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No one stays young forever — and in business, that is not a setback. It is part of the process. Pete Seeger’s 1962 adaptation, later made famous by The Byrds, captured that truth memorably:
“To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep”
Those words, of course, long predate the song. They come from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament — a reminder that some ideas endure because they remain true across generations. If there is a stronger argument for the lasting value of age, experience and perspective, it is hard to imagine one.
Still, this is not simply a reassuring reflection on the wisdom that comes with getting older. The larger point is that every career unfolds in seasons, and each one offers its own lessons. The challenge is recognizing which season you are in and responding to it honestly, rather than pretending you are still standing where you once were.
When I first entered the roofing industry as a teenager, my priorities looked nothing like they do today. That evolution has not held my business back. On the contrary, Roof Maxx is now valued at more than eight figures, with dealers across the country selling our roof restoration solution.
Looking back, each stage of my career played a role in shaping the path that led there. If you pay attention to your own season, it can do the same for you.
Spring: New ideas and early growth
The spring of a career is the beginning — the period when entrepreneurs are planting ideas, testing possibilities and imagining what might come next. It is often the most visionary stage, because it is fueled by potential rather than pressure. You are not yet so locked into a business model, payroll or profit targets that every decision is reduced to dollars and cents. The future still feels wide open, and that gives you room to dream.
Now, the likelihood is that not all of those dreams are going to come true, at least not in the way you thought they would. When I was in my teens and twenties, I had no idea that I was eventually going to start Roof Maxx. I got into roofing with simpler ambitions — of becoming a successful contractor, of working with my family, and of building a recognizable brand in our home state of Ohio that would become my legacy.
That didn’t exactly happen. In fact, I worked for 15 years as a roofing contractor and was on the verge of financial failure for most of that time. But as I grew older and wiser, the dream evolved. Things eventually turned out even better than I could have imagined.
Summer: Long days and late nights
The truth is that big plans aren’t enough to succeed in business. You also need to make smart investments. That’s what the summer of your career is for: cultivating the seeds you planted years ago, then carefully pruning and protecting your business ideas so they can grow.
An investment isn’t just about money, either. Not every early-to-mid-career entrepreneur has cash to spare. The time you invest is equally important. And if you invest your time carefully, my experience has taught me that other resources will often become available.
When Todd and I discovered the Roof Maxx formula, which could extend the usable lifespan of asphalt shingle roofs for years as long as they were in decent condition, we didn’t have much in the way of liquid assets. But we had years of experience as roofers, which allowed us to recognize the market potential for a cost-effective restoration solution in an industry then-dominated by contractors who only sold roof replacements, regardless of whether their customers’ roofs could still be saved.
We also had a company that we could sell, so that’s what we did. The money from that sale allowed us to pivot into the business that would eventually become Roof Maxx. What looked like a new company was actually the culmination of years of effort.
Autumn: Harvesting season
Roof Maxx didn’t succeed overnight, but it did disrupt the roofing industry relatively quickly. Homeowners realized we were offering them a way to keep using their current roofs for years to come at a fraction of what it would cost to replace them, and many were eager to try it for themselves.
Our flagship product had undergone extensive testing at Ohio State University, and our dealers were carefully instructed to inspect each homeowner’s roof for suitability before recommending Roof Maxx. We also included a tune-up as part of our complete roof restoration process, which addressed minor damage like nail pops or isolated damaged shingles before the product was applied. This maximized its efficacy and ensured better results for customers.
As a result, many customers who tried Roof Maxx were happy to leave us positive reviews or refer new business our way. As demand grew, we found ourselves presiding over a national dealer network with a presence in all 50 states.
Winter: Preparing for the future
As I write this article, I’m less than a month away from my 60th birthday. I only have a few years left before I’m at what most people consider retirement age. The winter of my career has finally arrived.
But this doesn’t fill me with apprehension. Winter is a time for taking stock of what you have and preparing for the future. Every December, families gather together to celebrate and prepare for the coming year. Roof Maxx started as a family business, and it’s a legacy I’ll be proud to pass on to the next generation once I’ve made the proper arrangements.
When you’re young, you dream of the future. As you gain experience, your focus turns to time and money. Invest those wisely, and you’ll reap what you’ve sown for years to come. After all that, it’s only natural to think about what you’re leaving to others. To everything there is a season.
We don’t get to be young forever, but that’s actually a good thing. Like Pete Seeger of The Byrds sang back in 1962:
“To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep”
Of course, those lyrics are even older than that. They originally appeared in the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is part of the Old Testament. If you’re looking for proof of the value in old things, I don’t know where you’re going to find a better example than that.
