Today we’d like to introduce you to Ken Baden.
Ken, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I got in this industry in 08, selling windows for Power, and I learned a ton about the sales process from them. My father had a small GC “company” with he and a military friend of his when I was too young to remember, and he insisted I learn construction labor, and hard work, so I knew what it felt like. During my time and Power, I was dealing with personal issues/struggles that resulted from a car accident freshman year of college, broke my leg in 11 places, and a subsequent pain pill addiction. That led me to constant periods of struggle, and short terms stints of success in remodeling sales, followed by relapse and more struggle, for the better part of a decade. I would bounce around to a few other remodeling companies, project managing, even marketing, but usually I would always end up selling. I was good at it, as long as I was sober. Eventually, my addiction led me to burn my entire life down, losing everything, even getting a criminal record, and homelessness. In Aug of 2017, I would try sobriety one last time, and I was desperate enough to do whatever it took to keep it. Since then, I have been in 12 step recovery, and started three companies in recovery. Two were remodeling companies, one with a partnership that eventually split, a consulting company (Baden Consulting), and Potomac Custom Remodeling. I wanted a place within our industry, an industry that usually is not the best place for a sober individual (fast money, fast lifestyle, frequent drinking and partying), that was safe for people in sobriety. We have since aligned ourselves with various treatment centers and recovery housing to help provide jobs to those men and women seeking opportunities in recovery. We have several amazing success stories here, including myself. The company, we take pride in setting the standard. We know how hard it was to get here, and because of that, NO ONE will care more about a clients job than we do. We have achieved some impressive heights in our short official 6 years, like making Platinum from Owens Corning faster than any other contractor, something only 13 other contractors can offer, as well as reaching the highest level of certification with GAF and TAMKO. We are now in DE and MD, as well as licensed in PA and starting our office there this year, followed by VA. Our goal is to be a household name, Potomac, and to have it mirror our core values Honor, Integrity, Tenacity, Teamwork, and Service. We set the standard, our model is simple, we offer the BEST products, services, and warranties, and we compete with the companies that do the same in an effort to offer a much more affordable/aggressive pricing while we continue to provide the attention to detail you expect from a small family owned and operated company like Potomac. We will be the best value for the best products and warranties. Our future goal is to be a top 5 remodeling company in the US, with roofing being our main product, followed by windows, siding, and doors.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, partnership splits, addiction struggles, starting in new territories, its always harder, takes longer, and costs more than you think, that is what I learned in business.
We’ve been impressed with Potomac Custom Remodeling, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We love our customers and will guarantee satisfaction, period. We also love to give folks in recovery a safe place to work and thrive, but we hire all professionals, and we are actively growing and looking for people who want to be their best selves. We specialize in roofing, as well as windows, siding, and doors. We are the highest level certified to install GAF (less than 2% of contractors can offer the warranties and systems we can), Owens Corning Platinum certified (and the fastest to ever be given that, only 13 others), and Diamond certified with TAMKO roofing products. This means we can offer warranties and roofing systems backed by the manufacturer and it took a ton of time, effort, and energy to do that, most only ever get ONE. We go above and beyond and got certified by ALL of the major roofing manufacturers. We carry that same pride in each of our products, and we offer only the best products, services, and warranties at the most fair price points. We also have a QA assigned to each job to ensure our customer satisfaction. We are aware times are hard in the DMV, we are offering 0%interest and 0 payment for 18 months currently.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
No luck, God has had my back, I have had to walk through fire and come out to become what I am, and I have been remade in to a far better person and professional having gone through it. I appreciate my business, my employees, and my customers far more than I ever would had I not had to fight for it the way I did. I carry that energy with me in to all that I do. My family, my wife Rebecca, and my seven month old daughter Harper, they’re my world and their belief in me is what fuels me, especially when you have been where you did not believe in yourself, that and my people betting on me to deliver on my word, there is nothing that could ever push me harder. We will be a household name.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.potomaccustomremodeling.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/potomaccustomremodeling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potomaccustomremodeling
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacCustomRemodelingPCR
