MCS Influencer Haley Iselin says there's something that women inherently have that make things more cohesive.

Editor's note: The following is the transcript of a live interview with MCS Influencer Haley Iselin. You can read the interview below or watch the recording.

Alex Tolle: Hello, I'm Alex Tolle with MetalCoffeeShop.com and I am here for the March Influencer response with my friend, Haley. How's it going, Haley?

Haley Iselin: Good, how are you?

Alex Tolle: Good. Excited to be doing this interview with you today.

Haley Iselin: Same. Thank you.

Alex Tolle: This topic is really great. So, how have women influenced the metal industry overall and why should more women consider careers in metal?

Haley Iselin: Sure. I mean, I have a couple different things to say on that from my own experience and then from some of the incredible women I've met in the industry over the years. I've almost been doing this 21 years now. When I started, I was a salesperson. And I realized right away that I was the only girl salesman on our team, and I seemed to be able to gain a lot of trust from our employees and customers just naturally. I don't know if that's just a natural female tendency or not, but it really proved itself to be helpful in sales. And so, it was really great to have that. I could be totally authentic and natural and got to develop so many great relationships with customers and turn those into partnerships. So, that was one thing that was really cool about being a woman in a male-dominated industry.

We also had a woman on our crew for the longest time who was an installer. And one of the things that my dad always noticed was how well she brought the whole team together. So, again, there was something about maybe a female characteristic that naturally brought all the team together a lot better and got them talking and got them open. And so, I think it's just something that maybe we inherently have that brought these tendencies and made it way more cohesive. And that benefited everybody, because we not only then got ideas from very different perspectives and belief systems, but it really balanced out the whole environment.

Right now, our company, we're a small distributor and we have three full-time women and one full-time guy, and then we have a part-time. So, I think also that's pretty cool for our customers' experience. We deal with a lot of do-it-yourselfers and homeowners, and I think they really like that.

The other thing, though, about getting women into the industry is that there's so much opportunity for great pay, for leadership opportunities. Or if you just are a hands-on person and you want to work in the field, there's so many areas. And not needing a ton of education or training to get in, it allows a lot of opportunities for women in lots of different areas of life. We've even had many moms that could work part-time while kids were at school and really learn a lot about the trades and with the technology. Some brilliant minds have been on our company that have helped us develop systems and softwares to work with what we're doing here out in the field. And we owe that to several really great women. So, there's just so many opportunities in a vast array of areas for women to consider in this industry.

Alex Tolle: I love it. And it's so true. And you guys are leading by example, showing how women can be super successful and really bring your team together.

Haley Iselin: Yeah, thank you. Me too. It feels great to be in this industry, again. I think it's very well receptive. When I first started, there was a little resistance sometimes from a certain generation. But once you broke that small gap, if you had a little bit of confidence to break it, then it was so great. So, yeah. Maybe there's that tiny bit of challenge, but it was worth it, for sure.

Alex Tolle: Absolutely. Well, Haley, thank you so much. I appreciate you taking the time to answer our March Metal Influencer question.

Haley Iselin: My pleasure, Alex. Thank you so much. It was so nice to meet you.

By Emma Peterson. 

As we go into another year, let’s celebrate everything that has happened this year. 

Every year, the crew at MetalCoffeeShop™ (MCS) reaches out to leaders and experts in the metal industry to assemble our MCS Influencers. These professionals come from all over the industry, from operating their own contracting business to mentoring others in the industry and more. Once we have our group selected, we send them questions and prompts every month to start a conversation about relevant subjects in the industry.  

In 2024, we asked them about things like digital sales/marketing tips, recruiting into the industry and the role of AI in business. And their responses did not disappoint. We got over two dozen conversations started about the current state of the industry and how contractors can flourish in today’s world. MCS is incredibly honored that our Influencers choose to work with us and share their opinions, tips and advice to our readers. 

If you didn’t get a chance to read all the incredible articles throughout the year, we have compiled the top ten list of their insights from 2024. 

10 - How to communicate company goals effectively for 2025 – John Kenney 

9 – Planning ahead for metal success – Haley Iselin 

8 - Digital sales and marketing strategies for roofing contractors – John Kenney 

7 - Learn how to incorporate AI responsibly – Dan Belling 

6 - Developing business processes to adapt as challenges emerge – Ken McLauchlan 

5 - So, you are going to add metal to your offering – Ken McLauchlan 

4 - The importance of reflecting on data and processes for improvement – Erik Trefzger 

3 - Position your business more competitively by adding metal to your offerings – Randy Chaffee 

2 - Effective recruitment strategies for the metal roofing industry – John Kenney 

1 - How warranty and certification can build trust – Jena Jackson  

MCS Influencers Haley and Jerry Iselin share their best practices for retaining quality employees.

Here's what Haley Iselin had to say:

I believe the best thing we do (particularly in the past few years) in retaining employees, is treating our employees like family and being flexible with their needs. Since Covid started there have been many times employees have needed to tend to kids and other family members differently with limited resources. Feeling like they are valued as an individual and not a number and that we are willing to work around the challenges, has been a huge benefit for our employees.

Here's what Jerry Iselin had to say:

There are so many factors to consider for this topic but I will focus on retention. The work “Engagement” sums it up for me. Engaged team members are happy, productive and committed to their company. Keeping them in the loop with the company’s vision, mission and performance while giving them the flexibility to make decisions and the confidence to offer suggestions for improvement without judgment. Make sure they know you will always have their back. I also think it is important to focus on the team with as few layers as possible in the management structure.

Keep it human and allow for the differences in individuals while celebrating the similarities. Of course competitive pay and benefits are assumed, but the ability to engage them and ensure they feel just as important as any team member will keep them.

Haley Iselin is the vice president at Metal Roof Specialties. See her full bio here.

MCS Influencer Haley Iselin says contractors should develop a partnership with one or multiple solar companies for successful solar installations.

Editor’s note: The following consists of a conversation between MCS' Gina Cali, and Metal Roof Specialties’ Vice President Haley Iselin. 

Gina Cali: Hi Haley. Thanks again for joining us for another question of the month from MetalCoffeeShop and Metal Influencers. And this question, "How can solar be integrated with metal sales?"

Haley Iselin: Thank you. So as far as solar being integrated with metal sales, I know that that industry maybe even more so than metal roofing on its own is changing fast and developing with new technologies all the time. And years and years ago when you had a metal roof, the only option was the kind of solar that you had to attach with some sort of clamps, maybe like an S-5 clamp versus the photovoltaic type that were like the peel and stick type of solar that could go straight onto the panels. We're learning now that even some of those photovoltaics now can be put on roofs after roof's already been on, where in the beginning they had to be put on the same timing.

So the thing that always though has become the challenge with that is that some people want to have a seamless process. And so for a contractor it's important that they develop maybe a partnership or at least just a really good relationship with, if not one, maybe multiple solar companies. Because most contractors aren't going to get involved with the electrical part of solar installation, and that is a special field. So it seems like the people we've seen do it most successfully have definitely up a roofing contractor with a solar installation company. And so then they can divide those tasks out and the solar company can come in and basically just do the electrical if it is a system that's already put on. And if it's not, they might be able to do portions of that as well. I haven't seen a super consistent, like the solar company always does this much stuff versus the contractor. Some contractors have capacity to do a fair amount in the solar company, maybe just doing the electrical portion. So we've seen some variable there here locally.

But I do think that trying to develop a partnership and finding some local companies is really the key in being able to sell that. And maybe some contractors are able to do it all together as far as one price and they can sub out that solar work. I guess that would be up to the individual contractor if they're willing to do the subcontracting or if it has to be a separate company. But that's what I know about that.

Gina Cali: Thank you, Haley. That was excellent and we truly appreciate your insight and expertise on answering the questions of the month to share out with the MetalCoffeeShop audience.

Haley Iselin: Thank you.

Haley Iselin is the vice president at Metal Roof Specialties. See her full bio here.

MCS Influencer Haley Iselin says a good discussion with a customer about myths in metal roofing can help fix their misconceptions.

Editor’s note: The following consists of a conversation between MCS’ Gina Cali and and Metal Roof Specialties' Vice President Haley Iselin.

Gina Cali: Hi Haley. Thank you so much for joining MetalCoffeeShop this month to answer the August question of the month as a MetalCoffeeShop influencer. And the question is, what is the best way or how to communicate with consumers about metal roofing myths such as noise, rust, et cetera?

Haley Iselin: Thanks. So one of the ways that we have been successful in communicating kind of those misconceptions about metal roofing is a couple things. I mean, hopefully we always have the opportunity to have a good discussion with a consumer where we can explain and help them relate to past experiences or share examples of where they may have been in the past that led to those beliefs.

For example, both metal roofing will rust and maybe metal roofs are noisier probably come from a long time ago. Maybe growing up and being in a barn type building where there's no insulation, no solid roof deck underneath the metal that they heard the rain maybe underneath that, or being in a big huge commercial building and in a heavy rainfall, maybe hearing it on the inside. So the noisy ones are usually pretty easy to explain to people in that regard of explaining. That's probably where that belief came from. And now in most residential construction and even commercial construction, things are being done differently and they're not an open structure or barn outside or carport or situation where they have heard the rain more because of metal.

And then rust kind of similarly, the technology today is so much different than it was a long time ago where we saw more rusty metal roofing. So the way that steel, which is the primary source of most metal roofing products, although there is others such as aluminum, copper, those will not rust on their own. But the steel ones are because they're such a popular type and they have a coating now that has that heavy zinc or zinc aluminum alloy, which is a protection to the steel core. And so even when those panels are cut, the factory cut certainly due to the sacrificial qualities of zinc that's in that coating it will protect those edges also from resting. The same thing can be done when tin snips are used to cut metal, how it bonds that coat over the cut as it's cutting. You don't get that same benefit when you're cutting with a saw blade something else. So, that's one of the ways that metal roofing, again, doesn't rust today like it may have many, many years ago.

There is some other myths that we have come across. Some people think lightning's going to strike more easily on a metal roof, and it doesn't increase the likeliness of that. That you can't walk maybe on a metal roof, which is another thing that people think you can't do and you certainly can. So without getting into all those details, I guess it is giving examples to people, which has always proved to be very helpful in my experience of showing them why we have that belief and then showing them why it isn't relevant maybe anymore or it never was. We also have on our website a kind of myth buster section. And I know that I think the Metal Roofing Alliance website also maybe has that information and maybe even the RoofersCoffeeShop does have a section for that or will have a section for that as well to help explain some of those things better.

Gina Cali: Thank you, Haley. Great insight and we'll definitely check out that metal myth busters that you mentioned.

Haley Iselin is the vice president of Metal Roof Specialties. See her full bio here.

Metal Influencers celebrate their inaugural year of giving back to the metal industry. 

RoofersCoffeeShop®, celebrating 20 years as the award-winning website where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business announces the 2022 MetalCoffeeShop (MCS) Influencers.    

MCS Influencers contribute thoughts and wisdom monthly through interviews, videos and articles on MetalCoffeeShop concerning pertinent industry and metal construction topics. The Influencers represent all facets of the industry including contractors, associations and industry service providers. Their insights are recognized in a special category on the site called MCS Influencers.   

“We are committed to sharing the thought leadership of our MCS Influencers with the industry,” states Heidi J. Ellsworth, president of RoofersCoffeeShop. “Each influencer brings a unique perspective to issues that are of importance to contractors and the overall metal industry. We are thankful and appreciative of their willingness to share their insights.” 

We are proud to announce the following 2022 MCS Influencers: 

1. Charlie Smith – McElroy Metal 
2. Dale Nelson – Roof Hugger 
3. Haley Iselin – Metal Roof Specialties 
4. Hayley Bohmer – New Tech Machinery 
5. Jerry Iselin – Metal Roofing Specialties 
6. John Kenney – Cotney Consulting Group 
7. John Sheridan – Sheridan Metal Resources 
8. Mark Standifer – Retired metal roofing and walls expert 
9. Rob Haddock – S-5!® 

For more information on the 2022 MCS Influencers, meet them here.   

About MetalCoffeeShop 

MetalCoffeeShop is committed to being an advocate and supporter of the metal construction industry.  With Sherwin-Williams and industry thought leader’s contributions, the site supplies consistent information, education and networking avenues for all metal construction professionals. Visitors to the site will not only find education and information but thought-leading editorial, multimedia and Influencer content that elevates the metal construction industry. Like RoofersCoffeeShop, MetalCoffeeShop is “Where the Metal Industry Meets!” For more information and involvement opportunities, visit www.metalcoffeeshop.com.  

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com. 

MCS Influencer Haley Iselin says having a follow-up system with manufacturers can help ensure a timely delivery. 

Editor’s note: The following consists of a conversation between MCS Multimedia Manager Megan Ellsworth, and Metal Roof Specialties’ Vice President Haley Iselin. 

Megan Ellsworth: All right. This is for July, and it is, how do you work with your metal manufacturers for timely deliveries? 

Haley Iselin: So for us, and we're in distribution, so we work closely with contractors and also do-it-yourselfers to get the metal that they need for their customers or their own projects. And something that we do with all of our orders is we have a system in place of regularly following up with the manufacturers, checking in on orders, and making sure they're on time, they're still on schedule, and then getting updates as we get closer to that anticipated delivery date on exactly when people can expect their order to deliver or to arrive. Because sometimes it's hard to demand of others to provide information, we take it upon ourselves to do that follow-up. 

And sometimes we feel like we might be somebody's pain in the butt, but we feel like it's worth it for our customers and the people that we're working with to be able to provide that information. So we follow up with that. Particularly with some of the contractor customers that we work with, who on a regular basis are placing orders, and especially some of the ones that are newer to the metal offering, one of the things that we like to work with them on upfront and we're happy to help people with as they are entering that market is helping them learn the difference in ordering metal versus ordering composition. Because metal, most of it is being produced for that order and it's not something sitting on a shelf. And so being really accurate upfront and making sure we have enough supplies, so that when they get their delivery, it's complete, they have what they need is so important. 

And then we're not having to place another bunch of orders and delaying their project more and more and more. So there is this piece upfront that we really like to be able to sit down and work closely with those installers and contractors, making sure we understand their project. We can help them make sure, again, they have the extras that they need. But we don't want them to have tons of extra. That doesn't make sense on a cost standpoint for anybody. But making sure they have enough, so they're not running out and delaying that project. So that's that other piece to the deliveries is making sure they have what they need upfront because that stuff isn't going to be available in an hour to go pick up at your local store. So that preparation part is also huge in metal, especially compared to some of the other products out there. 

Haley Iselin is the vice president at Metal Roof Specialties. See her full bio here.

MCS Influencer Haley Iselin says specializing in metal roofs opens a world of opportunities in roofing. 

Editor’s note: The following consists of a conversation between MCS Multimedia Manager Megan Ellsworth, and Metal Roof Specialties’ Vice President Haley Iselin. 

Megan Ellsworth: Okay, so this is June's question and it is why is metal a great segment of the roofing industry? 

Haley Iselin: So I think that metal is a great segment of the roofing industry. For a lot of reasons. One of those being for contractors who are looking to expand what they currently offer. Metal is a great opportunity with some good margins. So there's opportunity to make money when selling metal roofing. And there's a huge demand for it. That portion of the roofing industry is growing every single year by percentages.  

So there's a lot of people out there that want metal. And also if they're interested in it and it turns out not to be something in their budget, at least you're offering it and then have some other things you could probably turn back on. But again, the demand for it is so high. I think that is a great reason to offer it. I think some of the contractors we've seen work with it, have a dedicated crew though, and that may be a challenge for some, but I think it's important that the skill level that's required to do metal really well is different than other roofing. 

And so finding the right team to do that and being prepared before it becomes part of their offering is also important. It's definitely an art. It's a skill that not everybody has. We see a lot of carpenters do really well with metal, as opposed to sometimes a roofer who's done a lot of other types. So it's just something to know going in that it is a very specialized. It's not dealt with. It's not ordered, the same as asphalt or composition. There's a lot of differences, but really great opportunity there.  

Some of the things that are most attractive about it to people, it's kind of checking every box, I guess. The environmental factors that people are interested in, the longevity, aesthetics of metal roofing, the sustainability, all those things are things that people are getting more and more interested in and metal solves. So it’s really, really great to offer metal for everybody. 

Haley Iselin is the vice president at Metal Roof Specialties. See her full bio here.