Paul Salamanca Interview: Building a 9-Figure Empire, Personal Growth, and Life in Alpharetta
In an industry dominated by established monopolies, an entire demographic of hardworking contractors was being completely overlooked.
Recognizing a critical gap in the market for Latino roofers who needed fair pricing and Spanish-speaking service, Paul Salamanca and his wife decided to step in.
What started as a leap of faith into a completely unfamiliar industry has since transformed into Preferred Roofing Supply.
The company is a nine-figure empire that disrupted the status quo and proved the incredible economic power of an underserved community. Today, Paul and his wife continue to scale Preferred Roofing Supply from their home base in Alpharetta.
The Alpharetta.com team had the opportunity to speak with Paul to discuss his remarkable entrepreneurial journey, the importance of personal development, and why he believes Alpharetta’s booming environment is the perfect place to raise a family and build a lasting legacy.
For people who aren’t familiar, can you explain what Preferred Roofing Supply does?
“Preferred Roofing Supply is a shingle distributor. We started 13 years ago, and what made us successful was that there was no supplier that catered to the Latino market. There was no place where Jose could come, who didn’t speak English, and get a fair price or negotiate. We served a market that was being neglected.
ABC Supply, QXO, Beacon—all these were a monopoly. We came in and they allowed us to grow because they didn’t think the Latino market could create a big wave. We’ve been blessed. We deliver shingles, siding, tools, ladders, compressors, and we deal with the residential market.”
When you started Preferred Roofing Supply, how did you know the Latino community was your competitive advantage, and how did you get introduced to the roofing industry?
“Early on, I had an uncle who started meat markets, and I saw how much money Latinos can generate.
If you have a Walmart or a Piggly Wiggly and you open up a Latin meat market, a lot of consumers are going to come to the Latino store because it feels more like home, the pricing is fairer, they are able to speak the language, and they can order meat the way they want.
When my wife, who is my business partner, and I had just graduated college, I wanted to be an immigration attorney, and she wanted to do something with political science and nonprofits. But we always knew we wanted to do something around the Latino market.
Her father was a tool repairman. He said, “Guys, there are roofers here, but there’s nowhere they can shop for material. I don’t have time, but I think this is a good idea.”
None of us were ever roofers or contractors. All we knew was there was a need and an opportunity. Shortly after me and my wife graduated, I gave up my dream of being an attorney, she gave up her dreams, and we decided to launch Preferred Roofing Supply. We went all in, gave it our all, had no plan B, and we made it happen.
If you were to ask me if I imagined it would be this big 13 years later, I wouldn’t believe it. All I wanted to do was survive. Now, I want to build a legacy and build something that will last forever. The sky’s the limit.”
Your wife has been an integral part of Preferred Roofing Supply's success. How does her level of determination reinforce the standard you hold for yourself?
“My wife and I were a two-person team for about three years. She’s a very hard worker and a go-getter. I wouldn’t be here without her.
In the beginning of the business, we didn’t know what our strengths were. We were doing everything: sales, sweeping, cleaning, driving trucks. Eventually, we learned our roles and met in the middle.
It’s crucial to be on the same mission and have the same vision as your partner or issues will arise. That’s our secret weapon: we’re both aligned on the same goal, and we both know we have a lot more to give.
We hold each other accountable a lot. She helps me become a better man day in and day out, and I help her become a better woman. We do everything together, and that is a secret to success when you have a partner you love.”
You actively put yourself in rooms with people who you can learn from. How important is it to continue learning and developing new skills, even after having a massive success?
“I like learning from everybody. I never had a mentor I could just call up to help me. Luckily, we have social media where you see all these businessmen with coaching programs, and you have to pay to play.
I’ve been in rooms with Ryan Pineda, Grant Cardone, Andy Elliott, Patrick Bet-David, and all these guys. People talk trash about all of them, so I wanted to experience them myself and vet them out. I’ve learned something great from all of them.
It’s worth investing in yourself. Once you get locked into personal development, you don’t stop because there’s always so much to learn. It’s addicting, much like fitness, where you’re never going to peak. You always want to learn more and be more fit.”
You stepped back from daily operations when your son was born. What are some lessons that stepping back taught you?
“I had a hustler mentality where I thought working hard, long hours, and being busy meant success. Once the store was booming, I thought if I left, the ship was going to sink. Even after building up my team and SOPs, I feared people were going to steal from me. We keep making up these problems in our heads that may or may not happen.
At the end of the day, you can’t continue to micromanage because you won’t get your time back; you’ll go crazy. Maybe people are probably not working at the capacity they would if I was in there, and sales might slightly go down. But stepping back allows me to scale more and look at the bigger picture.
When my son was born, I realized I didn’t want to go in and open the store at 5 AM and leave at 7 PM. I wanted to be home with my family more. That allowed me to scale my business, replicate the models, and work on growing my leadership team. You’re always going to find something to do within the business, even if you’re not physically there.“
In what specific ways has giving up alcohol helped you become a better version of yourself?
“Being sober gave me a superpower. I like to compete, so I use it to get a one-up on my competition.
It has helped me become more disciplined. I have a better relationship with my wife and fewer problems. When you drink too much, you might spend money recklessly, say things you regret, or do things you regret.
It’s better to be in control at all times. Now, everything I do is without alcohol. I am in control, and my health has gotten better.
Many people use alcohol to escape the stress of working hard, but there are other ways to let loose. For me, it’s working out, playing golf, or hunting. You create a reality you don’t need to escape from. Now, sobriety is part of my identity.”
How important is it to stay focused on one mission rather than splitting your focus across several different businesses?
“There’s a saying about the pretty lady in a red dress. I could do 10 businesses right now, but none of them are going to hit $100 million unless I focus on one.
The more money you make, the more people approach you with offers or ideas. You get excited because you succeeded in one area and think you can do it elsewhere.
Most of the time, those side businesses won’t produce the same amount as your bread and butter. You have to stick to what makes you the most money until you exit or hit your goal.
You have to reel it back in and stick to the basics because focusing on one mission is what makes you the most money.”
Your business operates in Smyrna, Tucker, Jonesboro, and Gainesville. What are the advantages of living in the Alpharetta area for operating your business and raising a family?
“We decided to move to Alpharetta once we had our baby girl. We wanted a place where we could raise our family, feel safe, have good schools, and be around a community of like-minded individuals.
I wanted to be in a community where I could constantly feel inspired and pushed to level up. It keeps you humble because there’s always going to be someone bigger and more successful in Alpharetta.
I love the community here and how safe it is. The restaurant scene is booming with places like upscale steakhouses and shops coming in; we’re essentially becoming a new Buckhead.
You don’t have to drive far to get what you want anymore. Moving to Alpharetta has been one of the best decisions we’ve made.”
What are your favorite spots in the Alpharetta area to take time off work and connect with your family?
“We love Avalon and Halcyon. We love how they have all the activities for kids, especially during the summer.
We also enjoy all the outdoor parks. Besides the parks, we enjoy dining out. They just opened one of our favorite restaurants here called Little Alley Steak. Rumi’s Kitchen at Avalon is amazing too.
Avalon and Halcyon are particularly great because they host community events where moms get to meet each other and the kids get to play together. It’s an incredible community environment.”