I still remember the day – well, not the time and date exactly – but the emotions and scenario. My father was on the back patio throwing water balloons at our roof. I walked outside to find out what was happening. He had filled them with bleach in an attempt to get the black mold stains off our roof. He thought it was brilliant; I thought he was crazy.
Little did I know, that moment in my dad’s history changed my family’s future. He decided to begin his own Roof and Exterior Cleaning company. I spent the rest of my teenage years in the middle of the business. My first job was to help pressure wash and seal decks and patios. On the weekends, I helped mom with paperwork. The business was central to our lives. Everyone had a role that we each learned to perform.
During these years, I fell in love with small businesses in the community. I learned firsthand how much of a family’s life is devoted to them. So when Kevin began tinkering with marketing for small businesses, I supported him. In the beginning, he worked for free food until, one night, I had to put my foot down and say, “no more Mexican restaurants! I can’t eat any more tacos!â€