Mister Squeegee University on the Road

In September MSU went on the road for a student. Tyler Gibson in Davenport, Iowa asked if I'd consider doing a school on location to help him improve his technique on commercial jobs with a water fed pole. It meant a couple hour drive for me and a higher tuition for him to cover travel expenses but it was a day well spent.

We used my equipment as well as his which ensured that it was simply about developing a good technique to deal with specific problems as well as knowing when other tools were needed. 

For me it was another way to help fellow cleaners with Mister Squeegee University. It also made me realize that with some good planning the school can come to the student. So for those without the time to come to the school - maybe the school can come to you. 

 

 


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Latest Sponsor of Mister Squeegee University

I want to thank ABC Window Cleaning Supply for becoming the latest sponsor of Mister Squeegee University. They are donating a 18" swivel stripwasher and sleeve which will be a great compliment to the tools already being donated by our other generous sponsors. Part of what our sponsors do for the students is help them learn what tools work for them thru their donations. That's why I want to thank ABC for joining our great list of sponsors like Windows 101, Reach Higher Ground, and J Racenstein.
ABC is well known in the window cleaning industry and has actively supported events like the WCN picnic and IWCA trade shows for years and I'm grateful they have chosen to add Mister Squeegee University to the list of educational programs they support.

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New Sponsor for Mister Squeegee University

One thing I'm most grateful for is the generosity of the sponsors of the school. They have donated some very practical tools for the students. I still remember the first tools I got when I started. I've always been a bit of a tool hound so it was cool to learn how they all worked and then see which types worked better for me. That's part of what the sponsors do for the students - give them the opportunity to start that journey and begin to learn which types work for them. That's why I want to welcome Windows 101 to our great list of sponsors like J Racenstein and Reach Higher Ground.
Windows 101 will be donating a Tuff Belt to each student. I use the Tuff belt and in my opinion it's the best.
Thanks again to Manny at Windows 101 and all our sponsors who do so much for the industry.

Here's what the belt looks like -

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A Beautiful Day for Education

Spring has finally arrived and it was just in time for the latest class of Mister Squeegee University. I was privileged to spend the day with Ron Lepic who flew in from Saint Clairsville, Ohio. Ron had many questions and was an exceptional student. He had prepared some very interesting questions that he emailed my before he arrived and that allowed me to do a very customized curriculum. Couple that with a wonderful sunny day with good temps for our outside hands on portion of the school and it was truly a beautiful day for education.
Ron and I had talked on the phone a few times before he scheduled his time at MSU and it was finally nice to put a face with the name. I found our time and discussions to be as educational for me as I hope they were for him. I say this because unknown to me Ron has been in the window cleaning industry for over 20 years. That made his comments on his experience in the school all the more gratifying for me. Here's are his comments from his testimonial sheet as well as a text he sent after he arrived home -
From the testimonial sheet - "I was impressed with the level of knowledge Tony has. He is on your level. From one window cleaning to another, you feel comfortable with him. A wealth of tips and insight but not intimidating. Overall it went too fast."
And from the text - "I really enjoyed myself and it was educational. Alot of the things you shared with me were either something that I have just started to learn and your instruction enhanced or I knew nothing about."
With each new student I feel that I take more away than I can possibly give. I have gained so much from those that have attended. Whether that is a new respect for my profession or improved ways to think about some aspect of what we do. In Ron's case he showed me that I don't brand my business nearly enough. He is always thinking about how he can make everyone that comes in contact with him remember him. I know I won't soon forget our time. Thanks Ron.

 

 



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Opening Up New Services

In our latest class of Mister Squeegee University Wade Strait from Silvis, IL and owner of Strait Shot Exterior came to learn how to expand his pressure cleaning business by adding window cleaning.
This is a growing area for many pressure cleaning companies. By adding exterior window cleaning they can now offer a complete end product to their clients. By getting some training like Wade did they also have the opportunity to offer interior window cleaning as well which can open up even more add on services.
But the question arises - Why bother?
In some areas your service area may be relatively small as far as travel time. But for many cleaners here in the Midwest it's not uncommon to travel up to an hour or more to have an adequate customer base. When you figure the cost of fuel, wear and tear on the vehicle, and windshield downtime that can really begin to affect the bottom line. One easy solution is to do more for each customer on each stop. That's where adding extra services can really take your business to the next level.
Here's what Wade had to say about his experience -
"Making the hour and 45 minute drive form the Quad Cities to learn from Tony was one of the most valuable things I could do for my business. The knowledge Tony has in the window cleaning business and the tools that are used it second to none. I feel confident that I can successfully add window cleaning to the services I offer."
So if you are a pressure cleaner, roof cleaner, or other service industry professional think about adding window cleaning and think about how the education offered by Mr Squeegee U can speed up the learning curve to a better bottom line.

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Mister Squeegee University in the cold weather?

In this colder than average winter we've been having Mike Kramer from down around Lake of the Ozarks, MO traveled about 6 hrs one way to attend the school. Mike came prepared with questions and enthusiasm for learning about window cleaning.
One possible drawback to having a window cleaning school with hands on training in Iowa is the winter weather. That can be compounded by the fact that many are looking to get into the business before the spring weather breaks making winter one of the best times to get the training provided by Mr Squeegee U.
Last week we were able to do the school despite those possible drawbacks. How?
One way is by taking advantage of the classroom as an area for hands on training for the traditional methods. We have a variety of windows in the classroom to work on and do some short pole work demos with.
What about the pure water training? Since I have a versatile set up for pure water I was able to use my back pack delivery system, with some isopropyl alcohol in it, instead of hooking into the outside tap. So despite the high temps of about 25F we were able to do a few windows with the water fed pole.
So how did Mike feel about it? In short "very informative, very helpful".
Thanks Mike and we look forward to seeing you progress in the industry.

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What do I need to get started in pure water?

Besides traditional methods students of the school get classroom and hands on training with pure water and wfp. In the school we use my Gardiner 30ft SL-X and the Pro Rinse DI  from RHG.
One thing they always want to know is "how expensive is it to get started"?
The answer is always the same - "It depends".
Why that answer? Because the students may come from areas where their TDS (total dissolved solids) might be low or high. There is also the matter of how much they intend to use pure water in their business to begin with. So I thought it would be good to put out a couple suggestions on a couple basic set ups for filtration and poles so you could see the possibilities of using pure water in your business.

Poles
I have used a variety of poles in my business. I have also tried out many others at networking events and window cleaning conventions. Thru all that one line stands out for me - Gardiner. It's the official pole of the school because I believe in it and have found it to be the best for me and my business
Here are my suggestions on which pole to get depending on the level of use
Up to 2 stories residential
For this area of use the 18ft CL-X line is perfect. It has a 22ft reach and is just under 2 1/2 LBS

Occasionally 3 stories residential
At this point you could go with the 27ft CL-X with a reach of 31ft and just under 4 LBS

Keep in mind also that with the Gardiner line you can add sections as needed. This means you can start with the 18 and work up to the 27 as you grow.

Regularly 3 stories residential 
At this point you will really want a lighter and stiffer pole that's where the SL-X line comes in
The SL-X 25 has a reach of 30ft and weighs just over 3 LBS
That is basically the same reach as the 27ft CL-X and a pound lighter. Over time that will save you energy and strain.

Commercial work
If you are going to be doing commercial work of any size I recommend you get the SL-X line to start with. The lighter weights at stiffer material will pay off quickly for the tradtionally larger amounts of windows you will be doing.
As you choose your pole length remember that generally speaking a residential building has 10ft for every floor while a commercial building tends to be 12ft per floor. Factor that into you purchase decision

Pure Water Systems
I have also used in demos or owned a variety of purification systems. If you are using pure water occasionally you can get by with just DI even in high TDS areas. For moderate to heavy use in areas where your TDS is over 100 I recommend multi stage filtration. Whichever you go with a simple prefilter for rust and sediment (at least 5 micron) is what I recommend. You can buy one at any hardware or home center. There are of course running costs with either choice like new DI resin, carbon media, and RO replacement (after a few years of use). Here are my suggestions -

DI only
Pro Rinse is easy to move and or leave in your vehicle. I have found it very useful in the school and it's low price makes it ideal for beginners. Some will argue that a 1/2 Cube DI tank filters more water but the time it takes to change out spent resin compared to removing the cartridge on the Pro Rinse and refilling it on the job can't be underestimated.

RO/DI
Multi stage systems can be as simple as 3 components - Carbon filter (to protect the RO from chlorine), Reverse Osmosis membrane (removes up to 98% of the TDS), and DI filter (for getting the water to 000TDS)
In my opinion the H2Pro provides these in great balance. A pump is necessary to get the optimum pressure for RO efficiency. It's up to you to decide if 115v or 12v is best for your area. The H2Pro can be purchased with optional pumps in those categories or with them already attached.

Odds and ends
Besides these you'll need a TDS meter, garden hose to bring water to the system and hose to run the water from your system to where you be using the pole on the building.

So depending on how high you are going, your TDS, and the frequency you choose to use the equipment you can get started as low as $500-600 for the pole and purification. However the safety and speed of using pure water earns that back quickly.



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What do I need to get started?

This is a fairly common question. So I figured it would be good to put together a starter kit that was as comprehensive as I could. I know there are a few starter kits out there but they all leave out what I consider vital tools to get started in the business. Now with the help of J Racenstein I have put together two kits (one for those who want to go with wide body squeegee channels and one for standard channels) for a student to choose from. While they cost more than other kits they will give you everything in one purchase that you need to do the job correctly from job one!

Check them out HERE



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