Beyond Metal Sheets: Why Roofing Education Is the Foundation of Every Great Home

In Kenya's roofing industry, most companies are focused on one thing: selling you as many metal sheets as possible. At Skysail, we've taken a fundamentally different approach—one that has transformed our business and, more importantly, improved the quality of homes across the Lake Basin region.

The Cost of Construction Ignorance

When I founded Skysail Brikorne International Ltd, it wasn't just to sell roofing materials. It was to solve a problem I witnessed repeatedly: families investing their hard-earned savings into roofing projects, only to face leaks, rust, and structural issues within months or years.

The root cause wasn't always poor materials. It was lack of knowledge.

Homeowners didn't know what questions to ask. Contractors (fundis) were cutting corners without clients understanding the implications. Suppliers were motivated by volume rather than customer outcomes.

This knowledge gap costs Kenyans millions of shillings in repairs, replacements, and health issues from water damage and mold. But there's a simple solution that transformed our business: education first, sales second.

The Education-First Approach

At Skysail, we reversed the traditional sales model. Before discussing prices or products, we educate our customers on:

• The right gauge thickness for their specific location and environmental conditions

• Proper installation techniques that prevent common failures

• How to evaluate and select qualified contractors

• Understanding the full lifecycle cost of different roofing solutions

• The importance of proper water drainage and ventilation

This approach initially seemed counterintuitive. We were spending more time with each customer, having longer sales cycles, and sometimes even recommending solutions that meant lower immediate sales for us.

But something remarkable happened.

The Referral Revolution

Within months, we noticed a pattern. Customers we'd educated were coming back—not just for additional purchases, but bringing friends, family members, and neighbors with them.

Today, an astounding 70% of our business comes from direct referrals. This isn't just a nice statistic—it's transformative for our business model:

• Our customer acquisition costs have plummeted

• Our conversion rates have soared

• Our community reputation has become our greatest asset

• Our relationships extend far beyond the initial sale

When you educate rather than just sell, customers don't see you as a vendor. They see you as a trusted advisor and partner in their home-building journey.

The Ripple Effect on Quality

Education creates a virtuous cycle. As homeowners become more knowledgeable, they demand higher quality from everyone involved in their construction projects.

We've seen this ripple through the entire ecosystem:

• Contractors have improved their installation practices to meet higher customer expectations

• Competing suppliers have had to raise their quality standards

• The overall housing stock in our region is becoming more durable

• Communities are developing a culture of quality over quick-fixes

This education-driven approach has become central to our expansion plans. As we prepare to launch our own manufacturing facility in Kisumu, we're not just investing in machinery and production—we're doubling down on educational initiatives, training programs, and community workshops.

Building a Legacy Beyond Sales

The true measure of success in business isn't quarterly profits—it's the legacy you create. At Skysail, we're proud of our growth trajectory and financial performance, but we're most proud of the homes standing strong against harsh weather because the owners and builders understood the importance of quality roofing.

This approach requires patience and a long-term perspective. It means sometimes walking away from quick sales opportunities that wouldn't serve the customer well. It means investing in customer relationships before they've spent a single shilling.

But the returns—both financial and social—have proven the model works.

As we continue expanding across the Lake Basin Economic Bloc and look toward new markets, this commitment to education remains our North Star. Because we're not just in the business of selling roofing materials—we're in the business of creating better, safer homes for generations to come.

That's a foundation worth building on.