Transcript
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here we go, Snowjobs Nation. We are back again, bringing you episode 190 of the Snowjobs Podcast, main show powered by Top Gun Backblades, the best. Show in snow. As always, I'm Steve.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know who's with me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Snow pimp Jeremy Lindstrom is in the house. What's up, buddy? How are we?
RICK JAMES: Steve -O, not a lot, buddy. Just another Sunday night recording.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sunday night. ah ah
RICK JAMES: Yeah. We are right on schedule.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's it baby 9 13 eastern sunday night here we are ah
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh man, we've had a busy week, so. It's a... It's been tough to make schedules. It's combine season, so its ah you know weve we've done an episode from the combine. where you know
RICK JAMES: Yeah, yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's ah That was actually one of our better sound quality ones. Honestly, that sounds.
RICK JAMES: All right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That cab is soundproof.
RICK JAMES: I'll go sit in the combine. That's fine.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dude, that thing was great. That was that was really cool.
RICK JAMES: It's been raining ever since I got out of the combine, though, so we can't even combine. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Really?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And you've been in a drought all summer, right?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, but they brought the combine out, so now it starts to rain around here, same as every year.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And now all summer complaining about no moisture in Fargo.
RICK JAMES: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Now we'll complain too much moisture in Fargo.
RICK JAMES: i don't care it is what it is
The SnowJobs Podcast: We are true snow guys. How was your week, dude?
RICK JAMES: Doing pretty good. Yeah, just been yeah busy with work. and tying up some loose end, finishing up the dust control season. We've got a few left to do. That should be wrapped up and then combining and, yeah, just ah just your normal day -to -day stuff.
RICK JAMES: How about you, bud?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh...
RICK JAMES: How was your retirement?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, retirement's not all it's cracked up to be. ah busier than ever and trying to do it while juggling sick kids they keep handing off the uh Handing off the the germs to each other.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So in the two weeks I've been. out. I have. gotten exactly one day without at least one kid home.
RICK JAMES: Oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, yeah, it's been great.
RICK JAMES: Wow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know Them coming up and down the frigging stairs every two minutes while I'm in the office trying to get shit done. yeah it's uh you're very productive i'm trying to get everything done for pat for this week and uh
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's just not going well No, I'm way behind. oh
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But yeah, no, it's been good. we're We're pretty busy. I mean, we did what? three Three episodes last week, we got done.
RICK JAMES: i chris I think we did three, yeah. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: One tonight, got another one in the morning.
RICK JAMES: We're busy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Killing it.
RICK JAMES: Yep. Busy busy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it. That's it. And they're all. ah the The demand keeps coming. Why aren't you guys doing more? Like, dude, I feel like I'm posting stuff every freaking day of the week and you're still complaining.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There's not enough episodes.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Whoop. Yeah, I don't know. We can do it, but we're gonna need to get paid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I say there's 261 of these things out there. Go back to episode one and start listening again. I guarantee you pick up some stuff you didn't you didn't hear the first time around.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: but uh I guess it's a great thing.
RICK JAMES: For sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, it's a great thing to be in demand and then have guys wanting more and more of this. so We'll keep doing it. But, yeah, as Jeremy said, it is Sunday night. We are we are doing this.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We had a a last -second cancellation for guests, so we opened it up to our crew. And I... Said, hey, who's got a topic kicking around their head that's gnawing at them? or Pissing them off and they want to bring up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: so ah Decided to just rage tonight and yeah do some freestyling and see where it goes. So this could be the last episode.
RICK JAMES: Nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Uh, we'll see how off the rails we get, but, uh, you know, I have, I have a question I I've been kicking around for the last two weeks. Cause as you guys know, out there, we hear from all of you out there. and we hear a lot of different things and, you know, there's been some common complaints that we've been hearing and going into this winter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And so I got one and I know Robert thing from already outdoor. He had a very interesting one that's actually a really serious one. ah that I think we can kick around for a bit and see if we can come up with any ideas to help him on that one. So that's what we're doing today. We got Robert.
The SnowJobs Podcast: From Artie Outdoor. ah He is back. We got Steve Smythe back with us. And oh yeah, we're just going to kick it around and see what we come up with and see what kind of trouble we can get into.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's what we got for you tonight. And before we we get into that with the boys, you know what we got to do. We got to hear from Team Top Gun. We're going to come back, do a very, very quick weekend review, and we'll get rolling here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we're back We are back. ah So let's see. We can review. What are we doing here? We got Northeast the icing this Thursday. the salmon show we're up in uxbridge massachusetts uh this thursday october 1st We're going to be up there for Patty Salmon's Northeast, the icing day. That's a great time. The last two years we've been there this year. It's we sold that shit out, dude.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we did
The SnowJobs Podcast: Without even a flyer or anything being posted, he was already sold out. So the power of the podcast. I love that.
RICK JAMES: And the concert I would think had something to do with it
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm sure that yeah, I'm sure that the concert. Well, what what the hell I can't even remember the names we were making up What was it?
RICK JAMES: Morgan Wallace.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Morton Wallace. That's it.
RICK JAMES: Morton Walls.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Morton Wallace.
RICK JAMES: He said he's got this he's got the stage set.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh...
RICK JAMES: He he sat snapped me a picture of the stage set. It's all set, ready to go. Yeah, he's good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We'll do some karaoke or something. But yeah, Northeast de -icing is this Thursday.
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah They did a hell of a job transforming that event from year one to year two. Can't wait to see how it's going to be year three. We got Adam Big Daddy Hanson is going to do some liquids talk.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah And that's always if you ever heard Adam do that stuff, ah he is very, very knowledgeable about the liquids and additives and all that good stuff. So he's going to do ah he's going to do a big talk on that. And then I'm going to do a.
The SnowJobs Podcast: a bid presentation, basically a mock. bid presentation, how I would do it. And we'll see, hopefully I can help some guys out on that. It's, it's worked well for us and I've done it for a couple of guys on.
The SnowJobs Podcast: online just you know trying to help them out and they seem to have gotten a lot out of that so Hopefully everybody that's there will too. Uh, and you know, if they don't, then I'll get booed out of the building. No big deal.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All good.
RICK JAMES: It was really good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All good.
RICK JAMES: It'll be good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Laugh all the way to the bank.
RICK JAMES: It'll be really good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah. Patty's filling our pockets. She's filling our pockets.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, but... no it's like everybody's like how do you do that how do you you know get that that kind of money and it's you know It starts with eye contact. It starts with.
The SnowJobs Podcast: opening a door for the people when you're walking into the room all these things that kind of go by the wayside now that still means a lot to to the older generation of people that are making these decisions most times so how you're dressed, you know, so we're going to go over all that, all the little tips that hopefully will help. and You know, I think it will, but we'll see you there at Uxbridge, Massachusetts at Northeast the icing day. That's this Thursday.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Equip! A quip is coming the end of the month. We are now attending. That's the 20th to the 23rd of October. We will be down there in Littleville, littleville Kentucky.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and uh
RICK JAMES: Louisville.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If ah anybody's down there. Give us a shout. Well, uh... hopefully get together. um What else we got going on? I think that's pretty much it for events this year.
RICK JAMES: I think so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Think we're done? We're done.
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, if you're going to anything else, as always, head on over to snowjobsnationstore .com for all your snow job swag and apparel needs. All right. If you're going to these events, you want to look good. Get all your snow jobs gear at snowjobsnationstore .com. ah Keep hitting like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify for us. Give us those five star reviews.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah They mean more to us than you know. Keep firing the comments. We love them. ah They all get tabulated through Spotify and Apple. So when you guys ah rate us at five stars and then drop a comment, ah that helps us big time on rankings and ratings and stuff from the.
The SnowJobs Podcast: From the... ah the other websites that are are tabulating all that stuff. So ah keep doing that for us. We love, ah love reading all the comments. We had a couple more good ones this week. So thank you guys in advance for those.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it, bud. Got anything else?
RICK JAMES: I don't think so buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool. Let's hear from our partners and we'll ah be right back and we'll get into it with the boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Alright, we are back. We are back. Thank you as always to all of our partners. Couldn't do it without you guys. We really appreciate every one of you. So that's it. Let's get into it with the boys. Let's welcome Steve and Rob to the show. What's up, guys? How are we?
Arctic Steve: Doing good.
RICK JAMES: and get you
Arctic Steve: Doing good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hi, Robert.
RICK JAMES: Robert?
Arctic Steve: Bye, Robert.
RICK JAMES: All right, Robert.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I... I can't tell if he's saying hello. Is he saying hello?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : can you not hear me
The SnowJobs Podcast: Robert.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, there we go
The SnowJobs Podcast: There we go. Okay, there we go. You're a little low, but we're we'll roll with it.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ah, long time no see, Rob. How are we?
The Spin Off Show : How are you, Steve?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm good. so What's new in Maine? how are How's everything going up there?
The Spin Off Show : Nothing new. Same shit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nothing new.
The Spin Off Show : Different day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. All right, well, who whos whose topic do we want to start getting into trouble with first tonight? what do we got who's Who's got something good?
RICK JAMES: Let's go with Robert. We were just having a discussion about that. Let's go with that, Rob.
The SnowJobs Podcast: all right Kick it Rob
The Spin Off Show : So like I said... I'm just going to read this because it's probably going to be easier. um
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
The Spin Off Show : I feel like we may be tapped out in our current market. um just this spring and summer alone we've bid probably 10 15 rfps whether it's you know commercial or it's private um And we haven't won.
The Spin Off Show : a single bid i've gone through our numbers over and over and I don't feel like our pricing is inflated our price. pretty much reflects what it actually costs to pay Good employees. Good.
The Spin Off Show : operators, good managers, good equipment.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm -hmm.
The Spin Off Show : Cover fuel, overhead, the whole. caboodle And. I'm kind of starting to think that um I'm tapped out in the market that we're in.
The Spin Off Show : I shared a little bit of. a few docs with you guys in that um text thread about just some of the things that We do submit with some of the ah RFPs. and I mean...
The Spin Off Show : Nothing matters. it's everything is price you know if i just talked to a guy the other day on the phone And he's like, oh, yeah, he goes. a better service for cheaper price he's like yeah i'm all for it and In what fucking world does that make any sense?
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, first of all, that that's a fucking myth right there. You are never going to get better service for a cheaper price.
RICK JAMES: Or cheaper price, yeah.
The Spin Off Show : No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's impossible
The Spin Off Show : And... And I know when we were just talking about this, um Steve, you were just saying like.
RICK JAMES: And.
The Spin Off Show : Why the fuck is it this industry? that Hey. Everybody just wants the low ball. Everybody wants that. Race to the bottom. Like, what's the point?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know. and And if we could figure that out, whoever the first guy to figure out why this industry. is the only industry that. is perfectly happy bending over and dropping its pants with absolutely zero lube on pricing i i would you'd be a millionaire if you could figure that out because at least we could try and tell people that to stop what i think there are a lot of out there is i think there are a lot of guys that are in a hole And I think they are digging a bigger hole.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And they're okay digging a bigger hole. Um, There are guys out there that get overextended. are There are guys out there that use their green season to pay for their their snow losses. ah Which... I don't understand as a business.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Huh?
RICK JAMES: that Nobody makes money in the green season that I know of.
Arctic Steve: yeah Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, you got to figure that if they're not making money in their green season to cover their losses on these prices that they're giving in the white season, how are they still in business?
Arctic Steve: aye
The Spin Off Show : Credit.
RICK JAMES: I don't know
The Spin Off Show : You just said, Steve, they're going.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Credit.
RICK JAMES: Credit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Exactly. They're just digging the hole deeper is what I was saying.
The Spin Off Show : They're gone.
Arctic Steve: But that only...
The Spin Off Show : Yes, they're going deeper and deeper.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're...
Arctic Steve: That only goes so long, you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, they're digging their hole deeper. um The problem is that in the... three to five years it takes for them to exhaust every line of credit and max everything out. They are killing the the market locally and wherever they are.
The SnowJobs Podcast: before they go out of business. So they're cutting the throats on everything, which sucks.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And and I mean, I don't. I don't know your market. Robert, I mean, are you guys a very, you're pretty rural area up there?
The Spin Off Show : Yes and no. um I mean, yes, it's rural, but... If you go 45 minutes south or 45 minutes north, you know, there's major cities.
The Spin Off Show : You know?
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. I mean, listen. the Here's the problem. for The first problem is the customers out there. when it comes to snow we've all said it a hundred times we've said it till we're blue in the face snow is an afterthought for most people on this planet they will They will think about who's mowing their lawn, who's doing their hardscaping at their commercial properties, who's who's doing light bulbs. Snow is like the devil that they have to have, but they don't really.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know They don't really give a shit about it. Um, the And the problem with that is these customers, for some reason. Expect the snow guys to be the only guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that don't raise their prices for the last 20 years.
RICK JAMES: And they're...
The SnowJobs Podcast: regardless of how much inflation has gone up. In the last 20 years.
RICK JAMES: And they expect us to be the only industry they can negotiate with too, because.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes. Yes.
RICK JAMES: you don't see him negotiating with the electrician the plumber or whatever you know oh no whatever their bill is we'll pay it but snow guy ow you guys can knock some off that right I mean, you weren't you weren't here that long.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh!
Arctic Steve: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. If my wife needed... Yeah. If my wife needed open heart surgery tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I can't negotiate with the surgeon beforehand. Say, hey, can we maybe use a couple less stitches and get like, you know, 20 % off or something like that?
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We are the only, Jeremy, hit it right on the head.
Arctic Steve: You're not even.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We are the only.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: industry that they feel that there's room to negotiate. Why do they feel there's room to negotiate?
RICK JAMES: Wheel out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because there's a bunch of guys out there that will bend over and fucking take it in the ass.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: Well, the problem is a lot of these guys do not know their numbers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Price -wise.
Arctic Steve: you know You guys have talked about this time and time again, and it's so easy to go in and you know buy an F -350 pickup truck at the dealership.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No!
Arctic Steve: or a you know go in and get a wheel loader or a plow or whatever you know and it's
The SnowJobs Podcast: But...
Arctic Steve: You know? Eventually that catches up to you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean the...
RICK JAMES: Just...
Arctic Steve: But in the meantime, like you said, in the short, short term.
RICK JAMES: But...
Arctic Steve: They're just it's screwing things up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The great thing about this show and also the worst thing about this show is.
RICK JAMES: What's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: We. and we Me and Jeremy are able to talk to so many people and learn about so many people from so many people in this industry. and The most shocking thing to me over the last six months.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I've... Learned. Four. Four. Companies, let's say four companies pricing what they price their work at for snow and what their markets are. And I've learned... what how much snow they're getting, what their annual snowfall is, what their market is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And when I. learned what their pricing structure is. I was absolutely shocked because I assumed those companies had their shit together. And they do not. you know So there's there's guys out there that... you know, think they even have their pricing together. and They don't. It's like, how how are you charging that for the the equipment and the service level you're bringing to bear? How are you able to charge that little?
The SnowJobs Podcast: and still make money. You know, last time I checked, the 321 is still $130 ,000.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, put an Arctic on it. That's another 12K.
RICK JAMES: What's the problem in our industry is all these guys that... Oh. We're not doing. kind of I'm not... not just They say, oh, well I have equipment sitting around, so I just got to put up to work in the winter, so I'm just going to do it for this to keep guys busy.
RICK JAMES: That's bullshit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dumbest thing ever.
RICK JAMES: We're, you know.
Arctic Steve: Yeah, we have.
RICK JAMES: It's the dumbest thing.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: So we're going to do work for nothing?
Arctic Steve: We have guys around.
RICK JAMES: We're going to do work just to do work?
Arctic Steve: Yeah. We have guys in our mark.
RICK JAMES: I mean, that's...
Arctic Steve: It just...
RICK JAMES: that's
Arctic Steve: Do it. for just to keep their guys busy and around because then they depend on their summer work, you know, and it's just like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
RICK JAMES: That's it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Around here, that's the pavement industry. The paving industry does that.
Arctic Steve: Yeah, it's like why don't Why don't you look at this as a profit center? like where i used to work i mean snow was what we we we cut the grass to get the snow you know And it's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Arctic Steve: But a lot of guys don't look at that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, that...
Arctic Steve: and They have you know roofing companies and siding companies and you know paving companies and whatnot that are looking just to keep their guys busy.
RICK JAMES: Construction company, yeah.
Arctic Steve: and Yeah, just.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Whoa. Here's the deal. I think in in this industry. There are still companies that even though they love doing snow. Snow is not their primary focus.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Snow is an afterthought. Snow is what they have to do in the winter to keep the lights on. But it's not something that they. love doing enough to actually. not go to battle with customers, but fight customers on pricing. like you know Have I been asked to drop my prices before? Absolutely. Can you do any better than that? No, I can't do any better than that. Take it or leave it. That's that's my price. it is what it is And good news.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you say no, then I don't have to invest 180K in equipment. to for your site. So I don't have to dig that hole any deeper. you know ah But I don't understand these guys that are.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think guys have green bills for equipment. Some of them. And... they need to make payments for the other six months a year. And a little money coming in, they somehow think is better than.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know, no money. So they go. Bottom. bare bones what they think they can get it at and They don't care that they're. They don't care what they're doing to the rest of the industry in the area.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah but there is absolutely zero excuse for somebody to not know their numbers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It sucks.
The Spin Off Show : I mean, you can go on to chat GPT for free.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh. to
The Spin Off Show : And it can develop you. a way to track your overhead and track your cost and your spending like It's not art.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You can. 100%. A hundred percent. hundred percent but
The Spin Off Show : So why not why don't people do it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because here in snow.
The Spin Off Show : i don't know
RICK JAMES: effort.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What?
RICK JAMES: It's effort.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. But we're talking about the snow industry here. Here in snow. It has been talked about for years, know your numbers, know your numbers, but nobody has ever actually sat down and showed guys how to arrive at their numbers until the last. Two years, three years.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Before that it was. You cannot talk numbers at all. If you went and spoke at a major trade show. You were told you cannot mention numbers. Don't do that. And the reasons are variable and we won't even get into that, but. You were told not to tell, you know, if you wanted to be a speaker, you were told do not discuss numbers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, so knowing your numbers and actually teaching guys how to come up with proper numbers is a relatively new thing in the snow. But you're right. There are resources out there now that make it easier than ever. to figure out what your numbers are.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But at the end of the day, just because you know your numbers does not mean that you're not going to bend over and take it in the ass if that's in your nature.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you get nervous, guys got to have nerves.
The Spin Off Show : So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They got to have nerves of steel. They got to play the game. If they're nervous and they just want to go in there and low ball to make sure they get something. guess what? They're probably going to get it.
RICK JAMES: That's too bad. and that's I mean, that's we see that over and over, and guys will say, well, we're going to do this one cheaper because we're in the area and we don't want anybody else to come in the area, so we'll do this guy cheaper. Why?
Arctic Steve: Eric, Eric.
RICK JAMES: that's That's another stupid reason.
Arctic Steve: Yeah. we We're right next door, so we can go in there and float it in there, and the equipment's already there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Arctic Steve: Well, that doesn't doesn't make any sense. you just You got to bill accordingly.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The thing I want to spend.
RICK JAMES: You're hurting yourself.
The SnowJobs Podcast: When I actually have some time, the thing I really want to deep dive into more, and I'll be the first one to say, I don't know enough about how they do what they do and how they answer to their shareholders is I want to know how private equity.
The SnowJobs Podcast: works on the snow side. Because. Some of the prices we've been getting sent that private equity -backed companies are putting out there in the Minneapolis area, in the Chicagoland area. um I don't know how they're doing it I don't know how, like they have to answer to somebody, right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like the whole reason they come in is to make more money.
Arctic Steve: They do. They do. Yeah, they do answer to somebody, but I think in that it's just a big game, right? They just have so many. the the wheels spinning and it's again just to keep their landscape guys busy you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: And. And that's what... No. Yeah, I don't know if it's a shell game ah where, you know, they just, the bottom line, they they they move the they move the profit and loss sheet to another. area. I don't know, but...
The SnowJobs Podcast: what they're putting out numbers wise. like um Brandon Riley sent me. ah Brandon, he sent me a ah pricing on on ah what the terms were for the snow contract and what the what it actually went for.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I was like, dude, you're in a 55 -inch market. I'm in a 42 -inch market. there is I would be going bankrupt. In my market with those prices, like how is any major company?
The SnowJobs Podcast: doing a property for that.
Arctic Steve: huh
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know.
RICK JAMES: no
The SnowJobs Podcast: i mean it was And after you had an average winter, it's not even like, oh, my God, it hasn't snowed here in seven years. you know We have to drop our prices. You guys had 50 -something inches last year in Minneapolis.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How are guys?
RICK JAMES: Head on. Had 100 inches a couple years ago.
Arctic Steve: And we had. It's really simple. three years ago we had 103 inches you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: i mean
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, but then you had two years in the 30s, right?
RICK JAMES: it's like
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but But you were back last year to 50 -something inches. you You hit your average. How? I don't get. How they, I don't know. I don't get how they're operating.
RICK JAMES: I love. I'd love to get one of those guys on, but they would never come on and give us their answers, I don't think.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, they wouldn't come on.
Arctic Steve: They wouldn't come on because they don't, honestly, I don't think they know. You know what I mean? I mean, i i i worked for two of them you know two of them that purchased the companies i worked at it was just It was really interesting. You know, every week you'd hear about margin, margin, margin, but it's like.
Arctic Steve: they're the ones out selling the work for for such low margin and then myself running the operations you know I'm supposed to sit there and try to reduce service to make their margins it's like we've been doing some
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, that's the problem.
Arctic Steve: We've been doing some of these.
RICK JAMES: They want to do volume. Right?
Arctic Steve: Yeah, some of these sites, we've been doing for I've been doing them for 20 years, and also now these new people take over.
RICK JAMES: Volume.
Arctic Steve: And they're telling me every, you know, on the on a Monday meeting every week. Oh, your margin, you got to chuck. you know chop chop it down you got to chop down the service you guys are over servicing Like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
Arctic Steve: The only reason why you have that account is because we've been doing it this way for the last 20 years. you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: they're They're bidding an RFP.
Arctic Steve: And now you're...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, they're they're bidding an RFP that, say, is a year -round RFP.
Arctic Steve: Yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So in the in the warm season, that RFP might call for 300 yards of mulch for that facility. They are they are pricing it at 200 yards of mulch or 150.
Arctic Steve: Yep, and then they're and then instead of an every seven -day mow, they're doing a 10 -day mow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
Arctic Steve: you know when it's just there's and then instead of doing your uh
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
Arctic Steve: your fertilizing is the last one they might not fertilize they might just do a liquid weed control and go through the motions and tell the customer they're doing fertilizer you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So you're not getting the same level of service for that cheaper price.
RICK JAMES: Yes, please.
Arctic Steve: Correct. arm
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're actually paying for less service.
Arctic Steve: They'd never do that, though.
RICK JAMES: No, no.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, no.
RICK JAMES: Yo!
Arctic Steve: I'm gonna get shot now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, you know, it's listen, you know, we could, we could rail away about the nationals and private equity all night long, but the bottom line is. If the nationals put out ship prices and.
The SnowJobs Podcast: arga our you know Our snow industry people keep taking them. Who's the idiot?
Arctic Steve: Correct.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
RICK JAMES: 100%.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Who's the moron? Like, you know.
RICK JAMES: So what you're asking once you're asking Robert is should you move to a different area if you're tapped out in that for the most part? That's what you're kind of wondering? Or what?
The Spin Off Show : So I guess the the actual question is, how do you determine when you're truly tapped out at your existing market versus You need to stay focused and find a better way to compete.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know, Rob.
The Spin Off Show : But there isn't a better way to compete if everything's always going to come down to dollars and cents.
Arctic Steve: Is that what you're finding, Robert, is when they're when they're telling you they're not signing you, you're you're so much more expensive than the... ne than the current contractor?
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, because...
Arctic Steve: What are they telling me?
The Spin Off Show : Because I'm... you know Most of the time. It's always awarded through email or whatever, and everybody's in the chain.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The Spin Off Show : I'll email back and say, you know, is there a dollar amount? you know, that you could give me that. if we were higher. And. you know i've gone to the lengths of even showing up at that office building or wherever their office is.
The Spin Off Show : And asking, like, hey. How far off were we? Give me at least a percentage. or Not a dollar amount. just something so i can somehow gauge this and You know, it's just.
The Spin Off Show : It's astronomical. I mean, because I'm not talking like five brands. Like I'm talking 20, 30. 60, $80 ,000 differences. And it's like,
RICK JAMES: Jesus.
The Spin Off Show : Seriously.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I got a couple of questions, Rob. Are the same companies beating you? Or is it all different companies?
The Spin Off Show : It's... It's like companies that you wouldn't even know existed.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Me... Cause maybe they don't. This is my point. Like, you know, not all this shit awarding bids.
The Spin Off Show : Right.
RICK JAMES: excuse
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, I'm just going to throw a bombshell out there. It's not always on the level, you know, like. It's it's tough man, I don't know I really don't. Are the ah RFPs airtight? Like, I mean, the RFPs, are do they are they RFPs that you can tell the people know what the fuck they're doing? I know what they're talking about, or is it like an RFP? Come and blow snow every two inches.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and that's it
The Spin Off Show : No, I mean, it's it's like schools. It's like college campuses. it's ah you know housing authorities that you know say they own 15, 20 properties throughout a city.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, forget that. Yeah. You're not going to get that.
The Spin Off Show : Um, It's uh you know. It's just all of that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Do you...
The Spin Off Show : off.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Do you know anybody in the housing authority that's awarding these bids?
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You do.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. Then you got to like, you got to talk to them and say, Hey, what, what is going on with this? How is, cause didn't you tell me you were a hundred thousand dollars different in price?
The Spin Off Show : Yes. That was what I was talking about. I had a conversation with with this said person and was like, hey. you know that's a very large swing in numbers And I'm like, you know.
The Spin Off Show : i I gave you guys. everything a to z like i showed you exactly how we were going to staff it the equipment that was going to be there just everything, you know, snow maps and.
The Spin Off Show : Just... i Don't know It just.
Arctic Steve: That's ah the the problem.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What did it go for?
Arctic Steve: is
The Spin Off Show : sub 100 And I was. Just barely sub 200.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And did you ask them, like, are you guys not the least bit worried about the who where who you awarded this to?
The Spin Off Show : No. um The famous line is. um You know, we hope it's We hope we don't have any issues.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Okay.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well...
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So the problem is the customer there. I mean, that's. Um,
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, but it's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know if you're... tapped out in the market you're you might be just you're getting the wrong type of customers. Are there nobody up there in your market that gives a shit about good snow work?
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, the people who we have. You know, we've plowed some of the same places for. some of them eight years, some of them close to 10. Those people respect.
The Spin Off Show : what we do.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
The Spin Off Show : No. But. that's That's where I come into, all right, like... There is no more people that... Give a fuck about snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm.
The Spin Off Show : so
Arctic Steve: But like robert Robert, those sites that you're doing, those ones for 8, 10 years, is there sites that are close by?
The Spin Off Show : What do you do?
Arctic Steve: like next door that maybe work for a different management company where you could get in with those and start saying hey i do this site next door You know? so they could see your what you do for work and use them as a reference you know
The Spin Off Show : I... Yeah. I mean. we plow places that abut other places i mean i've i've posted on social media before of
Arctic Steve: Sure.
The Spin Off Show : Our lot is completely... You know, it's it's all melted. And the next one over still got a hard pack and it's got sand on it. And it's like.
Arctic Steve: Sure.
The Spin Off Show : you know this this is the difference but Where I'm going or I mean excuse me where I'm getting to is Nobody cares. Like they don't care because.
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
The Spin Off Show : And my experience in my market here. is People. We'll deal with bullshit. for a cheaper price They will deal with the headaches.
The Spin Off Show : because If it's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: To a certain point.
The Spin Off Show : Right. If it's a big enough company. you know,
Arctic Steve: happen
The Spin Off Show : Whoever the facilities manager is. They look like the the the king or the queen and the god because they're saving money on, say, exterior maintenance.
The Spin Off Show : But. They have to deal with... you know some phone calls and you know calling the company to come plow and like this and that so you know, At the end of the day, every single thing comes down to price.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So...
The Spin Off Show : And...
RICK JAMES: Mm hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : No matter what you present, no matter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean...
The Spin Off Show : it doesn't matter
The SnowJobs Podcast: So the first thing you said is nobody cares. And that's not true. Not nobody cares because your existing customers do care. about quality.
Arctic Steve: you
The SnowJobs Podcast: Otherwise, they'd be going cheaper. you know they'd find a find somebody to do cheaper. So that's a problem that exists everywhere. You're going to have your tier one customers. And those are the ones you try and get the ones that understand and value the kind of work you do. um The real. question is how do you educate?
The SnowJobs Podcast: more customers up there? How do you get more customers to understand that they need to pay more for snow? and I don't know. how Maine is like in New York. It's very easy. You let them get one slip fall.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wallsuit.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then they find out very quickly. There's a shopping center in my town that we've never touched. ah because it's a five -acre shopping plaza, and it's been done for $18 ,000 for the last 23 years without increasing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: By the same person. but
RICK JAMES: Jesus.
The SnowJobs Podcast: A couple of years ago. They had two slip falls. How much do you think those two slip falls cost him?
The Spin Off Show : Way too much
The SnowJobs Podcast: So now... Now they are literally, um I believe the bid, if if the bid is correct, the information I got, it's going mid -80s this year.
Arctic Steve: Sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: so That's how they got educated. but with That's easy in New York. New York is the most heavily litigated state.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, so you you get a slip hole, you're going to find out how much it costs for snow, for quality snow real quick.
Arctic Steve: You get in.
Arctic Steve: And then you get into some of these other accounts too, and it's... um i get what you're saying robert they're saying looking at price but you get into like you know everybody uses a zero tolerance i always call it zero disruption you know you get into some of these sites that that they get disrupted by like crappy service from the cheap guy.
Arctic Steve: That's only going to fly so long. You know? they can't continue to keep operating and if they're if their building's half closed half the time every time it snows. so
The Spin Off Show : So my other My other question to this kind of a side question is. Is there like a certain... Like. time period where you know everything screwed up the economy is in the tank you know this and this and that and that but Like.
The Spin Off Show : is is this ah is this a circle that everything kind of comes back full circle is that Does that make any sense?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, I don't think I don't think prices once show me a time in history where once a price has gone up on something, it's ever gone back down. you know, down lower.
The Spin Off Show : hopefully Hopefully diesel fuel. That would be nice.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, but that's ah that's a fluctuating commodity.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm talking about like, okay, you had, just to use recent history. You had the equipment equipment prices for covid during COVID.
RICK JAMES: Tires.
The SnowJobs Podcast: equipment prices during COVID started going up every quarter.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: not even yearly increases.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Every quarter, of the increases were going up. And they all said, oh, it's COVID due to COVID, COVID, COVID, supply chain, supply chain, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
RICK JAMES: Awesome.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then. They said, once that's all that's over, it's going to come down. It's going to come back down. Bullshit. A Ford Expedition is still $100 ,000 now.
RICK JAMES: Look.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Look, yeah, look at your pickups.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, you know.
RICK JAMES: They're up 100%.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
RICK JAMES: They're up 100 % on what they were. It's fucking bullshit.
Arctic Steve: You look at...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Arctic Steve: Yep, we'll get picked up soon.
RICK JAMES: Nothing. They're not worth that.
Arctic Steve: Yeah, the snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No!
Arctic Steve: The snow equipment, all of it, you know, it's it's went up, you know. And then now we cut.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So once...
Arctic Steve: now we're dealing with tariffs you know and if tariffs go down we're still that
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: we're still going to be paying it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Then once once a Yes.
RICK JAMES: They got the money.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Once an industry has figured out how to raise a price, why would they ever drop it back? okay Because we're we're paying it. we're we're We're coming up with the money somehow. You know, we're paying it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If we need it, we're going to pay it. And that's that's the goddamn why the fuck is our industry the only ones to figure out, hey, the cost of everything we need to bring them this product.
Arctic Steve: And it kind of...
The SnowJobs Podcast: is up. We're going to lower our price.
Arctic Steve: Yeah. and we're
The SnowJobs Podcast: We're the only idiots to do that.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: Yeah, we're the we're the only ones that are doing reverse order on that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: Yeah, guys are coming in there because they're scared they're going to lose it and not be able to keep their guys working there, you know, because they're so focused on the landscape or green side or concrete or whatever. that they're afraid they're not going to keep their guys busy, so they go in there and tank tank it just to keep their people busy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: Yep. That account's not going to go raising back up unless, like you said, Steve, where you have some major incidents.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. Yep.
Arctic Steve: you know a big slip and falls because you got a ah clown and they're doing it that doesn't you know how to do the work or have the proper insurance to cover it, you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I love this industry. I love the people in this industry, but when it comes to business acumen and financial acumen, we are some of the dumbest motherfuckers on this planet. You know, a lot of people I think are running shell games.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um you know houses of cards because they just can't it can't be any other way it's like when you When you look at ah you know, if you're a homicide detective and you're trying to solve a murder. If all this evidence exists pointing to one way, you know, pointing to one guy, you got the DNA, you got the fingerprints. He was there. He's got no alibi. Like he did it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, there are companies out there that are doing business and are are pricing their work. it's so Far under. The market tolerance. i don't know how they're I don't know how they're staying in business.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's a virtual impossibility that they're doing that that they're fiscally sound.
The Spin Off Show : Well, you just said it Steve they're playing a game of cards They're going to fold. they because
The SnowJobs Podcast: Eventually.
The Spin Off Show : eventually they're going to fold because you can only.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Listen.
The Spin Off Show : run shit half -assed for so long before you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm in the Northeast. I know of in the last five years, I know of four companies personally that have changed their names and rio we reorganized, quote unquote. That's because they maxed out their fucking credit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: they will They maxed out their credit available. they they they They... went under. They declared bankruptcy protection. Then they reorganized, slightly altered their name, and put a different head on the mastat you know the ah the company And they reopened.
RICK JAMES: Smythe Snow, I heard he was one of them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Smite's now. But, I mean, in terms of your question, Robert, i I think. It's frustrating for you, 100%. ah But you have good customers that understand what the work.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um what the work entails and what it should cost for proper you know quality um i don't know see if you can lean on them To say, hey, you understand what work we do.
RICK JAMES: i
The SnowJobs Podcast: You understand what all this costs us. We've never failed you. Do you know? Anybody in the area. You know, you know anybody else in your business world. That. you know needs high quality snow work because it's getting to be ridiculous around here But I also don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Maine may be a tougher breed of people than New York, where if you slip and fall, maybe it's just because it's winter. And that's something that happens in winter in Maine, where in New York, they feel like, if oh, I slipped and fall that I'm entitled to money from somebody.
The SnowJobs Podcast: because I lost my footing.
RICK JAMES: I think that's everywhere now, but yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Don't mention I was drunk.
The Spin Off Show : Oh, I mean. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: I...
The Spin Off Show : I mean, people do slip and fall, I mean, up here. I mean but i don't...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Do they sue?
The Spin Off Show : but I don't think lawsuits are as Big of a thing up here. I mean, a lot of people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's what I'm talking about.
The Spin Off Show : you know, Uh, i don't know grandma slips you know and falls she gets up and brushes herself off and goes into the store you know it's you know But I'm also not saying that it doesn't happen because I've...
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
The Spin Off Show : i know what happens up here but But still.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's a very...
The Spin Off Show : I mean.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: but even even steve like you were saying brandon riley sent you over something you know on the minneapolis market and we get we get slip and falls i mean people are so happy up here They want it to look good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, I guarantee. Yeah, if there's anybody who can compete with New York.
RICK JAMES: Oh, we get it here. Yeah, we get it here.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If there's anybody that can compete with New York, I bet it's Minneapolis.
Arctic Steve: Yeah. And it's like.
RICK JAMES: Huh.
Arctic Steve: I mean, he obviously, I don't know what what site or what he sent you over, but, I mean, you're competing against some of the nationals here in town and whatnot.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: and some of the Some of the bigger players, you know, private equity behind them and whatnot. And I'm i'm hearing from a lot of guys that they're. They're giving these jobs away.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, yeah it's it's crazy.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, you got blue hair and you're protesting. I mean, they don't wear proper footwear during protests, so they could they could slip and fall all the time.
Arctic Steve: they don't They don't wear folkwear.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It it happens. but
RICK JAMES: I mean, I've said this numerous times lately on the show. um I've said this at work quite a bit because we've we've lost some accounts. And I'm like. And they're not great. The ones we lost weren't that great. and But.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: They're kind of upset about it because, oh, look at all the square footage we lost. when When's the last time a square... Florida just paid the fucking bill.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, exactly.
RICK JAMES: Really? Square footage doesn't pay a fucking bill. You have to. You have to get the your price. Otherwise, why do it?
Arctic Steve: As long as...
RICK JAMES: what what I mean, this...
Arctic Steve: Mine's a prop.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Exactly. what is it What are you getting per square foot if you're not getting your price?
Arctic Steve: Well, it's wonderful.
RICK JAMES: to say goodbye. Who cares?
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Who cares?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Who gives a shit?
Arctic Steve: yeah as long as it's obviously a profitable square footage then but just the square footage you know
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I mean... Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: youre trying to get a sima award at at the sima symposium for most square footage plowed you know that's stupid
RICK JAMES: So,
Arctic Steve: Yep.
RICK JAMES: there's This is...
RICK JAMES: there's Yeah, there's and I'm just like, why are we upset about this? There's nothing to be upset about. They're not paying us what we what we demand to get paid. This is what we deserve to get paid for this. Just because we lose square footage? Yeah.
RICK JAMES: It sucks we lost that spot, but they're not going to pay, so who cares?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hey.
RICK JAMES: Move on.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Rob, I'll tell you this, man. You're... you're You do super high quality. uh hardscaping your work is you know i mean i haven't seen very many that do the kind of quality you do and you're obviously doing very well with that you're you're still ridiculously busy with the hardscaping correct
The Spin Off Show : Yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. So. Here's the deal. If you can't grow your snow because you can't meet your prices. I mean... If you can't grow it, I don't know what your options are. Maybe you're just tapped for the people that will meet your pricing. So you have decisions to make. Like maybe snow is never going to be a massive part of your operation.
The Spin Off Show : Don't you swear at me like that, Steve.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know What?
The Spin Off Show : I said, don't you swear at me like that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm just saying, like, I don't know. I don't know your market well enough. But at the same time, if you're killing it in all other aspects and snow, it's just because. I know you're not cheap with hardscaping.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Right?
The Spin Off Show : No, I
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, you're you're expensive as fuck.
The Spin Off Show : i Sorry, i i didn't know I didn't know that was a question.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, but I'm just saying.
The Spin Off Show : I thought it was a statement.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I was just, you know. But I know you're not cheap with hardscaping. You do quality work, but you know you're getting a fucking premium price because not everybody can do that shit. The problem with your customers up there in snow, I think.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The more rugged the terrain, the more rugged the state, the more remote the area, ah they think anybody can plow snow because there's a thousand guys per square mile with pickup trucks with a plow on them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So they're not used to paying for high quality snow contractors. So you may very well be tapped out in your area. But... I mean, don't drop your fucking price
Arctic Steve: Yeah. Correct.
The Spin Off Show : Are you going to drop my price?
RICK JAMES: Keep what you have. and keep the ones you have and keep them happy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, keep what you have. Keep doing that well.
RICK JAMES: and Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And you sound like you got customers, your your customers that are existing. you understand when you have to, when you have to up upcharge them on stuff.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, I mean... the clients that we have now, like. They understand what they're paying for because they get to come to work. and there's no issues.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
The Spin Off Show : Like there's no snow in the parking lot.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Those are what you want.
The Spin Off Show : everything's bared it can be a blizzard but You know, when they have first shift that comes in at 5 a .m. Well, everything's been plowed and treated by 4 .30. So by the time people start rolling in at, you know, 5 a .m., everything's bare.
The Spin Off Show : You know?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let me ask you a question. Is there anything wrong with staying the size you're at for snow?
The Spin Off Show : Well... No. No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
The Spin Off Show : but I don't know I guess I don't have no but to that. Um,
The SnowJobs Podcast: no i'm just saying like is it in your like is it your dream to expand your snow empire
The Spin Off Show : Well, yeah, I mean Jesus Christ I'm sitting here talking to guys about snow You know? Like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I get it.
The Spin Off Show : I mean...
The SnowJobs Podcast: But like I'm saying, like, I'm I'm small. I so i grew slow.
The Spin Off Show : each stone.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I stayed small on purpose and I was OK with it. That's the size of business I wanted. You know, I carved out a little niche and that's all I wanted to do. But. Some people aren't okay with that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, some people want you know to have the major headaches of having 500 employees. know, 7 ,000 sites and shit and square footage, square footage, square footage. you know That was never me.
The Spin Off Show : No, I don't. No, I don't care about that. Like, I don't need to be it. 15. 20 million dollar company like that that's that's not my whole purpose you know my whole purpose is you know to be able to not fuck around with these people that you know,
The Spin Off Show : don't care about quality. you know, is to just kind of. keep finding these facilities where, you know. People. People take you know safety. And it's like snow work, seriously, you know, where it's like.
RICK JAMES: mm -hmm
The Spin Off Show : We can go in and Jesus Christ, I don't care if we only did three sites, but if we can make the money that we need to make, that's all we need.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
The Spin Off Show : You know what I'm saying? like I'm not saying that I have to be this massive company.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah No, I do know what you're saying.
The Spin Off Show : i just want to be a niche company. That's you know servicing you know, these certain type of accounts and you know,
The Spin Off Show : properties. where people take it seriously. You know?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. I mean, so I i reiterate Talk to your customers that you have that understand. you know and and love the high quality snow work that you do and see if they have a line on on yeah you know Usually birds of a a feather flock together. Usually people think the same that are they're friends with. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Maybe they can help you get your foot in the door somewhere else. Say, hey, do you know, are any of your fellow business people that you know in our area, in our, you know, our radius here, ah do you know anybody that that needs really, you know, top quality snow work, you know, to keep their businesses open and stuff?
The SnowJobs Podcast: That might be the way to go.
Arctic Steve: Got a lot of... Robert, a lot of these property managers and management companies kind of have associations and talk just like we are with snow. you know, with our group and our friends and whatnot.
Arctic Steve: they have the same type of stuff with them so exactly what steve's saying
The SnowJobs Podcast: And they have guys in different categories.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Don't think they don't. Like, they'll they'll ask the the the customer what.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Mhm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, what are your... What's your priorities? Like, what do you want for this? kind of Do you care about, you know, the green being perfectly striped and mulch and no weeds, blah, blah. You know, is that your focus? ah what Do you give a shit about snow? Will you be willing to accept maybe you're stuck in your house for a day or two, but pay a lot less for snow work?
The SnowJobs Podcast: um Or do you need, you know, black pavement an hour after the snow is done? You know, and If they say, yeah, I really don't care about snow. Just do it as cheap as possible. Then they go to list.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Category three.
RICK JAMES: There's your answer.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Category three on their sheet. They know. okay, I have these five contractors that I know. They are cheap. but they are not good. You know, they are low low service. you know, low service quality.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um But they're they're being... To be fair. They're not being paid for any higher level of service. They're being paid to come plow once it's all over. basically and then If somebody says, hey, listen, man, I don't want to fucking flake a snow to fall. on my property and hit the ground all winter. Okay. Well then they got that list on there too. And that's a lot. I guarantee you that's a lot smaller list.
Arctic Steve: ah huh
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, and Steve, like you just said about you know the green season, perfect or whatever. one of our biggest sites um They care less about what it looks like in the summer.
The Spin Off Show : than they do in the winter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's my perfect customer.
RICK JAMES: Mm -hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Give me that fucker every day.
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yes.
The Spin Off Show : You can't have him.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : It didn't happen.
RICK JAMES: Steve's not growing. Don't worry. He won't take them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I'm ah um'm um'm dumb not growing at all.
RICK JAMES: and
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm too tired, too old for that. but uh
RICK JAMES: Too tired.
Arctic Steve: Too tired.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Too tired.
RICK JAMES: Okay.
Arctic Steve: Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But, uh...
Arctic Steve: I heard.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, but Rob, I mean, I would try that route. Man, talk to talk to some of your existing customers. Talk to your your property managers that you do business with in the area. And just say, like, I'm having a major problem here with these idiots that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: don't give a shit about what quality snow work they're getting. And they're okay with, uh, you know, paying 10 grand for, uh, a site that should be going for 150.
Arctic Steve: And another another one to get in.
The Spin Off Show : I mean, we don't even...
Arctic Steve: to build a relationship.
The Spin Off Show : We don't even do any work for property.
Arctic Steve: with
The Spin Off Show : like management companies, like it's all direct.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great. That's even better.
Arctic Steve: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Then just talk to the customers.
RICK JAMES: That's better. maybe Maybe your customers are keeping you. tight they don't want other people to know about you because they don't want to lose you
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : I fucking about imagine.
Arctic Steve: another Another one, Robert, is those management companies.
RICK JAMES: They might.
Arctic Steve: Get in tight with the... the building engineers are the maintenance guys for the for the properties Because those guys all know each other, you know, when they're out running around to these. you know parts supply places whatnot getting stuff for their buildings these guys all talk
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. You never know.
The Spin Off Show : <unk> for sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You never know. But, yeah, I mean, I don't know, buddy. That's so that's a tough one. um It's happening everywhere. And I'm very. it's not I shouldn't say it's happening everywhere. It's happening more places than I would have thought coming out of last winter where so many guys got double their yearly average of both events and snowfall.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm hearing it more than I thought I would. where prices are staying the same or dropping. uh but it's not everywhere like we had this conversation with jordan a couple weeks ago and you know He said he was hearing about it in, you know obviously, Minneapolis. Minneapolis.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How those guys are doing it, it sounds like the whole industry there is racing to the bottom. Like the... They're just they're trying to beat each other out. Like, oh, I'm going to be first. I'm going to be first.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i don't I don't know how the fuck they keep lowering their prices every year. and yeah It's just... I don't know. I don't know. I mean, I have a whole way I do things and that would keep me up at night to. To be sitting there saying, well, I'm taking less money now than I did 12 years ago.
The SnowJobs Podcast: to do this site, but yet I have the same amount of equipment. I'm paying triple what I was paying for diesel.
RICK JAMES: It costs way more.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: now And now I'm doing double the square footage and making the same as I was.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm paying triple what I was in labor.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. i don't I don't understand that game. and And maybe that's my problem is I don't understand that game. I only understand one way to do this. Maybe there is a secret to, you know, maybe they're writing it off. Who the fuck knows? Like maybe they're taking such huge loss losses and writing that shit off.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Who knows? I don't know. I just.
Arctic Steve: That's that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I only know one way to do this.
Arctic Steve: That's the hamster wheel with the private equities, you know. They'll just go buy it from the house.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. I don't, again, they're slimy as fuck. I don't know how. You know, I don't know how they do things.
The Spin Off Show : Fucking Sean.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sean is not private equity.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : No, Sean is slimy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Sean is not slimy.
RICK JAMES: That's the G.
The SnowJobs Podcast: My God. There we go.
RICK JAMES: Uh...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, leave my boy alone.
The Spin Off Show : Hey.
RICK JAMES: uh
The Spin Off Show : Steve, did you like?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hey, that's your co -host.
The Spin Off Show : I was just going to say, did you like my, do you like my name?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I do the spinoff show.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The snow job spinoff show. You know what? I'm going to throw that out there for everybody listening. Let me know. DM us on Instagram. ah Let us know this week if you would like to hear a Robert and Sean spinoff show where basically the two of them just get on every week and argue about shit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, we've had a lot of requests for that. I think it'd be pretty funny actually.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But... But yeah, I just don't know how how they're doing it. But to get back to what Jordan was saying, I know in my area, I'm actually very proud of a lot of the guys in the area because I've checked in. Hey, what are you doing? And I know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The three guys that are closest to the way I do things out here, they all said the same thing. We're up between 18 and 26%. ah That's where we raised it. so You know, umm I'm glad at least it's not happening everywhere. but There are guys out there that are keeping their prices the same, and I don't fucking get it. I don't understand how they're doing it.
The Spin Off Show : The Walt. The one statement that i've always kind of kept in the back of my head is you can never shovel your way to a better price
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wow. Did you get that on a fortune cookie?
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, I did actually.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ha ha! That was good. Where'd you come up with that one?
The Spin Off Show : It's true. I must have heard it at at some point or whatever. But, I mean, if if you think about it.
RICK JAMES: Sorry, Ma.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
Arctic Steve: Okay.
The Spin Off Show : When I got that nice pair of socks, too.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh man. All right. ah Anything else on that, Robert, or we want to move on?
The Spin Off Show : No, I'm good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right Um... I'm trying to think Trying to think what else. um i gotta here here's one that that i'm hearing recently um we We just had a banger winter again, a banger winter in a lot of places, probably 75 % of.
The SnowJobs Podcast: the snow pushing world in the United States had a very, very good winter last year, you know, east of the Mississippi. um West of the Mississippi, sorry for those guys. The West Coast guys had not much of a winner. But.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um. I'm hearing from guys, guys are. DMing and texting, asking if we have lines on where they can find products. Apparently dealers don't have products for major OEMs like they're.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know. I've had probably four or five people in the last week ask me if I could find them a VSI sprayer. I guess there's none out there. All the dealers are saying they they haven't gotten their shipments. I don't know.
The Spin Off Show : building your own
The SnowJobs Podcast: But has anybody else heard anything like, like about product not being, I'm just, and that's just one thing. I heard it about a plow. um Tough to find some plows. What? What happened with the OEMs? Is there stuff missing? Is there stuff? Were they waiting to get? pricing before they started building. um i'm kind of confused by this Anybody know anything? No?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
RICK JAMES: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Moving on.
RICK JAMES: No, it's... This is...
The SnowJobs Podcast: If anybody's got a line on a VSI spray unit new on the East Coast.
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah, maybe it was.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Get a hold of me because we can make some money. Because there's some desperate guys there's some desperate guys out there that are looking for them.
The Spin Off Show : I can make them one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and You know, it's salt shortage, right? Last year, huge salt shortage.
RICK JAMES: Here it is.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We all know that shit is coming again this year. So everybody's trying to go liquids now and they can't get spray units.
RICK JAMES: Hmm.
Arctic Steve: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's an issue.
Arctic Steve: yeah I don't know
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: guys are waiting on you know these they're waiting on parts or something i'm not i'm not sure i've heard
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know. the The dealers are just saying, I've i've talked to a couple of dealers saying they haven't gotten their orders.
Arctic Steve: instance
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh yet um But I don't know. I mean. It just seems like shit where we're what October in a couple of days. And...
Arctic Steve: Yep, it is the season.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Arctic Steve: We better rock and roll and get it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know? where Yeah, the Massachusetts, ah New York. Connecticut, Maryland. Uh, all in the last week asking for VSI, any line on VSI spray units.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I said. Nope. I don't have any line on any of them, but if anybody does have them, anybody know a dealer out there that's got VSI spray units in the Northeast sitting around. Get a hold of me because we can make some money.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : I just said, I told you I can build them one. It's not hard.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: because
The SnowJobs Podcast: Alright.
The Spin Off Show : No.
RICK JAMES: He can spray paint DS irons, right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know,
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : I've um I've switched everything over to... Micro track controllers the old VSI once. Well. like the old VSI ones.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm. You still have your mammoth?
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, you do. It's still running. Is it running at all or no? Just.
The Spin Off Show : I don't know. There's like a mat, like it's sitting in the gravel.
Arctic Steve: after
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know
RICK JAMES: It's like a mammoth you find nowadays. you just There's a...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : The other day I walked by it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Petrified.
The Spin Off Show : I walked by it the other day and I did a double take and I'm like, what the fuck is that? There's a puddle that's three times the size of it. And the gravel is just like black. And I'm like, I don't even want to know what that is.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Is that an EFI engine or is that carbureted?
The Spin Off Show : Yeah it is EFI.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm.
The Spin Off Show : Is it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I was going to say, it sounds like a flap stuck open there on your fuel.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The Spin Off Show : Probably.
Arctic Steve: notes like this one yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Clapper. I don't even want to know.
RICK JAMES: Uh...
The SnowJobs Podcast: that But you keep it outside?
The Spin Off Show : The fucking thing's a piece of shit. What do you want me to do with it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, all right. Jesus Christ.
The Spin Off Show : i you You brought it up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I know, but that's not where I was going with, but oh, man. All right, good enough.
The Spin Off Show : Where were you going? but Where were you?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Moving on.
The Spin Off Show : Where were you going? I know. I want to know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I just wanted to see if you had a spray kit for that.
The Spin Off Show : No, but it's funny. that you bring it up because i was just thinking about it the other day
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
The Spin Off Show : What?
The SnowJobs Podcast: that was That was the only question because I don't know anybody that has a spray kit for it.
Arctic Steve: No, no. Sounds like it's cut. Sounds like it's a got a spray kit on it. It just sprays out some black stuff.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, spraying something.
The Spin Off Show : That's free.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm spraying something.
Arctic Steve: but
The Spin Off Show : You didn't have to pay for that upgrade.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well. Oh shit.
The Spin Off Show : Alright.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, but that's so that's all I was asking for that.
The Spin Off Show : Next topic.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um... all right what else what else we got i told you we' we're gonna rant tonight
Arctic Steve: Just going to rant.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I Yeah, I mean, there's... There's some plows out there that are... I've heard a lot of guys having a shortage on too, so. not getting parts.
RICK JAMES: Not getting... The plows is going to be. Delayed. And who wants to get, who wants to get them?
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's god It's coming. i mean It's October.
RICK JAMES: Who, who wants to, I mean, who wants. I mean, yeah, we got got to have these. in time for winter that's the whole point i have you know
The SnowJobs Podcast: It is October. It is definitely October.
RICK JAMES: We have enough But...
Arctic Steve: Tis the season, right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right Yup. So let's hit some commercials real quick. We'll come back. We'll see what else we can get into.
The SnowJobs Podcast: SJ 26 is actually the promo code now. ah SJ 26 for Yeti.
RICK JAMES: All right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We'll get you two months free. All right, we're back. We are back. ah So what else? Yeah, Jeremy, what happened? somebody Somebody sent me something this week.
RICK JAMES: Cool. I guess.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, yeah, I got it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: with your Go ahead.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I got a call out one morning from ah a friend of mine saying, you got to look at this. There's ah some guys using. my images as their own company. I was like.
RICK JAMES: What the fuck?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Don't do that guys.
RICK JAMES: It's like...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Don't do that shit.
RICK JAMES: like as It clearly says Glacier on the side of the thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It did. on the pusher.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Clear and steady.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. I like. What are we doing? You're misrepresenting your own company, bud. Right. Me. i don't know i just so i call the guy and i'm like let's take that off but So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, let's let's not do that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm. Oh man.
RICK JAMES: That was...
Arctic Steve: Yeah, they were doing that
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's not let's not do that.
Arctic Steve: They were doing that last year. Remember, Jeremy? They were using the old Southview pictures that I had.
RICK JAMES: Well, yeah, they were doing that for your stuff too.
Arctic Steve: He's the same same guy, but yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: My goodness. yeah it's not hard to just get some stock images from the internet they're they're easy to find
Arctic Steve: Yep. Go out there with your iPhone. and take some photos
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's it.
Arctic Steve: But those are the guys that probably don't have the equipment.
RICK JAMES: ah
Arctic Steve: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes, exactly.
RICK JAMES: Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Yeah, one farm, open cab farm tractor with a...
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah With an old...
RICK JAMES: Bucket.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: An old rigid V.
Arctic Steve: Old pickup truck.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah oh shit all right boys anything uh anything else we got to talk about or we just uh We just go, uh... Go on our merry way here Robert, anything else?
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're muted.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's only like the 30th time you've been on.
The Spin Off Show : Um, No, um I just wanted to say, like, anytime I call, you know, like, J .R. Sheds for anything Ventrac. Or... Pretty much any parts from them Bye. Everything is flawless.
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh jimmy's the shit yeah
The Spin Off Show : And that's. Well, even, um excuse me, if she ever hears, I... don't remember her name but um
The SnowJobs Podcast: Donnie.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, well... Is she always the one in parts?
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah No, she's usually the one in billing, but... the I don't know. they were They each wear a lot of hats there when the phones are ringing, they answer all sorts of stuff.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah, and it's just like anytime I i call, it's, you know, they always. Because sometimes I never know what I'm... asking for, or what I'm looking for.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
The Spin Off Show : And. you know, She'll always spend the time and, you know, say, hey. you know this this and this and then you know before the order is done she's like oh she's like hey by the way you know there's a couple extra things that you know you could possibly need and it's just like Yeah. like put them in like that's what i need i need One of everything just in case.
The Spin Off Show : You know, and it's. I don't know.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The Spin Off Show : it It's just nice It's nice to deal with people that understand. like I guess what we need and you know. parts supply and everything.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
The Spin Off Show : It's always good. you know eve if not
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, they're phenomenal
The Spin Off Show : what What are they, in Maryland?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, they're in Maryland that's uh
The Spin Off Show : And get I get stuff like...
The SnowJobs Podcast: I found them by accident, dude. And I could never go back, man.
The Spin Off Show : I get stuff like second day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes. Yes, you will.
The Spin Off Show : It's awesome.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You will. And he's all over the place. So, so much. He's on the road so much that if you catch him at the right time, you'd just be like, what are you buying? Oh yeah. Cool. Yeah. I'm actually heading that way tomorrow. I'll just drop it off. like ah whole Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, like yeah, no, there's very few. That's how I started with him. I call. I got. Canada, somebody in Canada, a Ventrac dealer in Canada said. You know, you got to, if there's anybody that has this, this two year discontinued.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know attachment It's probably this guy J and &R Sheds in Maryland. So we... I called him. I'm like, Hey, you got a snowblower for 3 ,400. He's like. Yeah, I got like five of them and great. How many you need? I'm like, just one for now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But like nobody's got these things.
RICK JAMES: right
The SnowJobs Podcast: I must have called 20 different Ventrac dealers. And he had it. and Shit, man, I never look back. The man always answers the phone. You have parts overnight. He knows every part of every Ventrac machine out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, it's like these guys like Jimmy and Gene Stork. they should literally teach dealer classes.
The Spin Off Show : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: for these companies on how to be a fucking dealer. Like, that's what these companies need.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i just I told the Western rep. last week. I said, you should have Gene Stork teach a dealer course. For your entire dealer network. on what it means to be a dealer and not let your customers ever fail.
Arctic Steve: Yep. jeans are awesome
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, Jimmy's the same way.
RICK JAMES: Eight.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like don't ever let your customers down.
RICK JAMES: Smite.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: we didn't we didn't We didn't see you at S and &S. Are we going to see you at Patty's? Where have you been?
Arctic Steve: I'm not gonna Kind of hiding out. I've been doing a lot of training down at the Storm Academy pad. No, I will not be.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He's wanted.
Arctic Steve: it
The SnowJobs Podcast: He can't fly.
Arctic Steve: and will not I will not be at Patty's this week.
RICK JAMES: Are you on the no -fly list or what?
The SnowJobs Podcast: No fly list.
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Arctic Steve: Walk through with your sidearm
RICK JAMES: Are you the guy that got duct taped to the chair?
RICK JAMES: On that airplane? airlane
Arctic Steve: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
Arctic Steve: Heh.
RICK JAMES: a
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh shit man.
Arctic Steve: yeah no i won't be there unfortunately this week uh eric eric from storm will be there and then uh
RICK JAMES: What the hell?
Arctic Steve: ah Adam Hansen, obviously, will be there. and I'm busy down at the Storm Academy pad doing some...
RICK JAMES: Mm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You guys making snow yet?
Arctic Steve: some training. We're not making snow. We're pushing lots of mulch.
RICK JAMES: yeah
Arctic Steve: Lots of moldy mulch.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Alright.
Arctic Steve: I come home on Friday. we I've been doing training Monday through Thursday and by Friday, my allergies are on like a 10.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ooh.
Arctic Steve: in a cup. couple days saturday sunday to get rid of the allergies i'm back at her tomorrow morning
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yo, do me a favor, actually, because I was actually wondering that. Pull one of the cabin air filters on one of the machines. See what it looks like.
Arctic Steve: Yeah. I will.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I want to, I've actually often wondered that like, are these air filters for these cabins that are 120 bucks a piece? Are they actually preventing anything from getting in there?
Arctic Steve: yep Yeah, I'll take a look at that. Actually, I'll look tomorrow. But, yeah, we've been doing a lot of pushing a lot of mulch down there the last three weeks, three, four weeks. So it's been going good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Is all the concrete stained red?
Arctic Steve: Chance of getting there, the plows are... lookily Luckily, we're using the Black Phantoms. We do have one of the yellow. One's out there pushing. She's she's getting pretty stained up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: no Well, well, the cost of doing business.
RICK JAMES: oh
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, boys, we got anything else?
Arctic Steve: Yep.
RICK JAMES: We're good, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool.
Arctic Steve: Think that's it. You guys have fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, then we'll wrap it.
RICK JAMES: See you everybody.
Arctic Steve: Safe travels to Paddy's and we'll miss seeing you guys, but we'll talk soon.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yes sir yes sir we will uh everybody if you're going to if you're going out to northeast the ising solutions the end of this week uh travel safely we will see you out there we're going to be out there wednesday and thursday
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I miss you
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah So hopefully we see a lot of you out there. i know there's I know they're sold out, so it's going to be a good time. Great event for everybody else, for Steve and Robert. Thanks for the time. We always appreciate you guys coming on.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And ah for me and Jeremy, that is it gang. Everybody be safe out there. You have a great week. Keep pushing.
