EP# 50: Washing Away the Myths: Katie Kraver's Journey from Teaching to Power Washing Prodigy

What makes Katie Kraver with Clean Machine Power Wash a good neighbor?

Have you ever wondered what it takes to maintain the integrity and beauty of your property? Katie Kraver of Clean Machine Power Wash joins us to unravel the intricacies of power washing and how this family-owned business has been keeping homes and commercial spaces pristine for 50 years. Katie's transition from an award-winning elementary teacher to the captain of her father's legacy is a story of passion, family, and community impact. With Katie at the helm, she not only shares the art of effective power washing but also enlightens us on common industry myths, ensuring that listeners walk away with valuable insights on property maintenance.

This episode is more than just a discussion on the technicalities of keeping buildings clean; it's a dive into the heartwarming narrative of a local business that has truly become a neighborhood gem. Katie's enthusiasm for her new path, her love for her three dogs, and her recent adventures on the golf course add a personal touch that resonates with anyone who values community and personal growth. As you tune in, prepare to be inspired by the dedication it takes to preserve a family business and to learn the secrets that could save you time and resources on your next home improvement project.

To learn more about Clean Machine Power Wash go to:
https://www.cleanmachinepowerwash.com/

Clean Machine Power Wash
(413) 330-5510

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Liz Lemon.

Speaker 2: 0:11

Welcome to Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of some mobile detailing? Surprisingly, it might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, katie Kramer, with Clean Machine Power Wash. How are you today, katie Good? How are you today, katie Good? How are you Great? Thank you for asking. We're excited to learn all about you and your business. Tell us about Clean Machine Power Wash.

Speaker 3: 0:34

Okay, so I'm a valued team member at Clean Machine Power Wash, which is located in West Springfield, massachusetts. I am one of three sales representatives who evaluates customers' properties for pricing purposes, and I'm also a sales manager working in our offices. I help to manage four of our talented and personable women that we have answering customer calls. How did you get into the business? So my father actually started Clean Machine Power Wash in 1974. We've been in business for 50 years, servicing Massachusetts and parts of Connecticut. This is our 50th celebration this year, so as my father began to think about retirement, my brother and I really decided that we wanted to carry on his legacy for the next 50 years. He's done a remarkable job building this business from the ground up, and we have an incredible employee base and customer base that relies on us, so we also want to do it for them as well.

Speaker 2: 1:41

That's fantastic. What are the myths and misconceptions within your industry?

Speaker 3: 1:46

Okay, there's a few that I can think of. I know Power Wash is in our company name, but we rarely actually apply pressure. The secret sauce to our recipe is that we scrub with soft nylon brushes and therefore it only requires us to rinse, or what some people would call as a soft wash. Another misconception is that we only wash houses. We do more than that. We do homes, roofs, decks, patios, driveways, walkways, sidewalks, gutters, awnings, fences, sheds, garages, pools, pool areas, gazebos and many more things that you can probably think of.

Speaker 3: 2:32

Another myth is that anyone can power wash with a power washer. That's not true. We actually get many calls to correct work that people have tried to do themselves or that others have done improperly. It's important to know that power washing is something that requires knowledge and experience and proper training. Every surface being cleaned has different needs and it's important to know how to tend to them. The last I would say myth or misconception is that you should wait until your property is really dirty to get it cleaned. Do not wait. Clean it as soon as possible. It's more cost efficient that way. The longer you wait and the more difficult of a job it becomes, the more it may cost you. It is recommended by experts that you do clean your property every two to three years to maintain it and to prolong the life of your siding and shingles, things like that. So I think those are mainly the myths and misconceptions regarding our services.

Speaker 2: 3:43

A lot of different factors, for sure. Outside of work, what do you do for fun?

Speaker 3: 3:48

So I have three dogs, so I really enjoy spending time with them and taking them on our favorite trails. I also have recently gotten into golf. My boyfriend has recruited me and I've been loving learning all about how to play golf and enjoying the golf range with him, and also I really enjoy exploring new restaurants and places where I can socialize with friends.

Speaker 2: 4:15

Absolutely. Let's change gears just for a moment. Can you describe one hardship or life challenges that you rose above and you can now say because of it you're better and stronger? What comes to mind?

Speaker 3: 4:26

Sure, so I would say. Last year I had a career change. I was an award-winning elementary teacher for 11 years. I worked with amazing students, families and staff and I've absolutely loved remaining in touch with them over the years. But my heart was really craving something more, and I'm over the moon happy with my decision because my role at Clean Machine is so fulfilling in more ways than I could have imagined, and I don't think anything is more fun or more challenging than trying to improve and grow a business, and a business that your father started. So I'm very, very happy that I made the career change. It was a big risk and scary, but it Absolutely Career and work together for sure.

Speaker 2: 5:17

What is the one thing you wish our listeners knew about? Clean Machine Power Wash.

Speaker 3: 5:22

So there's actually two sides to our business. We have two departments. We actually clean truck fleets, which not a lot of people know about, so we do tractors, trailers, independents, things like that. So we have one department of truck washing specialists and then the other side, of course, is our residential and commercial properties that we clean, and those would be our house washing specialists. So we do more than just homes we also service truck fleets.

Speaker 2: 5:58

How can our listeners learn more about Clean Machine Power Wash?

Speaker 3: 6:01

You can visit our website at cleanmachinepowerwashcom. We have customer testimonials on there. We have before and after photos that you can explore. We even have a section of frequently asked questions, and we also have an estimate request form that takes just about a minute to fill out. You can also give our offices a call if you have any questions at any point. Our phone number is 413-734-4384. And again, our website is cleanmachinepowerwashcom.

Speaker 2: 6:34

That's great. Well, katie, I really appreciate you being on the show today, and we wish you and your business the best moving forward.

Speaker 3: 6:41

Thank you so much. We really appreciate the opportunity that the Good Neighbor podcast has given us to come on here and share our story. So thank you so much.

Speaker 1: 6:52

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppalmercom. That's gnppalmercom, or call 413-414-5940. Thank you.