Dan Galvin Featured in August Issue of Cleaner Times
Our own fearless leader Dan Galvin, EnviroSpec’s president and CEO, is featured in the latest issue of Cleaner Times magazine in the run-up to The Power Washers of North America’s Power-Clean Convention 2021 at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, Sept. 8-11.
Highlights of the convention are featured in the article as well. And don’t forget to check out the full August issue of Cleaner Times for even more details on the convention. Some of those highlights include:
Special paid class, Wednesday, Sept. 8 — Gas Station & Niche Market Training with Carlos Gonzales.
Special paid class, Wednesday, Sept. 8 — Softwash Cleaning with AC Lockyer.
Certification classes, Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 8 and Sept. 9.
Ladies’ Wine and Wash, Thursday, Sept. 9, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Power-Clean 2021 Convention kickoff begins with a keynote speech from Ted Ma at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9.
Sneak peek of trade show event, Thursday, Sept. 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., plus machine giveaway.
Auction and machine giveaway, Friday, Sept. 10.
Free training classes, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sept. 11., from 8 a.m. to noon both days.
Trade show floor will be open Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
Closing meeting and large skid giveaway will be Saturday, Sept. 11, at 5 p.m.
For updated schedule information and to register for the convention with PWNA, visit pwna.org/events.
See you next month in the Big Easy! And remember to always POWER THROUGH!
Brayson Doward is the owner of Customary Professionals, a pressure-washing business based in Valdosta, Georgia. Customary Professionals offers commercial and residential cleaning services in the Georgia and north Florida markets.
A trucker for 14 years, Doward came into the industry via a side job power washing. “I worked my way into [power washing] from a trucking career,” he said. “I was a jack-of-all-trades initially, before I started doing research and realized I needed to ‘niche down’ and focus my effort and attention.”
Although relatively new to power washing as a small business entrepreneur — Doward started in 2018 full-time — his business offers window cleaning, sanitizing dumpster, and rubbish areas, soft wash for business and home needs, roof cleaning, gutter cleaning and brightening, as well as surface rejuvenation among his services.
“My advice to others considering running their own business is to make sure you can generate income to meet your primary needs,” Doward said. “I made sure I landed a few commercial contracts before I made the plunge to go full-time.”
Also, be mindful of your expenses and stick to the essentials at first, Doward advised. “Sometimes that means asking yourself if you have enough gas to put in the pressure washer. Know your numbers! You want to be able to eat a sandwich and pay the rent.”
“I made sure I landed a few commercial contracts before I made the plunge to go full-time.” — Brayson Doward, owner of Customary Professionals
Doward found networking to be his biggest lead generator. “Maids don’t do windows, but I do!” he added. “I looked for opportunities to subcontract and found it with residential house cleaning services.”
Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Doward powered through. He attributes his family as his primary motivation for success. “I’m a father of nine children! I tell people that [with the request to] please send me referrals!”
Power Through! Pro Tip
Find a good mentor, Doward said. Dan Galvin, EnviroSpec’s CEO and owner, was Doward’s first mentor. “I walked into EnviroSpec, and Dan was there for me. Any questions I had, he had the answers. Because of him, I fell in love with the whole concept of a power-washing business.”
Doward started going to conventions and met others in the business like Ron Musgraves, owner of Pro Power Wash, who gave him advice. Doward encourages others to attend as many trade events as time and budget will allow — such as the upcoming POWERCLEAN 2021 in New Orleans Sept. 8-11.
“My tip is to invest in the best equipment. I paid $1,100 for my first EnviroSpec pressure washer, and it’s well paid for itself,” Doward said.
How do you measure success? Is it reaching more than 1,000 five-star Google reviews? Is it measured by a seven-figure yearly revenue? How about a 100% recommendation rate on Glassdoor? Hegarty and his team have met all those milestones. Considered to be an industry rock star by many, Hegarty attributes his business accomplishments to passion, great customer service, transparency, positivity, and wait for it — humility.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Hegarty said about a life-changing conversation he had at a professional development conference earlier in his career. He said he was “… a terrible leader. I was a my-way-or-the-highway kind of guy. Actually, I wasn’t a leader, I was a dictator.”
Hegarty said a monumental learning opportunity came to him during a breakout session at a Florida business conference years ago. A question was posed to the table: What’s your biggest problem in business? His response was a complaint about work ethic among his employees. A woman at the table replied, “Well, who’d want to work for you?”
Personal Turning Point
“I’d been in business for 25 years, and who was this woman to say that to me?” Hegarty recalled. “I left the table and went up to my room. I was fuming! It really hit a nerve.”
Hegarty learned “that woman” — Ellen Rohr, a business makeover expert and author of “Where Did the Money Go?” — was one of the guest speakers. “I went back down and said to her, ‘I owe you an apology.’ And she said to me, ‘Yes, you do.’ It took me down a whole bunch of notches!”
Hegarty’s takeaway from the conversation that followed was that his success was irrevocably linked to the quality and loyalty of his workforce. That awkward lesson in humility and self-awareness led him to take coaching classes and educate himself on leadership. Today, a waiting list of prospective employees who want to join A+ Powerwashing and Roof Cleaning is a testament to his making the most of his self-discovery that day.
“The business is easy. Do what you say you’re going to do.” — Brian Hegarty, A+ Powerwashing and Roof Cleaning
“The business is easy,” Hegarty said. “Do what you say you’re going to do.” But to take it to the next level of professionalism, Hegarty said, employees must be empowered with training, leadership programs, and economic incentives. “Cut your people into the profits and give them ownership into the business process.” Hegarty said his people create a process that yields solutions and a sense of ownership. They ask, ‘What are the problems we’re having and how are we going to resolve them?’ Then they do.”
Power Through! Pro Tip
Besides his trademark advice to provide the “Best Service Anywhere” and to keep a positive attitude, Hegarty’s pro tip is to know and understand your profit and loss statement. “Don’t leave it up to your accountant — know what your balance sheet looks like. It’s your responsibility!” Finally, he said owners need to focus on their business planning and inventory.
“I’ve been purchasing parts from EnviroSpec since the ’90s,” Hegarty said. ‘They’re very reliable. They have the parts I need in stock. Their customer service is really good. If there’s ever a problem with the order, they straighten it out immediately.”
How’s your inventory? Need more pressure nozzle filters or chemicals? Got enough brushes? Place your next order now to help your business successfully “Power Through!”
EPW’s Leon Reams on Building a High-Visibility Business
Leon Reams is owner of Express Pressure Wash, a power-washing business based in Nampa, Idaho. EPW is visible in servicing truck shows and truck washes all over America — and provides those same services as well as pressure washing of houses, fences, decks, driveways, and more across Idaho and the Treasure Valley area of the western United States.
No professional power washer would argue with Reams’ success — from one truck and one crew beginning in 2006 to 32 branded trucks and their crews today. According to Reams, there’s been no secret to EPW’s success.
“Just deliver what you promise the customer,” he said. “We take pride in our work and guarantee customer satisfaction. It is our personal goal to make sure that the job is done to the best of our ability.”
Another success factor: repeat business. But customers won’t come back unless they’re satisfied with the very first time you talk to them and the first job you perform, Reams emphasized. The proof is in the numbers: EPW has more than 25 employees across all of its locations and generates $5 million a year in sales.
EPW is a family-owned business, involving his wife and children. Growing bigger as his company has done is amazing, he said, but don’t let your business lose that mom-and-pop feel and get too “corporate” and detached from your core base of clients.
‘Just deliver what you promise the customer.’ — Leon Reams, owner of Express Pressure Wash
Among their range of services, EPW also cleans boats, RVs, farm equipment, and even hoods in restaurant kitchens — “anything else that you may need washed,” Reams said. EPW’s washing units are fully mobile and each can carry up to 600 gallons of water — and they’re environmentally friendly, using green and pet-safe chemicals.
Power Through! Pro Tip
EPW specializes in truck and heavy equipment cleaning. “Semis, all truck shows, that’s where you’ll see us,” Reams said. For truck- and equipment-washing products, EPW’s go-to source is EnviroSpec. Chisel and Never Dull are favorites, Reams said.
Learn more about EnviroSpec’s equipment degreasing products, including other popular products such as Prodigy, Blue Lightning, Hood Pro, and Viper — a truck wash and heavy equipment degreaser that has other additives such as optical brighteners and gloss enhancers.
Visit Express Pressure Wash on Facebook. The company also is available on Instagram.
