Meet Michael Conner | Business Development Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Conner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had considered self-employment for several years, though didn’t really know how to get started or what I would do. I write – I have a blog and several books in various states of development – so thought most often of writing professionally, though it is a rare thing to be financially successful, independent that way.

As it turned out, I was largely forced into starting my own business – self-employment – due to the unexpected loss of my employment. After a number of months, I decided I was going to have to hire myself, and started networking to meet people, make great connections and develop great ideas. I then met the guy who is now my business partner.

During my last employment I realized how important it was to me to be in good, significant, “know-like-and-trust” relationship with the person or people I work with; like a close brotherhood. This isn’t always important for everyone, but it was and is for me. My business partner and friend, Brian Friend , is literally like that for me. Ten years now and going strong.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
It’s pretty simple. We build, replace roofs, mostly residential. It’s not rocket science (I can say that – I came out of space, missile and satellite operations, research and development with the US Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency), but it is important. We are actually problem-solvers and work in that way to support our insurance and real estate agent and property manager friends and partners. Our math at Just Roofs and Gutters is simple: Very personal (it’s your home) + very expensive (the single most expense component of your home) = Very important.

We go by invitation only – so the relationships we build based on referrals of “know-like-and-trust” are of great importance to us. It’s not easy to and takes time and opportunity to build those. And of course the company has to make sound, healthy financial decisions every day. That’s the only way we can stay in business to keep helping people.

I have adopted the perspective that we are all built to serve others – to work on behalf of others for their benefit. That’s why everyone of us goes to work. And we should go to work. There is great value inherent in work, and we all have needs that others have the expertise to fulfill. That’s what makes the world go ’round.

A fundamental purpose we all have in life is to serve others; to simply pitch in and help. In our company, we very much do that in our work.

And, we are very serious about doing what’s right and doing it well. It’s our commitment and our obligation. Every person on the JRG team sees it that way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d be tempted to take that person to my family cabin in northern Ontario, Canada. Actually, I did exactly that many years ago. I took my best friend from college. I’d really like to invite the entire JRG team to go.

The cabin is beautiful and the interior is a unique, natural pine wood design, with stripped and varnished natural wood. No running water; a cast-iron hand pump only and the best deep, sand-filtered water in the world. Until a few years ago, a cast-iron wood-fired stove. No electricity: we read by oil lamp, lantern, candle and firelight. The lake is about 7,400 acres and mostly uninhabited; it has always felt private and like “my own.”

There is a heavily-wooded 1,300 acre island in the center of the lake with a few great beaches, places to camp, picnic and fish. There’s fishing, swimming hiking, exploring on the lake and on local area road trips. Mostly there is beauty, privacy and quiet.

There’s also no schedule in that place; everyone can move at just the pace they feel like, no pressure, no schedule. If there is any drawback at all, it’s that it’s so far from Colorado; It’s quite a commitment to make the trip.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My primary business partner and more importantly, friend – Brian Friend. He’s the owner of Just Roofs and Gutters and we founded the company together. We’ve been “Brothers” in work and friendship since 2014.

A close second is the entire JRG team. We’ve grown from just three of us, including Brian’s wife, Dairys, to about 15 in 5 years.

We all feel so good about what we are doing and why we are doing it as we do; we all feel a great sense of important mission and real purpose that makes an important difference.

Website: https://justroofsandgutters.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeleconner/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mecconsultingllc