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As part of our series on founders building durable, locally trusted businesses, we sat down with Nick Riley, owner of Driftwood Builders Roofing — an Austin-based roofing and exterior contractor serving homeowners, Realtors, property managers, and businesses across Central Texas. Driftwood Builders Roofing specializes in roof replacement, roof repairs, storm damage restoration, metal roofing, siding, gutters, commercial roofing, and detailed roof inspections. Nick combines a lifetime around the trades with a background as a CPA and former strategy consultant at KPMG and Deloitte, bringing both hands-on construction knowledge and business discipline to the roofing industry.
Quick Facts
- Hometown: Columbia Falls, MT
- Favorite quote: “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
- Online: Driftwood Builders Roofing website · LinkedIn · Instagram · About
Tell us about Driftwood Builders Roofing. How did you come up with this idea?
I did not come up with the idea — I bought an existing business from a retiring baby boomer. Driftwood Builders Roofing is an Austin-based roofing and exterior company that helps homeowners and business owners make smart decisions about their roofs. We handle roof replacements, roof repairs, storm and hail damage restoration, metal roofing, siding, gutters, commercial roofing, and insurance-related roofing projects across Austin and Central Texas.
I grew up around home services and construction. I started working with my dad and uncle when I was eight years old, so I learned early how much pride goes into doing work the right way. Later in my career, I became a CPA and spent nine years as a strategy consultant with KPMG and Deloitte. That background gave me a different perspective on the roofing business. I saw an opportunity to combine old-school craftsmanship with clear communication, documentation, systems, and a better customer experience.
A roof is not something most customers buy often. It can be confusing, expensive, and stressful. Our goal is to simplify the process, educate the customer, document what we find, and help them feel confident in the decision they are making.
How did you promote your company in the early days?
In the early days, the focus was local relationships, referrals, and showing up consistently. Roofing is a trust-based business, especially in a market like Austin where homeowners have a lot of options. We worked hard to build relationships with homeowners, Realtors, property managers, insurance agents, and local business owners.
We also leaned into content. Instead of only saying “call us for a roof,” we started creating educational content around real projects, common roofing problems, hail damage, roof leaks, roof replacement costs, metal roofing, siding, and exterior repairs. A lot of customers are searching questions before they ever call a contractor. If we can answer those questions honestly, we build trust before the first phone call.
Future Sharks has published stories about entrepreneurs growing through niche expertise and marketing, like this roofing-related article on Tim Nussbeck and this local business article on Nick Ponte’s community resource platforms. That same idea applies locally: be useful, be visible, and become the company people think of when they have a problem.
How have you been able to grow your business? Get specific.
The biggest growth lever has been combining great field work with better communication and documentation. A lot of roofing companies can install a roof, but not every company explains the process well, documents the job clearly, follows up quickly, and makes the customer feel taken care of.
Specifically, we focus on four things:
- Detailed inspections with photos and videos so customers can see exactly what we see.
- Clear estimates that explain the scope of work instead of confusing people with vague line items.
- Referral relationships with Realtors, property managers, homeowners, and local service providers.
- Strong follow-up after storms, roof inspections, and completed projects.
We also treat every completed job as a marketing asset. If we replace a roof in Westlake, repair tile in Austin, inspect hail damage in Bee Cave, or complete a roof replacement in Bastrop, that job can become a project page, a Google post, a short video, a social media post, and a proof point for the next customer in that area.
What are some secrets to virality or sales on your most successful platform?
For us, the best “platform” is local trust. That includes Google, our website, YouTube, social media, referrals, and our Google Business Profile. The secret is not trying to go viral for the sake of going viral. The goal is to be useful to people in our market.
The best roofing content usually answers a real question customers already have. Examples include: “Why is my roof leaking?”, “How much does a roof replacement cost in Austin?”, “Do I need a new roof after hail?”, “Can I switch from shingles to tile?”, or “Is this roof repair worth doing?”
Good content is specific. A generic post that says “we do roof repairs” is not as strong as a real story about a homeowner in Tarrytown who thought they needed a $25,000 metal roof replacement, but only needed an $800 pipe reseal. That kind of story is educational, local, trustworthy, and easy for people to understand.
The same applies to sales. People do not want to be pressured. They want clarity. If you can explain the problem, show photos, give options, and be honest about what they do and do not need, you will win more trust.
Teach us something we don’t know about local SEO for home service businesses.
Local SEO is not just about ranking one page for one keyword. For home service businesses, the best strategy is to build a web of trust around your service area.
For example, a roofing company in Austin should not only have one page that says “Austin roofing company.” It should also have pages and content around roof replacement in Austin, roof repair in Austin, metal roofing in Austin, tile roof repair in Westlake, hail damage in Bee Cave, roof inspections in Lakeway, and real project pages from completed jobs.
Project pages are especially powerful because they show real work in real neighborhoods. A page about a completed roof replacement in South Austin or a tile repair in Westlake is more credible than a generic service page. It gives Google, customers, and even AI search engines more context about what you do, where you do it, and why people should trust you.
This is similar to what a lot of strong online marketers focus on: useful content, niche authority, and proof. Future Sharks has covered entrepreneurs sharing marketing lessons, including Katie Melissa’s marketing and e-commerce tips and Ethan Norville’s online advertising story. For local contractors, the same principle applies, but the content needs to be local, practical, and tied to real customer problems.
What do you think you do better than most people? How are you able to do it?
I think I’m good at connecting the field side of construction with the business side. A lot of people are strong in one area. Some people understand roofing, crews, materials, and jobsite problems. Others understand marketing, sales, operations, finance, and strategy. I try to bring both together.
My background helps. I grew up around the trades, so I respect the work and understand how important craftsmanship is. I also spent years in consulting, so I think in terms of systems, process, documentation, communication, and long-term growth.
In roofing, that combination matters. A customer does not just need shingles installed. They need someone who can inspect the roof, explain the options, coordinate materials, manage the crew, communicate clearly, protect the property, handle unexpected issues, and stand behind the work.
What are some of the best books you’ve ever read?
My favorites are The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, and Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. Each one has shaped how I think about focus, purpose, discipline, and pushing through hard things in both business and life.
What is one thing homeowners should know before hiring a roofing company?
Homeowners should know that the cheapest roofing estimate is not always the lowest-cost option long term. A roof protects the entire home. If the contractor cuts corners on materials, ventilation, flashing, underlayment, installation, or cleanup, the homeowner may save money upfront but pay more later.
The better question is not just “How much does the roof cost?” It is “What exactly is included, what materials are being used, how will the property be protected, what happens if bad decking is found, what warranty applies, and who is actually managing the project?”
A good roofing company should be able to explain the scope clearly, provide documentation, answer questions directly, and make the customer feel confident before the work starts.
Where do you see yourself and Driftwood Builders Roofing in a few years? What’s the dream?
The dream is for Driftwood Builders Roofing to become one of the most trusted roofing and exterior companies in Central Texas. I want homeowners, Realtors, property managers, and business owners to think of us when they need honest roofing advice, a detailed inspection, a high-quality roof replacement, or help after a storm.
In the next few years, I see us continuing to grow our team, improve our systems, publish more educational content, and serve more customers across Austin and Central Texas. I also want us to be known not just for roofing, but for how we communicate, how we document our work, and how we take care of people.
At the end of the day, roofing is a local reputation business. My goal is simple: do great work, tell the truth, build trust, and make Driftwood Builders Roofing a company people are proud to recommend.
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