I am James Clark and I am the new owner of Affirmative
Carpet Care.
I was born in Germany on an Air Force base and grew up in
Mesa. I have been working with my dad since he started the business.
I can remember being on roller blades at 10 years of age handing out
flyers.
I am an outgoing person. I like to have fun and be
as nice as possible. When I am not working I enjoy
doing Tae Kwon Do with my dad and sisters. We all got into motorcycle riding.
I even started
racing. I had quite a few broken bones and hospital visits
but it was a lot of fun.
My dad is still the owner on paper, but about
6 months ago I started taking over the family business,
Affirmative Carpet Care. I am still
learning how to run things. Over the next few months I
will become the official new owner. I will keep it a
one truck, one man operation. I am doing some new
advertising with new flyers. We have been running off of referrals for
the past 12 years. I would like to get some new clients.
My goal is to get to where I am
doing 2-3 jobs a day...$600 per day. Right now I am doing
$300-$400. I would also like the time to work more on the
business instead of just in the business.
Taking over the business has been a big change for me.
It is real stressful. Before, I just
showed up for work with my uniform on and hopped in the
truck. Now I am in the office, on the computer, checking
emails, handling phone calls, paying bills, and more.
I am still
asking my dad a lot of questions. It is a slow process.
One hurdle we have is trying to get clients used to coming to me instead
of my dad.
Like my dad, I am certified with the IICRC - The
Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration
Certification. This certification is not required in
our industry. You have to sit through 2
days of classes and pass a test to get certified.
There are 1000's of cleaners in the Valley but I see the same handful of
faces at these classes so I know who truly cares about
their craft and customers. The most important thing I
learned from my dad is that relationships with clients are very
important.
We primarily do residential work but we will do some commercial work for
MABE members and other existing clients. The main thing is the
pricing. Others out their focus on commercial and can
charge less.
We also clean grout and tile (ceramic and porcelain). We
don't do verticals anymore.
What separates us from the competition? Service.
We provide an excellent service. We
offer a 100% no risk guarantee and we stick to it. The
other main thing is that we are certified, bonded and insured.
All
of our clients feel comfortable with us. Many trust us to
enter their homes when they are not there.
What do I expect from MABE? I'm new to this whole business thing.
I listen to others and get
ideas new things to try. My week can get stressful.
It is a
relaxed atmosphere here and helps me to wind down from the week.
But the main
thing is the knowledge from everybody.
What can MABE expect from me? I am feeling more
comfortable now about giving my input and speaking my mind.
I can
contribute more as I experience new things in business.
