Transcript
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's get after it. Snow jobs nation. We are back again, bringing you episode one 73 of the snow jobs podcast main show powered by Top Gun Backplates. As always, I'm Steve. You know who's with me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: My main man, Jeremy Lindstrom is mid swallow here. So let's, uh, did it get it down? What's up, buddy?
RICK JAMES: I got her down. I got her down.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah What are you doing?
RICK JAMES: Hey, buddy. Another week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Another week.
RICK JAMES: odds You know, it's been another busy week putting the God's juice down. So, yeah, getting her done.
The SnowJobs Podcast: oof No dust in North Dakota. No dust in North Dakota.
RICK JAMES: Nope. There's dust, but not behind me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go. A long week, but a good week then. a lot of lot of gallons.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we put a lot of gallons out this week. So, yeah, we were busy. Short week, but, yeah, we we nailed her. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Keeping the fires out of from Canada out of the U.S. s with the fire line.
RICK JAMES: Oh, God, yeah. Yeah, for sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good. attaboy attaboy is the smoke coming down yet no all right that's that app plus yep usually what end of june nothing man nothing just working working hockey working same as last week say literally same week i'm on total groundhog day mode it's uh it's been a been a couple weeks busy couple weeks but you know
RICK JAMES: Keep that shit up there. Yeah. How about you? what's ah Not really. No, I haven't seen much smoke yet, so that's good. I'm sure it'll be coming. It's normal.
RICK JAMES: How about you? What are you up to? Oh.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Doing good for a holiday. Uh,
The SnowJobs Podcast: what holiday oh memorial day i i worked i worked i uh i went and took the overtime i uh definitely uh definitely had a long busy weekend so i figured why why rest for one half day uh let's let's keep the money rolling so i went in
RICK JAMES: I'm a little more early. Yep. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Went in and did it. But, yeah, no, it's always good to always good to be in the firehouse doing that stuff on on holidays. I like the holidays in the firehouse. It's easier sometimes than dealing with family.
RICK JAMES: yeah Should my Dami stop by and say hi?
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, ah he did not.
RICK JAMES: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: But anyway, ah so, ah yeah, it's it's been a long one. We almost freaking screwed ourselves here on this one because I forgot that I am unable to record the next two nights.
The SnowJobs Podcast: so Oh, shit. Like, we got to get Mike and Billy, like, now. Like, we got to get this down. i thought, here, we got all weekend. No, we do not. yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So we got the boys back. Mike and Billy are both back. We're going to finish off these listener questions tonight. And, the you know, that'll be, what, of four episodes now? Four episodes straight, man.
RICK JAMES: right
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wow, they've been with us a month.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Got to give these guys, got to send these guys love, man.
RICK JAMES: It's been a good one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: they They help us immensely, both of them. We couldn't do what we what we do without all the guys, but you know these guys have been giving up a night, a week here for a month for everybody out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and you know This is great information. so it's been very well received guys have been raving about it i just got another dm as we were getting on this one another dm from canada asking for contract templates for floors and ceilings and stuff so that's that's good yeah guys are loving it and you know that's what we're trying to do just keep bringing you what you need so yep mike and billy are back we're gonna
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Nice.
The SnowJobs Podcast: finish off these listener questions we got a couple really good ones tonight um hopefully we can do them justice with our experiences i think think it should be pretty good because i think they're all actually in all four of our wheelhouses so should be pretty good um yeah that's all we got so uh you got anything else before we hit the week of review uh
RICK JAMES: Good.
RICK JAMES: No, let's get through weekend review and yeah get the show on the road here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: all righty let's hear from team top come we'll come back we'll do a quick week review
The SnowJobs Podcast: All gang, we're back. So quick week in review. As we've been saying, check out Storm Chasing Season 2. That is on YouTube on the Storm Chasing YouTube page. I got a couple episodes already dropped.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Clint are up in Canada. I haven't checked their numbers. I'm i'm hoping we're up around 30,000 because all those Clint are employees, you know, better have looked at it by now. Otherwise, we were orange swoggled.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I think, uh, isn't, doesn't the third one drop this week?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Should be should be this week.
RICK JAMES: I think it's June 2nd. I thought it was.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, it should be second or the third.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I couldn't remember what day was.
RICK JAMES: Whatever Friday is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But, yeah, so Clintar better be approaching 30,000 listens or we got duped. So start listening or start watching it there, Clintar. Sima 2026 is in this year. Going to be running from June 23rd to 26th. So if you're going, we'll see you there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Storm Field Day, again, July 29th to 30th this year. They are doing a golf outing this year, adding to that. So if you want to go to any of that, head on over to the Storm website.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Tickets are on sale for the event currently. September 17th, that's a Thursday, S&S Snow and Ice Solutions 6th Annual Snow Show.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre area of Pennsylvania. And the day before that, out at Storks, September 16th, which will be a Wednesday, is Storks Plow Tech School, which is definitely worth going to. And you can get that information on the Storks website. um So if you're coming to Pennsylvania, make it a two-day swing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hit Wednesday and Thursday, and we'll see you there because we're going to be at those. uh october 1st in uxbridge massachusetts third annual northeast de-icing solutions the icing day uh patty salmon and family do a tremendous job with that can't wait to see the new building built specifically for it more morgan wallace so morton wallace is gonna be there performing live yeah we don't know what morton wallace does but he's gonna be there
RICK JAMES: And Morgan Wallace leer
RICK JAMES: will be there. Morgan. Morgan.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: Yeah. patty Patty caught up. he goes He had to call me this week. He's like, holy shit. I don't know. I got to do a lot of things.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's funny. That's funny. Yeah, Morton Wallace. He's going to be there. Oh, man. What else we got here? Jeremy does not have enough room on the shelf for the new patch hat, so we would love it if we could get rid of at least 20 patch hats on order this week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So head on over to the SnowJobsNationStore.com and get your patch hats and while you're at it, a couple T-shirts.
RICK JAMES: is
RICK JAMES: Simon's coming up. You guys want to be representing that Simon.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dude, yeah, that still trips me out, though, how many how much of our stuff you see guys wearing like proudly at at these events. So it's pretty cool. But there's always new stuff in the store. So come on, let's ah let's get some stuff sold this week, this week and next week. cause this What is it? It's June 1st, right? We got to...
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's the end of the fiscal year, so we want to finish strong. So get it done. Get some orders in.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah What else?
RICK JAMES: ru
The SnowJobs Podcast: Keep hitting like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and dropping reviews of the show. Tell us what you want more of. Tell us what you don't like, and we'll make sure to ah to do both.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Anything else? Did miss anything?
RICK JAMES: Still got my two loaders for sale. I'm looking to sell, looking to move. I'm looking to move a snowcat. Come on, let's go. Sell them up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i I thought for sure a Jeremy Lindstrom autograph on the dash would have had both of them sold by now.
RICK JAMES: I got two of them and they have snow cats for sale. Let's go. Who wants them?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Are the windows tinted?
RICK JAMES: Nope.
The SnowJobs Podcast: thing
RICK JAMES: Nope.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All these young guys want blackout windows on everything now.
RICK JAMES: We can do that if they want to buy it. I got i know some.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Spray paint them.
RICK JAMES: and We can do that too.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Spray paint them black.
RICK JAMES: i i got some I got some tent guys around the neighborhood here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: okay
RICK JAMES: Nope.
The SnowJobs Podcast: cuckoo so uh yeah no so no speed sensor problems on the 344s two armrests what more could you ask for that's it they are ready to go cool all right well i got nothing else you got anything else all right let's hear from our partners and uh we'll be right back with mike and billy
RICK JAMES: so I mean, come on. They're ready to go. Need a new home. Need a new home.
RICK JAMES: No, let's get rolling with the boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, gang, we are back. So let's welcome in Mike and Billy. are we doing, gentlemen? We lubricated and ready to go?
Mikey Santolucito : Happy Friday,
Billy: Ready, roll. Happy Friday.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, it is Friday.
RICK JAMES: Happy Friday.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, it's Monday, but the it is Friday.
Billy: Happy Monday.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Billy: that week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How do we do this week?
Mikey Santolucito : how we won't go there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, bad week.
RICK JAMES: yeah
RICK JAMES: Sounds like they both had a rough week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's not good.
Mikey Santolucito : Just chasing in voices.
Billy: Yeah, it's been a long week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, yeah, we're still doing that.
Mikey Santolucito : sha
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's, yeah. That's everybody, though, I think.
Mikey Santolucito : It's almost June one, but it doesn't make sense. It's stupid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, it totally makes sense. We are a last resort of payment.
Mikey Santolucito : That's true.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, we already did the work.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We already did the work. They don't have to see us every day. And they don't need to make sure we're paid up until November when, oh, by the way, we need those guys back again.
Billy: Yeah, you're financing financing it.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What, Billy? There you go. There you go.
Billy: It's a firm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh,
Billy: that's Mike, it's like a firm. Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
RICK JAMES: It seemed like seemed like the same thing we say over and over.
Mikey Santolucito : It's the bank of outdoor pride.
Billy: that
The SnowJobs Podcast: who's uh never mind i can't even ask that question that'll start shit oh fuck that's funny oh well well boys uh you guys did a really really good job you're victims of your own success uh we so we got more listener questions off of what we did and talked about last year what's that victim of his own success
Mikey Santolucito : That's how i describe Billy.
Billy: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, that's it. But yeah, we got more listener questions we got to get through based on ah some stuff we said in the last two episodes. So um guys ready to just get right into them.
Mikey Santolucito : Let's do it
Billy: That's Friday night party.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool. There we go. All right. So let's see. Number one. This is actually good. What questions would you guys ask and what should you make sure that you do during a walkthrough of a site pre-bid?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Any of you guys do anything special? 100%.
Mikey Santolucito : I mean, the first thing I always ask is pile placement. Where do you want it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent
Mikey Santolucito : Where do you don't want it?
RICK JAMES: yep
Mikey Santolucito : What's your line of sight issues that you always run into every year? Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You need to know that because if you have to carry piles 150 yards away, that's going add to your time. It's going to add to your expense. going to add to your price.
Mikey Santolucito : yeah Where do your earliest employees park so I know where I'm going to get the most complaints at 5 a.m.?
RICK JAMES: All right,
RICK JAMES: can we make emergency pile somewhere?
Mikey Santolucito : Are you going to pay for those emergency powers to get moved afterwards? Because I can't move two feet of snow, you know, all the way across the back 40 like you want me to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm.
RICK JAMES: Correct.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And you could even sell that to them right there be like, listen, it's easier for us to, you show me where it's okay to make an emergency pile for during the storm, and it'll still be cheaper having us haul that pile after the storm than if I have to actually carry this shit 150 yards down the road to stack it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I guarantee it's going to be cheaper than my bid price at that point.
Mikey Santolucito : percent
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So anybody do anything else?
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
Billy: I ask hours of operation, pretty much St. Mike does too. Critical areas, call it whatever you want. we Where do these people go? Where do they park? You you know, obviously besides the the normal stuff and if it's a bigger site, can we stage some, you know, loaders here?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Billy: ah Basically that's that kind of stuff during a walkthrough. i usually, oh I mean, last couple of years, I'll be honest, this has nothing to do with the property itself, but
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
Billy: How you pay? I mean, I'm pretty blunt about it. How do you pay?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Pesos.
Billy: Oh, we're a company.
Mikey Santolucito : ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yen.
RICK JAMES: a
Billy: We use, you know, Home Shopping Network. We'll pay you over 12 years, you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We have a 280 day billing cycle.
Billy: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but
Mikey Santolucito : ah
RICK JAMES: sort
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: Pay. Wait, pay? You're expecting me to pay you?
Billy: Right. Oh,
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh This isn't a service you're providing for free.
RICK JAMES: i thought I thought this was for free.
Billy: well, no.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um
Mikey Santolucito : One day maybe we'll be subsidized by the government.
Billy: Bye.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Pre-bid, pre-bid questions.
Mikey Santolucito : ah
RICK JAMES: Fuck.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm trying to try. That would be.
Mikey Santolucito : When do your deliveries usually show up for your building?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure. Yep. That's ah that's a good one.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, ours operations huge obviously are when people are going to be there, you know, especially like we'll send like emails out to customers like before holidays and stuff and trying to get their holiday schedule so you know if they're gonna be open or closed or you don't have to worry about them or not, you know, stuff like that so.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah. When is your monthly generator testing scheduled date?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. Okay.
Mikey Santolucito : Dude, you would be surprised.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah i'm sure i would
Mikey Santolucito : Hey, by the way, i know it just snowed, but the generator guys are going to be here at 1 p.m. because they're gonna do some load testing on the the machine out back. Fucking great, man.
Mikey Santolucito : Was that scheduled?
The SnowJobs Podcast: them to bring a shovel oh my god
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: We have a site that builds pretty interesting equipment and then they like to store it in their back 40.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um
Billy: And then, hey, I got a big heavy hauler coming in in about an hour. do you think you could send somebody over there and make paths for the high low in between them?
Billy: This happens twice year and I don't even complain anymore. I mean, usually it's after the event. Obviously, they're not going heavy haul, but there's no notice.
Mikey Santolucito : Right.
Billy: And now you're paying like four times the amount because it's so aggravating.
Mikey Santolucito : Well, now I'm interested.
The SnowJobs Podcast: can't say.
Billy: And you can.
Mikey Santolucito : what What are we talking about here? What do they what do they make that's interesting?
Billy: Well, it's interesting.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you can't say
Billy: I mean, they make paint paint booth systems like robotics to to paint cars like arms and all that good stuff.
Mikey Santolucito : Oh, okay.
RICK JAMES: Hmm.
Mikey Santolucito : Dope. Oh, yeah.
RICK JAMES: Nice.
Mikey Santolucito : You're in Michigan.
Billy: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um, I'll tell you one thing we've done the last three years, uh, because we, we didn't learn the hard way, but we almost, we almost did.
Mikey Santolucito : My hands are really good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um, we make, we make note, we check the condition of the current pavement. If it is stress cracked and fissured and all sorts of stuff, we have them sign right there, like in the pre-walkthrough that this is not, look at this damage. We photograph it. Like you guys are not going to expect us to fix all this, you know, in the spring, right? You know, we want this signed off that this is currently in this condition and it's going to get worse because of the freeze thaw cycle that inevitably happens all throughout the winter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So we had a ah site maybe four years back that the thing was just fissured everywhere. I mean, I'm talking structural cracks in the asphalt, not not just even surface cracking.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And they tried to say it was... somehow us even though it was there and the only thing that saved us was their video cameras that you could clearly see the cracks when you went back into september you could clearly see the cracks then but yeah they tried to get us to cover some asphalt patching and stuff so we make we we definitely pay attention to the condition of the pavement now and we get them to sign all you guys aren't gonna you're gonna fix this or or you don't expect it to you know us to to take care of it if it gets worse so we definitely make a notation
Mikey Santolucito : It's the snow guy's fault.
Billy: Yeah. No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What's that?
RICK JAMES: Always a snow guy's phone.
Mikey Santolucito : It's always the snow guy's fault.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, oh, 100%. 100%.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But yeah, no, that's definitely something that you want a little you want a little initial from whoever the ah site representative is.
RICK JAMES: Always.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You want to get their initials next to that line saying, pavement's in rough shape.
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We are not looking to come after you in the spring to redo their pavement. Same thing with the curbs. If the curbs are all busted up too.
Billy: Do you guys photograph all that? I mean, we shoot video, photograph.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
Mikey Santolucito : Oh yeah.
RICK JAMES: yeah Yep. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, that is the one thing I use sight photos for is the the stamped and pinned photographs.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Billy: Yup.
Mikey Santolucito : you ever go in and like fix the pins on those maps?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hell yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Do I what?
Mikey Santolucito : you ever like go into Sifo's and fix where the pin placement is? Maybe
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, it's pretty accurate for me.
Billy: You're saying after you damage
Mikey Santolucito : I just take too many photos.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What did you say, Bill?
Mikey Santolucito : No, ah no, no, no, no. Maybe.
Billy: A little adjusted.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, no, I mean, the the sites that we use them on, they've been pretty well accurate on where they are.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, the only ones I tend to have to fix are the the ones with the hydrants. And that's because either myself or whoever took the photo takes it from the middle of the parking lot so the pin doesn't actually like land where it's supposed to. So you shift it in just a touch, but you get a big enough sight, gets a little cumbersome.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, I mean, on that on that pre-bid walkthrough, you should have the RFP in hand.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's your opportunity start matching things up.
Mikey Santolucito : Hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like when they talk about clearing mailbox locations, clearing dumpster locations, well, maybe they don't have them spelled out how many dumpsters are around that property. And you're you're thinking it's one main site and there's actually six sites of dumpsters around that complex that, you know, you got to spend time clearing. So that's a good time to...
The SnowJobs Podcast: They ask those questions like, okay, these dumpsters in this ah RFP, where are they located? You know, how many do you have? The mailboxes, because they if they put in these mailboxes for some of these complexes, they're putting it in there. The mailboxes must be cleared by, you know, 8 a.m. because the mailmen will come at 8.10.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, you know, if they're putting it in there, you want to make damn sure you know where all those gang boxes are. I'm trying to think.
Mikey Santolucito : Right. Yep.
Billy: Another thing that you know that that kind of ties into more last week is if people that do HOAs or condos, garbage day, that don't have dumpsters, that have actually cans, nothing's more fun than playing Pac-Man with some fucking dumpsters or trash cans.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Go ahead.
Mikey Santolucito : yep
Billy: So, like, that should be in the RFP.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Get bent. Yep. Yep.
Billy: Are you removing these off the street, you know, when we clear the road? Some people just leave them out there and then – I'm pretty sure most some of my guys get so freaking pissed off. They just kind of ah escort them back to the driveway.
Billy: And what do you do about the car that parks on the roadway? I mean, you're plowing around it. Then you get a call back and says, hey, we moved our car.
The SnowJobs Podcast: get bent
Billy: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but yep
RICK JAMES: How could you reburied it?
Billy: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but that i mean and that goes But that goes back to when we were talking about the HOAs and stuff that you need to help them establish a good snow operations plan where that shit does that kind of crap does not happen.
Billy: How could you get it out? Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Damn. Right.
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You put out that text and say, two days from now, snow is coming. Make sure your garbage cans aren't on the curb line. Boom.
Billy: Exactly.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because I tell you, there are guys out there, I won't name names, but a friend of mine works for Town Highway. um They give distance. like they They have competition to see you know how how far they can send the garbage can with the wing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's
RICK JAMES: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: i think he's got the record it was a half mile because it got caught up on the wing and he dragged it a half a mile before it it rolled off into a field but good times oh shit all right uh anything else on that jeremy you got anything on that the pre-bid walkthrough and they got anything else
RICK JAMES: No, I mean, pretty much what everybody said there, what we normally do, so.
Billy: Well, I got, ah this is, it's, I don't know how often it happens for some people, but there we do have it once in a while on a particular site. ah Something that gutters, for instance, on a commercial building.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: So then you get icicles. Are we going to break those off or you just going to let somebody take a dagger right to the fucking dome? You know what i mean? So who's paying us to come over and do that? You know, obviously this customer pays us to to break them off, but the shit does happen.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: it alive. Yup.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Or even better, the roof drains that are strapped to the pillars in front of a a strip mall that empty right into the fire lane and that everybody's walking through to get onto the the sidewalk to get in there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Who's responsible for that when I have to come back 60 times for the freeze-thaw cycles?
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: am i Am I putting that my bid? Are we doing that you know time and material? How does that work if it's not spelled out in the RFP? Yeah, that's a good one. That is a good one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, let's move. I guess we'll move on then. Number two, this was a good one. Uh, what have you guys found success with during bid presentation meetings? I guess approaches and stuff or, or, uh, how you handle the meeting.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anybody got.
Billy: going with confidence and swagger and wear good cologne.
RICK JAMES: Swake. yeah
Billy: It's
The SnowJobs Podcast: Billy.
Mikey Santolucito : yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: on his Sergio Valente jeans and his members only jacket and he strolls right in there ah yeah exactly there's your closer there's your closer why wouldn't you do that that's just know you play the cards you tell yeah
Mikey Santolucito : His Ferragamo shoes.
RICK JAMES: Send Angela. You just send Angela in. Call her good.
Billy: easier that way.
RICK JAMES: i already know you do that, Billy. You told me you do that.
Billy: Off your mug in hand.
Mikey Santolucito : That's just good business.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, you and your coffee mug. You told me all about your coffee mug. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you you dude you play the hand you're dealt man i would i would go all in on that all the time
Billy: Killer dude. It's killer.
RICK JAMES: i'm not i'm not i'm not just I'm not fighting.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but ah
RICK JAMES: I'm all for it. We don't have an angel in our office.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um uh i've found success just being brutally honest and telling them like you know what
RICK JAMES: be taught.
RICK JAMES: Nothing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, just being brutally honest and telling them, like, I'm aware that our bid is going to be well above anybody else's pretty much because that's usually the way it is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um You came to us and you want this level of service that has a price tag. And, you know, by then it's just make sure you I just help them make sure you're comparing everything equal, that the level of service, these other bids, that they're on the same page.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that they understand what work is involved and make sure they have backup equipment. Like that, that's the biggest thing.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: When you can do a PowerPoint for somebody, you can show them, hey, here are the actual machines that are going to be at your site on call for you 24-7, 365 from November to April.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here are the pushers. Here is all this stuff. And if that breaks any of that, Look at these pictures. These are all what are less than a half a mile away from you on the road already that can come and rescue your sight and help out if we lose a machine or two.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We have redundancy, tons of redundancy in a very tight area. And a lot of people, like, I don't know many guys around me that can say that.
Mikey Santolucito : Not many. um many
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, I mean, we keep it tight.
RICK JAMES: Mm-mm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's It's a good thing that we keep it tight. And we have the ability to back up, you know, back up the machines with with other machines. And not many of my competitors that come in and bid on sites can say that. And and they'll actually ask that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The one guy said, like, OK, you're going to keep you're going to do our complex or what two trucks. What happens if one of those trucks goes down? Oh, well, we'll get somebody in there to help out. No, no, no, no. you have any more equipment or trucks? Well, no.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, okay. And then that made the difference.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So be honest and play to your strengths. Play to what you know you can do that your competitor is not going to do or can't do.
Billy: I always like to throw out there a little arrogance too. It's like, Hey, I may not be the cheapest bid, but I'll give you my insurance agent's phone number. I've said that a few times and I'm not trying to be cocky about it, but you can call him. You can call their office and get a deck page, inland Marine policy. And I won't touch it.
Billy: You can call them directly. Oh, wow. Like, and you know, just mean that you mean business, you know what you're doing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: You're professional. Don't waste my time. If you want to be low bidder, call, we call Mike. That was a joke.
RICK JAMES: fish
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, That's great.
Mikey Santolucito : No.
Billy: Not the time. Not the time. Sorry.
The SnowJobs Podcast: is great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But no, that's I mean, that's important that that circles back to what we were talking about, about helping them with a proper ah RFP and and having your, you know, having your bid spelled out correctly to do that, giving them the literature of, hey, here are here are five questions you should ask of every ah every contractor that you're considering for this. Here's the 10 things you want to check off the the list that they have.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, the right insurance, the right amount of insurance, um you know, machines, backup machines, all the stuff that that you want to be able to to make it so that when they're reviewing these things, well, you know, these guys are 30% higher.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, but they're also, they have the right insurance, and that's why they're 30%. Oh, and they're also using top-of-the-line machines and live-edge plows. Oh, they're using treated salt. So we're not going to have to rip out bushes and, you know, replace the the first two feet of the grass along every curb line come spring.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, it's those hidden costs that they don't think about. And if you can bring attention to those and you know that that won' that's not going to happen with you, then you can say, hey, what like we did with our very first complex with the driveways. Their pain point was they were spending thirty three thousand dollars to re reseal these driveways after every winter because the guy was doing it with bobcats and construction buckets.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And they were literally just backblading the driveway and grinding the shit out of them, scraping them. So they would they would pay a sealing company, come in there and reseal it every spring. And they said, well, you know, you're $40,000 higher than the next guy. Yeah, well, I can guarantee that shit ain't going to happen. So what's it worth to you not to pay $33,000 every spring?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh. Oh, yeah, now you're in the ballpark. See how that works?
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, that's all it takes a little common sense.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's it.
RICK JAMES: You win some, you lose some.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Yeah, that's the dumbest thing ever in snow. We got to get that t-shirt.
Mikey Santolucito : Jesus.
Billy: It little easier on your, ah for the the boys that have stockpiles of material, i.e.
Mikey Santolucito : jesus
Billy: rock salt or brine or other tools in the, as you hear me preach, tools in the toolbox.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Billy: Hey, did you get a surcharge last year? Hey, I shouldn't tell you that because I did all the fuel surcharges, but, ah we have access to multiple suppliers for equipment. Does Jimmy that's, you know, 30, 40% as the cheaper bidder, does he have access to get salt or is he the the guy that'll promise you the world and actually kind of put sand down?
Billy: You know, those kinds of, I mean, i I guess that's more of a, be smarter than your competition, you know, prove to your customer, hey, did you get a surcharge or did you get salt at all?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, God.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
Billy: You know, every time there was a de-icing event last year, especially on the year we had last year.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Billy: I know plenty of guys that, you know, scraped it up.
Mikey Santolucito : yeah
Billy: They got the salt. They bit the bullet. They delivered good work. But there's a lot of people that didn't. We should be able to capitalize on that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely. Absolutely. Very true. Anything else on that one? Anything that you've had success with, Mike, on these meetings?
Mikey Santolucito : i just remind them what they're getting with that price tag whether it's the dedicated weather service the 24 7 account management the site operations team that is solely focused on that property from the site leader to the operators and the shovelers that, you know, only report to that site for the remainder of the year, not a rotating like gypsy crew that comes in and out, um, that, and I usually go through the site beforehand.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm.
Mikey Santolucito : I just kind of tell them like what, uh, what I noticed when I was there, whether it was, you know, parking, you know, tenant vacancies or, um, how packed it was already in certain areas and like, Hey, this is how I would do it.
Mikey Santolucito : I can kind of see, you know, how the pile place was going to be. These are the areas of focus that I would have, you know, what, what's your, what's your feedback on that. And when I start that cadence, I usually gain a little bit of their trust, like, Oh, okay. He's already invested in this place. He hasn't even won the bid yet.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I like it.
Billy: Plus, you know, you come from 15 year conventional loans on the non payment.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Definitely like it.
Mikey Santolucito : Yes, you can.
Billy: Hey, thank you here's the pay us a couple lawyers later and, you know, it will be in the hole by the end.
RICK JAMES: this
RICK JAMES: oh
Billy: That should be a selling point right there.
Mikey Santolucito : Just pay the whole note up front right now. I'll be here for the whole season. Promise.
RICK JAMES: Just pay me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Not always about the money, but it definitely helps.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anything else on that one? Jeremy, you ah you have any success in those type of meetings? or you don't That's not your bread and butter. you
RICK JAMES: Nah, I'm not usually, no. I'm just usually the get her done guy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha. Win some, lose some.
Mikey Santolucito : Do you wear the coat?
RICK JAMES: Win some, when you win some, you lose some. Yeah, I walk in with the pimp coat on say, this is how it's going to be.
Mikey Santolucito : yeah
RICK JAMES: This is how it's going to be. This is how we're going to do it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That would probably work, honestly. They don't know who Jeremy Lindstrom is
RICK JAMES: Wait. Wait, it should be done.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, my God.
RICK JAMES: We don't piss around when we get the job done, period.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it.
RICK JAMES: No questions.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, it's Glacier. Enough said. That's a great T-shirt for you.
RICK JAMES: Fuck yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go. Glacier. Enough said. Oh, shit.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we'll see.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Moving on then. um ah Here, kind of on the heels of this. How do you sell yourself as the right choice in a bid meeting that you know you're noticeably higher than other bids?
Billy: Thank
The SnowJobs Podcast: This was a question that ah that I had from a guy. um But I said, you know what? This will work for all of us because we've all been high bidder. I mean, Billy has told us like some of the stuff he bids on, like,
The SnowJobs Podcast: How the fuck? the How? How? like This is what I bid, and I'm not even in the same fucking zip code of numbers.
RICK JAMES: Well, it's the amount of service you want. is It's your reputation. they can they can go to another. You give them references of why we we're worth what we are. i mean, it's it's pretty simple. I mean, honestly, if they want good service, they're coming to the right people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: if you're If you're that far over somebody, there's got to be a reason for it. I mean,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm. 100%. And it's 100% right.
Billy: I
RICK JAMES: your service, you're the professional, you know, I'm not, you know, I try to dog other people. Some people just don't know the price, the pricing, but it's, it's, you're, you're buying a service.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I can only...
Mikey Santolucito : You're buying a partner, you know, not just buying a service, you're buying a partner.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah What's that? 100%.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're buying a partner with insurance because that's what it is.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's insurance that your site's not going to fucking fail from November to April. But I mean, for us, it's not, I'm not going to say it's not hard, but we have a system and I know my pricing. I know what equipment it's going to take for these sites to get it done in our, with, with the way we're set up to run our business.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I literally just spell it out for them. I show them the costs to do their property at their level of service requested on their RFP. And they have all the numbers. I'm like, this is the level of service you've requested.
The SnowJobs Podcast: This is the scope of work that you've given us. This is the equipment that it's going to take. This is what our estimated man hours are for, you know, for providing said work at that level of service in an average winter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here's the amount of fuel we're going to use. Here's the average price of fuel right now. Here's salt. that we We literally lay it all out, and then we show them our profit margin, which is not unreasonable, but it's not cheap either.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But then basically just say, if we – this is a well-thought-out – think about what you're looking at. This is an extremely well-thought-out, honest bid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If we are astronomically higher than another guy or another two guys, you got to ask yourselves, why is that? Because everything in this bid makes perfect sense if you really look at it and read it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So why are they so low? Is it they're not paying for proper insurance? Are they on a lawn care policy for $120 a month that has nothing to do with snow operations?
The SnowJobs Podcast: do they you know Do they have a snow rider? Do they have the right coverage? um Are they throwing one rusted out 15-year-old truck at your site and saying, hey, we're hell or high water, we'll make it happen?
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know you got you You put it back on them basically to answer these questions. And just be confident about it.
Mikey Santolucito : Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And you've you've supplied all the information they need. They should have no questions for you, but they should have a fuck ton of questions for all the other contractors based on what you just you told them and what you showed them.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
Billy: I'll add to that too and say, I'll throw in there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Go ahead.
Billy: We have a dedicated team that shows up every night. There's no days off. And, you know, we're pretty good at that. Like we show up, but we pay these guys well.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: Everybody has to get paid well. So if you think, you know, maybe why they're lower, because I don't know what they pay their guys, but we pay a premium wage. I need my guys to be happy to work here to show up at two in the morning in the worst conditions ever.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yes
Billy: Or do you want to hire the guy that's cheap guy? Maybe this guy will show up. Maybe he won't. I mean, it's a phone call and every single guy shows up.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
Billy: They get paid well. And, you know, and I'm not I'm not cheap on that because, you know, the more successful my guys are going to be, they're going to want to get up at two in the morning, three in the morning and and do these long hours.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100% Bill.
Billy: And if that's not valuable to you, take a gamble on a guy that may or may not pay his guys well or treats them poorly or whatever. Who wants to work for a guy like that or a company like that?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: I'm just saying. Same with the equipment, newer fleet. updated fleet, you know, ah you could have this rusted out piece of shit, like you said, and it may or may not break down.
Billy: And I also throw in there our our supply network. We work with Michigan Cat, we work with exotic automation, we work with hose, you know, anything that could possibly happen, Plymouth rubber and transmission have keys to their building, we break a hose, we make a hose.
Billy: That's just what it is, is your guy or you know, I've heard this story many times last year, Such and such broke down. I can't get it until the hose is fixed. That doesn't happen for us.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Billy: We have spare hoses on the shelf, spare trucks, spare snow, rate spare everything. Like a freaking dealer for equipment.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Amen. Love it. I always tell them there's a big difference between plow guy and snow management professionals. And the difference is usually a decimal point and a zero.
Billy: Hallelujah.
RICK JAMES: Right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, you can go cheap. You can take your chances with a plow guy.
Billy: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Not saying anything's wrong with that. But when you want a professional snow management company to handle shit, that is going to be another another zero and a decimal point moved.
RICK JAMES: going to pay for it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
RICK JAMES: Like you said, it's insurance. You're going to pay for it. and we're We're in this to make money.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and percent
RICK JAMES: just like they're in they're and They're doing what they're doing to make money just like we are.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah. It's not a dirty thing for everybody to make money.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
Mikey Santolucito : We're not doing this as a charity.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. And I liked what Billy said. i think it was Billy. Like, we we have to make... he I think he said it last week. We have to make money so we can service you next year and five years from now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, and that... Like, this is America. First of all, like, I'm not doing shit for fucking free.
Billy: Capitalists.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Whoa. Somebody thought that was funny. but
Mikey Santolucito : Dude, I hate these headphones.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not doing shit for free. I mean... We're going to be paid well for the amount of preparation and the amount of professionalism that we put out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You don't like it, don't call us. you know You called us, we don't advertise. So you got our number from somewhere.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But you generally that's what I want to do is I want to come out of that meeting
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: with all the information presented to them so that there is if a logical person is like, there is no other choice, whether they're more expensive or not, we just have to decide if we're willing to pay for the best service or if we're okay with mediocre to possibly shit service.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then it's on them. They're the ones with all the questions. They're not asking questions of us.
Billy: How much is peace of mind worth? That's usually how I end it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
Billy: How much is the peace of mind worth?
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
Billy: You allow us to manage your lawn care, your your maintenance, and then your snow removal. What's it like to not have to call us? How much is your time worth? Decision maker, property manager, IE, maintenance guy, facility, whatever title these people have.
Billy: What does it work to you to know that you're going to come in tomorrow at 6 a.m. and you don't have to worry about it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Yeah, I mean, what's it worth for the one storm that we had this year that was 20 something inches that there were complexes and and commercial sites around us that you couldn't get into for two and a half days, some of them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're talking HOAs with 200 residents that couldn't get in or out of their complex for two full days.
Billy: you
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, listen, you rolled the dice, you lost. Something is broken, you know, with the way you you're hiring snow, you need to pay, you know, you need to start, stop looking at it as an, as an inconvenience or a nuisance service and start looking at it as listen, this can still happen.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And it does happen. So we need to have good people.
Mikey Santolucito : not only Not an inconvenience when it's snowing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent. Then everybody, you know, everybody's failure to prepare is your necessity for action.
Mikey Santolucito : Then we're your your best friend.
Billy: but
RICK JAMES: Oh,
Billy: Put that magic little thing on the front of your trucks.
RICK JAMES: you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anything else, though, for showing that you're the right choice, even if you're noticeably higher?
Billy: Scoop.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Any other tricks of the trade or things that you guys do?
Mikey Santolucito : I think we think we've covered everything.
RICK JAMES: yeah. Just be yourself, honestly. Be confident. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I do drop them now.
Mikey Santolucito : no, no. No, some people shouldn't be themselves.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, hey, if, well, I do drop that now. Like, hey, if if all that information I just presented to you and we just talked for an hour and a half, is that if that's not enough, I do know Jeremy Lindstrom.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I can get you an autographed mug.
Billy: I'm
RICK JAMES: Yep, that'll get you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: the rick james of snow management oh charlie listern holy shit that changes everything let's add another zero uh let's hit some commercials real quick we'll these guys get a drink we'll keep going
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Yeah, damn right. I wish.
The SnowJobs Podcast: all right we're back at least most of us are back jeremy's still gone but in any case oh he's back all right we're all back now oh hermit all right all right uh let's keep going then this one's actually a good one this might depending on how long it takes us to answer this one it might be the last one we do tonight
RICK JAMES: I'm here, just on the other side of the screen here.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
Billy: Thank
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah I like this question, though. If you are small or just starting out with commercial properties, what do you guys feel is the best type of property or site to pursue? And how do you go about getting yourself in front of the decision maker for that site?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I like that question. we can We can definitely give some perspective on that from our own experiences.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Or not.
Mikey Santolucito : I just don't know what that, what that client is. Cause I've never started from that point.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, that's true. Mikey's big time.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
RICK JAMES: yes
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
Billy: I've started the family.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : My own mind.
Billy: Small industrial. private Privately owned small industrial buildings.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You.
Billy: We have a lot.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
Billy: Like tool and dye shops. Small manufacturing.
Mikey Santolucito : So multi tenant, like warehouse industrial type spaces.
Billy: Small office.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Privately held.
Mikey Santolucito : Yup.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'll go even smaller. I'll go even small. ah Small doctors, dentists, or lawyers offices. No, maybe not lawyers.
Mikey Santolucito : Does that include your urgent care?
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, no, I honestly would not fuck with an urgent care.
Mikey Santolucito : Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i
Mikey Santolucito : Really?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, i'm I'm not a fan.
Mikey Santolucito : Why is that?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, if they're 24 seven, people are already going in there in a hurry. um i don't know like you know me i like to limit my liability as much as possible and that's something if we can't be on it the whole time like if we're if we're keeping one machine there and he's just running racetracks that's a different story but um but what i like to what was easy they were easy to get um small one to three doctors in a professional building that the three of them own, um, together or, so or individually, uh, dentist office, the generally the, the doctors and dentists, they, all they care about is if you have them open for their day, uh, black pavement for their day, by the time their first nurse gets in or first assistant gets into, to open up the building and prep for the day.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um, um, which is generally seven, seven 30. It's not astronomically early. Um, they pay very well and they're easy to approach. You just walk in and talk to the office manager. Generally, um, he or she is usually the one that makes those decisions or at least gets in front of the doctor, uh, or the,
The SnowJobs Podcast: the the lawyer, whoever whatever type of professional building you're going after. um If you get in good with the office manager, generally ah you will, you will have a good shot at it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um So, you know, if you're a personable person and you can have a conversation, Just say, hey, you know, I've noticed this site for years, and I noticed that, you know, noticed you weren't open a couple times this past winter. When we did a site next door, we were open at 7 o'clock, you know, and you guys came in late.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Was that on you or was that on your snow? Well, you know, the snow guy couldn't get to it, you know, so we we had to open late. That cost them money. There's nothing doctors hate more. Most of these guys are booked out six, seven months now, these general doctors.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They do not want to have to reschedule people. And people know that if they have to reschedule, they're not getting in two days from now.
Mikey Santolucito : No, they're getting it next year.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're going to go the back of the fucking line.
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: So the patients are coming out, no matter what, if the office is open. And the doctor wants the fucking office open. So like I'm telling you, independent doctor's offices.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not talking about you know major medical centers. I'm talking about one to three to four you know doctor professional buildings or dentist offices.
Mikey Santolucito : It's usually pediatrics, primary care,
The SnowJobs Podcast: okay yeah it's just a regular yeah md yep absolutely the privately held ones that you know the same guy that's that's doing the uh you know that's holding the md is the one writing the check
RICK JAMES: Therapy. Therapy, yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep. Therapy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They don't mind paying well for good service.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And as long as you have them and they're, they're actually very good at also communicating to help you out in my experience, at least that, Hey, listen, there's seven inches of snow coming tonight into midday tomorrow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We're not opening tomorrow. Nobody's coming out in that. We don't want our patients coming out in that office going to be closed. Don't kill yourself. Just have us open by the next morning. Yeah, no problem. So those have been very, very good early on.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They were very lucrative. The downside is they wanted me to do the grass at all.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a downside. They don't want to pay. They want to pay one contractor for for everything. So you might have to do the lawn, but, you you figure out if it's worth it to you or not.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What's that?
Billy: Subdivisions. There's always a need for subdivisions. and which are
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Billy: For guys starting out, I don't prefer them, but that's that is what it is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But if you're just starting out, Billy, do you have the manpower or equipment to handle ah an HOA or subdivision?
Billy: When I say subdivision, like around here, it's just roadways. Very little sidewalk work. It's roadways. Get your foot on the floor.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, no, we don't have that here.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, no, I would hear by us that's like, ah that's townhomes or 55 plus communities.
The SnowJobs Podcast: we don't We don't have that here.
RICK JAMES: We don't have that. That's municipal.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, we don't have that here.
Billy: No, I'm talking like subdivisions, like. freestanding homes, no condos, and you're you're just plowing entranceways and roadways. And it's easy to to these people because they are always in need.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: And you can find them on like Facebook groups, Plymouth County community groups or whatever your local Facebook group is there. And we need and and a snow guy for this year. Another good one is bowling alleys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Bowling alleys.
Billy: little bit of liability though, because of the drinking, but predominantly they do their own sidewalks. because of bowling shoes, right? They don't go outside. Two, easy salt.
Billy: They're usually square parking lots for a lot of people parking, right? And that's it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: And you can just walk right in the door. I mean, I don't know too many chain bowling alleys, but you we do a few. You walk right in the door and say, hey, can I speak to the manager about snow removal? I mean, it's pretty simple. Just present yourself.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i like it
RICK JAMES: Yeah, good.
Mikey Santolucito : He might be speechless for a minute because he may not never gotten that question before.
Billy: Strip up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: subdivision um here when you have a new subdivision open up whether it's whatever 50 60 houses in there uh the towns around here take on those roads interesting that's cool i'd plow roads
Billy: Not here.
Mikey Santolucito : Not here.
Billy: Some do. Some do.
Mikey Santolucito : It's considered private.
RICK JAMES: Left, right, you're done.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it.
Billy: it.
RICK JAMES: Perfect.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Fucking couldn't be easier. Color me a town highway worker.
RICK JAMES: Fuck.
Mikey Santolucito : Twice on one side, twice on the other.
Billy: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, shit.
RICK JAMES: it's
Billy: That's what I was talking about with, like, the garbage cans is the subdivisions.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Billy: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I got you.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um The other.
RICK JAMES: See like a property group or something, you know, like a real estate group of guys that own all these like sub, you know, like you just said, all these little doctor buildings, those guys are easy, easy to get in front of.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hmm.
RICK JAMES: You go talk, talk to them, you know, like a property maintenance group that, you know, take care of a lot of buildings or strip malls or whatever. You know, usually looking for one guy. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: there are very good property management groups like local guys. And then there are ones to watch out for that are the, you know, the ones that you can figure out very quickly that are, are actually running scams.
RICK JAMES: Oh, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And to do those scams, they need their own contractors that are in on it in place at those properties.
Billy: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You find out very quickly who they are. And, uh, you know, like, wait a minute, how did that happen? Like, Oh yeah. You never submitted a bid. oh no, I did. i submitted a bid.
Mikey Santolucito : who
The SnowJobs Podcast: I put it right in his hand. Oh, he said you didn't submit a bid. Oh, you have one.
RICK JAMES: and We were...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure. Here you go.
RICK JAMES: We work for a few really good ones that and they just keep adding and adding every year. So it's great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We have a few really good ones too, and that the same thing happens.
RICK JAMES: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: what can you Basically, they they hand you their problem list at the end of the year and say, hey, here's our top three.
RICK JAMES: What else do you want?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, here's our top three. Take a look and see if you can help us out. you know Blank check, basically.
Billy: You know, another one, make friends with a good realtor.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Billy: Everybody. First of all, a they're usually in a building or in a strip mall.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: One of the two, right? And they're not big, but you do a good job for them. They throw so much work your way. I need this done. I need that done. Or I know this guy and network with these people.
Billy: I mean, the realtor knows the shit going on in town.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: You know what i mean? What's going for sale? Who to talk to people, you know? I mean,
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: we We still we've done doing i made friends with a realtor at a networking group 23 years ago, he's still our client do his house. He's fed us so much work. Great guy. We do his office building all his rental properties and rental buildings and just because one one conversation.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: I mean, a lot of these things that you're the whoever asked you or whoever wrote in is just walk in the door.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: So that's it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%. Introduce yourself.
Billy: I'll take my foot door with you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. And I know that's a problem for, it's not a problem for us because we're all older, but I know that's somewhat of a problem for the 20-somethings out there that they're not used to having a conversation, shaking hands and looking somebody in the eye when they're talking. They're visibly uncomfortable doing that for long periods of time, a lot of them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: because you're you're in the text messaging generation. But do that. Walk in there. Shake hands firmly. Look them in the eye. Tell them who you are, what you're about. And, hey, listen, if there's anything I can do for you, here's my card.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um you know This is what we're very good at. This is what we'd really – we'd love to do the snow here. If you have any pain points with snow, we'd love to sit down and talk to you. we're we're in this comp We're in this industrial park or whatever.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, we're already doing two buildings in here. you know, we'd love to take you on. and Just have a conversation with the guy, you know.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, doesn't have to be salesy. Just get to know. him
The SnowJobs Podcast: Or if you're not a conversationalist, have one of your people that is do it.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, exactly.
Billy: Well, I'll tell you one thing, one of the best pieces of advice my mother ever gave me is what's the worst anybody could ever say? No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, there you go.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: I was in life when um you know we all grew up you know chasing girls or whatever. What's the worst that she could say when you ask her out? No, you move on to the next one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Billy: Just like a client, you move on to the next one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it.
Billy: They could just say no.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it.
Billy: Here's my card. Thank you for your time. And guess what? Five years from now, that card or whatever you dropped off coffee mug Comes back and says, you know what? I blew you off five years ago, but you know what I really need you now.
Billy: Or whatever. You know, you never know.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. Dude, you know, what one of the, prop this is kind of off topic, but it's interesting. ah One of the property management guys I spoke to the other day, he said, dude, you know what is having the biggest turnover of contractors this year? What type of site that we have? I'm like, no.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He goes, take a guess. I'm like, I couldn't even think about it. You know, HOAs. He goes, no, even worse than HOAs. He goes, daycare centers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He goes, the the daycare centers, apparently none of the none of the contractors could get there on time to get them open for 6.30 a.m. drop-off when the parents got to get to work and the they bring in the really early kids.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He said, the tons of turnover, and they they're all looking for contractors that can get it done. So, you know, take a shot.
Mikey Santolucito : That's crazy.
Billy: Is that like KinderCares, like franchise ones?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, not just franchise.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Even around here, most of are private.
RICK JAMES: Just, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know they're privately owned but uh but yeah they they said the yeah the daycare centers dig in and the uh the what is it like pre-k schools type deal um nursery school as they used to call it that uh that kind of stuff he said yeah they turned tons tons of these places are looking for freaking new snow contractors because guys dropped the ball last year
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Billy: You know and another one that for this this listener is that it's a good space filler and I love them, churches.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, yeah. Love it.
Billy: Churches that are,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Love it. All day.
Billy: huge but good they they want service but you know you have a little flexibility with scheduling that doesn't have to be first on the list you know stuff like that works out usually lot of churches around here have additional properties schools or whatever have you that's a good foot in the door
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. Give big on Sundays. Give big on Sundays.
Billy: hallelujah
Mikey Santolucito : Support your local cloud guy.
RICK JAMES: Huh?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I keep seeing that guy's face at Storks. He got so mad at me. Oh, ah oh shit. You know that money you're putting in the bucket every Sunday. A lot of that's coming my way.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He did not like that. but ah um What are we coming up on? An hour here. Anything else on that one? Any any other ideas for guys?
Mikey Santolucito : Nah.
RICK JAMES: Just like Billy said, these what's the worst I can say is no. Just just be present and shoot your shot.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: absolutely um the other the other one i will throw out there actually because it's just recently come to my attention that sometimes this happens it doesn't happen here but in other towns close to us i didn't realize it does um towns and villages will completely sub out their municipal parking lots um and you know municipal stuff of that of that kind uh they don't do it here like i guess they do the emergency services buildings but the municipal lots are done by the village or done by the town there are towns around us though that all the plowing basically is completely you know if it's not the roadways everything else the lots and stuff are all subbed out to contractors
The SnowJobs Podcast: So maybe it might be worth figuring out how your local town or township does it. They might have a need. And they pay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's all I got, boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anybody else got anything you want to throw in on this on this fourth episode here?
Billy: This is the clock roll.
The SnowJobs Podcast: This is it, man. This is the end of the month. a month's a month's worth of uh rfp and contract episodes a lot of good information in the month though lot of great a lot of great listener questions so i mean i hope we've done you guys justice with those i mean i know we gave a lot of good information from you know our own experiences but i hope we were able to to help you guys out answering these
Billy: Hey.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : There is.
Billy: been
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Did have a request for a webinar to talk about contract structure, specifically a lot of guys are after last year, a lot of guys are now, now they're interested in the floor and the ceiling and how it works.
Mikey Santolucito : yep
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: how do we do it how do we do it so uh a lot of guys are asking for uh a webinar or web meeting um which we uh we will put that together so we'll get that going we'll let everybody know pay attention to the socials we'll uh we'll announce it and if you want in you can get a link and we'll we'll do it we'll sit down we'll go through the whole ball of wax anything else boys
Mikey Santolucito : That'll be a good one.
Mikey Santolucito : No?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we're good. 8.30.
Billy: Dinner time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: all right well let's get jeremy out of here then dinner time
Mikey Santolucito : Dinner time? Buddy, it's 9.30. Ugh,
Billy: Late day, buddy.
RICK JAMES: it iter
Billy: Just as long as your week was, Mikey. Come on now. We're a day behind with the holiday.
Mikey Santolucito : jesuss
Billy: Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Just glad ate.
The SnowJobs Podcast: are you on eastern time billy are you central you're on eastern okay oh dude um my geography's bad dude i didn't realize i had to fly over wisconsin to get to minnesota
Billy: I'm on Eastern. Yeah. It's 930. We're in Michigan, bud.
Mikey Santolucito : What's geography? Listen, if I was good at geography, I wouldn't be a fucking snow guy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I thought it was vice versa.
RICK JAMES: Hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I thought it was, dude, anything, anything West of Pennsylvania. I couldn't tell you where the States line up. think I don't care. it But ah yeah, no, I was, I remember being in the plane going to storm day and I'm like, gotta fly over Wisconsin to get to Minnesota. I thought it was the other way around. thought Wisconsin was further West.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah Oh, well, it's been a long time since fifth grade geography. All right, boys, well, we'll let you know.
Mikey Santolucito : I'm gonna see student.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Are you kidding me? I would have been in big trouble with C's. No, sir. that that That would not fly. i would be i would have been pulled from sports. they Oh, man, there was nothing more important to my parents than grades, which is ridiculous when you think about it because I got a fucking handful of college degrees and I haven't done shit with any of them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're useless.
Mikey Santolucito : Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Completely completely fucking useless.
RICK JAMES: Mm.
Billy: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like I should have gone to, literally, I should have gone to be an electrician or an HVAC guy. I'd be making a fucking half mil a year working two days a week and fucking figuring out what the hell to do with the rest of my time.
Mikey Santolucito : Hindsight.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dude, you got it. I'm telling you, push everybody to the trades, the trades. Like I have had conversations with a couple guys in the last week, like one electrician, one HVAC guy. They're like, if you have anybody with a fucking pulse and half a brain from 18 to 25, I will pay them $45 an hour. I will teach them how to do everything. I will get them licensed on their own after fucking two years and then they can go off and do their own thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He goes, i just I need workers. I can't possibly get all the work done that I have. And he's like, we're we're jacking our prices because there's so few of us, and we know that people are people are going to wait for you, and they're going to pay, whatever.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I was like, dude, the one the HVAC guy said, do I can literally make fucking $3,500 to $4,000 a day without breaking a sweat, work fucking two, three days a week, and be done.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm like, good for you, dude. Nope.
Mikey Santolucito : Hey, I can't take everybody's job.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you got kids and their teens are coming up, man, push them to trade school. Don't send them to college to get brainwashed. It's a waste of fucking time now. And they're getting out of college, and there's no not even any jobs.
Mikey Santolucito : waste of money.
RICK JAMES: What? Liberal arts degree is not go to be good?
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's a waste of money. What are what are you going to do? You're going to pay a ton of money. There's kids getting out of college that can't even get jobs.
RICK JAMES: Dude, you can go protest.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, you got me off on a tangent now.
RICK JAMES: You can go ingo protest.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh shit support your trades go to trade school get it done that's what uh i'm telling riley you know when you if you crap out with hockey you know go be a little attrition or an hvac guy plenty of time for everything plenty money to do it all right boys we good
Billy: We're good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
Mikey Santolucito : Nope,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Thank you, guys. That was awesome. Been a great month with you. Appreciate it. And we'll see you guys soon. Are you going to Simon, Billy?
Billy: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You going to be so at Simon Simon adjacent?
Billy: Probably adjacent.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Yeah, that's that's what I thought. I'll be Simon adjacent as well. And Mike, na you don't think so?
Mikey Santolucito : nope i will be here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 10-4. All right.
Billy: You going, Jeremy?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good enough.
RICK JAMES: I'll be there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We'll be there.
Billy: Orlando will be there.
Mikey Santolucito : This the Simon and Jason crew, these three.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yes yes we will be adjacent to simon all right well thank you boys been a great month it's uh always a pleasure talking to both of you thanks for all the information you guys are awesome couldn't do it without you definitely mean it and uh that'll do it we'll wrap it there jay good
Billy: you
RICK JAMES: Sounds good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, that's it. Episode 173 of the Snow Jaws Podcast main show in the books. Thanks to the boys. Couldn't do it without them. It means the world to us They come on every week. We keep asking. They keep saying yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I don't know we should What do you think, Jeremy? Keep pushing this? Like, we'll do we'll just keep asking them, see how many episodes we can get before they tell us to fuck off.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, keep keep the questions coming in.
Billy: I thought you were going to have to to the
Mikey Santolucito : Let's break a record here.
Billy: I thought you were to have to
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you guys got more questions, hit us. All right. Hit us up on social media. Hit us up on the website. If you got our direct numbers, you can text us. But yeah, if you guys have even more questions and we haven't covered it, keep them coming and we'll keep doing it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Have everybody have a great week. Be safe out there. Keep pushing.
