CEO Kevin Newton Takes a Different Approach to the Fragmented Roofing Industry
Business success is a sure thing when an entrepreneur wipes out a consumer pain point, which is exactly what Kevin Newton did with Honest Abe Roofing. He saw that the roofing industry was fragmented and confusing for property owners to navigate. His solution was to establish Honest Abe Roofing in 2007 and then grow it into a trustworthy, profitable franchise brand with happy customers.
Clearly an outside-the-box thinker, Newton, who is Honest Abe’s CEO and founder, took a counterintuitive approach with franchisees. He sought Honest Abe Roofing owners with proven sales abilities and customer service expertise – not roofing-industry tradespeople. He also built a fail-safe into the franchise: a contractor recruitment program that ensures franchisees have a ready supply of skilled labor to do jobs thoroughly and expeditiously.
Honest Abe Posts Excellent Results
Newton’s innovative strategy has proven itself time and again. According to the company’s 2021 Franchise Disclosure Document, average yearly sales for each Honest Abe Roofing franchise were $2.3 million.
“The Honest Abe system removes obstacles for nontechnical and non-trade professionals to enter the roofing industry,” Newton says. “We consider ourselves to be a marketing and sales franchise business that provides roofing solutions to property owners. As experts in marketing, we oversee that responsibility and execute across numerous communication channels for our franchisees, making it easier for them to run their business, and cultivate customer relationships – translating to a better overall roofing experience for all parties involved. Honest Abe Roofing is a scalable business with high profit margins in a recession-resistant industry.”
James Lloyd, vice president of franchise development for Honest Abe Roofing, goes a step further in his assessment of opportunities with the franchise. “Honest Abe Roofing franchisees can achieve some truly remarkable revenue streams compared to other business sectors,” Lloyd says. “Franchisees don’t need to wear a tool belt to succeed with Honest Abe’s system. New franchisees with sales experience and people-management training from all industries are joining our brand because they see growth potential for their skill sets in roofing and are backed with industry-leading marketing capabilities to differentiate in the marketplace, create awareness and drive repeat business and referrals on their behalf.”
Why Invest Now in Honest Abe
Newton says that the timing couldn’t be better for Honest Abe franchisees and points to a couple of key reasons why the industry is a great bet at present. “First, it’s been about 12 years since the last housing boom, so homes built around 2010-2011 are needing new roofs or repairs,” Newton says. “And second, there’s a housing shortage that’s driving homeowners to replace roofs instead of buying new homes.”
The Honest Abe Roofing franchise offers professional installation, repair and upkeep for a wide range of residential and commercial roofs. Its prices are competitive with independent roofing companies, yet Honest Abe offers added value for consumers because:
- Every contractor used by franchisees is fully certified.
- The franchise’s products, which range from common composite shingles to upscale metal roofs, are made of premium materials and have a lifetime reliability guarantee. Honest Abe also offers diverse roof colors; some Honest Abe Roofing products imitate the look of wood shakes, slate and clay tiles.
- Financing choices suit clients’ budgets, for instance, a zero-percent, same-as-cash option; long-term programs with low payments; and plans for property owners with subprime credit scores.
Honest Abe Opportunities
An Honest Abe Roofing franchise has a relatively low start-up cost and yet has high margins, Newton says. “The average unit volume of an Honest Abe franchise can create generational wealth for those seeking to leave a family legacy.”
And the Honest Abe Roofing franchise is poised for major growth. The company currently has 23 units in eight states. But in the next three to five years, with expansion in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest, Honest Abe Roofing aims to have a total of 75 franchises up and running.
Honest Abe Roofing franchises are geared toward low overhead, with a minimum footprint of only 2,200 square feet to accommodate storage, meetings, and a showroom where customers can view and select materials. The initial investment in an Honest Abe franchise is between $132,498 and $363,223, which includes a franchise fee of $35,000 to $70,000.
What Franchisees Receive
Honest Abe Roofing franchisees attend two weeks of training at headquarters in Terre Haute, Ind. This intensive training prepares franchisees for lead creation, operations management, customer service and customer communications, and marketing and sales knowledge specific to the roofing industry. Ongoing training, which includes webinars, helps franchisees engage in and refine best practices.
In addition, each franchisee receives access to a roster of certified roofing professionals in his or her area. These pros have already passed background checks as prerequisites to working with Honest Abe Roofing franchises.
For more information about an Honest Abe Roofing franchise, please visit www.honestaberoofingfranchise.com/ or call 1-866-587-5171.
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