The power of peer groups

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Monthly calls, real-world tours and shared strategy help roofing leaders rethink how they run service departments. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Karen Edwards sat down with Tracey Donels of Service First Solutions for an in-depth look at a tool many commercial roofing companies are only beginning to understand: service-focused peer groups. During the discussion, he reveals how peer groups are transforming the way service departments are run and why they’re becoming one of the most valuable resources in the commercial roofing industry. 

Each peer group consists of 8 to 10 non-competing contractors who meet virtually once a month and gather in person three times a year for daylong strategic sessions and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of top-performing roofing companies. These meetings are far more structured than casual meetups. Each call follows a set agenda that starts with brief updates from members, covers upcoming travel plans for the group and then dives into a prioritized issues list designed to spark meaningful discussion and problem-solving. 

One recent in-person session tackled annual revenue goals and operational challenges. “We got eight companies to list their two biggest hurdles and five of them had the same one,” Tracey said. That led to a two-and-a-half-hour deep dive into hiring, compensation and training, issues that might never have surfaced without a structured peer setting. 

But the real magic lies in trust. “You’re never going to grow until you say, ‘Hey, I don’t know everything. What do you have that you might be able to teach me?’” he said. That willingness to be vulnerable fuels real learning. Each group signs NDAs and members openly share tools, pricing tips, training materials and even internal newsletters. Tracey states, “By asking a question, we may already have the simple solution.” 

For those considering the leap, Tracey encourages a long term plan. “The day you plant the seed is not the day you harvest your crop,” Tracey said. “You have to do it right at the front side, but then you have to tend to that soil and take care of it and do all kinds of stuff. Otherwise, you're not going to get that result in the end.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how peer groups are helping commercial roofing contractors strengthen their service departments, solve real-world challenges and build lasting industry connections!