Good Neighbor Podcast: TN-WNC-SWVA

EP# 337: From Bread Routes to Big Roofs: Konrad Schimmel on Craft, Care, and Commercial Roofing

• Skip Mauney & Konrad Schimmel • Episode 337

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A roof is never just a roof when it protects a restaurant kitchen, a production line, or a warehouse full of goods. We welcome Konrad Schimmel, Business Development Manager at WNC Roofing, for a grounded tour of commercial roofing—what separates it from residential work, where leaks really start, and how a specialist keeps big buildings dry without drama. From metal systems and single-ply membranes to gutters and waterproofing, Conrad explains the decisions that save facility managers money and stress, and why the right contractor knows when to repair, when to maintain, and when to replace.

Konrad’s path is as human as it gets: he left a bread route for a better quality of life, then found a calling in serving property managers, plant leaders, and restaurant owners across Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. He also shares the family story that changed everything—adopting premature twins who were triplets, mourning the loss of one sister, and later welcoming a son. That experience reshaped how he shows up for clients and neighbors: with patience, clarity, and a deep respect for every day.

You’ll come away knowing why a “one-size-fits-all” approach fails on low-slope roofs, how thermal movement affects large metal systems, and what a solid maintenance plan looks like for commercial buildings. If you manage facilities or own a business with a flat or low-slope roof, this conversation gives you practical tools to make better decisions—faster. Want to connect with WNC Roofing? Find them on LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok, or visit wncroofing.com.

Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a colleague who handles building upkeep, and leave a quick review to help more neighbors find practical, local insights.

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, get money.

SPEAKER_01:

Well hello everyone, and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. So we are very excited today to have a special guest that has not been in the studio with us before. So we're all excited to learn about him and what he does. And I'm sure you'll be just as excited because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, uh, Mr. Conrad Schimmel. Am I pronouncing that correct? Yes, you got it right.

SPEAKER_02:

So that's usually how I think somebody's a telemarketer if they mess up my name.

SPEAKER_01:

So very good. Well, I'm glad I I won that one. Um, and Conrad is the business development manager uh for WNC Roofing. Conrad, welcome to the show. Glad to be here. Thanks, Kev. Well, we're glad to have you. Like I said, excited to learn all about uh what you do. So if you don't mind, why don't you kick us off by telling us about WNC roofing?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, WNC roofing, we're we've been around for a little over a decade in the Western North Carolina area and upstate South Carolina area. All we do is commercial roofing. So uh we we don't touch anything residential. Um, every now and then we might help somebody out with a flat roof that can't find somebody to fix it. Um, but most of what we do is metal, you know, membrane roofs, big industrial buildings. That's really our specialty. And we also fix the gutters and do some waterproofing too.

SPEAKER_01:

Very good, very good. Well, how uh Conrad, how did you get into the roofing business, commercial roofing business?

SPEAKER_02:

I actually used to be in the bread business. I used to own a bread route, and then um about three years ago I decided to sell that. Um, I needed a better quality of life and ended up getting into the commercial roofing business. So kind of took my marketing skills and love for customer service and found a good fit here in the commercial, you know, roofing industry.

SPEAKER_01:

Very good. Wow, from from a bread route to commercial roofing. Yeah. Interesting path. Interesting path. Yes, it is. Yes. So what are what are if you can think of any myths or misconceptions in the roofing, commercial roofing business, what would anything come to mind?

SPEAKER_02:

I think the big misconception is that everyone thinks like a roof's just a roof, and it's like, oh, whoever, you know, everyone fixes everything, but really most of the time, the people that fix the residential roofs, all they know is shingles. Um, and that's why we really carve out a niche for ourselves in the commercial, you know, roofing industry, because we have to know we can fix some shingle stuff, but we also know how to fix you know those large metal roofs and membrane roofs and you know other specialty things that you're only gonna see on a commercial building, you're not gonna see on a residential home.

SPEAKER_01:

Very good. Now, um, if there is time uh outside of work, uh, what do you like to do for fun?

SPEAKER_02:

No, I've got three kids, so I've got two twin, 11-year-olds and an eight-year-old son. So we're usually off either either going shopping because they want to go buy some Legos or something like that, or we're just we live here in Nashville, North Carolina, so we'll go out and enjoy the nice weather and you know beautiful mountains.

SPEAKER_01:

Very cool. And to what are the ages again? Oh, twin eleven-year-old girls and then an eight-year-old boy. Wow, twins. I've got twins as well. Twin girls. They're twenty they're 28. They're 28, though. So but a lot of fun. So yeah, oh yeah. So uh let's let's switch gears for just a second. Can you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you've overcome and how it made you stronger in the end, either professional or uh personal?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, since we just mentioned my twins, they actually we adopted them because we didn't think we could have kids, and so they were actually triplets um that we adopted. Um and so the first hardship was overcoming like not being able to have kids, and we adopted them, but in that process, they were extremely premature, and one of their sisters didn't make it the past 10 months. So but I mean, overcoming that, I mean, it really it really sets the bar for you know appreciating every day and realizing, you know, how valuable it is, you know, and especially every moment you get with family, friends, and even to you know, just help somebody at work.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely, absolutely, wow. So then you you you you thought you couldn't have kids and then you did.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, literally about about a year later, you know, we ended up having our son. So wow, wow.

SPEAKER_01:

Of course, of course. Well, if uh Conrad, if you could think of one thing that you would like our listeners to remember about you and about WNC roofing, what would that be?

SPEAKER_02:

Not the big thing would be like if you've got a commercial building, we can help you. Um if you've got a leak, if you're looking to you know replace that roof, we can help you.

SPEAKER_01:

So very good. Now, who who are your your target clients? Uh do you do you have a specific type of business you go after or just it's really anything commercial.

SPEAKER_02:

So I mean that that can range most of the time it's you know property managers, facility owners, plant managers, um so you know, restaurant owners.

SPEAKER_01:

Let's say um we've got a a business, uh restaurant that uh is in you know got a leak in in need of help. How can they learn more about WNC roofing?

SPEAKER_02:

We are we're on all the socials, so I mean if you search LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, we're on social medias. Um then we have our website wncroofing.com, um, and then our phone number and everything is on there.

SPEAKER_01:

Very good. All right, awesome. Well, Conrad, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule and yeah, uh hanging out hanging out with us. And uh well, question have you ever been on a podcast before?

SPEAKER_02:

Actually, no, I think this might be the first time. So I've done I've I've done some silent stuff on the sides, but I've never actually done a podcast, I don't think.

SPEAKER_01:

So oh well, we are honored. Uh we are honored to be your first. And again, really appreciate the uh you taking time out of your busy schedule to to tell us all about you and WNC Roofing and your your great family story as well. And uh moving forward, wish you, your family, and uh, and WNC Roofing all the best. I wish you the best too. Thanks, Kip. All right, thank you so much, and uh maybe we can we can have you back someday.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that'd be great.

SPEAKER_01:

All right, sounds good. You have a great rest of the day. You too.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GMP TriDash Cities.com. That's gmptri cities.com or call four two three seven one nine five eight seven three.