The Tide That Raises All Boats
Darren H.
Heinsight Solutions
Darren Hein grew up around a farm and always loved building things with his hands. As a kid, it started with forts. And as an adult, it turned to houses. After high school he joined the Marines where he learned to hone his attention to detail. After his service, he began working with a historical roof renovator. “It was that gentleman who got me interested in the long-term necessity of quality craftsmanship,” a philosophy that sticks with him today. “He taught not just the how of the work, but more importantly the why we do something a certain way. Now, when I talk to my team, I teach the concepts behind why we do things, so that when they come across something they haven’t seen, they can dig into the problem and solve it.”
Soon after Darren and his wife moved to Colorado, he began building custom homes and connected with a VELUX installer from Northern Colorado. His motto, another which Darren keeps close to his heart, was: I’m saving the world one skylight at a time. After his boss’s retirement, Darren eventually took on all the VELUX work in the area and joined the VELUX Skylight Specialist program. In 2004 he and an accountant friend decided to give entrepreneurship a shot. “With VELUX’s help, we ventured off on our own,” Darren remembers. “I called all the contractors I’d worked with and was surprised at how many people were thrilled I was on my own. Within a year, we’d completely made back our investment.”
Darren likes that the VELUX team has a deep knowledge of and commitment to quality skylights. Going through the VELUX Skylight Specialist program didn’t just teach him about skylight installation. He learned all about the purpose of skylights and how they’ve brought in daylight and fresh air going as far back as 1941. He appreciates that to this day, VELUX is ever-focused on quality. “VELUX is always doing R&D on the product. They talk to installers in the field, we beta test products, they reach out to us to get feedback, and they make changes based on it. It’s a cooperative relationship.”
Darren also likes that VELUX is focused on local supply chains. While VELUX is an international company, almost all of the skylights he installs are made in America. “There is a factory here, they get raw materials here, and they hire people here to build the product. The wood is from the pacific northwest and milled in South Carolina, where VELUX makes use of every part of the log. Leftover wood is even chipped and donated to the city.” VELUX lets nothing go to waste. “We’re not letting anything go to waste,” Darren says. “I’m part of the Sustainable Living Association here. I really care about this, and it makes it easy to sell my product because I can talk about what VELUX is doing for the environment and our local community.”
Darren’s partnership with VELUX works well because VELUX cares as much about teaching quality as he does. “Their technical services are amazing. I can call my rep and we problem solve together. He is hands-on and wants to educate people in the field.”
Darren has a knack for salesmanship, starting out with candy bars and Christmas cards in third grade, and now skylights. He knows how to listen and ask questions, but prides himself on representing the house. “I tell my customers, ‘you won’t be the only owner of this home. I want this work to be quality for the next person and for years to come.’” And Darren walks the talk. He has 23 skylights in his house. “When VELUX comes out with something new, I take my old display models and help my employees learn installation on my own home,” he says.
Darren has grown his business, and in 2020, his wife joined to run his HR department, putting her degree in Human Development and Family Studies to work. And as an entrepreneur, Darren has the ability to make contributions to his community in many ways. “I run my business differently than most construction companies. I want to take care of my employees, pay their insurance, and fund their continuing education. I’ve had some rough experiences, and I don’t want that to ever happen to anyone else.”
Because he owns his own business, Darren can be there for his three kids and enjoy vacations with his family. Equally important to him, Darren is a philanthropist. “I donate to schools, non-profits, and help out my community. I want to be the tide that raises all boats,” he says.
Contact
VELUX America LLC
104 Ben Casey Drive
Fort Mill, SC 29708
800-888-3589
