What Happens After You Sell? Life After a Roofing Acquisition
If you’re a roofing company owner who’s ever thought about selling, there’s probably one question you’ve wrestled with more than any other:
“What happens next?”
It’s not just about the transaction. It’s about what life looks like on the other side; your role, your team, your identity as a business owner.
The answer depends entirely on who you sell to. Because not all buyers treat owners or their companies the same way.
The Old Model: Exit and Replace
There are buyers in the market today who view acquisitions as a reset button.
The owner exits. The leadership team gets replaced. And the new buyer installs their own people, sometimes with little experience in the trades, and little understanding of the culture that made the business successful in the first place.
It’s transactional. And in many cases, it’s disruptive.
For owners who still have gas in the tank, that model doesn’t make sense.
An Alternative Approach: Stay On and Grow
More and more owners are choosing a different path, one where they stay on, continue to run their business, and scale with the support of a larger platform.
In these partnerships, the owner's experience is seen as a strength, not a liability. The relationship is built on shared goals, long-term value creation, and aligned incentives.
The best models offer operational autonomy with strategic guardrails, or what some call operational freedom with fences.
You’re still in control of the day-to-day. But now you’ve got access to resources, support, and guidance to take the business further than you could alone.
Rolling Equity: The Next-Level Wealth Builder
In these deals, owners often roll 20 to 30 percent of their equity into the acquiring platform. This means you're not just getting a payout. You’re buying into the future.
As the platform grows, so does the value of your equity. If the business performs well, the second bite can often be just as meaningful as the first.
It’s a long-term play, and a powerful one for owners who still want to be part of the journey.
Compensation That Reflects Your Value
When owners stay on post-transaction, their compensation typically includes:
A competitive base salary tied to their leadership role
An annual performance bonus aligned to key business metrics
A long-term incentive bonus based on EBITDA growth and value creation
It’s a package designed to reward continued leadership, not just legacy results.
The Bottom Line
Selling your business doesn’t have to mean stepping away. And it definitely doesn’t have to mean watching someone else change everything you’ve built.
There’s a path where you can stay on, keep growing, and share in the success you help create. You just have to find the right partner and structure the right deal.
Curious Where You Stand?
If you’re unsure what life might look like after selling your roofing company, or want to understand what your business could be worth if you stayed on and continued growing, I’m happy to have a conversation.
You can also use my free valuation tool to get a better idea of your company’s current position and what it might look like as part of something bigger.
