Sweeping December 2021 by National Chimney Sweep Guild

DECEMBER 2021

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

WHERE WE'VE BEEN ...Where We're Going Hear from Our Members:

WHY SHOULD I JOIN NCSG? CONVENTION REGISTRATION

NOW OPEN! PLUS 3G

uest Ar ticle s!

TABLE OF CONTENTS Limited n Editio

THE PROGRESS ISSUE

Progress & Outlook ��6 Director's Update

Technical Year in Review ��9 Education & Certification Year in Review �� 11

FEATURES

Member Guest Feature ��20 "How I Ended Up in the Chimney Service Industry"

Business Guest Feature ��28 Choose the Right Firewood

CMCT Guest Feature ��30 "Improperly Installed Stove Leads to Major Upgrade for Both Client and Sweep"

A Word from Spark Marketer ��34 "Three Marketing Lessons from a Crazy Year"

Coach's Corner ��37 "What is Your Exit Plan? Part 1 of 2"

10 IN EVERY ISSUE

President's Letter �� 5

EVENTS

Events Committee Update ��10 Convention Registration is Now Open!

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

Year in Review ��11 CCP, CCS, NFI – Oh My! ��13 Certification Survey ��14 100 Submissions per Survey Needed

Technical Q&A �� 9

New Certifications ��15

Board of Directors �� 43

MEMBERSHIP

Committee Chairs ��42 Classifieds �� 43

JUST FOR FUN

Darwin Award ��42 Where's Your Sweeping Been? ��42

New Members ��17 Meet a Member ��18 Meet Anthony Valerio

Why Join NCSG? ��22

REGIONS

Regional Map ��17 Region Updates ��24 D E C E M B E R 2021

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SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

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December 2021, Volume 45 #11

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Executive Director Easton Kuboushek, MPA director@ncsg.org Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Editor Kacie Krominga marketing@ncsg.org Membership & Events Coordinator Brittney Burton bburton@ncsg.org Education Coordinator Marshall Peters certifications@ncsg.org

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in Sweeping do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Chimney Sweep Guild or its staff. ADVERTISING To advertise, e-mail Malisa Minetree at sweepingads@me.com or call (317) 603-7854. NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publication’s standards. Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. LAYOUT AND DESIGN Kacie Krominga, NCSG PHOTOGRAPHY Stock Images by iStock. ARTICLE SUBMISSION NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to Editor, Kacie Krominga at marketing@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices or other forms of advertising verbiage. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a JPG format. In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions for space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release. © 2021 National Chimney Sweep Guild

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT NCSG: A Year in Review This is our progress issue and it’s always nice to have the ability as President to tell your NCSG members good news. We’ve made a lot of progress this year on many of the initiatives we started at the beginning of 2021. We had to make some tough decisions, many of which have changed the course and direction and appearance of the organization. As business owners, you can surely understand that your ability to change and grow as the PRESIDENT demands on your business change are all part of staying focused on the needs of your customer. It’s no different for the NCSG!

THOMAS HUNKELE

We’ve been around for over 40 years and while many of the years were smooth sailing, there have been plenty of other years that were turbulent. We always seem to get through to the other side and looking back, found it made us all the more stronger to represent our members. You have a voice through the election of Regional Directors of the board for your area. Members serving members, it's the way it’s been since the beginning and that single fact will never change.

Where are we going as an organization?

Following through on our first commitment to the industry of accreditation of our certification, we remain focused. The second step in the process, the questionnaire to the industry is ready! See page 14 - we need your responses! While we began the process with eyes wide open to the time needed to complete the accreditation process, we can’t be more excited we’ve taken those initial steps. With the support of the industry and those first volunteers that were selected, there's no turning back!

Our “H.O.T. - Hands On Training” has seen a return of the way it used to be. Like when fellow sweeps offered their hospitality to help each other get the skills and knowledge needed to grow, and in some cases get their business off the ground. To those business owners, you have my sincere thanks. We’ve pushed back hard against OSHA this year regarding our fall protection lawsuit. The board has directed our staff and our attorney that this has gone on for way too long, and we want answers to have this matter settled. It appears we have been heard as the final revision has been completed and sent to OSHA for their final response. We have new branding thanks to the team at our management firm, Amplify for having the support staff and skills needed to make this happen. The team has also been working behind the scenes merging our training and testing platforms and will be available to get your technician certified and out generating income for your business. We'll also be partnering with others in the industry this coming year to bring the Certified Chimney Professionals' training and testing to locations throughout the country. Finally, we've seen a lot of changes, but there has always been one thing that will never change: our focus on supporting you, our members through education and advocacy in the marketplace and all levels of government. So, if you're not a member, become a member, and if you are a member, stay a member. And never forget, we Serve Those Who Service America’s Chimneys. And thank you!

Thomas Hunkele NCSG President

D E C E M B E R 2021

NCSG PROGRESS AND OUTLOOK Chimney Sweeps and Guild Members, Welcome to the Progress Edition of Sweeping. I trust this magazine finds you and yours healthy, happy and busier than ever this holiday season. National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) has experienced a noteworthy year. Through the difficult discussions, decisions and organizational pivots in EASTON KUBOUSHEK 2021, I believe our Guild has found itself in a EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR strong position to make a positive impact for sweeps for years to come.

Looking ahead, Guild members can expect the interaction with Guild headquarters to continue to improve. Expect a deeper review into the governing documents of the Guild to ensure the bylaws and board continue to meet the modern needs of NCSG. Developing Accredited Certifications Another exciting and strategic move by the Guild was the acquisition of Certified Chimney Professional (CCP), Certified Chimney Reliner (CCR) and Certified Master Chimney Technician (CMCT). NCSG is building on the strong foundation of these widely recognized certifications to offer Guild members the highest standard of education for themselves and their teams.

But there is still opportunity to grow, work to be done and chimneys to be swept. I invite you to celebrate the achievements of 2021 and join us in growing the Guild one member, event, program and policy at a time.

2021 MILESTONES & 2022 GOALS Reorganizing NCSG NCSG has successfully reorganized its operations, staff and offices to a new home in Ankeny, Iowa. As a stand-alone organization, the Guild has rebuilt nearly every system — from member databases to the very magazine — with the goal of enhancing member value and simplifying experiences over the past year. In addition to operations, the core structure and strategy of NCSG continues to evolve as well. As the chimney industry and member needs evolve, so too must the strategic plan and governance structure of the Guild. The board of directors has made strides in aligning the strategic plan with volunteer committees to get the job done and react more effectively. Stock Photo

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

To do this, NCSG is in the middle of a rigorous accreditation process through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Over the next two years, NCSG is completing research, surveying chimney sweeps and redeveloping training manuals to ensure the CCP, CCR and a brand-new Certified Chimney Journeyman (CCJ) programs train sweeps to be exceptional in the field. In the next year — and even in this magazine — Sweeps can look for additional opportunities to contribute their expertise to NCSG. On page 14, you’ll find three surveys we’re asking sweeps to complete. Your responses will help validate the work we’ve already done and lay the foundation for creating certification exam questions in 2022. Advocating for Sweep-friendly Policy at OSHA Behind the scenes, NCSG has been quietly advocating for sweep friendly policy at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This year, significant progress was made in a Petition for Review regarding fall protection rules established in 2016. While the specifics cannot be released, the board of directors, in close coordination with legal counsel, have finalized and submitted a counterproposal for revised final rules in November 2021. After 5 years, NCSG counsel believes the finish line is near and the resulting rules will allow Sweeps to complete services effectively while remaining compliant with OSHA requirements and procedures. In the coming year, Sweeps can look forward to a final settlement between NCSG and OSHA and additional details on fall protection requirements that result from settlement. Reuniting with the Chimney Family It has been nearly two years since the Chimney Family has gotten together for the NCSG Convention. I would say it’s time for a family reunion!

purchase a package of exhibit space for Convention and the NCSG Chimney Expo in one place. Viva Las Vegas!

Time to step up, Sweeps! As always, I invite you to take your involvement with the Guild to the next level. In closing, I’ll offer a few New Year Resolutions — Chimney Sweep Style — to help take advantage of your membership.



1. A ttend the NCSG Convention or NCSG Chimney Expo



2. S chedule a Visit with your Regional Director



3. R ecruit a New Member or Train a New Sweep

 

4. A ttend 1 NCSG Education Event



6. G et Involved in an NCSG Volunteer Committee



7. W rite an Article for Sweeping Magazine!

5. V ote at the NCSG Annual Meeting and Director Elections

Have a blessed holiday season and stay safe, friends.

Easton Kuboushek Executive Director, NCSG

With a theme of “The Greatest Sweep” the Guild will welcome Guild members to Las Vegas for the 2022 NCSG Convention. Mark your calendars for our industry’s signature event and getting back to “normal.” Early Bird Pricing ends January 1, 2022. Supplier members and vendors can now

D E C E M B E R 2021

TECHNICAL YEAR IN REVIEW This year has been an experience in versatility with Technical and seeing all the changes coming our way mainly due to Covid-19.

STEVEN SCALLY

SECRETARY AT LARGE

It really started last year when we all had to learn how would we do our work in the safest way possible and keep our clients and ourselves healthy. Safety really has been at the forefront for quite some time, and it continues to be updated mainly due to Covid, etc.

We have all gotten an upfront picture of how to do our jobs safer in more ways than one - New masks, what kind of masks we need, anti-bacterial everything, as well as our tarps and anything that gets brought into the home; then also how we dispose of them. NCSG is also looking at its settlement with OSHA on fall protection and getting a standard for our industry. That information should be available at some point soon once it’s all worked out. Some of the things that have really hit home with me this past year is how detailed we need our inspections to be. There is a lot of software out there available to help you with it, and in my opinion, is only as good as the questions it is set up to ask the technician.

some things done, but we learned how to do them, and people made tools, etc. In today’s world we need to be much more focused on knowledge and learn about everything we can as it is ever changing. For example, the new PriorFire Retrofit Fireplace System - I never would have thought to install a wood burning fireplace with no mortar in the back wall would fly. Now, it’s a UL listed product that is one of the more efficient wood burning fireplaces tested. There are new tools and products out there all the time and we all need to learn them. It seems more are coming out faster than I have ever seen before in my time as a chimney sweep. There are just so many things to learn and figure out. And with that, if you do not know or you have not used the NCSG TAC Line, there are many masters at their craft wanting and willing to help anyone who calls in. If you have a Gas problem, you get Jim Brewer. If you call with inspection questions, you get Bill Ryan, if you call with a pellet issue you get Mike Sergestrom. And on and on it goes. These folks like me want to help anyone with any issue and it is an NCSG benefit for all members to use. You can know if you need something, you just pick up the phone and you get a solid answer to your questions. To me this is one of the best benefits in the industry. Getting help from the experts in their field.

DID YOU KNOW?

I feel a check list of all different types of inspections, like a normal masonry fireplace, a gas log fireplace, a wood insert, and chimney all have different things to look for in an inspection. We all must be more knowledgeable than we have been in the past. When I started looking at chimneys back in 1978, we had no clue on how to get

As a member, you have access to multiple advisors from the industry’s leading professionals, known as the Technical Advisory Council.* This benefit is available to all NCSG members. To access the TAC Line and phone number extensions, go to ncsg.org, and log in to the member portal.

TAC LINE

*Be advised that advice given by NCSG’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) reflects best practices of the chimney sweeping industry. However, we are unable to account for any particular type of situation since regional variations in construction practices and additional environmental, physical and geographical factors necessarily vary the level of service appropriate for a particular fireplace and/or chimney. Additionally, local laws and ordinances may govern and/or supersede the information and any recommendations provided. Final determinations are the responsibility of a local professional with firsthand knowledge of the situation, and the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Neither NCSG nor any member of TAC will be held liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance on information provided by anyone associated with TAC. By your use of this member benefit, you acknowledge acceptance of these terms.

D E C E M B E R 2021

2022 NCSG CONVENTION REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

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IN THE

KNOW

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION

Certifications – A Year in Review work which wouldn’t before. Recently, I heard from a sweep after we covered the 1/10 ratio of fireplace opening to a square flue size. This sweep now understood the “whys” and was now able to say with confidence “why” the fireplace was not drafting correctly and smoking into the home, due to the flue being undersized. It was not just a guess any longer; it was hard science and the NFPA 211. One of the benefits? Better trained sweeps!

The Numbers Certification numbers are increasing year over year and so far in 2021, from the beginning of January to the beginning of November, here are the numbers of certifications earned: Certified Chimney Professional (CCP) - 464

MARSHALL PETERS

EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Certified Chimney Reliner (CCR) - 177 Certified Master Chimney Technician (CMCT) - 145

These are just numbers, but what these numbers really represent are individual sweeps; sweeps who are increasing their understanding of NFPA 211 Levels of inspections, fuel science, chimney physics and much more! As most quickly figure out, certification is not just about a certificate or badge, but becoming a better sweep, operating a better chimney company, and better serving your clients. The 3 certifications issued by the NCSG represent more than just a badge on a chest or a certificate on a wall, there are also other benefits.

The Benefits Part of the best of the job of education is watching the light bulbs going off in the eyes of sweeps who are cementing the ideas of levels of inspection, or processing draft and flow. I hear from the newly minted CCP sweeps all the time about how they saw “more” after a better understanding of Level I inspections, or how they processed the ideas of draft and flow to help a fireplace

Another benefit is the confidence that many new sweeps now walk in. There is a pride and confidence of these sweeps who have just earned their first badge and I see the joy in their eyes. They also understand that they have now taken only a first step in their education and there is now much more to learn, but the first steps were taken, and now, instead of crawling, they are beginning to walk. Many now are eager to embrace the next levels and run as a sweep. They are now looking forward to next level which the NCSG is actively pursuing: The Certified Chimney Journeyman (CCJ) certification.

It is about Serving Those Who Service America’s Chimneys , and the accreditation process for our certifications is a defining part of this commitment to serve the sweep. The Future NCSG is excited about our future accreditations which we are actively working on. Programs and job studies are being pursued, industry experts have met, and a road-map to accreditation is not only drawn, but we are well on the way towards having all four certifications accredited: CCP, CCR, CMCT

D E C E M B E R 2021

and the CCJ as well. This will be the industries first and only fully accredited program. Whether one wants to call it a good thing, or a bad thing, both local and state governments are inserting their influence and requirements into our industry, and with the NCSG having the Nation's only accredited platforms of certification, we will be leading the way and charting the course for sweeps Nationwide. It is about serving those who service America’s chimneys, and the accreditation process for our certifications is a defining part of this commitment to serve the sweep.

The Opportunities As an owner, operator or owner/operator of a company, plan on being able to take a CCP or CCR class at each of the NCSG Shows. You can attend a test review and certification class in Las Vegas this coming March/April at the NCSG show, and also at the NCSG Chimney Expo in King of Prussia, PA this August!

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Both of these events are designed for you and your techs to attend, learn, and yes, earn your certifications! Now is a great time to make plans to attend, and engage the commitment toward certification and reaping the benefits. Can’t wait that long, do consider having us to your area or even to your individual company to hold a certification class/event! Please feel free to give me a call at 814689-1576 to discuss how this opportunity can benefit your company and even save you some hard earned money. It is an honor to serve you, your techs and your company, Marshall

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION CCP, CCS, NFI – Oh My! We want to encourage member companies to bring their team members with them to Las Vegas to share in the educational offerings, the camaraderie and fellowship that the NCSG National Convention has become known for.

As an organization, the National Chimney Sweep Guild believes STUART KARANOVICH that all education, taught SUPPLIER REPRESENTATIVE by qualified individuals promotes professionalism within our community. In keeping with that belief, we are proud to announce that there will be opportunities for all chimney sweeps to either renew or become certified at the convention in Las Vegas on March 30th through April 2nd, 2022, regardless of which certification you subscribe to. There will be

a review and test for the Certified Chimney Professional (CCP) accreditation sponsored by the National Chimney Sweep Guild, a review and test for the Certified Chimney Specialist (CCS) sponsored by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), and a review and test for the National Fire Institute (NFI) certification sponsored by the Copperfield Academy. The convention in Las Vegas will offer a multitude of classes and tracks from which to choose from. This year we will be offering a business track designed to help you grow your business, a technical track designed for both business owners and technicians, and a track designed with help from Dale Feb and the F.I.R.E. certification specialists. Whether your goal is to certify for the first time, re-certify, gather CEU’s towards a looming certification deadline, or gather business changing insights from discussions in the hallways between classes and the trade show – Las Vegas is the place!

D E C E M B E R 2021

ARE YOU AN EXPERT CHIMNEY SWEEP? WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK!

https://bit.ly/30HufFa

https://bit.ly/3qQBB3S

https://bit.ly/3wZ3uYP

The surveys above will be used to create the Certified Chimney Professional, Reliner and Journeyman certification exams. By completing the surveys, you'll not only make sure NCSG sweeps know their stuff, you'll be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift card! We need at least 100 submissions per survey.

NEW CERTIFICATIONS California

Massachusetts

Smith Brothers Maintenance Jeremy Marron

San Marcos, CA

Smith Brothers Maintenance Donald Lain

San Marcos, CA

Smith Brothers Maintenance Kevin McClaughry

San Marcos, CA

Colorado

Ultimate Chimney Sweep Kenneth Goodwin-Mulry

Bellingham, MA

Michigan Village Chimney and Hearth Michael Whelan

Port Hope, MI

New Mexico Bailey's Chimney, LLC

Midtown Chimney Sweeps Dez Buckland

Littleton, CO

Midtown Chimney Sweeps Jerry Keener

Littleton, CO

Midtown Chimney Sweeps Nigel Morrison

Wellington, CO

Midtown Chimney Sweeps Monty Wendt

December 2021

Littleton, CO

Matthew Mirabal

El Prado, NM

Oklahoma C&C Air Services Tyler Hess

Skiatook, OK

Wisconsin Chimney Mechanix Timothy Jensen

Shawano, WI

Colorado

South Carolina

Chimney Doctors of Colorado Matt Dambrosky

Top Hat Chimney Service Wesley Harvey

Bailey, CO

Maine

Vermont

Dirty Bristles Jeffrey St. Cyr

Worthington LLC Robert Worthington

Bridgton, ME

Greenville, SC

Montgomery Center, VT

New Hampshire Lakes Region Chimney Pro Scott Doucette

Gilford, NH

Lakes Region Chimney Pro Mike Greer

Gilford, NH

D E C E M B E R 2021

NEW MEMBERS The Chimney Specialists Williston, FL

Region 1 Maine Pinckletink Chimney Service LLC Mechanic Falls, ME

Region 2

North Carolina Mountain Chimney Pisgah Forest, NC

Region 5

Maryland Crisfield Chimney Sweep Crisfield, MD

Pennsylvania

Wisconsin Rock River Chimney & Fireplace Watertown, WI

Region 6

Your Chimney Sweep Mechanicsburg, PA

California Southwest Chimney Sweep Guild Lakeside, CA

Region 3 Florida Suncoast Chimney, Inc. Spring Hill, FL

MEMBER REGIONAL MAP REGION 1

REGION 2

REGION 3

REGION 4

REGION 5

REGION 6

D E C E M B E R 2021

MEET A MEMBER Anthony Valerio

Anthony works at Four Winds Masonry and Chimney in Rochester, NY. He can be reached at anthonyv@fourwindschimney.com. How did you get started in the industry?

I am a fourth generation of it. I grew up in a family business that always focused on chimneys. What advice do you wish you had received when you were getting started?

Get training and education. Get involved IN the industry. Up until four years ago, everything I knew about the chimney industry was just from my family or locally. When I opened my business four years ago, I joined some other forums on Facebook and was blown away at everything available to our industry. I instantly tried to find out more. That first year I would look up all these other chimney companies who had built reputable companies and I knew what I wanted to do. I joined the NCSG and have been learning ever since.

ANTHONY VALERIO

Who has been your biggest influence?

To be completely real, it was John Ceasar’s company. I wanted a company like that. I wanted it fully insured, on the books, all of it. I was tired of the under the table gigs. I wanted to provide for my family. I had a lot of people tell me I’ll never make money doing it the “right” way. But when I saw John’s company, I knew it was possible. So while at a convention, I asked him how he did it. He said, first join the guild and get certified. So I did just that and I continue to

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

learn and grow from it. We opened February 14th 2018 with just me and a helper. Today, we have 22 employees and all of my lead techs are certified, and the apprentices are close to it. That’s all because I saw other companies doing it and I wanted that. Another one is a local company and now one of my best friends, Jason Toomey. When I first opened, he reached out and introduced himself and told me about the Guild and to get certified. We both share the same values and goals for ourselves, employees and companies. Today he is one of my closest friends even though he’s a “competitor.” Although, it’s not a competition with us. We build each other up! In what area are you focusing on improving this year?

This year, I am focusing on stepping out of the field and focusing on being a leader in more of a management position. I’m also pulling some other techs out of the field into management. Helping them learn how to be leaders off the field is another focus of mine. What unrelated skill/knowledge did you come into the industry with that has suited you well?

My uncle Mike, the one who taught me the most about this trade, always said to make goodwill the most important thing in my life and business, and I carried that into our company culture. Making goodwill the most important thing affects all of my dealings with customers and employees. It's more important than learning how to properly sweep a chimney; it’s the root system of everything else.

What questions do you get asked most about being a chimney sweep/chimney sweeping/ the industry?

Do I send the small guys down the chimney? The answer is yes - joking - fortunately, they will never experience the joy of being the small guy who fits in tight places. My family saved that role for me back in the day!

What is the best class you have attended?

It's hard to pick just one. I really like any of the classes that focus on improving efficiency and minimizing waste. If I had to pick one though it was the business symposium through the CSIA. It helped me shift from the technician, to a manger, to an entrepreneur role.

Who has been your biggest influence? Jason Toomey [...] he is one of my closest friends even though he’s a “competitor.” Although, it’s not a competition with us. We build each other up! What is your favorite/most useful tool?

My brick trowel. It’s a shovel, knife and is the reason I am where I am today. It all started with the brick trowel. That’s why it’s our company logo! Everything revolves around the trowel for me. Weirdest thing you have ever found in a chimney?

An old .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver. However, the boss I was working for at the time took it because it was his company. What is your proudest accomplishment?

Becoming a husband, father and successful business owner. That’s who I am. For awhile I didn’t think it was in the cards for me.

Have you ever attended NCSG Annual Convention & Trade Show and/or the Chimney Expo?

The Chimney Expo three times. However, I’m bringing the entire company to the next NCSG convention. Biggest takeaway was to get involved in conversations with other people in the industry. The first Expo I went to added 33% in revenue the first month, which came from a 10 minute conversation there. What is, in your opinion, the most valuable part of being a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild?

The bond. The brotherhood. Being a part of a rich history of always trying to raise the bar. Oh! And the fact I got to meet Steve Scally. He is a legend and has always been there for me since I first met him. On my first Ahren’s install, I called him over a dozen times. He walked me through it all. He gave his time for no reason other than to help. That meant the world to me because who am I to him. Steve is a stand up man.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Camping with my family. Nothing better then sitting at a campsite drinking cowboy coffee at 6 a.m. in the peace and quiet.

Be Featured in Sweeping as the Meet a Member Spotlight! Scan the QR code to fill out the questionnaire and see yourself in an upcoming issue!

D E C E M B E R 2021

MEMBER GUEST FEATURE How I Ended Up in the Chimney Service Industry

DAVE HANNAH

BLUE COLLAR MAGAZINE

Thinking back 50 years ago sitting on a porch next to my father, it would be five years before considering becoming a sweep, we had a conversation. He was rolling his cigarette and had a cold six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer. He handed me a can and asked what was on my mind. I began telling him how most of the guys I went to high school with had graduated from college and had beautiful homes, cars, went to work dressed in a suit and tie every day and got to go home every night to their Prom Queen!

I on the other hand, went into the Army for three years, got out, tried college and still didn’t know what I should do with the rest of my life. My father was a hard-working jack-ofall-trades man with a long line of carpenters in our family. I was hoping my dad would give me some encouragement as to what to do next. He began: First you got no talent, you got no money, and you ain’t all that smart! He continued, there’s only one thing you can do – work harder than everyone else!

barber and I talked while he cut my hair and by the time he finished, I found a telephone and ordered the August West Kit. After a few jobs, I learned about the second convention of the Guild in Va. coming up and decided to attend to see what other new chimney sweeps were doing. The founder of what was then call The Chimney Sweep Guild, Eva Horton, spoke to the several hundred new sweeps in her audience. She mentioned we are not here to learn how to make money – we have come here to build a new trade in America. Those few words changed my life right there! When I returned home to my sweep business, I had a new reason to build a successful business. I found being around other sweeps was perhaps the most important use of my time to educate myself and motivate me to keep developing my skills in business. I was a close friend of Ken Hinkley, founder of the New England School of Chimney Sweeping, who also was one of the first directors of the Guild. Ken and I along with another ten sweeps founded the Massachusetts Chimney Sweep Guild in 1980; the same year The Chimney Sweep Guild became the National Chimney Sweep Guild.

I found being around other sweeps was perhaps the most important use of my time to educate myself and motivate me to keep developing my skills in business.

Who wants to hear how their only option to be a success is to work extra hard? It turns out most of what my father said was true. I had a pretty good job as the sales manager of a group of radio stations in central Mass. But I wanted something that I could earn a good living and at the same time feel like it was important in the long-term where I could make a difference. A couple years later, I was sitting in at a barber shop to get a haircut and I read in the magazine, "The Mother Earth News" about how chimney sweeps earn $1000 per week! The

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

The new NCSG office was located in Merrimack, NH in the home of Elayne Edwards, General Manager of the NCSG. The first position I had with the MCSG was liaison to the NCSG so, I visited the N.H. office often to stay up on what was happing in the Guild. I later became president of the MCSG and a year later was elected to the NCSG board where then President Peter Luter appointed me Treasurer.

I spent an equal amount of time working on building membership in both the MCSG and the NCSG for several years after. Around 2001, I turned my business over to my son, Derek, and went back into professional sales. I went back to college and graduated in 2008 with a degree in Marketing. The same year I had two heart attacks in one week and my doctors told me I would never work again. As a workaholic, that did not sit well with me. Regardless of their advice, I went back to work in my son’s chimney service business for a few years and in 2015, volunteered to write a newsletter for the MCSG. After the first year, this newsletter became Blue Collar Magazine. In 2019, I took the publication nationally where we now have the largest distribution trade magazine for the chimney service industry I dedicate Blue Collar to Eva Horton, the woman whose words changed the direction of my life. The message of the magazine was the same as the earlier message comparing NonGuild member sweeps riding in a wagon being

pulled by Guild members. "Get Out and Pull" became the battle cry for the last 25 years! The importance of Guild membership, be it state, regional or NCSG, has never been more important than today. With many who wish to eliminate all forms of fossil fuel usage for heating and elimination of fireplaces and wood stoves, the future of our trade hangs in the balance. By joining together, the numbers provide our industry a larger more powerful voice of influence to preserve chimney construction, service and use of wood as an alternative heating fuel. All the original benefits of group education, subject expert specialists available at our events make your membership in the Guild a high value proposition. Fifty years later this magazine is doing Ok! But...I still enjoy dreaming of those Prom Queens! About the author: Dave Hannah is the publisher of "Blue Collar Magazine – The Next Generation" and formerly served on NCSG's Board of Directors.

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WHY JOIN NCSG? Now is a perfect time to join the Guild if you have not already. Or share these reasons to join with your friends and acquaintances in the industry who have yet to become a member. As a member of the Guild, you have access to a variety of member benefits and resources as well as the ability to use the NCSG member logo and search features to boost your company’s exposure to homeowners.

Networking Opportunities The #1 benefit of NCSG Membership is the connection with other members. There is an undefinable amount of knowledge, insight and experience wrapped up in 900+ NCSG Members. We are here to connect you with other members facing the same problems and challenges you face every day in the field. Connections can be as informal as asking the community a question on the NCSG Discussion List to formally schedule meetings set up through the NCSG Mentor Program. Regardless of the process, your membership grants you access to peers across the country that are willing to help each grow individually, as a company and as an industry. All you need is to start a conversation.

Representation Every year, a percentage of your membership dues fund the Advocacy program. The NCSG works with affiliate organizations throughout the country to represent our membership and trade to local and state governments and national lawmakers on NFPA (National Fire Protection Agency) code councils. NCSG Advocacy Committee initiatives include: NFPA 211, NFPA 31, NFPA 54, OSHA (Fall Protection), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), IRC (International Residential Code), and ICC (International Construction Code). As a member of the Guild, you help support the entire industry via your annual dues as well as your diligence to communicate the trends taking place in your areas to the Advocacy committee.

Technical Expertise

Publications

We all run into questions on the job. Your NCSG Membership saves you time and puts experts and resources right into your pocket. The Technical Advisory Council has experts on a wide variety of subjects that can be reached via the TAC (Technical Advisory Council) Phone Line to help you get answers quickly without doing hours of research on your own. In addition, you can always access over 750 rare and hard to find manuals on the go using the NCSG Manual Library on your phone, tablet, or computer.

We strive to keep you up to date with the chimney industry. Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology gives you the technical and business information to keep your business thriving with articles from technical experts and business consultants as well as current industry news. As a member, you receive 11 issues of Sweeping in your mailbox each year along with our bi-monthly e-newsletter, eNews, to keep you up to date on your member benefits and NCSG news and updates.

Business Services

Educational Benefits

NCSG Members have access to a list of Business Services including discounts from industry supporting companies to monthly Marketing & Business webinars. NCSG continuously looks to give you access to business services to help maintain, grow, or better your company.

While our education program continues to grow, we are focusing on offering HandsOn-Training for new and experienced sweeps alike. We also will be offering the industry’s first and only accredited certification program with Certified Chimney Professionals. NCSG

members will have discounted rates available for NCSG education and certification beginning in the new membership year. Of course, we also continue to offer education at the NCSG National Convention and the NCSG Chimney Expo with discounted registration for members. Members save up to $100 per registration at NCSG events.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR REGION? RE

GION

Since last update, all Region 1 companies are busy and trying to keep up with the silly season. Demand for chimney service and repairs is very strong throughout the region and all in all this is average or above year for total sales.

One large concern the past few months is supply and material cost. Our suppliers have done a very good job keeping up with demand with minimal backlogs, but availability of a few things has been spotty. Material and labor costs are increasing steadily so Region 1 companies should frequently double check their costs and adjust pricing as necessary to remain profitable. Let’s all keep our heads down, hands working and push through the remainder of Q4. Remember to make a list of things you want to improve next year!

GION

MATT MAIR

"Guild: an association of people with similar interests or pursuits. 'After his apprenticeship, he was able to join the stonemasons' guild.' " – Merriam-Webster. We at NCSG have made some major changes to location and management, but we are going back to our roots with apprenticeship through the Certified Chimney Journeyman certifications coming soon.

If you are a current member of NCSG, thank you! To those who are wondering what a Guild membership will do to help your business, please consider attending our events: the NCSG Convention in March, or Chimney Expo right here in Region 2 (Valley Forge) in August. Many great conversations are to be had at these events. One of the better decisions I had made was to start a simple IRA for the company. This conversation took place at a convention with a member that helped come up with a plan. Our region is also blessed with two state guilds in Pa. and N.J. the MidAtlantic Chimney Assoc. My first contact was with the members of the Pa. Guild many years ago and most were members of the NCSG. Once I attended my first NCSG convention, I rarely missed them. Local guilds provide hands-on-training, and NCSG provides business building from inspiring keynote speakers. These conventions offered and continue to offer innovative products each year, so come see what we're about! Sweeps Luck to all and Happy Holidays

GION

BILL THORNTON

Region 3 has been so fortunate to have come through this past two year’s of a pandemic busier than ever. As homeowners spent time inside avoiding the virus, we have been able to serve our clients and help increase the use of their wood burning systems and increase the value of their homes. The educational opportunities provided by and approved by the NCSG have made our industry and our region stronger than ever. While we missed being together at the Orlando national meeting, state and local meetings have begun as well as the wonderful NCSG Chimney Expo in Pennsylvania which was well attended by our Region 3 members.

Everyone is looking forward to time together in Vegas. Chances are, whatever happens in Vegas will NOT stay in Vegas, so I am excited to see what new sweep folklore will become part of our organization’s history. As a long time NCSG member, I am very proud to see our organization standing up for all

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

qualified education. There are a lot of offerings out there; from individual educating companies, to manufacturers and distributors, to regional and state guilds, all providing education. This was not the case when I first became a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. We have come a long way in supporting our members, and our members have done a lot to support the Guild. I have nothing but great expectations and high hopes for the future of the industry. This is my last year as the Region 3 representative and I need to take a minute to say what a pleasure it has been to represent the amazing sweeps from the South. It has been my honor to work with some incredible Board members, working through some difficult growth periods, and helping to make the organization financially stable and ready to continue to serve the next generation of sweeps who follow us. The chimney industry is represented on the NCSG Board by a group of leaders who truly give so much to the organization and my respect for that service is unending. Thank you for allowing me to be part of the movement to continue our revered traditions as we continue to move forward. Enjoy the Journey, Ron Rust

GION

RON RUST

Region 4 Members, Just about all the training in our region ended in September. The schedules for most of the manufacturer’s in-person training for 2022 are set. They include many selections from “Rip & Replace Training," Four-Day Masonry school and Chimney Inspections. The convention will be loaded with training opportunities.

I’ve had several inquiries from fellow sweeps whom have not traveled to conventions previously. They are wanting more information on what happens during convention. I think it’s a great sign for our association. Some have mentioned the location being one where they want to visit. While others stated the funds are abundant for the investing in their company’s education and growth. One of the best ways to get the most out of convention is to take advantage of the many volunteer opportunities, most are less than an hour - which gives you plenty of time to sit in on a seminar or gather with friends. I’ve received responses from many of our members about the renewal process. Many times it is overlooked or the credit card simply needs updated for the automatic renewal. As one sweep stated, he hopes to slow down enough to spend the money he is making. If I haven’t been able to make contact with you please feel free to reach out. Let’s be careful up there!

GION

JEFF KEEFER

Greetings Region 5! As you’ve probably figured out, this edition of Sweeping is a special one! It’s the progress edition; the one that we send out to more than just our members. It is our chance as an industry to be able to highlight the many benefits of belonging to the Guild. To those of you who are reading this for the first time, welcome! We are thankful to have a chance to tell you about the National Chimney Sweep Guild.

In this article, I'll update you on what has been going on in Region 5. If you live in the Midwest, which is in my opinion the best place to live, then there is a high likelihood that you are within the bounds of Region 5. We consist of 13 states from New Mexico to Texas, and North Dakota to Wisconsin, and all in between. There is over 1.14 million square miles of territory in our region, and currently 150 members in these 13 states. We are always looking for more of you to join us. More.

D E C E M B E R 2021

Cont'd. Our region has been full of activity over the course of this past year! We hosted a HandsOn-Training (H.O.T.) event back in April in Wisconsin, several CCP review and exam locations throughout the region and many local meet ups in each state. Our H.O.T. events have been a huge hit, which is no surprise since they are the only in-the-field, hands-on work of actual systems in customers’ homes type of training being offered in the states! We will be hosting more of these events in 2022 as opportunities become available. These H.O.T. events are open to all sweeps, not just Guild members. There's no catch but the events are free to attend for Guild members, non-members are charged a fee based on the training/project offered. Join the Guild to save on training, and more importantly, be a part of an amazing organization that’s filled with fellow chimney professionals! Over the course of this past year I’ve been traveling throughout our region meeting with sweeps, working with them and enjoying the camaraderie of fellow professionals. Each time I see a fellow Guild member, I ask them what they most value as a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. The answers vary slightly, but most often the resounding answer is the camaraderie and brother/sisterhood, the hands-on training, and the mentorship program! The ability to get together with fellow professionals from all over the US is second to none. Each time you get together is a nice reminder that you’re not out there alone on your own; you’re surrounded by your peers, all of whom want you to learn more, sharpen your skills and prosper! NCSG is here to help you. We’ve been around for over 40 years helping sweeps stay up to date on codes & standards, installations, business and sweeping. Speaking of learning, the NCSG hosts an annual convention chock full of education taught by the industry’s best instructors. 2022’s convention will be in fabulous Las Vegas, beginning March 30th. The annual convention is a great time to earn your CEU’s for your national certifications, gain business knowledge and view the latest innovations in the industry at the trade show. What you learn in the classroom is no doubt a huge value, but what you’ll learn from one-on-one conversations with fellow professionals, between classes or during evening meals, has the potential to change your life! Thank you for taking the time to read this article, I look forward to meeting many of you in 2022! I’ll be traveling throughout Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Nebraska and Kansas in January and February. If you’d like to meet up for coffee or a meal, please call me! You can find my contact information and more information on all the benefits of being a member of the NCSG, on the newly redesigned website at NCSG.org. I look forward to your phone call! Have a wonderful Christmas break, and good luck in the New Year! Your trusty Region 5 Director, David Steward

GION

DAVID STEWARD

What a year we all have had! Region 6 has been booming in all fronts. It's been crazy busy and I think most of us sweeps never imagined a year quite like this one. As I reflect on 2021, I feel blessed to see how successful our industry has been through the pandemic.

We all have a lot to be thankful for. In addition to a great business year, the NCSG has also had a great year in pivoting to going back to its roots and establishing ourselves as a strong organization leading the industry at the forefront. As I forecast for 2022, I see next year being just as strong. Staff up, work hard, save your earnings and enjoy the ride. Jesse Peralta

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

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BUSINESS GUEST FEATURE How Do I Choose Which is the Right Firewood This Winter? The assumption that all types of woods produce the same result is a misconception. It is necessary to differentiate and pick out the right firewood fitting your fire needs best. Homeowners should first decide the purpose of the fire before selecting from TRISTAN'S CHIMNEY SERVICE Hardwood or Softwood. The thumb rule “The drier, the Better” helps to avoid the presence of hazardous creosote tar in the chimney.

Seasoned or Greenwood? Selecting firewood is tricky. An individual must have educated themselves on the basics before choosing the firewood. Woods are majorly classified into Hardwood and Softwood. Hardwood is dense and takes time to ignite but burns longer, producing more heat. Softwood burns quicker, which fits best for climates requiring mild heat. Irrespective of the type of wood, it should be seasoned well before use. The wood contains 45% of water when cut freshly. It generally dries down to 20% moist if seasoned for six months to a year before use. Such wood is easily flammable, burns longer, and is hotter. It produces less smoke and ashes keeping the fireplace cleaner. On the other hand, greenwood eats up more energy in the combustion process to get itself dry before burning. It produces less heat and weighs more than seasoned wood. It also releases more smoke and odor, putting homeowners at risk. Continually burning of greenwood leads to a large amount of dangerous creosote substance deposited in the chimney, potentially causing a chimney fire.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

Seasoned wood is darker and drier, having splits, whereas greenwood has fresh ends with bark. The right kind of wood helps to keep the fireplace neater, safer, and effective!

Guide To Find the Right Firewood When you have knowledge about different types of wood, it will help you pick up the right kind of wood as per your burning requirements. However, purchasing seasoned wood always serves effective results. Wood is sold in cords. A cord is eight feet long, four feet deep and four feet tall. Generally, a cord serves enough for the season. While purchasing the firewood, pick up the wood with no bark that is light in weight. It symbolizes the absence of water in it, saving tons of energy while igniting the fire. Purchase hardwood like Pecan, Red Oak, White Oak, Hard Maple, Hickory, etc., for long-lasting fire. If the required intensity of heat is less, go for softwood like White Spruce, Yellow Pine, Cedar, etc. Even though they have knowledge of various kinds of woods, sometimes, customers get confused and may pick unseasoned wood. So, it is advisable to purchase firewood 6 months or 1 year in advance of usage and season it properly. Spring is the best season to purchase firewood! Choose the already hanging branches as they are dried up. Pick some softwoods, too, to get an easy start to fire.

Storing Firewood – The Right Process Stacking and storing the purchased wood in a proper way is a must! Purchasing the best wood can yield poor fire results if not stored mannerly. The place to store woods should be dry, exposed to sunlight, and ventilated. Keeping the wood nearby the home for longer can increase the chance of termites attacking the wood and thereby eating up other home furniture. One should use the trap to cover the top of the storage to avoid rain or snow moisturizing the wood. Make sure the ground where woods are

stacked is moisture-free. Woods of equal sizes should be arranged in a criss-cross manner. Arrange in a manner that hardwood gets more exposure to sunlight as it takes time to dry up. Avoid storing woods near the hearth area as they may catch fire easily. Purchasing wood whenever needed can be convenient but risky. Some people prefer artificial woods to have a quicker result. But one has to be more careful with it. It should be burnt in an open fireplace only.

the same on their own, make sure to use safety tools. Modern tools are easy to use but still hazardous. Before cutting the wood, safeguard your ears, head, eyes, and hands with protectors. Covering your body fully will prevent any wood debris or flying chips from harming your skin. Wear gloves, goggles, helmets, and other shielding equipment before cutting. For resizing the log, it becomes necessary to have a brief knowledge of chopping tools and their usage. Some of the tools used to cut wood are handsaw, chainsaw, wedge, etc.

Make It Ready to Burn After purchasing the firewood, make sure the pieces are in desirable sizes, convenient for your fire needs. The ideal size of cords should be the one best fitting your hearth. Too long of cords do not serve the purpose for homeowners. Cords, in length, of approx. 16 inches serve their fire requirements. Deciding the required size before purchase will ease the work of homeowners. They can ask the storekeeper to provide or cut the cords in those sizes. If the wood is picked up from the forest and the owner wishes to cut

Creating The Best Fire Result Choose the seasoned wood and store it properly to produce a greater result. Selecting, storing, and prepping the right firewood is still halfway to the result! The other half is attained by getting the fireplace inspected, repaired, and swept whenever needed and/or annually. About the author: Tristan’s Chimney Service of Newland, NC has 30+ years of experience in the industry. They are a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep company.

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CMCT GUEST FEATURE Improperly Installed Stove Leads to Major Upgrade for Both Client and Sweep In April of 2020, I received an email from a woman stating she had just experienced a chimney fire in their fireplace. When I arrived, Katherine, the homeowner showed me around. She took me to the basement where I immediately noticed what was an incredibly old wood stove insert installed in the fireplace and hanging approximately six inches past the hearth CLEAN SWEEP CHIMNEY SERVICE extension over the carpet. She explained to me that she just had this stove installed 18 months prior by a local non-certified sweep. I knew this was going to get quite involved right from the get-go.

JAMES PAUL

I started by getting on the roof just to get a visual of what I was working with. I immediately saw a stainless-steel cap with high heat marks. I took multiple pictures before I removed it, to not disturb the evidence. Looking down into the flue was a glorious mess of large pieces of puffy creosote. Upon asking further questions, I learned they charged her for the installation of a stainless-steel chimney liner, but I knew from looking from the top, that there was no liner at that point in the chimney. That liner only happened to be approximately five feet long, almost reaching the bottom of the first flue tile. I inspected and documented everything I knew how. I provided a proposal to remove the stove and make the necessary repairs to make

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

the fireplace a traditional open wood burning unit again because this is what Katherine wanted. I gave her the inspection report and the proposal the following day and my quote came out to around $16,000. I encouraged her to talk to her insurance agent because evidence suggested she had a chimney fire. About two weeks later Katherine called me and said the insurance would only approve $5,000 of the original $16,000 proposal. She asked what we could do for that amount. I was disappointed for her and thought we could only do a small portion of the repairs for her. So, we talked it over together and decided she would not ever use the fireplace again and only do external water proofing repairs to prevent further damage from the weather. That's all the money she had to work with. We could do nothing as far as actually repairing the fireplace. In the middle of May I ordered her a custom outside mount cap and scheduled her for June 14 for basic exterior repairs. First weekend of June rolls around and I’m on my way to the Chimney Expo in Valley Forge, PA. Before attending the Chimney Expo, I was looking over the program and the class that stood out to me was entitled, “Turning a $4,000 job into a $12,000 job - Working with Insurance companies." I sat in the class just amazed at how little I knew about working with insurance companies. I sat there just thinking about all the other things I should have done, said, photographed or written down in my report and proposal writing. I learned so much. I walked away with a guilty conscience thinking I did not do enough for Katherine. After that class I reached out to the instructor, Corey Flowers, for help. He very kindly walked me through it step by step on what I did

BEFORE

AFTER Supplied Images

wrong and how to be better and how to proceed from here. I called Katherine ASAP and was honest with her as I humbly explained what I learned at a class that I had just taken. I asked if we could hold off until I could put into practice for her some of the great new information I had just learned. I explained that I felt confident we could get her the money she deserved from insurance to make the proper repairs. She agreed and so the process began. I rewrote the proposal and I submitted it again to the customer to send off to her adjuster. This time the bid came out to be over $27k. We submitted it and did not hear anything for a few weeks. I reached out to the adjuster as a gentle reminder and he said, “Yes, this will be approved, and the check is going out today”. It was approved! I was thrilled. I thought how amazing it was how much training is responsible for this. This was not at all learned in this one class. This was an accumulation of dozens of classes over many years. I was finally able to put all of the pieces together; this was a success!

The reason it was more than 50% higher was due to that fact that I severely underbid all of the items, or I simply did not add them into the quote, reason be, I did not see the need at the time. For example: including the cost of clean Drop Cloths and the use of dust control walls. Of course I was going to use such equipment, but never have I once included that as a separate line item for my bids. I more than doubled the amount of line items in my quote and followed the steps that were given to me by a fellow chimney sweep who had much more experience in working with insurance companies than I did. In the end, it all paid off. So the moral of the story? Education - keep learning more. Education will pay for itself many times over. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This will help you provide the customer the best long term solution and helps your bottom line. About the author: James Paul is co-owner of Clean Sweep Chimney Service in McAdoo, PA and holds certifications from CSIA, NFI and is an NCSG Certified Master Chimney Technician.

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A WORD FROM SPARK MARKETER Three Marketing Lessons from a Crazy Year

CARTER HARKINS & TAYLOR HILL SPARK MARKETER

2021 is coming to a close and whoa, what a ride. Last January feels like it was at least 13 years ago, and many sweeps who are used to having a slow season have been non-stop.

#1 Be Cautious, but Don’t Ostrich

What happened? With a large portion of homeowners still working remotely, staying close to home, and rethinking priorities, the demand for home services actually grew.

If you went into 2021 with caution and a wait and see kind of attitude, it’s understandable, even smart. Being cautious becomes problematic when it crosses over into paralyzed fear.

In fact, it’s been the biggest year on record for many home service businesses. Monthly calls were up, home service pros were booked out further than they’d ever been booked out, people were willing to wait longer just to get an appointment. Why the sudden rush to hire chimney sweeps and other home service pros? When you’re not at home and have work, school functions, vacations and all these other things vying for your attention and your money, home projects get put off. When home is where everything is; work, school, recreation, vacation, well, suddenly those projects that could wait get put at the top of the priority list.

A lot of home service business owners went into this year with a kind of “wait and see” attitude. We didn’t know what to expect with COVID, and there was a knee-jerk reaction to stockpile resources, stop marketing, stop everything and wait.

When business owners stick their heads in the sand or sit on their hands, they miss out on opportunities to stand out and get ahead. For example, we saw some business owners shut down their marketing and their businesses because they weren’t sure what to expect. But those who kept their eyes open, adjusted marketing and business strategies as needed, and kept moving forward fared the best through the ups and downs. So, yes, move with caution, but keep moving!

#2 Be Willing to Try New Things When Times are Uncertain We weren’t all just in our homes more than usual this year, we were on social media more than usual. And that meant it was a great time to engage with clients on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms.

We’re almost two years into this pandemic, and with the exception of total shutdowns that prevented home service pros from working temporarily, there’s been no slow down in homeowner demand for the pros who can make their homes better, safer, more comfortable. And there’s no sign of slowing down either.

Many of our clients made the leap, tried something new and went big into organic social media and Facebook Ads. Sure, it was probably a little scary to try something new when everything was already so uncertain, but the businesses that did are still going strong and seeing great results from their investment.

Still, we hope you have at least a few days to catch your breath around the holidays and reflect on what this year’s shown us all about riding out the unknown and pivoting our plans. To start you off, here are three quick marketing lessons this crazy year’s taught us all:

In fact, we’ve had a couple of clients tell us that they no longer even have a slow season. And hey, when your seasonal business becomes a business that offers predictable, year-round income, we say that’s a good thing.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

#3 Keep Your Marketing Company in the Loop Last but not least, this year highlighted the importance of having a true partnership with your marketing company.

The bottom line: With your marketing company in the loop, it’ll be a lot easier to ride the waves of change and come out on top.

See You in 2022, Friends

In any year, keeping your marketing company in the loop and having regular conversations around what’s going on, what your goals are, what’s working, and what’s not, is important. But this year, it’s been especially so. The clients who kept us in the loop were the ones we were better able to tailor our marketing services to throughout the year. You see, marketing isn’t a set-it-andforget-it kind of thing, and when the seas are unpredictable, that’s when you really need to radio in and let your marketing company know what’s going on and how things are looking. Partnering with your marketing company can’t change the wind or the weather, but it can help shift the sails and keep you on course.

We promised we’d keep it quick! Here’s to a great holiday season and a year free of phrases like “these unprecedented times” and “we’re all in this together.” See you all in 2022. About the authors: Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill are the co-founders of Spark Marketer, a Nashville, Tennessee-based digital marketing company that works primarily with service businesses. They’re also co-authors of the book, Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love. Both regularly speak at service industry trade shows and conferences across the nation. Visit sparkmarketer.com or facebook.com/sparkmarketer.

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To The Chimney Industry, I hope that everyone has had a busy, prosperous and safe fall season. I want to thank the credential holders of the CSIA for entrusting our board to go to work for all of you. We do not take our responsibility lightly. We understand that we are temporary stewards of an organization that we have worked hard to build. There have been many before us, and there will be many after us that will continue the great work of the CSIA. We have been hard at work setting the spring and summer training schedules and to create more value to the men and women that are the CSIA, the credential holder, and we look forward to growing our numbers! We had our most recent board meeting in November where we discussed some changes that will bring more value to our organization and credential holders, and we’re excited to share those with you soon! One of those changes already in effect is the new Listings2Leads pro-

gram we launched earlier this fall. This new search feature revolutionizes how consumers and potential customers find you, the credential holder, through CSIA. If you haven’t set up your profile already, please visit www.csia.org to learn more – don’t miss out! It’s been both an incredible and challenging year, and I have faith 2022 will be even better. We are really looking forward to working with everyone in the coming months and years. I have been trying to speak with as many of you as I can, but please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any other board member. We are really excited about the future of the CSIA, and we will continue to chase impact and not accolades! Sincerely, Tommy Nelms, CSIA President tommy@sweepsandladders.com

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COACH’S CORNER What is Your Exit Plan?

Part 1 of 2

I would like to express my thanks to Lacy M. McCully, JD MBA, Management Consultant with Brooks and Deering, specializing in M&A procedure for her review and assistance in assembling this article. We pour our heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into building our business. We invest countless hours of work to make the business successful, but whether driven by a desire to retire or the decision to try something new, the day for making decisions on how to transition your business will inevitably come.

Enter the Exit Plan: A smart business owner will build a business with the intent to sell from the day he CVC SUCCESS GROUP begins. However, because the process of exit planning has become convoluted to the typical owner, most do not have an exit plan in place. According to a study conducted by Atlanta-based White Horse Advisors and Vistage International, 96 percent of Baby Boomer business owners agreed that having an exit strategy was important, but 87 percent did not have a written plan.

JERRY ISENHOUR

The following tips offer an outline for the process of building an exit strategy and derive the most return for a business that is truly valuable to a buyer.

Tip 1: Obtain a Professional Valuation Without professional guidance it could take you up to 1000 hours to prepare your business for buyer scrutiny. Meanwhile, your focus on dayto-day operations suffers, you risk damaging your profits and worse still your sales price. By selling your business yourself, you risk significantly undervaluing your company and also selling to the wrong buyer at a reduced price. What your company is worth to you may be very different from what the company is worth to the wider market. For that reason, putting aside market conditions, the optimal time to sell your business

is during a period of growth, not during a downturn. Determine the value of your company as it sits today. To achieve an answer as to the value of your company, an evaluation professional will ask you a lot of meaningful questions and analyze your business. They’ll “recast” your financials and analyze your intangible assets, presenting them in a way that unlocks hidden value. They will forecast the future under a buyer's ownership to position you to decide how to proceed. Recasting is the accepted accounting principle of removing or adjusting items on your financial statements that are unrelated to the ongoing business. Many of you have worked hard over the years with your accountants to under-report your earnings for tax purposes. This is perfectly legal and acceptable. But it understates the true value of your company. Keep one key principle in mind: Professional buyers are buying your future, not your past. But the only way to accurately highlight your future profitability is by recasting your historical financials and then project out three years to five years using the new recast baseline as your starting point. Items removed or adjusted via recasting can be superfluous, excessive, or discretionary expenses, and nonrecurring revenues and expenses. Determining where a company stands in relation to other industry players is also a key part of any credible valuation. Industry research from several sources can be used to compare growth rate, margins, competitive strengths, and intangible assets, all with the goal of deciding what areas of the business need the most improvement. For example, let’s assume a buyer is looking at two similar companies in the chimney and venting industry. Both are generating the same level of revenue, and Company A is showing $500,000 in EBITDA (earnings before interest,

D E C E M B E R 2021

taxes, depreciation, and amortization) on its latest fiscal year income statement. However, Company B, again doing the same level of revenue, was wise enough to have its financials recast and it is showing EBITDA of $750,000. If you have capital gains tax rates, interest rates and buyer activity in your favor, you could obtain a higher valuation and retain more cash at closing. Many business owners believe that their personal circumstances and the position of their company will influence when to sell, but ultimately, it’s the market, determined by buyer activity, which decides if and when the time is right. Most business owners rarely (if ever) do a comprehensive profit margin analysis by client, market, and product line. This is vital for business value enhancement because even slight improvement in your pricing structure in critical areas can generate significant future earnings that could be attractive to business buyers.

Tip 3: Prepare for Your Exit Well in Advance It may take you three years or more to prepare your business for the listing of the sale to others. At a minimum you will need to prepare three key documents:

Money can be left on the deal table for a number of reasons, including not having the right knowledge or the right buyer at the time of exit. The percentage of sellers who are estimated to sell their business for less than its potential worth is hovering around 75 percent.

1. The Confidential Business Review (CBR) – also called the Offering Memorandum (OM) or simply “the book”

Tip 2: Clean Up Financial Statements

An Offering Memorandum is quite simply the written version of the evaluation process. However, it is more than simply your financials. A complete OM should include the following:

One of the phrases you will hear in the selling process is “it is all about the numbers” and a serious buyer will want to see the past three to five years of financials closely examined. If the business assets list contains personal items such as cars, boats and other items this can very well affect the value of the business. The legal term for this is “commingling the books” and is a huge no no as well as one of the most common ways businesses find themselves on the barrel end of an IRS or state audit. According to the IRS, personal expenses are not eligible business expenses deductible against taxable income. Instead, if you were to purchase personal items through a company account, they should be fringe benefits that are subject to payroll taxes. “The tax law requires business expenses to be ordinary, or common and acceptable in your trade or business, and necessary, or helpful and appropriate for your trade or business.” Leases for property will be examined and all financial records will be required to be left on the table for the buyer to examine. Accounting mistakes are expensive, especially for small

businesses. Aside from the cost of your time, there is the cost of errors. An accounting error can range from the small and frustrating (you can’t make both sides of your balance sheet equal) to the major and expensive (you didn’t know about payroll taxes and now the Feds want to know what’s up). But there are also mistakes that you may never be aware of, such as tax credits or deductions you didn’t know you could claim that could have a dramatic impact on your company’s valuation. Major corporations can afford accounting mistakes, small businesses can’t. If a $50 quick car fix can turn into $500 dollars in damage, imagine what you’re looking at with a company.

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

2. P rofile Letter – also known as the “teaser” 3. R ock solid Confidentiality Agreement (CA)

•

A thorough description of your company focusing on your intangibles and what makes you unique. • The full history of the company, especially any significant events in the past five years. • A detailed examination of your organization, focusing on your key employees – what they do and why they are key. • An in depth examination of your key customers, who they are and your relationship with them. • A comprehensive overview of where the company is heading during the next five years and what it will take to get there (capital and people). • One thing to leave out of the OM is price. Never mention price in any of your documents. Let the buyer tell you what he will pay. Secondly, a Profile Letter is a one to two page summary of your OM. Your profile letter is what you will send to prospective buyers. Use it to capture their attention and have them focus on what you want to convey about your company.

You’ll want to include your historic and projected top and bottom line recast financials. You will also want to have a paragraph or two describing in general what the company does. Confidentiality is key here. Do not mention your company name or your location. You want to keep this general enough to protect yourself but specific enough to get a buyer’s attention. This is a challenge to do effectively. Most importantly, once potential buyers have received your profile letter and have contacted you with interest, you need them to sign an airtight Confidentiality Agreement. Be very careful here. Before you send your OM to any buyers, have an attorney who has worked on mergers and acquisitions create an ironclad confidentiality agreement. This is vital because unfortunately, you probably have unscrupulous competitors that will try to get your OM just to steal clients, or employees, or learn propriety information. This underscores the need to protect yourself with a good CA. Don’t skip this step. Good documentation will find you buyers. Skimpy or erroneous documentation will drive them away.

Tip 4: Show Increasing Revenue Each Year Leading Up to the Listing Date Buyers want to see a business that is consistently profitable. Again - the best time to sell is during a period of GROWTH. Buyers are not interested in a business that is merely breaking even each year. Remember that the buyer is viewing this much as they would view a stock and the return on investment (ROI) is their chief concern. Most buyers will want to see not only historical numbers for three to five years that are accurate and in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, also known as GAAP (your CPA can help you with this), but they will also want to see three to five years of projections, starting with the base year that is usually the fiscal year you are taking your company to market.

Stock Photo

Although the historic data is important, what professional buyers are really interested in is your future earnings potential, and this is where most business owners, turned into novice business brokers, get themselves into trouble. They feel that to attract attention from buyers, they need to create a future that is far too rosy, especially when compared to the company’s history. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, if you overstate your potential, it will turn off most buyers. For example, if your historic three to five year compound annual growth rate (CAGR – a calculation most business calculators can make for you) has been running at five percent and in your forecast, you are showing 30 percent, buyers will be dubious. If buyers are passing on your opportunity because they don’t trust your forecasts, they will tell you. If you are getting offers below what you were expecting, ask them why. More often than not the gap will be there because you have an expectation that does not meet the markets, usually because you have more confidence in your future earnings potential than buyers do. Note: There is an old axiom in deal making – He who mentions price first loses. Never state your value expectations in any of the documentation you provide to buyers. Let them tell you what they think the company is worth. This can be a challenge, but it is worth the effort.

D E C E M B E R 2021

So, it all boils down to this: Be accurate when you forecast both your base year and your five year projections. In fact, be conservative with both. If you fully expect to hit $3 million in your base year, project $2.8 million in your documents so you can be ahead of your numbers in your base year. Same with your five year proforma: If you believe your company can grow at a 10 percent CAGR, then project eight percent and give the buyers confidence in your numbers. This will only help your ultimate deal structure and valuation. In many cases they may perform a SWOT analysis that reviews your business’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. In others, a standard 15 to 20 page questionnaire may be used to delve into all facets of your business. No matter what method is used, the team getting to know you will be able to learn about areas of your business that may not be possible to value in the traditional sense. These facets are called intangible assets, and although they are not usually part of the valuation document,

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

they are a byproduct of the analysis. These intangible assets are usually the items that will help you attract optimal buyers for your company once brought to light (and get you an optimal value). Stay tuned to January 2022's issue of Sweeping for the Part 2 conclusion of What is Your Exit Plan? by Jerry Isenhour featuring Tips 5, 6 and 7 and online questionnaire. About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. He is a past President of NCSG & CSIA along with serving in several volunteer industry positions over his career. For more information about Jerry and how his team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, visit www.cvcsuccessgroup.com, call (704) 425-0217, or send an email to jerry@cvcsuccessgroup.com. You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and YouTube channel CVC Coaching.

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Darwin Award A Window of Opportunity? Submitted by Jessica of Oregon.

Have you ever seen some interesting things on the job? Submit a photo with your name and state to marketing@ncsg.org.

Mat Goodrich of Goodrich Chimney took his most recent edition along on a work trip to Aspen, Colo. “It’s full of great articles to help you navigate the trade!” Submit a photo from your travels with you and your Sweeping magazine with caption information to marketing@ncsg.org. We're looking forward to seeing where you go with Sweeping!

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS '21-'22 President | At-Large

Region 3

At-Large

Thomas Hunkele topnotchchimney@gmail.com

Ron Rust tophatswp@aol.com

Joe Sauter joe@yourchimneysweep.com

Vice President | Region 1

Region 4

At-Large

Matt Mair matt@blackmoosechimney.com

Jeff Keefer jeff@chimneycareco.com

Tim Smith certifiedchimneycare@gmail.com

Treasurer | Region 2

Region 5

Supplier Representative

Bill Thornton wissahickonvalleysweep@yahoo.com

David Steward copperridgechimney@gmail.com

Stuart Karanovich stuartk@saversystems.com

Secretary | At-Large

Region 6

Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net

Jesse Peralta chimcare@hotmail.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS '21-'22 Bylaws

Governance

NFPA 211

Matt Mair (603) 525-7905 matt@blackmoosechimney.com

Ron Rust (803) 730-5858 tophatswp@aol.com

Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jim@rooftopsafetyusa.com

Convention & Expo Stuart Karanovich (765) 966-5084 stuartk@saversystems.com

Government Affairs

NFPA 31

Education & Certification

Jeff Keefer (513) 248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com

Steve Scally (603) 895-8746 firesidesweeps@comcast.net

International Relations

NFPA 54

Victor Imgarten stlswp@accessus.net

Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jim@rooftopsafetyusa.com

Joe Sauter (317) 243-9687 joe@yourchimneysweep.com Ethics Joe Sauter (317) 243-9687 joe@yourchimneysweep.com

Membership Jesse Peralta (503) 655-2446 chimcare@hotmail.com

Technical Advisory Council Steve Scally (603) 895-8746 firesidesweeps@comcast.net

CLASSIFIEDS GasVent Software for Sizing Chimneys Only $195! Call 1-800-648-9523 for more info and visit www.elitesoft.com to download a free trial version.

CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35-word classified free each year! Regular classified ads are $2/word or $1/word for NCSG members. Classified ads are non-commissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified ad, please email sweepingads@me.com or call 317-603-7854.

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