According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than 50 million American adults consider themselves to be in recovery from substance use. Despite this astronomical figure, however, those in recovery are often quiet about their journey, especially on the job, for fear it will cloud others’ view of their skill and/or professionalism — as was the case for Randy Bailin, project manager and roofing systems specialist at Valley Roofing & Repair, a locally owned leader in residential and commercial roofing restoration, repair and replacement.

“If you told me 10 years ago that I would be openly sharing my story with anyone, let alone clients and colleagues, I wouldn’t believe you,” he says.

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After losing his father at just 16 years old, Bailin struggled with substance use during and after college, managing to build a successful career in both sales and fitness despite his use becoming a bigger and bigger issue.  

It was not until the pandemic, and all of the solitary time it provided (wanted and otherwise), that Bailin hit a crossroads.

Burned out and over the high, Bailin got himself professional help, going so far as to leave his career to focus on recovery full time. By 2022, Bailin was working at a treatment center, helping others and speaking out about recovery in small group settings. He reconnected with old friends as well, one of whom worked in roofing.

“Not many know this, but the roofing industry has several individuals — amazingly talented people — who are in recovery,” Bailin says. “Within many sectors of business, publicly admitting addiction and addressing mental health is still taboo, especially among men, but not within roofing, which I found unbelievably refreshing.”

As he learned more, he was intrigued by the concept of a career where one actually got high — on rooftops — and decided to make a complete 180-degree turn in his career.  

“I began in sales for the industry in 2022 and have not looked back,” Bailin notes, who joined long-time friends at local start-up Valley Roofing & Repair earlier this year.

Within its first months of operation, the company experienced exponential growth, exceeding $3.2 million in revenue in its first 120 days and expanding to more than a dozen team members while launching a charitable arm and successfully navigating over 100 clients through the 2025 monsoon season.

“I’ve not only been surprised by the camaraderie within the company, but in hearing many of our customers’ similar stories of recovery — either of themselves or those in their family — when they feel in a safe space to share,” Bailin says, who has earned the nickname “Randy the Roofer” around town for his affable personality and construction prowess. “There are a lot of us out here working hard on our second chance, and we take away the addiction’s power over us the more we collectively share our stories without fear of judgment or loss of our reputation.”

So, what’s next for Bailin?

“Continuing getting high, of course, but in a good way this time,” Bailin concludes. “Valley Roofing & Repair is ready to disrupt the industry, one roof and leader in recovery at a time.”