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430: How to Find A-Players for Your Roofing Business (And Stop Hiring the Wrong People)
Description
Summary / Intro
Most roofing contractors say the same thing:
“I just can’t find good people.”
But the real problem usually isn’t the labor market — it’s how you’re hiring.
In this episode, I’m joined by Paul Sandeman from Contractor Staffing Source to break down what it actually takes to attract, hire, and retain A-players in a roofing business. We talk about why most contractors hire out of desperation, why that cycle never works, and how to build a hiring system that brings in high-quality people consistently.
This isn’t about posting another job ad and hoping for the best. It’s about building a business that talented people want to work for — with clear roles, accountability, and leadership that doesn’t depend on the owner doing everything.
If you want a roofing company that runs without constant chaos, hiring right is not optional.
Show Notes
Hiring mistakes are one of the fastest ways to kill profit, culture, and momentum in a roofing business.
In this episode, Dave Sullivan sits down with Paul Sandeman of Contractor Staffing Source to explain why most roofing contractors struggle to find good people — and what to do instead. The conversation focuses on building a repeatable hiring system that attracts A-players rather than settling for whoever is available.
We cover why reactive hiring leads to turnover, burnout, and bad culture, and how proactive recruiting changes everything. Paul explains how top contractors think differently about hiring, including faster response times to applicants, better screening, and clearer expectations from day one.
This episode is especially important if you want a business that doesn’t rely on you personally — one that can grow, scale, or eventually be sold.
Key Takeaways
- Good people aren’t hard to find — good hiring systems are
- Hiring out of desperation almost always leads to costly mistakes
- A-players want clarity, structure, and leadership — not chaos
- You must always be recruiting, even when you’re “fully staffed”
- Strong culture and accountability attract better talent
- A business that depends on the owner can’t scale or be sold
Chapters
00:00 – Why Roofing Contractors Struggle to Hire
03:40 – The Real Cost of Bad Hires
08:15 – Why “Nobody Wants to Work” Is the Wrong Mindset
13:20 – What A-Players Actually Look For
18:45 – Building a Repeatable Hiring System
24:10 – Speed Matters: Responding to Applicants
30:05 – Screening, Assessments, and Fit
36:30 – Culture, Accountability, and Retention
43:15 – Hiring for a Business That Runs Without You
Links Referenced in This Episode
https://theroofercoach.com/resources
https://contractorstaffingsource.com
Companies Mentioned
Contractor Staffing Source
SMA Support
Proline
👉 Looking to build a roofing business that doesn’t rely on you?
Download the Roofing Business Success Audit at
theroofercoach.com/resources