What might convince a 51-year-old female pastor and divorced mother of two children with no roofing experience to purchase a roofing company? God said so.
That’s Shirley Holston’s testimony as the new owner of Vertex Roofing, 4715 Augusta Road, in Beech Island, SC. Vertex provides roofing services for new and existing homes. The company also does small repairs and fencing.
Holston purchased it from the previous owner who had operated it for decades and says in addition to the services provided, it’s the service to mankind that keeps it, and her, going.
“We provide local jobs to stimulate the local economy,” she said. “Although I had plenty of business experience, I did not have any roofing experience, so this was definitely a leap of faith. The employees and I have worked together to make small changes and to keep our doors open to the community. Our dedication to quality customer service is steeped in the premise of ‘Treat Others the Way You Want to be Treated.’ We have faith that any shortfalls that result from us putting our customers first will be covered by God’s grace.”
The Norwood, GA native knows something about faith. For more than a decade, Holston has been the pastor of Young Storm Branch Baptist Church. She says her trust in God is the only thing that pushed her to step outside of her professional comfort zone, which is education, to buy the company to keep jobs for its existing employees.
“By faith, God has blessed us to stay in business, in the best community anywhere,” Holston said. “So, we make it our top priority to give top-notch service to every customer, every day. Because of our stewardship over His blessings, God allowed us to do nearly $60,000 in our first couple of weeks in business!
“My faith has been developed over a lifetime and is based on God continually providing. I just believe that He will honor His word, ‘Give and it shall be given unto you…’ If our company continues to give to our community, I am convinced that we will continue to be blessed.”
Not only does Vertex seek to bless the community, but also Holston wants to leave a legacy or community service to her children through faith.
“I will leave my children an inheritance of multiple streams of income, but my greatest legacy to them will be faith, perseverance, and work ethic!” she said. “Good examples beat money every time.”
