Transcript
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, let's get it, Snow Jobs Nation. Here we go. We are back again, bringing you episode 181 of the Snow Jobs Podcast, main show powered by Top Gun Backblades, the best show in snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: As always, I'm Steve. You know who's with me every week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Rick James is in the house. Jeremy, how are you, buddy? What's going on?
RICK JAMES: Oh, doing really well, Steve. How about you, buddy?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Not too bad, bud. Not too bad. Good week. Good week. Went fast. we're ah We're traveling this week.
RICK JAMES: yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yep, we're on the road, on the road.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We are on the road.
RICK JAMES: Taking the show on the road.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it. Heading to storm day.
RICK JAMES: Storm day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's going to have a new meaning. It it looks like we're going to get some storms while we're out there. Did you look at the weather?
RICK JAMES: No, I don't look at the weather.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, looks like Monday, Tuesday.
RICK JAMES: It's summer.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. looks like monday tuesday and look
RICK JAMES: Ah, it's nothing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
RICK JAMES: It's always a, whenever it's hot here, there's always a chance for a tornado watchers and bullshit. every Anytime it gets hot here in the summer, they send the same shit out every every day. So,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. How's the Canadian smoke?
RICK JAMES: that's ah, early in a week was there and then it's kind of cleared up pretty good now. So, it's maybe a little haze, but it's, it's doing, it's doing fine. So, nothing like, nothing like it was last week, I guess.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It has finally cleared here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, no, it's finally cleared up here a little bit and we haven't had it in two or three days now.
RICK JAMES: So,
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's a good thing. Maybe they got,
RICK JAMES: Most of the right winds or something up there. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, it couldn't have been that they actually got their shit under control.
RICK JAMES: No, no.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotta be wind.
RICK JAMES: That's, nah. My fire line probably helped.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: We put some fire lines down. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go. There you go. You get everything sprayed up.
RICK JAMES: Oh, shit. We've been busy spraying. Shit. Yeah. We sprayed what?
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're running serious product.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Yeah, we sprayed five rail cars in 24 hours. So we're hammering her.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go. There you go. With with your mandated DOT breaks, right?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we just ran a hose from the real car.
The SnowJobs Podcast: there go There you go. All right. Oh, shit. Yeah. So this week is Storm Field Day. This is this is the fourth annual, I believe, fourth annual field day.
RICK JAMES: Yes, sir.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Moving to a new venue. It's big doings, big goings on for Storm this year. New venue. They've outgrown their other venue.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, big time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, a couple less golf simulators might have helped, but the I do, too.
RICK JAMES: Big time.
RICK JAMES: i think it'll be I think this new one will be nice. It'll be right in town. It'll be right in town.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think it'll be good.
RICK JAMES: We can walk in distance to the hotel. so when you guys So when you guys want to go eat somewhere, you guys can just drive and be gone for a little while instead the whole afternoon like last year.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's important.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, that was, that was different. You know, we go something to eat and it's like, everything's 20 minutes away and 20 minutes back. So yeah, it was, ah it was interesting, but yeah, it should be a great time looking forward to it and getting out there and seeing everybody again. And it should be a lot of fun.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, definitely. Looking forward to seeing everybody. so Pretty sure Arctic's bringing me my new black Razorback.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool. Cool.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. You got a big boy truck to put it on. Are you going to put it on like an F one 50? Atta
RICK JAMES: No, I'll get a big boy truck. I'll get a big boy truck.
The SnowJobs Podcast: boy. Atta boy. ah ah
RICK JAMES: so Spencer, Johnny, make sure you bring that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes. Yeah. I'm sure they have it loaded already. They're ready for you. They are ready for you.
RICK JAMES: I just talked to Johnny. I think yeah johnnys Johnny's doing DJing something tonight. So, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: DJ big daddy.
RICK JAMES: Oh, dude, he's got the jacket and everything.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm,
RICK JAMES: You should see the jacket he's got around. It's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: I bet he does. I bet he does. Oh, shit. So what are we doing tonight? we are ah We are trying to put a dent in these listener questions that we've accumulated in the last month since Saima.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um You guys keep hammering a away, and and it's awesome. We love the feedback. We love the questions coming in, and whenever you guys send them in, we're going to We're going to try and get them answered for you the best we can from our experiences. And tonight to help us do that, we got crowd favorites, Mike Santalicito of Outdoor Pride. and We got Robert Thing of Artie Outdoor up in Maine. And that's what we're going to do. We're going to try and put a dent in some of these. I think we're down to 56 questions now in the ah in the queue.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So we knocked off five last week or two weeks ago with Billy Moore and Mike and ah We're going to knock off another four to six tonight, and we'll keep getting these down for you guys in the offseason here going into contract season.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: A lot of lot of good stuff tonight. So that's what we got. We got the boys here in studio to do it. And you know what we got to do before we do that? We got to hear from Team Top Gun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We got to come back and do a quick week review. Got a lot of events to announce.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, gang, we're back. So we can review announcement time. Storm Chasing Season 2 is live on YouTube on the Storm Chasing YouTube channel. Head on over there. We got four episodes dropped for you. ah If you haven't already checked them out, there are four episodes up there to check out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah July 22nd has already passed, so I'm not going to read that. ah I'm sure all 50 or 60 people attended Snoposium up in current Toronto and Canada.
RICK JAMES: Ah, yes. I was trying to get in there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
RICK JAMES: i I couldn't find the right door. I couldn't find the right door.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He was up there. he was trying. Couldn't get couldn't get in.
RICK JAMES: I was trying.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: Sorry, Kirkham. Sorry, Kirkham.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You don't see me?
RICK JAMES: Tried.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm waving at you right now. You don't see me over there?
RICK JAMES: Yeah. those Those frosted doors. I just couldn't get through them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: As we said, Stormfield Day is this week, the 29th and 30th. Tickets are over, so we'll ah you know we'll see out there if you're heading there. ah Let's see. August 7th is the next one up. That's UD Maintenance Snow Day. It's out in Amherst, Ohio.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah If you want to attend that, head on over to UD Maintenance and get on their socials. There's a q QR code, I believe, for their third day.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, he's got a QR code. Yep. thanks
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. And then ah August 13th is a big day. You got a West show and an East show. So on in the West, in Fargo, Moorhead, you got the Valley Green Snow and Ice Day in Fargo.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Or Moorhead, whatever. It's the same thing, right?
RICK JAMES: Morehead.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Moorhead.
RICK JAMES: Pretty much, yeah yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
RICK JAMES: Just a river.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. So when it's a perfect day to do it, that's when the...
RICK JAMES: Well, we don't we don't have the daycares on our side.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What?
RICK JAMES: if They have the daycares on their side.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha. Gotcha. Oh, that's funny.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah But yeah, if you want to go Valley green, ah check out their socials. They have a flyer up with a QR code as well. Also on the 13th is the Connecticut groundskeepers association ground and ice expo.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's at the Durham fairgrounds in Durham, Connecticut. um they are currently accepting vendors and sponsors for that event. Uh, they have a a lot of different things going on, including an iron operator challenge with cash prizes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, think the top prize is a thousand dollars. So, uh, You know, that could be pretty cool. If you want more information on that, head over to CGKA.com. August 18th in Story City, Iowa is the snow removal workshop at the EBY showroom hosted by Iowa Professional Lawn Care Association. You can register for the event at iowalawncare.org. $25 for members, $50 for non-members.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: September 16th and 17th is our Pennsylvania swing. You got Wednesday Plow Tech School on the 16th at Storks. ah That is the Douglas Dynamics everything plows spreaders to fix them on your own without needing a dealer. It's an awesome class, awesome day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um so you head over to Storks on the 16th. That's Wednesday. And then if you're doing that, you might as well stick around in Pennsylvania, drive an hour and 10 minutes to Scranton and go to the S&S Snow and Ice Solutions 6th Annual Snow Show on Thursday.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. That's the 17th. And if you're doing that, you might as well head back to Starks on Friday and Saturday for Starks open house this year. That's the 18th and 19th. All right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So Starks is doing a lot of events that week. So that's cool.
RICK JAMES: i
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then on October 1st, we wrap up the season. I think we wrap up the season, hopefully ah in Uxbridge, Massachusetts for the third annual Northeast de-icing solutions, de-icing day. That is the Morton Wallace concert and all that good stuff up there.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, big big day, big day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So yeah. That ah should be a good time. they're putting up a building just for the event. So hopefully it gets finished in time.
RICK JAMES: Hopefully the billing goes up. It wasn't up as last week as it even started.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Come on. and but ah Head on over. If you're going to any of these events, you're going to need to be dressed properly. So head on over to snowjobsnationstore.com. Get all your Snow Jobs Nation swag. Keep hitting like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Drop those five-star reviews for us. Drop the comments. Drop the questions. All right. ah Everything you guys do helps us bring you more of what you want to hear. All right. I think that's it. So you got anything else, Jay?
RICK JAMES: We're good, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: all right, let's hear from our partners. We'll be be right back, and we'll get into with the boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we're back. So let's bring in the boys, Mike and Rob. How we doing guys? How's everything?
Mikey Santolucito : Great.
Shawn : Hello, amigos.
Mikey Santolucito : What's going on dudes?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Been, been a while, Robert. How you doing?
Shawn : Good. How about you, Steve-O?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Not too bad. Can't complain. Can't complain.
Shawn : Or Dad?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Things are things. What? Or dad. Oh,
RICK JAMES: Sean.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Sean.
RICK JAMES: Sean. Ah,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sean.
Shawn : Fuck, Sean.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sean. Sean couldn't come on tonight. He has he is a wedding or something. Oh,
Shawn : Yeah, his wife's probably getting married.
RICK JAMES: yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: the right one. Finally found the right one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it. That's it. I see he's getting rid of his little alpha Romeo there.
Mikey Santolucito : That's why he's gonna pay for the wedding.
RICK JAMES: Oh, he won car show.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He what?
RICK JAMES: He won some car show there. nightder Didn't you see that? Or that was on Snapchat.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He won a car show.
Shawn : Yeah, you got second or something, didn't he?
RICK JAMES: if you Oh, first loser?
Shawn : Or did he get first?
RICK JAMES: I don't know.
Shawn : Yeah, he's the first loser. He's always the first loser.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There's no points for second place.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, yeah. Second's first loser.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, there's no points for second place.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, it was some some kind of car show. He had like a little trophy and stuff was for his exotic car or something.
The SnowJobs Podcast: For an Alfa Romeo?
RICK JAMES: I guess. I don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Really? Maybe they felt bad for him. but
RICK JAMES: but I don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Look at this guy. This is cute. He's bringing this to a car show. ah
RICK JAMES: He's the only one in the car show and he still got second place.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So adorable. He's bringing an Alfa Romeo to a car show. third
Shawn : It's
RICK JAMES: know what that is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: A little Italian car. Oh, my goodness.
Shawn : not cool.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, exactly.
Shawn : Let's just put it at that. That's why nobody really knows what it is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but Are you saying Sean's car is... so
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yep. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah ah
Shawn : You ever watch ah the comedian, what is it, Jeff Dunham, when he has the puppet or whatever, and he does that Honda Civic thing, and it goes, I'm gay.
RICK JAMES: ye
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
RICK JAMES: ye
Mikey Santolucito : oh
Shawn : I'm gay.
Mikey Santolucito : I'm gay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh,
RICK JAMES: mean yeah
Shawn : Sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Shawnee.
RICK JAMES: a
The SnowJobs Podcast: I miss Sean. He's too funny. ah Anyway, well, let's get rolling here, boys. I want to ah want to get through a couple of these tonight.
Mikey Santolucito : Let's get serious now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: let's Yeah, let's go. All right, serious. So first question. I know you guys are against working for national brokers, but if I do get an offer for a site in my town that I'd want to explore further,
The SnowJobs Podcast: What steps do you recommend i take?
Mikey Santolucito : And you still ask the question. I love that for you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, good for him. yeah he's I mean, I don't know. maybe they Maybe the brokers have all the sites in his town. Who knows?
Mikey Santolucito : I mean, I guess it really depends. Like, are they asking for your number or are they giving you numbers first and asking if you can meet that?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Don't they usually always send out the mass flyers with the price already on it?
Mikey Santolucito : If.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like what they're willing to pay, and then they have the little counter offer button.
Shawn : All right.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I don't...
The SnowJobs Podcast: We've said it numerous times. If it's got a counter offer or button, don't ever accept the first price.
RICK JAMES: Oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um I don't know. I mean, see, I'm just it's not so much working against them, even if they even if the money was right. Sometimes their contracts are designed to screw you.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, unless you like go through that thing really thoroughly or have like, if you have like a lawyer entertainer, have them go through it really thoroughly. If it's in like a very route dense area, like you've got eight buildings on the same street, hypothetically.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, entertain it. I mean, you've already got so much in that area that's making you profitable.
RICK JAMES: Win some, you lose.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's if the money is right.
Mikey Santolucito : This one's, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: not Not win some, lose some. you know We don't do that.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Win some, you lose some.
Mikey Santolucito : I'm not saying like take a bath on it, but
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
Mikey Santolucito : Look at the contract first and make sure you're going to get like all the money if we have that kind of winter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Thomas.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. You have to cross every T, dot every i that they want you to.
Shawn : I mean, it's...
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
RICK JAMES: I mean, it you know how it is.
Mikey Santolucito : Floor ceilings payment terms photos before and after or fucking during like how many do you need for each?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, And those are hidden things when you're when you're looking at the money that they're offering.
Shawn : I mean, it's even what...
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Even if you can get something that you think is reasonable and or that you would entertain, a lot of the times the the hoops that they make you jump through, that's all hours that you know you have to factor in every storm, hours of reporting and documenting and stuff that...
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Always phantom costs with these guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you Yeah, you got to get paid for those hours. You know, you can't just, roll you know, roll the dice. So you got to make sure that you factor that in when you're looking at their price that, you know, every storm is going to be how many hours, Mike, you think three to four of reporting and photographing.
Mikey Santolucito : Oh, minimum. Minimum. But also if you do end up taking it, like check the legal verbiage. like If they lose that account, like are you allowed to go after them yourself if if it's in your area or do they have like a non-compete, not solicit for like a year or two?
Mikey Santolucito : Because that would suck if it's a place that you want and they have it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yup.
Mikey Santolucito : That's definitely one one thing I think about the most is with a broker, with a building that I want,
RICK JAMES: May I ask?
Mikey Santolucito : If I do it and they lose it, I can't touch them for, what, a year or two and hope that they don't lock somebody down for three years?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Yeah, it's ah it's a slippery slope when you start dealing with the brokers. i just you know You know how we feel about it, but ah I don't know.
Mikey Santolucito : Make the brokers go broke.
Shawn : I mean, it's insurance, too though.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What, Rob? that is true.
Shawn : I mean, um i don't know if you guys said insurance or not, but like I've never had a insurance company that would you know ever even cover us for that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That is true. that is true
Shawn : That's the other thing, too.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm. That's a great point.
Shawn : And again, now now that I say that, I start to think about it like how are how are people getting insurance for this?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't think they are, or they either don't know that they're not insured for it until something happens. And then, wait, what? What do you want us to insure? What? no, no, no, no. You know,
Shawn : Yeah, but doesn't like say that, you know, management company per se. Don't they make you give them a copy of insurance that shows kind of like ah everything's together.
Shawn : So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm sure they do, but how much do they even care as long as they have you on the hook for it, whether you're insured properly or not?
Mikey Santolucito : The brokers usually don't. They just want trucks on the ground.
Shawn : That's true.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Shawn : That's true too.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, because once you sign that contract, I'm sure their contract states that it's not on them. It's on you. You assume all liability on that side.
RICK JAMES: It's always on you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, ah you know, I don't know if they actually care if you're properly insured or covered at that. i'm You know, I'm sure they'll say they do. But, you know, when it comes time to get in boots on the ground, you know, ah you look at who's doing some of these sites, you know, for brokers and you know, they're not insured.
Shawn : No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: if you can't afford a new fender for your 1987 Chevy that you're plowing that Walmart with, I doubt very highly you can afford, you know, $30,000 in insurance just for that store.
RICK JAMES: for us.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So I don't know.
Shawn : No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a tough question for us to answer. You might, uh,
Shawn : I don't think it's worth it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I don't.
Mikey Santolucito : No, it's never worth it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think that's a tough one for us. We're kind of biased on that. But, you know, just make sure that you don't take their first offer. That's the you I mean, if everything else, if you've done your due diligence, you've taken the contract to a lawyer and you've talked to your insurance company and they're willing to cover you on that with your snow rider and all that stuff and everything comes out roses, make sure that you, you know, you don't accept their first offer. And if they're desperate,
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, there's been stories, you know, and again, you don't know how true they are. We've talked to guys that say, oh, you know, I got exactly what I wanted from the broker. Well, you either didn't want enough money or you're full of shit that you got that price from broker.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, I just, I don't know.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I've never heard of a broker giving you more than what they bid the store for. i just That's kind of, that's not the game they play. so
Mikey Santolucito : Like we said, if they're asking you for your number, and you give it to them and they're fine with it, and you meet all their insurance requirements, sure, entertain it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Very rare, very far and few between.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
RICK JAMES: Yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. I mean, good luck. I don't, and again, I don't think we're the best guys to answer that question. Um, we just don't, we don't do enough. We don't do any business with them. So we don't know enough of the ins and outs. What?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh shit. Uh, so let's move on then. Uh, let's see. This is a good one. Uh, I'm looking to get my first machine this winter season. Do you think I should purchase it, lease it, or possibly even rent it if the terms are right? And do you think I should get a skid or a compact loader?
Mikey Santolucito : There are so many great answers to that.
RICK JAMES: So many.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. I'll be the first to say i'm I'm more inclined to worry about what I'm putting in front of the machine before the machine.
RICK JAMES: that
Shawn : Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Can i put something before that?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Go ahead.
Mikey Santolucito : What's the contract term? Are we talking a one year annual or a three year?
RICK JAMES: Right. that's says Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Is it a one?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Is this a route machine?
RICK JAMES: Yeah. you know
Mikey Santolucito : That's going to dictate what I buy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Is this site specific? Yep. 100%. hundred percent
RICK JAMES: Yeah. It's going to three year and then you can buy. if it's a one year, then you want to buy this rent. I mean,
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Or are you buying this to take like three or four sites on on a route? Or you buying this as a site-specific machine for one contract? I mean, there's a lot of, does the contract, have you done your your numbers right that the contract over that three-year contract is paying off that machine for 12 months?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because that's, you know, you have to do that um with whatever you're putting in front of it.
Mikey Santolucito : With the attachment.
Shawn : Unless you already have something.
RICK JAMES: I'm
The SnowJobs Podcast: Unless you do.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yup But I mean, ah yeah, my philosophy, I mean, I've said it on the show once or twice that my philosophy was always to buy the machines and have the contracts pay for them.
RICK JAMES: um
RICK JAMES: Private.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because if I'm leasing or I'm renting and I go belly up or i die something, we yeah, i like I like having equity and having something that my family can sell and and get money back on.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, but that's it. You're an equity guy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um If you're leasing or renting,
Mikey Santolucito : He's so morbid, man.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, you know, it's just, that's how I look at it. That's, some you know, I do the contracts that the machine, any machine I'm going to put on that site is going to be paid for by that contract for 12 months.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not using it for anything else. And that's, that's how we do it. And, you know, that might not work for everybody, but that works for us.
RICK JAMES: I
The SnowJobs Podcast: And that's why we roll with it.
Shawn : and the The problem with us is, you know, we have so much equipment for summer work that like excavators, skid steers and all that type of stuff that for us to carry, you know, loader payments and everything else. I mean, yes, if your contract in the winter should pay 12 months of a payment, I understand that. But when you get into the nitty gritty of that, it's like you have to now take that money out of the installments from that, from that snow site, and then almost put them in a total separate bank account that then pays that, or you got to pay that loan ahead.
Shawn : And it just gets sticky where I, where we have kind of been renting a little more than i ever have in the past, you know, 10 years, I guess what,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Shawn : And I think it it works better. I mean, you pay, you know, obviously more for five to six months, whatever your contract terms are. But at the end of the day, you know, all we do is grease it, check the oil and put fuel in it. And then at the end of the day, we bring it to the shop, we pressure wash it and then we bring it back.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And that's a great point, Robert, because I'm a compact equipment guy. I'm not a big loader dude. I'm a compact loader and skid guy. So if I had to if i was looking at a $250,000 machine instead of a $100,000 machine, that's going to change my thought process a little bit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's a great point to bring up. And I should have specified that myself. I'm a compact loader and skid guy. I don't have any big loaders. We don't need them for what we do.
RICK JAMES: also Also, if we look at it too, and that whole scenario is, can you use, if you want to get a, you know, skin compact kind of, I wouldn't say the same thing, but kind of in in in some ways.
RICK JAMES: But if you are going to use that skid year-round, not just for snow, you know, if you're landscaping in, obviously get a skid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure Yeah can you find other work for it To even it out
RICK JAMES: you're going to use a skid more than compact in the summer, more likely. You know, that's, I mean, yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, but you're also, feel like you're charging two different rates though, because green season is always lower than the snow season.
RICK JAMES: i mean.
Mikey Santolucito : One, because the season's longer than snow season is, but two, it's a lot more like cost competitive in that market. So you got to kind of be a little bit lower than you would be for alley rate for your winter work.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm Interesting Okay I charge the same hourly I knew i I didn't know you're supposed to charge less in the green season. 10 for.
Mikey Santolucito : I'm not saying you are, I'm saying some guys do.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but ten four Yeah, generally we don't even, yeah, we don't even, when we used to do a lot of green work and it called for a skid or an excavator, it was just like, give us a price for the job. And we just tacked on like whatever my hourly was in the system for the skid, you know, for the winter. That's what, that's what it was for. Okay. Skid and Harley rake for, for that job. That's what it is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think what most of them we do by the day rate. So there probably is a little bit less. We're not charging them for eight full hours. We're probably giving them a little bit of a break there on the day rate. but
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, but that's definitely good stuff. And as far as what you should get, i mean, like like Jeremy said, can you get other work for it? You're definitely going to be able to do more be more versatile with a skid than a compact loader um and probably be able to do a little more work with it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But at the same time, what do you need it for in the winter? ah Do you need it to travel three quarters of a mile down the road? If you do between snow sites, um three quarters of a mile can be done in a skid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's not fun. i would not recommend it. And it's slow, but
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, if ground speed for a large area is what you need.
RICK JAMES: We do it all the time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah, it's, I mean, what what's a skid 11 miles an hour, top speed and second and high.
RICK JAMES: I mean, 12, 13, isn't it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: 11, 12. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Isn't it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: 12. Maybe, maybe you get an extra.
RICK JAMES: With the like big tires on it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Maybe you get an extra mile per hour with snow tires.
Mikey Santolucito : maybe Maybe if you turn the heater off, you get an extra two or three.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I think the, the SV two eighties, I think are 12.
RICK JAMES: I think they're like 12 or 13, honestly.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I think they're 12 miles an hour. I think they're 8 miles an hour and for in low and then 12 in high. And then ah the compacts are running like 21, the 321s.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. So it really depends, you know, what you need to do and what time frame you need to do it in for that machine.
RICK JAMES: Right. going to, like you said, put on the front of it also, you know, so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That has a lot to do with it. um But also...
RICK JAMES: I'm a loader guy, so I'd say loader. But like you say, it all depends on what he's got.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, I mean, if this guy's looking to add his first machine, he said it's his first machine. He probably doesn't have any pusher. That's what I'm guessing. Uh, cause why would you have a, push unless he's rented machines in the past and he just bought the pusher instead of, uh, renting the pusher with it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um, you know As always, i would I would say no matter what, whether you're going skid or compact, if you're not if you don't have a brand preference, um check out what Daness has rates-wise because they have all three packages, buy, rent, or lease.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That'll definitely definitely save you from some fucking coin big time over a dealer. Anything else on those questions, guys?
The SnowJobs Podcast: No? Okay, we're rolling right along here. All right. um I assume this one's talking about me. When you were talking about coming up with your prices for contracts in an episode a while back, you had mentioned there was a lot of hidden there are a lot of hidden costs that most guys do not think about to pass on to the customer in the contract.
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Do you mind elaborating on that? Okay.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, i mean, we just talked about a few right there. I mean, your your phantom costs for the time that you spend managing some of these contracts that may have some documentation in there that is above and beyond what you would normally do for your existing properties.
RICK JAMES: like a weather service, i mean, stakes,
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: percentage ah Percentage of the weather service.
RICK JAMES: manage
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: manage management fee, you know.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, consumables. Like I had a conversation with ah ah one of the, the younger guys around here the other day, and he was asking me, know, what, what cost do you transfer to your customers?
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm, you know, listen, whatever your cost is to service the machines that are going on their site for the year, oil filters, fluid, you know, hydraulic filters, fluids, whatever that cost is to turn that machine around, get it ready for the winter season.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not absorbing that cost.
Mikey Santolucito : no
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, if that machine's going to a site, that site is going to absorb that cost. You know, so that consumable line item in the contract, you know, that's what that's for.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Snow stakes, not just the price of them, the hours that the guys are staking and removing the stakes.
RICK JAMES: Okay, see? And removing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Don't forget about pulling them out at the end of the year.
Mikey Santolucito : Mm hmm.
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Pulling them out is a little quicker than putting them in.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But, ah you know, the like the one complex we have, it's three guys for, you know, almost a full seven hour day staking this one complex. And, ah you know, that's all that money's got to come from somewhere.
RICK JAMES: Plus you get...
Mikey Santolucito : Turf repair.
RICK JAMES: Plus you give half of them back. Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, we have about, I think we have like a 30% between 30 and 35% that we, we throw out or lose, um, by the end of the year.
Shawn : We seem to wipe out almost all of them this year.
The SnowJobs Podcast: This, well, I mean, hard winters where you're plowing a lot of events, you're going to lose more, obviously. Um,
Shawn : Like, we didn't have to go and pull any out of the ground. They're already on the ground.
RICK JAMES: and
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh my god This is a winter where if you had fiberglass You're just picking up splinters At the end of the end of the year You're just grinding them into nothing Um
Mikey Santolucito : Yep. yep
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you, I mean, honestly, the hidden costs, if you are writing up a new contract or something for ah for a site that's not part of your cookie cutter contract that you use, if you're adding stuff to take on a new site that you've never done before and you need to to go to your lawyer, you know, to have him review that and, and you know you know, put his stamp on that contract, you know, that $250 hour, i that's got to get transferred to the customer.
RICK JAMES: just admit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know because their contract that you have to go to the lawyer to draw up, uh, for some reason they didn't like your cookie cutter or that it's not feasible for you. I mean, that's ah another hidden cost. Like Jeremy said, the weather service, every site you have should pay a portion of percentage of that weather service costs. Cause they're all taking advantage of it. You're giving them all the weather reports.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um, so they should all see that. What else is trying to, I'm trying to picture my list.
RICK JAMES: I think you say management fees, site checks, stuff like that, that you don't, you know, it's that's part of it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yup. Absolutely.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um
Mikey Santolucito : AM PM checks. So you're only doing a partial or maybe a minimal treatment on your,
RICK JAMES: Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: putting together the bid, like the, I mean, the bid is if you're putting together a proper bid on ah a, you know, a semi-complex site, you know, that's 10 to 12 hours of of work to, to write it up properly and get all the numbers and calculations and, and figure out all that stuff.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um, you know, who's paying your guys for doing that, for taking the photos and taking the measurements and, you know, going on site photos and drawing up the maps, you know, that's a
RICK JAMES: That doesn't cost any money. That's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's That's all money. that That's all time that you're spending on their site. Why should they not absorb that cost? Why should you absorb it?
Mikey Santolucito : And then the one that's also managing that contract, like communicating with that client nonstop before, during, and after the event, that's, that's a lot of time right there.
Shawn : That's three.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%. 100%.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent hundred per cent Yeah, I think that was a, you know, mobilization and demobilization. Make sure you put hours in for that.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, if you have, like, this year breaking down the one site, we had to get...
RICK JAMES: like when you break down the wrong side, again, you can have people who are running back, and you can run down the side, and you can see it's really very bad, but coming back, it's really bad, it's right, you know, it's a different ball game, you can drive, you can take it to the gym,
The SnowJobs Podcast: We did not do a midnight run back. We we always do a midnight run down to the site with the machines, you know, before the first event. But coming back, we... We don't really do that in the spring.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, people are flying around on the roads. It's a different ball game. You know, driving, you're, you're really taking your chances. ah you know what you're going to find on the road after midnight there, driving a couple of miles back to the shop on the road.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep. yep
The SnowJobs Podcast: So each, each machine had to go back on the trailer, you know, so all, the all seven of the salt bins that we use on that site, they all had to go on the trailer three at a time.
RICK JAMES: and
The SnowJobs Podcast: So it was like two and a half trips on that. Um, yeah, You know, your attachments for your SSVs, the SSVs all got to go on the trail. So you got to figure out how long, estimate how many trips you're going to have to make to mobilize and demobilize.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And, you know, you're talking a couple grand probably by the time, you know, you're all said and done with fuel for the truck, paying the guys, you know all that stuff, depending on how far away it is from your shop.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah. Or put all that in your, in your contract, uh, verbiage. Like we have salt bins that we take down and put up every year, but the client pays for that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure. They should, but I don't, I don't know that a lot of guys do a mobilization, like, especially on the smaller end, um, you know, my size company or smaller, i don't think they think about that a lot of the times, like the cost of setting up a site and breaking it down at the end of the year.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then it's like, Oh Christ, you know, that was like 30 man hours and 600 bucks in fuel.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I didn't put that in the contract. So now, but by the, you know, now you're out a couple of grand.
Mikey Santolucito : And look, I understand right if that bin is servicing more than one area, if you're making a jumbo size bin on one property, but it's also treating a few others that in any area that you're probably not going to want to rock that boat, but try and get something.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, you can work with them. Sure. You can do a percentage.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Everything's a percentage.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But yeah, I mean, that mobilization, demobilization, definitely get them, you know, definitely get your servicing, your machine servicing, your trucks that are going to be on that site.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, what are we doing every year on plow trucks? Every year is breaking brake pads and sometimes rotors. you know, if you're if you're lucky, you're not having to change out the rotors. But, you know, those brake pads, they got to come from the site. You know, that can't come out of your pocket. you just You're just going to be Mr. Nice Guy and pay for everything yourself?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Fuck that. I'm not that nice. I'm nice. I'm not that nice, though. I mean, it's business. Like, snow is such an interesting industry because any other, look at any other industry.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Everything is built in so that every cost that business has to get you the product is covered by you. Like, you look at the medical profession or or the, for my purposes, the veterinarian profession.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you you know You ever heard of fucking wellness checks? You know, wellness checks.
RICK JAMES: you
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're going to the doctor. you're going You're taking your animals to the vet twice a year, three times a year. just when they're not even sick because it's part of their financial projection so they can project their income for the year. We have 100 patients. We'll get them for two wellness checks a year. That's $500 on average you know each visit, $400 maybe depending on whatever, you know wherever you go. But that's all income they're trying to guarantee.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So snow is like the only one that does anything on spec. Like you got to guarantee as much money coming in as possible that you've covered as much of your cost as you could possibly think you're going to have.
The SnowJobs Podcast: we We shouldn't give anything away. And that's just business. That's not being a dick. That's just good business.
RICK JAMES: Yep. known your numbers
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. And I mean, but I think so many guys forget little things like that, that add up to thousands of dollars that, you know, as an industry, I think we have a lot of holes in our business acumen. A lot of people.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: where it's just it's got to get, you know, we're the only industry that just does stuff by, you know, spec and hoping instead of covering every cost that, you know, you have.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anything else on that one?
RICK JAMES: Bye. Bye.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Keep going here. ah Let's see. a site I have done for years changed property management companies last month, and the new guy has already said I am too expensive and he is entertaining lower bids.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What, if anything, can I do about this?
Shawn : Nothing.
RICK JAMES: by
Shawn : Walk away.
RICK JAMES: by
Mikey Santolucito : No, you can give the historical data of what you have, like what it's taken you over the years to service that site, depending on if it's a seasonal, if it's a variable, just to,
The SnowJobs Podcast: You can do some stuff.
Mikey Santolucito : Whatever you have, just send an over them, hey, this is what I've typically build on this site for this amount of inches per year. you know are Are you prepared to pay that with this person? Are they prepared to service it to the extent that I have? you know We've had no slip and falls. We've had no major damages on the property. We've had no service lapses.
Mikey Santolucito : Are you sure you want to try somebody new when we have a record of success here at your property? you know you're You're brand new at this site. Don't you want to make yourself look good to whoever you're reporting to?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely. Here, first off, this is why you have a personal relationship with as many of your site owners as you can, because who is saying that you're too expensive?
RICK JAMES: Right. Yeah. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Is it the property manager or is it the owner?
Mikey Santolucito : Or does he have somebody that he works with he wants to bring in?
RICK JAMES: right
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because if you've been there for years, 100%. that's more than likely what's going on.
RICK JAMES: yes
The SnowJobs Podcast: These property management companies, if you think they don't have their companies that are they want to get in place because they they've had their scams figured out of how they can make more money on sites, there I'm going to go out on a limb and say there are less than scrupulous property management companies out there that have figured out a game and they play it well.
Shawn : No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But in order to play it, they have to have participants in place. that know the game, that know what they're doing.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So is he just trying to remove you from the equation because he wants to put his people in place because they know what they're supposed to do and what they're supposed to say in a certain situation?
RICK JAMES: Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um Or, you know, I would find out, is it the property owner that's saying you're too expensive? How long you've been doing the site? And if you haven't had any problems there and you've been giving them great service, why the hell would he change just because he changed property management companies?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Go ahead, Rob.
Shawn : See, i've I had that happen three times already this year back in April and May.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you
Shawn : So, and Mike, I was talking to you about this the other day. Like I can, we have the data that I can show for the past three years, each year, this is how many times we did a salt application.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
Shawn : This is how many times we plowed, not storms. This is how many times we put blades down and scraped your entire parking lot did all the walkways, did everything and explain to them and show them that, Hey, this is our price because of this. Like we have the historical data for the past three years.
Shawn : They don't care. They go and still go with somebody cheaper.
Mikey Santolucito : They're willing to roll the dice.
Shawn : They're willing to roll the dice and they will deal with a shit service because it's cheap.
Mikey Santolucito : But it makes them look worse to the tenant that's in that building.
Shawn : And, and I've,
RICK JAMES: Chief.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um percent
Shawn : Yeah. And that's the problem that I'm having currently is just no matter what you do, it everything comes down to price.
Mikey Santolucito : Right.
Shawn : I mean, you know, Mike, I sent you all the packets in the PDF files of everything that we send. And it says who we are, what we do, where we're going, what we offer.
Mikey Santolucito : Yep. yep
Shawn : This is how we do it. And it's like they just don't they don't care. And it that state, it's municipal, it's, you know, it's everything.
Shawn : But I don't know if it's just my market, though, either, you know, um
Mikey Santolucito : No picture it this way too, though.
RICK JAMES: No, no, it's not.
Mikey Santolucito : The thing about how much money everybody spent last year on snow that they weren't expecting to spend.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm. Oh, yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : They're probably, they pulled from so many different budgets and pools of money at this point to pay those invoices that now they're trying to figure out a way to make up that Delta. Like, all right, there's no way we're going to get another 80 whatever, you know, inch year that we did last year.
Mikey Santolucito : Let's roll the dice and see if we get like a 40 or a 50 and we can save a little bit of dough. It's not the right way to do it, but I know there are plenty of people are going to be in that position now going into this year that I'm expecting to have to fight tooth and nail just like Rob did for contracts I've been doing for years, all because we had one great winter after having, what, six or seven duds.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Shawn : Yeah, but I mean, it's not where people get the idea that you win some and you lose some is the stupidest fucking thing in the entire world.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Comes from Fargo, I think.
Mikey Santolucito : It's the variable contracts, dude.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It comes from Fargo, I think.
Shawn : You don't win some and then you lose some.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that You win some, you lose some.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. a
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think that's where it comes from.
Mikey Santolucito : but
RICK JAMES: and
The SnowJobs Podcast: but
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I've heard it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: I've heard it.
Shawn : I hate that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's the dumb I've said it before. i got it. We got to make a shirt with that. That is the dumbest statement ever uttered in fucking snow. You win some, you lose some. You you you and your customer should both come out.
Shawn : Yeah.
RICK JAMES: It's not my statement.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, but no, I'm just saying that I've heard that from more than Fargo.
RICK JAMES: It's not me.
RICK JAMES: that they feel like
The SnowJobs Podcast: I've heard that numerous times over the years, and I'm like, that is the dumbest fucking thing I've ever heard.
Mikey Santolucito : No. And that's why we haven't moved ahead, honestly.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it. But that's that's so antiquated in thinking. You and your customer should both come out of the end of the season feeling like you both won. You both got your money's worth. You did the work that needed to be done, and you got paid accordingly, and they feel like they got their money's worth for what they needed to pay.
Mikey Santolucito : The client had a safe site, no slip and falls, no tenants complaining to them about poor service.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%. 100%. hundred percent
Mikey Santolucito : that
RICK JAMES: Right.
Mikey Santolucito : That's the biggest win right there for you and for them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think they like the floors and the ceilings. the The customers definitely like that because they think it keeps it fair. And it does to a degree. It keeps a fair for both parties. The only time you're going to have a problem with that is if you're constantly if you're constantly going over and activating the ceiling and the floor never gets activated.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But then, listen, then you're that's a good thing because then that's saying you don't have any down winters.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You don't have a lot of variation.
RICK JAMES: True. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's a good thing. They should always feel like they're getting their money's worth then. But I mean, if you keep having to hammer them over the head for, you know, ah yeah if you're hammering over the head because you've hit the ceiling now five out of the the last six, seven years, guess what?
The SnowJobs Podcast: You need to raise your average in your contract because you no longer have what average you thought. you know you need And again, you need to keep it fair.
Mikey Santolucito : Right.
RICK JAMES: So
The SnowJobs Podcast: If that's happening, you need to bring that average up.
Mikey Santolucito : You know what? It's great. We lost the 2015 season. now we got the season.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
Mikey Santolucito : just rolled right in there for the ten year
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. I mean, I would tell bill from Connecticut here, um, Talk to the site owner if you can and find out if this is coming from him or because he may not even know about it um because a new property manager, ah they want to impress the tenant.
RICK JAMES: I think it's a very exciting thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So they always want to save the owner's money. And sometimes the owner doesn't want to save money. If he's got a snow contract, like I've heard, I've had a property management company that we do a lot of work with.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a very good company. They do it right. And they sit there and say, they That is a good one that I like that shirt Jeremy Jeremy just had a great shirt idea New t-shirt Dumb things no contractors say That that could be a good that could be a hit
RICK JAMES: We're doing that. We're doing that. I'll call Media Shack. We're doing that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I lost my train of thought now Shit ah What was I saying?
RICK JAMES: yeah
Mikey Santolucito : higher-ups want to be happy when everybody be happy watching slurable
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, yeah, he may not even know that this guy is trying to do this. And the the the the ah proper oh that's what i saying the property manager that we do a lot of, ah we not a lot, but we've done work with him for a long time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He has literally said, you can... Delay payment or hold payment on pretty much any other like electricians, plumbers, if you need to. If you have a snow contractor that kicks ass and you never get bad calls, you get good calls and emails that these guys are fucking phenomenal.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You keep them happy at all costs. You pay them up front, the snow contractors. You never fuck with the snow contractor. And that's a property manager that gets it. Because there's very few guys that can do you know certain things.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And if you find them, you know you take care of them and you make sure they get paid before anybody else. But this guy might not know anything about it, this property owner.
RICK JAMES: True.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So I would definitely get a hold of him and check on and see if he knows anything about this. Because you can say, well we've been doing great work for you. you know I've had nothing but good reviews. And now all of a sudden you guys are looking to replace me.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah, this sounds like a, this sounds like a small, not small, but this sounds like a site with little oversight from ownership.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He may not have a clue.
RICK JAMES: sort
Mikey Santolucito : Cause a lot of your call it your a hundred to 300 to $500,000 single site accounts. The operations asset manager is heavily tied to that building and up to the VP, to the ownership.
Mikey Santolucito : If you have a new property manager that's taken that seat and you've been doing great, they are going to vouch you and they're not going to let that person change any kind of hands if they know that they're not going to get same service.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, i'm I'm sure. I'm almost positive this is like a $150K or less site ah where it's probably one owner of a warehouse or one owner of an office building or something.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Just looking to cut some money.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, and like I said, the owner might not even know this guy's doing it, so I would investigate that further.
Mikey Santolucito : That's it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And, um you know, like I said, these little property management companies, they have figured out the shell game as well. ah So don't think that they're always on the level either. You you know the good ones from the bad ones.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anything else on that, Robert? You got anything on that? No. Good to go, Jay. Nothing else?
RICK JAMES: good, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, let's hit some commercials real quick, and we'll ah see how many more we can get done here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we're back. So we'll keep rolling with this. We get one or two more here. ah Let's see. ah Is it possible to get the snow for a site without also having to do the landscaping and other stuff they want?
The SnowJobs Podcast: And if I just want the snow, how do I go about doing that and having a chance to get it? Hmm.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Mikey Santolucito : Steve, you had a great answer to that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't remember it right now. Oh, the best way to probably the best way.
RICK JAMES: Oh, yeah. yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, it is possible, um especially on smaller sites.
RICK JAMES: Yeah..
The SnowJobs Podcast: um You know, the the outdoor prides like campuses and stuff that might not be possible to have two different contractors. But on smaller sites like that, I do.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, you can definitely do it, but it's how you package it. If you go in there and you want to get the snow and you know that they only want one vendor for the year, go in there with a a partner, basically, that only wants the green and have that preloaded and have his price for that complex already done for the basics.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, the lawn, the basic mulch, you know, have him do his homework because it works for both of you. If you can go in there and present it and you can get that guy the green work,
Mikey Santolucito : Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's in his best interest to get you good firm pricing to do his, his portion of that year round contract. And that's what we've done. We have that currently on three sites.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, now it's down to two. Cause I gave one up. But yeah,
RICK JAMES: um
The SnowJobs Podcast: what the The two sites, we work very well together. He wants nothing to do with the white stuff. I want nothing to do with the green stuff there. But we go in there basically, and i I basically presented as a team that, hey, we're going to take care of everything from November to April. And then Will's going to step in. He's going to take care of the rest of it from April to November.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um
Mikey Santolucito : Now who pays who though?
RICK JAMES: is to be paid for and make travel.
The SnowJobs Podcast: they pay each They pay each vendor.
RICK JAMES: It's not that we're trying to access a contract, which is going to be performed often.
Mikey Santolucito : Okay, so they're paying Will for green.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, it's not like I have my own contract. He has his own contract. You just give them the folder with both of them and say, hey, here's it's you can have it still be easy.
Mikey Santolucito : Okay.
RICK JAMES: Here's the time it's still easy. Here's the time it's going to be open.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here's a package deal where we've already talked about it.
RICK JAMES: We're just not going to have a range of
The SnowJobs Podcast: We know our responsibilities. We're just not one company. So you're going to have to pay two two different vendors. But, you know, that's the way you can do it. If you only want the white and the green, you give them basically their option.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah. And if they don't want to do that and they want to just pay one person directly, communicate with one person directly, have them on your payroll as a subcontractor and just make sure you put like 5% on top for your administrative fees for waiting for their money to come in before you pay your sub, you know, sending out the invoices.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, you can do that, too.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I would be so worried, though, if you find somebody that's that lazy that they can't pay one contractor for six months and another contractor for the other six months, if that's too hard for them, if that's too fucking hard for them, I don't know if I want to work there.
Mikey Santolucito : You'd be surprised, dude.
The SnowJobs Podcast: like It's freaking ridiculous. How lazy have we gotten?
Mikey Santolucito : It would make a lot of us snow guys lives a lot easier if people would just accept the fact that some are better at snow than land and vice versa. And just, it's okay to have two different vendors.
RICK JAMES: We...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: We've done it for years. We've done it for years and we just did the snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure. You're all snow. That's it.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. I mean, i mean we do some some green now, but i mean, and some of our bigger campuses, we're doing the green, but for the majority, we're just doing the white, you know, so it's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. so i mean we're, we're living proof.
RICK JAMES: we
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's definitely possible. Jeremy, that's their whole business is just to do the white for the most part. And ah we definitely have done that. We've transitioned very well from not doing it year round.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We, we want to focus more on, on the white stuff. Robert, what about you? Is it possible for you to you to do that? Just get the snow or you got to do the green stuff too?
Shawn : No, we do a lot of just snow sites. Now that think about it, I don't think we have one that we do both at. Yeah. We have all snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It also will help you if you have an excellent reputation in snow in your area. um
RICK JAMES: Yep, for sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because generally when people when people are you can kind of dictate to them if they're calling you because they had a, you know, a disaster with a snow company the year before, if they're calling you because they've heard you're the best at snow in the area or very good, then you can tell them like, Hey, listen, I understand you want one vendor for year round. We're more than happy to help you with the snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: we We would love to work here for snow. We're just not, we can't do the green well. and And we know we're not going to do it well. We can't get the manpower, whatever, whatever your situation is. Just break it down for them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And if you have a good enough reputation and they had a big enough disaster the year before, you might still be able to get it.
RICK JAMES: I
RICK JAMES: mean, Mike hit it right on the head. You know, some people are better at green. Some people are better at white. It's just the way it is, you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, it's all what you love doing, too.
Mikey Santolucito : Yeah. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you don't love doing snow, you're not going to do it well. You're going to cut every corner you can. If you fucking hate being out there, you're you're going to cut.
RICK JAMES: Oh, yeah. You know i mean know you know them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: every Yeah, absolutely. You're going to, you got to, your guys have to be just as vested and love it just as much as you. And you can see the quality of the work, the different, the guys that take real pride in snow versus the guys that are just doing it for a paycheck.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So you can definitely do it though. there's There's a way, especially on the smaller sites, there is definitely ways to get it done. um I would start with that. Find a cooperator, a company that really wants the green and doesn't have any interest in the snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um Make sure they do quality work so that you're not recommending a flop. Um, you know, and have them go to whatever site it is and do a workup for you. How much, how much per week for the lawn, how much to do the mulch twice a year. Um, how much for, they got some flowers planted on three islands, you know, just get that, all that leaf cleanup, you know, all the basics for the green stuff and have that, be able to present that to the, to the people when you present your white contract.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hopefully that's enough to get it done for you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know. I think we'll cut it there. I got an early day tomorrow.
RICK JAMES: Sounds good, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You guys good?
RICK JAMES: We're good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What did you say, Robert? I heard you.
Shawn : You heard me. Why'd you ask what I said?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because I don't think the audience did. There you go.
Shawn : it said, pussy. the old The old Steve would stay up all night.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He would. He would. ah the The new Steve has been 24 on, 24 off for 36 days now. So it's getting to me.
Mikey Santolucito : All right, so when you're retired, you'll be able to do this until midnight.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hell yes. We won't start recording till midnight.
Mikey Santolucito : Nice.
RICK JAMES: Fuck.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Absolutely.
Mikey Santolucito : What do you mean? What do you mean? That's like 10 o'clock your time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, he's spoiled out there.
RICK JAMES: Me? I don't give a shit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The sun doesn't even go down. It's 10 o'clock at night.
Shawn : It's still up there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Shawn : Yeah, the sun is still up.
Mikey Santolucito : look Look at his face.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Mikey Santolucito : It's like Golden Hour.
Shawn : aral
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, that's because out there the earth is flat, Robert.
RICK JAMES: yeah Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
RICK JAMES: Way we like it.
Mikey Santolucito : That's it. There's no hills. there's no trees. The flat earthers all live out in Minnesota.
RICK JAMES: Way we like it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it, man.
Shawn : I've been to the Midwest one time.
RICK JAMES: Fuck. No, oh North Dakota. I'm not Minnesota. north I'm not Minnesota.
Shawn : It is flat. It's the same fucking thing, ain't it?
RICK JAMES: No, fuck that.
Shawn : It's flat. It's flat and every road is fucking straight. That's it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: It's beautiful.
Shawn : All there is.
RICK JAMES: It's beautiful. beautiful
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i have to make a Dude, it's so sick.
Mikey Santolucito : I do want to try that at one point in my life. Just drive down one of those straight-ass roads. Like...
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's so sick.
RICK JAMES: It's so fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's literally like from Minneapolis.
RICK JAMES: Exactly.
The SnowJobs Podcast: When you get off the plane, you get the rental car, you get out of the Minneapolis proper and get out into the country there on the way to storm. It's literally like you look at the GPS and you're like, oh, shit, I got to make a right in an hour.
Mikey Santolucito : ah
Shawn : Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: like We're straight until then.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I mean, even if you you don't even you don't even need a Tesla.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%, 100%, dude. It's so easy
RICK JAMES: You just put a tarp strap in your steering wheel and go to sleep and just let it rip.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent hundred percent dude like it's so easy to
RICK JAMES: Set the cruise. Set the cruise and go.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No wonder he's yelling at me in the Northeast when I'm not doing 90 on winding roads because he's so used to doing.
RICK JAMES: ah would never.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If I was driving out there, oh, dude, I don't know if I can keep it to double digits.
Mikey Santolucito : Oh my God, dude, come into England. You'll hit a Chevron sign and shit your pants.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I don't know if I could do under 100 out there. You know, flat road. You can see two miles ahead of you and no no turns.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. Oh, my God. That's easy.
RICK JAMES: God's country. That's why. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, my good Lord. That's so funny. Yeah. All right. Well, we're not seeing any of you. Not seeing Robert or Mike, right? You guys aren't coming a storm. So I won't see you this week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But, Jeremy, I'll see you in a couple days.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we'll see couple days, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, sir. So that's it, baby.
RICK JAMES: Dustin Van Hale is going to have a barbecue for us.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Tuesday night, right?
Mikey Santolucito : Nice.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we're going to eat hot dogs off the turbo of his KW.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Looking forward to it.
RICK JAMES: Yes, sir.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dude, that's badass. I'll do it. Oh, yeah, that's great, man. I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a lot of fun. but All right, we good, boys?
Mikey Santolucito : We good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Well, then we'll wrap it there. So thank you very much, as always, to Mike and Robert for helping us out tonight. And we'll wrap episode 181 of the Snow Jobs podcast main show. So everybody, if you're heading to Storm Day this week, everybody have very safe travels, all right? Be careful getting out there, and we'll all have a great time. If you're not heading out there, we will ah see you again next week. But everybody have a great week. Be safe.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Keep pushing.
