He became a janitor on purpose to find his calling
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- What is your life calling?
- Came to the U.S. in 2001 after college from the Virgin Islands
- Family of educators
- Soon became dissatisfied in business
- His wife was frustrated in work
- They were open to new opportunities in life
- Their waiter/busser wasn't happy and Gerren thanked him...and that put a spring in his step
- So he soon quit his job and became a janitor
- He called companies who tried to sell him a franchise
- He started handing out fliers to grow his own janitorial business
- He was too broad in his initial marketing
- Would've narrowed his niche at first
- Still friends with his first client, a residential client, "and we're still friends"
- It was all difficult because the devil is in the details
- It was hard to find mentors
- Worked with "Service Magic" for leads at $18 each
- He asked qualifying questions
- Better service or consistency or better cleaning, and sometimes they're just looking for a friend
- He didn't have "game" back in the day when he was dating, so approaching people cold was hard
- He didn't have systems set up at first
- Worked as a courier as well so people would welcome him
- Kept a jacket in his car, cleaned overnight, headed out when a lead came in
- Started in 2006 and was grinding for probably four years
- Building a business is key
- He was frustrated when he realized he was tied to his self-employed job instead of owning a business
- He switched from 45 contractors via two companies to employees
- He couldn't steal them, but he didn't know them, but he saw how stressed they were
- The contractors weren't happy
- The cleaning company quit on him and fired the contractors in 2014
- He showed up, and there were 17 staffers ready to work
- He had to buy $10,000 in material right then
- Organization and processes were not his strengths
- Met someone at Toast Masters, and he became her first client
- He remained focused in the 2008 downturn and always sought to add value
- Those lessons have helped him during the 2020 COVID-19 downturn
- "Meet...learn...share?"
- Met a business coach through Dan Kennedy, who recommended he write down things for his own case studies
- We are created for a reason that God knows
- We have plans, and God chuckles
- God has awakened someone who needs to meet you
- Ask God, "meet...learn...share?"
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