A Difficult Decision and a New Direction for Mikey’s Fest

[Mikey P]

To the Mikey’s Board and Cleaning Industry Family,

For 20 years, Mikey’s Fest has been more than just an event to me—it’s been a reunion, a labor of love, and a way for us to give back to the Ronald McDonald House. However, after much prayer and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to cancel the upcoming Kansas City event.

The industry is changing, and I’ve realized that the current Mikey’s Fest model—trying to balance a massive charity clean with high-level technical education—isn't serving you the way it used to. To do both well in a single day has become nearly impossible. As I look at the future through The Cleaning Standard, I see a desperate need for a different kind of training. The "new blood" in our industry needs us to slow down. They need the kind of nitty-gritty, hands-on instruction that Jim Pemberton and I have seen work so well in our smaller, residential-based courses. You can’t teach at that depth while "powering through" a massive facility in six hours.

For those of you who were planning to join us for the education and networking, I want to strongly encourage you to redirect that energy toward The Cleaning Business Expo in Las Vegas. Damon has done a phenomenal job putting together an event that offers incredible value and a scale that our industry really needs right now. I have a lot of respect for what he’s building, and I’ll be there myself as a vendor for The Cleaning Standard and GreenGlides. If you were on the fence about where to spend your travel budget, that is the place to be.

While we won’t be gathering in Kansas City this time, my commitment to the Ronald McDonald House isn't over. I plan to transition those efforts to "Locals Only" charity cleans—quiet, focused work days where local teams can knock out the cleaning without the pressure of a full-scale convention.

This isn’t an ending, but a necessary pivot. I need to focus my energy on creating the next generation of training that truly helps your business grow and your skills sharpen. I want to thank Jim Pemberton, Sammy Sales at Steam Action, and all of you who have supported this event over the decades.

I’m looking forward to this next chapter and seeing you all in Vegas.

Blessings,

Mike

 

[BIG WOOD]

What type of curriculum is TCS (not ugly tm) education gonna do?

Is the goal of getting in technical schools still an option like I wanted a few years ago before you started this journey?
Or are you wanting to keep this type of education secluded at IICRC headquarters and major suppliers/dealers?

 

[Mikey P]

What type of curriculum is TCS (not ugly tm) education gonna do?

Is the goal of getting in technical schools still an option like I wanted a few years ago before you started this journey?
Or are you wanting to keep this type of education secluded at IICRC headquarters and major suppliers/dealers?

Start with how you'd like to see it Matt..

 

[BIG WOOD]

Start with how you'd like to see it Matt..

Well, if you’re wanting to get out of the bubble of a traditional 3 day class for 15 different types of classes, it needs to be a certification minimum of a 6 week class similar to a welder/osha class that my oldest son did

The first hill that’ll need to be overcome is finding the students from high school after graduation.

I suggest teaming up with a charitable organization like Goodwill. They offer discounted/grant classes that are 6 week classes. That’s how my son got his certification in welding/osha

There’s your source for marketing to the average kid who doesn’t want to go to a college or technical school

OSHA is a big need and since goodwill already has that incorporated, they can add that in to the TCS curriculum.

Once this program is successful, you can evolve into incorporating it to a technical college to be part of an associates degree and we can start seeing this industry the same as electrical or plumbing contractors, instead of what’s flooding it currently.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Training and Work Opportunities at Goodwill® Career Centers - Goodwill Industries International

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Not every center provides every type of training; offerings vary by location and are often developed in partnership with community colleges, employers, workforce boards, or other nonprofits.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Is IICRC willing to get out of their comfortable office chair and actually go shake some hands and make some new connections to make this work?

 

[BIG WOOD]

Well, if you’re wanting to get out of the bubble of a traditional 3 day class for 15 different types of classes, it needs to be a certification minimum of a 6 week class similar to a welder/osha class that my oldest son did

The first hill that’ll need to be overcome is finding the students from high school after graduation.

I suggest teaming up with a charitable organization like Goodwill. They offer discounted/grant classes that are 6 week classes. That’s how my son got his certification in welding/osha

There’s your source for marketing to the average kid who doesn’t want to go to a college or technical school

OSHA is a big need and since goodwill already has that incorporated, they can add that in to the TCS curriculum.

Once this program is successful, you can evolve into incorporating it to a technical college to be part of an associates degree and we can start seeing this industry the same as electrical or plumbing contractors, instead of what’s flooding it currently.

If you love the purpose of the charitable services that’s been offered at the Ronald MC Donald houses in the last decade, it can be transitioned over to goodwill. Tons of under privileged, low income young adults need this path, but don’t have the desire to take core college classes that are required at technical colleges.

Can some of the major players in this industry (Stanley, ZR, Legend, Servpro) $team$ up with goodwill for this curriculum? And get some older seasoned trainers still in this business to train since they have the equipment and real life experience?

 

[BIG WOOD]

Start with how you'd like to see it Matt..

Does all those responses answer your request to my view of it?

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Then Goodwill would not become Goodwill just like everything else. They'll try to lock it down like they do or did the jani business.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Then Goodwill would not become Goodwill just like everything else. They'll try to lock it down like they do or did the jani business.

I don’t understand what you’re opinion is?