Building a business centered on helping people

By Emma Peterson. 

How Anthony Walsh found a career — and purpose — in roofing. 

One of the best parts about working at RoofersCoffeeShop® is getting to hear the stories from professionals across the industry about their journey into roofing. And that’s just what Anthony Walsh shared with us when he came onto an episode of Stories From the Roof sponsored by SRS Distribution. 

Anthony is the founder and current president of DuraShield Roofing & Contracting, a well-known, full-service roofing company that has served Wisconsin and Northern Illinois since 2003. But his story of entering the roofing industry doesn’t start with founding his company; it starts back in 2000 at a buddy’s house. He explained:  

I was going to college at the time, I was over at my buddy's house from high school and he's like, ‘Hey, you want to go golfing with me and my boss? You know, that guy that owns this roofing company that I'm working for in Oshkosh.’ I'm like, ‘Sure. I'll go golfing with you guys.’ And I talked with his boss, and he offered me an interview to work with them that summer.  

Anthony went to that interview, got hired and sold his first job that summer. And in his words, “I saw the homeowner was happy, got my commission check and I have been hooked ever since.” 

He spent the next couple of years working for different companies, before he founded Custom Exteriors in 2003 (which would be rebranded into DuraShield in 2012). Interestingly, the company didn’t actually do any roofs during their first year of operation. But by 2006, the company was doing 300 roofs. And today, they are known for "working on high-end luxury homes, specifically installing DaVinci composite cedar-shake and slate products.”  

Looking back at his journey, Anthony’s top moments are all about helping his customers. As he put it, “It seems like once a year, there's somebody, maybe an elderly couple or a single mom, that's not being treated right by insurance or some other power. And we are in a position where we’re able to help them navigate that and find a solution that protects their family. And you really can’t put a dollar amount on those moments, where people are just relieved and happy and you know you’ve done right by them.” 

Hear more from Anthony by listening to the whole episode of Stories from the Roof.