Catherine BellEmpowering Women to Create Financial Freedom Through Passive Income, Real Estate, and Social Impact

9/11 Deal: Bought Roofing Tar Paper for $3, Competitors Bankrupt! #shorts

13 Feb 2026 · 1 min

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In this short monologue, the speaker recounts a pivotal 2001 business experience. On September 7, 2001, he negotiated a deal to purchase a warehouse full of roofing tar paper rolls for $3‑$4 each, arranging delivery by the following Friday. Four days later, the September 11 attacks caused a dramatic surge in demand, pushing the price of each roll to about $34. Armed with the low‑cost inventory, the speaker was able to undercut several roofing companies, effectively putting four competitors out of business. He reflects on the lesson that at 24 years old he realized he no longer needed to be the hands‑on worker, but could leverage strategic buying to dominate the market.

Chapters

He says, I got a warehouse full of it. I got to get rid of it. I'll give it to you at a discount. Will you take it for $4 a roll? I said, I'll buy two trucks at $3 a roll and have it here by next Friday. He said, done. That was September 7th, 2001. You know what happened four days later? No. It was 9 11, 2001. The price of that roll went from $4 a roll to $34 a roll. And I just bought a warehouse full for dol. I put four roofing companies out of business. Like when he was saying he went and got his competitors workers, I went and just got my competitors. I realized at 24 years old that I no longer needed to be the guy that did the stuff.