One out of three ain’t bad

[Old Coastie]

Yesterday I had an amazing visit with a retired Air Force helo pilot. We talked shop a while and his wife described what it was like to see him off for the second trip to Vietnam.

When I gave them my quote, they both stared at me. “
$233? We expected a figure three times that high!”

It is obvious that I’ll never get to Tahiti this way. Thing is, my price is upper mid range for this area, so you never know.

Afteward, I called my second customer and he told me that this was a skimpy budget month and they want to wait. Number three hadn’t answered two texts and didn’t answer the phone, so I left a kindly message and went home.

I’m just getting over a case of food poisoning and was worn out anyhow.

 

[hogjowl]

It MIGHT be this bad in other places, but being a premium priced cleaner in Alabama is a tricky thing.

Super hard to get a feel for what the market will bear.

 

[Steve Lawrence]

It MIGHT be this bad in other places, but being a premium priced cleaner in Alabama is a tricky thing.

Super hard to get a feel for what the market will bear.

Ed York used to say that a cleaning company should have a budget division and a premium division maybe disguised to look like 2 different companies.

We considered that a bit but decided it would be too confusing (for us) so we landed somewhere in the middle high area. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Cleanworks]

Ed York used to say that a cleaning company should have a budget division and a premium division maybe disguised to look like 2 different companies.

We considered that a bit but decided it would be too confusing (for us) so we landed somewhere in the middle high area. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That makes more sense than a bronze, silver, Gold package.

 

[Nate The Great]

Ed York used to say that a cleaning company should have a budget division and a premium division maybe disguised to look like 2 different companies.

We considered that a bit but decided it would be too confusing (for us) so we landed somewhere in the middle high area. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Yea, he'd tell my pops that too... I remember answering the phone and it was Ed York.. I didn't know who he was but he and my pops would talk for a few hours when he called...

He'd also say "Would you rather clean 20 houses @ .10sf or 10 houses @ .20sf..." Point was taken and we rose our pricing.. We couldn't quite wrap our heads around offering a budget cleaning..

@Mikey P reminds me of the Internet version of Ed York... Ruffle a lot of feathers...

 

[Mikey P]

Id rather do 5 at .50

 

[Desk Jockey]

 

[Nate The Great]

I was 7yo at the time...

 

[hogjowl]

And you still are

 

[Jim Pemberton]

@Mikey P reminds me of the Internet version of Ed York... Ruffle a lot of feathers...

Having known Ed York very well, I would agree.

The biggest difference is that Mike is sane with a firm grip on reality.

 

[Mikey P]

I'm not so sure about that..

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I'm not so sure about that..

Mike, its all relative.

I'm showing restraint, but I could not imagine the meltdowns and ravings I witnessed with him from you.

To reverse Mark Antony's assessment of Caesar after his death:

"The good men do lives after them, and the evil is buried with them..."

 

[rick imby]

I'm not so sure about that..

We aren't either, he was just trying to be nice...

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Catch me at a show or a class and I'll share some Ed York moments with anyone who cares to ask. They are told kindly, as Ed had a profound effect on my early career.

There is so much about our industry that would not exist without him, including the IICRC, the DKI franchise, recognition of hot water extraction as a viable method (early in his career), recognition of low moisture cleaning as a viable method (later in his career), and a few trade associations as well.

He'd love the communication bulletin boards and social media provide, and would be both educating and entertaining us all today.

Still....Mike couldn't touch his insanity in his wildest imagination.

 

[Mikey P]

Have I ever had an online melt down?

During the Yorkie years maybe?

 

[Nomad74]

I think I'm pulling back from the FB groups. To much BS and it's getting to me. But I could use a good melt-down. 225lbs on the scale this morning. Not happy. Time to lay off the cheese curds, pastrami, and pepsi.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Have I ever had an online melt down?

During the Yorkie years maybe?

Not that I remember, even during our "pre-friendship" years.

I'm not damning Ed nor trying to flatter you Mike. You are really just two very different people.

What you have in common is a love for this industry, and the enjoyment that comes from poking sticks in hornets' nests.

 

[Bob Pruitt]

Was a proud member of York's SCT. I waited for the monthly information from SCT that I proudly put in my giant SCT 3 ring binder. He transformed our little business into something much better than we were. I didn't personally know him...though I had met him...so maybe I was lucky not to really get to know him...but, he was the only one on the west coast that was improving the education level and quality standards at the time.
I agree Mike is doing a very similar thing. The M Fests are a revolution in this Industry as well.

 

[Cleanworks]

I think I'm pulling back from the FB groups. To much BS and it's getting to me. But I could use a good melt-down. 225lbs on the scale this morning. Not happy. Time to lay off the cheese curds, pastrami, and pepsi.

Damon, I went from 210 down to 190 in 2 months, just with small changes in diet. Less meat, more fruits and veggies, less carbs. I had a bad habit of eating at fast food joints because I am on the road all day. I now go to a "chopped leaf" restaurant and have a salad for lunch. Failing that, I will settle for subway. (6 inch sub only). Eat breakfast in the morning, amazing what a difference that makes. Just little things that will make the pounds disappear.

 

[hogjowl]

Insanity, Mikey and food.

Damon ... it’s not just on FB

 

[Jim Pemberton]

.though I had met him...so maybe I was lucky not to really get to know him.

I consider myself fortunate for having known him; he is arguably the most influential single person in the history of the cleaning industry.

I always saw him as a blend of Winston Churchill, PT Barnum, Billy Mays, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Swaggart, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Steve Jobs.

He was hardest on those closest to him, but like most geniuses, great ideas came ahead of relationships. Despite what some might think, Mike is an extraordinarly loyal friend; Ed didn't have that capacity.

He did have something else in common with Mike:

A loving and devoted wife.

 

[hogjowl]

I got a supportive private message from Jimberton yesterday. That and reading this, makes me think Saiger sent him some happy pills.

 

[Mikey P]

Catch me at a show or a class and I'll share some Ed York moments with anyone who cares to ask. They are told kindly, as Ed had a profound effect on my early career.

we have a 15 hour plus drive ahead of us in January, maybe we can have a seance and get Ed in the back seat.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

we have a 15 hour plus drive ahead of us in January, maybe we can have a seance and get Ed in the back seat.

Ed would love the whole thought of that.

I have often pondered if he'd love you or hate you. I think he'd appreciate what you do, but you would call him out too often for his tastes.

 

[Mikey P]

was he a vegetarian?

 

[Jim Pemberton]

was he a vegetarian?

No, but one of my favorite stories is about the scene he made in a grocery store about the price of grapes.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Ed would love the whole thought of that.

I have often pondered if he'd love you or hate you. I think he'd appreciate what you do, but you would call him out too often for his tastes.

He would have been jealous of Mike.

 

[encapman]

Jim I think you might be overlooking Mike's "meltdowns" with Evan K.

We have this message board as the fallout from that.

 

[encapman]

And for that we can be grateful.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I won't try to make a comparison from that time.

Those who knew Ed well all have their stories. It's like having met Elvis...no better yet, Janis Joplin or Keith Moon...personally.

I completely derailed this thread. That's usually Richard's job.

Apologies.