Recession-Proof Your Startup: How One โCompany โคHit $200 Million During Economic Uncertainty
A roofing restoration company launched just before the pandemic has scaled to nearly $200 million in annual revenue in โฃ2025, proving that economicโ downturns can be fertile ground โฃfor innovative businesses. While manyโค companies braced for impact during โขtheโฃ Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent โฃeconomic challenges, Roof Maxx capitalized on a growing need for affordableโ solutions and lastingโค practices. The โcompany’s success isn’t a fluke; it’s built on a set ofโ principles that can help any business not โjust survive, but thrive, when โคtimes โget โtough.
Tough economic times โขare scary for businesses andโค consumers, but the โsolution isn’t to โฃtake your foot off the โgas. I opened the firstโข Roof Maxx dealership in 2019,just one year before the Covid-19โ pandemic. Today, it’sโ a โnationally recognized residential โฃroofโค restoration brand with โan annual revenue of nearly โ$200 million in 2025. Here are five keyโค principles I used to guide my business decisions during those challenging years.
Related: How โฃGrate Entrepreneurs Find Ways to Win During Economic Downturns
The core strategy revolves around offering value when consumers are โmost price-sensitive. As people tighten their โฃbelts, they become more discerning about spending, but also more open to solutions โthat save them money in the โขlong run. This is particularly true for services that address essential needs.
“When faced with the choice โฃof throwing it away,โข they will. โขand โคsince many โgreen solutions focus on reducing waste, these services have more appeal when the โeconomy suffers, not less,” explains the founder. With Roof Maxx, we โขoffered homeowners a way to keep their current asphalt shingles in โฃgood condition instead of having to pay for a full โroof โขreplacement. Not only did it save โan average of 3.8 tons of landfill waste โขper home, but it also cost up to 80% less. The fact thatโ weโฃ were eco-kind wasn’t a bonus; it was โa key part of the โvalue we were โoffering at a time whenโข every saved shingle (and dollar) mattered.
Related: build a Business That Helps People Feel Good About Doing the Right Thing
Make your โคbusiness recession-resistant
Theโ principles thatโ helpedโข my business grow during one of the worst recessions in our lifetimes weren’t โrocket science.They were simple:
- Focus on an essential problem
- Offer an affordable choice to something expensive
- Keep operating โคcosts in check
- Focus on aging systems or infrastructure
- Help customers stay lean and green
You can use โคthese to insulateโข your businessโค asโ well. Here’s to sustainable growthno matter what the future โholds.
