What did you do before becoming a Pw'er?

[StainlessDeal 16]

I've had a multitude of jobs for various reasons, and often say that my calling was to try new callings.

I was driving dumptrucks and landscaping right out of high-school, after working in dishrooms while in high-school. In the holiday seasons from the time I was a freshman, I sold Christmas trees and wreaths for a friend of the family. I also worked for this man as a light carpenter and master of no trades: A wood-butcher, if you will. It was a great education in the entrepenuerial spirit and methods.

I went to college for a few years as a political science major, and then changed to biology. I worked in a lumberyard and did sidework, but I was hoping to be a park ranger somewhere until life threw me an unexpected curve or two, and I wound up getting into trucking, and thence into the Teamsters. I was no stranger to the union halls by then, and was honored to initiate into Local 554 here in Omaha while working for a soda distributor/bottler. In short order I was entrusted with a position as a steward. It was the best/most challenging thing I've ever done.

Once again, life exerted its power and I changed to moving and storage, where I personally served the needs of my agency's two largest corporate clients for several years. I established a reputation for customer care and service that set me apart from my peers, and I was hired as a manager by a competing agent.

After a management change upstream, I went trucking for the largest Mail contractor in the country. I was honored again to be a steward in APWU Local 44 as we organised and negotiated the first-ever contract for non-gov't drivers in APWU history. This was an exquisite exercise in conflict resolution and debate, and I am proud to have played my role in the service of some of the greatest men and women I've known. I also had many people I respected tremendously on the other side of those tables. Life was interesting in the truest sense of the word.

After September 11, 2001, my Mail contract changed and while I was senior enough to hold my post, I took the lay-off since I was the only person on the route with no family, and a job was available to me in Omaha. I went back to driving a moving van, traveling all the continental states and provinces until I met the woman I married.

I still consult with the moving outfits I've worked for, and with the unions I've served in. In fact, what started as a temporary help to one of my former employers has become a veritable part-time gig for me, and both of the moving outfits are PW customers.

I have been blessed with a varied background that has always been interesting, and that has provided well for me and mine. I love my life and the businesses I've been a part of.

I honestly believe the latin in my motto: LABOR OMNIA VINCIT - Work conquers all.

[Jeff 232]

Some interesting work you all have done

82 - 96 i was in the Steel Painters Union in Boston, Did Painting, spraying, sandblasting of Bridges, Tanks, Nuke plants, power plants etc. I really liked the crazy work, the heights and walking the steel. It was hard work, but usually a great bunch of guys I would work with Brotherhood of a great bunch of nuts. Got out when I almost got killed in a work accident with a train

before that did some spray equipment repair and ran a few warehouses

Education, oops got stoned and forgot to go. Man am I going to keep a close eye on my kids as they grow. They wont get over on me like I did with my parents

21st Century - The Future Pressure Washing King lol

[PWkid 79]

Starting out played football for 9 years had plenty of chances to play football in college but when your young and dumb,well you guys know the rest it didn't pan out. I was a mechanic for years decided I didn't like having my finger nails dirty all the time. Worked for a chemical company mixing chemicals for awhile. l Went to Paramedic school and enjoyed it for 11 years until I was married and had seen enough blood and guts for anyones lifetime. I started pressure cleaning part-time . Worked for a presure cleaning equipment manufacturing company as a salesman for almost a year. After the hurricanes 2 years ago decided to go full-time pressure cleaning. I enjoy cleaning and have been doing it for other people and myself for about 12 years.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Restaurant biz-prep cook to manager 8 years

U.S. Army Engineers-3 years

Specialized Security-5 years

School District Maintenance -10 years

Pressure Cleaning-5 Years

No, I am not close to 50, I have held 2 jobs for many years, so some things have overlapped. I have compacted the above 31 years into 20 years.

[Thad 135]

Very short, condensed version:

Too smart to go to school, so I worked construction and did floors for a few years until I got into sales.

I sold everything from toys to vacuums to cars to trailer homes and then got into the mortgage business. I received a LOT of sales training during those years and learned a lot about the psychology of buying.

I took a leave of absence from the mortgage business in 2004 and never went back.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

There's a great deal of diversity in knowledge and experience here on TGS.

This is soooo cool to read.

:cheers:

Rod!~

[PowerWashofVa 14]

College - State Island Community, John jay College of Criminal Justice

NYC Police Office 2 Years

Richmond Virginia Police Officer - retired as Officer-in Charge of Organized Crimes

While a PO in Richmond owned several businesses.

1) Windshield Repair - 2 years

2) Spring Green Lawn Care - 9 years

3) Virginia Investigative Services - 2 years

4) Power Wash of Virginia - 4 years

Yes I'm old 54 & this will be my last business!

[Don L 14]

I graduated hs in 1980.Got hired as a front man for a band out of Syracuse,NY(I had been singing and writing for$ since 14).Played from Montreal to Baltimore,singing and playing bass for a band booked out of New London,Ct called Q.T.Hush.

Moved to Moore,OK in 1984.85 bought a small window cleaning co,and joined orig. band "The Fanatics".Released album,nearly got the real deal from BMG,but couldn't close it.Took some of the blokes back to East...,Hyde Park,NY in 93.Rehersal,playing out,and running a janitorial co for a guy in Poughkeepsi,NY.Then took a job managing a poultry farm,intended to buy it,at the point of transition,fell through.One of the boys decided to return to St.Louie,end of band.Our third child was due,I decided after 20 yrs,I wasn't going to start over.I took a job as an on air announcer at a public radio station in Schenectady.Then moved to doing high rise window cleaning in Albany.Decided I could do better owning a company.Moved back to upstate NY,started Peerless Services in 01.The guy who taught me to clean windows in OK had started in the pw biz,and was doing well.I went out and worked with him,and the next year partnered up on the purchase of our machine,and added pwing to Peerless.That was in 03.This season has been an explosive year.

Thanks to so many of you.

Believe me,this is a miniscule fraction of jobs I have held,and I will never have another.Entrepenurship is the balm(thats what the kids say).Sorry about rambling...great thread!

[whytewash 14]

Many changes along the way. I once planned to go into the ministry as missionary and then youth work. Did not take the ministry path to youth work but got into recreation in GA after leaving seminary in TX. After working with county recreation I worked with Boys & Girls Club in GA for 11 years becoming the Exec Director before leaving (politics on my board). My hobby had been computers so I eventually got in with a 'small' family owned company (I had Macintosh experience and they were all Macs) I learned on the job as I had no formal education, just a knack for it. I spent 7 years there unitl I saw things differently than the boss and became vocal. Parted ways last March and I was considering my options and decided to look into starting a business. My first option was something web related, design, hosting possibly. That was too much like I had been doing and was not sure I could deal with the creative differences (or lack of) when dealing with clients. I came back home to FL for a vacation while out of work and realized I should move back here. I came across a business model and was looking to purchase an existing business as a springboard. Somehow in the process of trying to get a business broker to represent me in the transaction I came across this existing PW business. It all sounded good so I shifted gears. I have been working it since June and so far it has been great. Wish I had been doing this years ago. Love the physical outdoor work, money is not too bad and love living back in FL at the beach.

I have not had to fall back on anything yet as the winter has approached (as busy the past two weeks as the summer thankfully) but will be doing some computer consulting and have kept contacts open for some web development. I have a long time web site related to flats fishing (flatsfisher.com) that I really should do something with. As soon as things are back into a routine I hope to start fishing again and get my site current.

That is about all there is I think.

[Jim Carroll 14]

mowed lawns until i was 16

worked at a shoe store and restraunt from 16-18

went to community college

transferred to 4yr

bars, restraunts

worked for american express credit card company, learned alot about sales and psychology of sales while with them. left them and sold insurance, then sold electronics, then to construction supplies(7years) left in July and have not looked back since.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We have well over 2000 members and only a small percentage of respondents.

Come on in the waters fine! No judgments here, just a chance to share with the community and show how diverse it is.

Who's next???

Rod!~

[sthom21 14]

Before becoming a PW'er, I was alot of things. Most recently I was an inventory Analyst for a lighting wholesaler. Prior to that I was a Network Manager for a local school system. Prior to that I was an IT Manager for a major retailer based in Plano Texas, Before that I was a construction foreman. before that I was a pool installation foreman and finish carpenter for a pool and sunroom company. Before that I was a shop supervisor for a custom office furniture company. Add a few odd part time jobs in there and that pretty sums up my working life.

[tony szabo 14]

Great Post!

Some May know my back ground a bit, but here goes.

In High School and after I was in the grocery business for about a total of four years. Then working at UPS part-time, college part-time and a car manager part time all at the same time. The car wash company was one of the top 500 fastest growing compinies for about six years in the US. With great and fast pace growth I was hired as a Management supervisor to cover several states. After so long traveling got old.

Security guard at a nucular plant, then back to the grocery business, then a chemical operator at a 3M plant.

Started Pressure Washing part time took about three years to make it full time.

Its been 16 years now PWing

and loving the life that it has given myself and family

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

I started out selling crack in a mall. Oh I meant to say crackers...

Sorry I couldn't resist

I have a background in restaurants. Got my first real job at 18. Unless you count my paper route. It was a restaurant in a mall. The manager I had was transfering to Cincinnati and I asked how I could get into management and he laughed hysterically. This bothered me, especially since he was the LAZIEST sun of a gun I have ever met. Four years later I had worked my way up to area manager for the chain, then purchased the unit in which I had started. The other guy... he was fired. I operated the restaurant for four years and the mall tripled my rent due to doubling my sales volume. $84.000 a year for 748 sq ft! Being a student of Stephen Covey I took the "Win-win or no deal option". Went back to work for my franchisor as a district manager and oversaw 18 restaurants. Six states and Washington D.C. was the geography. Had a child, downsized the travel and relocated to Lexington KY where the corporate office of Fazoli's is located and have been here for four years. I own rental property as well. I attended a Disney Univerity marketing class, and even got to speak at Disney on sales building to all the leaders in my past organization due to my success with them. It was about 1000 people, that was a BLAST! I received several great career offers that week. I have also been certified in "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "Business Think" & "Franklin Coveys- "What Matters Most". I have also had the opportunity to teach success classes and mentor others. My personal mission statement is "To help those whom I lead to succeed". Pressure Washing has become my escape zone. It is the time when I can just relax and have quiet time, (from voices anyway). I don't know if I could see myself going full time anytime soon, perhaps in a few years.

[FCPWLLC 233]

I started out selling crack in a mall. Oh I meant to say crackers...

Sorry I couldn't resist

I have a background in restaurants. Got my first real job at 18. Unless you count my paper route. It was a restaurant in a mall. The manager I had was transfering to Cincinnati and I asked how I could get into management and he laughed hysterically. This bothered me, especially since he was the LAZIEST sun of a gun I have ever met. Four years later I had worked my way up to area manager for the chain, then purchased the unit in which I had started. The other guy... he was fired. I operated the restaurant for four years and the mall tripled my rent due to doubling my sales volume. $84.000 a year for 748 sq ft! Being a student of Stephen Covey I took the "Win-win or no deal option". Went back to work for my franchisor as a district manager and oversaw 18 restaurants. Six states and Washington D.C. was the geography. Had a child, downsized the travel and relocated to Lexington KY where the corporate office of Fazoli's is located and have been here for four years. I own rental property as well. I attended a Disney Univerity marketing class, and even got to speak at Disney on sales building to all the leaders in my past organization due to my success with them. It was about 1000 people, that was a BLAST! I received several great career offers that week. I have also been certified in "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "Business Think" & "Franklin Coveys- "What Matters Most". I have also had the opportunity to teach success classes and mentor others. My personal mission statement is "To help those whom I lead to succeed". Pressure Washing has become my escape zone. It is the time when I can just relax and have quiet time, (from voices anyway). I don't know if I could see myself going full time anytime soon, perhaps in a few years.

Scott has a great work ethic. We teamed up on a job recently. We had agreed to meet at the site at 5:30 am. I am always early, so I show up at 4:45 am only to be putting my Truck in park and see Scott pulling in right behind me. That is one of the biggest things that impresses me. Being on time or early.

OK back on topic.

[Tim McCulla 14]

Clam Digger

Window Cleaner

Resident Assistant

Stock Brooker

Power washer

Realtor

[JohnW 14]

Ok, hopefully I won't be the longest reply on this thread! Here goes:

Prior to being eligible to work for a living, I started messing around with computers at age 12. At 16, my first job was with Waffle House, cleaning dishes, working with a best friend. In a short time I moved up to backup cook and then eventually working at another Waffle House as a weekend 2nd shift full cook. Did that for about a year and a half. During High School, I also worked at McDonalds (4 months), Mrs. Winners (2 months). When I graduated High School in 1991, my dad offered to put me thru 4 years of college and I said 'no thanks, i've had enough of school'. I took a job with Chick Fil A Dwarf House that was brand new where I live. I worked there for 2 years then left it to do Pest Control for a good friend of mine that owned the business. I worked in Pest Control for about a year. I left Pest Control for a job in a warehouse, worked that for a year (boring). I left warehouse work to go work for the State of Georgia as an accounting Temp, since a good friend got me the job.I worked for the temp job for 3 months. At the end of the 3 months, the job was up and I got a job at a property in downtown Atlanta as a security officer. They told me I was the wrong color and I wouldn't last a month. I stayed in the job for 2.5 years and became a supervisor while employed there. I eventually left the job to work at a grocery store because of conflicts with my manager in security. I worked the grocery store for a couple months and left it to go into construction as a laborer/helper. I worked harder than ever before and was promised a raise after a month. After 3 months and no raise I left to go to a job in pools. Worked as a helper to the main pool tech. It was a part time job but I turned it into a full time position by doing extra work here and there (fun job). I enjoyed pools, most of all I enjoyed patching the bottom of pool, fun to swim in the summertime! After working pools for a year I left to go to the Water Dept. as a meter/reader. I worked again with my best friend in this job, and although it's not a very fun job to do in the rain or the heat, we made it fun. While Working with the meters I read an ad for computer tech school and my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) suggested I take the course. Since Chick Fil A gives a $2000 scholarship if you work(ed) there for at least 2 years, I took them up on it and used the money to go to A+ Computer Tech School. I worked full time and went to the school on weekends. Once I completed the school in 1998, I went to work for a well known Accounting Software Company in north Atlanta. I worked there for 2.5 years in telephone support. This was one of the most stressful jobs I've ever had. I left the software job in 2001 and came to work for my current employer in a Helpdesk position. 2.5 years ago, I was promoted to PC/Laptop Tech and that's where I'm currently at. I started the pressure washing business in Sept. 2003 as a means to get out of the helpdesk job. Since I was promoted to PC/Laptop Tech, I decided to stick with the full time job and keep pressure washing on the side.

Also, I volunteered with the local fire department from 1991 to 2002. I gained the position of Sergeant over Truck Company in Nov. 1997. I also served as a driver for all aparatus.

I hope in the next year or two to either work full time for the fire department and do pressure washing on the side, or perhaps work full time with the pressure washing business.

Even though I've worked a ton of jobs, I feel like I've learned a lot of great things from a lot of great and interesting people as well as learned a lot about different trades.

I think my dream job would be to open up a coffee/pastry/wifi cafe and run it with my wife.

[David O'Connell Jr. 14]

Most recently - Computer Geek -

I was a systems Administrator at a college.

I had the place running so smooth I was falling asleep 2-3X a day. I was also getting sick all the time.

[Integrity Curb Appeal 64]

Scott has a great work ethic. We teamed up on a job recently. We had agreed to meet at the site at 5:30 am. I am always early, so I show up at 4:45 am only to be putting my Truck in park and see Scott pulling in right behind me. That is one of the biggest things that impresses me. Being on time or early.

OK back on topic.

Ditto on that.

I was surprised to see Michael there that early as well. Most people won't be anywhere that early on a Sunday morning. By the way the pics on Bob's board from that job were great with your new camera.

Mike also mirrors the purpose of this board- education. He has taught me alot and has a phenominal grasp on business and marketing. I hope he gets to speak at a roundtable soon, if so...Be SURE to bring a notepad and pen!

Thanks Michael

[yazbird8 17]

Designer.....Animal Research Labs

Stephen Andrews

Power Washing

Home & Property

Care & Maintenance

[James 624]

Was a Quality Control Manager for a machined parts manufacturer. We produced parts for Automotive, electrical connectors, bushings, pharmaceutical industries ect....

My wife's family started a Window Cleaning biz in 1929. I started out part time doing residential windows on weekends 23 years ago. Went full time in window cleaning and held various night time and weekend jobs in quality control (first piece inspector,worked in a clean room, ups to name a few) for a few years to make ends meet. At the same time was a partner in a manufacturing start up. That didn't work out for me. Got to the point I didn't need a part time job. Added Power Washing in middle 90's. Don't have to advertise.

[mikew 14]

I'll add my background to the mix...

Worked the usual stuff right out of high school...fast food, grocery store, and a restaurant.

Moved to Georgia in 1990, worked in a warehouse for 6 years driving a forklift, loading/unloading trucks, and pulling orders. Worked with a friend on weekends installing gas lines in new construction housing. Completed a 2 year technical college degree program in Computer Programming at night during those 6 years. After graduation I got a job with a software company that writes billing and data collection software for telephone companies. I have been with this company for 10 years now. I do a mixed bag of tasks. I do software development in C on OpenVMS system platforms. I also handle some customer support of existing Alpha Server and Vax Server systems running VMS.

I started pressure washing part time in 2005. I'm closing in on 2 years now. I enjoy seeing the results of a successful cleaning. I hope to continue to grow the business over the next few years.

Mike

[RCBill 14]

I've been painting full-time for maybe ten years. I took a lot of decorative painting and plaster classes and have a pretty good portfolio. I don't do much exterior work. Mostly better interior repaints.

Before that I was the foreman of the electrical maintenance dept. in a steel mill. I was not skilled in conventional electrics. My contribution was in electrical and electronic process control systems. I did a little work with power supplies also. That job is in China.

Before that I was a sales engineer. I called on machine builders selling custom systems and components.

Before that I was popping caps for Uncle.

[chilibob 14]

I have been in the Corporate world for the last 24 years as an accountant. I have all the accountant's papetrwork (CPA, CMA, MBA) but have decided to go down a different path. I bought a small landscape company about 1-1/2 years ago from a fireman. We primarily provide services to the commercial customers. The commercial accounts were requesting pressure wash services, so I purchased a skid mount pressure washer about one year ago. We primarily focus on flatwork, but have done a couple of houses for the residential clients.

This site has been a life saver for me. I don't know how I would have gained the knowledge without everyone here. Thanx!

Barry

[jnoden 15]

Chicken Catcher (age 14-16)

many jobs through high school (dropped out of HS for year)

Votech (electrical program)

Electrician (1 yr at manufactured housing plant)

Community College

Penn State

Couselor 2 yrs

Probation Officer (past 5 years)

Started PWing PT three years ago and hired a FT employee for this spring.

Pwing has been good to me so far and if I double my sales again this year I may quit my day job for the following season.

This past season has been completely insane with me basically working two FT jobs while my wife was preagnant with our first and also working FT. I had a few panic attacks and thought there was something wrong with my heart. Looking forward to the spring though!