Tonight’s Special Guest: Josh Gless from iRoofing virtually joined us for Episode 153!
Episode 153 of Behind the Toolbelt starts with some banter regarding making our guests come into the office live because of the synergy that’s created when everyone is in person. Chris Baker, Co host, recalls first meeting Josh at Roofcon 2 years ago because of what they were handing out at the iRoofing booth. The team at iRoofing were handing out dinosaur stickers and shirts with their branding on them, and the reason why is quite intriguing.
Josh from iRoofing mentions he loves dinosaurs and the meaning behind the dinosaur stickers and branding was to “Never go extinct like the dinosaurs” – Josh Gless, iRoofing. Josh mentions dinosaurs are kind of like their mascot now, and how ferocious a T-Rex could be. Josh continues to say that he attempts to hire individuals that are as ferocious as a T-Rex because the system iRoofing itself is ferocious!
Ty and Chris both agree with Josh after understanding the meaning behind it, the visuals, and the attitude behind the company and brand. Ty then inquired further about what iRoofing actually is and does. “iRoofing is an all in one sales tool for roofing professionals” Remarked Josh. The application allows for several features such as Roof measurements, Roof visualizer, Instant Roofing estimate, Digital Pitch Book, Digital Catalogs, Order Materials, create digital contracts, and enter data.
Josh continues that the application is a fantastic tool for any sales professional due to its ease of use and multitude of functions built within the platform. From end to end, you can complete your process within iRoofing. Ordering measurements, building an estimate, then getting a digital contract signed on the spot creates an opportunity for the sales representative to spend less time on their apps, and more time with the customer closing the deal.
Ty agrees it sounds like it helps the teams using iRoofing as a one stop shop and streamline the process. Josh discusses they have both a web version and a mobile version, however he prefers to use the iPad with the mobile version as it allows for the most professional appeal to the homeowner. Josh continues to explain and role play what the process would look like from when a homeowner calls in or you meet in person, and you’re able to sketch it out on the spot. From here, you can schedule an appointment with the homeowner. When you arrive at the location you can measure just one portion of the property and the system will recalculate the measurements to their exact numbers. The app allows you to put together a visualizer showing the homeowners what their new property will look like. “If you can visualize, you can materialize” – Josh Gless, iRoofing. What is unique is how you can change the different manufacturers and products and the visualizer will change all of this on the spot, even giving the ability to change colors. Josh speaks on the new Mavik III that came out which is a state of the art roofing drone that allows for specific locationing on any roof issues without even having to step on the roof.
Both hosts agree how cool all of this is, and Ty recalls when he met Josh and the team several years ago. He asks how long iRoofing has been around, and Josh replies they’ve been around since 2012 and are at their 10 year anniversary. Josh goes on to explain that this proves the efficacy of iRoofing and the thousands of users who’ve found success with the product over the years.
Josh reveals that since an early age he has been introduced to the construction industry through his father. While in highschool he was even responsible for up to 5 crews! At 18 he wanted to be a smokejumper, which is someone who jumps out of airplanes into the middle of forest fires. Before going through the process, Josh blew out his knee, making him unfortunately able to be a smokejumper. After this Josh moved down to Brazil for a little while due to his daughter’s mother having cancer. Upon coming back he started working with a friend at a startup similar to a CRM which taught him about big data and why it’s so important to implement data into your process.
Josh then moved to Florida and got back into construction, where he was facing issues with his partner taking all the money and running away. Where Josh was located in Florida was close to hurricane Irma, and due to the storm his electrical went out from a surge which burnt down his home, this then sparked a thought in Josh’s mind to move forward in the industry. Once Josh found iRoofing, he found what he was looking for: a tool that bridged the gap between construction and software while allowing him to help people out.
“Speaking of giving back” Ty inquires, “where did you learn that from” he asked. Josh replied he was an Eaglescout and that his grandparents instilled these values in him. He currently works to instill these ideas, values and morals into his daughter. Being a good, honest person and showing integrity is rare in today’s society.
Ty felt this would be a great segway into a topic about where the world is these days, and how good people are still out there. Ty mentioned that we are all about giving back to the community and he’s always curious about hearing why others do what they do. Ty mentioned that he attempts to be the best person he can be each day and as a leader suffering from anxiety and stress while still leading by example can be a difficult situation. Ty then mentions how he thanks God every day, not to make this a religious blog, but each morning Ty thanks God for his blessings and the ability to be a better person each day.
Josh agrees and mentions how when his home burned down, he literally lost everything and wasn’t sure what he was going to do. If it weren’t for the people in his life, Josh wouldn’t be where he is today. Josh then mentions his connection with God or spirituality and how that’s helpful when dealing with certain situations by being able to ask for help.
Josh mentions he has two daughters, and his wish for them is to feel and show love the same way he does. He works hard to be a positive role model and show his daughters the right way to be a human being and care for others as you care for yourself. Ty then mentions the 21 Turkey Salute and is able to relate with not only gratitude but humility and the gracious feeling from helping others regardless how exhausted he feels.
The trio then discuss stress and how that contributes to mixed emotions and feelings which can rub off on others, and mentions how important it is to separate the two when it comes to business. Josh then offers if anyone needs to call and talk to reach out. Ty then discusses the approaching holidays and how he started some of his Christmas shopping to help reduce the stress level associated with the holidays. Ty discusses his upcoming trips to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City while navigating the holiday season.
Josh remarks he loves Utah and Ty embraces Salt Lake mentioning he’s looking forward to visiting the city. Multiple upcoming events are approaching, all that Ty and company will be a part of. Josh remarks he loves the conferences but it’s tough to decide which ones you go to and get work home completed at the same time. The great thing about conferences is how you can network with contractors and vendors from all across the nation. Josh mentions that even if a customer isn’t a good fit for iRoofing, there are multiple other companies they can utilize. The problem is contractors just are not aware of the software solutions available to them.
After a brief discussion about technology and facebook, the team talks about the major role technology plays in the day to day process. Specifically how facebook keeps everyone connected and allows us to learn new things within the industry by joining the facebook groups dedicated to roofing and our trades. Josh reminisces about Myspace, and the team have a quick talk about the end of myspace and talk about the transition to facebook as a social media empire.
Ty then speaks with Josh about the locations he is traveling to. Josh talks about his upcoming trip to Las Vegas and what he will be doing out there. He mentions underprivileged youth and the younger generation are integral to society, and his mission in Vegas is to come together with the leaders of the company and strategize a way to bring the trade to youth and introduce them to the exciting world of trade work. Ty mentions we are involved with a program called Workforce Now which helps highschool students get into tradework. The idea behind construction is swinging a hammer, but so much more comes into construction that is on the much higher end and has nothing to do with actual production. One example is the podcast we host Behind the Toolbelt and having a member of our team dedicated to technology and system processes.
Discussing a college degree and comparing that to real life street smarts and education can’t be taught in school. Personal experience and in the field training truly allows an individual to learn what they need to learn and ultimately perfect it. Josh mentions how iRoofing can help with this by simplifying the process using drones plus other technology available that can expedite the process and allow for anyone to sell a roof and build a career from it.
Ty, Chris, and Josh all agree that a great life can be built from construction, but the average tradesman is only lasting until about 55 years old which is a scary statistic. This raises questions for the future of tradesmen and how to avoid anything preventing a tradesman from continuing beyond the age a statistic shows.
Ty jokes about having ADHD as a kid and how he didnt do well in school but always good with his hands and hand eye coordination. Those were his outlets. Fortunately his grandfather and his dad are all excellent craftsmen, so this is in his blood. This is partly why Ty and the TC Backer Construction team do what they can to get the youth interested in trade work and let them know a career can be built from working trades.
Ty embarks on an emotional journey regarding how every weekend he was put to work by his father doing something on the house. It got to the point where his friends even knew that Ty would be locked in working on another project. At one point, Ty resented his father for this but is now grateful for everything he has learned and been able to pass down into his company and values today. Ty says at 77 his pops is still a beast and making things happen on a daily basis. “I feel that there might be other kids out there like me” replies Ty, and his goal is to help steer them in the right direction so they continue to better themselves and become successful.
The team isn’t trashing on having a college degree because it shows perseverance and the ability to stick with something. Chris Baker then mentions he went to college as an adult and can understand and appreciate the grind it takes to achieve a college education. Josh replies that a college degree will definitely help you out in life and in your career, but sometimes people just don’t have the option or opportunity to go to college or continue their education. “You have to keep going, you can’t ever stop” – Josh, iRoofing. Josh credits his great team at iRoofing and without them he wouldn’t be able to put all of these ideas together and make them a reality. Ty and Chris both agree that team is everything.
Ty and Chris discuss how they hire the youth to give them opportunities and grow internally and externally as well. This is one of the many ways TC Backer Construction gives back to the youth within the community. By giving responsibility and trust to younger generations, it teaches them how to work hard and respect the work they complete. The digital world we live in today teaches a fake reality, so being able to provide the real life experience helps the youth working with us find a place they fit in and what motivates them.
Understanding how to motivate and drive the person you’re dealing with is how to get the most success out of the individuals you’re working with. This is a practice at TC Backer Construction that we attempt to practice every single day. Josh agrees with the team and mentions he looks forward to getting with the team after the event to discuss some future opportunities and areas of growth. Once again, gratitude for the community tends to be a common theme here at TC Backer Construction. To close, Chris Baker asks his question he always likes to close with: “Being a successful leader of your team, what motivates you not only to show up every day, but also what motivates you to perform at the high level you do”. Josh replies “Belief”, and by belief he mentions that he believes in the people around him and how people need to feel believed in. Not many people have that support system of belief, and Josh likes to instill that belief and passion that they will be the first one to go to battle for them. He believes more is out there then what he is accomplishing already, and believes in building those up around him to do more and be better. Ty replies how great it is he found his purpose, and concludes episode 153. Make sure you give us a follow on our youtube channel Behind the Toolbelt for alerts on upcoming podcasts and much more!