Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report Marketing, Lead Generation, In-Home Sales, Installation, Referral Maximization

Need Young Talent? It’s Not Always About the Money

Issue #78 | July 5, 2017 | Seth Heckaman


natalieMeet Natalie, a barista friend who bought a tiny house, left our town and moved 80 miles away to work for another coffee shop; a lateral move with no assurance of higher pay, better benefits, or job security.

She’s great at what she does and has tremendous coffee expertise. Not only has she served as a barista, but also as a certified trainer, manager, and roaster. Her combination of people skills with technical expertise make her a valuable asset to her company. She could’ve procured a higher paying position almost anywhere, which begs the question:

Why did she pack her bags, purchase a home, and transition to a job with similar pay, lower employee status, and zero benefits?

She moved because she wanted to become a part of something bigger than just serving coffee. She wanted to play an active part in maximizing the impact she leaves on others. She wanted to join a company that cared just as much about compassion and care as profit margin and productivity. The Covington, Kentucky-based company she joined is called Carabello Coffee, and you can read their company story below (which is strategically placed on each bag of fresh-roasted coffee):

A Philanthropic Craft Coffee Roasting Company: Coffee and Compassion in Tandem

Before you ever enjoy your cup of coffee, take a moment and imagine how that steaming mug of deliciousness could benefit other people. Yes, that’s heavy stuff so early in the morning, but that’s how Carabello Coffee was born.

In 2009, we took our love of coffee and formed a philanthropic coffee roasting company. The idea was simple, but it totally rocked our world: Start a company that would source exceptional coffee, craft roast it in small batches, sell it to coffee lovers like you and then invest the profits in coffee growing communities.

So we purchased eight pounds of coffee, bought a one pound roaster and started doing just that. We then invested our proceeds in an orphanage in Nicaragua.

Today, that commitment continues on a much broader scale because of caring, coffee-loving folks like you. Thank you for being a part of the Carabello Coffee story. Now get back to that cup of coffee of yours!

If there’s one struggle I’ve repeatedly heard from our dealers recently, it is the need for good, dependable help, especially with installation. Some of you are working on procuring new, young talent right now. Some of you have tried and given up. Some of you haven’t needed to hang the “Help Wanted” sign on the door…at least not yet.

One thing we’re learning is that younger people are looking to join companies that aren’t merely about installing roofs but making a larger impact on society; opportunities to make a difference in communities by joining companies that share a passion to make a difference. People are also looking for visionary companies that sell the dream of what can be possible through their potential employment, whether that’s high-income potential, advancement opportunities, or joining a caring culture where honesty, respect, appreciation and recognition abound. Packaging these opportunities provide you an advantage over companies that are marketing employment opportunities with “competitive wages” and nothing more.

You have a story to tell, and your potential employees need to hear it. In fact, it could be the most effective way to attract new talent to your company, which was certainly the case for Natalie. If you need help crafting your company story, or marketing insight to capture the attention of your next hire, please never hesitate to contact us and we will do everything in our power to serve and support you.

Thank you for all you do – we certainly value and appreciate our relationship, and look forward to hearing your story as it is crafted and honed. As always, we’re here to listen and offer whatever assistance you need to reach your goals.

todd Miller

has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.

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