b'On Deck with Morganth i n gs abo ut 9 bre tt tesso nof Tesson Roofing & Exteriors, LLC - St. Louis, MOBrett Tessons story is one of perseverance and success against many odds. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Brett attended Lindbergh High School and graduated in 2001. It was just my mom and I. My parents never married and my father wasnt really in the picture. Brett joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters program as a little and was paired with a man that would have MRCA Board of Directors a tremendous influence throughout his life.Sanford Scott took me under his wing and showed me Business Management Committee another side of society. Sanford, a graduate of Vassar and President of a St. Louis bank, taught Brett Steep Slope & Architectural Sheetto dream BIG. His family accepted me, and I am extremely grateful to Sanford, his wife and their two Metal Committee daughters. Theyve become family. I spoke at one daughters wedding and will be speaking at the otherYoung Contractors Council daughters wedding soon. What is significant to me is that when asked, Sanford says hes taken away much more from the relationship than what he has given.He is a wonderful man.In elementary school, Brett discovered his talents as an entrepreneur by selling candy and developed skills that served him well as he entered college. I started a landscaping and lawn mowing company at the age of 18. I still remember taking out that loan; the bank would only give me $1,000.I bought a trimmer and a blower and then worked out a deal to buy my first lawn mower and trailer in exchange for servicing accounts for a period of time. Bretts company was making money and doing well, but I missed interaction with people, he recalled. contact Us At age 21, Brett convinced a sales manager for a roofing contractor to give him a shot. I was working 7 am to 4 pm for the contractor and then running my business in the evenings and weekends. I did that www.tessonroofing.com for about a year.Tesson Roofing &In 2008, just before the market tanked, Brett sold his landscaping business and opened Tesson Roofing Exteriors, LLC& Exteriors. It was scary going out on my own, but I knew I could provide a better customer experience 616 Blow St.and fair pay to my employees. Tesson Roofing will turn 10 this year.Being a first generation roofing St. Louis, MO 63111 company, I feel pretty good about reaching this milestone.314-932-1042 Brett and his wife, Laura, were married just last December. We met nearly three years to the day of our wedding.She is my better half. Laura came on board at Tesson Roofing about 6 months ago. She has been a great addition to our team.For fun, Brett enjoys playing ice hockey and snowboarding. He also loves to travel and experience new cultures. Ive been to Italy and South Korea, although more recently I travel within the states. Brett also plays in Texas Hold Em Tournaments and has pretty good luck, winning as much as $2,000!Brett serves on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri Fun Development Committee. This is an organization that I hold near and dear because of the impact it made on my life. Brett is also the President of the Roofing and Siding Contractors Alliance of Missouri. Like so many other roofing associations, we are working toward licensing at the state level.Im pretty new to MRCA, but with what Ive learned in my short time, I have been able to implement several key procedures into my own business that are helping us become more effective and efficient. What Ive seen so far is genuine interest in leaving the roofing industry in a better place than we found it. MRCA has been well worth the time investment Ive put forth.20 www.mrca.orgMidwest Roofer'