Finding opportunity in every position

By Emma Peterson. 

Jenilee Common on embracing discomfort, continuous learning and leadership in the roofing industry. 

In an episode of the Stories from the Roof podcast, sponsored by SRS Distribution, Megan Ellsworth saw down with Jenilee Common, the CEO of Leaf Home. Leaf Home is a full-service roofing company that provides everything from basement waterproofing to gutter filters. The company has a very large footprint, especially since they merged with Eerie Homes, that spans 48 states and Canada.  

Jenilee began her career in manufacturing, building experience across multiple leadership roles before joining the roofing industry at Owens Corning. And from there she never looked back, explaining, “The industry taught me roofing. I started in manufacturing and then I worked in a lot of factories, working my way through general management, different disciplines around supply chain, general management, pricing, sales and more.” This gave Jenilee a deep understanding of different pieces and parts of how the roofing industry works.  

Looking back at it now, Jenilee couldn’t be more thankful for this on-the-job education:  

It was an incredible way to learn. I worked with incredible people in manufacturing and distribution that really taught me the pros and cons of how to operate... And that’s not to say it wasn’t challenging, I had to learn to take roles I didn’t feel ready for and move laterally into things that I was not specialized in, but I listened to people telling me to live in that discomfort and it truly helped me grow, both in my professional life and my personal. 

Overall, Jenilee couldn’t imagine being in any other industry. She shared, “You get to help protect people’s livelihoods, that’s something you can take a lot of pride in. There is so much to learn in roofing, and you’ll be surrounded by really great talent and community. In the roofing industry what matters is your work ethic and customer care, and if you are genuine and authentic about those things, there’s a place in this community for you.” 

Listen to the whole episode to hear more of Jenilee’s insights.