middle of the summer when our trucks
continued from page 23
Knowing the A to Z's of Chimney Sweeping
are outfitted for window screening, and
business to complement our summer
we are booked for weeks in advance with
window screening business."
screening appointments. Eventually as
we grow, we will have at least one truck
This business model is paying off for
outfitted for chimney sweeping year-
Aaron in several ways. "Having two com-
round, and one truck outfitted for win-
plementary income streams has really
dow screening year-round. The other
allowed us to grow quickly and become
trucks will flip-flop as demand dictates.
more financially stable in the process.
But for now, it is very challenging."
During the summer while some sweep-
"That's how I got the ball rolling our first
ing companies are struggling to keep core
year, but what really helped me launch
Grateful for his growing success, Aaron
employees and make ends meet, we are
my business was discovering The Golden
remembers A to Z's humble beginnings.
very busily engaged in our screening
State Chimney Sweep Guild: a network of
"When I got into the sweeping business, I
business. We are not only able to cross-
professional, technically trained sweeps,"
was financially going under. With our
market our services to our customer
says Aaron.
second child on the way and being at the
base, but we are also not forced to drop
end of my last semester in college (yes,
prices in the off season, thus keeping the
Even though he was still financially
big deadlines and finals galore), we just
perceived value of our services high in
against the ropes and didn't think he
didn't know where our next meal was
the eye of the customer."
should spend the money, Michaele
coming from. Out of desperation, I shad-
Dempsey, (president of the GSCSG at the
owed a sweep for a couple of weeks and
Aaron admits, however, that running
time) literally shamed Aaron into joining
worked with him for free--learning
both small businesses at the same time
the state guild when he arrived at his first
everything I could. During that time, the
can be a two-edged sword. "One of the
workshop. According to Aaron, joining
Lord miraculously helped us find a used
most difficult things is trying to give a
both the state and national guild was life
set of basic chimney sweeping equip-
chimney customer good service in the
changing for his business. He explains,
ment in the newspaper. I borrowed what
"One thing I want newer sweeps to know
little money my parents could spare and
The Zambrana family
is that there's a lot of support out there.
put the rest on credit cards. We've never
I've never seen an industry that's as open
looked back."
with the how-tos and trade secrets as this
one. The instant I went to that first
Just like the window screening business,
GSCSG workshop, I felt I was around the
Aaron solicited door to door passing out
kind of down-to-earth people I could
homemade flyers and business cards.
truly call my friends. Everyone really
Soliciting in older, more affluent neigh-
went out of their way to make me feel
borhoods and networking feverishly with
comfortable and help me feel good about
firewood dealers, stove shops, and appli-
myself even though my expertise was so
ance repair servicemen, Aaron and his
continued on page 29
family eked through that first winter.
24 SWEEPING
AUGUST 2003