just a regular roofing company; it delivers a vast number of experienced services to provide a roof for a home. If someone is having an issue with their roof, Hero Roofing offers a detailed inspection so that they can completely understand the available options. The company also collaborates with GAF to provide Roof for Troops, a program that offers roofing rebates to active military members, veterans, and retirees.
The company aims to offer an experience based on customer service and integrity. The industry is historically transactional where the process is – call a customer, talk about damage on the roof, give an estimate, wait for insurance to approve or deny. With Hero Roofing, only about 25% of customers ever utilize their insurance company. This is because the company helps the customers by first listening to their roofing concerns. Then it thoroughly inspects the customer’s roof and shows the homeowners exactly what it finds. Once the customer can physically see the problem, the company helps them to determine the best course of action. With the company’s various financial alternatives, filing an insurance claim from the customer ranks low on their list of remedies.
Providing Exceptional Roofing Services
Hero Roofing is a certified installer of GAF’s HDZ, and UHDZ products, in addition to their newest offering, TimberSteel, a metal roofing system. It is an alternative to higher-priced standing seam panel roofing, and the company is a GAF Energy partner for their Solar Shingle roofing system. In addition to roofing, the company is also an installer for gutter systems and LeafGuard/LeafBlaster Pro gutter guard systems and is a proud installer of VELUX Skylights, including their Solar Skylights.
To keep Hero Roofing a step further in terms of its services, it focuses on consumer demand and internal skill set. It ‘stays in its lane’, when it comes to the work. It focuses primarily on roofing and refers the additional work to other contractors. This allows the company to focus on the newest and most innovative products in its scope of expertise and become the best at that.
Overcoming Challenges
For Nick Branon, being relevant in the saturated market and overcoming the stereotype was the biggest hurdle. The belief that anyone can be a roofer by having a ladder and truck needed to be challenged. Hero Roofing overcame that by offering an exceptional level of service and commitment. Its goal was to be the exception to the industry’s expectations. The company kept pushing and improving with each new client and will continue to do so.
Growth and Benchmarks
Hero Roofing was gaining stride when the devastating EF-4 tornado hit Newnan on March 25, 2021. At that time, Nick wasn’t thinking about growing the business. Along with his team and family, he went into the servant role for the community. That pivotal moment was when the community learned about Hero Roofing and its efforts and marked the company’s growth.
With growth comes change. Some things that were important in the beginning are not as much of a necessary metric now. Over time, the company has learned to prioritize what is most important for profitability. Nick Branon is a firm believer in supporting local businesses and the community as a whole. Hence, its important benchmarks are measured by how it gives back, both through sponsorship and by listening to the community when there are those in need.
Talent Development and Mentorship
Apart from Hero Roofing’s certified roofing services and skylight installation, its exceptional customer service sets it apart. Its team is friendly, knowledgeable, honest, committed, and responsive. They ensure that the work goes smoothly from beginning to end.
Talking about his team and developing talent in the company, Nick Branon says, “Sometimes understanding people is like herding cats. Having the best intentions is great, but allowing for the ups and downs is the most important part of growth with people.” There is no ‘one size fits all’ to identify a person. By being open and transparent with his team, and giving them the same opportunity, fosters and grows a truly collaborative environment. This encourages new ideas and suggestions based on individual experiences.
Mentorship is a key component of strong leadership and growth in any organization. Nick Branon mentions that, at Hero Roofing, mentorship is among everyone. In certain cases, it creates an organic environment for self-evaluation and growth. It offers guidance and direction toward the goals, but training and mentorship help everyone to stay on the same path of success.
Being Innovative and Risk-taking
Nick Branon mentions that staying innovative and competitive is a daily workout. He has to remain focused but also be flexible to move with market trends and technology. He and his team constantly train, educate, and adapt. This helps them to offer and install the newest products from GAF. Because of this, the company is at the forefront of new product launches as a preferred installer and is part of their Master-Elite and President’s Club installer group. Being in those exclusive arenas allows it to offer services and warranties that are unattainable to other roofing contractors.
To balance innovation and risk-taking with stability and profitability, Nick Branon relies on the saying, “There is a difference in being a risk taker, and being a riverboat gambler.” The company takes a calculated look at market trends, innovation, and competition in the market by seeing it through the eyes of its team and the consumer. By doing so, and allowing the grassroots mindset to keep them grounded, they can be flexible enough to make quick adjustments. But also firm enough to hold the position concerning internal investments for improvements, such as technology or hiring new talent.
Use of Technology
Various applications and software systems help Hero Roofing better serve its customers. By employing Customer Resource Management (CRM) software, it becomes possible to effectively manage and update correspondence and notes related to each customer’s process. These applications and software enable communication with customers and monitor their experience. This helps ensure that the services provided meet their promised standards.
Empowering Others With the Power of Ownership
Nick Branon believes in Servant Leadership – taking ownership of the process from the beginning, as a sales representative to the management/ownership level. By creating an environment and culture that is “ownership” driven, each team member takes responsibility for their actions, operations, and the customer’s experience. They keep an open and collaborative environment where everyone can rely on each other for support and communication. It’s not always perfect, but it is organic and the ebb and flow of the interactions allow them to stay largely on the side of success and accountability.
