A
aussiejohn
Guest
John Kelley (Aussiejohn)
A bit of past history - this is an edited extract of my Bio recently published on our Australian Carpet Cleaners Forum
At age 45, I took a 3 month break from work to become a full time dad to my new son with my new partner in life, whilst I re-assessed my work options before circumstances dictated I now needed employment – so I followed up an advert for carpet cleaners needed with Myer Cleaning Services here in Adelaide – proved that an overweight 45 year old who had both people & selling skills could learn a new skill in cleaning carpets. 2 weeks later I was offered a contract – So began my new life as a Carpet Cleaner some 17 plus years ago.
1st off outside of the business:
My extended family and my children take up most of my time away from the job. Originally married for 13.5 years before my 1st marriage broke up – I had 2 daughters by my 1st wife, they are now 36 & 35. The eldest is married with no children yet; my 2nd daughter is not married but has a son now 8 – she lives with her mother. My son has lived with me now full time since he was 9, and is now 17 and working in a traineeship with a view to becoming an apprenticed diesel mechanic. During this time I was a single parent for nearly 5 years raising him and running my business.
I met my 2nd wife who is from Atlanta in America on the Internet just over 5 years ago now – she came out for a visit for 8 days then went home, came back at my invitation 3 month later, and we were married 3 months later. She is a lovely genuine smart very intelligent lady who brought organization and direction to our lives, and turned our house into a home. She is now settled and has a job in her own right – but misses her family.
Computers, new technology and communications are an interest for me these days especially in seeing how this technology can assist self employed business people work both smarter and better. I enjoy reading good books, TV, current affairs, spending time with friends, and have always enjoyed meeting people.
Love watching both the Crows and the Power in Aussie Rules Football – and have been always a Port Adelaide supporter and hate seeing them lose a match, especially with stupid indirect play.
Taste in music & artists:
Have always loved good easy listening music, big bands, Neil Diamond, Roy Orbison, The Beatles, Michael Crawford, Cliff Richard, America, The Travelling Wilburys, and just lately become a fan of Andre Rieu and his Band – and with luck I hope to take my wife to his concert here in Adelaide in October all being well.
Why / how did you join the industry?
The why was easy – I needed a job, needed to get fit again, and enjoyed physical work. Joining this industry was incidental at the time – but then why I stayed in this industry is simply because I enjoyed the autonomy of owning my own business, the challenge of learning to be better, the pleasure of satisfied clients because my workmanship and results achieved does make a difference, and because I take pleasure in helping others, problem solving, the results of being a stain removal specialist, and lastly because my clients trust in me and my workmanship.
It has been a long journey especially in the early years with Myer’s. I did not know better and the training was minimal to say the least, and the attitude of the other techs at times sucked at what they did in clients homes to earn their money. I am by nature an honest man who does not like being forced to use minimal methods to do his job because it was company policy.
Then after some 3 years at Myers I was asked to work at being the backup Upholstery technician after 1 weeks training, but because the technician who supposedly taught me how to clean upholstery – did not tell me about his shortcuts, ended up over the next 12 months having to pay for the replacement or re-upholstery costs of some 5 lounge suites - $5,000 in Insurance Excess Claims!!!! Never again would I allow myself to get into this position through lack of knowledge or training became my vow in life.
So I went outside of Myers for an education in the how to of cleaning – and found Leo Powell and ACCI. This initial training over the next 6 years 1st with Carpet Cleaning, then Upholstery Cleaning, followed by the Stain Removal Course, Carpet Repairs, and the Water Damage course. These courses and the cleaning mindset that Leo gave me have proved to be the foundation upon which I have built my career in this industry.
I have since completed the ACCI Commercial Carpet cleaning course, The IICRC Fire Restoration & Odor Control course, The Advanced Water Damage course, and just recently the IICRC Advanced Structural Drying course with Applied Climate Control in Sydney.
I intend to remain in this business for some years yet even though future retirement is just over the horizon my health and body willing. I still have both ambition and desire to be better, continue my education in this industry, and perhaps become a mentor for other like minded technicians in the near future.
What is the predominant side of your business ie carpet cleaning, fire or flood,pest,janitorial etc?
Carpet Cleaning both domestic and commercial mainly, followed equally by stain removal and upholstery cleaning, with leather cleaning and oriental & Persian rug cleaning, water damage also part of the mix.
Problem solving also plays its part as I do consultancy remediation cleaning for other technicians when asked or referred to. And of course I also love a cleaning challenge to solve and complete successfully.
Over the years now I have cleaned in excess of 11,000 homes, over 2,000 plus lounge suites both fabric & leather, numerous water damage jobs, plus thousands of sq metres of commercial carpet – I am still learning and enjoy what I do for a living.
What changes, if any, would you like to see within the industry?
Training and training updates, along with industry accreditation are I believe a vital necessity for all technicians in this industry to not only succeed, but to ensure we do the best possible job for our clients each time every time – because we do clean for heath and safety. And as such eventually - and it will be sooner and not later, accountability standards will become a part of our industry because of past practices by shoddy and untrained technicians
.
What is still on your to do list?
My near goal is getting my wife back home to America – Washington State, to meet with her family, in the near future. To travel more around our great country – and see what we can of our world when we can afford to travel.
To assist my son in gaining his diesel apprenticeship and help get him started on his life’s journey – part of this was in taking him on an outward bound camping & training course to the Snowy Mountains National Park for 9 days in January this year. Best thing I could have done for him and myself and our growing relationship.
Lastly, to extend myself to develop our new venture as telecommunications representatives, to help others either save money or make money. To build an additional residual monthly income stream to part fund our retirement when we are ready to retire.
A bit of past history - this is an edited extract of my Bio recently published on our Australian Carpet Cleaners Forum
At age 45, I took a 3 month break from work to become a full time dad to my new son with my new partner in life, whilst I re-assessed my work options before circumstances dictated I now needed employment – so I followed up an advert for carpet cleaners needed with Myer Cleaning Services here in Adelaide – proved that an overweight 45 year old who had both people & selling skills could learn a new skill in cleaning carpets. 2 weeks later I was offered a contract – So began my new life as a Carpet Cleaner some 17 plus years ago.
1st off outside of the business:
My extended family and my children take up most of my time away from the job. Originally married for 13.5 years before my 1st marriage broke up – I had 2 daughters by my 1st wife, they are now 36 & 35. The eldest is married with no children yet; my 2nd daughter is not married but has a son now 8 – she lives with her mother. My son has lived with me now full time since he was 9, and is now 17 and working in a traineeship with a view to becoming an apprenticed diesel mechanic. During this time I was a single parent for nearly 5 years raising him and running my business.
I met my 2nd wife who is from Atlanta in America on the Internet just over 5 years ago now – she came out for a visit for 8 days then went home, came back at my invitation 3 month later, and we were married 3 months later. She is a lovely genuine smart very intelligent lady who brought organization and direction to our lives, and turned our house into a home. She is now settled and has a job in her own right – but misses her family.
Computers, new technology and communications are an interest for me these days especially in seeing how this technology can assist self employed business people work both smarter and better. I enjoy reading good books, TV, current affairs, spending time with friends, and have always enjoyed meeting people.
Love watching both the Crows and the Power in Aussie Rules Football – and have been always a Port Adelaide supporter and hate seeing them lose a match, especially with stupid indirect play.
Taste in music & artists:
Have always loved good easy listening music, big bands, Neil Diamond, Roy Orbison, The Beatles, Michael Crawford, Cliff Richard, America, The Travelling Wilburys, and just lately become a fan of Andre Rieu and his Band – and with luck I hope to take my wife to his concert here in Adelaide in October all being well.
Why / how did you join the industry?
The why was easy – I needed a job, needed to get fit again, and enjoyed physical work. Joining this industry was incidental at the time – but then why I stayed in this industry is simply because I enjoyed the autonomy of owning my own business, the challenge of learning to be better, the pleasure of satisfied clients because my workmanship and results achieved does make a difference, and because I take pleasure in helping others, problem solving, the results of being a stain removal specialist, and lastly because my clients trust in me and my workmanship.
It has been a long journey especially in the early years with Myer’s. I did not know better and the training was minimal to say the least, and the attitude of the other techs at times sucked at what they did in clients homes to earn their money. I am by nature an honest man who does not like being forced to use minimal methods to do his job because it was company policy.
Then after some 3 years at Myers I was asked to work at being the backup Upholstery technician after 1 weeks training, but because the technician who supposedly taught me how to clean upholstery – did not tell me about his shortcuts, ended up over the next 12 months having to pay for the replacement or re-upholstery costs of some 5 lounge suites - $5,000 in Insurance Excess Claims!!!! Never again would I allow myself to get into this position through lack of knowledge or training became my vow in life.
So I went outside of Myers for an education in the how to of cleaning – and found Leo Powell and ACCI. This initial training over the next 6 years 1st with Carpet Cleaning, then Upholstery Cleaning, followed by the Stain Removal Course, Carpet Repairs, and the Water Damage course. These courses and the cleaning mindset that Leo gave me have proved to be the foundation upon which I have built my career in this industry.
I have since completed the ACCI Commercial Carpet cleaning course, The IICRC Fire Restoration & Odor Control course, The Advanced Water Damage course, and just recently the IICRC Advanced Structural Drying course with Applied Climate Control in Sydney.
I intend to remain in this business for some years yet even though future retirement is just over the horizon my health and body willing. I still have both ambition and desire to be better, continue my education in this industry, and perhaps become a mentor for other like minded technicians in the near future.
What is the predominant side of your business ie carpet cleaning, fire or flood,pest,janitorial etc?
Carpet Cleaning both domestic and commercial mainly, followed equally by stain removal and upholstery cleaning, with leather cleaning and oriental & Persian rug cleaning, water damage also part of the mix.
Problem solving also plays its part as I do consultancy remediation cleaning for other technicians when asked or referred to. And of course I also love a cleaning challenge to solve and complete successfully.
Over the years now I have cleaned in excess of 11,000 homes, over 2,000 plus lounge suites both fabric & leather, numerous water damage jobs, plus thousands of sq metres of commercial carpet – I am still learning and enjoy what I do for a living.
What changes, if any, would you like to see within the industry?
Training and training updates, along with industry accreditation are I believe a vital necessity for all technicians in this industry to not only succeed, but to ensure we do the best possible job for our clients each time every time – because we do clean for heath and safety. And as such eventually - and it will be sooner and not later, accountability standards will become a part of our industry because of past practices by shoddy and untrained technicians
. What is still on your to do list?
My near goal is getting my wife back home to America – Washington State, to meet with her family, in the near future. To travel more around our great country – and see what we can of our world when we can afford to travel.
To assist my son in gaining his diesel apprenticeship and help get him started on his life’s journey – part of this was in taking him on an outward bound camping & training course to the Snowy Mountains National Park for 9 days in January this year. Best thing I could have done for him and myself and our growing relationship.
Lastly, to extend myself to develop our new venture as telecommunications representatives, to help others either save money or make money. To build an additional residual monthly income stream to part fund our retirement when we are ready to retire.
