Curt Boyd is president and Suzan Boyd is vice president of Academy Roofing Inc. in Aurora, Colo. The husband and wife team founded their company in 1980, and it was Roofing Contractor’s Residential Contractor of the Year in 2008. Theirs is a success story, but the heart of their session at Best of Success was a cautionary tale. “Things I Wish I Knew When Starting My Business” was designed to show prospective business owners pitfalls to avoid.
When they started their company, the Boyds were just 25 and 27 years old, they had limited business background, no business plan and very little capital. On the plus side, Curt had roofing knowledge he had gained at reputable companies, and Suzan had a lot of administrative knowledge, so they made a good team. They also had a conservative attitude about money. Another thing they had going for them? “Failure was not an option,” said Suzan. “We’re both can-do people.”