Divya Kapoor

I attribute my success to two main things. First, I had good mentors in my life who guided me early on. I don't come from a family that is highly educated, so my parents didn't even have the awareness of what's out there in the world. Having mentors who could show me different routes and possibilities really shaped who I am today. The second thing is that I believe in taking risks. I took a risk when I was trying to get into marketing. I went to Thailand for a three-month project, fell in love with the place, and decided to stay there for six years instead of coming back. Then I got a chance to move to Charlotte, USA, for another opportunity and took that risk too. I think not being afraid to step out of your comfort zone, trying your hands on something else, and having that 'it's okay, I'm gonna figure it out' mentality has been key to my success.

Little one, loosen your grip on the small storms. Not every ripple is meant to rock your boat. Just take risks and do something. Don't overreact to every new thing. It's about not letting every small challenge derail you, and being willing to step forward even when things feel uncertain.

The biggest challenges in my field right now are twofold. First, we are linked to the housing market, which has been consistently soft for so many years. Interest rates are still higher, and everybody is focusing on cheaper, cost-out products. This softening affects the entire building products industry, from Lowe's and Home Depot to companies like Jeld-Wen and Gibraltar. The second challenge is that innovation has taken a backseat because everyone wants to do cost-cutting. Builders want to reduce product prices, so nobody is spending time on what's really needed next in the industry. On the opportunity side, I think the biggest opportunity is working backwards from the customers and really trying to understand what customer problems are in today's world, then solving them. For example, if the problem is that we don't have enough labor in the market, how can we develop products that require less labor during installation? Or if the majority of contractors don't understand English, how do you make instructions so simple that anybody can understand them? For me, innovation doesn't mean just a new product. It's about identifying customer problems that aren't getting solved today and solving them in the most efficient and creative way, while also creating competitive differentiation.

The biggest values for me are integrity and hard work. If you look at my career, I've spent time in automobile, then moved to a chemical company, then to PPE industry, then to doors and windows, and now I'm in roofing. I've worked across so many different industries, so I personally don't care what your background is. I'm always thinking that everybody is teachable and coachable, as long as they have integrity and they are ready to do the hard work. Those are the foundations that matter most to me.