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FEATURES contents

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12

23

Who wants to be a millionaire?

Wising Up

‘You’re Fired!’

PW News recently listened to three entrepreneurs who built their PW enterprises into multi-million dollar businesses to get their quick takes on best advice for the new or aspiring PW operator.

Here is a category by category breakdown straight out of the mouths of millionaires

Millennial maven Wesley Bloeme graduates from college boy “Chuck-in-a-truck” to one of Atlanta’s premiere pressure washers

Tired of the bull#$@!??? It’s time to channel your inner Donald Trump and tell your sabatoging employee “You’re Fired!”

Expert advice on when and why to fire a staff person, as well as a better method for hiring their replacement

DEPARTMENTS 4 Editor’s letter

9 Industry Dirt

A roundup of important news and notes impacting the pressure wash business

5 Publisher’s letter 6 Content Under Pressure 22 Dirty Deeds Kody Urban creates pressure wash art

Look at some of the dirtiest jobs in the pressure wash industry

Vol. 1, No. 1, Winter 2019 Publisher: Jackson Vahaly Editor: Drew Ruble Design: Katy Barrett-Alley

Pressure Wash News is published 4 times per year and is independently owned by Jackson Vahaly.

All inquiries should be directed to: Pressure Wash News, 110 Childs Ln. Franklin, TN 37067 jacksonv@pressurewashnews.com Copyright © 2019 2 Dollar Enterprises/Pressure Wash News. All Rights Reserved.

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

3

EDITOR’S NOTE

Taking Flight Welcome to the launch edition of Pressure Wash News, a fresh new voice for the pressure wash industry. The magazine is filled with stories, news, and information we hope can help you become the most successful pressure wash company you can be in 2019.

The magazine officially announced its launch at the fall 2018 Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA)/Power Washers of North America (PWNA) co-conference in Orlando, Florida. The event marked the first joint conference in the nearly three-decadelong existences of the two primary associations serving the pressure washing industry. Bringing together the manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of pressure washing equipment with the operators out in the field doing the dirty jobs was a win-win, in my humble estimation. The two organizations are stronger together—at least when it comes to hosting annual conferences—than apart. And, arguably, the future of the industry—disruptions included—will be faced more successfully when the opportunity exists for joint solutions rather than isolated ones. Kudos to each of the organizations for agreeing to co-locate again in 2019. We’ll see you there.

Teeing Off: I don’t just help launch magazines. Here I am launching a safe 4-wood on the par 4 seventeenth hole at Celebration Golf Club for Team “Hydra-Cat.”

Many of the stories in this first edition were harvested at the Orlando co-conference. From our advice from millionaires, to employing the best hiring and firing practices, to a roundup of significant regulatory issues casting shadows over 2019, the conference covered a lot of pertinent information and proved to be a “must attend” for anyone serious about growing their profile in the industry. In particular, I encourage any operator who hasn’t been to a conference to find a way to attend one soon. Not only will you benefit through education and peer conversations, but the people that make up these fine associations (and fight every day for your livelihood from a governmental and policy standpoint) stand ready to provide support in any way they can.

Year-round, these folks are competitors in the marketplace. The fact that they are willing come together each year and share best practices is proof positive they have the overall benefit of the industry at heart. It’s about rising the tide of the industry for all boats.

Not to be overlooked, the October 2018 conference was also the site of the top annual golf scramble showdown in the pressure wash industry. One that (oh, by the way . . .) just happened to be won by a team that involved the makers of this very magazine! The Flight Two CETA 2018 scramble golf tournament

4

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

Earned their chicken dinner: Flight Two CETA 2018 scramble golf tournament champions (from left to right) Industrial Sales Manager Mike Tonies of Hydra-Flex Inc., Greg Rossman, Midwestern Regional Manager of Cat Pumps, yours truly, editor of Pressure Wash News, and Jonathan Kingsbury, Director of Sales with Hydra-Flex.

Publisher’s

NOTE

Welcome to our new magazine for the pressure washing industry!

You can expect it in your mailbox 4 times championship team, seen in the photo

a year (Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct). I won’t be a

here, looks forward to a possible repeat

regular contributor - just wanted to say a

performance next year, but will no doubt

brief hello and introduce myself and our

need more Hydra-Flex logo-stamped

esteemed editor, Drew Ruble.

Vice golf balls from company founder

We publish two other magazines for

Jaime Harris to have any real chance

related industries - Auto Detailing News, and

of making it happen. (In the interest of

Self Serve Carwash News. If you’re interested

balanced news, I suppose I should add

in receiving either of those, please let me

that the actual overall winners of the

know via email at (jacksonv@pressurewash-

scramble—the Flight One champions—

news.com). A publication for professional

included Karl Loeffelholz and Aaron

pressure washers wasn’t actually our idea.

Auger of Mi-T-M Corporation in Peosta,

We were encouraged by a few industry

Iowa; Jeff Egli of Washer Systems of Iowa

vendor/suppliers who thought you’d like

in Des Moines, Iowa; and Twig Wood

our style of trade magazine. It’s not your

of American Cleaning Systems Inc. in

typical corporate trade publication or

Columbia, Missouri. Details, details . . . )

monthly technical journal. Both types are

We hope you like our stylistic approach

valuable have their place in the industry

to covering your industry. I’m new to

and after doing some research, we believe there’s

ever built a database from scratch with my own

the industry, but I do boast 20 years of

room for another voice in the industry.

two hands (+ Google and a MacBook) and let me

experience as an editor of magazines and

I left the world of corporate media 8 years

assure you it’s a powerhouse. I’m pleased to have to

newspapers in the business, political, and

ago and am doing the same thing most of you are

put together a list of over 4,000 pressure washing

education spheres that I expect will guide

doing - operating a small, entrepreneurial business.

operations across the U.S. Please let me know if

me on this journey. I’m a good listener

I’m married with a couple of teenagers and a dog

there’s anyone additional that you’d like to receive

and I care deeply about providing a fun

at home in Franklin, Tennessee. I can be reached

it. We hope you like it, and thanks in advance for

but informative product that makes you

any time by email or phone, so please reach out

your readership!

proud of the business you’re in. Feel free

if you ever have any input, story ideas, feedback,

to reach out to me with your story ideas,

etc. Also feel free to contact Editor Drew Ruble at

press releases, and general direction.

(drewruble@gmail.com).

Best,

Drew Ruble

drewruble@gmail.com

This may be more relevant to industry vendors/ suppliers, but I’d like to say a few words about our circulation/mailing list. This is the first time I’ve

Jackson Vahaly

Publisher jacksonv@pressurewash.news 615-594-0263

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

5

CONTENT UNDER

PRESSURE

Kody Urban creates Pressure Wash Art

Leave it to an artist to see beauty in grime.

Palatine, Illinois-based artist Kody Urban was about to power wash some pavement and fence-work around his house last spring when creativity intervened.

Instead of blasting away all the dirt and debris, he left some behind, creating stunning artistic designs featuring patterns and shapes along the way.

Time-lapse video of Urban’s artistic process is available online with a simple YouTube search and is sure to entertain anyone who pressure washes for a living.

... continued

6

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Kody Urban creates Pressure Wash Art

“I think my favorite thing about art is,

when I first look at the next blank canvas.

He said that while he loves to experiment

also dabbles in areas like still life and land-

that even after all these years, I still cannot

I hope you enjoy my work as much as I

with classic mediums like acrylic, water-

scapes. In pressure wash art, he blended all

come up with the words that describe

enjoy sharing it with the world.”

color, chalk pastels, and pen and ink, he

of those styles well. And no doubt made

the feeling I get when I dive into a new

Urban, whose more “traditional” art

also enjoys “exploring new and unique

for a much more interesting and exciting

project,” Urban said. “Words like ‘passion’

can be found at www.kodyurban.com,

art styles such as pressure washer design,

cleanup job in the backyard to boot!

and ‘love of the arts’ come to mind, but

received a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts

wood-burning, and more.”

they do not even scratch the surface when

with a specialization in Oil Painting from

Though most of Urban’s art would

it comes to describing what comes over me

the American Academy of Art in Chicago.

fall under the category of surrealism, he

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| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

INDUSTRY

DIRT

Texas Special Dr. Marlo Dean

Relevant news and notes from across the power washing industry sphere

Industry Icon

is senior

support services manager at Kärcher North America in Camas, Washington.

Up until very recently, he was also secretary of the Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA) and a member of CETA’s executive board,

Roger Walz

Dr. Marlo Dean

wash industry in 1958. He started out

serving as the Technical Committee

producing cleaners at Electronics Inc. in

chair (essentially its chief legislative

Vermilion South Dakota, which became

lobbyist). Arguably, no one has done

Electro-Magic.

more through the years to protect the interests of pressure washers, manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors from a technical standpoint than Dean.

In his 41 years in the business, Dean says without hesitation that the biggest problem he’s faced as the face of the industry is people (and regulators) who think pressure wash equipment is a boiler.

“We’re clearly not boilers,” Dean said. “We don’t produce pressure in a closed vessel. Our equipment doesn’t heat water when the gun is closed, only when the gun is open, so we don’t heat water in a closed vessel.”

Through the years, many companies that ply their wares in the pressure wash industry have encountered obstacles in states from Missouri to Utah to Kansas who assume pressure wash equipment qualifies as a boiler

joined the pressure

He left the profession for a few years to and therefore needs approval from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). In California, for instance, under the state’s former boiler designation, power wash operators once needed a $3,500 permit to operate—enough to nearly put a power wash operator out of business in the state. Working with regulators there, CETA (through Dean) established a new state category for pressure washers, terminating their definition as boilers. Companies still need a permit to operate in the Golden State, but it doesn’t cost nearly as much, plus meeting the requirements is pretty easy.

Nowadays, most states classify products properly as pressure washers and not boilers since the pressure washer industry (at the direction of

... continued

farm. Then he reformed and came back

Roger Walz

to the pressure wash industry. He’s spent the last 44-plus years at Alkota Cleaning

burner, Walz helped improve the 12-volt

Systems, supervising the Engineering

igniter, providing it with a shelf life that

Department. In all, he’s spent almost

was finally acceptable to the industry and

seven decades in the industry.

which survives even to this day.

And thank goodness he did.

There isn’t a manufacturer, a supplier, a distributor, or even an operator in the

Accessories, unloader valves—you name it and Walz has had a hand in developing them over the years.

pressure wash business who doesn’t owe

However, Walz’s impact goes beyond

Walz a debt of gratitude for his work and

the cleaning equipment he helped to

contributions to the industry.

develop. It extends to all the help, friend-

It could be said that just about every

ship, training, and education he provided

pressure washer on the market has a

to countless people in the industry

characteristic or mark that Walz put on

through the years.

there somewhere.

It’s why the Cleaning Equipment

He had a lot to do with developing General Pumps.

Trade Association (CETA) named him one of its two lifetime achievement award

He had a lot to do with developing burners—he’s as good a combustion engineer as there is in the industry.

In the early days of the 12-volt

winners in 2018.

“I’m speechless,” Walz said when given the award last October. “Thank you.”

No, thank you, Mr. Walz.

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

9

INDUSTRY

DIRT

An Unfortunate Proposition The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, more commonly known as Proposition 65, is a regulation out of California requiring businesses with 10 or more employees selling products in the state to provide warnings, typically in the form of labels or signs, for exposures to chemicals that cause cancer or reproductive harm. California maintains a list of chemicals it has determined present these effects, which currently holds more than 800 substances. The aim is that by requiring this disclosure of this information, the state’s citizens can make informed decisions about their exposure.

Prop 65 does not require companies to reduce chemical concentrations, just to disclose the risk.

All products manufactured after Aug. 30, 2018, require some type of warning.

For the pressure washing industry, the expense of applying warning labels to each and every product is one major concern about Prop 65. Another concern is the liability implied by any such label.

Getting fined and/or sued by the state is another obvious concern.

In the past year, many manufacturers and suppliers in the pressure wash industry have been getting notices regarding failure to comply with Prop 65 as it relates to their

10

California operations. It’s been more than an inconvenience. It means they are going to get fined, possibly sued, and probably need to hire an attorney.

The aforementioned Dr. Marlo Dean, senior support services manager at Kärcher North America in Camas, Washington, and the lead legislative lobbyist for the CETA board (see previous story “Texas Special”), said such notices are the handiwork of “bounty attorneys.”

A 2011 article in the North Bay Business Journal explained that “Proposition 65’s enforcement mechanism, commonly known as the ‘bounty-hunter provision,’ empowers trial lawyers to mete out punishment to businesses as if they were legitimate, deputized members of the Attorney General's office. And the trial lawyers haven’t exactly exercised restraint or discretion. Instead, they’ve made the most of this codified system of frontier justice by filing some of the most frivolous lawsuits imaginable.”

According to Dean, “Under Prop 65, this whistle-blowing law lets the general public essentially find these things and report them, and then they go after these companies in violation of their regulations. . . . So they call them bounty attorneys. They’ve made millions of dollars per year. They go buy parts off Amazon—couplers, chemical injectors, vinyl tubing—take them to a lab and find

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

a little lead in brass. Our industry got hit pretty heavy.”

Incidentally, in September 2018, the American Chemistry Council labeled California’s Proposition 65 law an “unmitigated disaster” in a stinging rebuke delivered at Chemical Watch’s Safer Chemicals in Products conference in Boston.

In 2018, amidst all this turmoil, and as a representative of CETA, Dean contacted the organization in California with enforcement responsibility over Prop 65.

“It was amazing,” he said. “I had eight people on the conference call from the government. They were actually nice. I explained what our industry is, what we produce, how our equipment is operated, and they told me one thing—you don’t have to have Prop 65 labels on your equipment, you just have to do an exposure risk assessment.”

Armed with that option, CETA poured significant funding into a comprehensive study of what exactly should be covered in an exposure risk assessment. At issue were explanations of things such as what exactly do pressure wash operators touch on a spray gun or couplers and for how long, what chemicals they might be coming in contact with, etc. CETA eventually put together a workbook based on this exposure risk assessment workup, which contains a screening level assessment for indirect hand-to-mouth exposure to Prop

65-listed chemicals, as well as a screening level inhalation exposure assessment. This workbook also includes a tool to determine the concentration of Prop 65-listed chemicals in product components that would pose a “significant risk” under Prop 65 based on expected use scenarios of average consumers. Additionally, this workbook contains a template for how to evaluate Safety Data Sheets and Materials Analysis information from a Proposition 65 perspective.

Having the assessment in hand protecting your business makes good business sense.

“When they see we have an exposure risk assessment workbook, that we are prepared, they are just going to move on to someone else,” Dean said, adding that completing and possessing an assessment is much easier than the cost in time and money of labeling everything.

“If you are selling all these little parts with brass in it, are you going to label every part you ship out?” Dean asked. “We don’t have to label our products because we have the assessment workbook.”

Do you?

INDUSTRY

DIRT

Texas Special continued .... the CETA in 1992) has its own safety

“ T h ey c a m e b a c k , a n d t h e

standard. Unfortunately, though, this

attorney across the table said to me

issue reared its ugly head in a big way

‘Maybe we can place you under the

again this past year down in Texas.

Texas special.’ And I said ‘Is that a

A recent regulation adopted in the

gun?’ And he said ‘No, it’s a special

Lone Star’s state law stated only that

clause.’ I said ‘We’ll take anything

boiler operators “may” be exempt as

we can get.’ So, now in the state of

pressure washers. That little, three-

Texas, you can register your equip-

letter word “may” allowed the state

ment—it’ll cost you about $1,700 per

to interpret that pressure wash busi-

category. If you are a manufacturer, I

nesses weren’t necessarily exempt

would recommend that you do that.”

and may be required to comply with

No wonder that Dean, whose term

boiler regulations.

on the CETA board recently expired,

As the Power Washers of North

was awarded one of the organization’s

America (PWNA) website so

two lifetime achievement awards in

eloquently states, “With the stroke of

2018.

a pen a law can be passed that puts

Dean entered the pressure wash

a power washing contractor out of

industry as a repairman for Landa in

business. A lawmaker, without the

1976, following time as a combat engi-

knowledge and understanding of the

neer in the U.S. Army and as a foot-

importance of the contract cleaner,

ball player and track athlete at Utah

can make an uneducated decision

State University. The Microbiology

that can put you out of business.”

and Chemistry major later earned a

In response to all this, Dean flew down

doctorate degree and also was named

to Austin, Texas, and met with some

Landa vice president and a member

very irritated government people and

of its board of directors. The

had a “very heated discussion for

company went on to grow exponen-

three or four hours,” he said.

tially and was eventually purchased

How did things turn out?

and became Karcher North America,

“I kind of won,” Dean said. “I

where Dean has long been senior

said to them ‘I represent CETA and

manager overseeing warranty, dealer

we represent all the pressure wash

service training, litigation, operator

manufacturers in North America,

manuals, product certification, and

and you are telling me to go back and

EPA regulation.

tell everyone not to do business in the state of Texas. Is that what you want me to do?’

Happy retirement, Dr. Dean! And thank you!

A Woman’s World When it comes to women in business, representation matters. It’s been proven again and again that the best way to get young women aspiring to join a field is to see women thriving in their fields to serve as role models and mentors.

Brenda Purswell

started AlKlean Industries of Pasadena, Texas in 1971 with her husband, John. They started out selling pressure washers, but nowadays focus on water reclaiming and recycling equipment.

About 12 years ago, Purswell was encouraged to create a group for women in the pressure wash industry that could meet each year at the annual Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA) meeting and support each other’s endeavors.

Women of CETA celebrated its 10th anniversary at the October 2018 association trade show in Orlando, Florida.

More than 40 women attended.

Compared to 47 years ago when she got started in the pressure wash business, Purswell said the industry landscape is very different today.

“Now there are a lot of women owners and co-owners, and spouses working in the business in the background,” she said. “It has changed a lot since 1971. When I first started going to meetings, I would be the only women in the room. Now you’re seeing

Brenda Purswell more and more women and they don’t get quite the pushback. If you prove yourself and you know what you are doing, you are well accepted.”

Purswell gets particularly excited when she meets younger female entrepreneurs who have joined the industry and attend a conference.

“Part of our goal is to mentor to the next generation,” she said.

And what is her best advice to such women?

“Never take anything personally,” Purswell said. “Have your goals and your visions and stick to them. The key to success is truly stick-to-itiveness. Just hang in there…You have to be able to be willing to make changes and adapt along the way.”

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

11

Wising Up Millenial maven Wesley Bloeme graduates from college boy “Chuck-in-a-truck” to one of Atlanta’s premiere pressure washers

BY DREW RUBLE

friend, Ryan Francis, about starting some

customer base might not need again

actually worked. Using the company

sort of summer business to help them

until the following summer.

name College Student Pressure Washing, they secured their first client and got to

Even Wesley Bloeme himself would

make some money. They considered

“My friend liked the idea,” Bloeme

admit that his foray in to the pressure

landscaping but quickly determined it

recalled. “Then he said, ‘Have you done

wash business—an industry in which he

wouldn’t work. After all, people were

it before?’ And I said ‘No.’ Then I asked

is now a rising star— was inauspicious,

not going to hire a landscaper for a few

‘Have you?’ And he said ‘No.’ So he said

to say the least.

months, only to have them abandon

‘Do you have a machine?’ And I said ‘No.’

“It took me 45 minutes to figure out

their lawns when fall semester came and

I said ‘Do you?’ He said ‘No.’ Then there

how to turn the machine on,” Bloeme

school returned to session.

was a pause. Then I said ‘Let’s do it!’”

said. “Once I finally got it turned on,

It was the spring semester of his freshman year of college at Maryville

the first job site.

That’s when the steep learning curve really began.

College near Knoxville, Tennessee,

Bloeme suggested power washing,

A m o n t h l at e r, t h e p a r t n e r s

20 minutes into the job, I accidentally

when Bloeme started talking to his

figuring it was a service their potential

found a friend with a machine that

... continued

12

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

shot off the green tip into the neighbor’s

WISING UP

grass. I spent another hour trying to find

on the tennis team at the game of ping-

the green tip.”

pong in the dormitory.

about playing in a match the next day.”

school this way.”

But back to pressure washing. With

His second summer of college,

What Bloeme perhaps lacked early

“I played all the time. I didn’t lose a

each new summer job, Bloeme got

Bloeme got even more serious about the

on in job skill, he made up for with

single game my whole freshman year,”

better at the trade. Business was actu-

work. He did the right thing by incor-

intelligence and determination. The

Bloeme said. “The tennis players would

ally taking off.

porating, getting a business license, and

Finance and Accounting major boasted

play and I would beat them all. They

“I didn’t think this would last beyond

adding insurance. By the third year, his

a 3.7 grade point average at Maryville

were like ‘You must play tennis,’ which

the first summer,” he said. “The whole

summer company was so successful that

College. He was also an athlete at

I didn’t at the time. They said I should

goal was $3,000 for the whole summer.

he had to make a decision about how he

Maryville, recruited to play football as

come to their practice. I didn’t even

But we achieved that in a few weeks.

was going to spend his precious time. He

a place-kicker. He even ended up as a

know how to keep score in tennis, but I

That’s when I was like ‘I think there is

decided to focus more on the company

walk-on to the college tennis team after

went, hit around for an hour, and by the

actually something here.’ ”

and quit playing football.

repeatedly beating scholarship athletes

end of practice the coach was asking me

The summer before my senior year, I made in excess of $60,000 14

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

His partner didn’t quite feel the same.

Then came the summer before his

For a time, they worked independently,

senior year. What happened made it

and eventually Francis drifted away from

clear to Bloeme that he could see himself

the business.

operating the business in a full-time

“By comparison, I was more invested in it,” Bloeme said. “I guess maybe I needed it more. I saw it as opportunity

fashion after school.

“The summer before my senior year, I made in excess of $60,000,” he said.

to pay for school. I had no athletic schol-

That was also the summer Bloeme

arships. I was paying for college myself.

went to his first association convention show.

I could see clearly that I could pay for

“I was significantly younger than

WISING UP everyone there, but it really gave me confi-

Otherwise I would have felt almost like I

he said. “I thought, ‘What if people

the new company slogan “clean to a new

dence that I could do this,” he said. “People

misled them.”

don’t like it or don’t call me?’ Plus, it was

degree.”

“It has two meanings,” Bloeme

took me under their wing—gave it to me

Splitting his time between his

straight, what I really needed to know. It

growing business and finishing school

Bloeme still wanted to carry on

said. “First, it means cleaning to a new

solidified the fact that I could really do

had negative consequences. He missed

his vision of hiring college students to

standard. But it also means achieving a

something with the business, that I could

a lot of class and his grades suffered. But

work in his company so they could pay

diploma. We’re not only going to provide

learn from their experiences and mistakes

he made it to graduation.

for school and graduate debt free. His

the best level cleaning and service, but we

That first summer after graduation,

challenge was how to maintain that same

also want to make sure we are continuing

On the flipside of all this business

free to finally focus all of his time and

vision, history, and story for his company

to help students achieve their dreams

success, Bloeme was perhaps not surpris-

energy into the business, sales tripled.

but develop a more brandable, scale-able

and goals as well.”

ingly starting to lose interest in school.

But there was one problem. He knew

company name.

But he made the decision to continue on

he couldn’t continue his business using

WiseGuys was his father Peter’s idea.

college students (to the degree possible)

to graduation. Why?

the name “College Student” any more.

Pro-Wash well encompassed the variety

and tries to help them—like he did—pay

“The big reason I went back to

(Bloeme previously had a logo of a guy

of services the more mature company

down student debt.

school was the name of the company,”

power washing a ball and chain with the

provides. The owl with the graduation

“I’ve realized I’m never going to be

he said. “All of these people had hired

words “student debt” imprinted off of

cap in the newly-branded company’s

able to do it 100%. So now it is about

me to clean for them knowing that the

his ankle.)

logo tied it all together for Bloeme and

striking a balance,” Bloeme said. “Right

expressed what the business had done for

now it is about 50%. It fluctuates.

him personally.

Summer comes and that percentage of

and didn’t have to make them too.”

money was going to this kid to go to school. I felt like I owed it to my past customers who supported me to finish.

Rebranding to WiseGuys Pro-Wash was, in Bloeme’s words, “terrifying.” “ ‘College Student’ was all I knew,”

a big expense to rebrand.”

To that end, Bloeme continues to hire

Especially important to Bloeme was

... continued

THE 24/7 ROUNDTABLE VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

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WISING UP [college student employees] goes up.”

“I spent $3,500 on uniforms when I

already outgrown that office space he

own destiny. He’s not one to depend

Clearly, Bloeme’s altruistic mission to

didn’t have a single employee on payroll

was so scared to lease and is relocating

on anyone else or a system to create

do more than make a profit but also to

yet,” he said of relaunching his company.

to space twice as big. Interviewed in fall

his success. But perhaps the millennial

help college students along the way has not

“I moved into my first office space that

2018, he said he was on track to more

characteristic he typifies most is that of

been lost as he has grown into adulthood.

was 1,200 square feet and didn’t have

than double his previous year’s revenues.

wanting or needing purpose in his work

“I know my top talent is going to

a single employee on payroll. That’s

His business doubled every year up until

and in his life.

move on,” he said. “What I want to have

nerve-wracking. But I believed in what I

the year he graduated—he tripled that

“For me, yeah, I’m very money-moti-

happen is I want my young employees

was doing. And I knew I could replicate

year—and then doubled the next. As

vated and want to continue to grow the

to work hard while they are here and

the success I’d had the previous year as

2019 begins, Bloeme is headed in the

company,” Bloeme said. “But it’s also

grow as people and then move on with

‘College Student,’ not unlike what I’d

direction of rarified financial air in the

more than that. I want to make a differ-

their future ventures. And maybe they

done every summer through college, kind

pressure wash industry. Only about

ence. I get to make a difference in my

look back and say they really remember

of starting back from scratch, finding

6%–7% of companies in the pressure

employees’ lives and my customers’ lives.

working at WiseGuys and being a part of

workers, and finding clients. I went all in.”

wash industry hit $1 million annually in

When I lay my head down at night, I get

His gamble paid off. Bloeme’s current

gross revenue. Bloeme’s not there now.

to think about how I get to feed three or

But he may be soon.

four or five different peoples’ families.

that and it was a great thing for them.”

It wasn’t just a name and logo that

team includes four full-time employees,

Bloeme changed. With accelerated

one part-timer, and several temporary

Now almost 24 years old, with five

growth in mind, he poured all of his

workers currently in school. He operates

years as a business owner already under

makes me feel fulfilled and happy. “

profits from “College Student” in to the

five trucks, one which is a sales truck

his belt, Bloeme in many ways well

Sounds like a pretty wise guy.

leasing of new office space, new uniforms,

and one which is a backup. He expects

typifies the stereotypical millennial. He’s

and a new website as well.

to grow to 10 employees this year. He’s

entrepreneurial. He seeks to control his

Send your news, press releases, and story tips to

S U N I O J

drewruble@gmail.com

If you would like to advertise in the next edition of PW News, contact

Jacksonv@pressurewashnews.com 18

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

They rely on me. And that’s cool. That

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE??? . . . IN THE PRESSURE WASH BUSINESS?

PW News recently listened to entrepreneurs who built their PW enterprises from scratch into multimillion-dollar businesses to get their quick takes on best advice for new or aspiring PW operators. Here is a category-by-category breakdown straight out of the mouths of millionaires!

BY DREW RUBLE

ON ATTRACTING AND RETAINING GOOD EMPLOYEES: AC: You have to look at how much you spend on advertising to attract customers.

Are you putting in the same effort to attract employees? Particularly as a small operator, you are trying to find that one person, your bedrock person, that’s going to be there every day, show up to work, get that truck ready for you, so one day

you can get off that truck yourself and go

bait. You’ve got to step up your game. . .

TE: You have to incentivize them. I say

off selling. So you can replicate yourself.

. Until you start building something that

‘This is what I’m going to pay you, but

You’ve got to attract a horse.

looks polished and franchise-esque, you

if we finish this job early, I’m going to

are going to keep getting the bottom of

give you a bonus because I can’t pay you

the bucket on employees.

any more than I can afford unless you

Getting that one person, though, you’ve got to create culture. Culture is huge. Your facility, even if it is your house, has to have the aroma of opportunity. That person has to walk in and think ‘Man, I might actually be able to stay here a few years and get a career

ON DETERMINING PROPER RATE OF PAY in order to hang on good employees:

help bring additional value and make me money. . . . You say, ‘Normally this job takes this long, but are we working at our optimum capacity?’ Nobody ever is.

But you can always work a little smarter.

going.’ It’s harder to do when your truck

MN: Look at similar industries that your

So if we give them that vision, we say we’ll

and uniforms and website and collat-

labor market may be attracted to or you

give you an extra $25 or $50 if we can

eral materials look like crap. If you are

may be trying to pull from to determine

get off this job a little faster. Now we pay

attracting crappy employees, it is prob-

the going rate. . . .

our guys 8 hours if they get done in 6. We

ably because you’re putting out crappy

... continued

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

19

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE

OUR PARTICIPANTS MICHAEL HINDERLITER

President of Steamaway Inc., Facilitec Southwest, Powerwash. com, and Delux Cleaning Products based out of Fort Worth, Texas

AC LOCKYER

Founding partner of Sanford, Florida-based SoftWash Systems

TY-RAE EUBANKS

Founder, president, and CEO of Commerce, California-based South Shore Building Services.

L. to R. Hinderliter, Eubanks, and Lockyer.

budget for it. Why would we want them

growing.

to pace themselves for the entire day just

AC: I’m more sales-centric about it.

to be on job a little longer so they don’t

Marketing is everything you do to make

They buy from whom they trust. They’ll

lose their hourly rate? It’s a conflict of

the phone ring. Sales are everything you

pay any price if they feel like they are

interest. They are just camping out on the

do to close the deal. A lot of people mix

going to get a good value.

job going slower. I don’t want them on that

that together. Just because you can make

Let’s be honest, the “right” people for

job longer than possible cause that’s one

the phone ring doesn’t mean you are

your growing business have Mercedes-

extra minute where they get hurt or break

very good at putting work on the board. .

Benzes and BMWs and Cadillacs and

something. It’s a one-time incentive: bonus

. . I do a lot of things to make the phone

expensive cars sitting in their driveways.

based on performance, so it doesn’t cost

ring. . . . But you have to convert those

They are not Yugos and Kias. If you fish

you any more money. Plug it in to your

customers from prospects to suspects,

in retirement areas, you will be doing $300

model as you grow your company. . . .

and suspects to customers. . . .

jobs until you are blue in the face. But if

fishing in a bigger pond. In a bigger pond, people buy from whom they like.

Manipulating your hourly rate is not

You will not scale your company

you don’t want to do five of those a day

conducive because I can’t charge my

until you put more people out there

and kill yourself, you need to start ramping

customers proportionate to what I’m

closing deals. That’s all there is to it. The

up your company to service the jet set. . . .

paying my employees. It has to be based

average home improvement sales person

People just want somebody to answer

on improved performance. . . .

has a personal cap of about $350,000

the phone, show up on time, do what

annually as far as revenue that they can

they say they are going to do, and not

bring in. . . . So if you want to build a

have to micromanage them. People

million-dollar business, you are going to

are so busy they just want somebody to

need three to four sales people. . . .

handle it so they don’t have to beg them

ON BEST MARKETING STRATEGIES: TE: Social media is key. There’s no doubt that there’s a lot of free marketing out there nowadays. It’s crazy. People that can really manage social media are getting a lot of exposure. . . .

ON FINDING AND RETAINING THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS: AC: Don’t fish in a pond full of small fish.

But it really starts with the service you

You’re not going to win the tournament

provide. Quality service is how you keep

fishing in that pond. You need to start

20

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

to come back and fix something. Because there’s a lot of hacks out there who don’t do a good job.

ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU SHOULD JOIN A LOCAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION,

even though you are probably so busy operating your business that you on’t really have the time or the money to do it: TE: I support the concept of investing into ways of being freshly influenced.

From the beginning of my business, I always carved out a little time beyond my normal demands and being a dad and business owner to education. . . . My encouragement would be always err on the side of involvement, and if it takes a little time away from your business, justify that because it is important.

AC: Don’t just pay the fee to put a sticker on the side of your truck. That’s not going to get you anything. If you make the decision to do something, do something where you really go to the meetings and really put some time and thought in to it. . . .

BNI [Business Network International] for example is great because they hold

SO YOU WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE ❱❱ Lockyer used his horticulture degree to revolutionize the pressure

washing field by creating “soft washing” (the Mallard System). A serial entrepreneur, he has parlayed his great success in the pressure wash industry to launch a professional fishing career. He is also a reformed musician who performed in successful rock bands

ON MEASURING YOUR BUSINESS FINANCIALLY: TE: Learning how numbers matter and why measuring things matter is key.

❱❱ Eubanks borrowed $35 from dad in high school to launch a

You have to measure everything you

window cleaning company. Both of his college-educated sons, Tanner and Conner, and his MBA graduate wife, Vickie, work in the family business. Eubanks is hands down known as the most talkative man in pressure wash industry!

do, whether you are a one man show

❱❱ Hinderliter, known as the “Dean of Power Wash” launched his first pressure wash business in high school. He founded PowerWash University, a top pressure wash education and training school, in 2013. His father, Robert, a pressure wash pioneer, founded Power Washers of North America (PWNA).

or more—know what your numbers are, what your hourly rate is, what your trucks are making you, to avoid diminishing returns. You’ve got to measure it to manage it.

AC: The most successful people in the world are obsessed with numbers. . . .

The most disappointing thing that I hear when I talk to young operators and ask

you accountable. You have to show up every week with a lead for someone in the group. You have to know your 30-second elevator speech. BNI is a polishing group. I would recommend it.

But don’t do it if you are not going to go to the meetings. . . .

You are your No. 1 asset. You should

10%–15% higher, I say in “What area,

not overall but specifically?” And when they say specifically “right here,” I can generally say “But does their bid include this and this and this? Did you take into consideration the manpower or service I added, plus the things that I’m doing, the

ON WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU LOSE OUT ON A JOB BID:

hands-on information I’m giving you

and never follow up. You’ve got to keep getting in front of the customer. . . . The sales person should be leading a person to a decision. They shouldn’t be inundating them with a ton of information.

They should find out what their needs are, then present a proposal that solves that need rather than throwing all these extra things at them that they don’t need.

You are just going to be confusing them.

They expect you to be the expert to drive them to that decision.

TE: I always call back and ask for any feedback related to scope, meaning the

hadn’t raised prices on in 20 years. I went through and made major price increases.

One of my clients was a big account, and I raised it 60%. And I just knew I was going to lose them. They didn’t bat an eye. They didn’t even say anything back.

Because we were giving such good service.

And I’m sure periodically they were getting bids from other companies that were way beyond what I was charging. . . .

I have a steadfast rule of doing an annual review now of all of my accounts.

ON RECOMMENDING A BOOK upstart business

owners in the pressure It’s like you took my heart and stomped wash field might benefit . . . When they call and tell me I’m on it. You’ve got to know your numbers. from reading: description of the work, and/or pricing.

be investing in you.

MN: Most sales staffers submit the bid

realized I had two or three accounts I

call before and the call after, the inside, when I’m there personally, etc.?” It gives me a chance to actually sell for price. . . .

But by asking about scope and/or price, I’m three chess moves in to the game. . . .

AC: Learn to relish the refusal. I fish professionally. The only way you can figure out what the fish are biting is to figure out what they are refusing. I used to love when the fish would fall on my lure and at the last minute turn their nose. I’d say ‘Well, time to adjust color.’ I’d change color same day and then the next fish would commit. Do the same thing with your business. Don’t look at the refusals as a negative thing. Look at it as you’re just that much closer to dialing in the sale.

them about numbers is “I don’t know.”

On being transparent with your employees about the company’s financial performance:

AC: I share all my numbers with everybody in the company, all the way down to the work tickets going out in the field.

TE: The E Myth by Michael Gerber MN: Traction by Gino Wickman AC: The One Thing by Gary Keller

On final thoughts:

I have 50-inch LED monitors all over

MN: Just remember that there are learning

our facility, production and sales boards,

curves as you progress. Embrace it.

a whole program devoted to this. Your

AC: You do not have to get out in front

team doesn’t know if they are winning

of your company and grab the rope

if you don’t keep score and display it

and show everybody every day that

somewhere. And what we keep score in

you can work as hard as they do. That’s

is dollars. That’s all there is to it. All the

baloney. You have to be the general

way down to profit.

on the hill and run the war. If you are

ON ADVICE ABOUT EXISTING CUSTOMERS: MN: Sometimes you just get lazy. Things are going good. You focus in other directions. . . . Once, one particular division was performing horribly. I asked myself

down in the trenches with a musket, you are going to kill your business.

Editor’s Note: Hinderliter, Lockyer, and Eubanks were featured panelists at the 2018 “Millionaires Panel Discussion,” a popular panel discussion held at each annual PWNA annual convention, which took place in Orlando, Florida, this past October.

“Why do we keep having this issue?”

Because I was raising prices on just those accounts that were in my base. I finally went back and did an analysis, and I

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

21

A LOOK AT SOME OF THE DIRTIEST JOBS IN THE PRESSURE WASH INDUSTRY

Anyone who has ever driven across the

flatland farms. Corn drying is the process

state of Ohio knows one thing. There’s a lot

of reducing grain moisture to reach safe

of corn growing in Ohio.

moisture levels for long-term storage. Corn

Peering out over the rows of corn on

is dried in most cases by passing relatively

Ohio farms, a highway passerby also

large volumes of low-humidity air, either

might see large, circular, multi-story bins

ambient or heated, through the grain.

called corn dryers rising up off of these

22

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

Well, every so often, these dryers need

... continued

DIRTY DEEDS cleaned. A2Z Pressure Washing owner Andy Reinsel of Bellevue, Ohio, who is also currently president of the Power Washers of North America (PWNA), was called in to do one such messy corn dryer job in the not-so-distant past.

Reinsel describes hanging 60 feet up in the air with the wind blowing 30 miles per hour as he power washed residue off the dryer. He calls it one of the dirt-

SHARE THE DETAILS

iest jobs he’s ever completed. And

Have you done a particularly dirty job? Would you like to be considered for profile in this space? Email a description of the job with photos to drewruble@gmail.com for consideration in the next edition of Pressure Wash News.

Reinsel, whose clients include Cedar Point amusement park, has done plenty of dirty jobs in his day.

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VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

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“You’re Fired!”

Tired OF THE bull#$@!???

Yes, the labor market is thin. But there’s a right time to channel your inner Donald Trump and put that sabotaging employee on the street.

(Plus, there’s a better method to hire a replacement.)

BY DREW RUBLE

In a day and age when finding employees is the biggest issue facing pressure wash companies, why would anyone coach entrepreneurs to fire current employees?

The reason, says entrepreneur and

Henry Cloud, in his book called

sick branches that aren’t going to get well

business consultant Paulette Sopoci of

Necessary Endings, used a similar analogy

or that need cleared away to let healthy

Strategic Coach, a world-renowned

of gardeners to describe business improve-

ones thrive, as well as healthy ones but

business coaching company, is the theory

ment. If you prune a plant or shrub or

ones which are not the best.

of “multiplication by subtraction.” It’s

tree, done correctly, what happens? It

a concept and book written by Sharon

becomes stronger, not weaker. A rose

Waller, her collegue at Strategic Coach,

bush, for instance, can’t reach full poten-

“Sometimes you have to break down

that promises business growth as a result

tial but through the systematic process of

in order to break through. . . . That’s

of “weeding out” problem employees.

pruning. A gardener purposefully cuts off

Sopoci said, not unlike a plant, your business is a living organism too.

... continued

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

25

YOU’RE FIRED

multiplication by subtraction.” Areas of

may need to prune a high-level producer

are not going to take you to the next level.

your business that are not contributing

who pulls in a lot of sales but who displays

Overcoming your sense of loyalty to do

to your vision—namely, Sopoci said,

poor work habits and poor teamwork. Or

what’s best for the business and cut them

“wrong-fit” employees—must be pruned.

you might have team members that have

loose is a tall order.

This can be tough. For instance, you

gotten you to where you are now but that

SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE THE SIGNS

MR. (& MRS.) RIGHT So what is a wrong-fit employee?

It is perhaps constructive to first depict a “right-fit” employee. What’s the difference?

According to Sopoci, right-fit team

skilled and passionate. They fit with

members are attracted and aligned to

you, with other team members, and

your values and vision and provide a

have unique talents that mesh in your

great contribution. They are people

business culture. Having one is the

you can delegate to in order to free you

difference between everything running

up to pursue more business or yes, even

smoothly and times where there is “a

your personal desires. There is a trans-

lot of friction and drag.” With them,

formative power to a right-fit team.

you accomplish more than you ever

“When you have the right people

thought imaginable. They “maximize

in the right roles, you will be leveraged

momentum.” They also help you keep

in countless ways,” Sopoci said. “But if

and attract the best talent. “You are

you have wrong-fit team members, they

not the only one responsible for this!”

are harmful because they are not fully

Sopoci said. “Your key employees are

engaged and committed or want to

too!” They provide superior customer

contribute and grow with their unique

service. They go above and beyond.

set of talents. That’s where you need

They improve your systems and

multiplication by subtraction. “

processes and provide creativity and

You know when you have a right-fit

direction within their own role. They

team member, Sopoci said. Their

are leaders too. They contribute. They

attributes include: They are engaged,

care. They might even think about

knowledgeable, and spend the majority

workplace riddles after hours.

of their time in areas where they are

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| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

A wrong fit should be equally obvious. But sometimes it is not. Sometimes, Sopoci said, the damage a wrong-fit employee is causing your business may be more subtle than you think.

For instance, wrong-fit team

from making new or needed improve-

members leave bad impressions with

ments. Plus, they can’t keep pace. Their

clients, whether you know it or not.

ability to learn is not fast enough. They

“Your clients may not have the gall

slow everyone else down, becoming a

or the desire to call in and complain,”

roadblock to getting things done in a

Sopoci said. “In many cases, you are not

timely manner. Other employees have

even catching wind of what’s going on.”

to step up and take care of that person.

There are warning signs, though.

They are a “drama queen” or king!

Wrong-fit team members leave messes

They create mountains out of mole

and expect others to clean it up. They

hills and incite unnecessary conflict,

make small issues become crises. They

nitpicking the smallest things. They

are toxic to other members. They have

have emotion around the smallest issues

malaise or are disengaged. They are

and cause distraction and loss of focus

not excited by their work or where the

for the whole team. Worse, they bring

company is going. They only produce

people on board with them—like a little

to get by. The rest of team feels this

army. Every manager knows that’s not

person is holding them back so they

fun. And, finally, they are not account-

bypass them. They are oppositional

able. They don’t deliver the goods but

and always argumentative. They tend

are extremely expert at covering their

to disagree with all new ideas and often

tracks. They are somehow able to divert

say “We can’t do that.” They create

attention away from themselves. When

friction with you and the rest of your

they are counted on to deliver results,

team, and experience polarization with

they always have an excuse for why it is

the rest of the team. They prevent you

not done.

YOU’RE FIRED

LAST CHANCES Before reaching for that pink slip, though, consider if there is any chance at salvation for your wrong-fit employee. After all, there is a significant business cost to letting someone go and going through the oftentimes arduous and costly process of hiring a replacement.

PULLING

THE TRIGGER Sound familiar?

Such team members have to be let go, regardless of how pinched your labor market may be. So why do we hesitate to do it?

Sopoci points to over-worked bosses and the “emotional component of this” as the culprits for inaction.

“You don’t have time, you don’t want to deal with it—so you live with the status quo, even though you realize complacency isn’t going to allow you to grow,” she said. “Plus, the reality is most people don’t want confrontation. No one wants tears. And there’s also loyalty. Perhaps you think it is somehow your fault. Or they’ve been with you through thick and thin, good times and bad. But you know they are not a right fit. Even though you don’t want to clean up that mess because you feel an emotional connection and you feel responsibility for their future,

it is your job to address the situation head-on. Commit mentally to making this progress.”

Doing so will create multiplication by subtraction—the formula for growth and results, Sopoci said, ensuring that your organization is thriving and growing and freeing you up to focus on your own unique talents and abilities.

But again, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do.

“Letting go of team members is hard,” Sopoci added. “But you’ve got to rid yourself of the fear and guilt and embarrassment of doing that and feel certain about that decision because the person is not aligned with your primary vision.

“There is long-term pain or there is short-term pain,” Sopoci concluded.

Sopoci offered some strategies for certain types of wrong-fit employees.

“Some are up for coaching,” she said. “Have a conversation. Have

And they seem to know you will never fire them because they are so darn good.

So you feel held hostage.”

What do you do?

communication around the issues. State

“Intense coaching needs to happen,”

your expectations clearly and alongside

Sopoci said. “For instance, is it simply a

a time frame with the consequence of

lack of self-awareness? Maybe it is just

inevitably letting them go.”

that easy. Bring that conversation to the

Sometimes, Sopoci said, it’s not that the person is bad, they’re just poorly placed in your business.

table.”

Beyond that, Sopoci advised setting crystal clear expectations and conse-

“I see a lot of ‘right person, wrong

quences for such an employee and

role,’ ” Sopoci said. “They are wonderful

communicating in no uncertain terms

individuals. They just don’t fit in the role

that failure to get in alignment may

you designed for them. Find another role

result, if not in termination, then in

in the company.”

some form of punishment.

Even the aforementioned high-per-

Otherwise, it’s time to channel your

for ming jerk can be remediated,

inner Donald Trump and deliver the bad

Sopoci said.

news—”You’re fired!”

“Maybe they bring in half the sales in the region to the business,” she said.

“They know they are hot sh%@&$. But they don’t care about company culture.

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

27

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YOU’RE FIRED

"HIRE THE BEST” So you’ve finally fired an employee that has been dragging you down.

Now what? How can you ensure that you make the “right” hire the next time?

Dr. Michael W. Mercer,

The opposite and less-effective

an industrial psychologist, has

approach is talking too much,

Test-drive them! Only then will you

created a series of pre-employ-

talking about your company, what

know if they have the qualities you need.

ment tests used by companies

you want, what you need, and

Mercer’s final bit of advice may be a

to help evaluate and select

never really listening or getting a

difficult pill to swallow but he said is key

job applicants who are more

true feel for the applicant. Was that

to making the right hire and experiencing

likely to become productive

really the point? Shut up and get

the future business success you crave.

and low-turnover employees.

out of your own way!

In addition to assessments and

Next,

“Never ever, even if you are desperate, advised

settle for someone second-best,” Mercer

tests Mercer recommends, he

conducting a work simulation or

stressed. “If someone doesn’t do well on

stresses the interview process

role play with the applicant.

your tests, don’t hire them. If you don’t

as a key to making the right

Mercer

them well?”

“Would you buy a car without

feel the trust after the interview, don’t hire

first driving it? Likewise, would you

them. If you don’t like the work simula-

Rule No. 1 in interviews

hire a job applicant like an inside

tion or role play, don’t hire them.”

is only ask open-ended ques-

sales person to do over-the-phone

As the title of Mercer’s latest book

tions. It’s the only way you’ll

work without listening to them over

states, Hire the Best . . . and Avoid the

get lots of information and

the phone first? Listen to them do

Rest. Don’t be desperate if you have a

be able to get a true feel for

things over the phone. They may

hard timing finding applicants, he said.

your job candidate. Simply get

be great face to face but not over

Keep getting the job done on your own

someone to talk like in natural

the phone,” Mercer said.

until you find the right person.

employment choices.

conversation. This should feel natural. Plus it’s easy. Just ask an open-ended question and then commit to listening for three to five minutes. Encourage your applicant to tell you more or elaborate on something if they stop talking.

Or what about an outside sales “You are finding out about their thoughts, needs, goals, feelings, opinions, experiences—all the things you need to find out about in order to hire the best and avoid the rest,” Mercer said.

person?

“Have them try to sell something to you,” Mercer advised. “Do they focus on what you need? The benefits of the product, or just the features? How do

Editor’s note: Sopoci and Mercer were keynote speakers at the October 2018 co-conference of the Power Washers of North America (PWNA) and the Cleaning Equipment Trade Association (CETA) in Orlando, Florida.

they handle objections? Do they overcome

VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019 | PRESSURE WASH NEWS |

29

ASSOCIATIONS

CETA & PWNA Members, After the success of POWERCLEAN 2018, we are excited to announce that CETA and the PWNA will be co-locating again in 2019. The show will be October 17-20, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina.

T he associations coming together for POWERCLEAN 2019 will continue to bring incredible opportunities for attendees. There will be more exhibitors, equipment training, seminars, networking, and fun. CETA and PWNA will continue to remain independent with events of their own and combine efforts to work towards a common goal: Two Teams.

One Vision. Advancing the industry forward.

Stay tuned for details in the coming weeks as we continue to roll out more information! You won’t want to miss this amazing event.

Sincerely,

CETA and PWNA Boards and Staff 30

| PRESSURE WASH NEWS | VOL. 1, NO. 1 | WINTER 2019

POWERCLEAN 2019

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