Enough of the pity party. There are signs of the economy improving (I think) and the desire to tweak my business model and a longtime goal has revitalized me. I have been working on expanding the recognized services of The Grand Handyman into other territories, outside of NJ. As mentioned, this is something I wanted to do prior to the Great Recession. The tipping point was the advantage of social media outlets gaining traction in society in regards to selling and customer service. I have formed what I kiddingly call my "sTriangulation" strategy using three sides; first, Twitter and LinkedIn to keep my clients, service partners and anyone else abreast of real time happenings; second, Facebook for client discussion, likes and dislikes, etc; and third, a forum for our network service partners (FSPs) to exchange ideas and practices to better service our clients and run our businesses. My main website, in existence since the early days of websites, and an uncommon practice for handyman services, will be tweaked to reflect the division of Grand Handyman Network (soon to be an LLC) from The Grand Handyman, Inc.
Twitter: grand_handyman
Forum: grandhandymannetwork.com
Facebook: Grand Handyman Network
LinkIn: Bob Costa
Web: www.grandhandyman.com
I have been in discussions with a smart business partner who shares my ideas and vision. He has experienced the trials and tribulations of owning and operating a contracting/construction business and sees the opportunity I believe in. The opportunity to better serve commercial clients and enable, through our national network, the financial empowerment and security escaping local contractors for many years now.
So, I welcome all thoughts and feedback and invite you to check out and follow the above mentioned destinations!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, January 8, 2010
Dismantling of Small Business
I just received this email as a member of NFIB (National Federation of Small Business). In the document it states:
"Without any policy justification, the recently passed Senate bill specifically mandates construction companies to provide health insurance coverage or pay penalties if they have more than five employees and a payroll that exceeds $250,000.
This destructive new mandate was only made public just days before the vote and is an unprecedented assault on a single industry that is made up of mostly small businesses.
Enough is Enough!"
To view in full, PLEASE visit and read my rant below :) :
http://view.nfibcommunications.org/?j=fe651570776206787613&m=fef916797d6704&ls=fdf010797465047c7213797d&l=fe9216717c60017b77&s=fe6415787366077e7510&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe531c7772600c7f7611&WT.mc_id=&WT.dcsvid=18623304&WT.ti=Construction+Call+Email+Invite+(1.8.10)&WT.z_emailAddress=bob@grandhandyman.com&WT.z_jobID=10262537
Again, one can only question whether it is incompetency or an agenda. What the hell were people thinking when they voted in a Democratic President AND Congress???!!! Did they not think that this party would fast-track all their liberal agendas to make up for all their lost years? This is an assault on the middle class, small business and a business category that has provided many Americans, including those that did not attend or were not right for college, an opportunity toward the American Dream. Have they considered the unemployment ramifications of this policy? And the cost to retrain all these people will be paid by the American Taxpayer...again. And retrain to do what?
If you think you are isolated from this "tax", think about getting home improvements completed without paying increased prices or having the work, remember inside your home, completed by undocumented, illegal aliens because that is what the industry will come too (actually, this Great Recession has already forced that metamorphisis). I can tell you now, the consensus among ALL fellow contractors I speak to is that the cost of doing business, including payroll taxes and all the liability and Worker's Compensation insurances is crippling the industry. Add this "tax" and the administrative costs to handling it and you will pay through the nose for a dependable, quality service for the few that can survive.
What always gets my goad is most of the elitists making these legislative policies have not run small businesses. Again, I wonder, are they clueless or calculating?
"Without any policy justification, the recently passed Senate bill specifically mandates construction companies to provide health insurance coverage or pay penalties if they have more than five employees and a payroll that exceeds $250,000.
This destructive new mandate was only made public just days before the vote and is an unprecedented assault on a single industry that is made up of mostly small businesses.
Enough is Enough!"
To view in full, PLEASE visit and read my rant below :) :
http://view.nfibcommunications.org/?j=fe651570776206787613&m=fef916797d6704&ls=fdf010797465047c7213797d&l=fe9216717c60017b77&s=fe6415787366077e7510&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe531c7772600c7f7611&WT.mc_id=&WT.dcsvid=18623304&WT.ti=Construction+Call+Email+Invite+(1.8.10)&WT.z_emailAddress=bob@grandhandyman.com&WT.z_jobID=10262537
Again, one can only question whether it is incompetency or an agenda. What the hell were people thinking when they voted in a Democratic President AND Congress???!!! Did they not think that this party would fast-track all their liberal agendas to make up for all their lost years? This is an assault on the middle class, small business and a business category that has provided many Americans, including those that did not attend or were not right for college, an opportunity toward the American Dream. Have they considered the unemployment ramifications of this policy? And the cost to retrain all these people will be paid by the American Taxpayer...again. And retrain to do what?
If you think you are isolated from this "tax", think about getting home improvements completed without paying increased prices or having the work, remember inside your home, completed by undocumented, illegal aliens because that is what the industry will come too (actually, this Great Recession has already forced that metamorphisis). I can tell you now, the consensus among ALL fellow contractors I speak to is that the cost of doing business, including payroll taxes and all the liability and Worker's Compensation insurances is crippling the industry. Add this "tax" and the administrative costs to handling it and you will pay through the nose for a dependable, quality service for the few that can survive.
What always gets my goad is most of the elitists making these legislative policies have not run small businesses. Again, I wonder, are they clueless or calculating?
American capitalism gone with a whimper
This was an article published in Pravda, of all places, back in April 2009. Back in the thick of our newly elected President, corporate bailouts, stimulus packages and near economic collapse. How shameful we should be of our recent past and current situation and how we let it get to this point. Read it and see if you see some of yourself in this Russian editorial. Now is the time to safeguard the future. If not, how will you explain it to your kids and grandchildren?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Interesting Viewpoint Found on Brietbart
» Tea Parties: The Biggest Mistake We Could Make in 2010 - Big Government
I could agree with some of the points made in this article but I will not fall into that trap. How many times will it take the Congress and the Presidency balance of power to shift and only provide the same results before we learn? The problems of corruption, cronyism and special interests run rampant in both parties. And when either party is in power, they cowtow to the extreme right or left, neglecting the wishes of the moderate majority. So, what does a disgruntled American yearn for but a third party?
I could agree with some of the points made in this article but I will not fall into that trap. How many times will it take the Congress and the Presidency balance of power to shift and only provide the same results before we learn? The problems of corruption, cronyism and special interests run rampant in both parties. And when either party is in power, they cowtow to the extreme right or left, neglecting the wishes of the moderate majority. So, what does a disgruntled American yearn for but a third party?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fare thee well…
My employee and friend, Bob McDermott, lost his battle with cancer tonight. And he battled hard since July 2007. His toughness, courage and strength were amazingly inspirational. That’s how Bob was on the outside too, tough, courageous and strong, but gentile and sensitive on the inside.
I knew you for over 4, maybe 5, years and I will miss our conversations. You began as my employee but that did not last long as you became my friend soon after. During life's unhappy experiences and mistakes, you listened and taught me patience and how to forgive myself. We had many deep conversations and I always felt we were cut from the same cloth but a generation apart. And that made it easy to talk to you with vulnerabilities aside.
You made us laugh with your English butchering, smile with your grandchildren stories and comfortable with your youthful exuberance (when you weren't a crabass).
I pray that you're comfortable, talking a little theology or philosophy with Him, and you have a Grey Goose in your hand.
Thank you for being there so many times for me.
Your Friend,
Bob
p.s. You’re right, your lady does look like Ann Margret! :)
I met him on his first interview with me. I had already hired for the one position I wanted to fill but there was something about Bob that I needed to explore further. During the second interview, I understood what it was about him. It was his loyalty. He spoke of his previous employer, Sonny, with high regard and no resentment. Upon the offer of employment, Bob told me that he would give my company a “try” to make sure it was a fit he liked! So, all loyal and ballsy, he started working for The Grand Handyman.
Bob was the oldest on the staff but physically the strongest and maybe the most stamina. He never complained to me about working hard and our customers liked him very much. He taught us trades he excelled at and learned a lot on the job too. I think the learning was something he enjoyed. Bob helped me build and bond a staff of eventually 9 and I told him he was the “heart” of our team. Mutual respect, admiration and teamwork was important to him and he knew it was critical to our company goals.
I can’t remember how long he was with me, I think 3 or 4 years, until Bob became ill. His last day was Monday, July 7th, 2007. The economy was beginning its unraveling and I had made a decision that weekend to let go of Bob’s last counterpart because he was becoming a huge burden and untrustworthy to the organization. I figured there was barely enough work for Bob and I, but we’d hunker down and weather the storm ahead. See, Bob understood the reality of recession cycles and he knew making entitlement demands on me would benefit no one (yeah, Benedict, that’s a dig). But this day, Bob wasn't looking too good and his belly was bloated. He was unable to keep anything down for many days and he had not gone to see a doctor although he had been losing weight for some time (did I mention he sometimes was one stubborn SOB too!). He worked that day but came to me around 2 pm talking of going home. Knowing his stubborn qualities he was not going to go to the doctor. I used the “do it for your grandchildren” routine (no credit here…this man adored his grandchildren. In fact, he returned that morning, straight to work, from one of his many “get in the truck and drive south of the Mason-Dixie to see his grandkids for the weekend trips” ). That worked but I knew he was worried.
In the year and a half of his illness he visited the office, met me at jobsites and we spoke. He always mentioned getting back to work. The last call we spoke of the progress and the hopefully final treatment that was to rid him of the cancer. Of late, we missed several phone calls and began to text. His last text was that he was going home last Saturday. Today, Caller ID told me it was Bob but it was his wife, Margaret, on the phone. I wish I had one last conversation with Bob…or another chance to swing the hammer with him.
Bob McDermott loved his Facebook but I never engaged him on it. So, I wrote him my first and last message to him before:
Bob, Shoulda, woulda, coulda done this a long time ago (getting on Facebook with you) but never did. Now I'm sending a message to say farewell. I knew you for over 4, maybe 5, years and I will miss our conversations. You began as my employee but that did not last long as you became my friend soon after. During life's unhappy experiences and mistakes, you listened and taught me patience and how to forgive myself. We had many deep conversations and I always felt we were cut from the same cloth but a generation apart. And that made it easy to talk to you with vulnerabilities aside.
You made us laugh with your English butchering, smile with your grandchildren stories and comfortable with your youthful exuberance (when you weren't a crabass).
I pray that you're comfortable, talking a little theology or philosophy with Him, and you have a Grey Goose in your hand.
Thank you for being there so many times for me.
Your Friend,
Bob
p.s. You’re right, your lady does look like Ann Margret! :)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Ping Pong & Pill Bugs
I grew up watching EVERY episode of the Flintstones many times. Love the Flintstones. I bring this up because of some technological nonsense I seem to always be dealing with and all of a sudden out of the depths of my RAM pops up the episode where they play ping-pong with a pill bug (it's been years but I believe Fred plays the paperboy, Arnold, for some wager. Can anyone refresh my memory, or better yet , find some video to attach of that episodes' match please?). So, I have been dealing with Sprint on my Blackberry end and an IT guy on my server end. Each one was blaming the other and leaving me with no results. This has been going on for months, yes, months. Then it came to me that our government has operated this way for the last 20 years. Just put an "R" on Fred and a "D" on Arnold or vice-versa.
Don't know about you but I'm tired of being a pill bug.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The March on DC, 9/12/2009
On Saturday, September 12th, I, along with my good friend John, traveled to join the march in DC (by now I hope you’ve heard about the event). This was not a well publicized rally but it caught our attention and we felt it our duty to go. Interestingly, I stopped by my first TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party on July 4th and there was no mention of the 9/12 march. I had heard about it on the radio and visited a site The 912 Project for some insight. Since we were new to activism, we knew the who (us and other frustrated Americans) but not the what, where and when.
So, we drove to Philly to catch an early train and arrived in DC around 9 a.m. We had very modest predictions and expectations of the crowd totals. But when we got off the train and joined the massive amounts of people walking to the starting points we knew we needed disposable cameras. John and I agreed that the most productive thing we could do was share what we viewed and encountered in DC with our friends and families.
I invite you to take a look at the photos below capturing the spirit of peaceful protest. Read the signs people made, see the faces of the protesters and the magnitude of the crowd that attended. The format to view the pictures from the link is decent and you can select individual pics, point and click in the middle of them to enlarge, to read the poster signs better.
I purposely waited to post these pictures and comments until after The March was last month’s news. Media coverage immediately and within days reported “tens of thousands” attended, only an anti-Obama message was cast and that the attendees were bused in, organized, provided printed signs and were fringe radicals. An idea of what truly occurred is noted below in text and pictures.
What we saw:
Power to the People
So, we drove to Philly to catch an early train and arrived in DC around 9 a.m. We had very modest predictions and expectations of the crowd totals. But when we got off the train and joined the massive amounts of people walking to the starting points we knew we needed disposable cameras. John and I agreed that the most productive thing we could do was share what we viewed and encountered in DC with our friends and families.
I invite you to take a look at the photos below capturing the spirit of peaceful protest. Read the signs people made, see the faces of the protesters and the magnitude of the crowd that attended. The format to view the pictures from the link is decent and you can select individual pics, point and click in the middle of them to enlarge, to read the poster signs better.
I purposely waited to post these pictures and comments until after The March was last month’s news. Media coverage immediately and within days reported “tens of thousands” attended, only an anti-Obama message was cast and that the attendees were bused in, organized, provided printed signs and were fringe radicals. An idea of what truly occurred is noted below in text and pictures.
What we saw:
- A family was the largest group on the train (a dad, mom & her sister with three boys)
- Kids and parents made poster signs in the Snack Car
- On the walk to the starting point, people proudly shouted out their state of origin
- Almost all homemade signs and all were clever, thought-provoking and honest
- Sign content: 10% anti-Obama, (calling him a Socialist, Communist, Marxist, etc.), 25% anti-Congress, 25% defending our Constitution, the remaining was anti-big government, taxes, corruption and spending. We saw no distasteful (unless you find calling the President a Socialist, Communist, Marxist, etc. distasteful) or racial messages.
- Some folks dressed as Founding Fathers
- A few buses and maybe a dozen groups with Tea Party group tee-shirts.
- A sea of Gadsden Flags (Don’t Tread on Me) and obviously many American Flags
- No network or cable cameras or personnel, only Internet Media and indie interviews and one lone helicopter about two hours into the rally
- At least 350,000 people as far as I could see (the largest concert I attended was 105,000 that I used as my gauge) I heard a report a few weeks later that the DC Police aerial photo results estimated the crowd at 1.2 million
- Lotsa port o’ potties (I counted a wall of 100), few cops, no litter (unfortunately we were out of film but the thousands of signs were respectfully stuffed and left at the large drum cans on the way out of the Mall)
Power to the People
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