Take a listen to the Executive Leaders Radio podcast episode about finding a way to win through trust, resilience and emotional intelligence in business. On this episode you’ll hear from Christian Boyer, who’s the partner of TurnDial, Brian Carney, who’s the CEO of RiversEdge Advisors, Jake Cohen, managing shareholder for J.Coen CPAs and Advisors, and our own Kevin O’Donnell, president of O’Donnell Roofing. Below is the transcript of Kevin’s portion of the interview.
We’re back, you’re listening to Executive Leaders Radio. This is your host, Herb Cohen. Let’s get to know Kevin O’Donnell, president of O’Donnell Roofing.
Kevin, what is O’Donnell Roofing? What are you guys up to?
So, O’Donnell Roofing Co. is a 100-year-old full-service commercial and residential roofing contractor.
Gotcha, where you’re from, how many brothers and sisters, and where are you in the pecking order?
So, I’m from Havertown, Pennsylvania. I’m the youngest of three. I have two older sisters.
Eight to fourteen, what’s that list look like? Where were you up to eight to fourteen?
Just like many others, a lot of sports. My mom was focusing me hard on school and homework and good grades. Started working for my father as much as I could and just kind of running amok in the neighborhood.
How young were you when you started working with your dad doing roofing stuff? How young were you?
So my mom caught me going up a ladder when I was two years old when we were building an addition on our house. But as far as making money, I think it was 11, 12 years old.
But didn’t that sort of stink your dad’s like, you’re going to work with your dad, your friends are out playing.
It was fine. It didn’t bother me. I’d actually bring one of my friends with me during the summer.
And we made money.
So you like working. You like work. Jim, you want to give me a hand with Kevin, please?
Yeah, Kevin, you told us in the green room that any chance you got to go on job sites with your dad, you were making money, but it wasn’t about the money. What was it that your father was doing that made you want to go with him to work?
And what do you take from him to work every day?
So his slogan for the company at that time was the problem solvers. So when we would show up to a job, we’d have to analyze the situation and then create and find a solution and implement.
So it was about the challenge. What do you take from mom to work every day?
Well, she instilled a lot of discipline in me. So we were very strict. I wasn’t allowed to watch TV during the week.
It was all about homework and good grades. And I value that now very much.
Chuck?
Kevin, stay with the business. Fourth generation now, which is amazing. You went from when you got involved from four employees to 130.
So tell me about that. Was that you? Was that the industry?
Is that, what’s about that growth trajectory?
A little bit of both. So there was definitely a gap in the industry at that time, about 15 years ago, of high quality roofing contractors. There’s a lot of demand.
And with myself, I love challenges. I’m a people person. I’m very good at sales and communication.
And I love building things. Ari?
Kevin, I’m not surprised you climbed the ladder when you were 11, I think, because it seems like you’re a big picture guy. You like that view from the rooftop. Unpack that for me.
What does having that big picture, big perspective do for your business?
Yeah, I think it helps in taking me out of the day to day. There’s always more. And I remind myself every day, I’m so used to working in this small radius that the world is so much bigger.
And I think there’s just so much more to accomplish than just what you may think with a local smaller company. I just think there’s way more out there.
And you have other businesses you’re also pursuing, right?
Yes, yes. So I have O’Donnell Solar is my solar company. I have a partner with that.
We’ve been doing solar since 2006, but formerly incorporated a couple of years ago. And I also develop real estate.
Harrison.
Yeah, Kevin. Yeah, so I’m curious, what is it, being the youngest of three, especially with two older sisters, what qualities and what did you bring from being that youngest person that helps translate to running the business today?
Yeah. So again, we were very, you know, disciplined house and like good grades were just expected, right? So I kind of think as the youngest, I always wanted to prove myself and I was always looking for things to do to prove myself to my parents and to myself.
And I think I carry that with me as an adult and we’ll always, you know, just want to keep growing as an individual.
Bill?
So, Kevin, it sounds like you learned a lot from your father growing up in this business, but at the same time, you’ve really been able to take this to, you know, north of 130 employees and multiple different business lines. What enables you to focus on working on the business and as much as so much inside the business and to be able to grow?
The education my father gave me and my further education of the industry and all, you know, the material applications and such, just maybe just more diverse in my service offerings. And again, I could fill voids in the different segments of this industry. And, you know, I’m big on, you know, communication and team building and networking.
And I think everything just kind of fell into place for me. And once I saw that it was doable and I saw the results, I just kept my foot on the gas.
Jake?
Yeah, Kevin. So, yeah, the growth, obviously, of your company is amazing. And it’s also great that you have these other businesses.
You know, what do you see for the future of the next five, 10 years? Do you have other business ventures you’d like to start in different areas outside roofing and real estate or solar, or do you think you’ll be focusing on what you have currently going on now?
I think for the next five years, I’m definitely going to focus hard on what I have going on now. I still think there’s a lot of inefficiencies in what we do, right? I’m always trying to perfect and make my business better.
But I also, the goal is to expand into three other states. And within the next five years, in ten years, we’ll see where we’re at. I have financial goals, but I would like to spend more time with the family.
Obviously, work takes a lot out of you. So there’s a lot going on. But growth as an individual and my businesses.
Kevin, growing up, you mentioned not only working with your father, but you found time to teach yourself the guitar.
So you found time for hobbies.
How important is that work-life balance for you?
It is important. It’s hard to create that balance when you have as much going on as I do. That’s also part of the reason why I don’t want to get into too many different things over the next five years.
So I’m at a point now where I just want to make more time for families. My kids get older, I’m realizing they’re not getting any younger. So getting back to that balance is a high priority for me.
Mr. Zwicker, what else are you thinking here?
Kevin, a 100-year business, fourth generation, is there pressure or expectation to make it a fifth generation business?”
No, it’s funny you say that. I’m not sure it would be my son, but it may be my daughter and there’s no pressure. It’s up to them.
It’s part of why I’m doing what I’m doing to build a company, to ensure their financial security. And I take a lot of that burden on just in the world we live in. I feel like I’m the guy that can make it happen.
So that’s what I want to do. But yeah, there’s no pressure.
So what would your employees tell me if I asked them about you as a leader?
Oh, yeah, they’re going, you know, I don’t I’m a leader, but I kind of I’ve done all of their jobs. Right. So, you know, I’m big on creating this culture in my office where, you know, it’s not I’m not working.
They don’t work for me. They work with me. And, you know, I think just that mentality is really what’s helped propel the growth of the company.”
Well, the how young were you when you were drive began to show up? How young were you when this drive began to show up?
Yeah, I mean, I was always conscious of, you know, having a good time and hanging out with friends. So it was always in me. But, you know, as I said, 12, 13 years old, as soon as I was making $375 a week working for my dad, it was amazing back in 1997 or whatever it was.
So, you know, right then and there, it definitely was ingrained in my head to work hard. I mean, that’s really what it comes down to.
And I guess, you know, you had a lot of money as a kid. I guess you ended up buying fancy cars in the biggest house in the neighborhood and stuff like that, right?
Mm-hmm, man, not quite. I reinvest heavily back into my business and I try to, you know, I’m conservative with my money. And, you know, it’s not about, you know, it’s not about lavish things.
It’s about just, you know, building security and building a business.
So your money, you don’t buy yourself fancy boats, houses and cars. You reinvest in the business. It’s about building safety and security for the family is really what your focus is, huh?
That’s correct.
So you don’t buy the brand name clothes and all that other stuff. That’s not important to you.
No, this shirt is probably 12 years old.
Uh huh. And the effect of your wife on you?
So she and I are kind of polar opposites in the sense of business. She’s very much risk averse and I’m more calculated risk. Um, so she, she grounds me in my decision making and I’m always giving it that, that one last thought before I make a big decision.
What’s the website address of O’Donnell Roofing?
It is odonnellroofingco.com.
That’s odonnellroofingco.com.
We’ve been speaking with Kevin O’Donnell, president of O’Donnell Roofing, here on Executive Leaders Radio. Chuck, could you give me a rundown of who we’ve had on the air today, please?
Yeah, heard we’ve had a great show today with Christian Boyer, who’s the partner of TurnDial, Brian Carney, who’s the CEO of RiversEdge Advisors, Jake Cohen, managing shareholder for J.Coen CPAs and Advisors, and Kevin O’Donnell, president of O’Donnell Roofing.
