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Una historia de éxito en techados: Erasmo "Mitos" Fuentes

By GAF Roof Views

October 13, 2020

Erasmo "Mitos" Fuentes

This article was translated from its original version written by Wendy Helfenbaum and is available in English here.

Cuando sus compañeros se refieren a usted como El Maestro, sabe que su carrera ha tenido un impacto. Erasmo "Mitos" Fuentes: un maestro, colocador de techos, propietario de un negocio y capacitador de CARE de GAF, lidera con el ejemplo y representa todo lo que es posible cuando usted trabaja arduamente y apunta alto.

La trayectoria exitosa en los techados de Fuentes comenzó cuando emigró a los EE. UU. desde México hace unos 30 años. Desde sus humildes comienzos como obrero, Fuentes se ha convertido en un integrante importante en la comunidad de colocadores de techos de GAF.

El comienzo de algo grandioso

Fuentes trabajó como maestro de escuela primaria en México, y además trabajó en los EE. UU. dondequiera que pudiese para ganar algo de dinero extra. Un día, un encuentro casual alteró el curso de su carrera.

"Escuché sobre una empresa coreana de techados en Maryland que necesitaba un obrero de techos, así que me ofrecí voluntariamente para ayudar. No tenía idea de por qué había ingresado", recuerda Fuentes.

"Pasaba tejas, herramientas y madera a los instaladores. No tenían un montacargas de escalera, así que transportaba todos los paquetes de materiales para techos en mi espalda. No entendía bien el inglés y no sabía nada de coreano, así que nos comunicábamos mediante señas: Vas allí, limpias los alrededores de la casa y colocas toda la basura en el contenedor. Era muchísimo trabajo y ese primer día fue horrible, pero me gustó".

Poco después de ese primer día como obrero, Fuentes se mudó a Atlanta y comenzó a buscar trabajo en la industria de techados.

"Aunque el trabajo era bastante duro, pagaban muy bien, y me impresionó la rapidez con la que los colocadores de techos trabajaban con clavos a mano. Quería hacer lo mismo", explica. "Pedí trabajo en distintas compañías de colocación de techos, y cuando ingresé solamente un buen amigo y yo éramos los únicos hispanos, pero eso no me asustó. Realmente quería hacerlo".

Sueños más grandes, desafíos más grandes

Finalmente, Fuentes se convirtió en instalador y capataz de techos al mismo tiempo que se empezó a interesar en las ventas. Se casó y comenzó su propio negocio, en el que se encargaba de proyectos de techado y subcontrataba servicios de reparaciones de techos para empresas más grandes.

"Era una mina de oro y sabía que iba a ser estupendo para mi negocio. Las reparaciones se convertirían en flujo de caja", recuerda Fuentes, quien luego comenzó a investigar los requisitos para realizar instalaciones.

"Hasta entonces, no había seguido ninguna técnica de instalación específica. Solo usaba una combinación de lo que había aprendido más un poco de lógica. No tenía ninguna instrucción formal sobre techos pero empecé a estudiarla Y ahí es cuando realmente comencé a enamorarme de esta industria".

Una reunión con un destino

Un día, mientras compraba materiales para techos, Fuentes conoció a un representante de GAF cuya experiencia le abrió nuevas puertas.

"Me explicó las diferencias entre las tejas sin degradar ninguna marca ni promocionar a GAF; solo estaba allí para ayudarme", cuenta Fuentes. "Y a partir de ese día, nunca olvidé el nombre de Brent Maddux. Se convirtió en mi mentor y, debido a la confianza que inspiró en mí, GAF se convirtió en mi marca favorita y obtuve la certificación de GAF".

Fuentes comenta que su mentor de GAF estaba disponible cada vez que necesitaba ayuda, y este llegaba a los lugares de trabajo para ayudarle a Fuentes a explicar diferentes aspectos de los sistemas y productos de techos a sus clientes. Invirtió tiempo en Fuentes mientras hacía crecer su negocio y su éxito en techados con GAF.

Retribución a la comunidad de GAF con CARE

Después de casi doce años de dirigir su propia empresa de techos, Fuentes escuchó a través de un distribuidor que GAF necesitaba que alguien enseñara cursos en español a los contratistas de techados para el Centro para el Avance de la Excelencia en Techos (Center for the Advancement of Roofing Excellence, CARE) de GAF.

"El distribuidor sabía que yo estaba enseñando a mi gente sobre chimeneas, valles y paredes", dice Fuentes. "Esta era una manera de combinar mi pasión por la enseñanza y el techado, así que seguí mi corazón y mi instinto".

Los cursos CARE de GAF ofrecen programas de capacitación práctica para colocadores de techos, dictados por expertos en la industria de techos, como Fuentes. Más de 230.000 profesionales en los EE. UU., Canadá y México han asistido a clases prácticas de CARE y han aprendido a mejorar sus habilidades de estimación, venta, instalación y mantenimiento de sistemas de techos. Los cursos también cuentan para convertirse en un contratista certificado por la fábrica de GAF.* Además, CARE genera capacitaciones virtuales y transmisiones en vivo en Facebook llamadas "Real Talk" para colocadores de techos, que cubren las últimas prácticas y tendencias recomendadas de la industria tanto en inglés como en español.

Para las personas que recién ingresan al sector, la nueva Academia de Techos de GAF incluye un aula profesional y una capacitación encima de techos diseñadas para desarrollar las habilidades necesarias para iniciar una carrera en techados.

Mirando hacia el futuro

En la actualidad, Fuentes se dedica a retribuir a la comunidad de techados que lo ayudó a crecer tanto.

"Me encanta enseñar y ayudar a las personas en la misma situación en la que me encontraba", dice Fuentes. "Les hago saber que es posible tener éxito y hacer todo lo que quieran en la industria de los techos". Fuentes también comparte consejos y trucos a través de su alter-ego "Mitostheroofer" a través de su canal de TikTok. Y alienta a los colocadores de techos en todos los niveles de sus carreras a seguir aprendiendo.

"Siempre hay alguien que quiere ayudarte, así que presta atención, acepta sus consejos y prueba algo nuevo todos los días", dice. "Estamos en una nueva era de techos, así que escuche las ideas de la generación más joven; aportan innovación a los techos y son el futuro de nuestra industria".

Por su parte, Fuentes no planea dejar de enseñar ni de colocar techos en un futuro próximo.

"Quiero seguir enseñándole a un colocador de techos por día, todos los días, para mejorar esta industria".

¿Inspirado por la historia de Mitos? Conozca cómo GAF puede ayudarle a alcanzar los objetivos que se ha fijado para usted mismo o para su empresa visitando nuestro centro de recursos en español.


*Los contratistas que están inscritos en los programas de certificación de GAF no son empleados ni agentes de GAF, y GAF no ejerce control ni supervisión de manera alguna sobre estos negocios independientes. Los contratistas pueden recibir beneficios, como puntos de recompensa por fidelidad y descuentos en herramientas de marketing de GAF por participar en el programa y ofrecer garantías mejoradas de GAF, que requieren el uso de una cantidad mínima de productos GAF.

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GAF Roof Views
GAF Roof Views

More homes and businesses in the U.S. are protected by a GAF roof than by any other product. We are the leading roofing manufacturer in North America, with plants strategically located across the U.S. As a Standard Industries company, GAF is part of the largest roofing and waterproofing business in the world.

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