Although he entered the roofing distribution industry with skills and experience gained from working at big-box stores, Pablo Gonzalez admits it wasn’t easy transitioning into the industry.

Even so, it only took him a week to fall in love with it.

“What I love about this industry is that there really is no two days that are alike,” he said. “Every day presents different challenges.”

For Gonzalez, it’s those daily challenges that have forged him into a capable branch manager in one of the toughest markets in the country: Miami-Dade in Florida. With the right people at his side and an intimate understanding of the area’s culture, he is setting up QXO and its customers to succeed in a coding-heavy region.

Taking a Risk

Gonzalez worked at the Home Depot for nine years, growing from a freight team associate to a merchandising assistant store manager. In 2014, he went to work for “the competition” as a sales manager at Lowe’s.

 In 2018, he received a call from a recruiter looking to hire someone for a position within roofing distribution. With a wife and 8-month-old son to care for, he had a decision to make: keep his current position, secure in his knowledge, or take a chance in an industry he knew nothing about but promised greener pastures?

“I knew it would be putting me to the test because I would be getting out of my comfort zone, but I’m glad I took that risk,” he said.

He joined QXO (then Beacon), becoming the branch manager of QXO’s Homestead location in southeast Florida. Despite his lack of roofing experience, his degree in business and his previous roles equipped him with the skills needed to thrive. However, learning about the industry didn’t happen overnight.

He needed time to acclimate to not just the industry itself, but the team and the intricacies involved in distribution. He said he was fortunate that he worked with multiple experienced professionals in his branch, which made the transition easier.

“We have to be able to get everybody to pull in the same direction, so at the end of the day, our people are our most important asset,” he said.

In that regard, he said roofing is a people-first business. Whether it’s the employees you surround yourself with or interacting with customers, he emphasizes the importance of working together to achieve like-minded goals.

“I had a lot riding on it, and failure was not an option, so I was going to do everything in my power to be as successful as possible and utilize every tool at my disposal, whether it was a textbook, an e-learning course, or the most valuable asset again, right? People,” he said.

True to form, he said in addition to the daily challenges that inspire growth, one of the best parts of the job is working with customers and building relationships.

“You get a new contractor that walks into your showroom or to your office, hit them up at the counter, introduce yourself and get to know what they do and how they got to where they're at,” he said. “You'll be surprised what you find out from contractors. They’ll give you a lot of market intel.”

A Perfect Storm

As most people in the industry know, the Miami-Dade area is one of the strictest counties when it comes to regulations and materials. This is due to being in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, which calls for some of the most advanced code requirements of the Florida Building Code. In fact, manufacturers proudly boast when their products receive Miami-Dade approval.

Gonzalez said this can be a challenge, but being in it daily means they can steer contractors in the right direction. For example, they work closely with customers to ensure they’re using roofing systems that will serve them best, even if it’s not what they initially desired.

“We adapt every single day. You’re put in a position where we have to adapt,” he said. “The changes that happen to our industry, there are approvals that go away, there are issues that we don’t anticipate happening. Sometimes we do anticipate, and you get ahead of them.”

One of the most recent factors in shaking up business in the Homestead is QXO’s acquisition of Beacon. Gonzalez acknowledged that new ownership comes with new goals and challenges, but has been impressed by the aspirations QXO CEO Brad Jacobs has set to turn it into a $50 billion company.

“It’s great to be comfortable in being uncomfortable,” he said. “I like the vision, I like what has been told to us … the technology platform alone QXO presented to us and is looking to implement, I think it’s going to set us apart.”

On top of new operating procedures and working in Miami-Dade’s strict coding, the region is a melting pot of cultures, only adding to the complexity of the market. As Gonzalez notes, he is of mixed heritage — his father was an immigrant from Cuba, and his mother immigrated from Chile.

“I have a very diverse background. That odd pairing doesn’t happen here much in Miami,” he said with a chuckle. “But we do cater to a large Hispanic demographic, and I think we’ve made leaps and bounds in how we communicate, how we provide information to our contractors, and in turn, that has drawn more professionals like myself into this business.”

Gonzalez attributes clear and consistent communication as the secret weapon to succeeding. To that end, he said having staff members who not only speak the language of their customers but also understand their plights gives them an edge.

“I think we’ve made it a concerted effort as a company to lead from the front and put people in the right positions,” he said.

He said the industry’s continued support of Hispanic and Latino roofing professionals has been refreshing, and he believes it will pay dividends in the future. Despite the extra efforts, he labeled the industry as being “untapped,” and hopes companies continue showcasing the opportunities available to Hispanic workers.

For his part, he encourages anyone from these communities interested in roofing to join the industry.

“I tell them to do it. I tell them it’s a very challenging industry, but it’s also fulfilling,” he said. “Specifically, the first example that I’m seeing here for me, is that you’re gonna get what you put into this.

“Once you get in it, you’re in it,” he added. “It’s very fulfilling.”

Outside of the fulfillment his career provides, Gonzalez said his family is a top priority. His parents live only two miles away, making it easy to visit, and he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, the latter of whom shares interests in pro-wrestling and other sports with his father.

With both Gonzalez and his wife working and parenting, he said her practice of planning date nights ensures quality time for them.

“My wife is the backbone of our family, and if it were up to me, I’d say two words altogether: she really is the ‘driving force,’” Gonzalez said. “She established this habit for us, and it’s awesome.”