WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:02.799 It's CEOs you should know. I'm Adam West here today 2 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:06.160 with Courtney Lightfoot, CEO of Squeegee Squad. 3 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:08.199 Welcome, Thank you for having me. Adam. 4 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:11.960 I've seen your signs places, I've seen your logo out there. 5 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:14.480 Tell me about Squegee Squad. Give me the old elevator pitch. 6 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:15.640 Yeah, absolutely so. 7 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:19.039 Squeegee Squad started out as just a small window cleaning 8 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.920 company started by brothers Jack and Joe Rupzegger, and over 9 00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:27.600 time they built it and started branding and looking into franchising, 10 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:31.280 and so over the last years we've grown to about 11 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:34.479 seventy five plus units. And so the greatest thing about 12 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.560 Squeegee Squad is not only is it window cleaning company 13 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:41.960 that services residential customers, we also are in the niche 14 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:43.439 of high rise and commercial. 15 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:46.399 So we're the only actual window. 16 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:49.880 Cleaning franchise in the United States that offers both of 17 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:53.640 those services to their customers. And so it's given us 18 00:00:53.719 --> 00:00:56.759 a wide open feel of kind of how we can 19 00:00:56.799 --> 00:01:00.679 operate and really monopolize in a metropolitan an area in 20 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:02.359 a residential area. 21 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:05.760 Yeah, so did it start here in the Twin Cities. 22 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.560 It did, and so they actually just started it in 23 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:12.400 nineteen ninety nine and wow. 24 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:14.480 Yeah, and so we just celebrated twenty five years of 25 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:18.040 window cleaning with them. And they started just in the 26 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:21.319 residential market themselves, and so kind of came from different 27 00:01:21.319 --> 00:01:23.799 backgrounds and fields. They thought they were going to go 28 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:27.799 on to different career paths at that time, and ended 29 00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:31.359 up that window cleaning was actually making them more money 30 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:33.719 than the current jobs that they were in, and so 31 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:38.439 they kind of went down that path servicing residential customers 32 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:42.760 and so they kind of built out organically a huge 33 00:01:42.799 --> 00:01:46.079 company at that time, so maybe a million dollars in residential, 34 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:50.840 which would transfer to about two million dollars today. And 35 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:55.159 so then they started looking more into developing. We have 36 00:01:55.239 --> 00:01:58.280 a really good system here. We've we've built all of 37 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:00.640 the things on the back end, we have technology to 38 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.959 support this business. And then they started looking into franchising, 39 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:08.400 and so in two thousand and five they were approached 40 00:02:09.319 --> 00:02:13.800 as part of I Franchise Company Group, and so they 41 00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:17.319 met with people, they developed all the legal all of 42 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:21.680 the supporting documents to really start the franchising. The funny 43 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:25.360 story is that Jack, one of the brothers, was thinking 44 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:27.360 that it was really going to take off. 45 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:29.759 So as soon as they were registered in all the states. 46 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:30.439 He thought that the. 47 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:33.639 Phones were going to go ringing off the hooks, and 48 00:02:33.879 --> 00:02:35.319 that definitely wasn't the case. 49 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:36.919 So it's been it's been a. 50 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:41.960 Long haul of really figuring it out and expanding the 51 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:45.199 franchise organically, which has proven to be a really great 52 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.599 model for where we are today. And so it was 53 00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:51.919 just honestly the three of us, Jack, Joe and myself 54 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:55.840 building and supporting franchisees from two thousand and five on. 55 00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.000 And so the first franchisee actually signed on in January 56 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:04.159 of two thousand and six in Minnesota, so he started 57 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:05.960 in the dead of winter. 58 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:08.159 Yeah, that's one of the things I wanted to ask 59 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:10.520 you about. But I mean, yeah, yeah, just I mean, 60 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:12.479 as we record this r at the end of February 61 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:14.879 and I should probably just getting ready to really ramp 62 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:15.319 up here. 63 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:18.280 Yeah. And so across the nation, we do have some 64 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:23.120 seasonality that we will experience. We've definitely supplemented with other 65 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:26.719 services that we can kind of fill the gaps. And 66 00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:31.240 so some of the northern climates will offer snowplowing because 67 00:03:31.240 --> 00:03:33.479 they already have the trucks in there. They'll just put 68 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:36.479 a plow on and be set for the winter. We've 69 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:40.919 also integrated some interior painting as an option too, So 70 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:44.520 we're consistently looking at how can we supplement income for 71 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:49.240 those that experience maybe a lull due to seasonality. We 72 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:51.960 do also because we're in that commercial niche, however, have 73 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:56.039 great relationships with our customers where we can offer interior 74 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:57.159 window cleaning. 75 00:03:57.400 --> 00:03:58.639 When it's too cold. 76 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:02.840 Most times people think it's probably too cold to clean windows, 77 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:03.280 you know. 78 00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:06.000 But we're out there at thirty two degrees. 79 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:08.439 And sometimes below still cleaning exterior windows. 80 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:11.639 So that's impressive. So did you was there always a 81 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:15.400 vision for like a national model or was it concentrated 82 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:16.519 here in Minnesota more? 83 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.120 I think yeah, it was, like I said, really hard 84 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:21.279 to get into it first, and so we had a 85 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:26.279 few starting out in Minnesota, and then the owners actually 86 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:29.839 moved to Florida for like a temporary time and just 87 00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:33.240 started a corporate unit at that time to really start 88 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:36.000 to expand nobody knew who we were, our name, we 89 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.319 didn't have any recognition across the country at that time, 90 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:42.600 and so that was kind of the path and actually 91 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:47.000 Florida now is probably one of our most populated franchise 92 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:49.160 within the. 93 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:51.480 United Funny Florida came to my mind before, except in 94 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:53.800 the summer. I don't know if that's like the opposite 95 00:04:53.800 --> 00:04:55.639 of Minnesota. You're trying not to cook on the side of. 96 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:56.560 The building exactly. 97 00:04:56.600 --> 00:04:59.439 It's a little bit different there too, but that each 98 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:02.240 market has a unique thing. So because they have consistent 99 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:05.959 salt water hitting their windows, it's always pressure washing season 100 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:07.800 and it's always window cleaning season. 101 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:10.639 You mentioned some things, but what makes Squeegee Squad different 102 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:11.759 from everybody else? 103 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:18.199 Yeah, So I would say it is that family approach 104 00:05:18.279 --> 00:05:20.759 because we have a really small support system in the 105 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:24.519 back end. We have a team now of ten on 106 00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:27.800 the corporate side, and so for us, that's that's great. 107 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:30.839 It also provided some growth to really expand and support 108 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:33.800 for our franchises, but it also allows us to have 109 00:05:33.879 --> 00:05:35.040 relationship with them. 110 00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:36.879 So people are calling. 111 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:39.639 Us on a regular basis for support and questions, whether 112 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:42.720 that's you know, related to the business or just venting 113 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:44.319 about how difficult their day was. 114 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:47.959 And so yeah, it's great cool. 115 00:05:48.040 --> 00:05:50.560 So I think the great thing about us is that 116 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:54.079 somebody can be reached at any time for any questions. 117 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:58.480 What markets do you kind of see the most opportunity 118 00:05:58.639 --> 00:05:59.680 in moving forward? 119 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.759 Yeah, so we're just dipping our toes and going to 120 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:07.160 the western coast. We just have a franchise that kind 121 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:10.360 of signed on around Seattle, small market, a little bit 122 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:12.720 around Portland that just signed on, and then we have 123 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:16.600 in northern California, so three that we're just starting in 124 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:18.800 the West coast here, but we'll really see a lot 125 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:23.000 of opportunity for growth and expansion there as well. There's 126 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:25.839 still a lot of market left actually for our industry, 127 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:28.160 so we're excited to see it continue to grow. 128 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:30.240 Do you say seventy five units so far. 129 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.600 So we're about seventy five owners. Some of those are 130 00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:37.360 multi unit owners, and so yeah, we're probably over like 131 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:39.639 one hundred and twenty locations. 132 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:40.480 I would say right. 133 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:43.680 Now, if you're driving around right now, you may I 134 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:45.040 don't know if you guys still do this, but I 135 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:48.800 just remember your logo being on signs, you know, in neighborhoods. 136 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:50.519 Do you still have that same logo? 137 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:53.879 And we do have that same logo, and so kind 138 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:56.319 of going back when when the brothers started it, it 139 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:59.040 was Jack and Joe's Window cleaning. That was their names. 140 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:01.879 That's how they started it. When they moved into franchising, 141 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.959 then at that time, they said, you're going to have 142 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:08.279 to rebrand. There's too many Jack and Joe's this across 143 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:11.079 the country. It really has to be something unique. And 144 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:16.839 they were both actually walking through Best Buy and walked 145 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:20.120 by the Geek Squad and so the brothers at that 146 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:23.560 time at thought that's a great idea, and so they 147 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:27.439 thought Squeegee Squad. And it's honestly one of the greatest 148 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:30.519 things that our customers continually comment on that they love 149 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:34.319 the name. It's so catchy, it's hard to forget. And 150 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:36.519 so at that time that's been the brand and the logo. 151 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:40.319 Since that time, did somebody internally develop the logo or 152 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:41.399 is that it did. 153 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:43.759 We did have a marketing team out of the Twin 154 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:46.480 Cities that kind of helped us expand and grow that 155 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:48.000 initial branding package. 156 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:50.120 And you've been there for I don't know about since 157 00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:51.519 the beginning for a very long. 158 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:54.000 Time, right, Yeah, I've been with the company just over 159 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:59.839 sixteen years. Started with them as an office administrator and 160 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:02.680 was pregnant actually with my first when I started, so 161 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:05.439 it was it was supposed to be potentially a temporary 162 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:09.199 fill in job for me when I had my child. 163 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.360 They approached me to come back, and being a new 164 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.720 time mom, I wasn't quite ready to leave my son, 165 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:17.279 and so I said I'd be willing to come back 166 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:19.000 if I could take my baby to work with me, 167 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.240 already knowing the office and what that looked like and 168 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:25.920 felt like I knew it was probably a possibility, and 169 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.920 they agreed. So my first child came to the office 170 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:32.159 with me for the first two years, and so. 171 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:32.720 That was great. 172 00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:35.759 They valued a lot of the same things that I valued, 173 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:39.320 family and time and kind of being able to juggle 174 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:44.000 and balance both. And so luckily technology definitely got better 175 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:47.200 over time, and I was able to start working from 176 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:50.759 home probably within like year four of the company of 177 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:53.279 working with them, and so that allowed me to have 178 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:55.559 the best of both worlds, continue to be there for 179 00:08:55.720 --> 00:08:58.519 my family and also support them and be there for 180 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:00.559 the business as well as it continue to grow. 181 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:02.840 Do you have any funny stories from over the years, 182 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:06.000 either your own or ones that you've heard about, you know, 183 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:08.799 the window cleaning process and things that happen out there 184 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:09.320 in the field. 185 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.240 Yeah. Absolutely, So there's always going to be a funny 186 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:15.200 story here there within our franchisees and we get together 187 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.200 with them once a year at convention that we hold 188 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.639 in Florida, and so it's always a great time to 189 00:09:21.960 --> 00:09:25.000 kind of share those stories connected network. And one of 190 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:28.279 them actually had to do with a waterfed pole, not 191 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:30.120 for sure if you're familiar with that, So on the 192 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:33.440 outside of your building, if you have maybe over like 193 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.279 four or five stories, we could start accessing from ground 194 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:41.000 level and still clean the windows with a pole. And 195 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:44.720 so it's not a very inexpensive piece of equipment. And 196 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:48.200 so we had one location that shared a story that 197 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.440 their employees actually put it on the ladder rack, which 198 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.440 is on the back of a truck, and didn't strap 199 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:58.000 it down, and so they lost it on this side 200 00:09:58.039 --> 00:10:01.879 of the road. And and the funny part is that 201 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:04.360 then the owner found it in the ditch as he 202 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:06.759 was driving by the job or on the road the 203 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:08.399 next day, and. 204 00:10:08.360 --> 00:10:09.720 So they were able to recoup it. 205 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:12.720 And the next day they put it on the ladder 206 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:15.000 rack again and they lost it again. 207 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:16.240 So just continual. 208 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:20.679 Yeah, it's it's funny now, I think he would say. 209 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:22.559 But yeah, you were. 210 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.559 Talking about high rises before. And I did a thing 211 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:27.720 where I repelled off of one of the hotels here locally, 212 00:10:27.799 --> 00:10:29.440 and I was worried as I was coming down. I 213 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:31.399 think they used to warn the people in those rooms 214 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:33.120 that hey, there's gonna be people coming through here, not 215 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:35.399 on the glass, right right next to the glass. I 216 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:37.360 don't know if anything weird like that has ever happened. 217 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:40.360 We're surprised, but I don't think there's been surprise as 218 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:44.120 efforts yet. But I think most most are really good, 219 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:46.799 and we have that communication to let their customers know 220 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:48.799 or let their tenants know that we're going to be 221 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:51.440 off the side of the building. We've actually in a 222 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:55.240 few markets been able to work with hospitals and have 223 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:59.039 our crew dress in costume to repel off the side 224 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.200 of off the buildings as well. And so I think 225 00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:04.679 that's happened for us in both Denver and Oklahoma City. 226 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:07.039 So if somebody's listening to this and thinking this might 227 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:08.600 be a good business that I want to get into, 228 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:12.159 I like cleaning up like windows, whatever, how do you 229 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:14.519 get involved or how do you become a franchisey with 230 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:15.360 Squeegee Squad? 231 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.399 Yeah, so we do have a process in place. Most 232 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:20.639 people can go to our website to reach out and 233 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:23.879 fill out a contact forum, at which point are our 234 00:11:23.919 --> 00:11:27.080 marketing or sales team would reach out and make that communication. 235 00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:27.840 I think the. 236 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.159 Unique part is that part of our sales and marketing 237 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:34.200 team is still our owners, the original founders, and so 238 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:37.759 you're getting to have that upfront communication with them right away, 239 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:42.039 whereas other systems you maybe have to, you know, talk 240 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:44.279 through a few different people before you actually get to 241 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:48.120 make that introduction with the owners, and so it's just 242 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:51.120 introductory calls at that point. We do have a few 243 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:54.000 other steps in process as far as you know application. 244 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.240 We give the opportunity to meet us in person at 245 00:11:57.240 --> 00:12:00.679 our office here in Minnesota as well, and then we're 246 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.399 walking through the steps, and should they want to proceed, 247 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:05.840 we would just go ahead and continue down those steps 248 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:10.240 as far as figuring out territory markets with them and 249 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:12.600 kind of doing a little bit of that business planning 250 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:14.039 to see what it's going to look like for them 251 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.240 as they onboard as well. 252 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:17.120 I'm thinking maybe there's not much of a real estate 253 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:20.240 component to getting started, but not much of a. 254 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:23.639 Real estate component at all, and actually we say and recommend, 255 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:27.080 depending on starting capital, that most people can start this 256 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:30.240 business out of their home. We do have plans in 257 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:33.559 place for them to excel and expand quickly on their 258 00:12:33.559 --> 00:12:36.879 revenue tracking, and so the goal will be eventually to 259 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:39.399 move into a shop space or something that they would 260 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.919 be able to continue to expand and service their market. 261 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.200 So tell me a little bit about like when you're 262 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:48.600 a new franchisee, maybe the support and you know the 263 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:50.440 day to day as opposed to maybe when you've been 264 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:51.200 around for a little bit. 265 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:55.320 Yeah. Absolutely, So when you are a brand new franchisee, 266 00:12:55.399 --> 00:12:58.240 you've signed the agreements, you've made the investment with us, 267 00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:00.919 and we've started to partner with each other. We have 268 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:04.279 a few onboarding processes in place, and so we have 269 00:13:04.360 --> 00:13:07.360 a support team within our office that will connect with 270 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:11.000 you prior to our franchise training week in which we'll 271 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:13.399 walk through a lot of the tasks we needed to 272 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:16.039 help you set up as far as your entity, your 273 00:13:17.080 --> 00:13:19.879 you know, your banking information, We have all the steps 274 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:21.519 in place that you're going to make sure that you're 275 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.879 checking all of those areas off prior to starting. And 276 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:27.440 then we do offer and require that they come to 277 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:30.840 actual training with us in Minnesota, and so they're here 278 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:34.120 for a full week and that's a full week of 279 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:40.320 hands on training, business learning, coaching, and a lot of 280 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:42.960 technology in there as well. And so it's a full 281 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:47.360 forty hours of consistent classroom slash hands on training to 282 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.480 kind of make sure we're at least touching on. 283 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:52.440 All of the areas that we service or offer within 284 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:56.320 our business, actual windows, including. 285 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:58.799 Cleaning actual windows. And so we do also have someone 286 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:01.519 on our team that's revise a lot of this safety 287 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:05.960 training that's necessary. So when we're doing high rise repelling, 288 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:09.919 we're you know, OSHA compliant, we work with iw c A, 289 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:13.039 We're doing all of the necessary steps to make sure 290 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:17.440 that everybody is trained in and very able and capable 291 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:19.480 of actually going up the side of the building. And 292 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:21.960 so even with that first full week of training that 293 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.720 they experience, we know that they're not going to be 294 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:26.799 ready to go back to their market and take on 295 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:27.200 some of. 296 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:28.360 Those high rise jobs. 297 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.200 And so what we do offer at that point is 298 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:34.240 that we can have their employees come and train with us, 299 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:37.679 or we can maybe work alongside them on a job 300 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:41.720 that they have and train in at the same time. 301 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:44.159 And so we're offering to make sure that we're we're 302 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:46.840 consistently having that at our forefront of our mind that 303 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:48.320 everybody is doing this very. 304 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:51.879 Safely and is there ongoing training as the there is 305 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:52.559 established here. 306 00:14:52.639 --> 00:14:56.600 There's absolutely ongoing going training opportunities as well, so we'll 307 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:00.399 all do some remote training post that training week as well, 308 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:05.320 so going further into you know, accounting, further into technology. 309 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:08.919 And then we do host with our business coach, you know, 310 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:12.480 monthly weekly cadence calls as well with each franchisee, so 311 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:15.919 they have someone to consistently reach out to with any 312 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:19.279 questions that they have to bounce ideas off, you know, 313 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:22.960 not everything we've we've definitely made decisions in some of 314 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.279 our marketing and how we've approached the business, and we've 315 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.519 made mistakes along the way, and so part of it 316 00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:30.240 is we've made a lot of the mistakes up front 317 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:32.159 so that these people can really get out of the 318 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.600 gates and kind of know where to go, know how 319 00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:36.960 to market and and really get off the ground running. 320 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:38.440 I was going to ask you about the marketing because 321 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:39.879 that's changing all the time. 322 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:41.320 Right, consistently changing. 323 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:45.600 Yeah, we used to it just do you know, print 324 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:50.480 and advertisements and magazines, and we've definitely moved into a 325 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:55.840 lot of the SEO website presence marketing as well. But 326 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:58.600 we do find and recommend still to all of our 327 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:01.080 franchisees that door to or is still going to be 328 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:03.120 the best marketing. 329 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:05.320 Out to ask, Yeah, if it's if you come back 330 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:08.799 to the old, tried and trude or or old yeah, 331 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:10.159 you know, yeah. 332 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:14.720 Yeah, absolutely, especially in the residential market. And so you know, 333 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.320 we're going to recommend that you have somebody canvassing the 334 00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:18.440 area for a while. 335 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:20.120 You mentioned yard signs. 336 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:23.120 We still utilize yard signs to kind of just continually 337 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:26.159 get the brand presence out there so that somebody has 338 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:30.200 that consistent point of Squeegee Squad to reach out to. 339 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:33.519 All Right, clean glass, clean windows, clear view is awesome. 340 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.559 What are some of the other benefits of having you 341 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:37.879 guys clean windows? 342 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:40.519 Yeah, so a lot of it comes down to building 343 00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:43.399 maintenance as well. And so we will come across a 344 00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:46.679 building where a customer reaches out to us, they potentially 345 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:49.759 haven't had any cleaning services for multiple years, and at 346 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:52.080 that point you start to have failures on the outside 347 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:55.039 of your businesses on the building as well. So you'll 348 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:59.120 have you know, ceilans cracking, you'll have water coming into 349 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:03.240 the building from points, just different staining on the building, 350 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:06.839 which also you know, for property managers is a huge 351 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:09.160 key point in trying to keep your clients all happy 352 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:13.039 that you have renting or leasing from you space. But 353 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:18.920 in seasonality, you'll also come across homeowners that clean windows 354 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:21.720 are really We had somebody work in our company that 355 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:24.480 said clean windows are good for the soul, and so 356 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:27.240 customers will get their windows clean and they just they 357 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.319 have that service done and the sun comes in so 358 00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:35.680 much better. And yeah, so simple process, but I think 359 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.119 it definitely makes a benefit for customers. 360 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:40.720 Do you offer inside cleaning as well? 361 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:44.480 We do offer interior cleaning as well, and so we 362 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:47.400 do have our you know, employees that work within them. 363 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:51.200 They're all background checked and so everything is done formality 364 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:54.799 and by a process to make our customers comfortable as well. 365 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:57.119 Certainly, I mean, you can't give away everything because you 366 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:59.319 want people to use your service, but like any tips 367 00:17:59.319 --> 00:18:01.359 for I mean, I feel like I can never get 368 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:02.359 windows clean. 369 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:06.279 So I mean, yeah, tips, I'm not going to go 370 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:07.400 with the brand. 371 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.200 Secrets, but have your own products and everything. 372 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:14.240 But yeah, and years and years of experience and kind 373 00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:18.359 of learning the right way, but yeah, I think I 374 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.880 think what I've learned is that it's a service that 375 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:24.160 most people either say is maybe not worth my time, 376 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:27.680 and so I would rather do something else on a Saturday, 377 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:31.240 like take my kids to their sporting events, or go 378 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:34.279 on vacation or do some other things with their time, 379 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.079 whereas they say, this is a nominal fee that we 380 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:40.079 could pay somebody else to come and clean our windows. 381 00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:40.680 Yeah. 382 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:44.319 Talking to Courtney lightfoots CEO of Squeegee Squad, I'm sure 383 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:47.880 you've seen their logo. What would what advice would you 384 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:51.359 give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start any business. 385 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:56.880 Yeah, I would definitely say do your research, kind of 386 00:18:56.920 --> 00:18:59.240 connect with the right people, whether that's going to be 387 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:02.960 account other business owners that you might know, to kind 388 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:06.160 of go through the initial steps, making sure you're just 389 00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:09.079 dotting all those eyes and checking the tea's because there's 390 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:12.240 so many different steps within a business to startup that 391 00:19:12.359 --> 00:19:15.079 you might not be considering, and you always want to 392 00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:17.920 be ahead of it rather than have something thrown at 393 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:22.079 you after you've already started your business. And so for us, 394 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:24.960 I think it has been making connections and being wise 395 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:28.640 with who we're consulting with to really know are we 396 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:32.559 making the right moves. And as an entrepreneur, you're going 397 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:35.160 to find that you're going to wear many hats over 398 00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:38.799 the course of starting your business. And so even as 399 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:42.359 I mentioned for the three of us, I learned accounting, 400 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:47.279 I learned legal process, I learned tech support. And so 401 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:50.359