Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities
Bringing together local businesses and neighbor of the Tri-Cities region. Good Neighbor Podcast hosted by Skip Mauney helps residents discover and connect with your local business owners in and around The Tri-Cities.
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Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities
EP# 116: Challenging Stereotypes in Home Services: Melissa Arnold's Journey with First Choice Pressure Washing
What makes Melissa Arnold with First Choice Pressure Washing a good neighbor?
Melissa Arnold challenges stereotypes and redefines the home services industry with her journey from serving delicious burgers at Powell's to mastering trades like pressure washing, plumbing, and remodeling. Listen to her inspiring story of transforming not just homes, but also perceptions, as she shares her experiences as a woman in a field often dominated by men. Melissa's passion for her work and commitment to honesty have earned her the trust of her clients, especially the older generation. Learn from her wisdom on building client relationships and her steadfast rule of never accepting payment upfront.
Get ready to chuckle at Melissa's anecdotes, including an elderly client's amusing reaction to seeing her "doing man's work," which underscores the misconceptions she often faces. Her dedication to her craft and her clients shines through, making this episode a treasure trove of insight for budding entrepreneurs and home service enthusiasts alike. Skip Monty sits down with Melissa to unravel the secrets behind her successful business, First Choice Pressure Washing and Home Services, and to showcase how genuine love for one's work can turn even hard labor into a joyous endeavor.
To learn more about First Choice Pressure Washing go to:
https://www.facebook.com/Firstchoicepressurewashingandhomeservices/
First Choice Pressure Washing
(423) 430-0837
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Monty.
Speaker 2:Well, hello everyone and welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of pressure washing, like I am? I just built a new deck and I need to pressure wash it and stain it or other home services. Well, somebody might be closer than you think, because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, ms Melissa Arnold, who is the owner operator of First Choice Pressure Washing and Home Services. Melissa, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. We're thrilled to have you and, like I said, I'm really excited to learn more about what you do, and I'm sure our listeners are as well. So if you don't mind, why don't you kick us off by telling us about your business?
Speaker 3:Well, I've been in business for over 12 years, Believe it or not. I used to work at Powell's before I did this. Oh wow, at Powell's before I did this, oh wow, yes, excellent restaurant.
Speaker 3:But, anyway, a good friend of mine I met over 12 years ago. He came to Powell's and rescued me from there and got me into pressure washing and I worked with him for about four years pressure washing and I worked with him for about four years and I learned A to Z doing plumbing, drywall repair, painting. I love to paint All this A to Z any kind of home repairs, remodeling. I just remodeled two bathrooms and a kitchen this past six months so I'm really excited about that. I've got those pictures up on my Facebook page. I have a business Facebook page under my business name, so if you want to see those, I've got them listed on there really before and after. So really proud of that.
Speaker 2:Very good. Well, you should be and you should also be very proud of you said you've been in business 12 years. That's quite an accomplishment.
Speaker 3:I love this. It's the best job I've ever had.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:Love my customers. A lot of them are friends. Now I don't meet a stranger. Wow, Well, I was going to ask how you got into the business but you kind of started with coming out of Powell's which, by the way, they got great burgers. They do.
Speaker 2:Cleanest fast food you'll ever go to, absolutely so what are some myths or misconceptions in the home business? Or pressure washing and home. What would you call that? Home remodeling or home remodeling yeah. Ok, so any myths or misconceptions Home?
Speaker 3:repairs, remodeling, pressure washing that's what I do. The number one misconception is a lot of the older generation thinks that women can't do this kind of work. And it's kind of funny and I laugh at it. Elderly lady that I was pressure washing for in a condo community. She came out on her porch and I was pressure washing her porch and she come out and she probably was around 80. And she said honey, what are you out here doing man's work for?
Speaker 1:And I just laughed.
Speaker 3:I thought it was so cute and so funny and I said, well, I need to make man's money.
Speaker 2:Yeah, wow.
Speaker 3:She's kind of cute. She was of an older generation. I understand that. It doesn't offend me at all. I've had a lot of male helpers to help me. They say I work circles around them. I don't mind, I work as hard as anybody to get the job done. That's my focus.
Speaker 2:Well, I know you know if you enjoy what you do, you don't mind working hard, and so I think that probably makes a big difference.
Speaker 3:I love it. I absolutely love what I do. It's not work to me.
Speaker 2:Not work to you. So, in talking about your business, who is your target audience? Who is the person you're trying to reach?
Speaker 3:Everybody.
Speaker 2:Everybody.
Speaker 3:But you know I really treasure the older generation. Sadly, a lot of people in this kind of industry are not honest and they take money up front. And I never take money up front and I advise all my customers never take any payment up front. It's not good business. I've never taken any payment up front and it works. So I take the risk on all my jobs. I buy the materials, I do what I need to do and when my customer's happy, that's when we settle up and it's always worked.
Speaker 2:So Very good, very good. Do you have a staff?
Speaker 3:I occasionally have helpers my two youngest daughters. They've helped me over the years. My youngest is 21 and my other one is. My other youngest daughter is 23. And they worked with me for five years when we first moved. I grew up here, but I bought my house in Jonesboro in 2017. And they worked with me the first five years after we moved here, so they know how to do things. They've learned a lot.
Speaker 2:They learn from mom.
Speaker 3:Yes, they have.
Speaker 2:Well, speaking of family outside of work, what do you like to do for fun?
Speaker 3:I love to go on cruises.
Speaker 2:Yeah, any particular, any particular cruise line Carnival.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've been on Carnival. I guess this will be my 15th cruise coming up, oh wow, yeah, nice Day after cruise.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's my weakness.
Speaker 3:Very nice, I guess I need. I guess I need one of those cardboard signs that says I'll work for cruises. So well they are a lot of fun.
Speaker 2:They're a lot of fun. So, let's switch gears for just a second. Could you describe a hardship or a life challenge that you've experienced and overcame, and how that made you stronger in the end?
Speaker 3:Well, four years ago I had to have hip replacement surgery one hip, and that was kind of a challenge because I'd never been out of work or taken off from work. And I was out of work for two weeks. I thought I was going to be out of work eight weeks, like the doctor said, but I decided I wasn't going to be out of work. Two weeks to the day after my surgery I was up on a third story roof taking some satellite dishes.
Speaker 2:Oh my.
Speaker 3:God, I don't like to be down. I don't like to be down and I didn't tell my doctor about it.
Speaker 2:I bet you didn't.
Speaker 3:I went right straight back to work two weeks to the day of my surgery, so I've been working ever since. I just I couldn't handle being, you know, sitting around doing nothing.
Speaker 2:I understand, I understand. So did you ever tell your doctor that, that you did that?
Speaker 3:I did he. He said I'm glad you didn't tell me until after the fact, cause I would have told you no.
Speaker 2:I bet, I bet. Yeah. Well, Melissa, if, um, If you could think of one thing that you would like our listeners to remember about you and First Choice Pressure Washing and home services, what would that be?
Speaker 3:That my integrity is more important than money. My reputation is more important than money. I want them to know that I work very hard to make them happy. It's really right there on the top of the list. I love to see my customers thrilled with the work that I do and it makes me happy. That's most important to me. Their satisfaction is most important.
Speaker 2:Awesome and that's important to a customer. It's important to me as well. That's awesome. Well, for those of us that are interested in learning more about you and your company, how can we do that?
Speaker 3:I'm on Nextdoor under my business name First Choice Pressure Washing and Home Services. A lot of people get on there and leave me reviews and my business is also on Facebook under First Choice Pressure Washing and Home Services and they can look me up under my phone number as well. I'm easy to reach.
Speaker 2:I always answer Under my phone number as well. Okay, all right, I'm easy to reach. I always answer.
Speaker 3:I don't leave nobody hanging either.
Speaker 1:That's nice because that is so frustrating when you call somebody and you always get a voicemail.
Speaker 2:The new generation. My kids hate talking on the phone, but to me I much prefer.
Speaker 3:I understand that. Yep, I understand that Very good. I hear that a lot.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure. Well, melissa, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to be with us and spend some time with our listeners. So I really do appreciate that and wish you and your family and all the best for the holidays and on your cruise as well.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:All the best moving forward.
Speaker 3:I appreciate you. Hope you have a blessed day.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much and hopefully we can have you back on the show again one time.
Speaker 3:We'd love to.
Speaker 2:My pleasure.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, my pleasure. Thank you so much. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom. That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-785-5873.