Twenty six years ago, Michael Tessaro was working for a failing construction company during an economic recession. He needed a part time income and kitchen exhaust cleaning intrigued him. After researching his area, he decided to put together a business plan and create Centex Pressure Washing Service.
He was eventually layed off from the construction company and his part time income became his full time business. Michael kept going, and had his original loan paid back by his third year in business. He says that, “One of the most rewarding things is knowing you have done something well, and someone appreciates your results.”
That ethic has kept him going. “I’ve seen everything imaginable…Roach infestations so bad that they hitchhiked onto our tools and we had to fumigate our van! Dead animals and live ones too, in and around the duct system, roof, attics and kitchens…But the absolute worst duct system was a fried chicken place which had a horizontal duct running about 20 feet to the back of the building with a fan mounted on the side…It was a 12 by 12 duct which was so clogged, a softball wouldn’t fit down the middle…We put the fan back in place and informed the owner we couldn’t clean it.”
After 26 years of service, Michael considers himself an expert in his field. His advice for beginners is to, “Get a business plan together. Get some training, information and some hands on experience.” When asked about the most important thing he learned in school, he said, “Pay attention, there is most likely going to be a test on this.”
Michael has read many books. “I like biographies and autobiographies the best. I like to read about what makes people do the things they do, what drives them, what makes them tick. I just read Phil Robertson book, Happy Happy Happy.” For technical information about kitchen exhaust cleaning, he recommends that you get a current copy of the NFPA Code 96 and Phil Ackland’s manual on kitchen exhaust cleaning.
If you want to be successful in the kitchen exhaust cleaning industry, Michael’s advice is to, “Build a client list of repeat customer, and be prepared to put lots of hours in while you build your business.” His advice for people who get in over their head is to, “Know your limitations and have a referral list. It’s better to pass a job off to someone more capable than to attempt it and fail. Your goal is to service your customer and sometimes that means referring some one else.”
Michael keeps up to date on the latest techniques, products and standards in the industry to bring his customers the highest quality of service possible. His success comes from hard work, personal development, and a focus on customer satisfaction.
