Though they have always played an essential role in the industry, Latinos in roofing have recently been receiving the recognition and support they deserve from some of today’s biggest manufacturers and distributors.

It’s something Paul Salamanca, CEO of Preferred Roofing Supply in the Atlanta area, is glad to see — especially since his business has specifically been supporting Latino contractors for years.

“A lot of the big suppliers are seeing the shift in the roofing game and are implementing more Spanish speakers, but we were able to create a market and capture that market 11 years in advance while they were seeing it as ‘Ah, nah, whatever, it’s not gonna last, it’s gonna die out,’” he said.

By serving the Latino community, the community has returned the favor, helping Preferred Roofing Supply grow to three locations that serve the vast majority of the Peach State.

Trial by Fuego

In a delightfully candid conversation with Salamanca, he was quick to say that he and his wife, Daniela, had no prior roofing experience when they formed Preferred Roofing Supply. They attended Georgia State University together, where Paul aspired to become an attorney while Daniela wanted to earn a master’s degree and work for UNICEF.

Daniela’s father, a tool repairman, saw a need for a company to serve the Latino community. When Daniela and Paul graduated in May 2013 — Daniela with a degree in political science and Paul with a degree in marketing — he presented the idea to them. He described it as a side hustle to the tool repair shop, Paul said, so the couple decided to help out where they could.

Paul, now 33, has wanted to be an entrepreneur since watching his uncle open up stores as a kid. He witnessed the power of not only owning a business but also the impact of serving the Latino community. By October 2013, Paul and Daniela took a hard look at the fledgling business and decided to take it to the next level, officially forming Preferred Roofing Supply.

“We literally sketched up a business plan, presented it to Pops, and made it an official LLC and started rolling the ball from there,” he said. “We were never roofers, none of us, but we knew there was a need for a Latin market; there was a big opportunity there to cater to this niche of clients that were being underserved.”

As Paul tells it, they started with a 5,000-square-foot warehouse, which they realized in hindsight was not enough space. They also didn’t accommodate the need for material deliveries, let alone a forklift to move pallets of materials.

“We started with a pallet jack. Turns out, the pallet jack can’t even pick up a pallet of shingles,” he said with a chuckle. “No one was there to guide us.”

As they learned the ropes, they bought a box truck, with Paul delivering materials while Daniela handled sales. After two years, they upgraded to a flatbed truck with loading machinery, and the two swapped roles, with Daniela delivering and Paul on sales.

Daniela now serves as CFO of the company. When asked what it’s like working with a business partner who is also your spouse, Paul spoke fondly of his other half.

“Our bond is stronger than, I feel, any couple out there. We’re like two peas in a pod,” he said. “We’re on the same mission. We know that if ‘hey, he can’t make it to dinner tonight, it’s because he’s on a mission.’ We understand our priority is to become a multi-million-dollar company [so] we have to sacrifice the same things.”

Paul continued, “Obviously, in the beginning, it’s hard because you’ve got to learn each other’s strengths and how to cope with the stress, but once you get that down pat, it’s a smooth ride. I wouldn’t be here without her, and vice versa.”

Daniela and Paul Salamanca celebrating their company's 10th anniversary in 2023.

Their tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit are prevalent throughout the Latino workforce, and this further enhanced relationships with their customers, who saw them working as hard as they did. This is evident by the fact that Preferred Roofing Supply’s hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

“We started working longer than [other distributors],” Salamanca said. “We work on weekends, they don’t. We started doing a lot of different things because we understand our people. We like to work hard, man. You give us eight days a week, and we’re going to work eight days a week! We understand how the culture, the community works.”

He said lacking the knowledge of which product lines to sell initially stymied their growth, so they often turned to their customers to find out what they wanted. Nowadays, they offer roofing products from nearly every major manufacturer alongside siding, nails, fasteners and tools.

The tenacity has paid off. Preferred Roofing Supply has a 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Tucker — its headquarters — as well as Jonesboro and Smyrna and plans to open a fourth location this year. As the company expanded, so did its staff. Leadership positions were established, warehouse operations were in place, and CDL drivers were transporting goods throughout Georgia.

Preferred Roofing Supply has even found the camaraderie and mentorship it was missing. For the past two years, the company has been a member of NEMEON, a purchasing cooperative of more than 120 independent distributors.

“It’s been great joining NEMEON,” Paul said. “If I have any questions, I’m sure I can reach out to them, and they will help me out … Mr. Dale O’Donnell [NEMEON president and CEO] has been great, man. He’s really the reason why we renewed; he’s very hands-on and helpful in making sure we’re taken care of.”

Supporting Latino Contractors and Beyond

Having been in the Latino roofing community for as long as he has, I asked Paul for his observations. He said when Preferred Roofing Supply launched, Latin roofers primarily worked as subcontractors. There were few if any, business owners. He said this only further widened the gap between distributors and contractors, as few companies spoke Spanish to offer them support.

“[Latinos] didn't have a place where they felt comfortable and negotiating, talking to them, treating them like they're the biggest guy ever, making them feel at home,” he said.

He said the trend of Latino workers becoming business owners has further grown in recent years, with many first-generation Americans or children of immigrants taking control of their destiny.

“Now they're doing the sales, and they're hiring the subs that are Latino as well. So it's becoming Latino full circle,” he said. “That’s a big shift I’m seeing now, and I’m sure a lot of the suppliers are seeing it too.”

Employees with Preferred Roofing Supply celebrating roofing and their company.

Much like the Salamancas had to learn business practices independently, Latino contractors don’t necessarily have the same readily accessible resources for properly running a business as their native English-speaking counterparts. Preferred Roofing Supply closes that gap by offering Spanish-speaking customers assistance with insurance paperwork and sample contracts.

The company also hosts monthly seminars free to their customers, bringing in industry experts to teach best practices and speak on important topics like managing cash flow.

“I’m doing a lot of things that no one had done in this industry,” he said.

In addition, Preferred Roofing Supply funds the Salamanca Scholarship at Georgia State University, which supports students who have declared a major in entrepreneurship or demonstrate an interest in the subject. Recipients must be first-generation college students and demonstrate leadership in service to the Hispanic community.

“I’ve been blessed enough where it’s like, now it’s my turn to bless others,” he said.

One of the other major trends in the roofing industry Paul commented on was consolidation. While it’s red hot on the contractor side, distributors are still looking to expand operations, such as Home Depot’s acquisition of SRS Distribution or Gulfeagle Supply acquiring Elite Roofing Supply. Salamanca offered a response to those who might be interested in acquiring Preferred Roofing Supply.

“If [anyone] wants to buy Paul out, pay him well,” he said, laughed. “Let it be known.”

He said that, at the end of the day, it’s all about taking care of families, whether it’s your own or the families of your customers. Along with the company’s growth, the Salamanca family is growing — Paul and Daniela have an 18-month-old son, and they’re proud that they’ve worked so hard to give him a good future.

“The biggest lesson in life is you can’t lose unless you quit. I’ve been through lawsuits, accidents, workers’ comp claims, everything you could imagine. I could’ve quit but never did, so I’m still winning,” he said. “Just because one bad day or 10 bad things happen, keep going; you’re going to win again.”