When Nick Bermel first began his construction business, he was a one-man operation doing the work by hand. Now, he runs a crew of 10 staff members and treats them – as well as his customers – like royalty.

“The name Royalty Roofing & Renovations itself comes from a faith-based background,” Bermel said. “Part of what we do is giving back, and a lot of that comes from serving one another and having a service mentality.”

The “royalty” also refers to ides of Christ the King, seated at the right hand of God, Bermel said.

One of the biggest reasons Royalty Roofing has been so successful is its dedicated staff of team members and the way Bermel structures his business.

While many remodel companies hire hourly or commission-based sales employees, Bermel uses staff whom he pays salary plus commission.

“We really want our team of people to uphold their character and their morals,” Bermel said.

 Although finances are important, the big picture is about service and making the right sale – as well as paying a fair wage.

Ethics is a top priority for Royalty Roofing because the industry can be “feast or famine,” which can invite unethical behavior.

 “I want them to grow it and achieve long term success,” Bermel said of his company.

 Ted Pollack, a sales representative that has been with Royalty for five years, came to work with Bermel after 20 years working in a supply house. That experience, he said, “was my saving grace” when it came to learning the sales side – as well as providing a chance to meet Bermel.

“When I was with the supplier, he bought from me on a regular basis,” he said. “It’s like family.”

When Bermel first started his career, he worked at several construction firms. He also spent some time in construction retail and learned over time how many don’t treat their people fairly.

“I had a firsthand experience on how insurance companies did their work and the inconsistencies that went along with the overall industry,” Bermel said.

So when Bermel began his own firm, he decided to operate with 100% transparency.

“I made a decision that we were just going to treat people right, and we were going to hold ourselves accountable for the way we did business,” he said.

His approach and dedication is why the Greater Omaha Chamber selected Royalty Roofing & Renovations as its April Small Business of the Month.

Bermel has used his chamber membership to grow the personal relationships essential to having a successful Omaha business.

 “That’s what I love about Omaha,” he said. “Omaha is big, but it’s still like a small community feel, because you always run into somebody you know or someone that knows your family. I think on the small business side, that helps build trust.”

Royalty specializes in the assessment and repair of roof, siding, gutters and windows. Its staff are constantly learning and training with the brands they sell.

“We spend a lot of time with our staff and even our subcontractors,” Bermel said.

To maintain quality, staff at Royalty Roofing & Renovations go through yearly and quarterly product training for every product they install. Bermel said that “allows them to recognize that not every home is the same, and to recognize what is important when we’re going to do a project.”

It’s important for his staff to know every aspect of installation and materials, so they can make a lasting impact on the home and not just put a product on that is a short-term solution, Bermel said.

Royalty is officially certified to install brands such as James Hardy, LP SmartSide, Mastic, Certainteed, and DaVinci.

For his customers, Bermel feels rewarded knowing he is installing a quality product with the right techniques.

But he said the most rewarding aspect of the job is creating success: “The greatest reward that we get to offer the customer is our expertise and professionalism.”

Find more about Royalty at royaltyroofing.org.