Dan Walrack is an independent contractor for Built Strong Exteriors, a roofing company that serves the Twin Cities.
Originally from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, after high school Walrack shifted west and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to study physical education and fitness.
“I was going to be a school teacher,” says Walrack, seated comfortably behind his desk in Built Strong Exteriors’s Lake Elmo office.
“I even had a job all lined up.”
Walrack may have thought his future would include humid gymnasiums and constant whistleblowing, but his friend and mentor Jim Johnson had other ideas.
At the time, Johnson, a much-revered figure in the roofing industry, encouraged the young Walrack to consider roofing sales.
“I told him [Jim] that I didn’t want to knock doors and be like those guys who sell vacuums to people,” Walrack recalls, but Johnson insisted that roofing sales was less about peddling overpriced cleaning products, and more focused on genuinely helping homeowners revamp their homes and increase their property values.
“I was told that I wouldn’t be selling things that people want, but that they need,” Walrack adds.
Begrudgingly, Walrack began tracking hailstorms in the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin, his role being to meet with homeowners whose roofs and siding had been impacted by inclement weather.
Soon, Walrack’s reticence morphed into joy.
His first summer in the roofing industry, he earned commissions that trumped what his annual salary would have been as a gym teacher.
“I figured I would give roofing one more year at that point,” Walrack says, but 25 years later, he’s still in the roofing industry, and he has arguably developed into a nationwide phenomenon due to his ability to generate massive revenue, all while maintaining his calm and humble demeanor.
There are some who think successful sales consultants in the roofing industry utilize slick vernacular and high-pressure tactics to sign deals, but Walrack is the antithesis of that stereotype.
When he’s not climbing roofs or meeting with insurance adjusters, he’s coaching youth football and spending time with his wife.
The Wisconsin native also isn’t one of those guys who pounds doors in search of deals, because at this point in his career, business finds him, and that’s only because he’s staked his reputation on being someone who leads with integrity and authenticity.
“If I could redo anything from the past, it would be investing in myself earlier. I’m not talking about money either. It’s more about education and learning because if you’re not learning, you’re dying, and early on I just wasn’t making a concerted effort to continue learning,” Walrack explains.
“But so much of my growth since then has occurred because I have been willing to learn, and that’s likely why I’m in the position that I am today.”
In recent years, Walrack has also been more intentional about sharing his roofing knowledge with a wider audience, a tactic that has thrust Walrack into the spotlight, so much so that this fall, Walrack will be speaking at RoofCON, the world’s largest roofing conference.
“My wife and I are doing a breakout session about how to incorporate your significant other into your roofing business,” says Walrack, in touching on a subject that plagues roofing contractors who are overwhelmed with the daily grind, then neglect their families as a result.
“If you have problems at home, that’s all you think about all day long, and that will affect your productivity at work. That’s why my wife and I feel compelled to talk about this.”
While his breakout session won’t focus on this subject, Walrack garnered much acclaim two years ago when he was reported to have sold over $18 million in roofs and siding in one season.
For context, most sales reps are considered elite among their peers if they sell $1 million.
This level of competency deserves to be commended, but Walrack, despite his feats, hasn’t let the hype compromise who he is fundamentally.
Unlike other popular figures in the roofing industry, getting access to Walrack’s expertise is still fairly affordable.
Whereas some roofing standouts charge up to $8,000 for coaching and/or mentorship, Walrack’s fee is much more reasonable.
“I charge Twin Cities roofing companies $1,800 for four hours of my time,” Walrack deadpans, nary a flinch exhibited when he says this, a testament to his inner conviction.
“A lot of people have asked me why I will go and help out these other companies, and the reality is I am 48 years old. I only have so much more time left in this game. I don’t want to be climbing on roofs for that much longer.”
Adds Walrack:
“I’ve also been fortunate to make a good living in this industry, and so now it’s about giving back. Plus, if I can instill good values and proper roofing etiquette to future sales reps, then I’m ultimately leaving this industry better than I found it.”
Both privately and publicly, some have wondered why the sagacious Walrack doesn’t start his own roofing company.
It should be noted that years ago, Walrack did indeed operate his own roofing company, but since 2013, he has called Built Strong Exteriors home.
“People don’t understand the responsibilities that come with running a roofing company. There are taxes, insurance, and the livelihoods of your employees to account for,” says Walrack.
“There is a ton of stress that comes with all that, and many people often become an owner because they see the numbers and want to make a quick buck, but that’s not a good way to run a sustainable business.”
Working off that, Walrack has found his happy medium in roofing.
He knows how to make money and provide for his family, and he’s not distracted by outside influences that could jeopardize the path he is on.
“With roofing sales, it’s a roller coaster,” Walrack mentions.
“There are going to be days when reps sign a couple deals and earn good money. There are also going to be stretches where no signatures get inked and they’re not making money. That comes with being in this industry.”
That amount of inconsistency is typically what drives sales reps away from the roofing industry, or worse, makes some reps sacrifice their internal compass in pursuit of profits, particularly when a hailstorm rips through town.
“I can’t tell you how many homes I have visited where the owner has been told they have hail damage on their roof, and when I get up there, there is no evidence of hail damage,” Walrack says,
”When people wonder why I have been able to retain so many clients and attract new clients over the years, it’s simple: I’m honest with them. I don’t manipulate them and I don’t waste their time.”
If every sales rep approached roofing in the same way Walrack does, their outcomes would be much better, but more importantly, homeowners would be better served as well.
“Prioritizing the homeowner versus yourself,” Walrack starts.
“It’s a concept that not enough sales reps abide by, but I can promise you that if they did, that’s what’s going to help them keep and generate new business over the course of years and years.”
For the foreseeable future, Walrack will continue to sell roofs for Built Strong Exteriors, but he also is going to be devoting more energy to his personal brand, Go Beyond The Hustle.
“I want to teach people that they can be successful in roofing without having to go around and pound doors all day long,” says Walrack, adding that roofing sales reps can ingratiate themselves to their communities through a multitude of ways, such as:
Joining networking groups like BNI, doing community outreach, and most crucially, being creative and unique in how they brand themselves to the public.
“If someone truly wants to make roofing a career, they have to go outside the box and do things that other people are unwilling to do,” Walrack emphasizes.
At Built Strong Exteriors, they have purchased billboard space and mailed cans of popcorn to their clients, all in the name of cultivating brand recognition.
“Things like that cost money, but I don’t believe you can just be a nice guy, do good work, and ultimately bring in huge amounts of revenue,” Walrack says.
“Of course, anything is possible, but business is competitive and you have to constantly be engaging clients and doing things to stand out; so that’s where my focus has been, is not just focusing on winning today, but also putting myself in position to be able to win tomorrow.” QS
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