Inspiring Conversations with David Alejandro Reyes of Green Ladder Roofing Company

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Alejandro Reyes.

David Alejandro, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Proudly Rooted, Boldly Building: From Section 8 to a $50 Million Roofing Vision

I was raised in Southern California, surrounded by Section 8 housing, in a neighborhood where just staying out of trouble felt like a win. My parents immigrated from Mexico with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and the kind of work ethic that’s rare. My dad worked in roofing, and my mom cleaned houses — both of them grinding every single day to keep food on the table and hope alive in our home.

We didn’t grow up with money, but we were rich in culture, pride, and grit. As the oldest in a first-generation Mexican-American family, I took on a lot early — helping my parents navigate bills, language barriers, and life in a country that didn’t always make it easy for us. I started roofing in high school, just like my dad, and continued working through college to pay my own way. There were times I had to sleep in my car because I couldn’t afford gas to drive back and forth to school. But I never complained. My family was dealing with heavy medical bills, and I refused to be one more weight on their shoulders.

Those humble beginnings? That’s my superpower. That’s what shaped me. Being proudly rooted in our culture gave me purpose, and growing up in the struggle gave me drive.

Today, my team and I have built a roofing and waterproofing company generating $3 million a year — and we’re on track to hit $5 million this year. But I’m dreaming bigger. We’re aiming for $50 million. Not just to scale a company, but to build something meaningful — something that proves you can come from the hood and still make it to the top.

This business isn’t just about roofs — it’s about legacy. It’s about paving the way for others who grew up like I did, showing them that their background isn’t a setback — it’s a foundation. I want this company to be a platform to uplift others, create jobs, mentor youth, and pour back into the same communities we came from.

Because when you’re built from struggle and rooted in culture, you’re built to last.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was born and raised in Southern California, in a neighborhood boxed in by Section 8 housing. Where I grew up, dreaming felt like a luxury — surviving was the real priority. Gunshots were part of the soundtrack. Drive-bys, robberies, and car thefts weren’t something you watched on the news — they were happening on your block, sometimes right in front of you. Our family home was broken into three times before we could afford even basic protection. Eventually, we scraped together enough to install alarms, new windows, metal gates, and security cameras. But even after that, the cameras constantly picked up crime — robberies, stolen cars, and shootings right outside our door.

My parents came here from Mexico chasing a better future. They didn’t speak English, didn’t have connections, and definitely didn’t have money. My dad worked in roofing — tough, back-breaking work under the scorching California sun. My mom cleaned houses just to help keep food on the table. From the age of 10, I became their interpreter — translating legal documents, lease agreements, and doctor’s appointments. While other kids were playing outside, I was helping my parents understand paperwork that determined whether we kept a roof over our heads.

School was another uphill battle. English wasn’t my first language, and I always felt like I was playing catch-up. I didn’t think I was smart enough. I struggled with confidence. I finished high school with a 2.7 GPA. Not because I wasn’t trying — but because I was juggling school, work, and family responsibilities. The only reason I got into a UC school was because I was recruited to play soccer. That scholarship was my ticket — not just out of the hood, but into a shot at something bigger.

But college brought new challenges. By junior year, things got even harder. My mom got sick. Medical bills piled up. My two younger brothers needed more help than ever. Every dime I earned from roofing side jobs went toward my family — groceries, rent, hospital bills. I couldn’t always afford gas to commute, so I slept in my car on campus just to make it to class the next day. I never told my family. I didn’t want them to worry. They were already dealing with enough. So I carried that weight quietly, like I always had.

At the same time, I was watching people I grew up with fall through the cracks. Some joined gangs. Others landed in prison. Some didn’t make it out alive. It felt like the odds were stacked against us — and maybe they were. But I was determined to change our story.

I became the first in my family to graduate from college. The first to own a business. The first to take our name — a name rooted in immigrant sacrifice and street-level struggle — and attach it to a multimillion-dollar company. And I’m proud of that. But let me be clear:

These were just the struggles leading up to starting a business.

Starting the company was a whole new level of challenge. A new book of hard lessons, long nights, and sacrifices that tested everything in me. Running a business meant facing pressure, risk, and responsibility on a scale I had never known before. It meant unlocking strength I didn’t even realize I had — and learning that real leadership begins when things get hard and keep getting harder.

But one thing I’ve learned through it all: when you come from nothing, you build with everything you’ve got. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Green Ladder Roofing Company?
We’re a Southern California-based, first-generation Mexican-American, minority-owned roofing and waterproofing company — and we’re here to disrupt the industry. What started with grit, hustle, and a borrowed truck has evolved into a multi-million dollar powerhouse rooted in legacy, powered by innovation, and driven by purpose.

We specialize in high-performance roofing and waterproofing for residential, commercial, and multi-family properties. But we don’t just install systems — we build long-term solutions backed by trust, technology, and tenacity. We bring a rare combination of real-world field experience and forward-thinking business strategy that most companies in this space simply can’t match.

At the core of our operation is a second-generation roofer — a first-generation Mexican-American who grew up on job sites, learning the craft from his father. That deep respect for old-school quality and integrity is what grounds our company. But what sets us apart is how we’ve evolved — combining traditional expertise with next-generation business systems, strategies, and tools that are built to scale.

We’ve had the rare opportunity to be mentored directly by business legends like Brandon Dawson, Grant Cardone, and Alex Hormozi — and we’ve used those lessons to build a company structured for explosive, sustainable growth. From revenue channels and finance to operations and people, our business is engineered for scale — not survival.

Our AI-powered infrastructure automates inbound and outbound lead nurturing, books appointments, and keeps our sales pipeline full — 24/7. While other companies are cold-calling or chasing leads, we’ve built systems that let us focus on closing and delivering exceptional results. Our field ops and customer service are fully streamlined through ServiceTitan, and we’re working directly with their development team and GAF Roofing to beta test new tools and systems not yet released to the public. We’re not just certified — we’re co-creating the future of the roofing industry.

But we’re not just here to grow — we’re here to do it responsibly.

As a LEED Green Associate and active partner with the U.S. Green Building Council, we integrate California Green Building Standards (CALGreen) into our projects and specialize in installing high-reflective, energy-efficient roofing systems that lower emissions, reduce energy use, and fight global warming. Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for us — it’s a responsibility.

What we want readers — and the industry — to know is this: we’re not just building a roofing company. We’re building a movement.

We represent a new era of contractors — rooted in culture, forged through struggle, and now leading with systems, scale, and service. We’re here to shake things up, raise the bar, and prove that a first-generation Mexican-American company born from humble beginnings can become a national force for innovation, integrity, and impact.

This is just the beginning. The future of roofing is here — and we’re leading it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
The Role of Luck in My Life and Business

I think about luck a lot — especially coming from where I came from. Growing up in a tough neighborhood, surrounded by crime, poverty, and limited opportunities, I saw firsthand how bad luck could completely derail someone’s life. Some of the people I grew up with were just as talented, just as driven — but one wrong place, one wrong time, and their story ended early. So in that sense, I consider myself lucky to have made it through.

But at the same time, I don’t believe luck is the main driver of success. I believe in preparation meeting opportunity — and in having the grit to put yourself in the right rooms where opportunity might show up. That means taking uncomfortable risks. Like the time I spent my last bit of money on gas and a ticket to an “expensive” networking event — not knowing a single person, but hoping I’d meet someone that could change the game for me. That kind of decision doesn’t feel like luck — it feels like a bet on yourself.

Even college, which didn’t guarantee my success — it didn’t directly teach me how to run a business — did put me in proximity to people I’d have never met growing up in the hood. I was suddenly around people with money, influence, and connections — and that changed how I saw the world and what I thought was possible.

So yes, I’ve had moments of both good luck and bad luck. But I’ve never sat around waiting for it. And I never used bad luck as an excuse. I used it as fuel. Every setback made me tougher, more creative, and more focused. I’ve always believed that momentum is more powerful than luck — and you build that through grit, persistence, and the courage to show up when the odds are stacked against you.

Because at the end of the day, we don’t rely on luck — we create opportunity, we build proximity, and we show up ready when it counts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.greenladderroofinginc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donalereyes?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MWRjOXFsZ2VzYmF1Yg==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Green-Ladder-Roofing-Inc/100082255696844/?checkpoint_src=any
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DonAleReyes1
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/green_ladder_roofing_inc/?next=%2F&hl=en