This Month:
John Massarelli
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Beacon Roofing Supply

This Month:
John Massarelli
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Beacon Roofing Supply

The Book:
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

How did the book inspire you?
Shadow Divers is the true story of how two Americans risked everything to solve one of the last mysteries of WWII. The determination and effort demonstrated by the main characters was incredible. They risked their lives for something they truly believed in. The principles that one of the two main characters lived by are:

• If an undertaking was easy, someone else would have already done it.

• If you follow in another’s footsteps, you miss the problems really worth solving.

• Excellence is born of preparation, dedication, focus and tenacity; compromise on any of these and you become average.

• Examine everything; not all is as it seems or as people tell you.

• It is easiest to live with a decision if is it based on an earnest sense of right and wrong.

• The worst possible decision is to give up.



How did it make a difference at your company?

In business, things don’t always go your way. Adversity is sometimes a common issue, especially when you look at our economy right now. The adversity faced in this book was life threatening and quite daunting. By having extraordinary focus, passion for what they were doing and a disciplined work ethic they were able to overcome huge obstacles and achieve what they set out for.

The same is true for what we are facing right now as an industry. While it may not be life threatening in the literal sense, it is daunting in many respects. By focusing on the right things, having passion for what we are doing and working harder than we ever have before, we will keep improving and become a better company.