You have now survived two full years inside the COVID-19 bubble. The strange place where everyone in the world has been an unwilling participant in the same awful string of events. I can scarcely think of a single event or movement that has occurred in my lifetime that has had everyone participating in the same news story. Not just watching, not just keeping up with the news, but being in it; part of it.
As we emerge from the two-year winter of COVID, we likewise are emerging from this winter. And we all need a break.
This may seem a counterintuitive proposal at a time when many of you are getting back to work after the winter break. I think, however, that there has never been a time when serious “me time” is in order.
So, relax. Plan a trip to unwind. Even if itjust a weekend out of the surroundings you have been in for the past two years.
While you are there, or even if you just take a break at your local park or pub, remind yourself of all the good things about being a roofing contractor. There are plenty.
A quote (paraphrasing) from our good friend, Gregg Wallick, owner of Best Roofing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., comes to mind. Gregg says, “There will be another roof.” This isn’t just his laidback South Florida vibe – he believes there is little value in mourning a lost project. At most, step back and take a look at what might have worked better and get on to the next roof. There will always be another roof.
It will get better. The supply-chain disruptions of 2021, which continue today, may have been record-setting, but we have seen them before. The roofing industry has experienced raw materials shortages and whipsaw pricing before. And it always went away.
The roofing economy was impacted by COVID, but not as much as many other industries. The fallout from buildings going unused; the repurposing of commercial real estate; and the continuing construction of distribution space will fill in the gaps. Roofing continues to be recession resistant.
The lack of a sufficient workforce will continue to be a hassle, but there is an emergence of solutions on the horizon. The rebuilding of the trade-school system will be one of the things necessary to mend the workforce issue, and we are seeing signs of hope. The country seems to be awakening to the notion that everyone does not need a four-year university degree. Many are better suited to other work. Like skilled trades. Like roofing.
Still, there’s no lack of opportunities and challenges. But approaching them with a clear mind, as you would get from some relaxation, will yield solutions.
