Mike Wilhelm currently serves as the President of Holladay Grace Roofing. His responsibilities include overseeing day to day operations in all facets of the business, residential, commercial, and repair and maintenance.
Mike is a license holder with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department as well as a member of the National Roofing Contractors Association. Additionally, Mike is a business partner with the Community Associations Institute of Southern Colorado.
Mike is a Colorado native hailing from Edwards, Colorado. He is a graduate of Queens University of Charlotte and played on the Men’s Golf team during his time there. He is active in our local community supporting local non profit organizations, Care and Share as well as Operation Restored Warrior. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, camping, golfing, and going to the gym.
What is one experience that has shaped you to be the person you are today?
While climbing Pikes Peak in the summer of 2019 with a few friends, we came across a woman with a dog that appeared to be injured on mile 9.5 of the 13 mile climb. Initially we did not think much of it as we expected El Paso County Search and Rescue to receive the message about the dog and dispatch a team to rescue the injured animal. After speaking with both the Sheriff’s Department and the El Paso County Search and Rescue team, we quickly learned that neither outfits would dispatch a team for an injured dog. This poor woman and her 80lb dog named Ethel were in a very difficult situation. The woman wanted to get the dog down to Barr Camp which is at mile 6. My friends and I spoke with her about her idea and asked her what her plan would be if/when she made it to Barr Camp. She didn’t have much of an answer but she assumed people at Barr Camp could help. She was also assuming that Ethel would make it to Barr Camp by himself on three legs as his back right leg appeared to be broken. After more discussions of what to do, my friends and I made the decision to carry the dog up the mountain instead of having the woman and Ethel go down. We knew there were cars and help at the top of Pikes Peak and if we could get the two of them to the top, surely someone would offer to drive them down the mountain and get Ethel to the vet. My friends and I took turns carrying the dog on our shoulders for approximately 3.5 miles and 3,000 vertical feet. There were various times when we thought we would not complete the task and questioned why we even began this task in the first place. After about 5 hours of switching off carrying the dog we finally made it to the summit and the owner and Ethel caught a ride down the mountain. This experience solidified my view of hard tasks and teamwork. Both of which I am engulfed in everyday.
What is one experience that has helped you grow yourself, your business, or your career? Please explain how.
I played competitive golf throughout high school and college. Golf teaches many life and business lessons. Golf is a constant game of misses and ultimately teaches you how to fail time and time again. With each failure you learn something in that experience. So many things I learned on the golf course are applied to my professional life today.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
As the president of a small local business, this question is very difficult for me to answer. However, most mornings begin by getting to the office between 6:30am and 7am. First, I sit down with my project managers and superintendents for a quick production meeting. This meeting covers what happened yesterday and what is scheduled for today. We also discuss scheduling for large projects if we have them in our pipeline. Next, I catch up on emails. If clients have reached out to me about potential work, I send those requests over to the ladies in our office and they get the request entered into our system and assign it to the appropriate project manager. After I catch up on emails I check in with the Project Managers and assist on any active bids/proposals as needed. After that, I check in with our accounting department to assist if needed. By then I grab a quick lunch and proceed to physically drive around to various job sites to check in with our crews on the progress they are making on jobs. All day long I am monitoring progress virtually as our systems allow for real time cloud based geographically stamped photos, however I always like to see projects progress with my eyes.
What goal did you set yourself for 2021?
Being in the service industry, we work a lot so carving out time for myself is always difficult. Nonetheless, I set a goal for myself to take more time for furthering my knowledge in a wide variety of fields, one of them being the industry that I am in. I am currently enrolled in a few different industry specific online classes and I am carving out time to read more in 2021.
Although not a professional goal or a 2021 goal, I have set a personal goal of climbing all 58 14,000 mountains in Colorado by November of 2024. I have currently climbed 14 of the 58 mountains in our beautiful state!
How do you bring ideas to life?
Most of my ideas stem from thoughts while driving. I first put my ideas on paper, whether that is in my notebook or in my computer. Next I develop an initial plan as to how my idea will be set in motion. Last I roll out the idea to my team the way I see it, then we discuss and ultimately implement the idea.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The roofing industry has seen some very cool and cutting edge technology over the past few years. It is exciting to see an “old” industry move into the 21st century
What advice would you give your younger self?
Be patient, embrace the challenges, learn from the failures. One of my favorite quotes is from the book The Operator, the quote is from a navy seal instructor and the quote is paraphrased, “I am never going to ask you to do anything impossible, but I will ask you to do something very hard, followed by something very hard, day after day after day for eight straight months. And that sounds like a lot to get from now to eight months from now. But don’t think about it that way. That’s not how you achieve a long term goal. Get up in the morning. Make your bed. Brush your teeth. Little victories. Get to five o’clock PT, finish that, from PT get to breakfast, from breakfast try to make it to lunch, from lunch make it to dinner, after dinner get back in your room into that bed that you made and do the same thing all over again. All you need to do to get to now to eight months from now and graduate is not do one thing, no matter what, never quit and you’ll be just fine.” There is so much truth to this quote and I think about it everyday. I wish I had this mindset going into every task I have been faced with.
What is the one thing you do over and over, and recommend everyone else do?
Fitness! It teaches you so much about yourself and life. It is a lifelong journey with no destination. Not to mention, it helps in every facet of life both mentally and physically.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow yourself/your business/career? Please explain how.
Listen, comprehend, think, respond. Most times people are far too quick to respond without giving themselves enough time to fully comprehend communication. No matter what the situation, everyone can continuously learn from all interactions in daily life.
What is one failure/challenge you had (personal or professional), and how did you overcome it?
I am a younger guy in the industry and sometimes people question my knowledge/experience. I overcome this by continuing to constantly educate myself on everything and anything in my industry!
What is one (content) idea that you’re willing to give away to our audience? (this should be an actual idea for content, not advice)
More and more we are seeing Denver businesses open up in Colorado Springs trying to take market share from true local companies. Recently I thought about getting together with some other contractors and putting a big billboard along i25 that says “We live in this community with you. Keep it local, keep it in Springs. Support local business”.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why? (personal or professional)
I recently made a donation to Epic Experience: Cancer Camp for Adults. Helping provide a once and a lifetime trip to cancer thrivers and survivors is extremely fulfilling.
What is one piece of software, app or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
In the roofing/construction industry, we are constantly using various different softwares that help us do our job(s) more efficiently. However, the one piece that holds it all together is a cloud based storage system such as Dropbox or something similar. I use various types of cloud based storage systems for both personal and professional use. The key to efficiency with cloud based storage systems is file organization and file naming. If everything is organized neatly, it is easily accessible on all of my devices (phone, tablet, computer, etc.) so I can quickly access information wherever I may be.
What is the one book that you recommend our audience should read and why?
“The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama Bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior” by Robert O’Neill. The books dives deep into various missions Mr. O’Neill was a part of. Many of the military’s ways of completing tasks can be applied to everyday personal and professional life.
What is your favorite quote?
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” – Mike Tyson
What people have most influenced your life and why?
School teachers and athletic coaches. Both school and athletics require organization, preparation, and execution which are all applicable to our professional and personal lives.
What made you choose the path you are currently on?
I have always had a curious mind as to how our homes, and cities get built. I began to explore opportunities within the construction industry and came across roofing. I jumped in head first and found it to be very interesting and fast paced. It is also very cool to see a beginning, middle, and end on every project we do.
What local businesses would you recommend our readers support?
With everything that has happened in 2020 with COVID 19 I recommend readers support local restaurants. Even if you don’t feel safe dining in, grab a takeout meal and be sure to tip! I have a few friends in the restaurant industry and they have been hit so hard it is sad to see.
What local nonprofit would you recommend our readers support?
Operation Restored Warrior, Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, or Epic Experience: Cancer Camp for Adults. I have personally been involved with all three and they are wonderful organizations helping so many people. Check them out!
What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced?
The pandemic presented plenty of personal and professional challenges for me. With the help of my team members and personal friends and families, I believe we are all stronger than ever moving forward. Professionally, we implemented various types of technologies that allow us to be a “contactless” contractor to keep our customers and community members safe!
What is your most memorable childhood experience? This can be good or bad.
Knocking my two front teeth out when I was 3 years old at the baseball field. I can remember it like it was yesterday! This experience taught me to get back up after I get knocked down.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My Father. As much as he can drive me crazy, he has taught me a lot. He started with nothing and hustled every day. I also appreciate that he doesn’t pull any punches when I ask him his thoughts. He’s frustratingly direct, but at least I always know where I stand.
What is your self-love routine?
I really like to be active. Whether it’s the gym, peloton, hiking or biking I really need to burn off some energy or I go a little crazy.
What affirmations do you say to yourself?
I plan my work and work my plan
If you had a superpower what would it be?
Flying!
Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?
Steve Jobs. He wore the same thing every day because it eliminated that extra few decisions. I love that we have an office uniform because it’s just one less thing to think about when I wake up. On the weekends, I’m pretty casual. Lot’s of Lululemon/athleisure wear.
If you could choose only 3 items to take with you which ones would you choose?
Water Bottle, Knife, a good pair of shoes
Which are your favorite 5 spots in Colorado?
- Vail is great. I’m a bit biased because I grew up there.
- On top of any 14er
- Mountain Biking on Keystone.
- Any rooftop deck looking west
- The 7th hole tee box on the South Course at Kissing Camels Golf Club. The views of Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak are stunning.
Which is the next destination on your wishlist?
New Zealand
What is the next exciting project in the pipeline for you?
Also not work related, but I am getting married in June!