1. Please tell us something about your early days & career story.
I grew up in Oviedo Florida and lived there from when I was three until I left for the Marines at age 18. I moved to Tampa Florida in 2015 to start at the University of South Florida. I served in the Marine Corps Reserve throughout college, originally studying Civil Engineering. I made Sergeant in the Marines and worked full time in addition to being a full-time student. Early on I saw my career going down a much different path, but as I began to explore new interests, I realized that my passion lay elsewhere other than engineering.
I switched to Finance and ended up excelling in my coursework. I graduated Cum Laude in 2020 and started working at a financial services company in Tampa. When the COVID Pandemic hit, I was among many who were laid off. I had a horrible time finding work and ended up working for a residential builder in the area. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and knew I had to learn fast if I was going to last. I picked up the roofing trade as I went and quickly became a supervisor within the company. I was able to use my background in engineering and Finance to find a good middle ground and was able to save the company a ton of money along the way.
I was eventually recruited by a solar company to lead their roofing division. It is here that I met my business partner whom I would later open my own company with. I stayed with the company for about a year and a half until they shut their doors. When we came to the office one day to find the doors locked, we knew we could do better and run things the right way.
We formed Brighterway Solar out of a small office in Bartow Florida and struggled to get it off the ground at first. As deals started to come in, we began to expand. First to Temple Terrace then to Riverview and Orlando. Today we have offices across Florida and are looking to expand to several more states.
I also started Sprocket Roofing at the beginning of the year and have found quite a bit of success with it. It feels great to use my experience to build something that can grow along with our community. We donate a portion of our profits to local charities.
Some of our favorites are the Toys for Tots Program, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding Tampa Bay, several veterans organizations as well as a scholarship fund. With Sprocket Roofing, I try to hire as many veterans as I can. The leadership abilities these Veterans possess cannot be matched. I also believe in second-chance hiring. I believe everyone should have a chance to succeed.
2. What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to people management?
Everyone has different personalities and it takes time to figure out what works best for each person. It took me a while to realize this, and in the beginning, it caused unnecessary conflicts. I believe that you should be able to successfully work with anybody if you both are able to realize this and find a way to work together. As long as a relationship is kept professional, and personality types are understood, your team will be able to work efficiently through any challenge. Often, these differences in personalities are even able to complement each other.
3. What do you think is key to maintaining a healthy work environment?
Empathy and support are the keys to maintaining a healthy work environment. We all face challenges, and we all make mistakes. Some people are accident-prone, and others may slip up from time to time. If your team can support each other through the difficulties, you will become stronger from them. In our company, we work long hours and spend a lot of time away from home. Our team became our second family. We make sure to treat each other as such.
4. Describe a time when two team leaders or executives had a conflict. How did you handle the situation?
Sometimes conflict is unavoidable. All you can do in those situations is learn from it and try to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Early on we had disagreements about a way to proceed with a certain job that was presenting many difficulties for the company. We realized very quickly this wasn’t getting us anywhere and made an effort to learn each other’s point of view. From this discussion, we were better able to learn how the other thinks and we have been able to use this to avoid further conflicts and disagreements.
5. Can you describe a time when you have had to deliver negative feedback?
Nobody is perfect and as long as someone is giving it their all, you can work with them. We had an employee who had made an honest mistake that ended up costing the company a job. They had no ill intentions and simply messed up. I was able to pull them aside and speak to them in private. We used this accident as a learning lesson and haven’t had the same issue since. I firmly believe that you should praise in public and reprimand in private.
6. Tell Me About a Past Project That You’re Proud Of?
I started one of my lifelong projects when I was 12 years old and am very proud of it. In 2008 I began interviewing local WWII veterans on their experiences in the war. This started as a tribute to my grandfathers who had both served in WWII but never discussed their experiences. When they passed away that history went along with them. I was set to preserve as much history as I could.
Today ‘Preserving the Stories’ is a registered non-profit and has interviewed over 150 veterans on three continents. I am very happy with where it is going and I feel honored that so many veterans have shared their stories with me. I will do everything in my power to ensure they are never forgotten.
7. Which is your favorite book and why?
My favorite book is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. As a history buff, this book checks a lot of boxes for me. It also promotes a deeper understanding of the plight many bomber crews faced during the war. The way in which it was written allowed me to fully invest in its characters and I couldn’t seem to put it down.
Brief Bio:
Neil Gallagher is an entrepreneur based in Tampa, Florida, serving as the owner of Sprocket Roofing and the Vice President of Brighterway Solar. Neil combines his expertise in the financial realm with his passion for sustainable energy solutions. Beyond his business ventures, Neil is also dedicated to making a positive impact in his community, serving as the President of a non-profit organization. With a well-rounded background and a drive for success, Neil Gallagher is committed to driving innovation, fostering growth, and creating a brighter future for both his businesses and the communities he serves.
Interviewed By - Aarya Gode
.jpeg)
){kind=link}
0 Comments