Transcript
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here we go, Snow Jobs Nation. We are back again bringing you episode 182 of the Snow Jobs Podcast main show powered by Top Gun Backblades, the best show in snow.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: As always, I'm Steve. You know who's with me?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Freshly back from Mankato, Jeremy Lindstrom in the house. What's up, buddy? How you doing?
RICK JAMES: Doing great, Steve-O. Doing great. It was a good time. How are you doing?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, how was your trip? Was good?
RICK JAMES: it It really good. Yeah, it' was a good time. got to see a lot of guys. And ah I don't know, we had some good nights of just hanging out, some shop talk and all that great stuff. So, yeah, it was ah well worth it.
RICK JAMES: We missed you out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's the best. Yeah, I had some last second shit come up that prohibited me from ah from heading out there. So that sucked. But stuff I had to take care of and got it done and moving on.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But yeah, I'm sorry to miss it. I feel bad that I missed it. And, you well you know, you always like to support your friends from Storm. And it's a great event. And it's great for the industry. But, you know, some priorities, right?
RICK JAMES: Hey, you can't, when when those transitioning appointments come up, you gotta go, bud.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You got to take them. You got to take them, especially with the government, you know, subsidizing some subsidizing it. ah Nice. ah Well played, sir.
RICK JAMES: like yeah Hey.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well played. ah
RICK JAMES: Gay!
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, shit.
RICK JAMES: a
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh But yeah, we did. We did have Storm Field Day. 2026 was last week. Jeremy was out there. a couple other boys were out there. So that's what we're talking about tonight. Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We're going to do a full review, as we always do. And the Storm team loves to sit there Monday morning and and listen to this. and And they always do listen because they seem to make it better every year. Right.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, definitely. For sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very, very cool. So that's what we got for you today. Storm Field Day 2026 review show. And to help us do that, we got a bunch of guys. All right. We have some guys that haven't been back in a while. We have some guys that are new. So we got Joe Uran from Nordic Snow out in Minnesota. We got Colton Cryer. We got Tyler Gearn.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And we got Patty Salmon of Northeast De-Icing Solutions. They are all in the house, and they're going help us do this because I honestly have nothing to add because I was not there. So they're going to take the ball and kick it around and see what they liked, what they didn't like, what they felt could be better, and and what they nailed.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And, ah you know, that's what we do. And we'll give them the ah the honest take from everybody and help everybody get better. And that's what we're doing, help the whole industry move forward every year, getting better, getting tighter. And, yeah, those night those night hangouts, just kicking it around, around a fire pit or something of the best.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, definitely.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You get so much more out of that, I think, than some conferences, honestly.
RICK JAMES: oh that's where you get all the, you know, seem, i mean, I mean, yeah, I mean, the show and everything's great, but when you're just talking shop with all the guys sitting around at night and, you know, that's where you're, that's where you're learning a lot of stuff and, you know, everybody's, everybody's free and nobody cares.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Right? Right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: We're all just snow guys talking snow stuff and whatever else we're going to talk about.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, absolutely. No $6,000 coming out of your bank account to fly to some big show. You know, it's $200 in DoorDash McDonald's at fucking midnight, and you're ah you know you kicking it around the pit.
RICK JAMES: No, we called Sean and tried to get him to give us the his mom's credit. We called him. We're sitting at the fire and he wouldn't do it. He said, send us DoorDash, bud.
RICK JAMES: You can least send us that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, shit.
RICK JAMES: You're not coming. So what do you want to do it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, yeah, I know. um I'm sure Sean was missed.
RICK JAMES: Blackballed.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm sure Sean was missed. But, yeah, that's what we're doing tonight. We got the whole team here. These guys are all really good. They have great insights, and we can't wait to hear them. But you know what we got to do before that? We got to hear from Team Top Gun. We got to come back. We got some announcements to make before we get rocking with these guys. We'll be right back.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we're back. Thank you, as always, to Team Top Gun. We really appreciate having you on board. First things first, before we do anything else, got to send a big congratulations out there to Mr. and Mrs. Luke Eggebrotten of Phaser Marketing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They welcome the brand-new baby boy. Healthy. Everybody's healthy. Everybody's doing well. So congratulations, you guys, and you know keep an eye out for the snow jobs onesies heading your way.
The SnowJobs Podcast: let's see what else we got buddy storm chasing season two we got four episodes up we got two more to go and i think what do we got we got triple j this week yeah ah triple j so we'll see how many canadians give a shit
RICK JAMES: trip Triple J drops this week. Yep.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: probably not many sorry to be blunt
RICK JAMES: Yep. Dave's a mess with me. He's going to try blow it up. He said he's going to try to blow it up. He was saying so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good for him. Yeah, no, that's Triple J should be a great episode.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And as as always, head on over the YouTube page for Storm Chase and check out the episodes. going have five now. Five of the six are are going to be dropped by the end of this week.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then what do we got left? Just Top Dog?
RICK JAMES: Stop dog.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Top Diggity Dog.
RICK JAMES: Yes, sir.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The Big Dick, Todd Dickerson.
RICK JAMES: You know, that'll be a good one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That'll be a good one. that'll be a v They're all good.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're all good.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: theyre Maybe not Clint are, but they're all, other than that, they're all good. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.
RICK JAMES: You always got to give Kirkham shit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: no
RICK JAMES: So yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Always got to give a shot. Always got to fire some shots.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But yeah, so head on over to Storm Chasen's YouTube page. Check out what we got so far. As I said, one's dropping this Friday. The other one is coming out, what, next month, right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: And then we're done.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Season two in the books.
RICK JAMES: And we're done.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ready to move on to season three.
RICK JAMES: Season three. And then season three, you can just ah send your ah Jordan on us.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep, the links are out.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep, the links are out. Check our our Instagram and our Facebook and Storm's Instagram and Facebook. The how to get involved with Storm Chasing Season 3 is up. So check that out if you're interested. Let's see. August 7th is UD Maintenance Snow Day in Amherst, Ohio. right. Come see the Phantom if you're in Ohio. Check out the icing equipment.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's going to be a good day. I believe he has a QR code on the UD Maintenance Facebook page or Instagram.
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um 8 13 we got a busy day 8 13 in the west and the east you got valley green snow day in fargo moorhead area uh that's gonna have muskox that's gonna have the phantom as well gonna have a bunch of stuff right
RICK JAMES: Yeah. And I guess, uh, Arctic's going to be there. Oh, big daddy's coming now. So yeah, we're going have that razorback and all that good stuff.
The SnowJobs Podcast: big daddy can't beat that
RICK JAMES: So Wolf America.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So if you're cruising through the Fargo Moorhead area, which the entire United States usually is that time of year on vacation, that's such a destination, you know, just stop by and check out Valley green snow day.
RICK JAMES: Big case. Yep. me
RICK JAMES: Traffic will be tough, but you can get in.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, that's
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh 8 13 all right august 13th is also the connecticut groundskeepers association ground and ice expo at the durham fairgrounds in durham connecticut uh they are looking for operators they have an iron operator challenge with the top prize being like 1200 so that's uh that should be a lot of fun too bad you're not going to that jay make some money
RICK JAMES: Yeah, you got it. I did hit a, some Ed Bullard at the storm field day That was kind of fun.
The SnowJobs Podcast: On purpose? Had to be on purpose.
RICK JAMES: Well, kind of.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, had to be on purpose.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You would never hit it on accident.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. No, I spun it around and yeah, just kind of like the the wing didn't fall back as quick as I wanted it to. We'll just say.
The SnowJobs Podcast: the fucking best.
RICK JAMES: So some, some days I'm not.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah ah that's right uh if you're interested in that and you're in the connecticut area head on over to cgka.com and you get all your details there for that event uh august 18th in story city iowa is the snow removal workshop at the eby showroom that's hosted by the iowa professional lawn care association you can register for that event at iowalawncare.org it's 25 for members and 50 for non-members
The SnowJobs Podcast: september 16th and 17th is our pennsylvania swing you go wednesday is storks plow tech school that's in leesport pennsylvania that's what takes you through all the douglas dynamics plows and spreaders how to troubleshoot them and fix them yourself without the dealer uh and if you're in there for but for storks on wednesday stick around for thursday drive the hour and 15 minutes to sns and scranton sns snow and ice solution sixth annual snow show all right that's thursday 17th ah
RICK JAMES: Stuffed mushrooms for Steve-O.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Stuffed mushrooms, baby. We're coming. Stuffed mushrooms. And then ah if you if you're sticking around after Thursday, Storks wanted to also relay their having their open house on Friday and Saturday there, which would be the 18th and 19th of September. So if you want to head back to Storks, they have their open house event.
The SnowJobs Podcast: October 1st will be wrapping up the season, hopefully. um Wrapping up the season in Uxbridge, Massachusetts at the third annual Northeast De-Icing Solutions De-Icing Day. That's the Patty Salmon Morton Wallace concert.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that should be a ah big deal.
RICK JAMES: Yep, Laney Spalding.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah well
RICK JAMES: You always forget Laney Spalding going to be there too.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i don't know who that is ah
RICK JAMES: I'll see her on this Thursday, so I'll check it out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
RICK JAMES: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: patty and family did a phenomenal job you know evolving that event from year one to year two uh it was almost unrecognizable so um i can't wait to see how what they have in store for year three uh and they're gonna they're gonna keep pushing with that as well uh
RICK JAMES: We'll have ask him when he gets on if he's did that brine thing's going to happen.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The brand thing?
RICK JAMES: The brine.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All of the brand.
RICK JAMES: That brine giveaway?
The SnowJobs Podcast: The brand giveaway.
RICK JAMES: semi-lord? The semi?
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
RICK JAMES: He hates me. how i went
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh if you're going to any of these events or all these events you got to be properly dressed so head on over to snow jobs nation store.com get all your snow jobs apparel get all your swag uh you got the tumblers you got a ton of shit in there now so uh head on over there and uh and get your stuff all right uh keep hitting apple podcast and spotify like and subscribe five star reviews only keep dropping the comments we do get them and it helps us keep bringing you guys more what you want to hear all anything else jay you got anything i missed
RICK JAMES: I
RICK JAMES: think we're good, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, then let's hear from our partners real quick, and we'll be right back when we get into with the boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we are back. We are back. So I forgot to mention, actually, Colton works with with you full time now, right? Glacier J?
RICK JAMES: Sure does.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, Glacier State.
RICK JAMES: he's getting it done. He's getting her done there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's nice. That's nice. all right, well.
RICK JAMES: That's good to have him back on board full time. You know, stole him back from phaser.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah Yeah, he's, he's, you know, that's funny. Cause we're going to start bringing phaser on to handle all the marketing and promotion for snow company questions that we've got. We've got a lot of them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So Luke agreed to help us out. So as soon as he, as soon as he gets the baby stuff all figured out, he'll, ah he'll be on to answer everybody's questions on how to market and promote their snow company better.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But all right, boys, everybody come on in and ah you can all ah welcome yourselves. How's everybody doing?
Patty Salmon: Excellent.
The SnowJobs Podcast: right this is an audio show guys so like hey how are
Joe Uran: It's going good.
RICK JAMES: yeah
Tyler G: This works. michael
Colton Krier: I don't want to steal anyone else's turn, but I'm doing great.
RICK JAMES: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: you no just shout it out man this is like a big free-for-all this is uh all about having fun so so you guys are all at storm day and uh you all got home safely so we want to get right into this so we'll go around the room like uh you had the storm academy was the first event right jeremy
RICK JAMES: ah
RICK JAMES: um the first thing we did, that some guys went golfing, I think, earlier in the day and then had that woman's um lunch deal.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay, did anybody in this room go golfing or the women's lunch?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Joe Uran: Thank
Patty Salmon: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You went golfing?
RICK JAMES: Tyler did.
Tyler G: I went to the woman's lunch.
RICK JAMES: He went to woman's deal.
Tyler G: Yeah, you got
The SnowJobs Podcast: You went to the women's lunch?
RICK JAMES: yeah no
Colton Krier: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Tyler G: it. Call me Taylor.
RICK JAMES: Sing them out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Tyler, you went golfing, though?
Tyler G: I did, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How was the golf?
Tyler G: It was good. um That's actually one of the only really things I had that I would change about it is we all kind of assumed it was going to be a shotgun start, but it was like all off the front.
Tyler G: So we got... going about an hour later than everyone else. So we were done quite late, which is fine.
Patty Salmon: oh
Tyler G: But shotgun would have been cool. And then also, like, there was no prize. And not that Storm would have to do a prize, but i just wanted a little bit shit talking to go on, you know, like behind you saying, like, we're going to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, absolutely.
RICK JAMES: Who'd you golf with, Tyler?
Tyler G: You know, I ah I the original foursome was me and Mr. Shannenberger. And then we had a guy from Alaska, which I had never met.
RICK JAMES: A doctor.
Tyler G: And I don't know who the other guy was, but the guy from Alaska didn't show up. So then I got put with two guys from Andy's lawn care out of like Lester Prairie or something, Minnesota. So good guys, Taylor and Ben, but got a big golf thing.
RICK JAMES: Cool.
Tyler G: I mean, all of it was a good time to network, but golfing was a, you're sitting in a cart with someone for five hours. It was a great time. I got to learn a lot about Mark and what they're doing with the weather and kind of opened my eyes a couple different avenues.
Tyler G: We could go with it.
RICK JAMES: Is he cloud seeding?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Is Mark cloud seeding himself?
Tyler G: Yes. Yeah. so
RICK JAMES: but Okay, that's what figured.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cloud seating.
Tyler G: Yeah, that's a new thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mark's the best.
Joe Uran: Is it any closer to getting it right?
RICK JAMES: Oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How is he? Is he a good golfer? I've never seen him golf.
RICK JAMES: yeah
Tyler G: You know, he was pretty solid. ah He got screwed again, and his bags went to two different cities. So he had like, I don't think he brought his club anyways, but he had like some rental clubs and he didn't have golf shoes, but he made a pretty impressive chip and some nice putts and yeah.
RICK JAMES: oh
The SnowJobs Podcast: This is two years in a row. Didn't he lose his luggage last year?
RICK JAMES: I think, yeah.
Patty Salmon: Well, it
RICK JAMES: Yeah, no, he lost the government of oh Mankato.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think it was Mankato last year.
Tyler G: Yes.
RICK JAMES: I think he likes to lose it when he goes to Mankato because then he can go to Shields and buy all that Unreal stuff because he he really likes that stuff.
Tyler G: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All new stuff.
RICK JAMES: So i think he's just i think he just sends it somewhere else so he can buy a new wardrobe and bring that back.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Otherwise, what airline is he flying?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Spirit's out of business. All right. So maybe we'll have to we'll have to put a prize up next year for the golfing. That way there's some shit talking available, some big cup that you can drink beer out of at the end.
Joe Uran: Post the scores online, live, so then that we can all make fun of people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We'll do this.
RICK JAMES: There you go.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hey There you go. The Lindstrom Cup.
Tyler G: I dig it up.
RICK JAMES: Yes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The Lindstrom Cup.
RICK JAMES: There you go. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That'd be good.
RICK JAMES: We'll do that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Post live scores. I have a reporter doing Instagram lives.
RICK JAMES: ah We could do that next year. Me and you, we could be on the golf course doing, ah yeah, we could do that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We could do that.
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We could do that. We could definitely do that.
RICK JAMES: Let's do it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That would be funny. All right. So that was, that was the first thing. So storm Academy was where everybody started their, their two days, right?
Patty Salmon: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Pretty much, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, so tell tell everybody about how that went. How was Storm Academy? Like, who who's been there? Who's been to the event before? ah Tyler, you were there two years ago, but they didn't do Storm Academy two years ago, right?
Tyler G: Nope. Nope.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay, so first time for you. Joe, were you there for Storm Academy at all or or no?
Joe Uran: No, I've been every year, but I only go for the the main day, Thursday.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Thursday.
Joe Uran: So i thinkt I didn't go for the first day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. Okay, ah so Patty, you've been there before. And Colton, was this your first time for Storm Academy as well?
Patty Salmon: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh Oh, lost audio on Colton.
Colton Krier: Hold on. We got me?
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
RICK JAMES: you go.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
Colton Krier: We got me? All right. All right. All right. Yeah, this is my first time at the event altogether.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. All right. So Jeremy, how being a returner, how was it?
Tyler G: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: uh storm academy is great this year uh they had dustin bring in some mulch he put a bunch of loads of mulch down so guys could actually drive equipment around and we were pushing mulch with lots of different uh equipment and the vroom broom was there you know he was out in the mulch with his broom and i mean you could actually pretty much drive most things that you want to drive the razorbacks out there western uh the phantom i mean everything the wolf loaders shit You could just drive everything, push that mulch around.
RICK JAMES: And yeah it was a good time. Honestly, I think that was a big hit where guys actually got to jump into equipment and move it. And obviously you can just walk around and, you know, touch all the equipment, crawl around it.
RICK JAMES: And so honestly, I think it was ah it was that was a great day. It was hotter than hell, but it was a great day.
Tyler G: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Was there a muskox out there?
RICK JAMES: I don't not at the I didn't see one on the academy day there was one in the show but oh blown mulch blown mulch yeah we'll have to go up to get at them yeah but LaRue was there but yeah
Patty Salmon: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, they should have had one out there. They should have had one out there blowing mulch. Oh, that'll tear it up, dude.
Patty Salmon: I wanted to run the LaRue.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That'll tear it up.
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, that's cool. These guys got to push and and the mulch is a great idea. That's, that's really cool. Anything, did anything stand out as a better scrape than anything else?
Patty Salmon: Phantom, hands down.
RICK JAMES: Phantom was pushing really nice yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. All right.
Patty Salmon: Looked like you ran a leaf blower behind it
The SnowJobs Podcast: So,
RICK JAMES: but so and Plus it was so quiet. Like we've all we'd talked about that fan was so quiet.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you
RICK JAMES: And that dry payment and everything. So it was, yeah, it, ah it turned a lot of heads that day. I think a lot of guys are impressed by it. So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: very cool very cool all right so tyler what'd you think we'll go around the the room what'd you think of the uh storm academy
Tyler G: Yeah, thought like everyone else said, I thought it was great. We actually got the opportunity to go down there in the winter and train. And I would actually say the mulch was probably a way better way to do it.
Tyler G: But yeah, could, yeah, because you could spread it back out easily.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Then the snow, really? no shit.
Tyler G: And then there's just, you know, it's it's just a lot more accessible throughout the year.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Tyler G: I think that'd be a pretty good option.
The SnowJobs Podcast: like it.
Tyler G: I only hopped in one loader.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Tyler G: There's a lot of people in them. It was really cool. There's a lot of young like kids out there pushing, and they pretty much just let them go. So I thought that was pretty sweet to see. Yeah, it was hot, but they had a tent with fans and first form, and they they did it really well.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool. What'd you think, Joe? You didn't go to storm Academy. ah Patty, what'd you think this year versus last year?
Patty Salmon: Oh, it was awesome this year. You know, last year it was cool. You get to go look at all the different pieces of equipment and plows. And this year you actually get to hop in whenever you wanted to to and and go push. So I get to try out the Phantom, obviously. And then the Wolf Loaders was pretty cool to actually hop in one of those and and push with them.
Patty Salmon: I may or may not have broken it for a short period of time, but i just she blew a fuel line.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How'd you break it?
Joe Uran: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, well, fuel line.
RICK JAMES: It's just a clamp, just a hose clamp came
Patty Salmon: Just a little hose clamp that came off.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Just a clamp. Yeah, just a clamp.
Patty Salmon: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's all right.
Patty Salmon: yep so Yeah, no, that was cool. There was a lot a lot more people there this year than last year too, I believe.
RICK JAMES: yeah
Patty Salmon: That place was slammed.
The SnowJobs Podcast: good that's awesome so anybody anybody out there thinks they don't listen to your feedback that was one of the main things we had for him last year was you know nice seeing storm academy and the pad and everything but not being able to run the machines around and plow stuff that was kind of a downer so they they definitely listened this year they let you plow and they figured out a way to do it that's awesome colton did you think a storm academy
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
Colton Krier: So I didn't know what to expect going into it since I'd never been.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hmm
Colton Krier: I was like, oh, I don't know if this is going to be a put together thing like or what. But it was really it was really nicely done.
Patty Salmon: I'm going to provide some. going to provide some.
Colton Krier: The operating was really cool seeing everybody kind of run equipment in the middle of it. I ah mainly just sat by Tyler and talk shop pretty much the whole day. So I'm never going to complain about getting to talk to Tyler here, but crushing some first forms and having fun talking to everyone.
The SnowJobs Podcast: there you go that's cool yeah it's i mean that's good
RICK JAMES: Yeah, it was definitely definitely a good time where, you know, you'd see guys go from group to group to group, kind like we've talked about before. They'd just, you know, there'd be guys standing around something.
The SnowJobs Podcast: migrate
RICK JAMES: everybody somebody you know this It was just cool. Everybody would just join a group or join a group or different groups. You just, you know, you just kept moving around and talking about the equipment. It was it was it was a great day of learning about equipment.
RICK JAMES: and You know, guys were asking questions about but other things. And, like, I had a hike with... ah Yeah, a couple of guys came up to me and they're like, I've never driven an Arctic. I'm like, there's an Arctic on that skin.
RICK JAMES: Go on there and push it. And we're like like, I can do that? I'm like, yeah, that's what it's here for. So I'm like, I said, run the fucker. Just run it hard. That's what you're going to do in real life.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah that's it
RICK JAMES: That's what it's here for. so And that's what they went and did it, and it was pretty cool. And the vermbrum was throwing those wood chips like crazy, too. So that was pretty cool to see.
Patty Salmon: Yeah, was.
RICK JAMES: So, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: projectiles uh the only the only feedback the only uh feedback i heard in the negative was there's still no snow jobs banner out there storm academy i heard they got everybody else's banner they don't have a snow jobs banner out there but and that was uh
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: No.
Joe Uran: Yeah, I think this is more on me, but When I was looking up, I live close, so I can just drive there. But when i when I was looking it up, I wasn't going go Wednesday because it was golf. I wasn't going to golf. I wasn't going to the women's lunch.
Joe Uran: And then i I decided not to go, like, to go hang out at night. i think if I would have, again, this is probably on me for not spending a amount of time figuring it out, but that we – I'd heard from people in the past say that you just go look at the Storm Academy stuff.
Patty Salmon: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's what it was last year.
Joe Uran: And in my opinion, like I could, I could walk outside and look at some loaders. So I, I didn't care as much, but if I would have known we could actually go see like test drive stuff, I would have brought people with to come do that.
Tyler G: Thank you.
Joe Uran: Cause I think that's a good opportunity as we're making decisions going into winter.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: So again, maybe that was out there and I missed it but yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think we said it on the show. I think we said it on their preview episode, but not everybody listens to it every week.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we did, but you know, it's always, can always do better, I guess.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It happens.
RICK JAMES: So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There's always a couple guys that don't listen every week. But, yeah, i think I think that's an important thing, like Joe said. like if you You can have a free-for-all basically running pretty much everything cause the only stuff not out there, I think, is Cage, right? The only pusher that's not out there is a Cage.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They got everything else.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: they got They got Fisher. They got Western. They got Metal Plus. they got the they got the the they Did they have a Razorback on a truck?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
Patty Salmon: Razorback, yeah.
RICK JAMES: Razorback is out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So you have the Razorback, you have the Artics, you have the Phantoms.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You got pretty damn near everything you could want as far as pushers out there.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, was ah it was cool. And if i mean guys if guys want to see, ah you know, there's some cool videos online.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Try before you buy.
RICK JAMES: Storms put out some good social media from that day. And then Arctic's got some great drone footage and stuff like that. So really cool shots that they took. So, I mean, oh it was it was well worth it, I thought.
RICK JAMES: It was it was a great day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Phenomenal.
RICK JAMES: i mean, it flew by. Even though it was you know, you jump on a loader with AC and you're good for a while. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go. Phenomenal. Good for Storm for listening to that feedback last year and making it happen. That's great. Did Dustin get his mulch back?
Tyler G: half of it.
RICK JAMES: No, no, I think they're going to use it for more, like Tyler said, yeah half of it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What happened Tuesday night now?
Patty Salmon: Half of it.
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah and what what happened on what happened on tuesday night now There was no there was no dust and barbecue right
RICK JAMES: No, he's he's swamped, dust.
Patty Salmon: Now...
RICK JAMES: He didn't even make it to the storm at all, period. he's That guy is busy as hell. hes we We got him to...
Patty Salmon: Or so he claims.
RICK JAMES: We got, yeah, I see a snapshot of him at a pool today or whatever, but he couldn't take time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Patty Salmon: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm so busy.
RICK JAMES: He actually took time and had lunch with us on, yeah, right before we went to the academy, had lunch with him. So he actually came and at least had lunch with us, but it was nice to see him. The guy's busy in hell, or claims to be.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Plains to me. Maybe he's busy getting his pool in order. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, he's getting those margaritas ready.
The SnowJobs Podcast: the There you go. All right. So the next day after you left Storm Academy, I assume everybody headed over to the ah ah the Arctic welcome reception at the what the UNRL rink there. What's it? The Mad Hatter or what?
The SnowJobs Podcast: I can't remember. Tilted Pint or something?
RICK JAMES: Crooked pint.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Crooked Pint.
Patty Salmon: It was busy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go. Crooked Pint. How did that go this year?
Tyler G: went well. i I didn't go last year, but two years ago, i mean, it was just a night and day difference. Like that place was full. It was going into the rink. There were lot of good conversations. Once again, I kind of hung out with Colton and a lot the Phaser guys, lot of good conversations, networking. Yeah, i thought it was great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's awesome.
RICK JAMES: It was full. It was loud in there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: It was it was a lot of guys in there.
Patty Salmon: it was busy
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good. I mean, anytime.
RICK JAMES: I thought the food sucked again, but...
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
Tyler G: That was great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Tyler G: That was great.
Colton Krier: yeah i was going to say they could use some taco seasoning, but besides that, it was pretty good.
RICK JAMES: It was...
Patty Salmon: Bring BYO taco seasoning.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. yeah. yes
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
RICK JAMES: yeah Yeah, I didn't know you had to bring your own taco seasoning, but apparently I should have known after last year, so...
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. Valuable feedback.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Didn't they do tacos last year too?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, and they sucked last year, too.
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like, let's do something else. You guys make burgers or something? Like do sliders and hot dogs.
RICK JAMES: Remember last year, he went downstairs and we went downstairs and ate a real meal because...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. we did went downstairs yeah well the year before was tacos too right it's been tacos every year up there so yeah maybe maybe ixnay team six to tacos next year uh at the welcome reception uh all right that's cool the whole arctic crew was there
Patty Salmon: There's a... Yeah. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: is but i don't know it yeah the food i don't think was good but yeah yeah yu yeah
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: that's great yep the whole crew was there because they just got hit by that tornado last week so
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, got to throw that out. throw ah Best wishes to the the whole family over at Arctic there. they They got leveled. They had a building completely leveled by a tornado there.
RICK JAMES: Two buildings.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Two buildings. that's a Yeah, that's tough.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's That's definitely tough. So, yeah, those guys, ah they don't know how to fail, though, so they'll they rebuild bigger and better, I'm sure. but Yeah, that sucked. But they they ended up making it anyway. They honored their commitments.
RICK JAMES: Yep. Yeah, he definitely did.
The SnowJobs Podcast: good awesome so uh any what was the uh let's at that networking the welcome reception who was uh one person that you talked to that you've never talked to before that that made an impact on you anybody got one
Patty Salmon: Need shovelers Jeremy, what what are those kids names?
RICK JAMES: um Noah and Andrew. Noah and Andrew. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: where they need shovelers
Patty Salmon: and Need need shut.
RICK JAMES: They got it. They got a great, we used them last year. They came up to my office. One one of the kids actually pushed over me a year before. Used to work for LADC and he came up here to go to school.
RICK JAMES: And him and a buddy came up with a, last year before the snow a season, they they came to my office and ah they started a business, a shoveler business where they pretty much just bring you shovelers.
Joe Uran: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
RICK JAMES: And then ah you don't have to, you know, they all you do is supply the shovels. They bring the guys and the guys drive their own vehicles to the spots. You give them you get a list where to go. And and they're they're expanding their business this year.
RICK JAMES: so I think they're going to do some stuff in Ohio, maybe Michigan. I don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wow.
Patty Salmon: Massachusetts.
RICK JAMES: where Massachusetts.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Genius.
Patty Salmon: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a great thing to branch out to all college campuses.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, no, I think they got a great thing going. So, yeah, they're a good dude. They're good young guys, hustlers, and they did great for us last year. We used them. I sent them over the putts.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dude, get them on here.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, we'll get them mom i told me I told them they got to pay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Get them on here. Absolutely.
RICK JAMES: I'm not going to give them free advertising. So, I mean, I don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dude, that's a phenomenal idea, though. and Like, market market that on every college campus, and you can you can make a lot of money doing that shit.
Patty Salmon: It's brilliant.
RICK JAMES: i don't know. We can't give it to them for free. I mean, I already told them. I already introduced them all these guys. I need to get a percentage of all these new customers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Exactly what what should we charge? Like $29,800 an hour?
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: that like in in that that something?
RICK JAMES: probably
Tyler G: $1 per man hour worked is what you should call
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's it
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I'll do that. One dollar for per man hour.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Give him a figure, like, i don't know, throw a random figure out, like $350,000 for 12 hours a year of mentorship, something like that.
RICK JAMES: We could do that. yeah
Patty Salmon: Seriously, though, those those kids made some some good connections. I mean, Jeremy introduced us to him. We Kyle and I were standing there talking to Everybody walked by like hey, hey, come talk to these kids. They had they had a line all night.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great. Good for them.
RICK JAMES: See, I'm their agent, I guess.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's awesome.
Colton Krier: I mean, I did the same thing with.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How old are they?
Colton Krier: Yeah, I
The SnowJobs Podcast: Their college age?
Patty Salmon: Yeah, they're 21.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, yeah,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, we'll definitely get them on.
Colton Krier: going to say, I did the same thing with Tyler and Luke Linehan.
The SnowJobs Podcast: absolutely
Colton Krier: I'm you guys got to come talk to these guys. This is an incredible idea. On-demand shovelers, like, i want to build them an app now.
RICK JAMES: yeah, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. I love it. That's awesome.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, you're good at that, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's really good. Oh, and Luke. I miss Luke. Luke is Luke's great people. I love, I love seeing Luke. um What else we got here? So anything else at that welcome reception that stood out or are we moving on?
RICK JAMES: No, I mean, it was just another great night of hanging out a lot of like, a lot of good, great connections made, you know, it was fun. don't know. seemed like it went by good. And we went back to hotel and we sat around a fire and did the same thing pretty much discontinued on.
The SnowJobs Podcast: what it's all about that's the real uh that's the real information sharing was around the fire pit at the hotel for three or four hours that's where it gets done uh all right so moving on then to the next morning how uh how was the new venue compared to it being at storm years past yeah good venue very cool all right so you had check-in and breakfast that was sponsored by sima how did uh how did the check-in go was it seamless and easy for everybody
Patty Salmon: Yes.
RICK JAMES: Great.
Patty Salmon: was great. Lots of room.
RICK JAMES: i love that
Patty Salmon: Yeah, that was pretty streamlined um because basically, from what I realized, of the check-in happened at Storm Academy the previous day.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Patty Salmon: You already had all your badges and everything, and you just walked right right into the ah new facility.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay. Smart. Love it.
Tyler G: Yeah, I think that was one thing I wasn't really thinking about, but I checked in at the golf course and I had all the stuff for the whole time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great.
Tyler G: didn't have to, I mean, not that there was a line or anything, but I just had the badge with me the whole time never had to look back at anything.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great. Joe. how ah yeah Go ahead.
Joe Uran: I checked in. Yeah, I mean, I checked in day, so Thursday morning. super um parking right that's that's the issue at jordan's other place so parking was super easy walk right in there was a lady at the table to meet you right there to tell you what to do grab your stuff so super easy um the space was really good clean big obviously that you lose a little bit of kind of the intimacy or fun of being in jordan's shop though so that's that's trade-off i guess but um yeah i mean super easy to get in and out
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good. How was breakfast? Everybody eat?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, they good sandwiches and stuff there. So, yeah, i thought it was good. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool.
Joe Uran: Yeah, I thought the sandwiches, they had sandwiches and breakfast burritos. Good food.
RICK JAMES: think
Joe Uran: I mean, simple, good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Great.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Way to go, Simon. Good job. All right. So then you went from after check-in, what was, you had an opening, obviously the welcome by Jordan and everything. And then they went right into Jordan and Bob Marks doing their thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Now I thought like hearing what their topics were before, you know, the event, I was looking forward to that and I'm sorry I missed that.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And I'm hoping I can watch the video of it. Cause I thought that would absolutely kill it. The, the, the contrast between the two of them. So what, what did everybody think? How'd they do?
Tyler G: I think it went well. I think the contrast is a big part of it. um I mean, like they kind of said, you see all these big loaders and stuff on line. I've never even been out east to see how their snow is, but they kind of sat down and went through it pretty much most things. Someone asked a question. Phil came up, talked about how recover equipment costs. And so they went into it. So I think knowledge like that is super beneficial for everyone in the room.
Tyler G: There's a lot of small guys like myself and
The SnowJobs Podcast: Definitely.
Tyler G: And there's a lot of big guys and, you know, the big number I took away is the basically like the per square foot or the per acre plowed is typically like without those big sites, it's actually a little higher.
Tyler G: Depends on your market.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Tyler G: but
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. Absolutely.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: How about anybody else?
Joe Uran: Yeah, I made quite a few notes throughout the day in my phone and specifically like, wow the the morning, my only complaint when we went from eating breakfast to Jordan's speech right into Jordan and Bob, it was a long time to sit in those chairs without like moving a little bit.
Patty Salmon: you
Joe Uran: And I don't know how they fit breaks in, but they used to get up and move a little bit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha.
Joe Uran: But I made notes specifically about Jordan and Bob's talk and i mean, word for word, was putting my phone. There's lots of talks about what and why, but no mention of money. Like they didn't, the start of Jordan's speech, I guess it was really for Jordan at first.
Joe Uran: So Jordan's keynote really talked at the start, really talked about kind of what and why we do what we do And it wasn't about like, well, I do this to make money, right? Everybody's in business to make some money, but you don't have to talk about that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
Joe Uran: And then um when they talked, I thought the the best part was that you could do all day. i mean, you could do days on what the difference between those two models is, but there was a real in-depth look.
Joe Uran: They they put up real numbers, and not just ideas. You know, in a lot of these conferences, people talk about the differences and they might say, well, this one makes more money per hour, this one makes less or whatever it is, but they never actually talk real numbers.
Tyler G: Thank you.
Joe Uran: So it's it's just real high level and kind of glance over it. it's It's kind of irrelevant to be honest. So they actually put up numbers. So it actually quantifies what they're talking about.
The SnowJobs Podcast: good yeah that's great were was there a big discrepancy in the east coast numbers versus the uh the minnesota numbers really
Joe Uran: I thought that was really beneficial.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Not really.
Patty Salmon: Not really.
RICK JAMES: i surprised i was surprised. was surprised.
Joe Uran: I expected more.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: which i mean we've always heard that minnesota like cannot get even close to what we can get out east for machines and trucks and stuff an hour so is bob really low or jordan really high
RICK JAMES: No, I don't – it seemed like because – I don't know it was because maybe Jordan did more – smaller spot, you know, the way the acres was broke down.
RICK JAMES: don't know how you guys understood that, but it seemed like he was making more, like, what was it, $2,000, $3,000 more acre or whatever compared to Bob because he was probably doing more spots where he charge little more and then, you know, I don't know.
Patty Salmon: Yeah, it was something like that.
Joe Uran: Well, it was it was like thirteen Jordan was doing about 13,000 per acre and Bob was doing like 10, roughly.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Tyler G: Thank
Joe Uran: and But I think the problem with those numbers, it was one that was seasonally, but then if you looked at the seasonal like snowfalls or pushes, Minnesota were doing way more.
The SnowJobs Podcast: really?
RICK JAMES: Hourly. Yeah. The pushes. Yeah.
Joe Uran: So then you could you could almost cut those numbers in half.
Patty Salmon: Right.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
RICK JAMES: It was like double, double the times are better.
Joe Uran: Yeah. Yeah. I think it was like, we have 50, 51 inches roughly here.
RICK JAMES: So.
Joe Uran: I'm north of them, but similar market. And, you know, Bob was at 30 something, I think out there. But he said, you know, the difference is how sporadic it is. But I think the only other problem with comparing numbers that way it would have been interesting to break it down in a plow only number.
Joe Uran: Because when you do a lot of little sites, you do more sidewalks.
RICK JAMES: Oh.
Joe Uran: You know, on a huge industrial complex, it's not that they don't have sidewalks, but it's like an end of the building and under the building and maybe a perimeter walk and some doors. Well, every little building has too many sidewalks.
Joe Uran: So I think that skews the numbers a little bit of an interesting to do plow only.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: um But overall, I still.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. 10 K and acres actually cheap for, for here. That's a, that's, that's on the lower end. That's, that's interesting. I would have thought he was a lot higher than that.
RICK JAMES: But it was like ah Bob would do – I think it was like 26 or something, wasn't it, or something?
The SnowJobs Podcast: You said he's based on 30 inches. Is that all he gets? That's all Lehigh Valley gets 30 inches. Oh, really?
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, then they're a lot lower than us.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, okay.
RICK JAMES: And then – but he only went out – what was it, like 12 times, I think it said on there?
The SnowJobs Podcast: And that makes more sense.
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
Joe Uran: I think his average was seven and a half.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. then Jordan was like 30 times or something?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Really? Last year was only 12 times with how bad we got pounded.
RICK JAMES: i don't want remember. like Well, that was their – they were just averaging stuff, I believe. So, you know, average.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wow. Okay. Well, that makes some more sense then. Cool. So that was good, though, and I knew that would be good. I said I'm going to be pissed that I missed that speech because ah I was looking forward to hearing the two of them, ah you know, explain the differences between their route work and their site-specific stuff.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's cool. And, and that yeah, that's that's a tough thing to do, though, is compare Minnesota and Northeast numbers because that's very, very different. Well, cool.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, definitely different for the times, you know, compared to what Bob goes out what we go out, you know, but it was, mean, it was cool how they broke down.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sounds like they did it well.
RICK JAMES: I don't you guys feel, but I think they, you know, like, this like Joseph, they showed their numbers. They weren't scared to show their numbers and how they got there and stuff. So i think a lot of guys might've got a lot, lot out of that personally, but.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, I'm sure. I'm sure they did. How could you not? that's That's great. And they're they're very open book guys, too. So that's that's really cool that they went into numbers.
Joe Uran: I think the biggest thing I took away, not not understanding like Pennsylvania snowman, I've listened to podcasts listened talk, but you know he he had broke down. I think it was 17% of his work is seasonal.
Joe Uran: We're here, 60 to 70 is not uncommon. I mean, it's that's what we shoot for, but um he said 17%, and that included, he gets retainers on a lot of stuff.
Tyler G: Thank
Joe Uran: So he's he's really like, I think he said 8% to 9% total contract seasonal, and then he has his retainers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm.
Joe Uran: To me, though, I'm looking at it you know, he was, when he shared acreage, I think he plows eight times the acreage or square footage than Jordan. Um, I, and so in my head, I'm just doing math on equipment, you know, and you can see his videos and things like that.
Joe Uran: So they've got a lot of equipment out there without much guaranteed money.
Patty Salmon: you
Joe Uran: And then he talked about a winter or two. They they had no snow. I think he said they went out one time or whatever it was.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Yep.
Joe Uran: And I'm just like, in my head, i'm I'm trying to figure that business out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They have a lot of deviation there.
Joe Uran: Like you have so much risk. I mean, it's just something I don't understand, but you have so much risk out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um I want to make sure I heard you right, Joe.
Joe Uran: That's interesting.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He said 17 or 70% of seasonal contracts.
Joe Uran: Jordan is 70 in Minnesota. Bob said he was 17, 17.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. What was Bob?
Joe Uran: Yeah. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: seventeen what is his other contracts did he say
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 17. What is his other contracts?
Patty Salmon: Yeah. He was, he was low.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Did he say?
Tyler G: But he...
RICK JAMES: Per time for time inch, wasn't it?
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Really? oh Oh, and those are the what what he's getting retainers on because you obviously you can't can't put a million dollars of equipment on a site that you're doing per time and have that much deviation.
Patty Salmon: Her time.
Joe Uran: Yeah, i mean, that's what i was trying to figure out. And he runs, ah obviously, they've been in business, they figured it out. He runs a great operation. But I'm looking at like, there's a lot of money and equipment to be putting out every year to hope it snows five times.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm shocked that they have, because all he does, I think, is industrial centers, right? Or a lot of what he does is industrial center I'm shocked that they're not all seasonals.
Joe Uran: Yeah.
Joe Uran: Yeah, so there's their markets.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's
Joe Uran: I mean, I don't know if people out there have said it's just really hard to sell.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah well they do have tremendous deviation they could have literally go from zero to to 20 to 50 back to 10 there's they're all over the map out there but wow well that's interesting cool so i mean you guys all loved it though every everybody thought it was great
RICK JAMES: What
Patty Salmon: Yeah, it was great, especially seeing the the fact that they're just complete opposite business models.
RICK JAMES: yeah what do you think, Colin?
Patty Salmon: you know Jordan is 100% route based, and then Bob is all dedicated equipment.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. I mean, I think that.
RICK JAMES: What do you think, colt Colton? oh I'm sorry. Go ahead, Steve.
The SnowJobs Podcast: no I was just going to I think.
RICK JAMES: was going to ask Colton. Colton's in the sales now, so I was wondering if he what he thinks, what he got out of it. you know He's in one of our sales guys out here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Come on, Colton.
RICK JAMES: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Some days you win, some days you lose, right?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's go.
Colton Krier: Well, that's what I hear. That's what I hear. ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
RICK JAMES: You win some, you lose some.
Colton Krier: well
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Colton Krier: Yeah. A big thing I took away too was Jordan talking about how he structures contracts with like, um, giving people back sort of credits for the next year for that to retain them through the year. I thought that was a genius idea, um, to continue that credit too.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Colton Krier: But another thing is even on the operation side, cause I'm still an operator. Um, The route base versus like site specific, sitepecific most of ours are route based, but I'm more of a site specific guy.
Colton Krier: I sit at our Sanford hospital pretty much for 12 to 20 hours of push. So um it was interesting just to see like how they compared it comparatively to like what Jeremy and I talk about on the day to day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hu
Colton Krier: So thought that was pretty cool.
The SnowJobs Podcast: very cool yeah i mean i think between those two between site specific and route based work that really encompasses 99 of the industry and the other one percent is the guys do both you know it's like you're doing one or the other basically all the time so cool all right so it sounds like those guys nailed it uh the q and a afterwards did everybody get their questions answered
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: or everybody step out was that break time.
RICK JAMES: i I ran out to to the booth and then I didn't honestly missed it. I kind of wish I would have heard that, but I didn't hear i honestly i didn't hear anything about it. that do you guys figure Were you guys in it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Did anybody stay for the Q and a.
Joe Uran: I heard half of it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
Joe Uran: And two two things. One, i think the way they did it was really good. Instead of like, hey, raise your hand and say something. Jordan had an app.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Joe Uran: um I don't know exactly how worked, but you could scan a QR code or go out go on an app, and then you could send the questions. So he had them live while they were talking. You could put questions in.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Joe Uran: um
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Joe Uran: But I think he... I think he said he had like 26 questions or something like that. You know, they got to 10 of them. A lot of them are similar. I'm sure you guys see that. but um But he got through a lot of them. A lot of them, what the ones that I heard were, guess, not as relevant to what I was thinking about. So i kind of zoned out on it. But I think the people that wanted to get the questions got them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's awesome very cool all right so uh after that you had you went to lunch right after that okay lunch was good or okay
Patty Salmon: Yeah, lunch and trade show.
RICK JAMES: I think so.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, that was sandwich or whatever. That was good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: good enough all right so then how was the trade show oh okay go ahead go ahead joe
Joe Uran: I have to complain. I have to complain about the salad.
RICK JAMES: yeah
Joe Uran: There were sandwiches or whatever it was, like pasta and whatever. I don't remember. But the salad was like this huge bowl of salad. And it was shredded iceberg lettuce. Like you put on a McDonald's sandwich.
The SnowJobs Podcast: okay ah all right
Joe Uran: Like, I mean, whatever. But like you couldn't even fork it. Like, how do you eat this stuff? It's just literally shredded hamburger lettuce.
RICK JAMES: yeah yeah
Joe Uran: My only other complaint about the food, they had water and lemonade. and and first form energy drinks this is great but i can't drink seven energy drinks in a day so um yeah i probably should drink more water but just having something else to drink would have been nice yeah
Colton Krier: I'll mix in a Gatorade here and there, you know?
Tyler G: them
The SnowJobs Podcast: i think we said that last year didn't we say we we're gonna sponsor soda jeremy
RICK JAMES: I
RICK JAMES: i don't remember.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i think I think we said we were going to sponsor some soda.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. goods
The SnowJobs Podcast: We definitely said that at one of the events.
Patty Salmon: That was at a Buffalo.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, was it?
Patty Salmon: You were going to sponsor soda.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, we're not going back to that.
Patty Salmon: Yeah, they had soda last year.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Gotcha. All right. um All right. So then trade show. How was the trade show? anything Anything meaningful? Anything stand out to you guys?
Joe Uran: I talked to the wolf loader guy for a while.
Colton Krier: had a lot of fun at,
Joe Uran: I thought those were interesting. I'd heard about him, but not been able to see you one in person. That's what, that's the thing I'm just pointed. I didn't go the day before. Cause I could have actually sat in the seat of one. um I talked to him. I mean, the, the price is right. It seems good. They're not that far from us.
Joe Uran: Still always on the fence, but um I thought that was good. talked to Jeremy and the guys at snow jobs for a little bit and then Where did I go? I had to go talk to boss about something. So that was kind of the end of it for me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and Okay Yeah I'll let you know okay ha ha ha
Colton Krier: You see, I had a lot of fun selling Snow Jobs merch there bouncing around.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, Tyler and Colton are new salesmen for Snowjog's Apparel.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And thank you guys very much for that.
Colton Krier: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The salesman we had last year pocketed all the money. So that's probably how he bought his Maserati.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, he's fired. Yeah, wouldn't doubt it. Fucking Sean.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Tyler G: Some of those guys in crack open their wallets a little bit better. I mean, come on. Like we're all we could.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, support us, man.
Tyler G: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: You got to the cause.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's, ah you know what?
Colton Krier: They kept saying their wives will be mad at them. And I said, you can sleep one night on the couch for a cool t-shirt. Come on, boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: did anybody say they uh they didn't have cash and they needed to go digital so see that i knew we got to do that we got to set up a digital yeah we got to set up a digital thing so you can take a card but all right um do anything any uh any and like other other equipment stand out trade you
Tyler G: One guy I was trying to write a check.
Patty Salmon: Write a check.
RICK JAMES: No, it was standard. I mean, Muscox was there. Boss was there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Was there a lot of interest?
RICK JAMES: and Wolf.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Did they have the new blower?
Tyler G: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Tractor blower?
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Oh, yeah. He looked like he was busy over there.
Patty Salmon: Yep.
RICK JAMES: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: bet. I bet they were.
RICK JAMES: Adam and Noah were pretty busy. so yeah and Obviously, the Phantom was there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool. Very cool.
RICK JAMES: Everybody was interested in that thing, too. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: yeah and Yeah, they had a lot of good booths there. I mean, I didn't really get – I sat at our booth the whole time because – you know, go chat with the people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: So I didn't really get to walk around the show itself. But what what I scanned, it looked pretty, but like a pretty good show. and A lot of guys we were walking around visiting, with looked like everybody was having a pretty good day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Would her equipment show up or no? What the hell?
RICK JAMES: no, no Ron, no Ron.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What the hell are they thinking? All right.
Patty Salmon: I'm
RICK JAMES: Saber was there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah nice very cool very cool yeah those things worked really well we had sabers last year to give them the give them a whirl they they ran very very well um what else all right so that was your trade show uh then the afternoon was uh what mark bradley keynote how'd everybody what everybody take away from him anything
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Patty Salmon: going
RICK JAMES: Adam was there. So,
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: He just paid a lot of money.
Patty Salmon: yeah
Joe Uran: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I got that on the on the feedback from the poll. on the um
RICK JAMES: I think he a lot of great points. So he had a lot of good stuff in his, i you know, I took a lot of screenshots of stuff he was putting up on the screen and stuff. So, yeah I mean, he had a lot of good things to say, honestly.
RICK JAMES: so I mean, I took some stuff away from him for sure. So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
Joe Uran: Yeah, I wrote two pages of notes in my phone from stuff he said, and then took screenshots of a lot of his stuff.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
Joe Uran: and I know at the end he was he made it so could download his book. My phone died, so I never did. but i don't know if he – what I was – I was actually really curious. Was he selling it, or could you download it Because it seemed like a little bit of sales pitch, but good for him, I guess.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good question.
RICK JAMES: I tried to click on it and my phone wasn't doing shit. i don't know. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, that's to be expected, though.
Tyler G: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anytime you bring in somebody like that, it's going to be a sales pitch of some sort, you know.
Joe Uran: And I think his overall message about,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, what was the what was the message?
Joe Uran: was really about people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What was the talk on?
Joe Uran: The people are the, I mean, and again, if you've seen any good speakers around companies, this isn't a surprise, but that the people in your company are the most important thing. And, um and kind of how to nurture that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Of course.
Joe Uran: And, you know, what he called handoffs is six handoffs.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Joe Uran: thought it was pretty interesting. Just kind of like steps to think through it. yeah, so he Again, I think like anytime you listen to a lot of successful business people, they all they all have slight variations of the same thing.
Joe Uran: So it's and like when you hear 10 really successful people say the same thing, maybe in a different fashion, it's like, well, maybe I should probably listen to that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Joe Uran: so ah But overall, his message on people being the key is was good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Got to find good people to do anything. All right, cool. All right, let's read some feedback real quick from our Instagram poll on Storm Day. Tommy Youngquist says, always a great event to meet new people, connect with old friends.
Patty Salmon: Thank
The SnowJobs Podcast: Thank you, Storm. was great. ah Jeremy Kirkham, Storks. What is this? Was one B Storks. uh yeah was basically storks and storm are one and one basically so they're both ranked top uh both are must go must go to shows uh he must be writing in canadian because i i'm like i'm trying to decipher what he's saying here uh let's see ashray yeah yeah ashray property services uh storm field day was great
RICK JAMES: yeah
Tyler G: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: You just even said It's Canada. What do you expect? He's running from a fire.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yes probably uh ashray says storm field day was great definitely be a show worth attending every year without a doubt uh anthony man says 12 hours in an airport missed the whole show all
Patty Salmon: It's hard to see the keyboard throw the smoke.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, he missed a show. Top Dog missed a show. Billy Apple missed a show. They all got busy and couldn't make it. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: right well that happens man i did yeah no it happens and they also they also moved remember they also moved it up two weeks
RICK JAMES: You missed a show.
RICK JAMES: Transitioning.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cause that's not usually till the 15th, 16th. So people plan on the same time every year and then it moves, you know, that might not jive with their schedules.
Patty Salmon: Correct.
RICK JAMES: think next year is like August 6th or something and 7th.
Patty Salmon: Fifth and sixth, I believe.
Joe Uran: Yeah, first week of August.
RICK JAMES: Oh, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So they're moving it back.
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: with it black
Patty Salmon: the event what The event wasn't available for those dates this year.
Tyler G: I think that's cool.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Probably. I mean, that's definitely what I'm sure it is. um Let's see what else here. So any, anybody else with anything on Mark Bradley's speech?
Tyler G: I was kind in the same boat as Joe. I know at the hotel after a lot of guys were kind of dogging on them, but I think the people thing is huge. And he definitely sparked some questions in my mind, ah like how to look at people, to look at the process.
Tyler G: And I took a picture of every single one of those slides.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Tyler G: I think if you just implemented even one those slides into your business, you'd probably have a little bit better business. But I do think if you're not, leadership or ownership or manager.
Tyler G: I think most maybe boots on the ground probably aren't going take to that super well i' just because it can.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, and i've I think that goes with any speaker doing any kind of speech in any field is you're you're hoping to reach 80% the room. of the room You know, at best, you're never going to you're never going to say the right thing for every person sitting in that room.
RICK JAMES: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, so I mean, if a lot of guys had great takeaways from it, then it it was a win. You know, not everybody's going to, you know, be in the same boat where that works for them. And that that's important to them. So I think that's great. You know, guys had good takeaways. And even if it wasn't your cup of tea, you still were able to take away stuff from it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Colton, did you learn anything?
Colton Krier: Oh, I learned a whole bunch. You you can make $57,000 an hour consulting. I was pretty excited about that. So I'm starting that firm soon.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I am really excited about that.
Colton Krier: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We got it.
Patty Salmon: There.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We're we're in a We'll go 56,000 an hour.
Colton Krier: Yeah. I'm starting that consulting firm soon if you guys want to pair up with that.
RICK JAMES: Let's do it.
Colton Krier: So just let me know.
RICK JAMES: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We're going come in under.
Colton Krier: There you go. Yeah, I like that.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Colton Krier: But outside of that, I mean, besides the money, there was a lot of good things I wrote down. you know You're only as good as your worst guy. There's a lot of things lot of things like you got to look at the mirror too.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That is true.
Colton Krier: like That's what he said a lot. you know Everything will stem off of what you do. So if you're not setting the standard, how do you expect anybody else to follow the standard? That was a big thing he had.
The SnowJobs Podcast: true story
Colton Krier: um So outside of like the whole ah fuck you, I'm rich thing, like that was um that was a pretty good talk. doc
The SnowJobs Podcast: he didn't say that did he I was gonna say if he said that I love him like if he said that I fucking love that guy like I just want to open with fuck you I'm rich
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Colton Krier: No, that's just how I felt.
RICK JAMES: No.
Tyler G: Well, he said you're not ready to die out.
RICK JAMES: mean, i yeah
RICK JAMES: if i mean
Tyler G: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: Honestly, I liked it. Like Colton just said, it's about the people. you know It's about all your people. like We talk about it lot, but you know you he he no matter what he said, how much money he made, that's great.
RICK JAMES: But he wanted to bring his people up with him in the way he you know He wanted all of his guys to make over $100,000 and stuff like that.
Joe Uran: Yeah.
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: i mean he That's what he did. That's what he proven did.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a good boss. Yeah, that's a good boss.
RICK JAMES: So, I mean, i mean obviously yeah he had high standards for his guys, which is great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's a good leader.
Joe Uran: Yeah, I think.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100%.
RICK JAMES: I mean, you get you want to have high standards. or do you just want to If you don't have high standards, you're going to fall behind. All
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent
Patty Salmon: yeah
Joe Uran: Yeah, I think for all the people who were turned off by the money thing, I mean i think you didn't hear what he said. Like you heard, yeah, I'm rich.
RICK JAMES: right.
Joe Uran: like Good for him. But like to Jeremy's point, I mean, he said that in his company, right, he like he ran a $50 million dollars landscape company, right? that's ah That's a successful company, successful on scale. But um he said every person in my company is going to make 100 grand plus.
Joe Uran: I bet you there's not a landscape company in the country right now where every person makes that money. or even close.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
Joe Uran: And he said they got there.
Patty Salmon: No way.
Joe Uran: He said they were going to do it and they did it. So i think I think that, you know, this is just my take on the world.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Are they still doing it?
Joe Uran: Like, we sold it, so they're probably not anymore.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because he sold, right? no.
Joe Uran: It's private equity.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
Tyler G: There you go, man.
Joe Uran: They're getting 20 grand.
Patty Salmon: ha
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Joe Uran: But... You know, I mean, I think, though, like for for people that like profits a bad thing, making money is a bad thing. Look, if that company, if that owner doesn't make money, this stuff doesn't exist.
The SnowJobs Podcast: luck no
Joe Uran: So, um you know, he took care of his people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: absolutely
Joe Uran: he Yeah, he made a lot of money, but he took care of his people. And and you don't you don't grow to that size company if you don't, because his message was people and he obviously proved it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, absolutely not.
Joe Uran: So good for him.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That sounds great, dude.
Joe Uran: Make a lot of money.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, honestly, I mean, you you got a company that you're able to pay every one of your employees $100,000 a year.
Tyler G: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: Great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's That's phenomenal. I mean, though that you're you're building something special because that's not done everywhere.
RICK JAMES: What did he say his return was?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anywhere.
RICK JAMES: 68% on, um wasn't that like 68% profit? Isn't that what he was saying or something like that?
Joe Uran: I don't remember.
Patty Salmon: Yeah. Yeah.
Joe Uran: i I took Mark's classes a long time ago when he used to travel around to the different Caterpillar dealerships. he would He would come in and they would you would use LMN's softer, right?
Joe Uran: It was a sales pitch for LMN, but he would he would sit with you all day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: sure
Joe Uran: it was cheap too. It was like 50 bucks. He would sit with you all day. You'd bring your real numbers, your balance sheet, your P&L, and he would sit with you in small groups and you would put all your stuff on the computer and they would help you manage all that and understand the numbers.
Joe Uran: And and he really was big on making money. Like, that's the goal here. look What are we doing?
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's the goal i mean what are we doing
Joe Uran: Like, let's make money.
RICK JAMES: Right. Yeah. Yeah.
Joe Uran: um
RICK JAMES: You ain't making money. You're not going be a business.
Joe Uran: Yeah. And I think the benefit of that to the industry, right? If the goal, like Jordan's goal is to raise the whole industry and you see that really well, the podcast goal is to raise the industry. You see that the money thing that raises the industry, right? Cause there's not a person you meet that doesn't think we should be paid more for this industry.
The SnowJobs Podcast: hundred percent
Joe Uran: And if you've got a guy out there saying like, I'm going to make fuck you money doing this, that's going to naturally raise the industry. Right. When he said we're making 15, 20% net at the end and everybody got paid well, that raises the whole bar for everybody.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 100% it does. And that's we said this last week.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Joe Uran: I think, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: the The snow industry is the only industry where making money seems to be taboo. Like, it's everything is done on spec and hoping. Like, instead of concrete money coming in at all times, and I don't understand it. it's No other industry is like that. In any other year industry, every ounce of cost associated with bringing the customer a product is transferred to the customer.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But yet snow guys tend to like to eat a bunch of that shit. And i I do not fucking get it. The whole some years we win, some years we lose is literally the dumbest fucking statement I've ever heard. I'm in this shit to make a lot of fucking money. What was it?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Who was it, Jay?
RICK JAMES: Lucas, Lucas, Lucas, and he goes,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Lucas. Lucas straight says it best.
RICK JAMES: i He told me that straight up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm not in this. I am not in this to make money. I'm in this to make a lot of money.
RICK JAMES: Some money. I'm in it to make a shit ton of money.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's That's why I'm in this. So any of these guys that feel like making money is an evil fucking thing, um I don't know. You're in Canada. dont I don't know. That's the American way. Like, that's the American dream.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You like you build a business, you should be able to profit from that business.
Joe Uran: If you make more money in Canada, you give it to taxes though, so it's kind of a trade.
Colton Krier: So we kind of want the whole snow industry to say, fuck you, I'm rich.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Colton Krier: Is that the takeaway here?
Patty Salmon: Basically.
Colton Krier: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Colton Krier: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, i want I just want guys to stop doing shit for free or for cheap. Do it for the same.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Find out what the highest-priced company in your area is getting for their work and duplicate that shit. I tell every one of the little the the young guys coming up in my area what I get per acre, what I would charge for a site, because I want them. When we go into a bid meeting, I want my price to not be $50,000 more expensive than the next two guys. I want them to be within $2,000 or $3,000 of me Because then no matter who gets it, the whole market price has come up. That median price for snow work in that area is up. And it's it's up in my area because I've been pushing this shit for years.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but and And the younger guys are listening.
RICK JAMES: Unless you
Joe Uran: jordan Jordan talked about this in his in his presentation at the start about this is one of the only industries, and you guys have been in bid meetings, but like where you see results and, you know, we five of us go in and bid something. This is the only one where you get like 200% to 300% spread in numbers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
Joe Uran: that that There's no industry in the world that should happen.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, no, there's not.
Joe Uran: Like that's, there's a problem there's a problem with the industry when that happens.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So I don't have a problem.
Tyler G: Yeah, liked how Jordan even...
The SnowJobs Podcast: don't have a problem with that. with Well, he said with what he said, you know, basically, fuck you, I'm rich. I really don't have a problem with that takeaway. You know if he paid everybody in his company 100 grand and they were still profitable that, you know, I want to hear what that guy has to say. I might not take everything away from it, but I'm sure he's got some nuggets that'll help you.
Tyler G: my biggest way back to Jordan was...
RICK JAMES: Good, Barry.
Tyler G: He even put out there what he shoots for a gross profit wise, which I actually never heard of a larger company say that unless I'm just deaf. So it's kind of cool to see that. Then they actually, you know, when Phil went out there and talked about how they recuperate there and then 35 to 50% on top of that.
Patty Salmon: you
Tyler G: I mean, I think stuff like that alone, sharing that knowledge is going to help everyone raise their rates. Like, I think there's guys, and probably felt that too when i was first going out, but, like, we're shooting for way smaller percentage than actually didn't know.
Tyler G: And now we're, like, seeing the big guys are actually with big equipment. They're doing it at the scale, and they're shooting for 35% to 50% or whatever that is. I think that helps out.
Joe Uran: you
Tyler G: this That alone helps all guys tremendously.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Snow guys are great at doing the work phenomenally.
Tyler G: Yeah,
The SnowJobs Podcast: Their business acumen is what fails them. they Instead of hiring a salesman to go out and sell work for you, hire a business manager that is from so any other industry.
Tyler G: that's right.
Tyler G: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and He'll look at your fucking costs. He'll look at what it takes. He'll plug in the proper profit margin so that you can not only keep your head above water five years from now, so that you're prospering five years from now with all the increases you're going to see.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That is a more profitable you know use of your money. Forget the salesman. Get a business manager because that is what fails most snow guys is their lack of business acumen.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Joe Uran: Yeah, maybe this is like for Jordan, for for field day for any of these things, or maybe it's a series on the podcast, but I think a speaker, we all play snow. So like you could bring a snow guy in, but I think a speaker, like bring in a CFO, bring in a controller, bring in a financial person.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: Because I think even when Jordan talks about that, like that's good, it opens people's eyes. But if you asked, there was 250 people in that room, we might get 200 different answers when we talk about gross margin and cost of goods sold as to how do I calculate that?
Patty Salmon: you
Joe Uran: what is What do I include above that line or below that line? And and there is there is some deviation, but for the most part, it should be semi-similar. So I think if you, like, how do I read a P&L? How do I read a balance sheet? What do those numbers mean?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: i think if somebody broke that stuff down for people, i think truly people don't,
Tyler G: Thank
Joe Uran: They don't under price by mistake. They won't, they don't value what they do, which is unfortunate because our industry for a long time kind of just wasn't valued.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I don't.
Joe Uran: i think we got to talk about emergency service more often. And I think, I think we need to like start valuing ourselves, but then we just, people gotta get better at math. they They just need to understand numbers better.
Joe Uran: And that's hard to do for guys that push snow sometimes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well.
Tyler G: You have to get out of busyness to look at it and not be scared to look at it. You can't be looking through your fingers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and those And I think another problem, those middle 2000s years, were guys in certain areas that got eaten up by nationals were lowering their prices down to nothing to be competitive, just so they could keep a couple sites and eat, you know rather than just let those sites go and figure out something else.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know They were constantly lowering every year to to race to the bottom with the nationals.
Joe Uran: Thank
RICK JAMES: Well, square footage doesn't pay fucking bills.
The SnowJobs Podcast: right
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
RICK JAMES: A lot of guys want all the square footage. Fuck the square footage. You want to make profit. you know Just because you have all...
The SnowJobs Podcast: I was dude.
RICK JAMES: I mean, who wants to do all this work and not make any money? It's stupid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I know I was just telling Tyler that before everybody came on. We were just having a discussion.
RICK JAMES: It's... All right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: My, my most profitable site, the most profitable sites are my smallest ones.
RICK JAMES: I think I interrupted you, Patty. you going to say something?
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
Patty Salmon: I forgot what I was gonna say, honestly.
RICK JAMES: Oh, okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's all right. All right. So that's enough with Mark Bradley. Anybody final thoughts on his speech?
Patty Salmon: ah one One good thing, and and I think that we were talking about people too, with Mark Bradley speeches, is he really pushed, hey, look at what I what i want my kids to work here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, that's awesome.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Joe Uran: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: That's what, that was his deal. I
Patty Salmon: Yeah, what I want my kids to work in my business.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I mean, he sounds like a very good boss. I wish, you know, he knows people, he knows what he wants, and that's probably why he's so successful.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I wish I had made it and was able to hear it, but unfortunately it didn't happen.
Tyler G: Thank you.
RICK JAMES: mean, that's ah that's quite a statement, honestly, in when you're in a company. Would you want your kid to work there? I mean, that's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, and he said that was kind of an eye-opening moment that somebody you know told him. Yep. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: That was the very last note I put in my phone.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm.
Joe Uran: Would you want your kids to work in your company? Like if you can't answer yes to that, that's a good place to start.
Patty Salmon: And I believe that's what happened. He marked, he essentially said no to that when he got asked and then he said, okay, how do we change this?
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's great. All right. So sounds like it was good. so So, you know, not everybody, like I said, not every plane is going to land. You know, you're hoping for 80% of the room to understand what you're talking about and to take something away from it. And then even, you know, even the if it's 20% that, you know, was totally thought it was off base or whatever, I'm sure they i'm sure they took it something away from it.
RICK JAMES: I think so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So either way, it's a win. All right. So dinner and networking hours afterwards. How was that?
Patty Salmon: good. That stuff was pretty good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, right.
Patty Salmon: Pulled chicken, pulled pork, sandwiches.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Anything else? Anybody else? Do they have any?
Joe Uran: Yeah. The food was good. the The networking, you're still just like, we've been in that room all day. So you're still, there wasn't outside, but, um, I guess my own fault for not going out there, but there was, you're still just in this big banquet room.
Joe Uran: So you, and again, this is probably just a personal thing, but you, you naturally you're at a table with people all day. You, you're kind of still at that table with people afterwards. you continue those conversations, you know, that's a personal thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: sure
Joe Uran: should have got up and walked around a little more and, um talk to some people. Outside was a decent space that had it sounds like they had some live music.
Joe Uran: A little bit of it, but overall was a good space.
The SnowJobs Podcast: who'd they have they have morton wallace no oh okay did they nice did he what did he sing
RICK JAMES: No, just a local folk singer, I think.
Joe Uran: Jordan Kidds got up and sang some songs, I guess.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Patty Salmon: Yeah, Paul van der Zondon some karaoke. He did. I don't remember. um Yeah, he did it with his kids.
Tyler G: yeah
RICK JAMES: Maybe he got back or something.
Patty Salmon: yeah
RICK JAMES: I don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Joe Uran: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: I wish I saw that.
RICK JAMES: yeah
Joe Uran: Yeah, i mean, the only thing this year compared to years past, though, you lose, and again, it's just size, but you lose kind of it like going down to Jordan's house, hanging out in his front yard, you know, is obviously a great place.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Dang.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: That you like the intimacy of it and kind of like it naturally makes people like let their guard down maybe because you're kind of, it feels like you're just at at your buddy's house. So people start talking a little more versus sitting in this banquet room.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Joe Uran: Yeah.
Patty Salmon: Yeah, but you can only do that to a certain scale.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. And that's a, Exactly. That's a fine line because you're putting on a great event and more and more people are demanding they be able to come and you can't possibly get any more than 200 at your your shop in your house.
Joe Uran: Yeah.
Tyler G: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that was what was limiting the event. So it sounds like they had what, almost three?
RICK JAMES: 300, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
Patty Salmon: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's...
RICK JAMES: Like I said, like i said quite a few guys didn't show because they got busy, which least the guys I know or the planes that come up didn't make it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, there there was a bunch of fucking shit with the the airlines in the Northeast.
RICK JAMES: but
The SnowJobs Podcast: I know the they had a ground stop in New York, New Jersey. So that was that was a big problem. That delayed flights and canceled flights for two full days.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Patty Salmon: Yeah, I mean, Mike Maglino sat on the runway for like seven hours straight, I think.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know why they got ground stopped?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I was told that because they they the FAA came in and found out they didn't have enough air traffic controllers on duty. So they ground stopped them.
RICK JAMES: Oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's what I was told.
Patty Salmon: That would do it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm like, oh shit, my flight, if I was able to make it, and my flight actually got canceled anyway. So I don't know if I would have been able to get on different flight anyway. So, oh well.
Joe Uran: Yeah, I was talking to Jordan towards the end of the night, and I think somebody had come up and told him that, like, final headcount was around 250, if i remember right. So, yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's still great. I mean, three years ago was what, 38?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: The first year?
Patty Salmon: Yeah, 40, 38, 40, something like that.
RICK JAMES: Something like that.
Joe Uran: 40 people, I think. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, so that's awesome. that's still That's still huge increase.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good for them. and they're They're killing it.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. And a ton. think he said, what, 19 states is something people are from?
Patty Salmon: I think so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Last year was 18 in Canada, so they went up another state.
RICK JAMES: of Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
RICK JAMES: And Canada was there too, so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's phenomenal. All right, let's hit some ah let's hit some commercials real quick, and we'll be back in 45 seconds.
Patty Salmon: Ah, fuck Canada.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we're back. So let's keep going here. We got so everybody liked the new venue. So let's go around the room. Some final thoughts. What everybody like didn't like what they'd like to see.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, if if they didn't have it this year, what they'd like to see next year. So start with Tyler.
Tyler G: Yeah, think overall, pretty solid event. Obviously, grew a lot since last time was there. haven't been to too many other small regional events, but thought it great. ah Small groups is kind of one thing I've been thinking about, kind of getting guys from different parts of the country that are kind of roughly the same size and sitting down and talking sales process, talking numbers, talking people.
Tyler G: That's kind stuff I find the most, like being younger and newer to industry. I've never worked for anyone else that's done snow. I only, you know, I know what I know. So. That is something I would like to see. other than think I'm sure Storm will find a great way to make it better next year, make the improvements.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool. Joe, what about you?
Joe Uran: um Yeah, I mean, the space was good. That works well, I think. The continuing to dive into real real topics or real numbers, like not just hitting a high level.
Joe Uran: And I think next year, maybe kind of following Tyler. Sorry about dog. But...
The SnowJobs Podcast: thought it mine.
Joe Uran: Maybe like following some um a small group or maybe we have three speakers and we dive in or two, but we dive into like topics inside of the industry, not the industry as a whole, but maybe finance.
RICK JAMES: Massimo.
Joe Uran: Right. So we talk about finance, like I said, or we talk about sales and then maybe something like we, we hit all those in an in-depth real numbers, real world.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Joe Uran: I mean, I think I'll, I'll, Jordan or whoever, they get I'll give them my company's real numbers. They can share them on the screen. like I don't care. So if they want to share them and put them up there and talk about it, like I think that would be really helpful for a lot of people to share real numbers in depth.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very cool. I like that. And that's not saying like, you don't even do need to do that as show Joe. We could do that as the next snow jobs nation webinar. You know, we can just kick we we kick that around, you know, anytime.
Joe Uran: Yeah, do. Yeah. Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, yeah, that's cool. that's ah That's a great idea, though. I mean, I think i think everybody can pretty much take that away, that there always seems to be stuff that dances around the industry as a whole.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But, you know, like you said, we need to get into the nitty-gritty to actually help guys get to that next level and maybe stop making some mistakes that they're making.
Patty Salmon: oh
The SnowJobs Podcast: So I like that. Colton, what about you? What you liked, what you didn't like?
Colton Krier: So, yeah, I really liked a lot of it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Takeaways?
Colton Krier: um Obviously, the networking after at the hotel was probably my favorite part, as it always is. I feel like you just learn the most while you're just shooting the shit with the guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: huh
Colton Krier: um Tyler said it, you know, being young in the industry, we are the future of the industry. So, you know, shut your mouth and listen. That was a big thing I tried to do this weekend and just learn from people who've done things. um I've been in the industry since I was 16.
Patty Salmon: Thank you.
Colton Krier: So I'm I'm not green, but I'm also pretty young. So it's kind of nice to just listen and hear what other people have to say.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very cool.
Tyler G: Do you enjoy the AI training at the hotel?
The SnowJobs Podcast: and
Joe Uran: Thank
Colton Krier: Yep. The AI training was very good. Um, I was reading off. So, um, Tyler, I know we're gonna, you know, after the podcast, get back into that AI training.
The SnowJobs Podcast: patty what about you
Patty Salmon: ah Yeah, great event as always. Storm puts on a good show. I don't think you could do anything to make Storm Field Day any better. um The Storm Academy Open House. think that's pretty cool getting ah to hop in with everything.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i'm hearing food that's the only thing everybody seems to agree needs to be better okay
Patty Salmon: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool. So you don't think they need anything. All right. they know I mean, ah pretty much everybody's saying that this year was as close to perfect as you know you could get. So good for them. That's awesome.
Joe Uran: I think the event speaks for itself, though.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. All right.
Joe Uran: I mean, if it's growing every year, 30, 40 percent, they don't market this thing, really. It's not like they're pushing ticket sales. I mean, you talk about it here, he puts it online, but it's pretty minimal.
Joe Uran: So if it grows organically that much, that kind of speaks for itself that people value it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: well
Joe Uran: So I wouldn't change it too much.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, it's getting, i mean, if you think about it, though, it's good.
Colton Krier: I do think one thing they could benefit from, I'm sorry, Steve, but one thing they could benefit from would be like breakout sessions to break up the time, you know, go sit in a group of five people and just kind of talk about what we did, what we learned.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm-hmm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
Colton Krier: You know, I think that would be beneficial. I know Joe was saying how to break it up a little bit. That was an idea that came to my head.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean, and if you think about it, they actually just with the show alone, they're getting it marketed pretty good because you're talking about seven, eight thousand a week. You know, so if we mentioned it for six weeks straight leading up to it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So what do we do? Eight weeks ja leading up to it? We start mentioning.
RICK JAMES: yeah. ye
The SnowJobs Podcast: So it's you know that that's I mean, honestly, for guys that do listen every week, that's a constant bombardment for two months. Like, all right, enough already. Fuck, I'll go. You know, so I like.
Joe Uran: Yeah, but it's one thing to hear it and then – mean I live an hour away, so I can just drive there. It's not a big deal. But for guys like you guys that fly there, i mean that's that's real money during a busy time of the year.
Joe Uran: You got to put out real money out of your pocket to go there, so there's value in it in that sense.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Joe Uran: that
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, i'll say I'll say this to combat that joke, because here's here's why I think what you said is is true, that the the the young, the newer one-day, two-day intensive events with a lot of networking built in and stuff are growing is because guys are seeing more value out of going to a one day or two day event. Even if I have to fly, it's still cheaper than going to Simon where I get no value other than the guys going to see and network with.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that it's just basically a social call. Like, hey, I haven't seen you guys in forever. How you doing? But at Simon, we don't sit down and talk numbers. Like, we don't sit down and talk real things. So any type of situation where these these regional trade shows are that are one day, two day, they're putting you in breakout groups. They're putting in you in good discussions.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's where guys are finding a lot of value, I think, now for their money. So I think that's why they're growing.
RICK JAMES: That's...
RICK JAMES: Exactly true. That's what I, I had that conversation with big daddy and I think Spencer and stuff about these, these one day shows are the one or two day shows, when you want to call it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: This is, this is what we need, you know, where it's more organic and guys are just, I mean, you're learning so much shit just talking to these guys. I mean, it's, it's constant shop talk and guys are getting stuff out of Stormfield day.
RICK JAMES: I loved it. I don't, you know, i don't know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah
RICK JAMES: We can do more mulch, more equipment.
Patty Salmon: more mulch
RICK JAMES: That's all you can do.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Look at something like equip you could easily blow five six thousand dollars going to equip for four days, but it's a giant touch a truck. You're not learning anything there unless you set up some networking stuff with guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're not you're not getting anything out of that other than you know, look at equipment and stuff, which is cool. But are you getting value?
RICK JAMES: You can ride a bowl, though.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What's that?
RICK JAMES: You can ride a bowl at the PBR bar.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You can ride a bull at the PBR. But, I mean, if you're if you're looking to get value and stuff, that you know usable information, a show like Equip is not really going to do it for you. And you I venture to say not even Simon is going to do it for you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think these one-day events are killer.
Joe Uran: Yeah, I've been in this industry for 20 years. I've been to Equip one time, and that was simply because Rob from Top Gun hosted that barbecue at that house. I think I met you guys there for the first time in person, but I drove down there literally for that dinner, and I was like, well, I'll check out the trade show because drove to Louisville.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
Joe Uran: But um to your point, I mean, I sat with a guy. I think, Tyler, you and I were talking to a guy at a table, and he he said the exact same thing. He flew to Siamen. He flew to this.
Joe Uran: This is where his money is being spent going forward to fly to these events.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I agree. I agree. home The one-day events are a home run. you know There's one in April. you know You got Storks. There's about to be one in May. You know you got this in August. You got September and October covered. so i mean you could From April to November, you can find ah every month basically a one-day event, two-day event to go to that you know that you can get as much out of it as you want to.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, yeah, I think they're going to continue to take over. And, you know, I think the May one will be really, really, really good. So we'll have to see. Any final thoughts, boys?
The SnowJobs Podcast: No?
RICK JAMES: I think it was a good show.
Patty Salmon: that covers it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I think you guys killed it.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's awesome. Thank you so much, everybody, for coming on, man. We appreciate you having you guys. And, yeah, well, it's been fun. You good?
RICK JAMES: I would just say ah just one more time, since this is coming on Monday, if guys are looking for something to do next, is a Friday, Patty, or Thursday for UD maintenance?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
Patty Salmon: um Next Friday, August 7th.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, if you're in Ohio area, go to Kyle's Deal. That'll be another great event down there. I mean, Patty, you're going to talk some liquids, aren't you, Pat?
Patty Salmon: I think so. I think that's the plan.
RICK JAMES: So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um I might come to that, Pat, just to hear how you you can tell me how it's worth my CapEx to get into it, where I can spend that much money on a brine maker and a unit, and I'm going to make my money back.
Patty Salmon: Come on over. We'll do it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, shit.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, guys. Well, then we'll wrap it there. Thank you so much again for coming on with us tonight. I think you guys killed it. I think that was a lot of great info for Storm. And as always, guys, ah you know, don't hesitate to go to these one-day events. Like Joe said, this is where a lot of people's money is being spent right now, and I think it's the best bang for your buck, and you can get exactly out of it what you want to as far as knowledge and experience.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that'll do it. We're going to wrap it. Episode 182 of the Snow Jaws podcast main show is in the books. Thanks to the boys again for the time. Appreciate it. Everybody have a great week. Be safe out there.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Keep pushing.
