Ami Feller is the owner of Roofer Chicks, a company dedicated to empowering women in the trades. She strongly encourages women to explore labor positions, even though they currently make up only 0.5% of the workforce in this industry. Ami acknowledges that roofing may not be the right fit for everyone, but it has provided her with numerous opportunities, and she’s immensely grateful for them. Her goal is to show other women that there are well-paying, satisfying career options beyond office jobs.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between Fortunes Time and Ami Feller:
Describe who you are as a person, inside and outside of the workplace.
I hope that I am the same person inside and outside of the workplace! I have a passion for living. I believe that God created a beautiful world for us, full of abundance and blessing, and I want to grab a hold of it. Aside from working, I enjoy writing, playing guitar, snow skiing, SCUBA, traveling, scrapbooking, running, and working out. I see myself as adventurous, encouraging, intelligent, and inspiring.
Describe your background, and what did you do before you started the Roofer Chicks?
When I went to college at the age of 18, I did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to be a writer, but I also knew that the odds of being successful at that were pretty slim. My dad wanted me to be an engineer, but I struggled with Calculus III! I ended up majoring in German because I loved it and in transportation and logistics because the math in business school was easier. I always thought I would work for a big company, build a pension, and retire, just like my dad did. But the reality was that I really struggled with many aspects of corporate America, and while I tried my hand at it several times, I truly felt like I was not meant to be trapped inside a dreary box that I didn’t construct and had very little input into changing. My brother and I had done some roofing during college because it was a pretty great way to make money, but I never, ever considered that a career path. In 2012, I found myself once again trapped by Corporate America, missing my young daughter’s life, and struggling to survive as a working single mom; suddenly, the construction industry looked a little more alluring. Even so, I never intended to own my own company or be an entrepreneur, but that is where my path led. It is funny to me how much math—mostly algebra, geometry, and business math—I use in my day-to-day job. But it’s not Calc III.
Tell us about the inception of the company. How did it all start?
My brother Scott and I had done construction during college, and then again in 2000 we had a general contracting company, but in 2002 I went back to Corporate America because I couldn’t handle the financial insecurity. In 2012, when I went back into business with him and his wife, Stacie, I just wanted a consistent paycheck. A couple of years into it, they offered me 25% ownership in the company, and I was flattered. As is common with family businesses, there came a time when we all thought it was best to part ways. In 2016, they bought out my ownership portion (for $16,849), and I started my own roofing contractor company—in very short order! I was terrified, if I’m to be honest, and was completely in over my head, but by putting one foot in front of the other over and over and over again, Roofer Chicks (rebranded from Feller Roofing of New Braunfels in 2021) was born. We are now in our eighth year and doing well.
What has made you successful? What do you value?
I think one major thing that makes me successful is that I have had a willingness to fail (or I had no other choice). I recently read that successful people are just more willing to fail and generally have numerous times and ways to fail; the percentages are just such that eventually you are going to hit something out of the park. That really resonated with me. I also try to do the right thing, no matter what it costs me. That means I get taken advantage of sometimes, but still, it’s the way I choose to live my life and the type of relationship I want to have with my employees and my customers.
Which are the major services of the company and how do the company to get ahead in the competition? What value-added services does the company provide?
Roofer Chick’s main service is that we offer residential roofing replacements and repairs. We also offer handyman services and sell windows. As roofers, we are voluntarily licensed through an organization called the Roofing Contractor Association of Texas (RCAT); Texas does not require roofers to be licensed. We are master and certified installers for several manufacturers (GAF, Malarkey, TAMKO, and Owens Corning). I think it’s sad to say this, but honestly, our biggest competitive advantage is that we communicate, we show up when we say we are going to show up, we do what we say we are going to do for the amount we agreed to do the work for, and we clean up after ourselves. That seems basic, but unfortunately, at least in our market, it’s an anomaly.
What are the most important aspects of a company’s culture? What principles do you believe in and how do you build this culture?
Our company culture is a big part of who we are—happy employees make happy customers, that’s a fact. Because of my background in corporate America, I had the opportunity to see what I wanted and didn’t want my company’s culture to be. We are very collaborative; when there is an issue or process breakdown, we discuss the issues as a team and generate solutions. I firmly believe that we work to live; I don’t want my employees to miss their kids’ baseball games or their own doctor’s appointments. I have expectations of them, for sure, but I want them to live life and not let it pass them by. We have a lot of fun and take a lot of pride in what we do.
What are your responsibilities as the Founder of the company? What is the happiest part of your daily routine?
One thing I like most about my work is that no two days are ever the same. The happiest parts of my day are when we get good reviews from our customers or when I see an employee feel fantastic about something they have learned or accomplished. My biggest responsibilities are marketing and PR, but I am also currently filling the role of production manager, scheduling jobs, ordering materials, and assigning work to the appropriate person or team. I won’t do it forever, but I’ve enjoyed getting back into the heart of my business.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
This question takes me back to my early twenties. My first job out of college was at Caterpillar, where, at 22 years old, I was made supervisor of some very tough, seasoned (to me) employees. I learned that how you treat your people is critical to how successful you will be, and humility goes a long way. I also thought I knew everything. Yes, I was competent and capable, but I had a lot to learn too. Of course, no one could have told me anything; I had to learn it all myself. And that works, too.
