John Kenney, CPRC, CEO, Cotney Consulting Group - December 2025
As the year winds down, most roofing contractors focus on finishing projects, closing the books and preparing for the holiday season. Closing your year out can feel like a sprint to the finish line but there is no better time to be utilized as a launchpad than now. December lends itself to reflect, recalibrate and set your foundation for successful performance in the
upcoming year. It allows contractors to evaluate the current year’s results, realign their teams and establish clear priorities, entering January with momentum and purpose. Without learning from your results, you will start the year by reacting to challenges that could have been anticipated.
As a roofing contractor, you will always face some unpredictability, like shifting job schedules, late deliveries and changing client timelines. However, a company’s long-term direction should never be reactive. It must be deliberate. An actual readiness plan helps contractors step into the new year with clarity and structure. The process provides a blueprint for assessing where the business stands, where it is headed and what adjustments are necessary to stay competitive. Every plan will look different depending on the company. Still, high-performing contractors evaluate seven essential areas before the calendar turns: financial health, operations, sales and marketing, people, risk, technology and culture. Treating this process with the same discipline as a significant project, assigning ownership, setting deadlines and defining outcomes, ensures the plan becomes a measurable roadmap rather than a wish list.
The first area to evaluate is financial health. Your numbers will tell the story of your business performance in 2025 and how prepared it is for the demands of 2026. Performing a complete financial review will provide you with an honest look at actual revenue compared to your goals as well as gross margin trends, overhead structure and cash flow management. Take time to understand what drove your strongest months and what affected the weaker ones. Ensure your overhead is appropriately aligned with projected volume and that your pricing structure reflects current labor and material trends. Review your backlog and sales pipeline carefully. Ask questions so you can build your 2026 forecast based on data, not assumptions. What contracted work will you carry into the new year and what qualified leads are positioned to convert early in the first quarter? Realistic forecasting protects profitability and gives your leadership team the information to plan resources effectively.
Operational performance is another area where minor improvements can deliver significant results. Profit fade causes frustration. Sources of profit fade are poor workmanship, weak communication, job handoffs or inconsistent scheduling. Review how effectively your estimating and sales teams transitioned projects into production. Ask whether field teams consistently received the information, materials and direction needed to execute efficiently. Evaluate crew productivity and completion timelines and look hard at project closeouts. Were punch lists handled quickly or did some drag on for weeks? The end of the year is the ideal time to tighten procedures and document changes. Update your standard operating
procedures where bottlenecks occurred and address recurring issues with training before they repeat in the coming year.
Sales and marketing deserve the same disciplined review. Sales volume matters but repeatable, profitable work builds the foundation of stability. Assess where your best projects came from: referrals, partnerships or digital leads and whether your marketing attracts the right customer. Review how proposals are written and delivered, because the quality of your
scope descriptions and communication often determine whether a project begins smoothly or falls into confusion. Establish your 2026 sales goals and marketing plan based on data, capacity and profitability, not just revenue targets. Adjust your messaging to focus on your strengths and reputation so your marketing tells that story clearly and consistently and your clients understand what sets you apart beyond price.
Your company’s strength and scalability depend entirely on your team’s strength, so no readiness plan is complete without focusing on people. Evaluate individual performance and identify future leaders. Schedule comprehensive reviews and go beyond performance numbers. Discuss career development and operational improvement opportunities. Identify your
performers with the most potential and what resources or mentorship could help them take the next step. Reassess your recruiting strategies and training plans. What essential roles need to be filled? Review your compensation and incentive programs, so they align with your company’s priorities: quality, accountability and teamwork and make sure they do not unintentionally reward the wrong outcomes. When your people understand the company’s direction and see their role in its success, culture becomes your most significant competitive advantage.
Risk management should also be part of every December review. In most roofing companies, risk only becomes visible after something goes wrong. Take a proactive approach. Start by verifying that insurance policies and bonding capacity are adequate for your current size and 2026 project goals. Review contracts, look for dispute patterns or payment delays and update your terms to protect your company’s position. Verify all state licenses, OSHA certifications and other requirements are current. Evaluate safety performance trends, identify recurring issues and ensure near-miss reports are used as learning tools. Effective risk management isn’t just about compliance, it is about creating a safety culture that safeguards your reputation and enables your team and clients to rely on consistent performance.
Technology continues to shape every part of roofing, from estimating and scheduling to accounting and communication. Review your current tools, focusing on efficiency, accuracy and adoption. Determine whether your estimating platform is fast and precise enough to support your sales goals and whether your project management software is used consistently in the field. Review accounting systems for their ability to track job costs, margins and forecasts in real time. Ensure your dashboards generate meaningful insights for decision making, not just reports. Eliminate redundant or underused systems and invest in the tools that save time and provide visibility across departments. The goal isn’t more technology – it’s better integration and accountability.
No readiness plan is complete without addressing culture and leadership vision. The most successful roofing companies operate from a clear sense of identity and purpose that guides every decision. Revisit your mission and values to confirm they reflect who you are today and where you intend to go. Establish a central theme for 2026, such as margin control,
leadership development or operational consistency and make it the anchor for your company’s focus throughout the year. Plan an all-hands kickoff meeting in January to celebrate the achievements of 2025, outline the roadmap for the year ahead and reconnect your team with the company’s vision. Slogans or posters don’t create culture; it’s built daily through
leadership example, clear communication and meaningful recognition.
Contractors who move into the new year with defined goals and disciplined execution consistently outperform those who depend on luck or momentum. A structured readiness plan keeps your company aligned, proactive and confident as you enter 2026. Treat December not as a slowdown but as a strategic checkpoint, a chance to reflect, refine and get ahead.
In a competitive and unpredictable market, success doesn’t favor the fastest responders but the best-prepared leaders. The companies that take the time to plan with purpose and execute with consistency are the ones that stay ahead and stay relevant.
John Kenney, CPRC is CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, Plant City. He has decades of experience on commercial roofing projects, providing him with a unique understanding of what it takes to succeed in roofing – on the roof, in the office and at scale. John saw the need to provide contractors with strategic guidance built on real-world field knowledge. Cotney
Consulting offers COO on Demand, online training, technology solutions, business advisory consulting, collections, contracts, Castagra estimating training, safety and OSHA training. John partners with FRSA to provide educational seminars. For more information, contact John at jkenney@cotneyconsulting.com or 813-851-4173.