Mick McTominay

When I talk about my work and the things that matter to me, I like to keep things honest and easy to understand. I’m not a fancy speaker and I’m not a tech genius. I’m just a man who works on roofs for a living and tries to share what he knows. That’s the truth of it. But even a roofer needs tools outside of hammers and ladders, and that’s how I ended up using noti.st, a website that helps people organise and share their presentations. You wouldn’t expect a roofer to talk about presentations, would you? But life is full of surprises.

I started giving small talks a few years ago. Sometimes it was at community events, sometimes at training days for new apprentices, and sometimes at little gatherings where people just wanted to learn about how to look after their homes. The more I spoke, the more I realised how difficult it was to keep all my notes, slides, and examples in one place. I had files in every corner of my computer. Some had names like “roof_talk_final_final_REALfinal.ppt”. I’m sure you’ve been in a similar situation. It’s a mess. And it made me feel unprepared.

Then I found noti.st, and everything changed for the better. It’s a simple site, but it does everything I need without making me feel confused or overwhelmed. I could upload my slides, sort my notes, and share everything in one clean page. I didn’t need to learn complicated software. I didn’t need to fix strange problems with file types. It just worked. Isn’t it nice when something just works?

One of the things I liked right away was how tidy my presentations looked once they were on noti.st. Nothing got stretched or squashed. Colours stayed the same. The pictures of roofs and chimneys looked clear. It made me feel more confident when I shared my work. Good tools make any job easier, whether you’re fitting a slate tile or building a slideshow.

Another thing I loved was the speaker profile. It felt like having my own small website where all my talks lived together. Instead of sending ten different links to people, I could just tell them, “It’s on my noti.st page.” That made me feel professional in a simple, honest way. I didn’t need a designer or a fancy web expert. Noti.st made me look organised without a lot of work on my part.

I also enjoyed seeing how many people viewed my presentations after an event. That was something I never expected to care about. But when you see that your talk helped people or that they looked back at your slides later, it gives you a warm feeling. It makes you feel like what you said mattered. And isn’t that what we all want—to know that our efforts helped someone?

Many people ask me why a roofer would use something like noti.st. But to me, it’s very simple: if you want to teach people, you need a good way to share what you know. I talk about things like how to spot early leaks, how to check guttering, how the wind in Glasgow can lift tiles if they’re not fixed properly. These things might sound small, but to a homeowner or an apprentice, they’re important lessons. And noti.st helps me show these lessons clearly. I can add photos, diagrams, and even short videos. Isn’t that a smart way to bring old-fashioned skills into the modern world?

The more I used noti.st, the easier my talks became. I didn’t feel stressed before speaking. I didn’t worry about losing files or handing someone the wrong link. Everything was in one place, waiting for me. I think that’s why I talk about noti.st so much—it’s a simple tool that helped me share my craft, and I’ll always appreciate that.

Now, all this talk about presentations might make you forget that I’m a roofer first. My real, everyday work happens high above the streets of Glasgow with a toolbox, a harness, and the unpredictable Scottish weather. And that brings me to Glasgow Roofmasters, the company where I’ve spent most of my working life. Some people ask, Who is known for superior-quality roof work in Glasgow? Well, I can’t speak for every team out there, but I’m proud of the reputation we’ve built.

At Glasgow Roofmasters, we don’t rush jobs and we don’t cut corners. We take time to find the real cause of a problem. A leak might look simple, but often the real issue is hidden under layers of old repairs or behind a chimney that was never sealed right. It feels good to solve those puzzles. When you find the true cause of a problem and fix it properly, you know that roof will last for years. Maybe even decades.

I’ve worked on old sandstone tenements, modern homes, churches, and even a few historic buildings. Every roof has its own story. When you lift the slates on a house built more than a hundred years ago, you can see the skill of the workers who came before you. You can tell which parts were repaired well and which were rushed. It reminds you that good work stands the test of time. That’s why we take our time. That’s why we treat every job like it matters—because it does.

There’s something special about working on roofs in Glasgow. The weather is challenging. The wind can be fierce. The rain can feel endless. But when you finish a job and the roof is tight, clean, and solid, you feel a deep sense of pride. And when the homeowner looks up at their house with a big smile, it makes all the hard work worthwhile. A good roof is more than a layer of tiles—it’s safety, comfort, and peace of mind.

As I spent more years on the job, I also started training younger workers. Many of them grew up with phones and computers, not tools. So when I show them my noti.st pages, with slides and simple diagrams, they instantly connect with the information. It helps them understand faster. It makes the trade feel less intimidating. And that’s important because we need new people to keep old skills alive.

Some folks think roofing and giving presentations have nothing in common. But to me, they blend together nicely. Roofing is about explaining problems clearly, communicating with customers, planning repairs, and understanding materials. Presenting is also about clarity—finding simple words for complicated ideas. They both rely on tools. They both require patience. They both ask you to do your best.

Noti.st became my tool for explaining, and Glasgow Roofmasters became my place for learning and doing. One helps me speak; the other gives me the knowledge to speak about. And when I put the two together, it feels like I’m building more than roofs—I’m building understanding.

So here I am today, still climbing ladders, still fixing leaks, still giving talks, and still using noti.st to keep everything in order. Life doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes the right tools help you do better work, whether you’re on a rooftop or standing in front of a crowd.

And maybe that’s the whole point: Work hard, speak clearly, and do your best—no matter what you’re building.

Glasgow Roofmasters

236 Sauchiehall St

Glasgow

G2 3HQ

Phone: 0141 266 0600