A
aussiejohn747
Guest
Have heard a lot about Mikeys Forum from our own Australian Carpet Cleaners forum - and you have a great fan in Shorty and see that Col Nation just joined previously as well.
My name is John Kelley, from Adelaide - Australia
My previous work history from the age of 21, was employed here in Adelaide with Coca Cola for some 13.5 years started off as a truck driver ending up as an account manager - left in 1981. From there to an Insurance Co here in Australia working in Adelaide as an Insurance Agent, Financial Planner till 1991. Then moved into Carpet Cleaning as a temporary job just to get fit again - that was 20 years ago now, and am fitter that's for sure - and greyer too!!
My life as a cleaner was not all beer and skittles as they say - I worked as a sub-contractor for an Australian based carpet cleaning company learning as we went along... but only really doing a basic clean or a suck & run job for just over 4 years...
After learning how not to clean lounge suites as part of the job I decided to go outside the company and get an education in how to clean carpets properly, thoroughly, and for a profit with happy clients...
Well after initially learning how to clean carpets from a very good educator, that led to a course in upholstery cleaning, to stain removal, to water damage, to carpet repairs, then on to advanced water damamge, to fire restoration, odour control, mould removal, and ultimately to trauma cleaning. With resits every 2 or 3 years in each subject. Leather cleaning was added, and 3 years ago I sat and completed the structural drying course here in Australia/Sydney.
That covers the last 20 years of my working life except to add I left the company back at Xmas 1996 and have been on my own as my business ever since. I thoroughly enjoy what I do now, the daily challengers and the problem solving that comes my way. I have not had a real reason to advertise these past 15 or so years as no matter what I have done before I enter any new clients home or premises - the only thing that counts to me is what I achieve on the job am at right then and now! So on each job I work to keep my reputation intact and growing...
Like most am sure on this forum I have had my ups and downs, always chasing money owed, and rarely stopping for a holiday.
Speaking of which some 7 plus years ago I met a lovely lady from Atlanta on the internet and after some dialogue back and forth she came out to Australia for a visit and basically stayed... WE have now been married ever since and currently she is back in Atlanta visiting with her family for summer.
So this Friday I am flying out from Australia to visit her and her family for 2 weeks, and flying back home though Las Vegas and spending 3 days at your Connections Convention which I am looking forward to immensley. So if you hear an odd aussie accent wondering through and around the convention please say hello as I would like to meet fellow carpet cleaners from your part of the world.
I will also drop in to Mikeys board every now and then and see whats going on in your part of the world and make a contribution. I am sure I will also learn from your board and members, as I have from our forum members here in Australia. To those members who are also trained and qualified we may work alone most of the time - but forums such as these we are not alone. And as no one person knows everything, by sharing we all learn together.
My name is John Kelley, from Adelaide - Australia
My previous work history from the age of 21, was employed here in Adelaide with Coca Cola for some 13.5 years started off as a truck driver ending up as an account manager - left in 1981. From there to an Insurance Co here in Australia working in Adelaide as an Insurance Agent, Financial Planner till 1991. Then moved into Carpet Cleaning as a temporary job just to get fit again - that was 20 years ago now, and am fitter that's for sure - and greyer too!!
My life as a cleaner was not all beer and skittles as they say - I worked as a sub-contractor for an Australian based carpet cleaning company learning as we went along... but only really doing a basic clean or a suck & run job for just over 4 years...
After learning how not to clean lounge suites as part of the job I decided to go outside the company and get an education in how to clean carpets properly, thoroughly, and for a profit with happy clients...
Well after initially learning how to clean carpets from a very good educator, that led to a course in upholstery cleaning, to stain removal, to water damage, to carpet repairs, then on to advanced water damamge, to fire restoration, odour control, mould removal, and ultimately to trauma cleaning. With resits every 2 or 3 years in each subject. Leather cleaning was added, and 3 years ago I sat and completed the structural drying course here in Australia/Sydney.
That covers the last 20 years of my working life except to add I left the company back at Xmas 1996 and have been on my own as my business ever since. I thoroughly enjoy what I do now, the daily challengers and the problem solving that comes my way. I have not had a real reason to advertise these past 15 or so years as no matter what I have done before I enter any new clients home or premises - the only thing that counts to me is what I achieve on the job am at right then and now! So on each job I work to keep my reputation intact and growing...
Like most am sure on this forum I have had my ups and downs, always chasing money owed, and rarely stopping for a holiday.
Speaking of which some 7 plus years ago I met a lovely lady from Atlanta on the internet and after some dialogue back and forth she came out to Australia for a visit and basically stayed... WE have now been married ever since and currently she is back in Atlanta visiting with her family for summer.
So this Friday I am flying out from Australia to visit her and her family for 2 weeks, and flying back home though Las Vegas and spending 3 days at your Connections Convention which I am looking forward to immensley. So if you hear an odd aussie accent wondering through and around the convention please say hello as I would like to meet fellow carpet cleaners from your part of the world.
I will also drop in to Mikeys board every now and then and see whats going on in your part of the world and make a contribution. I am sure I will also learn from your board and members, as I have from our forum members here in Australia. To those members who are also trained and qualified we may work alone most of the time - but forums such as these we are not alone. And as no one person knows everything, by sharing we all learn together.