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00:00:00
00:00:01
S4-183: Quick Clear Shovelers Inc.
22 Plays46 minutes ago
The guys sit down with Noah Gordon and Andrew Splett, the owners of Quick Clear Shovelers, on demand shovelers for snow contractors in any market! They tell us all about their wildly successful first year in business and their rapid expansion in year two!
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsorship
00:00:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
This Snowjaws podcast episode is brought to you by Top Gun Backblades.
Casual Host Conversation
00:00:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Let's get it. Snow jobs nation. We are back again. Bring you episode one 83 of the snow jobs podcast main show powered by Top Gun Backplades. The best show in snow as always. I'm Steve.
00:00:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
You know who's with me.
00:00:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Rick James is in the house. What's up, Jeremy? How are we, buddy?
00:00:58
RICK JAMES
Doing really good, Steve-O. Doing really good. How about you, buddy?
00:01:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah doing good, man. Early recording this week. We got days to spare, so you know this is not going to as planned.
00:01:04
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:01:07
RICK JAMES
no never does. Never does.
00:01:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
box How you doing, bud? Good?
00:01:11
RICK JAMES
Yeah, really good. We had a busy week so far. Yeah, spraying a lot of God's juice.
00:01:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
lot of spraying.
00:01:17
RICK JAMES
Yeah, around the clock.
00:01:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
You must be getting nonstop rail cars if you're able to keep up with this.
00:01:23
RICK JAMES
Well, we finally got some last night, so we've been blowing it out. So as fast we can. So.
00:01:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool. Very cool.
00:01:30
RICK JAMES
How you? What's going on over there? East coast.
00:01:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Same shit, man. Working, trying to get the trying to get all the exit strategy done, get all the ah the stuff I got to do to get out and retire, get that all done. And so far, so good. And we're going to keep doing this. I got about another week of that stuff. And if everything's clear, then drop the paper and out the door I go.
00:01:53
RICK JAMES
When's the end date?
00:01:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
umm ah I'm looking somewhere around hopefully September eleventh
00:01:59
RICK JAMES
Oh.
00:01:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
So hopefully going to have the date right around there. I got to give them 30 days notice. So it'll depend when I get the all clear and then drop the paper and I got to give them 30 days.
00:02:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
So
00:02:11
RICK JAMES
Gotcha.
Steve's Retirement and Apparel Updates
00:02:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
be somewhere around there.
00:02:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
So looking forward to it.
00:02:14
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:02:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Looking forward to it.
00:02:15
RICK JAMES
Yeah, I bet. Well deserved. Well deserved.
00:02:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it's been ah been a good run, but time to time to move on to the next thing and you know full steam ahead with this because this is requiring more and more attention every day.
00:02:28
RICK JAMES
Yeah, that's for sure.
00:02:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes, sir.
00:02:30
RICK JAMES
yeah That is for sure.
00:02:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
um Everything good on the apparel front? What are we out of? Backpacks?
00:02:35
RICK JAMES
ah We're out of backpacks. and yeah we're ah You know, I got some requests to make the girls on the plow list and the t-shirts instead just the long-sleeve tees and stuff.
00:02:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:02:44
RICK JAMES
but I don't know. i That's a lot of inventory to carry.
00:02:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Just do a small run.
00:02:51
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Well, I'm trying, but you're one who ordered these big runs of these other t-shirts that I have tons of.
00:02:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, what, we didn't get rid of any of them at Storm Day?
00:03:03
RICK JAMES
Not enough. Not enough.
00:03:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Not enough. I don't think I ordered that many.
00:03:05
RICK JAMES
Maybe...
00:03:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think I said do. I think I actually, my marching orders were actually, I do what Jeremy normally does. I don't think I actually gave him totals.
00:03:13
RICK JAMES
No. Well, they took that to their advantage. Spencer and Media Shack. so
00:03:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
funny shit. Oh, well.
00:03:24
RICK JAMES
Oh, well.
00:03:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well.
00:03:24
RICK JAMES
We'll get rid of it.
00:03:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
So back backpacks will be on the way shortly. We'll have them back in stock for these guys.
00:03:30
RICK JAMES
Yeah, i will have to. I'll send an email to the show here. get some more made up.
00:03:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sounds good. All right. What are we doing today? We got a good one today. I'm
Introducing Quick Clear Shovelers
00:03:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
excited about this.
00:03:40
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:03:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
um I am because we've been talking about this for four years, telling young guys that this is a path that they should really look into. And I'm excited to hear somebody actually listened and is doing what we we've been preaching for the last four years. So we're talking to two young men today that ah apparently listened or at least heard about it somewhere and got the idea. We got Noah Gordon and Andrew Splett. They are from Quick Clear Shovelers, and they're out of the Minnesota area, but they're now already after one year, they're branching out to a ton of different markets.
00:04:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're company that just strictly supplies shovelers to commercial companies to handle their sidewalk work. uh it's uh it's a great idea we've been saying it that's what young guys should do and you know stop trying to get into commercial snow and jump in with both feet it's a great idea i can't wait to hear more about it jeremy knows these guys well and uh that's what we're gonna do today we're gonna hear all about these guys and their plans for the future and how it went last year and uh we'll uh we'll get into it with the boys but before we do that as always we gotta to hear from team top gun we're gonna do a quick week review when we come back
00:05:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, guys, we're back. So quick week
Upcoming Events and Snow Jobs Nation
00:05:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
review. We got some announcements we got to make. Storm Chasing Season 2, episode number five is out. Triple J. They have joined the fold.
00:05:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
They have their own episode. It is live on the Snow Jobs, or I'm sorry, on the Storm Chasing YouTube page. So go check that out. You got five episodes of the six that are up and running with one more top dog to to come.
00:05:43
RICK JAMES
No.
00:05:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
top dog uh so yeah head on over to the storm chasing uh youtube page and check out the five episodes that are up there all right uh august 13th is in fargo valley green snow day in fargo moorhead area all right so if you're out there head on out and visit putts and the gang uh jeremy will be there muskox will be there you'll have the phantom there what else is out there big daddy's the article be there
00:06:07
RICK JAMES
Big Daddy. Big Daddy will be there. Wolf Loader's up there. Harry's coming. yeah.
00:06:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, nice. Very cool.
00:06:16
RICK JAMES
Yeah, we're going to have Vroom Vroom there. shit Turbo Todd's going to be there. that's all
00:06:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
You got a lot.
00:06:21
RICK JAMES
Who's who in snow? Oh, yeah.
00:06:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's right. So that's in the West on the 13th. And if you're in the East on the 13th, you can go to the Connecticut groundskeepers association ground ice expo. That's at the Durham fairgrounds in Durham, Connecticut.
00:06:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
They have a lot of different stuff going on there. They got an iron operator challenge that think top prize is somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,200. If you're interested in attending, head on over to CGKA.com and get your tickets.
00:06:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
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 the event at iowalawncare.org. $25 for members, $50 for non-members.
00:07:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
and Let's see. September 16th and 17th. That's our Pennsylvania swing Wednesday, the 16th. That's out at Storks in Leesport, Pennsylvania. That's the annual plow tech school.
00:07:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
That'll teach you how to deal with all the problems or any problems that come up with Douglas dynamics, plows and spreaders, show you how to fix them without maybe taking it into the dealer. I went last year, phenomenal class, the gene and gang, they put on a hell of a show.
00:07:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
the the The book you get to diagnose problems with Douglas Dynamics stuff, is it's worth going just for that book. So if you're interested, head on over to storksplows.com and get your tickets for that. Thursday the 17th, if you're already in Pennsylvania for Storks, head over to Scranton, and that's the S&S Snow and Ice Solutions 6th Annual Snow Show. All right, that's in the Scranton area, as I said. And then if you're still in Pennsylvania on Friday and Saturday, head back to Storks for their open house event on Friday and Saturday.
00:07:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
october 1st in uxbridge massachusetts is the third annual northeast the icing solutions the icing day uh patty salmon and family do a hell of a job on that that really had had some transformation from year one to year two can't wait to see what it's going to look like this year and for year three hugege huge huge
00:08:14
RICK JAMES
It was huge. It's going be huge. We've got a Morton Wallace concert, Laney Spalding, giving away a semi-load of Brian. mean, it's it's he's having a blowout.
00:08:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, shit. We are not responsible for the opinions and statements of Jeremy Lindstrom. ah
00:08:36
RICK JAMES
Hey, nobody said how big this semi was. could be a matchbox.
00:08:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
that's true that's true it's a tiny little semi of brine it's a court it's a court jug oh shit well if you're going to any of these events head on head on over to snowjobsnationstore.com and be properly dressed and represent uh you can get everything at this at the store there except the backpacks which are currently out of stock but we'll get more of those in there
00:08:39
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah, little 150 second or whatever.
00:08:47
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:09:02
RICK JAMES
I got one left. Got one left.
00:09:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
You got one left. All
Quick Clear Shovelers' Background
00:09:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
right. So he's got one left.
00:09:04
RICK JAMES
Got one left.
00:09:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
So it's a hot commodity. Get it while it's hot. And, uh,
00:09:09
RICK JAMES
Well, I'll shoot it.
00:09:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, we could do that too. All right, cool.
00:09:12
RICK JAMES
Huh.
00:09:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
So Snow Jobs Nation store for all your Snow Jobs apparel and swag needs. Head on over. Keep hitting, like, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you for all the five-star reviews you guys have been dropping lately. Thank you for all the comments and reviews of the show. We got a couple new reviews on the website. That was really nice. Very nice stuff. Thank you guys to ah everybody for taking the time to do that for us. That kind of stuff helps us immensely and keeps us bringing you guys more of what you want to hear. All right.
00:09:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
think that's it. I think we're good.
00:09:43
RICK JAMES
I think so. I think we're good.
00:09:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, cool. So let's hear from our partners real quick and we'll come back and get into with the boys.
00:12:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, gang, we are back. Thank you to all our partners. We
Expansion and Challenges
00:12:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
can't thank you guys enough for being with us. And we appreciate all you do for us to keep this thing going. So we're back. And now is the time I've been waiting for. I didn't get to meet these guys out at storm field day, obviously, because I didn't get there, but they were there and there was a lot of talk about these guys. So we wanted to get them on and hear what they had to say. So let's welcome Andrew and Noah to the show. And we'll hear all about their new thing. Boys, come on in. You can unmute and say hello.
00:12:38
Andrew Splett
Awesome. Appreciate it being here.
00:12:38
RICK JAMES
Hey guys.
00:12:40
Andrew Splett
And yeah this is going be a fun one.
00:12:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:12:42
Noah Gordon
Yeah, steve Steve, I'll say something quick. i I got a lot of goals in life.
00:12:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:12:47
Noah Gordon
One of my goals is to find a partner like you that can introduce me like you do for Jeremy every time he comes on here.
00:12:53
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:12:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love it.
00:12:56
RICK JAMES
Yup.
00:12:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
00:12:57
RICK JAMES
That was great.
00:12:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. ah You know, I mean, he's Rick James. You gotta, you know, you gotta to give him his due.
00:13:00
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:13:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
He's a celebrity snow Liberty.
00:13:05
RICK JAMES
Yup. You bet.
00:13:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
and's Awesome.
00:13:06
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:13:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
00:13:06
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:13:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
So you guys, you guys are, you guys were the talk of storm day. I heard from four or five different guys. ah You got to talk to these shovel guys, man. They're young, but they got a great concept there.
00:13:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm like, i've been saying this. I've been saying this for a couple of years now. When's somebody going to listen? You guys apparently listened. So tell us about what you're doing with, with quick clear shovelers. I want to hear all about this.
00:13:31
Noah Gordon
Yeah, it um it started last year and and we recognize a hole in the market to where contractors have a really hard time finding reliable shovelers as well as enough of them.
00:13:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
h
00:13:43
Noah Gordon
um And we were able to bridge the gap between shovelers and contractors being our experience in the snow removal industry and then also being kids and being around kids, um knowing how they think, how they communicate um and what works for them. And and We crushed it last winter.
00:14:01
Noah Gordon
think we left a good track record and we're growing like weeds right now trying to connect with contractors and shovelers.
00:14:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome. ah Good for you guys. Very good for you guys. So you guys have background in snow, right?
00:14:10
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:14:13
Andrew Splett
Yeah.
00:14:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
So tell us about your ah your background before you started this.
00:14:15
Andrew Splett
Yep, we worked.
00:14:18
Andrew Splett
Yeah, so we were, what, sophomores or juniors in high school, and we started with LADC. um We then, you know, went to college, moved on from that. I applied for Jeremy for one year.
00:14:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
and Okay. Okay.
00:14:31
Andrew Splett
And then, yeah, and then, We decided we wanted to start our own thing. And yeah, we started knocking on doors and met up with a contractor. He wanted us to come shovel for him. And we're like, well, that's not not really the point.
00:14:50
Andrew Splett
We want to start our own thing. we're like, we can find you shovelers. And ever since then, it's snowballed. And now we're going to be in, what, 16 different markets?
00:15:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
In one year.
00:15:03
Noah Gordon
Yep.
00:15:05
Noah Gordon
No.
00:15:05
Andrew Splett
Yeah, this will be year two.
00:15:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow. oh
00:15:08
RICK JAMES
You're to 16 different markets. Where are the markets at? If I, you guys want to share with that or.
00:15:13
Noah Gordon
Yeah, anywhere from Rapid City, South Dakota to ann Arbor, Michigan, Ohio, and Cleveland with with the guys at UD. um any Any college town with 70,000-plus people in it to where it's not a ghost town when they leave.
00:15:31
Noah Gordon
um that That's our hot spot. That's our market.
00:15:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
I should have copyrighted that idea. I said that, Jeremy, right? I said every college town with snow, somebody should be getting these kids for beer money to do shoveling and stuff.
00:15:40
RICK JAMES
you did
00:15:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Damn it. That's awesome, guys. I'm i'm so happy for you guys. That's one year and you're going to be in 16 different markets?
00:15:53
Andrew Splett
your comfort?
00:15:53
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:15:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Holy crap.
00:15:55
RICK JAMES
What, how did you guys, how did you guys think you could expand like that?
00:15:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Go ahead, Jay.
00:16:00
RICK JAMES
i mean, what, what is your process, I guess?
00:16:01
Andrew Splett
is your
00:16:02
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:16:03
Andrew Splett
how one
00:16:04
Noah Gordon
Yeah. so we, we go out and we hire a manager that goes to that school. Their only job is to find people that are willing to shovel. Andrew's job is contractor relations, right?
00:16:16
Noah Gordon
Cold call them, go to events like storm day, meet up with people.
00:16:19
Andrew Splett
slide says
00:16:21
Noah Gordon
um i run the operations and and it's a three man weave right there throughout every market. Yeah.
00:16:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome. That's really good. That's really, really good. And I mean, there's a need. There's such a need for it. What now?
00:16:35
RICK JAMES
Yes.
00:16:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
what What made you guys go? you You started out plowing and then decided you wanted to do your own thing in snow. What made you go this route versus the normal route that everybody seems to take, either start doing driveways or get into light commercial?
00:16:50
Noah Gordon
um I
Shoveler Management and Logistics
00:16:51
Noah Gordon
think we thought this was easier.
00:16:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
I agree.
00:16:53
Noah Gordon
um um Frankly, frankly, we last year, we had about 40 accounts and we were trying to manage the shovelers.
00:16:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
like Preaching to the choir.
00:16:57
RICK JAMES
yeah ah
00:17:02
Noah Gordon
And we just said, man, this is too hard. Why don't we focus on the niche that we have? um There's we're helping instead of trying to sell the contractors so much in this industry.
00:17:10
Andrew Splett
Thank you.
00:17:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:17:14
Noah Gordon
It's like, who's screwing over who, right? Who, who's taking advantage of who. And, and we feel like, where our prices are at, that we're helping contractors.
00:17:18
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:17:22
Noah Gordon
We're helping our our boys get beer money, pay for rent. um it's We're marrying all the two together. and And we've been offered to have a couple sites subcontracted and we turned them down politely.
00:17:34
Noah Gordon
And and we're just honing in on this, trying to make a business out of this.
00:17:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, this is definitely a business. If you're reliable and you can deliver what the hell you say you're going to deliver time after time, it's definitely a business, boys.
00:17:40
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:17:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome.
00:17:47
Andrew Splett
Well, that's when I, ah after doing those 40 accounts one night, I was like, I never want to touch a shovel again. so think it took 28 hours. and yeah
00:17:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, wow.
00:17:59
RICK JAMES
Wow.
00:18:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
So now it's good.
00:18:00
RICK JAMES
So do you what's your process of hiring your shovelers? They got to shovel or broom something, shovel something? What do you guys do? You got test their backs or what's what's the what's the process for you guys getting guys same as every other snow guy? You got a heartbeat?
00:18:16
Noah Gordon
yeahp Yeah, two feet in the heartbeat, we call it. Yeah. it it young
00:18:20
Andrew Splett
Yeah, we hit him in the back. Oh, ahead. Yeah,
00:18:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great. Oh, i God.
00:18:27
Andrew Splett
we hit him in the back with a stick, and if they don't break then, then they're good to go for a shovel.
00:18:31
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:18:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
there there you go give them a shot and see if they keep if they recover uh that's awesome so now you guys you guys don't have to have any equipment you don't like d i assume you're you're getting these guys in these markets contractors are calling you and saying yeah i want five guys you don't have to supply them with vehicles or anything like that you just give them the address and say get there and do it
00:18:57
Noah Gordon
Yeah, we we, like, so last year for the Wolfpack at Glacier, um we'd get a text from from the Glacier guys.
00:19:03
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:19:05
Noah Gordon
We would put together a truck of four. We'd say, meet at their shop. They're going to give you shovels, a map, and they're going send you on your way. Um, and, and that's how it worked. And, and this year we're going to do the same thing and have a couple options to where, um, if you want to use our equipment, then we'll upcharge there and, and, um, kind of see what contractors want, get creative with them.
00:19:26
Noah Gordon
But, um, the, the easiest way for us was just, just make them go to your shop and then you figure it out from there. And, and I can go to bed while you're up at 2am cleaning the, cleaning out the sidewalks.
00:19:37
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Well, what we did with the, when we used them, what we did, we had a, we always have GPS trackers and stuff.
00:19:42
Andrew Splett
at all.
00:19:43
RICK JAMES
So we, we put a GPS tracker in like in the lunchbox and they had to bring that with them. So, and then we know we can charge when they're on site, you know, for shovelers.
00:19:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
me
00:19:53
RICK JAMES
So, so we just have to know how many shovelers are there.
00:19:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:19:55
RICK JAMES
And then went in you can kind of keep tabs of them too, if you want to. And that, but that's, that's what we did. It worked out really well.
00:20:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's cool.
00:20:02
RICK JAMES
So, These guys are great. The crews are all good. So it was definitely good. it's it's a niche very It's a niche market, that's for sure.
00:20:12
RICK JAMES
You have to.
00:20:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
The whole market is niche. Then you have this just super niche.
00:20:14
RICK JAMES
I know, but the shovelers, everybody needs shovelers. They're just hard to come by.
00:20:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, shovelers and reliable shovelers, ones that show up and are willing to ah work hard, work fast, and get it done.
00:20:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:20:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Now, you guys charge an hourly or is it per her job?
00:20:31
Noah Gordon
Yeah, hourly per guy. um Just keep it easy.
00:20:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:20:35
Noah Gordon
and And I think where we find our most value is if you need 20 shovelers to go out tonight and you're dealing with your operators and all the other headaches that come with dispatch and crews, you text one guy, you text us, and we'll figure that out for you, um which ends up saving a lot of time and a lot of headache.
00:20:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
I gotcha. So you charge an hourly per guy. Now, if I'm a contractor and I want to make you guys basically, I'm like, okay, yeah, I need these guys, but I don't want to pay them for six hours at one site.
00:20:58
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:21:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
I want to make their job quicker. If I supply you with snowblowers or sidewalk machines, you guys use those or you strictly shoveling?
00:21:16
Noah Gordon
we We have used those last year and and it it turns into an insurance liability for the contractor.
00:21:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes, it does. Mm-hmm.
00:21:23
Noah Gordon
So we've worked out like a renting deal. um Your hourly wage would go up, but really it's the same. We're just renting it back from you just to equate that.
00:21:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Interesting.
00:21:33
Noah Gordon
But we've got the insurance, frankly, more than I care to pay for insurance. And you guys know that.
00:21:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Everybody.
00:21:39
Noah Gordon
Um,
00:21:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:21:39
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
Recruitment and Market Management
00:21:40
Noah Gordon
yeah, so it, it um, yeah, it's a, it's a liability to use your actual equipment, but we figured out ways around that.
00:21:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nice. Very cool. Very cool. I'm, I'm impressed. This is, uh, I'm telling you, this was like the, this is what the dream should be. You know, it's cause the scaling possibilities are endless.
00:22:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Honestly, if you can keep finding reliable people and you guys have that, you know, we'll never fail mentality in your company and the guys that are working for you buy into that, the possibilities are absolutely endless.
00:22:02
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:22:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
You could literally branch this to every snow market that has a major university. It's phenomenal. Good for you guys.
00:22:20
RICK JAMES
So do you know anybody these other markets or you guys just kind of just setting a casting a net out there?
00:22:20
Andrew Splett
And that that's the
00:22:25
Andrew Splett
point.
00:22:28
RICK JAMES
What's what what's what are you guys doing?
00:22:30
Noah Gordon
Yeah, we've we've spent a lot of time vetting our managers, um making sure that they're money motivated. Again, like you've been there, they're not just going to tell us they're going to do something and then they go off to school and and they're done.
00:22:43
Noah Gordon
So we spent a lot of time vetting our managers. They're compensated very well in terms of how they produce, which we found to help. And and when you listen to Mark Bradley talk at at Storm Field Days, that that's what it's about, right? Making them want to work for you.
00:22:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
sure
00:22:58
Noah Gordon
um And we found a lot of value in that.
00:22:59
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:23:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's phenomenal. So how do you guys keep track if you're if you're in all these markets? How do you keep track of who's doing what completion times, how many hours? Like you have software that you guys use or how do you do it?
00:23:16
Noah Gordon
Yeah, um it's pretty automated within the software we use. Our managers are in charge of keeping tabs on the hourly when they show up to the shop, when they leave.
00:23:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:23:28
Noah Gordon
um Yeah, it's I mean, all it is is timekeeping once they show up to your shop.
00:23:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. Very cool. So you guys delegate that down to the individual manager of the area and then he reports back to you with the with all the stuff. Cool.
00:23:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool.
00:23:42
RICK JAMES
So all you guys using apps are just writing down or what, what how do you guys keep track? is it Is it a software thing or?
00:23:52
Andrew Splett
ah Yeah, so no I mean, it's, ah what is it, Excel, right, we're using?
00:23:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
and Okay.
00:23:57
Andrew Splett
So you just put their time in.
00:23:57
Noah Gordon
Yeah, super complex.
00:23:59
Andrew Splett
i did it I did it all last year. It's really, it's not hard at all. So, um yeah, we're trying to keep it as simple as we can for the managers and everybody involved.
00:24:04
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:24:08
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:24:10
Andrew Splett
So..
00:24:11
RICK JAMES
Yep. Good.
00:24:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great. I love it.
00:24:14
RICK JAMES
So the guy's got to come to your shop or wherever your meeting spot is, pretty much check in, right? And then they go out and do the work. And then before they go home, they got to come back and check out so you guys know where they were and you know what the charge, I would assume.
00:24:28
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:24:28
Noah Gordon
Yeah. and And I know like with Josh at Valley Green, he has these binders. They're keeping track of every site they're at and how long they're there. And then when I send my invoice to Josh, we compare hours and we can confirm that what we got is the same as what he had.
00:24:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's phenomenal.
00:24:45
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:24:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
So last year was your first year. how many How many guys did you have working out there last year?
00:24:53
Andrew Splett
All right, I actually have this pulled up here. um
00:24:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Awesome.
00:24:56
Andrew Splett
So last year we had 120 different shovelers work for us and then we had 2,800 man hours.
00:25:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow, you had 120 You were
Logistics, Quality Control, and Liability
00:25:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
able to find 120 shovelers?
00:25:09
Andrew Splett
Yep, it's just like a pyramid scheme.
00:25:09
RICK JAMES
Oh, Fargo more is good.
00:25:13
RICK JAMES
Fargo more is like got four colleges in it. So.
00:25:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
no i i get it that's and that's awesome though but all the you you hear it all the time that oh i can't find anybody to shovel these guys went out and found 120 guys to shovel i mean so obviously they're doing something better than uh than contractors are to find shovelers you think it's kind of you think it's because it's kind of an afterthought for contractors to try and find shovelers they're always looking for operators first shovelers are more important than operators i mean
00:25:25
RICK JAMES
Yeah, it was great.
00:25:33
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:25:42
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:25:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
at the end of the day, the finish work is what's really, you know, do you guys, um how does it work with the, with the quality? How do you do quality control where you make sure that your guys understand they're pulling every little bit of snow away from the building. They're, they're shoveling out a couple feet from the curb line, you know, that kind of stuff. You do any kind of training, you have any videos or anything you show these guys, or it's just, you know, you, you rely on the manager to break them in.
00:26:08
Noah Gordon
Yeah, we, um and I know Josh did a good job briefing these guys at at his shop. um um And we send, we got a ah paragraph where we send them the address and who to call if something's wrong and then what they need to do.
00:26:18
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:26:21
Noah Gordon
That's our SOPs, our operating procedures for... when you got a new shoveler on and, and when you talk about retention and how to make these guys want to come back and shovel, we found that when they're riding with their buddies, you know, you're not out there working with Dale who's 58 and he's smoking a heater in the car at 2 AM.
00:26:41
Noah Gordon
And then, and then now you got to get out and shovel and he's yelling at you. But if you're with three of your buddies, you know, you're going to, you're going to enjoy working. You're going want to come back out and work.
00:26:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
A hundred percent. hundred percent.
00:26:51
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:26:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
mean, that's how our crew is. The the the ninjas, as I refer to them, they're all, it's 12 friends. They're all the same. Like I brought one guy on and then I just told him after I figured out that he, he was a definite worker.
00:27:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, yo, you got friends that, you we'll do the same quality and and speed as you. Yeah. And he brought 12 of his friends along with him. And it's literally like when they come to work, they are efficient. They're quick, but it's a party.
00:27:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like they're breaking each other's balls, they're having a lot of laughs, and they're getting it done. ah you know And you're right. there's you know That kind of atmosphere is more productive. 100%.
00:27:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:27:30
RICK JAMES
100%.
00:27:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah, that's that's that's how the whole snow and the whole process of snow. If if you can get buddies there, if one guy comes, usually the rest will come. So, you you know like I said before, you kind of play them on each other there.
00:27:44
RICK JAMES
So if one guy's coming, they're all coming.
00:27:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely. Now, do your guys just shovel, or do they apply salt as well when they're done shoveling, or is that on the contractor?
00:27:53
Noah Gordon
we We have done salt.
00:27:54
Andrew Splett
ah so
00:27:55
Noah Gordon
Oh, go ahead, Andrew.
00:27:57
Andrew Splett
Yeah, we've done salt. um you know As long as our shovels are okay doing that, because it's not fun loading your truck up with a bunch of salt and then you get to wash it out. As long as they're okay with it, they can go salt.
00:28:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, 100%.
00:28:11
Andrew Splett
yeah they can ah they can go salt
00:28:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
I was wondering from a contractor standpoint, like I'm trying to think how I would do that if I was, if I was the guy hiring you guys, if I would want to apply my own salt for liability reasons, like that's, you know, if you guys are doing my sidewalks, how does that, do you guys have that in your contract with the contractor of who assumes liability for the sidewalks?
00:28:33
Noah Gordon
and And we're kind of crafting up but as we go the contracts and how we're going to apply them to obviously all these new contractors we're working with.
00:28:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:28:42
Noah Gordon
um and And we have slip and fall. We have, again, the whole nine yards.
00:28:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. OK.
00:28:49
Noah Gordon
And and we've we've maybe we're maybe going implement like ah like a $3 an hour more price tag on that, not even for us, but to incentivize our guys to go out and salt and and do that and get their cars dirty just just when those events do come up.
00:29:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay
00:29:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha. You have any plans in the future? If if you have, if you have, uh, say markets that blow up and you got three, four or five contractors in the same market, you have any plans in the future to have your own vehicles?
00:29:20
Noah Gordon
Yeah,
Client Coordination and Service Efficiency
00:29:21
Noah Gordon
that that that is the plan. Maybe two years in Minneapolis, we've got a ton of connections here. I mean, this is what I would call the hotbed. um A lot of really consistent snowfall.
00:29:33
Noah Gordon
A lot of contractors and ah and a lot of need for what we have going on.
00:29:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, absolutely.
00:29:38
RICK JAMES
in Did you guys do in Minneapolis last year? I would assume, right? and No? Oh, you didn't? Because I heard they needed a lot of help last year.
00:29:43
Noah Gordon
Nothing. Yeah, yeah.
00:29:46
RICK JAMES
That's what I heard.
00:29:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Really?
00:29:48
Noah Gordon
And it
00:29:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Didn't they have a shit winner last year?
00:29:53
RICK JAMES
They had ice issues.
00:29:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
No? Oh. ah I got you. I got you. I got you. I got you a lot of ice storms. Yeah.
00:30:01
RICK JAMES
Yeah, people don't people don't want to leave home.
00:30:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
I got you. So now if I, if, if I'm the contractor and I hire you guys, do, do I give you the warning order? Like I got my weather report. I know. Okay. We got three inches of snow coming in. It's going to be between midnight and 4.00 AM. m I want to be cleared with my machines by five. So I want you guys at this site 4.00 AM.
00:30:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
I got to give you that, all that information and you guys take it from there.
00:30:33
Andrew Splett
Yeah, i mean, we are we'd like, obviously, just like everybody in the snow industry, yeah a heads up, but that doesn't always happen. So, you know, within probably four hours of the event, just so we can get some guys together.
00:30:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:30:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, understood. i was just not I was just curious on how it actually worked. like do you Do I give you 24 hours notice and say, hey, this is definitely coming. you know We're going to put you on standby for this one.
00:31:00
Noah Gordon
Yeah. Yep. And, and, and kind of what you're thinking at that time, um, how many trucks you're thinking you're going to need.
00:31:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cool.
00:31:01
RICK JAMES
I would.
00:31:06
Noah Gordon
Um, cause if you want those trucks to be filled, the earlier we know the earlier we can fill them.
00:31:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure. And what is the standard?
00:31:12
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:31:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like if you need four guys in a truck, what is the standard amount of time you need to be able to fill that?
00:31:21
Noah Gordon
Depends on the day of the week and the time, you know, if it's a, yeah.
00:31:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:31:23
RICK JAMES
Same as a real estate contractor.
00:31:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha. All right, cool.
00:31:27
Noah Gordon
if If it's a Saturday night, it's going to be pretty tough to find those college kids.
00:31:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. I didn't know if there was.
00:31:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
How many hours?
00:31:31
Noah Gordon
You know, we got to know a little earlier.
00:31:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:31:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:31:34
RICK JAMES
So is there a minimum you guys charge per hour or like, and not is there a minimum time, like hours that they get charged for guys doing like that?
00:31:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
um the hours
00:31:43
Noah Gordon
no Nope.
00:31:44
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:31:46
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:31:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
very cool this is great guys i think you guys are gonna kill it with this i mean just don't uh don't if i may offer some advice just don't expand too fast make sure the system is airtight before you start taking a ton of stuff because uh it only takes one failure that there's a ton of chat groups and stuff the word will get around real quick
00:31:53
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:32:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
So, but I think it's awesome. You guys seem to have all these bases covered. it's crazy. You don't need, you don't need your own equipment. You don't need contracted weather service. You don't need salters. I mean, this is like, ah this is my dream business.
00:32:22
RICK JAMES
Labor.
00:32:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
no guy It's labor.
00:32:23
RICK JAMES
It's labor. It's labor.
00:32:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's it. That's all it is. Oh my gosh.
00:32:27
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:32:29
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:32:29
RICK JAMES
Like you said earlier, Steve, that you're talking about quality control and stuff. I'm guessing whatever contractor gets them, they come to their shop, they're going tell them what they expect of them. you know I would assume for each lot.
00:32:41
RICK JAMES
you know You're just
Contractor Relationships and Standards
00:32:42
RICK JAMES
not going to send guys blind out there to hopefully not.
00:32:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, yeah, and that's what I was going to say. Do they scout the site that they get hired for? you know, if they have a contractor signs you guys up and says, hey, I need you guys for four sites. Does the manager take the guys before the snow and and scout it out, ah you know, and let the guys see it or not really?
00:33:01
Noah Gordon
Not really. It's such a revolving door with who's actually showing up and shoveling.
00:33:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:33:07
Noah Gordon
Because if you've got a two-day storm, you've got four guys that were out, um and you want them to work again on on the next day, but two of them got class, they're going find two more buddies. It's just a revolving door of who can we get in to shovel.
00:33:21
Noah Gordon
um and And from a contractor's standpoint, it's people need to be reminded, not taught. So and the more they normally they just tell them, the easier it is.
00:33:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. Very cool.
00:33:34
RICK JAMES
hu
00:33:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:33:35
RICK JAMES
How are you guys like paid them? Are they just like direct deposits or what what? Are they getting cash on their table? What are we talking here?
00:33:42
Noah Gordon
We're W-2 this year.
00:33:44
RICK JAMES
Yeah. yeah yep
00:33:45
Noah Gordon
so So as long as you don't have somebody from Washington, D.C. listening last year was was not done the right way. And we learned from it. And and and as we grow, right it it it becomes easier and you're not more knowledgeable.
00:33:59
Noah Gordon
But yeah, there're we had a lot of liability on the table last year.
00:34:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
absolutely
00:34:03
Noah Gordon
And we're grateful that nothing bad happened.
00:34:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
do you know how many laws are out there and rules that you don't even know about until you inadvertently break them like there's no i mean even in new york state i know a lot of them and there's there's things i've never even heard of after you know almost 20 years in business i'm like what when did that start like 2018 holy shit like
00:34:11
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:34:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
holy shit I didn't know that. like where There's no kind of notification. There's nothing to to tell you you know what you're doing. or You could read the whole 2,000 pages of crap, but who has time for that shit? so you know you guys will yeah you'll You'll live and you'll learn, but that's that's awesome that you guys are squaring it away early.
00:34:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
it's just yeah This is such a great concept, man. i'm I'm excited to see how you guys make out because it's just... It seems like it's a no-brainer. And if I'm a contractor and I want to hire you, do i have to do I have to sign on for every storm or I just call you guys when needed?
00:35:00
RICK JAMES
you.
00:35:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
How does that work? Is there some kind of like long-term contract or is this like a one, you know i can I can do it at a one-off?
00:35:12
Noah Gordon
we We would prefer um consistent work.
00:35:14
Andrew Splett
or
00:35:15
Noah Gordon
and and
00:35:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:35:17
Noah Gordon
And I say that for us, obviously, we want to make money. But for you, when when you ask for a truck, but we've been using guys all winter, I'm going to keep sending my trucks to those guys. um And
00:35:28
RICK JAMES
Yep.
Technology Integration and Future Plans
00:35:29
Noah Gordon
you're going to be last resort.
00:35:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
sure understood and that's the way it should be you take care of the people that take care of you first no i like that and there's no there's no minimum like you yeah i mean or is it one truck minimum four guys in a truck is that the minimum call out for you guys
00:35:30
Noah Gordon
It's just a ah two-way street.
00:35:33
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:35:47
Noah Gordon
We could do three three people. I know Josh at yeah at Valley Green, he's got the mat bus stops, right?
00:35:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay so three is the minimum
00:35:54
Noah Gordon
You jump out quick, you do the bus stop.
00:35:55
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:35:56
Noah Gordon
We did two people for those. I mean, they're quick, but it's a long route too.
00:36:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:36:00
Noah Gordon
um
00:36:01
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:36:01
Noah Gordon
But that that's after a storm, right? They got 24 hours to do them. So that was that was two people.
00:36:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
So since we do have a very we have a very good chunk of our listening demographic is 18 to 24 there, we got, I think, 80% or 84% of our listeners are between 18 and 45. But we have a very good, strong chunk, 18 to 24. If you got guys out there that are thinking that they want to join up with you guys, is there a minimum amount of hours that you guys are going have them work on a call-out?
00:36:35
Andrew Splett
um No, it's all, it's in, um no, no, we don't really do that right now.
00:36:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, if they come in, they don't... Do they get a minimum, basically, if they come in?
00:36:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:36:44
Andrew Splett
um But it's an on their time basis because these are college kids, right?
00:36:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:36:49
Andrew Splett
So that's why it's such a revolving door shovelers as well is you have to work around their classes. But with college kids, nobody cares to skip a class or, so that's what makes it work.
00:36:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, no. Yeah.
00:37:00
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:37:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I mean, there's there's there's Xbox tournaments every day that, you know, cause you to miss classes. playstation five tournaments you I mean, I mean, the classes are more of a nuisance than anything, you know?
00:37:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
It gets in the way of everything else you want to do in college.
00:37:16
RICK JAMES
Gets in the way.
00:37:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, shit.
00:37:18
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yep.
00:37:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, that's cool.
00:37:22
RICK JAMES
unless Unless you really need them.
00:37:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Exactly.
00:37:24
RICK JAMES
And they say, well, got to go to class. I'm like, come on, dude. I know you've skipped this class so many times.
00:37:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Exactly.
00:37:28
RICK JAMES
But today, when I need you the most, you're going to go to class. Okay, cool.
00:37:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, I need to go because I skipped the last five. thought
00:37:34
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:37:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
shit, dude, that's awesome.
00:37:36
RICK JAMES
a
00:37:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's really cool. And, you know, they the one of our big questions that we ask everybody that comes on here is, is there a lot of competition for what you do in your area? And there's just there's not.
00:37:50
Noah Gordon
Well, and I hope nobody gets the idea after today.
00:37:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, they might, but even if they do, there's such a demand.
00:37:54
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:37:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
You guys can't possibly handle it all. There's such a demand.
00:38:00
Noah Gordon
Done.
00:38:00
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:38:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, even if you had competition, you guys, I mean, there's not going to be, you throw a rock in Minneapolis, St. Paul area, you're going to hit 25 snow contractors.
00:38:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
you're not going to hit 25 labor supply, you know, shoveler guys. So even if a couple of them do spring up, you guys can all work together to kind of set the market of what you want to do and how you want to do it.
00:38:17
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:38:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
i mean, because there's plenty, this is not like anything else that's ever been done. So there's, there's going to be plenty of work to go around and you guys can almost like, you know, unofficially unionized type thing and, and just make it how you want it. It's that's phenomenal.
00:38:39
Noah Gordon
Yeah. and And I think
00:38:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Awesome.
00:38:41
Noah Gordon
when we When we look at the business and how we want to develop and grow, it's to dominate every market. right we don't We don't just want to be a small player. We want the biggest players right like Glacier.
00:38:53
Noah Gordon
um and And we want to be the only guys in that city that are supplying shovelers and not leave anybody behind. So when you talk about Minneapolis, it's like we we want Minneapolis and we want to do all of it.
00:39:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
nice that's great man yeah you guys are gonna kill it good for you guys
00:39:07
RICK JAMES
for you guys. that's
00:39:11
RICK JAMES
are going to go to like like don't they have like, don't know, job fair days and stuff like that, I would assume. You guys set booths up and try to recruit and all that fun stuff.
00:39:24
Noah Gordon
Yeah, and there's a lot of job board postings.
00:39:25
RICK JAMES
So.
00:39:27
Noah Gordon
um I mean, you go to the dining center, you could throw up a $30 an hour to shovel sign and and you'll probably get a couple of nibbles there. So yeah. Yeah.
00:39:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Where do you acquire most of your work?
00:39:36
RICK JAMES
um a hot girl have a hot girl Have a hot girl at your booth with the...
00:39:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes. Yes.
00:39:41
RICK JAMES
Use the shovel.
00:39:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes, that does not hurt.
00:39:43
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:39:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
It never hurts.
00:39:47
RICK JAMES
Hey.
00:39:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
How many companies do that at trade shows where they bring girls in that have no idea about the product?
00:39:50
RICK JAMES
Everyone. Everyone. Everyone.
00:39:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, and when you start, you walk up and start talking to them and they got to turn around and remember what company they're working for that day.
00:39:54
Andrew Splett
Thank you.
00:39:54
RICK JAMES
and everyone
00:40:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
They don't even know what what booth they're at. Shit. um So what is what is the plan if everything goes to as planned?
00:40:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
What did lay out your next five years? What are you what are you looking at? what What's it going to look like in five years?
00:40:17
Noah Gordon
Yeah, um it's to be the one-stop shop for every contractor. we're We're looking at developing an app software where at Glacier you go on, you just say eight shovelers, 8
00:40:32
Andrew Splett
Thank you.
00:40:32
Noah Gordon
and And it'll blast to a pool of shovelers within the Fargo-Moorhead area, and they get to pick up they get to pick up the shift, kind of like you're going golfing and picking a tee time, right?
00:40:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love it.
00:40:41
Noah Gordon
Four guys at this time. um And then if you need to change that, right, the snow pushes back, you go back into the app, you change it, and then our manager in that area will call the shovelers that – said they could shovel and then he'll confirm that they're still able to make it. So five years, it's the one-stop shop. We want to be um where you don't even ever think about hiring a shovel because you got this reliable app with reliable shovelers. And now you can worry about other things on your business other than a bunch of dummies out there with plastic shovels.
00:41:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love it.
00:41:14
RICK JAMES
That'd be great.
00:41:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love
00:41:16
RICK JAMES
That'd be great.
00:41:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Now, how, if this is a college-based business, how do you, is your your managers that you get, are they going to be revolving doors as they graduate and stuff? Or what's your plan to to stop gap that?
00:41:30
Noah Gordon
Yeah, it's an interesting concept even when you think about who shoveled for us last year to where half of those guys are done and they won't be back. But in no other labor pool, do they come back in like they do in college too.
00:41:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
hu
00:41:45
Noah Gordon
So every year seniors go out freshmen come in and, and we'll, we'll hopefully have a full-time HR person who's out there hunting for managers. um It's pretty easy on LinkedIn. You look up Ohio state university student, and you'll find a lot of people who are motivated.
00:42:00
Noah Gordon
If if you got a LinkedIn, I think you, you and appreciate the value of a dollar um maybe so, um but it, yeah.
00:42:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:42:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
I prefer searching Michigan.
00:42:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Not Ohio State. ah But I get your point.
00:42:15
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:42:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, man.
00:42:16
Noah Gordon
Yep, yep, yep.
00:42:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's phenomenal, man. You guys, I'm excited for you. This is going to be interesting. you Let's hit some commercials real quick. We'll come back. We'll keep going with the boys.
College Labor Strategy
00:43:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, we're back. So I want to keep going here. I got one more question. So if if you're a contractor out there that's signing up for you guys, is there a discount or any incentive for them to sign up for the whole season to require shovelers from you? Or, you know, is there anything though to make them want to go full year versus like one off?
00:43:41
Noah Gordon
I think the fact that if you go the whole year, we're going to continue to provide shovelers. And if, if it's once in a blue moon, um you're not reliable to us.
00:43:50
RICK JAMES
Yeah, hit and miss.
00:43:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay good enough yeah i didn't know just as far as your contracts go with you know we ask everybody about their contract structure and stuff and you know seasonal or per time and i wasn't i didn't know if you guys offered anything as far as like an incentive to get them to sign up for the whole season
00:44:10
RICK JAMES
don't think anybody in New Jersey for Shawnee. He's always looking for shovelers.
00:44:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
well sounds like these guys work for beer money sean's guys work for weed
00:44:17
RICK JAMES
Yeah, that's true. do you guys You guys are fluent. Can you do some weed?
00:44:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh my God.
00:44:25
RICK JAMES
We'll get them in trouble right off the bat here.
00:44:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Too funny, dude. Oh man. So you guys, you guys started plowing when you were plowing just as operators. What, like, what were the issues with the snow industry that you saw that made you not want to get involved that, you know, made you want to explore another opportunity in snow and not the traditional roles?
00:44:50
Andrew Splett
For one, when Brandon would tell me to go to ah a big site and tell me that I have to bring a shovel with me and shovel those myself rather than just being in the loader, I realized real quick that there was a little hole in the market.
00:45:04
Andrew Splett
I
00:45:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
So he had you do the whole...
00:45:06
RICK JAMES
You never, you never, you never brought a shovel when you were on my loaders though, did you?
00:45:12
Andrew Splett
did not. I did not.
00:45:14
RICK JAMES
ah
00:45:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:45:15
RICK JAMES
That's old Brandon.
00:45:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
So yeah you had to go plow the whole Home Depot and then shovel it yourself?
00:45:23
Andrew Splett
Pretty much, yeah. And then other sites as well.
00:45:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow.
00:45:27
Andrew Splett
And i was just like, I mean, let's just hire some shovelers, huh?
00:45:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oof.
00:45:31
Andrew Splett
like
00:45:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's tough.
00:45:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:45:32
Noah Gordon
It is not that bad. He's being dramatic.
00:45:36
RICK JAMES
ah
00:45:36
Noah Gordon
It is not that bad.
00:45:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:45:40
RICK JAMES
We got to throw Brandon on our bus.
00:45:41
Noah Gordon
yeah.
00:45:41
RICK JAMES
That's what we got to do.
00:45:42
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:45:43
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:45:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
We love Brandon. Brandon's the best.
00:45:45
Andrew Splett
It's a great company to work for. Great company.
00:45:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely. They do a great job, man. There's very few companies out there like LADC. That's pretty cool. Well, I mean, sounds like, you know, you worked for LADC, you worked for Glacier. So you saw, you know, you saw the inside of two of the big boys in this industry. So that's a, that's quite a start for you.
00:46:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
But, yeah, I mean, it's just it's so interesting to me that you guys are doing this, and i think that I think you guys hit it because, obviously, look at how you've grown in just one year.
00:46:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
I mean, there's a definite demand out there, and we've been saying it.
00:46:16
RICK JAMES
Right.
00:46:19
RICK JAMES
Uh, they were like rock stars at storm when I was telling the guys about them. Kyle's going crazy and Patty salmon.
00:46:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
I bet.
00:46:27
RICK JAMES
Shit. Yeah.
00:46:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Why wouldn't they?
00:46:29
RICK JAMES
know Yeah.
00:46:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
that They're all guys that need shovelers.
00:46:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah. I'm telling you, I was like, these are the guys you need.
00:46:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think it's awesome. I think the, uh, the sky is the limit for that, you know, exploiting the college town that that's, that's part of it that you got to do that. Um,
Humorous Insights and Business Advice
00:46:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
do you see, do you see any way as you grow to you know, if you have great managers, do you see any way to keep them as opposed to just replacing them every four years?
00:47:01
Noah Gordon
Yeah, i think I think it would be as more of like a regional manager role, and then they would continue to backfill underneath them because you have to be at that school to be able to find all the people.
00:47:10
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:47:14
Noah Gordon
You got to be there every day. You got to be at the bar on a Saturday saying, come shovel for me. um You have to be there, and and and that's where – the difference between contractors and and our managers is the contractors aren't there, you know, and and they can't be bugging them And there's a, there's something to be said about being a kid and being hired by a kid as opposed to, you know, being 35 and begging someone to shovel for you, which is, I think the gap we fill. Cause we, we know the snow industry and and we know kids and we know beer.
00:47:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, there you go.
00:47:45
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:47:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm going to give you good.
00:47:46
RICK JAMES
How how about about this deal? If you get a bunch of smart people and have them do the homework for the other people while they're out shoveling.
00:47:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, wow.
00:47:54
RICK JAMES
I mean, that that's, see?
00:47:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
I like that even better.
00:47:56
RICK JAMES
Yeah, see?
00:47:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
That is great.
00:47:57
Noah Gordon
Thank you.
00:47:57
RICK JAMES
Like stupid people like me, you know, I'll just go out and shovel.
00:47:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Tutors. Yeah, that's it.
00:48:01
RICK JAMES
Actually, I haven't found a shovel that fits my hand yet. Yeah.
00:48:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I mean, you ever watch that movie Van Wilder? It's a movie from like 20 years ago. You should go back. National Lampoon's Van Wilder. It was one of Ryan Reynolds' first movies. Go back and watch that and do everything based on that movie. You'll be just fine.
00:48:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
You'll be super successful. ah But, yeah, I mean, I'm going to give you one for free for a recruiting event. You're in college towns. Go rent out a bar for the night and throw a party.
00:48:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Quick clear shovelers with a banner. And there you go. Free open, book you know, whatever. Free tap beer for the first two hours. And you you'll have no problem signing guys up after a couple pictures.
00:48:46
RICK JAMES
And then you brand them like the Yellowstone brand, but with a little shovel. You brand them so they're yours for the...
00:48:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
You tattoo him.
00:48:53
RICK JAMES
Then they they then they have to. They have to work for you.
00:48:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
But that that I'll tell you, that kind of recruiting event, there you go. I mean, at what's Thursday night's the big, is that still the big party night in college? Or is it just every night now?
00:49:08
Noah Gordon
Yeah, i mean, you it depends, yeah.
00:49:08
RICK JAMES
That's every night.
00:49:11
Noah Gordon
You know, you got you got ah a pitcher on a Wednesday, and then they conveniently rope you in with a two-for-one, yeah.
00:49:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
There you go. well
00:49:16
RICK JAMES
Ladies night.
00:49:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, so throw a party at a bar or at a frat house, and and they will come.
00:49:24
RICK JAMES
It's going to have to ladies night or something.
00:49:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hey, listen, man, you can get the girls shoveling too.
00:49:31
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:49:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
They'll shovel. Absolutely. You know, if you ask Sean and Jersey, they are far better than the men. They do exactly what they're told. They don't complain. They just keep going. So, you know, that might be another avenue to explore too.
00:49:46
RICK JAMES
Get you those sorority houses.
00:49:48
Noah Gordon
Well, i like i like to keep Andrew in line and and keep him focused. I don't think having girls shoveling would be the best idea for him.
00:49:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
He's not out there though, right?
00:49:58
Noah Gordon
i as
00:49:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
You guys are like supervisors.
00:49:59
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:50:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
So, you know, you.
00:50:00
Noah Gordon
he He would be out there.
00:50:00
RICK JAMES
He would be in a creeper van just creeping around.
00:50:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:50:01
Noah Gordon
he
00:50:02
Andrew Splett
you talk about quality control, I'll be out there myself.
00:50:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, shit. That's funny. Oh, what else you got for these guys, Jay?
00:50:13
RICK JAMES
I don't know, not not a lot. Like I said, we used them last winter. They were great. And they're great, great guys and ambitious. And obviously they got some good, a good thing going here. And I think it's really going to take off, which it I mean, already has.
00:50:25
RICK JAMES
But I mean, a lot of our inner circle guys are pretty pumped up about it. So I think.
00:50:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
And I didn't even ask you guys this. How old are you?
00:50:36
Andrew Splett
um We're both 21.
00:50:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
You have 21.
00:50:37
Andrew Splett
Yep.
00:50:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay, perfect. 21. what you you did this last year, you got started. What lessons did you learn that you immediately, you know, made changes on?
00:50:52
Noah Gordon
You want to go ahead, Andrew?
00:50:53
Andrew Splett
Yes. Yeah. So a lot of really, you got really dumb it down, right? Really. i can't even tell you how many texts I got of Where do I go? What time do I show up?
00:51:07
Andrew Splett
um Do I do this? Do I do that? So you really got to break down. So we put together some operating procedures for our managers so they're not, hopefully, not blowing our phones up, right? So they can deal with their respective market and we can focus on continuing having good relations and growing the business.
00:51:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Great. Anything to add?
00:51:34
Noah Gordon
I think um learning how to run a business was and incredibly valuable last year. and And again, like we talked about doing it the right way, which is tough. um I'd like to just take my cash and give cash and not have to worry about anything else as we all would. So
00:51:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's pretty much everybody in the country.
00:51:51
Noah Gordon
yeah.
00:51:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah. Yep.
00:51:52
Noah Gordon
Yeah. But every time I look, there's a new, a new thing I got to buy.
00:51:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
aha
00:51:57
Noah Gordon
yeah and And we've all been through it.
00:51:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
no
00:51:59
Noah Gordon
So yeah.
00:52:01
RICK JAMES
He learned his business at the Leering Center in Minnesota.
00:52:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
The Leering Center? Yeah, they're famous for that.
00:52:04
RICK JAMES
Yeah, from Minnesota.
00:52:05
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:52:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very good business practices. Great business practices. Oh, shit. You guys only one year so far in business, but you got any funny stories yet?
00:52:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Working for Glacier, there's got to be something.
00:52:23
Andrew Splett
Well, I mean, nothington nothing really that comes to mind. wasn't, it's just, no, I don't, at least me.
00:52:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right.
00:52:32
Andrew Splett
Do you have any, no?
00:52:34
Noah Gordon
we're We're a no-nonsense organization, so so everything we do everything we do is is to the point.
00:52:38
RICK JAMES
It's up and up.
00:52:42
Noah Gordon
Yep, and we like to call ourselves shovel pimps, so so that that's what we're in right now, and and we're diving headfirst.
00:52:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
i
00:52:47
RICK JAMES
I like it
00:52:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
shovel pimps i love that i think i think jeremy can show you where his jacket came from he'll get you he'll get you the pimp coat he's got he's got the whole setup oh man that's great good for you dudes that's gonna
00:52:51
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:52:55
RICK JAMES
Yep. Yep.
00:52:59
RICK JAMES
Sure do. Amazon. You guys should
Conclusion and Contact Information
00:53:04
RICK JAMES
go on. Are you going to Valley Green on next Thursday? 13th? All right. Yes.
00:53:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, you got to go to these events. So if if you got contract, you're definitely you got contractors out there that are going to want to get a hold of you and find out if you're in their markets or if you can help here. How do these guys find you?
00:53:21
RICK JAMES
Yes.
00:53:22
Noah Gordon
Yeah, our our website's going to go live tomorrow, hopefully. um And all of our stuff is on there, needshovelers.com.
00:53:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:53:31
Noah Gordon
Pretty easy.
00:53:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Need shovelers dot com. Okay.
00:53:33
Noah Gordon
um And hopefully that's live tomorrow.
00:53:35
RICK JAMES
Hashtag
00:53:36
Noah Gordon
Go ahead
00:53:38
RICK JAMES
shovel pimps or are we doing that? stilloid
00:53:41
Noah Gordon
ahead. We could do that one too, and and and I'll find you on social media.
00:53:43
RICK JAMES
Yeah. There you go.
00:53:44
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:53:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Do Instagram. Yeah.
00:53:45
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:53:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Shovel pimps on Instagram.
00:53:45
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:53:46
Noah Gordon
Yeah.
00:53:47
RICK JAMES
yeah yes Yeah.
00:53:47
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:53:48
RICK JAMES
See?
00:53:49
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:53:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's great.
00:53:50
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:53:50
RICK JAMES
I'm here to help, boys. ah i'm here I'm here to help.
00:53:52
Noah Gordon
yeah
00:53:53
RICK JAMES
So, yeah.
00:53:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's phenomenal guys.
00:53:55
Noah Gordon
Yeah. So, yep.
00:53:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Good for you, Jay. You got anything else for these boys?
00:54:00
RICK JAMES
Nah, nope. I'm good.
00:54:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think we'll, you guys got anything for us before we let you go? Cause that's awesome. I'm, I'm very happy for you guys. I don't know you, but I'm very proud of you for doing this. It's I think the sky's the limit on it.
00:54:16
Noah Gordon
Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate you guys having us on it. And Jeremy again, if he could get royalties, he could, um, he he's done a lot for us. So that's helpful, but yeah, um need shovelers.com. If, if for whatever reason, we can't figure that out because we're young and we still don't know technology. um You can find us on Instagram, Noah Gordon Andrew splat and, and we can work from there.
00:54:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
There you go. All right. All right, boys. Well, thank you very much for coming on, giving us the time. We really appreciate you both and good luck. Best of luck. I think you guys are going to kill it and just, ah you know, stay the course, stay of the course, figure out no problem.
00:54:51
Noah Gordon
Thank you, gentlemen.
00:54:51
Andrew Splett
Yeah, thank you for having us.
00:54:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Anytime you, ah anytime you have any questions or anything, don't hesitate to reach out. you know, we got a, got a big network and if we don't know the answer, we can definitely get it for you. But, it Sounds like you guys are doing just fine on your own, and I love the system.
00:55:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
I really do. i i wish I wish I was able to do it, but I'm well beyond college, so I would ah i would have to recruit guys to recruit.
00:55:14
Noah Gordon
Yeah, we couldn't tell, Steve. We couldn't tell. not ah Not a day over 29, Steve.
00:55:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nah, I love it. I love these guys. there
00:55:22
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:55:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, well, that'll wrap it. We're going to wrap it up. That'll do it for episode 183 of the Snow Jaws podcast main show. That is all we got for you today. So thanks again to Andrew and Noah, ah you know, for telling us all about quick, clear shovelers. And they told you how to find them. All right.
00:55:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Need shovelers.com or find them on Instagram. If you're a contractor, you know, you need these guys. So definitely thank the boys for the time. Everybody out there. Have a great week. Be safe.
00:55:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Keep pushing.