Sometimes big risks bring big rewards. Paul Vasquez will attest to that.
The Houston-based roofer and builder took a risk 16 years ago when he gave up a steady paycheck to start his own roofing business. Little did he know at the time how that decision would start him down a path to success in business, and eventually to helping hundreds of families buy their first home.
Today Vasquez runs two successful businesses in Houston: PV Roofing and a home-building business called BUYOUR Homes, which has helped more than 100 lower-income families in the Houston area buy affordable homes without closing costs.
Special Recognition
It was this kind of hard work, leadership and dedication that inspired The Home Depot to recognize PV Roofing as its 2007 Hispanic Pro Customer of the Year. “Vasquez’s dedication to his staff of more than 140 employees, his commitment to the community and his entrepreneurial spirit caught the attention of The Home Depot Emerging Markets team and demonstrated his deservedness for this award,” says Alex Zepeda, senior manager of Emerging Markets for The Home Depot.
Vasquez says he is “very proud” to receive the award. “I share this honor with my family, my colleagues and all of my customers,” he says. “This award inspires me to continue giving back to my community and working with The Home Depot, which has been an excellent business partner by providing the products, services and assistance of knowledgeable associates I need to be successful.”
Starting Out
Like his home buyers, Vasquez worked hard to achieve the American Dream.
After moving to the United States from a small town in Guerrero, Mexico, at age 17, Vasquez worked in a variety of agricultural, janitorial and landscaping jobs before he began roofing at age 21.
“I learned the trade from a group of friends in Texas, but I never thought it would open up so many possibilities for me, my family and my community,” Vasquez says.
Working at a weekend job for a contractor in Texas sparked Vasquez’s entrepreneurial spirit. “I had little experience and didn’t even know how much to charge,” he remembers. “I asked a few of my co-workers if they wanted to help, and we formed a team.”
But soon the crew realized they would have to work more than just weekends, and everyone except Vasquez returned to the safety of their regular jobs. Vasquez, on the other hand, decided to venture out on his own as a roofing contractor. “Life presents you with opportunities, and you have to make a choice,” he says. “But if you ask me, the greatest risk is not taking the risk. When you have nothing, there’s nothing to lose.”
Risks and Rewards
One job led to another and soon Vasquez found himself the owner of a thriving business. Eventually, his work expanded from roofing to construction. Seeing the need for affordable, quality housing, Vasquez seized the opportunity, and with the help of an architect friend, he built two homes. He gave one to his sister and immediately sold the second one.
“Soon we found other lots, and I saw I could make money while helping people, and still keep my roofing business running,” he says. His typical customers are first-time buyers who have been renting for 10 to 15 years and for whom buying a home is the achievement of a lifetime.
BUYOUR Homes keeps house prices affordable by cutting out middlemen and keeping overhead low. Molding and granite countertops are standard features on the company’s homes. “These are not houses; they are people’s dreams, and we intend to honor that,” says Vasquez. “By keeping our staff to the minimum, we strive to be within the reach of first-time home buyers, even if sometimes it means sacrificing a little profit.”
And the risks have paid off—in more ways than one. “When people thank you personally, and you see them cry at closing; when families come out to greet you when you visit one of the subdivisions you’ve built, it’s hard not to leave a piece of your heart in each home,” he says. “After all,” he points out, “it’s a cycle, we give what we get and we get what we give.”
The Home Depot’s Commitment to the Hispanic Community
For the past several years, The Home Depot Emerging Markets team has been dedicated to serving Hispanic professional contractors by building relationships and reaching out to them in Spanish and in their local communities.
In the future, The Home Depot will continue to expand its offerings and services to Hispanic customers through bilingual materials, in-store signage, clinics and Spanish-speaking associates who work directly with customers to serve their needs.