In this episode, Ryan Burke reflects on his journey from selling roofs in Colorado Springs to founding Bulldog Roofing at 23 and partnering with Shore Capital to help build Skycrest Roof. He shares how frustration with bad actors in the industry and a belief that customers and employees deserved better pushed him to take the leap and start the business out of his living room. Ryan discusses the rapid growth that followed, the chaos that came with it, and the hard lessons of moving from hustle to structure as the business scaled to sixty people and $30M in revenue. He talks candidly about his initial fears around private equity, why protecting his team of family and friends was his top priority, and how meeting the people at Shore shifted his perspective on partnership. Ryan highlights the importance of readiness, the value of building real processes and resilience into a business, and what Skycrest is looking for in the next generation of founders as it continues to grow.

Key Takeaways:

Frustration with bad actors and a belief that customers and employees deserve better can become the foundation for building a business with real integrity and lasting culture.
Moving from hustle to structure is the hard but necessary work of scaling, where documented processes, defined roles, and clear procedures turn chaos into resilience.
Readiness to partner is not just about age or financial outcomes, but about understanding what you want, knowing your team, and finding a buyer who treats your people and your legacy with care.
The right partnership brings creativity to the deal, expertise to the table, and a shared commitment to growing the business without losing the culture and people that built it.

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction
02:51 – Founding Bulldog Roofing
05:49 – From Hustle to Structure
08:39 – Readiness and Finding Shore
17:40 – Evolving as a Leader
21:14 – Building Skycrest Roof

Listen to our podcasts at:

https://www.shorecp.university/podcasts

You'll also find other Microcap Moments episodes, alongside our series Everyday Heroes and Bigger. Stronger. Faster., highlighting the people and stories that make the microcap space unique.

Other ways to connect:

Blog: https://www.shorecp.university/blog

Shore University: https://www.shorecp.university/

Shore Capital Partners: https://www.shorecp.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shore-university

This podcast is the property of Shore Capital Partners LLC. None of the content herein is investment advice, an offer of investment advisory services, or a recommendation or offer relating to any security. See the “Terms of Use” page on the Shore Capital website for other important information.