You’ve probably heard of a hotel chain that’s known for its bright red roof. Now there’s a roofing company known for its bright red beard.
Red Beard Roofing is a playful name for a business that operates in a not-so-playful industry. The name also plays nicely with the personalities of the firm’s owners, Sarah and Brandon Cronkhite. With her marketing background, Sarah is inclined to take creative risks. As the partner who can be found scaling roofs for a living, risk taking is the last thing Brandon wants to do. “We’re fun-loving people,” says Sarah. “Brandon tends to take things seriously, but I try not to take things too seriously. So it balances out and we work well together.”
Their complementary dynamic factored into the recent rebranding of their business. As Sarah explains, “Brandon and I both come from Irish Immigrant families so we’re a family of ‘gingers.’ But Brandon has had bleach-blonde hair since I’ve known him, and we’ve been together since we were 16." After the high school sweethearts married and started a family, Brandon decided to grow a beard, “and it came in bright red,” says Sarah, who had never seen Brandon with facial hair. Shortly thereafter, Brandon’s hair started turning red as well. That led to some good-natured teasing within the family which, in turn, served as the inspiration for the company name. “Brandon thought the idea was crazy, but the name has personality and it’s different,” says Sarah.
The Cronkhites moved to Middle Tennessee from Northern California five years ago when Brandon went to work for a large roofing company with a national profile. They had family in the area (Sarah’s sister has lived here for 20 years), and they fell in love with the landscape and kindness of the people. Sarah and Brandon also saw the move as a refreshing change for their family. They have three children: daughter Paige (22), and sons Aiden (18) and Blake who would have been 14 this year.
“We’re from a small town outside of Sacramento and we felt like the values that were important to us were fading away,” says Sarah. “Being polite and having good manners matter to us. We’re rooted in country and community and local farming. In some ways (Franklin) is a bit more urban than we’re used to.”
Working for an industry giant had its perks, but it left Brandon feeling empty. He saw a need for a roofer who could take the time necessary to connect with clients on a personal level. A roofer who was concerned about more than just finishing the job and collecting the check. He wanted to be the roofer who could provide small but meaningful touches, like helping an elderly customer with a task around her house that was unrelated to the job he was hired to do. Or simply being a sounding board for a customer who wanted to talk.
So in January of 2020 he left the corporate gig to start the company that would become Red Beard Roofing. The goal isn’t to be a multi-billion-dollar business with massive infrastructure and scores of roofers. Their emphasis is on best-in-class quality and service (Red Beard is a preferred Owens Corning contractor) and to be there for clients long after the job is complete. Red Beard Roofing has a crew of seven for new roof installations, a gutter crew of five, a team of two for repairs and an exterior paint crew.
The Cronkhites are also passionate about contributing to the greater good of their community. Through their involvement with the food pantry at The Well Outreach, they work to provide meals to those impacted by natural disasters or personal struggles. They donate time and funds to Crowned Image Ministries, an organization that ministers to those seeking to recover from traumatic experiences.
Working to provide relief to the homeless is another cause that they take to heart. “Homelessness can be a touchy subject,” says Sarah. “Some people make bad choices; some are fighting illness, and others simply fall on hard times. But it’s important to us, as a family, to do what we can to lift them up.”
To that end, they work alongside ShowerUp of Nashville through Red Beard Roofing’s “Everyone Deserves a Roof,” program, an initiative where Red Beard purchases tarps and blankets that, with the city’s permission, are distributed to people in homeless camps. “We take our children with us so that they know everything we have is a luxury and that things can change for anyone,” says Brandon. “We believe everyone deserves a roof. It’s humbling but it makes us feel good, too. Food is great for a day, but tarps keep the wind and weather away from people. This is something that we will do forever.”
That’s because at Red Beard Roofing, there’s always a time to play, and a time to take things seriously. RedBeardRoofing.com