Like many local construction industry workers, Kapili Roofing & Painting President Brennan Leong was brought up in the trades. His father, Mike Leong, founded the company in 2007, with Brennan taking over operations as president at just 23 years old.
“I come from a family of roofers and painters,” he says. “Construction always interested me growing up and I grew up thinking construction was what ‘work’ was.”
In seven years, Leong has seen the company expand its workforce from 34 employees to 140 and has grown annual revenue averages from approximately $6 million per year to about $38 million.
As for the future, Leong is looking forward to just “continu[ing] to refine what we do.”
Question: What kept you interested in the roofing field?
Answer: The biggest thing that has kept me interested in it is the people that you meet along the way. Roofers are a special type of people who keep things fun and interesting while performing, in my opinion, one of the hardest specialty trades.
Q: Did you receive any formal training/education during your career (degrees, apprenticeships, etc.)?
A: I’ve been lucky to have been surrounded by good people over my career, so far, that have invested into helping me grow. I’ve recently re-enrolled and am a part-time student. I’m a part of the [Project Management Institute], [Construction Specifications Institute] and [Construction Financial Management Association]. I have a [Project Management Professional] certification, and [am] working on a couple others. I also have a state contractor’s license.
Q: Can you describe your current role?
A: My current role is eclectic in that I actively project-manage some of our work, perform our strategic planning and build our IT systems. It keeps me busy, with a range of different types
of work.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of the job?
A: My favorite aspect of the job is probably getting out to site with the roofers. Second favorite would be building and seeing a plan through.
Q: Did you run into any challenges during the span of your career? If so, how did you overcome them?
A: Many times, as most people in my position do. Challenges are usually times to dig deep and power through, and provide opportunities to learn and improve.
Q: If you could tell your younger self one piece of advice, what would you say and why?
A: Take your time.
Q: What advice would you give someone who is just starting out?
A: Work hard, treat people well and know you can always get better.
Q: What do you like to do during your free time?
A: Read [and] exercise.
