Sweeping May 2022

MAY 2022

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

A WRAP ON NCSG'S 2022 CONVENTION

See highlights from Convention and feedback from our board members

TABLE OF CONTENTS s t h g i l h g i H from ! n o i t n e v n o C

FEATURES 2022 Convention Recap ��������������������������15 A Word from Spark Marketer ����������������31 "Want to Scale Your Business? Get the Ingredients Right First"

Coach's Corner �������������������������������������������34 "The Lean Journey Of One Chimney Service Company & It’s Owner Part 3 of 3"

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION New Certifications ���������������������������������������6 Education Article ������������������������������������������ 7 "This Changes Everything!"

15 IN EVERY ISSUE

President's Letter ���������������������������������������������������������������� 5 Let's Get Technical ���������������������������������������������������������������11 (NEW) Board of Directors ���������������������������������������������� 39 (NEW) Committee Chairs ����������������������������������������������� 39 Classifieds ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39

JUST FOR FUN

Darwin Award �����������������������������������������������������������������������38 Where's Your Sweeping Been?

EVENTS CCP & CCR Testing Events ������������������������9 Upcoming Events ����������������������������������������10

MEMBERSHIP New Members ����������������������������������������������12 Meet a Member �������������������������������������������13

"Meet a President's Award Winner"

REGIONS Director Farewell ����������������������������������������25 Region Rewind ��������������������������������������������26 COVER PHOTO BY KACIE KROMINGA; CONVENTION PHOTOS BY JILLIAN STEWART, I SHOOT FIRE

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TAC LINE

Technical Advisory Council Phone Line & Extensions

Did You Know?

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.

866-283-8667

Masonry Fireplace Construction & Restoration Ext. 700

Smoke Chambers & Cast in Place Liner Installation Ext. 706

Factory Built Fireplace Installation & Replacement Ext. 701

Dryer Vents Ext. 707

Gas Appliance Venting, Gas Logs & NFPA 54 Ext. 702 Oil Appliance Venting & NFPA 31 Ext. 703 Chimney Inspection, Documentation & NFPA 211 (Levels of Inspection) Ext. 704 Stainless Steel Liner Installation Ext. 705

Installation & Venting of Pellet Stoves Ext. 708 IRC & NFPA 211 (Code Questions) Ext. 709 Customer Service & Customer Communication Ext. 710 General Sweeping & Repair Ext. 711

*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.

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

SWEEPING THE JOURNAL OF CHIMNEY AND VENTING TECHNOLOGY

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway Ankeny, Iowa 50023-7068 (317) 837-1500

May 2022, Volume 46 #4

STAFF 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. © 2022 National Chimney Sweep Guild

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Wow! What a Great NCSG Event!

THOMAS HUNKELE

We left Vegas with plenty of stories and new friendships that will last a lifetime. Our attendance was spectacular with a final count of nearly 800 attendees. I may be a little biased, but I think this may go down as one of the best-attended events, and most relaxing and enjoyable events in many years; I know this for a fact from all the conversations that I and the other directors have had during Convention.

The education committee hit it out of the park with the selection of this year's classes. Thank you to the committee and all the wonderful instructors. Our evening events committee put on some of the very best opening night and awards night parties that I have ever attended. The decorations and the themes made all the difference in turning this into something we will all never forget.

PRESIDENT

Professionals, Certified Chimney Reliner and the Certified Journeyman programs are important to the industry, as is our continued support of the other certifications in our industry. We couldn't agree more! While we continue to work on these important certifications, we have not lost sight of providing other important training opportunities to help you grow your business.

With that being said, I'd like to announce that along with this year's hands-on experience at the Chimney Expo, I've tasked our team to immediately gather some of the best and brightest Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) in our industry to be there. Our goal is to provide your CSRs with a two-day hands-on training program.

More details will follow but it's my hope that this training opportunity will become an important part of future conventions and expos.

To our many sponsors, we can never thank you enough! Your support allows us to accomplish our mission and provide the very best educational opportunities.

I hope everybody enjoyed the registration process at the convention. The technology and volunteer staff made the process seamless and extremely easy. The convention app was also well received, so please don't delete the app, we will be using it as we move forward into the Chimney Expo in August.

Thank you for allowing me to be your president for another year and we will see you in Valley Forge, PA in August.

To all who have participated in the accreditation process, thank you! Our mission is clear and we're onto the next step in the process.

I heard time and time again during the convention that the accreditation of the Certified Chimney

Thomas Hunkele NCSG President

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NEW CERTIFICATIONS CERTIFIED CHIMNEY PROFESSIONAL 5 Star Chimney Service Bohemia, NY Timothy Mahr, Sean Shaw, Diane Cheadle, Joseph Aloia 918 Chimney Tulsa, OK Daniel Garcia

Cashiers Chimney Professionals Cullowhee, NC Cody New

Absolute Chimney Sweep LLC Wisconsin Rapids, WI Nicholas Batzler

Certified Chimney Service Holtsville , NY Dylan McCarthy

Advanced Chimney Consultants LLC Warrenton, VA William Barker All American Fireplace Vineland, NJ Matthew Marks All Phase Masonry & Chimney Feura Bush, NY Jackie Wilkie, David Laux, Randy Loucks, Max Sickles, Matt Slatcher, George Winegard, Alfred Tesch, Pat Van Valkenburg, Andy Griffiths, Brandon Walton, Dylan Babcock, Deborah Friend, Nelson Ruoff Alpine Chimney Sweeps Webb City , MO Alex Dawson American Chimney and Masonry Norman, OK Shane Daniel Barnhill Chimney Lexington, KY Henry Williams, Jacob Murphy Batts Chimney Services Birmingham, AL Andrew Grimes Best Cincinnati Chimney Cincinnati, OH Ben King Big Ash Fireplace and Stoves Holley, NY Jeff Eckam, Patrick McIlmurray

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Billy Sweet Chimney Sweep North Andover , MA Samuel Perley Brickliners Williston , VT Joe Baldinelli

Chimney Sweep LLC Saint Joseph, MO Gary Yates Dano's Chimney Sweep Rochester, MN Owen Novotne Dave's Chimney Service, LLC Methuen, MA Tristan Walton Four Winds Masonry & Chimney Rochester, NY Mike Robbins, Richard Ridgway III, Jacob Pellicciotti, Justin Pender, Zachary Mello, Jon Hughes Lake County Chimney Sweeps Libertyville, IL Peter Phagan Merriman Chimney Service Vineyard Haven, MA Nigel Smith, Anthony Linster, Quinton Wheeler , Katie Valdez, Grayson Lagarde Next Level Chimneys Kirkland, WA Shannon Huck, Daniel Huck Northeastern Chimney Inc West Hartford, CT Christopher Knight Northland Chimney Service Loudon, NH Isaiah Radcliffe Wells Quality Fireplace Inc. Waukesha, WI Ryan Blatter, Brandon Stam

NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

RVA Chimney Sweeps, LLC Henrico, VA Romao Heitor D-Andrea, Victor Benitte Smokey Joe's Chimney Sweeps Whittier, CA Gilbert Pina Swept From Above Waverly, VA Alonzo Scott Texas Chimney LLC Houston, TX Nadav Shoham The Chimney Doctor Midland, MI Andrew Mikoleizik The Chimney King Columbus, OH Mitchell Mullen Tony's Chimney Downingtown, PA Kora Giampa Top Hat Chimney Sweeps Auburn, AL Kade Lancaster, Keante Farrow, Jeremy Renfroe, Christopher Smith, Jeff Simmons Tristans Chimney Serivce Newland, NC Jeremy Maynard Up On The Roof LLC Freehold , NJ Wayne Zisko , Jason Kearney Warrington Chimney and Fireplace Southampton, PA Matthew Wagher, Andrew Jackle, Christopher Kraus Winston's Chimney Service Manassas, VA Ryan Hall Ye Olde Brit Chimney Sweep. Inc. San Bernardino, CA Robert Deniz, Keith Jackson, Lezza Medina

CERTIFIED CHIMNEY RELINER The Chimney Doctor Midland, MI Andrew Mikoleizik 4 State Chimney Llc Neosho, MO Rick Ham Armour Chimney Service Athol, ID Eron Armour

Feb.-Mar 2022

Texas Chimney LLC Houston, TX Nadav Shoham The Chimney Doctor Midland, MI Bob Sciba Top Hat Chimney Sweeps Auburn, AL Keante Farrow

CERTIFIED MASTER CHIMNEY TECHNICIAN

Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps Eden Prarie, MN Dave Lambert

Armour Chimney Service Athol, ID Eron Armour

Central Jersey Masonry & Chimney Sweeps Howell, NJ Michael Palmieri

4 State Chimney Llc Neosho ,MO Rick Ham

Four Winds Masonry & Chimney Rochester, NY Mike Robbins, Richard Ridgway III, Jacob Pellicciotti, Justin Pender, Zachary Mello, Jon Hughes Jack Pixley Sweeps Minneapolis, MN Bryce Groenwold, Jacob Gruwell, Jesse Cronquist , Jeremy Ness Masters Services Denton, TX Cody Whitwood Next Level Chimneys Kirkland, WA Shannon Huck, Daniel Huck Northeastern Chimney Inc West Hartford, CT Christopher Knight, Mark Fullerton, David Mazuraitis Northland Chimney Service Loudon, NH Isaiah Radcliffe Wells Potomac Services Sterling, VA Dale Stanley Swept From Above Waverly, VA Alonzo Scott

Blue Sky Chimney Sweeps Eden Prarie ,MN Dave Lambert Central Jersey Masonry & Chimney Sweeps Howell,NJ Michael Palmieri Certified Chimney Services Inc. Mount Sinai ,NY Charles McCarthy Charlies Chimneys Kennebunk ,ME Charles Odermann

Northeastern Chimney Inc West Hartford ,CT Mark Fullerton David Mazuraitis The Chimney Doctor Midland,MI Bob Sciba

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATION This Changes Everything!

MARSHALL PETERS

It is always interesting for me to hear people speak about what they are going to do. I, like many, tend take a wait and see approach any more as most do not follow through on their grandiose claims. As much as this is true for people, it is also true for companies.

Businesses proudly proclaim that they will be doing such and such, but most never follow through.

It is no surprise then that many took a wait and see approach when NCSG announced that they would be pursuing the accreditation process for their certifications.

Others in the industry in times past, tried and were unable. So, for many, there was no high expectation this time as the NCSG made their announcement.

EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Wednesday morning at NCSG Annual Membership Meeting is when I first felt the sands shift under the chimney sweeping industries’ feet.

As our President Tom Hunkele spoke and updated the attendees about the 1,000+ new sweeps who had recently sought to further their education through CCP, or CCR or the CMCT credentials, I felt a slight tremor. As Tom continued to speak about NCSG and its recent transformation, I felt a stronger shifting. Then as Tom spoke about our status in working towards accreditation and the biggest hurdles were behind us and how we are rapidly moving ahead of schedule, I felt another, even stronger tremor.

The presentation by Amanda Dainis of Dainis & Company and her introduction to

the attendees concerning the accreditation process, and the significance of it, seemed to introduce a weight and seriousness of what the Guild was attempting to accomplish.

Additionally, as Amanda presented the longterm benefits and how this can positively impact our industry in many levels of governments as they might seek to address regulations and requirements; this seemed to bring a stunned silence.

Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a stunned silence of horror, but the opposite. It was the weight of an understanding of the massive implications and significance, as well as change to the industry that was now being understood and digested; an acknowledgment that through accreditation of chimney industry certifications, benefits would result, both to NCSG in general, and also to sweeps in specific.

We are not just talking about it, but instead, quickly approaching the final realizations that our industry is about to change in a significant way. The chimney sweeping and repair industry–our industry–was taking a huge step toward adulthood and recognition. No longer should a state decide to begin to make some requirements of sweeps and have nothing to draw from, but now, there would be a single, accredited source from which to make recommendations and requirements!

Now, instead of being thrown under plumbers or HVAC parties of interest, which has happened in some states already, we would have a fair shot, a proven shot to rise on our own, and it became very clear that it is NCSG, yes, the National Chimney Sweep Guild which is leading the way!

Did you feel the ground shift? I did, and judging by the dropped jaws, the hush, the shocked faces of understanding (not bad

M AY 2022

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shocked, but a serious good shock), and the tangible weight of the shifted moods, many others did also. This, and the scores and scores of sweeps who spoke to me afterwards who expressed their congratulations and renewed hope that not only had the Guild survived the day, but thrived! The NCSG–their Guild–was found thriving, fully alive and focused again on serving the needs of those who service America’s chimneys.

So to our President Tom Hunkele, I say thank you for your vision and drive. To our Executive Director Easton Kuboushek, I say a job well done. To the Board of Directors, you are making it happen! You deserve the credit and satisfaction of accomplishment, and to Mr. Joe Sauter, the Chairman of the Education Committee, you sir, are changing the industry in such a positive way, that my words are lacking. Just know that for a generation to come, your work and influence will remain.

The industry is moving in a great direction and the Certified Chimney Professional, the

Certified Chimney Reliner, and the Certified Chimney Journeyman certifications will be leading the way. So, prepare now!

Please expect more information regarding these as the accreditation process continues to roll along.

In preparing now, I would be amiss not to say that we have many opportunities coming to your region as the Spring and Summer approach. You will be receiving information as to locations of CCP and CCR seminars in your regions shortly. Expect this announcement and do plan on catching this train early.

This convention proved one thing – that sweeps are an amazing bunch, but we already knew that, didn’t we!

Hopefully, I will get to see you this Spring/ Summer at an NCSG event near you!

For a current list of locations of upcoming CCP/CCR certification training days in your area see the next page.

Marshall

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

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2022 NCSG Certification Events CCP & CCR Test Reviews & Testing Hours: CCP: 8am--12pm; CCR: 1--5pm

Price: $350 for one, or $600 for both Online: $1,000

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Included: 1. Lunch 2. Updated (2020) CCP or CCR manuals.

You will receive these as a PDF in your email after registering.

Dates

State What & Where

Dates

State What & Where

5/4

GA

CCP Certification Lindemann Chimney Event, Atlanta, GA

6/17

PA

5/9

WI

CCP/CCR Certification Wisconsin State Guild Meeting Camp Wawbeek, 1450 State Hwy 13, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965

CCP/CCR Certification Chimney Cricket 101 State Rd. Media, PA 19063

6/18

NJ

5/11

IN

CCP/CCR Certification Chimney Solutions 5658 W. 73rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46278

CCP/CCR Certification Flue Tech 105 Oak St., Norwood, NJ 07648

6/23

OH

5/16

PA

CCP Certification MAHPBA Wyndham Lancaster Resort & Convention Center 2300 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602

CCP/CCR Certification Ohio Chimney Co, 1227 Niles Rd SE, Warren, OH 44484

6/30

Virtual

Online CCP Test Review 1:00 pm Eastern

7/7

KS

CCP/CCR Certification Kansas City, KS – TBA

7/8

MO

CCP/CCR Certification English Sweep 938 St. Louis Av., Valley Park, MO 63088

7/27

KY

CCP/CCR Certification All American Chimney 11600 Electron Dr., Louisville, KY 40299

7/29

MI

CCP/CCR Certification Alpha & Omega Chimney 4400 E. Grand River Rd., Webberville, MI 48892

AUG.

8/10

PA

CCP/CCR Certification Chimney Expo, 11600 1st Ave., King of Prussia, PA 19406

SEPT.

9/1

Virtual

Online CCP Test Review 9:00 am Eastern, 9:30 am Pacific

6/1

CT

CCP/CCR Certification Spotless Chimney 80 Spring St., Vernon, CT 06066

6/2

MA

CCP/CCR Certification Scarborough, MA – TBA

6/3

ME

CCP/CCR Certification Hilton Garden Inn 250 Haskell Rd., Bangor, ME 04401

6/5

VT

CCP/CCR Certification New England Chimney Supply 34 Commerce St., Williston, VT 05495

6/10

NY

CCP/CCR Certification Lindemann Chimney Supply Albany, NY – TBA

6/13

VA

CCP/CCR Certification New England Chimney Supply 7956-B Cameron Brown Court, Springfield, VA 22153

6/14

MD

CCP/CCR Certification National Chimney Finksburg, MD – TBA

JULY

UPCOMING EVENTS Everything Dryer H.O.T. Training

JUNE

25

Sponsored by the PA Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps Lunch provided Date: June 25th, 2022 Location: Camp 93, Somerset County Time: 9AM till early afternoon

SATURDAY

Cost: Free to PA Guild and NCSG members $50 to non-members Learn the latest tools, new products, how to get into the dryers without breaking it. We will be testing which vents burn and which ones don’t. Don’t miss it! How to clean these vents with many vendors rods-brushes. Taught by John Schofield of Soot Seekers Chimney Service, Inc.

Check out ncsg.org for all future member events!

Contact: Region Director, Bill Thornton wissahickonvalleysweep@yahoo.com

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

LET'S GET TECHNICAL Convention - A Standing "O" I know I write articles that are supposed to be technical, but this time I need to speak up about our 2022 Convention.

STEVEN SCALLY

SECRETARY AT LARGE

I was really excited for Convention this year.

As it turns out, everyone else was too. After all that has happened in the past 16 months to now, seeing and hearing and feeling the embrace of our membership, that is still with me.

I could not get over the enthusiasm of everyone.

This was by far one of the best conventions put together in the last 10 years. Another part I was blown away by is how easy check in was.

Click here, check here, okay, you're all set. I know Brittney and Kacie and whomever else had their hands in this, deserve a standing “O.”

me their story. It was so awesome. But I think the two biggest things were our president’s speech Tom Hunkele and Tommy Nelms address for the CSIA – between the two of you is what made this convention so awesome and showed unity.

On the technical side of things, I was happy to see the temperature scanners as they have always intrigued me. Next time when I get to spend a little more time with him, I may buy one. I was very impressed with what you could see with this unit. The heat and or the water penetration. The others new to our crew was RBG lifts. I know when I bought mine it was a lifesaver and to be honest, is it safer for us to use that most times.

What’s next is I really want to get the word out about the technical lines. We have some of the sharpest minds in the industry helping you and me. I feel this is not utilized enough. I would like to see all our info being given to techs in the field or at least the head technicians.

Members were coming up and introducing themselves to me, talking with me and telling

Steven T Scally Tech Chair, Masonry

DID YOU KNOW?

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.

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

MEET A PRESIDENT'S AWARD RECEIVER Meet John Meredith

John was presented the President's Award for 2022 for exemplary service to the NCSG and international advocacy of American Chimney Sweeps.

How did you get started in the industry?

JOHN MEREDITH FOUNDER OF SAVERS SYSTEMS

While serving as a firefighter in the early 1980s, I started what would become a successful multi-truck chimney service company. My services included chimney cleaning, relining, rebuilding and restoration.

Many of the chimneys I serviced needed major repairs, even though some were only a few years old. Since chimney sweeping was a fledgling industry, I was drawn to the possibilities for innovations and creative solutions.

In an attempt to help prevent and solve these problems, I began a research study into the causes of masonry chimney damage. Over the course of four years, I worked with experts from the Brick Industry Association, the Portland Cement Association, the Masonry society, and several chemical companies to help develop solutions to solve chimney problems. I later funded a two-year study at the University of Wyoming on the water permanence of masonry.

As a result, several proprietary products and technologies were developed, tested, and proved to be successful. The “ChimneySaver System” was then launched as a systematic process to help prevent leaks, water damage and deterioration to masonry chimneys. I was later able to hire top product development chemists to help me continue to develop new and innovative solutions for chimney sweeps to solve their customers' problems.

What advice do you wish you had received when you were getting started?

When it comes to employees, hire slow, fire fast.

Who has been your biggest influence?

I've been fortunate to have several amazing mentors build into me, both personally and professionally. But early on, "Sooty Bob" Daniels (founder of Copperfield Chimney Supply) had a big impact on me; I still see his influence in the industry today.

In what area are you focusing on improving this year?

I recently sold my business to my employees, so my new role at SaverSystems is to mentor my new partners and leadership team. I'll also be focusing on creating new products so we can continue to help chimney sweeps solve more problems in the field.

What unrelated skill/knowledge did you come into the industry with that has suited you well?

Just being curious, keeping an open mind, and having a willingness to try new things.

President Thomas Hunkele presenting the award at the 2022 NCSG Convention Honors and Auction event.

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

Most people like to ask what new products we're coming out with soon. My answer is: "You'll be hearing from us soon. :)" What is your favorite/most useful tool?

Since founding SaverSystems, I haven't swept many chimneys, but I still have my original August West chimney sweeping system that I bought back in 1981.

Weirdest thing you have ever found in a chimney?

During my time as a chimney sweep, the weirdest thing I found was a live Barred Owl. What is your proudest accomplishment?

Outside of my amazing wife, children, and grandchildren, I feel blessed and honored to serve alongside so many great people in this industry. The support we receive from our customers allows us to continue to provide innovative solutions for chimney sweeps and their customers.

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NCSG SWEEPING MAGAZINE

What do you like to do outside of work?

These days it's all about my 6 grandkids. I serve as a mentor for younger men at our church and also enjoy sailing/racing and shooting sports.

What is the best class you have attended?

I've found the management training at Aileron in Dayton, OH to be helpful. I feel that their Course for Presidents is a must for any business owner who wants to grow a successful business.

Have you ever attended NCSG Annual Convention & Trade Show and/or the Chimney Expo? What was your favorite takeaway?

I've been a member for over 40 years, so I've attended more shows than I can recall. Attending the NCSG Trade Shows and reconnecting with old friends and colleagues gives me renewed energy. I enjoy hearing how sweeps have successfully used our products in their businesses and learning what we can do to better serve them.

What is, in your opinion, the most valuable part of being a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild?

The camaraderie and life-long friendships I've gained through the NCSG.

Greatest THE

SWEEP

2022

NCSG CONVENTION

2022 Convention Recap What a week in Vegas! It has been great to see everyone’s photos, hear their stories and we appreciate all the positive feedback online and in person.

“Convention was fantastic!”

“Wow, what an experience!”

“I had the most amazing time and I can't wait to do it again.”

“What an amazing time we had at Convention 2022.”

“Convention was amazing!”

“Best convention in many years, hands down.”

With new technology, new staff, and a new structure, there were more Attendees checked in at the registration desks using our new event management app, Aventri. than a few nerves going into the 2022 Convention. However, thanks to the just under 800! After missing two years of tireless efforts of our full-time team, and in-person conventions and unfortunately still more importantly our volunteer staff, we seeing many international guests unable to were able to provide yet another successful travel due to Covid restrictions, we could not week for the history books. Thank you also have asked for a better turn out. The energy to all of our volunteers throughout the week; was palpable and the handshakes and hugs this would not be possible without you. numerous.

With over 100 walk-in registrations, we Our after-hours events saw the same ended the week with a total attendance of level of participation, kicking off with approximately 350 in attendance for food, drinks and dancing at our Opening Night Celebration. The Chimney Chase was in full force with nearly 50 walkers/runners. We capped off the week with a solid turnout at the Honors & Auction event with its revamped structure and new spot on Friday night. Congratulations again to all of our award winners and recognitions.

The circus was in full swing at Opening Night

The trade show floor was the place to be with over 500 in attendance on Thursday and over 350 in attendance on Friday. Of course, we thank all 49 of our exhibitors for their contributions and continued support of the

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Guild. We look forward to continuing to grow our Trade Show in the coming years and will be looking for venues with opportunities to have even more booth spaces available.

The feedback from classes was overall quite positive and we will be heeding requests to hear more from some of our new speakers at future events. Thank you to all of our speakers for their time and willingness to share your expertise.

New board director representing Region 4, Debbie Wiedwald high fives a fellow sweep, James Pritchett in a class participation exercise.

Finally, thank you to our sponsors for their continued support of the National Convention and NCSG as a whole. It is through their support that we are able to offer many of the meals, snacks, and beverages throughout the week along with continuing to find new ways to improve the attendee experience.

Special Shout Outs Photographer: Jillian Stewart Volunteer Staff: Barbara Peters Danielle Johnson James Johnson Lauren Pilger Trenton Nelson Racine Pedersen

Looking Forward

Carl Gould, Keynote speaker, addresses attendees at the Opening Keynote class, "Your Path to Business Success."

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As we all settle back in from Convention, the poolside sunburn fades, and we start to implement the multitude of knowledge gained, we also start looking forward.

The Convention app will remain available through May 31, 2022 so you can save any contact information, speaker slides/ handouts, and notes you may want to keep.

We hope you all will join us again in King of Prussia, PA, August 10-13 for the 2022 NCSG Chimney Expo at Valley Forge Casino Resort. Registration will open soon and we have a lot of new exciting plans for H.O.T. classes and plenty of exhibitors are already on board. Can’t wait to see you there!

Brittney Burton

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Award Winners

Winners from 2020–2022 were presented at this year's convention.

Gift of Friendship Award 2020: Hope Stevenson 2021: Tedd Cuttitta 2022: David Kline

NCSG's President's Award 2020: John and Diane Pilger 2021: Bob Ferrari 2022: John Meredith

2022 Pete Luter Innovation Award

Bear Hands Pro Chimney Inspection Software

2022 Highest of High Fives Award Yvette Aube

While recognizing our International members at the Honors and Auction event, our friends from Germany gifted President Tom Hunkele with some authentic German beer steins.

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Exhibitor Wrap Ups The 2022 Convention and Trade show saw 50 total exhibitors (including NCSG) with several new exhibitors who noted they had nothing but a positive experience gaining new customers and friendships.

Sun in Uncasville, CT March 29-April 1, reach out to Brittney at office@ncsg.org. These spots will not last long!

We brought back the "Seek to Win" scavenger hunt that allowed participants to visit each booth, scan a QR code on the Aventri app, and enter into our drawing. The winners are below, you can expect your prize in the mail this month.

Amanda Clough, Amy Perino, Daniel Huck, Darian Soule ,Jason Clough, Kris Kessler, Richard Haines, Ron Rust, Sarah Starks, Sean Kraemer.

Booth selection for 2023 began at the 2022 Convention, and nearly all spots are already reserved! If you are interested in buying a booth at next year's convention at Mohegan

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Exhibitor Wrap Ups Spark Marketer We hope you all had as much fun as we did at this year’s convention.

Being back in person with some of our favorite folks on the planet was a much-needed treat. It’s been way too long! A couple of things we’d love to share with you if you didn’t get a chance to chat with us at the Spark Marketer booth in Vegas…

If you want to get more done every day, it’s time to look into automation. We’ve officially launched the Customer Engine, which offers a simple way to automate repetitive customer communication tasks before, during, and after appointments.

Customer Engine helps knock out those mundane tasks that need to be done. It also consolidates communication channels like email, text, phone, Google Business Profile (GBP) chat, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Messenger, and web chat into one easy-to-manage view. So, no matter where or how a customer chooses to communicate with you, you only have to check one place. And the best part is it's intuitive and easy to use. Stop wishing for more time – get the tool that frees you up. To schedule a demo with Carter, reach out at carter@sparkmarketer.com.

One last thing before we let you go, if the phones have stopped ringing and you’re getting that panicked feeling in your gut, shoot Taylor an email at taylor@sparkmarketer.com. There are some “secret weapons” we can deploy to help drum up business outside of paid ads. Let’s have a chat.

P.S. Need pro video and photography to showcase your business on your social, GBP, website, and other branding and marketing materials? We've got you covered there, too. Just ask Taylor.

Brandtastic Our Team loved being at the Convention in Vegas! To be a small part of such a large brotherhood, sisterhood and family of people is an amazing experience. I find myself going back to those few days in my mind to that rarefied air in the moments that made up the get-together. Some of the experience took into account the fact that it has been so long since everyone was together, but there is no mistaking the unique nature of the Chimney & Hearth industry. They really act like one big family (because they are) and we at Brandtastic count it a privilege to be a small part of this awesome group. We work in many industries and there are no others that have this magic. Having a venue like Vegas made it a perfect time to bring spouses and employees which was another component of what made this so special.

Seeing our clients was the best part! Since we typically only see them once a year when our team visits for photo/video work – this was a bonus to see them in less of a work environment. It seemed that everyone benefited from being able to step away from the normal routine of work, and yet still be “working” on their skills and business knowledge.

A special thanks to Dave Kresge of SnapLok Systems for allowing us to use his show brushes to get this photo on Wednesday night!

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Exhibitor Ups Exhibitor Wrap Spotlight Blaze King Blaze King Industries, Inc. Founded in 1977 Two Production Facilities, Walla Walla, WA and Penticton, BC, Canada Blaze King was the first company to ever have a wood stove emissions tested. In 1984, Oregon DEQ tested a King 1101 at less than 2.0 gr/h. Fast forward to 2022 and Blaze King is the only wood stove and wood insert manufacturer with 100% of their products qualifying for the Federal 25D Tax Credit of 26%.

Blaze King continues to top the list in BOTH the cleanest burning and most efficient wood heaters sold in North America. Blaze King invites you to visit our booth #411 at the NCSG Annual Exhibition in Las Vegas NV. Blaze King has a long tenured, mutually beneficial relationship with sweeps across the country, with a special Sweep Program and Pricing.

Mention that you found this in the May issue of Sweeping when you call us at 509-522-2730 to learn more about our Sweep Programs.

In exchange we’ll send you a small gift!

RBG Inc. RBG Inc. attended the NCSG 2022 convention in Vegas for the first time. The show was terrific and very busy. The staff was very helpful and friendly and the response from customers was wonderful. For this show specifically, we represented DINOlift aerial lifts, and have been selling tow-able lightweight aerial work platforms into the chimney industry within the last six months. Our stand-out machine for this industry is the DINO 69XTII tow-able lift but we also offer an 85XTD towable model and 72 and 92RXT models as well. We have sold a couple of the 69XTII machines to NCSG members as well as multiple chimney sweep companies and they stand by them. With 69 feet of working height and weighing only 5,456 lbs , this easy-to-operate machine is a no-brainer for bringing your work to the next level. RBG is not only a distributor of DINOlift products, but we are also an authorized dealer of Dur-A-Lift aerial buckets, Cormach knuckle booms and Venturo cranes. We offer repair services for all makes and models of aerial equipment, remounts and new bucket truck sales. If you would like to know more information on our DINOlift products or RBG Inc. in general, please check out our website at www. raymondbucketguys.com.

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Exhibitor Wrap Ups National Chimney NCSG After Party with National Chimney and Saver Systems First, let us say, Welcome Back from the largest and best NCSG Convention yet! It was great to be back with everyone, old and new, who make this industry what it is.

Supplied Images

But, the buzz beyond the show was the After Party at the Hard Rock Café by National Chimney and Saver Systems.

With almost 300 guests, the Hard Rock on the Las Vegas Strip was buzzing with conversations, laughter, music and dancing. On behalf of National Chimney and Saver Systems, THANK YOU to all our customers who were able to join us for such an amazing event.

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A DIRECTOR'S FINAL REPORT As I write this, I'm excited say they could not have done what they did if it about preparing to go to wasn't for the volunteers that had helped. Being Vegas very soon for our NCSG involved with The Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Trade Show The Home Builders Association I've seen a lot which will include our annual of other trade organizations' interactions and meeting, at which time I will I'm proud to say our sweeping industry is the be terming out from my duties most welcoming and family-oriented group, as Region 3 Director. It has we understand we are all in this together even been an honor and a privilege though we have differences we can all work to serve the members of together. the GREAT SOUTHEAST. Those of you I have spoken to, have helped give me invaluable insight as to how the sweeps and our industry are doing and have helped enlighten me as to how NCSG can be of service to each sweep and our industry as a whole. Some of you have become dear friends, and for the members, I haven't had a chance to reach out to I apologize. I have tried to keep myself available and reachable to all of you. I'm very excited about James Owens being your new Region 3 Director and know he will serve us all well. James' experience and business sense and love of the sweep life and our industry will bring a fresh new vitality to our Board of Directors.

Ron receiving his plaque of service recognition at the Honors and Please reach out to him with encouragement and or any concerns or recommendations you Auction ceremony. Also receiving their plaques that night were Jeff Keefer for Region 4 and Jesse Peralta for Region 6. have for NCSG to serve us better.

RON RUST

My time on the Board has been long and enjoyable, and the other Directors I've got to know that have come and gone and are still in place are Remarkable People. The knowledge shared and experiences we have been through have broadened my perspectives not only about sweeping but also about life. I've served under four presidents who have all represented and guided our organization to where it is today, which I think is right where we should be. The NCSG has been at the forefront of many things like the first National Certification, the first Internet sweep chat room, the creation of CSIA and the tech center, and more. And now NCSG is working on getting the first accredited national certification. I would love to name and THANK all the AMAZING PEOPLE that I have known personally that have done so much for NCSG and our industry but that will have to come in another article. I know each one of them would

I'm looking forward to continuing my involvement with NCSG as a member and a volunteer when needed. There are many areas where volunteers are needed now with NCSG so please contact your Regional Director if you have some time you can volunteer. I know the government affairs is an area that NCSG is trying to keep a close eye on and can use all the help they can get from each state.

One last Thank You to our marvelous staff now and to all the past staff people that have made me look good as a director, we could never get it all done without the GREAT staffs we have had.

I'm proud to be a member of NCSG for over 35 years and I believe one of the main keys to success is to get up and got to work each day and to ENJOY THE JOURNEY, Ron Rust

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NOTES FROM YOUR REGIONAL DIRECTORS

A big welcome to your 2022-2023 Regional Directors James Owens (3), Debbie Wiedwald (4), and Michaele Dempsey (6).

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Wow, what a great convention! The new format, top notch classes and a wonderful venue. I was able to take a few days before and visit a national park, we just don’t have mountains like that on the East Coast!

Our opening speaker had it nailed with providing a premium service. I saw that firsthand at the airport on Sunday morning sitting next to the priority check-in. There was a nonstop stream of folks paying more to be served. Theme parks also provide it, now it’s our turn.

Our Honors and Auction night was memorable with a catchup of awards and auction. All award recipients were well deserved.

The trade show didn’t disappoint, again, many new items to think about for the coming year. Thank you to our vendors and sponsors!

Sweep on! Bill

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I would like to thank everyone who voted for me to become your Region 3 Director.

I look forward to serving all the sweeps across the country and helping the NCSG advance and reach our goals. Since I have gotten back from the convention, I have taken time to reflect, and I am so proud of the hard work and dedication that the NCSG board and staff put into it to make it successful. The passion and determination are evident with our President, Tom Hunkele when it comes to his leadership for NCSG, and the chimney sweep industry. I look forward to serving alongside him & the other board members.

While at the convention, I was able to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. It was nice to enjoy the camaraderie among all the sweeps that attended. The convention was full of excitement and the future of NCSG is bright.

The first two days of the convention, I was a part of the second phase on the accreditation process for certifications. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of focused and determined individuals. As a sweep that has taken certification tests a lot over my 33 year career, I didn’t realize what all goes into the process of selecting content that is necessary to go on the test. I know this is a long and necessary process, but the end results are going to be a game changer for our industry.

James Owens

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My favorite part of convention is catching up with industry friends and meeting new people. Thank you, Region 4 members who introduced themselves to me at convention. It has been a long time since we were all together at convention! Thank you to the convention committee, many volunteers, NCSG staff, presenters and exhibitors for creating a great event. The opening event, trade show and honors ceremony and auction were highlights of the convention for me as they provided opportunities to network with attendees, catch up and share information. I took many pages of notes from the various speakers and presenters, and look forward to improving systems. Congratulations to the newly certified people who took advantage of all the certification reviews and testing prior to convention starting.

4

As you know, the chimney sweep industry is a special organization with colleagues sharing information amongst each other. Region 4 is fortunate to have numerous training events in the next months. The spring/summer months are a great time to improve your skills. NCSG will hold several Hands-On Training Events (H.O.T.).

I look forward to meeting more members throughout the region and guild. I look forward to working with Region 4 and other guild members to help us get the most out of our professional organization. Our strength is in our numbers to advocate on behalf of the industry. Please continue to take advantage of all the benefits offered by the guild and please contact me if you have any questions about your guild membership.

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Convention!

This years’ annual gathering of chimney professionals in Las Vegas did not disappoint! I especially enjoyed getting to spend a few minutes getting to know so many new faces this year. Here are some quick stats: attendance reaching 800, 40 percent of attendees were first time attendees, majority of attendees were from the Midwest, and over 50 runners in the 5K!

Region 5 showed up big time! In many ways, including a large amount of attendees being from our region, over 75 percent of the volunteer staff were Region 5 members, and several speakers from our wonderful region! GREAT JOB Y’ALL!!! I am so proud to represent all of you and to call you my friends and colleagues. Something that I “knew,” but didn’t realize to the extent I now do until recently, is that there are so many passionate, energetic, and willing professionals in our region! I think part of it stems from the fact that many of us are in large and less populated areas. We don’t have fellow professionals in our immediate areas and industry events don’t make it to our neck of the woods often. So, we show up to the national events big time, fired up, and ready to volunteer, learn, and engage with colleagues and friends!

There were so many wonderful classes, with many speakers teaching cutting edge technology, fire science, and research based topics! I had a very hard time choosing which one I had to miss each session! A huge shout out to Dale Feb (F.I.R.E. Associates), Genevieve Bures, and Dr. John DeHaan for making time to present at convention this year. It was wonderful to be able to offer a much higher/ deeper level of education at convention for those that have “heard it all.” At the end of each of their classes, I could overhear many of our industry veterans chatting about the wealth of info being presented in the classes.

First time speakers Katie Poole, Corey Flowers, and Ryan Hall were awesome! To see the passion in these three was exciting and inspiring. All three have been in the industry for many years, worked their way up to where they are through hard work, tough life lessons, and perseverance! There’s a shift in our industry from those who built it and got it going, to the next generation that will take up the torch and carry it on. These three fine folks are a great example of that next set of speakers and leaders working to carry on the industry!

More

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Continued

There was so much to learn in class and so much to see on the trade show floor that it can be hard to put it all to good use! We all absorbed a ton of info in a short amount of time, now it’s time to make the most of your investment! One of the best tips I received at my first convention was to take three things that I learned at convention and implement them. Just three. I continue to do that each year, first sorting all of what I learned into short, mid, and long term implementation categories. I then pick one thing from each category to begin integrating and implementing. This gives me reachable and realistic goals that once met, can be maintained and another nugget of convention gold can be plugged in and implemented next.

Take some time to connect with the folks you met at convention! Many of them will turn in to lifelong friends. Plan for next year! You’ve got all year to make it happen, next year is in Connecticut the last weekend of March. Join a committee! We have several committees within the guild, the newest being the Education committee, and we are looking for many volunteers to help with all of the wonderful things going on within each committee. This is a small time commitment of one to two hours a month for most of the year with an occasional half or full day meeting leading up to an event.

If you’re not sure that you want to commit to that extent just yet, then volunteer at the next expo or convention! One of the best ways to meet folks and understand how the guild works is to volunteer at our gatherings! You’ll have a tiny commitment of an hour or two of your time, and usually get some cool swag too!

As for the rest of the summer, keep your eyes and ears open! There will be some small Region 5 get-togethers throughout as time allows. I’ll be traveling to Iowa in mid May for teaching and board meetings, and then on to Wisconsin at some point as well. I hope to see many of you then or in August at the NCSG CCP Expo in Pennsylvania! Until then, have a wonderful month of May and a great start to summer!

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DAVID STEWARD

The Greatest Chimney Sweep —Gathering in the West: I would have to say, we missed each other in a big way; with all the camaraderie and catching up on our true life stories. My hats off to our awesome Staff: Brittany, Kacie and Easton, along with each one of our volunteers and vendors that made this event successful.

I hope every one made it home with a little extra cash in their pockets and for sure, an abundance amount of education.

Speaking of education, what a great line up. I enjoyed seeing Dale Feb and his son. This shows our young generation are here to continue our mission.

A special appearance with Genevieve Bures. Blowing a founder of our guild “Don Leviett a kiss.”

I want to thank all of our vendors for our special events, DJs and dance, with all the gourmet food, stellar breakfast, Hard Rock Cafe with National Chimney and SaverSystems, and wine tasting. Every one had a place to go and something to do.

My job is to be your voice here in Region 6 many of you know me personally some over 40 years.

Please feel free to contact me anytime I do a lot traveling up and down this region and across the United States. My goal is to reach out to everyone in our region.

It’s always a honor and pleasure to visit our members.

Thank you Soot Brothers and Sisters, Michaele Dempsey.

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A WORD FROM SPARK MARKETER Want to Scale Your Business? Get the Ingredients Right First On a recent podcast about scaling, we heard this question asked: Is it the chef or the ingredients?

CARTER HARKINS & TAYLOR HILL SPARK MARKETER

The point of the speaker was that the restaurants that are able to scale are able to do so because success doesn’t hang on a single person, the chef. It’s the ingredients that make the business successful.

As business owners ourselves, and people that work with dozens and dozens of business owners on their marketing and business growth, that got us thinking.

What are the ingredients for a chimney and venting business? How do you get them right?

The ingredients are the things that go into making the customer experience what it is.

These are the things that keep your business running. The things that ensure you deliver consistently awesome service.

Things like…

#1 The Scheduling Experience Have you ever gone through the scheduling process with your company? What does a customer experience when they schedule with you? Is the experience consistent?

Scheduling is one of the first touch points potential customers will have with you, which means it’s gotta be good. It’s gotta be frictionless and painless.

How many of us try scaling our business by doing more ourselves or adding more people to the mix? Is that always the right answer?

Sure, almost all businesses must hire as they scale and grow, but is hiring *the key* to scaling and growth? Or is the magic in the ingredients – the things that make your business work the way it does? In other words, what’s more important?

Getting the right people in the right seats or getting the ‘ingredients’ right?

Truthfully, we don’t think one is more important than the other. But, we do think one should come first: ingredients.

If you don’t get the ingredients, the mix, the way you do things right first, you either won’t have the growth needed to hire more people or you won’t have what’s needed to keep those people on board and excited about what they’re doing and where you’re going as a company.

Stock Illustration

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Think back to the restaurant example, if booking a reservation is such an unpleasant experience that you decide to go elsewhere and write off that restaurant for good, it doesn’t matter how good the food is or how amazing the atmosphere or staff is. You’ll never step foot in the door to find out.

That first impression is everything and it can either keep someone moving towards becoming a loyal customer or turn them off for life. Plus, as you grow and scale your company, scheduling will only get more complicated for you and your team. So, scheduling is one ingredient you have to get right from the start if you want to scale your business.

#2 The Problems You Solve If there’s no demand for the services you offer in the market you serve, your business will never scale. So, before you get too deep into the other ingredients and put effort into getting them right, take a look at your services.

Are there any services you offer that you could and should cut? Are there services that clients ask you about again and again that you don’t offer, but could easily add?

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Don’t confuse what we’re saying with trying to be everything to all people – because that’s a mistake that could keep you from scaling your business. Stick to what you’re good at. But if it’s not cost-effective to offer a service that hardly ever gets requested and it is cost-effective to add a service that people ask for all the time, think about that. It might be worth tweaking your services a bit.

#3 Your Systems and Processes It’s not just about what you do, it’s about how you do it – and how consistent you are.

Truth is, no one wants to work with a chimney and venting company that provides a good experience sometimes and a bad one others.

They want to be confident they’re going to have a good experience, every time. And the key to consistently great service is systems and processes. You’ve got to have clear-cut, spelledout ways of doing things.

There may be 10 other companies in your area that offer the services you offer – but who does things the way you do? Differentiate yourself not by what you do, but by how you do it.

When you take the time to write out systems and processes for everything in your business, from the way the phones are answered and how techs communicate when in the home to how a service is performed, you not only force yourself to think about the experience you provide, but you also make it much easier for new employees to jump on board and do things right.

Trust us, when scaling requires you to hire new employees, having clearly defined systems and processes will make your life much easier.

Not only that, it will prevent some of the bad customer experiences that often occur when new people are added to the team and don’t yet know the ropes.

#4 Your Communication with Future, Present, and Past Customers So many home services make the mistake of thinking of their customers as transactions.

They book the job, do the job, get paid, and put that customer out of their minds. But that’s a mistake.

One of the key ingredients of a good, scalable business is good communication. Internally and externally. With team members and with new and old customers.

So, think about how you communicate. Do you have a company ‘voice?' A way of speaking with and engaging with customers? Do you keep communication open and consistent so you stay top of mind with customers, old and new? Do you provide value and treat each communication touch point with respect? Have you implemented a referral program or given clients a reason to speak up when a friend or family member asks if they know a good chimney sweep?

Good communication is a key ingredient if you want to scale. So, start capturing email addresses, keep in contact with customers old and new, and always be respectful and on-brand in your written and verbal communication.

bank accounts to cover materials, payroll, and other expenses.

This can work for a while (if you’re intro stress), but when you want to scale and you start planning for growth, you’ve got to have cash flow and a great budget plan in place. Otherwise, scaling could trip you up and force you to lay off people or scale down marketing and advertising when you should be scaling up.

Maybe you don’t like dealing with money and even the thought of budgeting makes you physically ill. That’s okay. But you can’t ignore it. So, either take some time to learn the basics or hire someone who loves dealing with money.

This is one ingredient you’ve got to get right so you can grow in a healthy, sustainable way.

Start with the Best Ingredients Are these all the ingredients? Of course not.

But think of them like your kitchen staples.

Once you’ve got the right ingredients in the right amounts and mixtures, then it’s time to think about who’s doing the cooking. So get the ingredients right and then add more chefs. You’ll be glad you did it in that order, trust us!

About the authors: Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill are the authors of "Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love" and the owners of Spark Marketer, a ‘no bull’ digital marketing company that’s been getting sh*t done for home service businesses across the nation for a decade. They’re trusted thought leaders in the industries they serve, which is why you’ll find them regularly speaking at service industry trade shows and conferences and writing for trade magazines. Tired of empty promises and ready for focused digital marketing + balls-to-the-wall dedication that gets your business seen? Visit sparkmarketer.com.

#5 Your Cash Flow, Budgeting, and Finances One final ingredient we’re going to talk about is probably one you were hoping we would skip: money.

Many business owners don’t know what it’s like to have cash flow. They go from invoice to invoice, just hoping they’ll have enough in their

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COACH’S CORNER The Lean Journey of One Chimney Service Company & It’s Owner Part 3 of 3 This is part three of our three-part article about the journey of Charlie Quaile in the lean transformation of his company Chimneys Plus in Pittsboro NC

Part IV: Morning Meetings

JERRY ISENHOUR

CVC SUCCESS GROUP

• If we could, I would like to revisit this whole morning meeting thing. I must say when lean got first introduced within our industry Morning Meetings were welcomed as a game changer. Can you give me a little history lesson?

When we first got started with Lean morning meetings were very different than they are now.

In fact, they keep evolving. The purpose of the meetings originated with “keeping score” on four critical areas of business operations: Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost.

Each of these metrics has a stated goal that we were shooting for, and each metric was measured daily and also reported on in the manager meeting. They are very important and may actually be listed in order of priority.

Safety First - There are so many ways to measure safety and report on it. Days without an accident. Close calls (near misses). Field audit safety scores etc.

Quality - Again, there are so many angles to measure quality such as the number of customers who call back with a complaint because they are not quite satisfied with the way we completed our work.

Delivery - for us this is a simple question: did we accomplish what we set out to do today?

How many jobs were supposed to get completed and how many aren’t quite over the goal line?

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This data is easy to collect and easy to improve, especially at the beginning. For me, this is a very compelling metric.

Cost - This number takes some work to understand your accounting. How much money do you need to make each day to break even plus the desired profit? No doubt our business future hinges on how well we reach our goals. How much money are we trying to bring in per truck per day? How much per truck per year? What is our goal for total revenue this year? Phew!!! We struggled with this one.

• That’s all there is to Morning Meetings?

Really? How does this look in real life? How much time does it take?

Honestly, and I think many companies can vouch for this: morning meetings can get old very quickly. When we first started, we went over the same four metrics every day. Each morning we looked at how we performed the previous day.

It made sense theoretically but what we found was that after a while it got old and nobody really cared. The eyes got glossed over. The team was not motivated by the metrics or maybe the way the metrics were being presented. It was discouraging.

• Well, you have obviously persisted, what has transpired to bring you to the point where you value morning meetings in practice and not just in theory?

Here are some morning meeting criteriaAlways keep in mind “game-time huddle.” The information in the huddle has to be relevant to the success of the game which is providing winning customer service. The huddle must have an engaging feel. The huddle must be mandatory and timely- top priority! Straggling is not permitted. The huddle must be well executed. The huddle must be as short as possible. The huddle must have team member involvement to solve problems so as to win the game.

The huddle is the place to reward and reinforce good behavior. Many times, it means High Fives $$$$. The huddle cannot be blaming or criticizing but should be very educational. The huddle leaders must always be asking the question that SPECIFY the team members are VALUE asking “What’s in it for me?”

Because winning for the company has to clearly translate into winning for the team members. The huddle leaders must be willing to try new ways to engage the team. The needs of the business don’t stay the same. The huddle is essential to the success of operations.

Don’t stop huddling

Part V: The Future of Lean • As we wrap things up, how do you imagine Lean impacting your business future?

This is kind of a hard question to answer.

After a while, Lean becomes less like a tool that we are trying to implement and maybe more like the air that we breathe. It is the way we do business and solve problems. Does that make any sense?

• Okay, maybe an easier question to answer is “Charlie, what changes do you see ahead for your business?”

Thanks, that is easier. Honestly, after 31 years I have never been more excited and challenged about being a part of this organization.

We are asking the question, “what does it mean to be a learning organization?” How can we raise up experts in their field who stick around long enough to be the trainers? No one is left just to “do” a job, but all are challenged to engage in value growth where they are active learners who become active trainers.

So, it’s not just about getting work done. I think it’s all work, and it all improves the value to the customers. We are always being challenged to become a better version of ourselves. That takes work and it’s worth it.

Our plan is a steady 12 percent increase in total revenue year after year with certain profitability and return on investment. This financial performance is not the end, it is only the fuel that brings opportunity and transformation.

MAP

FLOW

PULL

PERFECTION

• That’s a little abstract but I wouldn’t expect anything else from you. Can you give me some more thoughts on how you see the future?

Incremental change. We will add new services that our homeowners value but hire people other than us to do. We want to be multi-dimensional and profitable at all of them.

New employees often help expand us into new services. And the knowledge to do that work becomes institutionalized and it is no longer dependent on that one person. You can check out our website and see the different services.

We don’t want to have a slow season. We have the same revenue goals for May as we do for October. Probably the biggest change for the future will be seen in our team members.

Just the other day one of our guys spoke up in our team meeting sharing the difference between a flock of ducks and a herd of buffalo. When the leader of the buffalo goes down the whole herd stops. When the leader of the ducks goes down there is just another one of many competent and prepared members to step in and take over. This guy described the future I am working toward.

• Where do you get all these awesome team members?

That’s the million-dollar question. How can we build a pipeline of contacts and resources that get good people to seek to be a part of what we are doing here? Once we get good people how do we train and challenge and retain? That’s part of our future as well. The first part to hiring quality individuals is being a quality organization.

Our now GM came to us as sales and marketing manager. He was very clear about his experience in the interview process: when he saw our warehouse, he knew we were serious about quality. He wanted to be a part of the continuous improvement culture that Lean generates.

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FINALLY: I have what I call a truth statement for all team members, techs, customer service, and managers alike. The best investment we can make in stable, fulfilling, well-paying jobs is our continued commitment to delivering awesome value to our customers. We must continue innovating and improving what we do, how we do it, and why we do it.

This ends out article which was the story of the journey of one Charlie Quaile and the lean journey he started on some years ago. As was stated at the beginning, Charlie has now sold Chimneys Plus but is still active in the business. His efforts built a business of true value and one that was sold when he made the decision it was the time to sell.

I want to thank Charlie for his words and his advice that he has offered here and hope that this article is an asset for each and every reader for consideration and implementation of in their own business. I have seen this transformation firsthand and how it has been a benefit to the business that Charlie has built.

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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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BOARD OF DIRECTORS '22-'23 President | At-Large

Region 3

At-Large

Thomas Hunkele topnotchchimney@gmail.com

James Owens james@owenschimneysystems.com

Joe Sauter joe@yourchimneysweep.com

Vice President | Region 1

Region 4

At-Large

Matt Mair matt@blackmoosechimney.com

Debbie Wiedwald debbie@blackburnschimney.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

Michaele Dempsey prochimneymichaele@gmail.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS '22-'23 Advocacy

Ethics

NFPA 211

Debbie Wiedwald debbie@blackburnschimney.com

James Owens james@owenschimneysystems.com

Bylaws

Governance

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

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

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

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

International Relations

Education Open Certification Joe Sauter (317) 243-9687 joe@yourchimneysweep.com

Victor Imgarten stlswp@accessus.net Membership/Marketing David Steward (918) 798-6265 copperridgechimney@gmail.com

NFPA 31 Steve Scally (603) 895-8746 firesidesweeps@comcast.net NFPA 54 Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jim@rooftopsafetyusa.com Technical Advisory Council Steve Scally (603) 895-8746 firesidesweeps@comcast.net

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