Good Neighbor Podcast: Frisco

EP #234: From Insurance to Contracting: Shelly Gager's Journey With Hammertime General Contracting

• Sophia Yvette

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What makes Shelly Gager with Hammer Time General Contracting  a good neighbor?

Meet Shelly Gager, co-founder of Hammer Time General Contracting, who brings a unique perspective to the construction industry after transitioning from an insurance adjuster role. Her journey represents a powerful shift in allegiance: "Instead of working for insurance, now I work for you, I work for the customer."

Hammer Time General Contracting emerged from Shelly and John Bloom's vision four years ago to create a home-oriented, family-focused contracting company with a strong local presence. Their specialty lies in roofing, but as general contractors, they handle everything from missing shingles to water damage repairs. What separates them from competitors is their commitment to staying current with industry practices, achieving preferred vendor status, and building trust within their community.

During our conversation, Shelly dispels perhaps the most persistent myth in roofing: that filing an insurance claim after hail damage automatically increases your premiums. "That's very much a myth," she explains, clarifying that premium increases happen industry-wide after catastrophic events, not because individual homeowners file legitimate claims. This crucial distinction could save countless homeowners from paying out-of-pocket for storm damage they should rightfully claim.

Beyond her professional insights, Shelly shares her personal story of resilience as a single mother who successfully navigated career transitions while maintaining unwavering focus on her goals. Her chosen mantra—"I am resilient"—reflects both her personal journey and her approach to business challenges. As an active community member who knows her neighbors and contributes to local life, Shelly embodies the "good neighbor" concept this podcast celebrates.

Whether you're dealing with roof damage, considering a contractor for home repairs, or simply appreciate stories of entrepreneurial determination, this conversation delivers valuable insights about trust, expertise, and community connection in the contracting industry. Find Hammer Time General Contracting on Facebook or visit hammertimeco.com to learn more about their services and educational content for homeowners.

To learn more about Hammer Time General Contracting  go to:https://hammertime.co/

Hammer Time General Contracting

(866) 261-8980

Speaker 1:

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

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a general contractor? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Shelly Gager, with Hammer Time General Contracting. Shelly, how are you today?

Speaker 3:

I am well. Good morning Sophia. I am great. It's a pleasure to be here, Yay.

Speaker 2:

Yay, and we are so excited to learn all about you and your business. So, shelly, tell us a bit about your company.

Speaker 3:

Well, hammer Time General Contracting was born between myself and John Bloom, who is the founder, and we saw a need for another general contractor that had a. You know we're very home oriented, very family oriented, we're local, we're licensed, we can do anything, we, you know. And so we decided to start this company four years ago and best, best decision ever. We've had a really fun time doing it. A challenging time, but, you know, at the end of the day, it's always really fun to see your clients happy and that's what why we started this. And we feel like there's always a need for more skilled contractors that are licensed, that are, you know, going through the steps, the paces to learn their trade, to learn roofing, because we primarily deal with a lot of roofs and you know we stay abreast of that. You know we're preferred vendors. We, you know, we do all kinds of things to stay ahead of that game for roofing and to know what's going on our roof.

Speaker 2:

Amazing. And so, shelly, how did you originally get into this business?

Speaker 3:

It's a very interesting story Actually, the way I fell into general contracting. I worked in the insurance industry as a auto catastrophe adjuster and I traveled. I was gone 10 months out of a year and I decided I didn't want to travel as much. So when I came home I thought what can I do to still kind of be in this industry? So I went to the property side for a general contractor. So that's kind of how I just I kind of fell into this and stayed. Instead of working for insurance, now I work for you, I work for the customer. So yeah, I kind of fell into it.

Speaker 2:

Awesome, and what are some myths or misconceptions in your industry? Can you name the number one myth or misconception you come across?

Speaker 3:

That's a good question, you know. I think the number one misconception, especially dealing with roofs, is that If you turn in a claim it's going to make your insurance go up. And that's very much a myth because hail because we deal primarily with hail and weather events to replace roofs and people shy away from turning in a claim after they've had a hail storm because they believe that their premium is going to go up due to having a claim. And that's such a big myth to overcome for a lot of clients to understand, a lot of people to understand that that's not true. The only reason premiums go up in the insurance industry for catastrophe is because it's a nationwide. It's a nationwide thing that they'll bring the insurance rates up. It's not because you turned in a claim. That, I guess, is probably one of the biggest myths or things to have to bust through.

Speaker 2:

So, shelly, who are your target clients and, in terms of marketing, how do you attract them?

Speaker 3:

My target client would be people that have you know if you've got a leak on your roof. If you've got an old roof on your, you know your roof and your shingles are starting to curl. If you've seen, you know, shingles missing, you know. If you know you've had a hailstorm, if you know that the winds came through. If you have a water leak like a hot water heater, you know pipe broke.

Speaker 3:

We can do interior things. We do just a little bit of everything because we're a general contractor. So it's not just your roof we're concerned about. You know, if your roof were to leak, then we could come in and do it. But you know we're just looking for those that want to have superb. You know skilled labors and you know somebody that's local, somebody that will invest in you as a customer. We're not going anywhere. So you know those are the people we're looking for. That you know that we can put our, they can put their trust in us and we we primarily advertise we. You know we do a lot of word of mouth, a lot of referrals. Referrals are a big game changer for this industry. We have signs we put out in your yard, if you allow us to. You know that helps word of mouth. You know we're on social medias. You know we do things of that nature, so it's organic, is how we grow.

Speaker 2:

And outside of work. What do you like to do for fun?

Speaker 3:

Oh, my Well, I have a. I have a German shepherd and I'm we are outside a lot. I love and I love to ride my bike. I have a road bike, I love to ride, I go to church, I'm very active in my church, very active in the community with things, and and I just I work out, I don't know, I just the community, I'm outside all the time. So I know all my neighbors, you know, they know me, and having a dog helps a lot. Some people are approachable, unless your dog looks kind of mean, but anyway.

Speaker 2:

So Well, let's go ahead and switch gears for a second. Can you describe a hardship or life challenge you overcame and what made you a better and stronger woman today? What comes to mind for you?

Speaker 3:

Oh my, oh my. There's so many, so many things. But you know, I was a single parent, I'm a single mom and that's a very much a challenge in itself. And from you know, all the way till you know, from him graduating, and I was a single mom and I had to deal with that and, being a sole provider, sole everything. So you make choices that you know, get yourself and your child further.

Speaker 3:

And you know, and you have to really stay hyper focused and you know, and what gets you through it is just on your knees, praying half the time, just like, ah and but yeah, that's a big challenge, you know. And starting over in an industry, that's a big challenge and I've done that, you know, several times. And in sagging into this industry, I was in the oil and gas industry and it was very volatile up and down and I decided to shift gears into this industry. And you know there's always learning curves and you just you got to learn how to keep the main thing, the main thing and let the rest just fall off. You know, if you can keep your focus on the goal, keep your focus of where you're headed, you know the rest of the things just put themselves in place.

Speaker 2:

Most definitely, and I think it's so important too that when you go through those struggles, never to grow weary in your faith.

Speaker 3:

so that's amazing perseverance through everything well, you know, it's funny the word at the beginning of the year, the gym I go to, they ask you what your word is and the little thing says I am. You know, and I'm very diligent. I don't just put a word. You know, your first instinct is just to write a word down. Right, and I can think of a million words. Right, I am, and. But I did it and it took me, you'll.

Speaker 3:

You'll probably laugh, and other people are faster than me, I guess, but it took me two and a half months to figure my word out this year. And, um, and my word is I am resilient, and I think that is probably the best thing that anybody can be is resilient. And and that was the word I I called my coach, I said you're never going to believe this. I found my word, and so, but that's how we I am, you know, I take things seriously, I take this industry seriously, I take our clients seriously, you know, and I don't just do things just because I can. You know, I really put a lot of thought into it. So, but yeah, so my word this year is I am resilient.

Speaker 2:

I love resilience Amen. So, shelly, where can our listeners go to learn more about Hammer Time? General Contracting?

Speaker 3:

Well, right now we're doing a massive campaign on Facebook market. I'm trying to, you know, reach that media because it's a lot. You know how many people are on your Facebook or check into your Facebook or your Instagram or on Instagram. So, right now I think that, and we have a website, it's wwwhammertimeco and you can come check us out on our website. But Hammer Time General Contracting, we're on Facebook in this area and you know, I'm telling us, telling you guys, what we're doing, why you should be doing it. You know I just posted a thing about roof leaks and to look for all the things, what will cause water intrusion, how to, you know, address water intrusion? So, yeah, I think social media is probably the best way right now to go and see who Hammer Time is.

Speaker 2:

Well, Shelly, I really appreciate the show. We wish you and your business the best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Thank you Appreciate it.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNPFriscocom. That's GNPFriscocom, or call 469-221-9345.