President's Message: There Are No Secrets

By Ron Lloyd

Speakers, trainers, and authors love to tell you that there are secrets to success.  When they have convinced you that there are secrets to being more successful, selling more, or being rich, they will convince you that only they possess those secrets.  If you will give them your money, they will share those secrets with you.  What a rip-off.  Those people should be ashamed.  (Not ashamed for trying to sell you their ideas, because we all have the right to do that.)  They should be ashamed for saying there are secrets to being more successful.  There are no secrets.  There is no new information.  The same things it takes to be successful today are the same things it has taken to be successful throughout history.  I have discovered that there are only a handful of good ideas in the whole world.  You already know them.  You have heard them your entire life. 

Here are some of the main keys to being more successful:

• Things change, so be flexible
• Work smart and work hard
• Serve others well
• Be nice to others
• Be optimistic
• Have goals; want something big for yourself
• Stay focused
• Keep learning
• Become excellent at what you do
• Trust your gut
• When in doubt, take action
• Earn all you can.  Save all you can.  Give all you can.
• Enjoy all you’ve got.
• Above all:  keep it simple

Dealing with Life's Challenges

By Colleen Karren, Office Manager

Every day we are faced with some kind of problem that hinders us from going forward. . . to some it could be a small pebble. . . to others a huge boulder.  We each have something that challenges us to become a little stronger and a little tougher.  Some go through physical abuse, some have to face the sadness of losing a loved one, and some are told that they have a serious disease, while others struggle to survive emotionally.  Life is full of sadness and difficulties.  We can either cope with the boulder head on or take another route with no guarantees.  The choice is ours.

I am often reminded of Lance Armstrong and his attitude of survival and triumph.  He was faced with a deadly disease with very thin odds and managed not only to beat the affliction, but returned to his sport and won the prize, not once, but six more times.  He continues to be a survivor admired by all.  He not only knocked the boulder down, but he went on to victory.

It is amazing how your attitude can affect your outlook on life.  I have watched as many of my dear friends have faced their challenges head on and even though their lives on this earth were taken in the process…they left behind a legacy of perseverance and courage as they crossed the finish line.

I challenge each of us to get up each day ready to knock down the boulders in our path.  Life is too good to be held back in our race to the finish line.

Employee Spotlight: Getting to Know Shawna Lee Roper

One of the employees of Jacobsen Construction that RR Roofing frequently works with is Shawna Lee Roper.  She has worked for many years with various estimators and subcontractors from throughout the valley.  She has worked for Jacobsen for the past 2 years as their Estimating Assistant.  Prior to that time, she worked for 29 years as the Estimating Coordinator for Bud Bailey Construction.  She has also held positions at Citi Financial Services (where she was their first woman manager) and at KTVX.  All of this came after her graduation from LDS Business College.

Shawna’s home town is Preston, Idaho, and she returns there often to visit.  She says, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.”  That is why Shawna loves doing almost anything outdoors, especially gardening, golfing, or playing tennis.  She is very close to her sister and 2 brothers and especially enjoys being a part of the lives of her 26 nieces and nephews.

Knowing and working with Shawna is a pleasure because of her efficiency as well as her positive and enthusiastic attitude.  Thanks from everyone here at RR Roofing!