Latest / The Elevator Careers Podcast / The "Elevator Chick": Interviewing the CEO of Authentic Elevator Services | Loannie Reyes

Transcript

The "Elevator Chick": Interviewing the CEO of Authentic Elevator Services | Loannie Reyes · The Elevator Careers Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: Knowledge is power.
• 0:01
  SPEAKER_02: Knowledge in this industry, knowledge is power.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_02: And sometimes we think like, oh, I'm too old, or I'm not a computer saggy, or I'm I'm not used to.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_02: No, no, no, no.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_02: That's those are mental things.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_02: I'm pretty sure you can handle a phone, you can handle a computer, you can handle a handheld, you can handle anything that you put yourself into it.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, and welcome to the Elevator Careers Podcast, sponsored by the Allred Group.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: I am your host, Matt Allred.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: In this podcast, we talk to the people whose lives and careers are dedicated to the vertical transportation industry to inform and share lessons learned, building upon the foundation of those who have gone before to inspire the next generation of elevator careers.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: Today our guest is the elevator chip, Loani Reyes, the CEO of Authentic Elevator Services, headquartered in New York City.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: Lowani and her husband Quinn are originally from Puerto Rico and came to New York with a dream of learning the business and starting an elevator company in Puerto Rico.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: In addition to being the CEO, Loani picked up the tools of the trade and as a mechanic and inspector, she can often be found performing repairs, troubleshooting, and inspecting.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: Milani loves the elevator industry and is passionate about teaching, training, and developing everyone who wants to learn.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Loani, welcome to the show.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having me.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_02: I feel very honored.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_02: Oh thank you.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: No, I'm excited to talk to you.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: And I just wanted to start out with your nickname, The Elevator Chick.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: And where did that come from?
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And when did you start to embrace that and say, Yeah, I'll I'll be that.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: It is, it was funny because um a lot of I hear a lot in the industry we talk and you hear there and there you hear people like, oh, you work for the company of the lady or the woman or the that woman that has the elevator company.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I was laughing.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: One day I go to visit a customer.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: That was the the day that kind of like embraced it.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: And and the guy was like, I'm very honored that you're here.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, thank you for coming.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Okay, you know, we're here to provide you a service.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, Yes, we have heard so much about you, and we feel honored that you came yourself.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, wait, wait, what are you talking about?
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: And he said, Yeah, yes, because everybody's talking about the the elevator, the lady on the elevator, the elevator, you know, they call it in the street elevator chick, you know, and I'm like, wait, people talk about me?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't even know.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: And they were like, Yes, yes, the elevator chick.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, you know, and we were looking to to I never expected that you will come yourself to fix the elevator.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Oh no, no, I come to the field, I do do work, it's not all the time, but I'm trying to keep myself in the field and active with the technology and everything.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: And and that day when I came back to the I walk out and I'm not talking to the mechanics, I'm like, people are talking about me, and they're like, Yeah, yeah, we're proud about it.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Really?
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_02: And he said, Yes, yes, no, we we always talk to everybody and we tell them so that I work for the elevator chick.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: And and the funny thing is, after that day, I said, Well, so the elevator chick it is, I'll take it.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: I like it.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: And we embrace that.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's great.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: You know, thank you for that.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: And and it's it's uh certainly sometimes, sometimes it can be an honor when when others give you uh you know a nickname, but that's uh it's one you can love, it's one you can adopt, and and and especially when they're when they're speaking well about you out on the street, like you say, it's like wow, oh okay, who would have been awesome, awesome.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to ask, how did you come into the elevator industry?
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: What was kind of the the early beginnings, if you will?
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that's funny because um my like this is kind of like my husband, my brother-in-law was here in New York.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_02: We were in Puerto Rico, okay, and he invited my bro, my my other brother-in-law and my husband to come to work in New York in the elevator industry.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_02: They were starting as a helper.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: And so they decided we decided to come to New York from Puerto Rico, and we started the to to learn the industry.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_02: I was not working in elevators at that time at all.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: So I was running a company, uh building maintenance company, and I was the director of administration there.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_02: So my husband was learning the industry, and our plans, our idea was to learn the industry, move back to Puerto Rico, and open an elevator company in Puerto Rico.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: So that was our plans, but it didn't happen that way.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_02: So my my husband, it just so happened that he started developing very quickly because he was always working right hand with the owners of different companies.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: And so he learned and developed very quickly.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: Within two years, he was already promoted to mechanic.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_02: He was a union, he was in the union, but he started with a 72-hour rule in local three.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: And so after that, so he was promoted to in in the comp within the company, they promoted uh um New York, New York, um, New York Elevator.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sorry.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: He was working for that one, and then he got promoted to mechanic in New York Elevator.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_02: And so he started, we were growing, and and then he was left New York Elevator and went to one of the owners that he told us, hey, let's come with me.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna let you run the entire operations department.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_02: So he started working with him, it was a small company, a Wichester Elevator, and so he was talking to my husband that hey, don't go to Puerto Rico, let's partner here.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_02: But he did that to many people, so it's kind of like, but we didn't know that after uh after he passed away.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: So years passed and he got very ill and he passed away.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_02: So the family came to us and they tried to sell us the company.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but that deal is not come to the case, so it didn't happen.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: And so we opened authentic elevator services.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: And so I'm like, don't worry, uh, let's open authentic, I'll I'll support you.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_02: So the idea was for me to run the administrative park while he runs the operation.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_02: But at the beginning, so it's a business that's starting, so we didn't we couldn't afford to pay everybody like a bunch of mechanics, right?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I was my husband's helper.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_02: And so we have some guys that were helping us uh to do the maintenance, and I sneak out because he didn't want me to go on on the field.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_02: He was like, What the customers are gonna think?
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I don't feel comfortable.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's like I don't mind, I know you're capable, but I don't like the idea because how it's gonna look.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_02: My wife is working on the field, and I'm like, ah, forget about it.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_02: It doesn't matter, I can do this.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_02: So man, my I remember sneaking out with the helpers, and I mean with the maintenance, and I'm like, teach me how to do this, how you do that, how you do this.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: And my husband, every time that he was going troubleshooting before we opened the company, I used to go with him.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: We didn't have children at the moment, right?
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: So I used to go with him to the field, and he was talking to me.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, uh, what do you look in the elevators when you do troubleshooting?
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, so we get in the elevator, and he was giving the writers.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_02: You see this noise, you see this, that means this.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, you see this, this is clipping rollers, you see this, it's like this is shoes and the worn guy shoes and everything.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Okay, okay, how do you how do you determine that?
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: He was showing me and I was absorbing everything, but he didn't know that.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_02: Right, he was like just with his wife, having fun all over the place.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: So, and uh one day I remember uh it was a trouble call, and the trouble call came in, he was tied up with another call, the other mechanic was tied up with another call.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_02: He didn't have another mechanic that was tied up with another call, and he was like, Oh my god, we need to send somebody immediately.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, I'll do it.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, Do you dare?
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Yes, of course, I'm there, I'll do it.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, It sounds to me like it's uh that is a clipping roller, so it's that's just a release roller, and that's it.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, Okay, money be very, very, very careful.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: And he's very methodic, he's very you know, passive, and he's like, they're very careful, take all the safety measurements.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_02: When you get there and you take control of the top in the top of the car, make sure that nothing happens, and call me.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, I call you, no problem.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_02: So I grab my tools and and I went to to to that building.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_02: I remember it was in U Rochelle.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_02: I fixed it, I came back and he's like, Okay, I uh he he called me, okay.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: Are you there?
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_02: You know what you're gonna do?
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, Yeah, I already fixed it.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, wait, what?
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Yes, I fix it.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, What do you mean you fix it?
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Yes, it was clipping, it was clipping locks.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_02: So I literally adjusted the release roller so it doesn't, the cam doesn't heat it, so I adjust it, blah blah blah, and he was like, So now the elevator is not getting it's not stopping, and it's like, no, nobody's getting trapped.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: Everything I run it like five times already, it's it's fine.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, Okay, so good, hey, that thank you.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, Okay, so after that, I started going on the field because I wanted to know more to do maintenance.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: So I started with the maintenance, and I remember then I wanted like, no, no, no, I want to learn repairs, so I want to learn repairs, I want to go, let's do a hoist cable, a hoist cable job.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: And I remember white lanes, I was that was my first job, and we were doing a hoist cable job, and it was uh overhead traction, it was uh seven floors, and I'm like, okay, let's go there.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_02: And we started doing it, and I'm like learning how to do it.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_02: So after that, when still getting involved in more repairs, and I um the funny thing is, like when you're a woman in the elevator industry, the mechanic doesn't let you carry the tools, and I'm like, this is the great helper job.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: I was I was gonna ask you, what's your experience, you know, being and and it sounds like even from the beginning, your husband was like, No, you you can't go into the field until you just started going.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, what are some of the things you face?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_02: It sounds like the tools is I would say with the mechanics themselves, it was not they look at me like, you really a mechanic?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, like if I go to a job, I remember one job in Manhattan, it was a hotel.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: And that job uh it was in 41st Street.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: And my I walk in and it was to O'Thomson's microflight DC.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_02: It was like a very difficult.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_02: Those are awesome controllers, but if you're not familiar with them, they're really hard to maintain.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_02: And and and they have like this this selector that every time that goes bad, you need to reset it and reprogram completely.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_02: So it's a hotel, you don't want both elevators went down, right?
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: Owner was desperate, and I walk in.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_02: And they are like the mechanic, well, it was one mechanic there, but he couldn't handle it.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_02: And he was like, I'm struggling with the selector, I don't know how to program it.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_02: So and I'm like, Okay, I'll go in a minute.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_02: So I walk in and he's like, What's this woman doing here?
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_02: And he's like, Hey, oh, she's gonna fix your elevator, and he's like, Oh, she's your helper, and he's like, No, she's the boss.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_02: The mechanic told her, like, tell them, and he's like, he made like his face, like, I don't believe it.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_02: So I walk in in 10 minutes, I came down, both elevator running, and he's like, Okay, next time send her.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_02: Don't send the guy, send her.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_02: Because that's the thing, people don't have the expectation that you're gonna be able to do it.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_02: But once you deliver, they they they embrace you with no problems.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_02: And the mechanics were has been my experience, they're always being very cooperative, they were always being open to teach me.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I haven't faced challenges with mechanics telling me, oh no, no, I'm not gonna teach you that.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I'm not gonna I know this happened in the industry a lot, but my experience hasn't been like that.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, quite the opposite.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_02: They've been um, come, come, let me show you this.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_02: Or I remember I was doing a troubleshooting and and I was FaceTiming with one with a mechanic that was helping me out with some job, and he's like making fun of me because I have nails and I keep my nails.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_02: And and he was like, uh, you have to too nice, your nails are too nice for mechanic.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, that's why they are the shape they are, because I can grab the the the screws and I can hold them when I'm uh I'm screwing something, and he's like, Oh, so your nails are tools, and I'm like, actually they are.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's perfect.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: That's perfect.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: So so you, I mean, you kind of started as a mechanic once you had started the the company, really.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: Your your husband learned it first.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: He kind of taught you, so um he came in, and then once you, I guess, really became a mechanic, is that um is that what helped you?
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: I I guess you were already in charge of the administration of the company as well as being a mechanic, or how did you navigate that?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_02: No, no, I I I oversee it pretty much everything in the company.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: They I have people in administration, they have people in the accounting department, I have people that in the inspection department, so the co-compliance department.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: We have people in the sales department, so they pretty much run by themselves.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_02: I just oversee the numbers, that everything is being properly done and things like that.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: But they when there are situations in the field that require somebody's skill or or proprietary equipment, a lot of people get afraid with the proprietary equipment.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm the one that's jumping and just take care of it because it's like it's it's a man-made thing.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_02: I can fix this.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: That's my philosophy.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: That's wonderful.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: So you you talked to me earlier, you you had mentioned one of your goals in developing your um employees.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um, well, let's let's back up even one step further.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me a little bit about your your culture that you've created there, and you know, what's it like, and how does that affect your business overall?
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so uh we have an open door call, uh, open door culture.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_02: So that means uh yes, we have a structure, the supervisors, the mechanics, the mechanics, the supervisors, the foreman, the supervisors, the director.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_02: However, I have them all the mechanics has accessibility to to us, to my husband and to me.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_02: And if they have any question, they feel free to call us.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we don't talk them down or we don't make them feel incapable because they don't know nothing, or because they don't know something.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we never tell them, oh, you don't know nothing.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_02: Well, why I'm paying you this much if you don't know how to do this.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_02: It's like, oh, you don't know, come, let's do it.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, you don't know how to to you that break, you don't know how to adjust it.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, I'm gonna go with you to the field and I'm gonna show you how to do it.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes I even make fun of them, like, hey, you need me to go and teach you?
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_02: You're gonna let a woman teach you?
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: Just kidding.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_02: That is it's the kind of thing that we joke with them, and but but not to bash to make them feel that that they're incapable or no, uh quite the opposite.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: We are always telling them we you need you are the one who limits yourself.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_04: Sure.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_02: If you want to learn, it we are gonna provide you everything possible for you to learn.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_02: We are not gonna let you um get obsolete.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_02: It's like if a mechanic gets obsolete, get me obsolete because they want it, not because we don't give them the opportunity to grow, to teach them to um like we have right now, I'm I'm in the middle training one person that is becoming an inspector.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, and um we are training him.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_02: He wanted to be an inspector, we started training him.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_02: We're in the process of that.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_02: We have him do inspection.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_02: I go with the field to the field with him to perform the inspection.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_02: Now he kind of like flying, he already flying solo.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: And and he he was a maintenance when he started with us.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, and now he's becoming an inspector and he's very excited about it.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like with other things like like I mentioned a little bit before, right?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_02: I have a guy that came to the to our company and he was he came from fixing boards in a company, he was doing electronics.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_02: And we told him, Okay, you're gonna develop as fast as you want.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, because we're non-union, so we are like, you want to learn, we're gonna help you to learn to grow.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_02: But if you want, if you're gonna take your time, take your time.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_02: But if you're gonna grow fast, do your thing, put your extra effort.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_02: So this guy did it, and he started growing and growing and growing and growing, learning on his own, asking questions.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_02: Uh hey, I'm finding this.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_02: Can I do this?
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_02: Can I do that?
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_02: Should I do this?
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: We have actually one person that is a technical support for all the mechanics.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, his job is just sitting there, answer all the questions from the mechanics.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_04: Wow.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: And in the company, so that way they don't feel uh limited, so they can go do whatever they they can.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_02: So I remember he started growing, growing, growing.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: Now he's within two years, two years and a half, he's to the point that he's a great troubleshooter.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_04: Sure.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: He's one of our strongest troubleshooters in the company.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_02: And and and he developed within two years, two years and a half.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_02: And people will say, Oh, that's no, you need four years minimum.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_02: No, he has the background, he has the foundation that we can use for him to develop, so he developed faster.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_00: Soundation, what what did that look like?
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: Uh the foundation for him was electronics.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, he was that's right, you said that.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_02: So he was he has a background in electricity and electronics.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_02: So the part that we had to teach him was the mechanical part, pretty much, and the industry procedures, the safeties, and all that stuff.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_02: So once he dominated that, like right now we have an elevator customer.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, that happened recently.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: One of our new customers that we got, he had a company that um has his elevator down for two months.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_02: My mechanic went there, and in two days, that elevator was back in service.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_02: And that was that guy with only two years of experience.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_02: So, but it's because we train him, we don't limit them.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_02: We is like, it's like you want to grow, you want to learn electricity?
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, here is electricity.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_02: We teach you electricity.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, you want to learn electronics?
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, we teach you electronics, you want to learn mechanics, okay.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_02: We teach you that, right?
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_02: So that way they can develop.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: How how does that uh I will call it cross-training?
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: How does that affect like turnover, for example?
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, how does it affect your your company overall?
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_02: Uh with the cross-training, um, I would say when they start, so it's how how willing willing how much how are they willing to learn?
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_02: It's more like how open they are to learn.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_02: Because if somebody comes with the mentality of um not to to grow or to do something like oh, I want to make my bug and just go home, and I'm not gonna put any extra effort in the in in the job, so that's a problem, and that situation they don't grow, so they're gonna get stuck.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_02: However, if they are willing to go with uh, oh, I want to learn, and if they want to spend their own personal time learning new things and exposing themselves, the sky is the limit.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna give them those opportunities, and then do you do you find that they stick around longer and are more dedicated employees if they have those opportunities to grow?
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_02: That was yes, yes, definitely.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_02: And it's mostly it's like not making them feel embarrassed of not knowing something, sure.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_02: It's that's that's a we are adults, nobody likes to be scolded, nobody likes to be um uh feel downgraded or anything like that.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_02: We like to we want to learn, we're capable to learn, but sometimes we don't dare to learn because we are embarrassed that somebody somebody makes fun of us, and but when they are not a when you find somebody that is willing to teach you, to take you, grab you by the hand and teach you, it's the sky is the limit.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_02: So, and I I always joke with my guys telling them, if you grow, make yourself don't be concerned that if I cannot afford you anymore, I'm gonna be happy because I am part of your growth, I am part of you becoming the successful person that you are.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_02: And it's like we have people that they have grown and they're like, hey, somebody's offering me, you have my blessing, go for it.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_02: I'm happy for you.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_02: So you you know that we are here, go for it.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: And and they they grow, and some of them has come back.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um, uh we have one mechanic, uh we have several mechanics, but one of the mechanics he came back after many years of gaining experience in the industry.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: He came back and now he's with us, and and he's one of my star, my superstars in the mod teams.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_02: Because is it's how we we try to maintain that culture.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: So and is that the reason he he said, Hey, I I want to be with you guys because of how you treat me, of how how the culture is.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_02: So he enjoys very much.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_02: He's like uh he likes to be with the company is kind of like a family.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_02: So we yeah, the the guys fight between them, it's normal, they have disagreement and everything, but we try to maintain uh uh a family environment.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's like we everybody has to respect each other, and and hey, we're not here to to to fight, we're here to have to to do what we love, to grow, to make money, and to have fun with it.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_02: And hey, I like the my my technical support guy, he he he's he always tell the guys, so I'm afraid sometimes the guys are like, I'm afraid to break something.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: So mechanic doesn't break anything, mechanic fix it.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_02: So don't worry, you're not gonna break anything.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_02: And when you take that fear away from them, oh the sky's the limit.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_02: They start flying and they start going like, hey, okay, I did it, and they feel the achievement, and we are like celebrating with it, yeah, Charlie, you did it.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's so when you um from the just curious, how so how long have you been in the elevator industry at this point?
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: 14 years.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_00: 14 years.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_00: And at what point did you realize, hey, I I love this, I'm gonna, I'm gonna stick this out and work you know, how long did it take before it really clicked with you that this is amazing?
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: I would say that within the first year.
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, within the first year, I was uh going with the troubleshooting of my with my husband, and that moment I was like, he was selling me this and this, and then I'm like, oh, I can do this, oh I can see this, oh, and and the challenges is the feel.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_02: Although you're doing repetitive things, you always find something, a new challenge to to face, and and overcoming that challenge is like, yeah.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_01: So it's like you did it.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: You feel like, oh, I can do this, right?
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: It's very empowering.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: So as you as you look at the industry overall, what are some of the issues that you are facing as a as a small company in the industry?
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: Well, uh, like I I I would say, well, besides the parts that parts are scarcing everywhere, like it's very hard to to everything is taking longer to be manufactured and everything, I would say the lack of good talent or people willing to learn because everybody wants the money, but they don't want the process of learning.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: Interesting.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_02: And so, like uh mechanics that when you start developing people or training them from the beginning, a lot of them they start growing, but they want to make the quick the big box quickly.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_02: However, they're not willing to put the extra time, they're not willing to learn on their own.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_02: Like, hey, I give you a book.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_02: Did you read it?
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: Did you read that book that gives you the fundaments that you need to do this?
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_02: Uh no, I don't have time.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_02: I get home and I just watch movies or I spend my family time.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like, okay, so then don't get upset when you don't grow that fast.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um, only the it's only a few that are willing to put that extra effort right and then pay off for them because definitely they are like developing and growing and and and willing to get more um acquainted with the changes, and this industry is changing a lot constantly, too.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's a lot of innovation happening.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: Innovation plus you've got a lot of people retiring, you got a people you meant you had mentioned people moving out of New York, you know, maybe exactly.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um oh, New York, a lot of areas look like dead because it's a lot of people moving out, and and that's that's so talent is also moving out, and and good talent, and that's the sad part because we we are a if you if the good talent all move out, then we have to start, everybody has to start from scratch, right?
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_02: And that's one of the challenges because they can make good money in other states, and the cost of life is way more economical.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: So when you face that challenge, you're like, oh, okay, I cannot tell you, don't move.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it is what it is.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: So good luck.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: What are what are some of the things you do to try to counteract uh that, you know, just the fact that talent is is leaving or maybe getting more scarce?
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_02: Well, um, what we try with the action that we're doing is like when we recruit the guys, we let them know we want to develop you, we want to train you, and you're willing to learn that, and you're willing to grow within the industry.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_02: So we don't hire helpers, we hire apprentices.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_02: So the intention is to teach them, to take them to the next level, that they're willing to learn, that they're willing to grow.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_02: And when they are in that uh attitude, that mentality, so the sky is the limit, so we can develop them.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and but sometimes the the not all the helpers come with that attitude.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes they and and you get stuck with one, but that's okay, you need a helper anyway.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_02: But you want to develop more mechanics within the the in-house so they can grow, they can develop themselves, and you want to take them to the next level so the company can grow uh with them, right?
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_02: That's one of the things that we do too.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_02: Counteractive that also we we like, like like I mentioned to you that uh we were looking to to start sending our mechanics to the to the school from Bobby Chaker.
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: And the elevator learning center, correct?
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_02: So I that's something that we we love.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_02: We are very pro-educal program.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_02: It's not just hands-on experience, it's also the educational part that they have to to learn.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it will come hand to hand.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: So we're as we as we kind of get to the the end, we're we're running out of, you know, time is getting short, I guess I should say.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_00: And my question for you as we wrap up is what is some advice that you would give to uh you know, to our listeners, I guess.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_02: Well, to the listeners, uh, if you're a mechanic, I would say don't limit yourself.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_02: We are our worst judge, I would say.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_02: The mechanics are you can grow.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_02: It's like you are a reaper mechanic and you don't want to learn electricity, don't do that.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_02: You're limiting yourself, you're becoming obsolete.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_02: You're you're making yourself obsolete.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_02: So instead of becoming uh uh one thing that I like about like local one, they don't have maintenance mechanics or reaper mechanics or mod mechanics, they have service mechanics and new construction mechanics, and I love that because it's a very overall, the more that you know, knowledge is power.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_02: Knowledge in this industry, knowledge is power.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_02: And sometimes we think like, oh, I'm too old, or I'm not a computer saggy, or I'm I'm not used to no, no, no, no.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_02: That's those are mental things.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_02: I'm pretty sure you can handle a phone, you can handle a computer, you can handle a handheld, you can handle anything that you put yourself into it.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_02: If you are able to be a mechanic, definitely you are able to learn anything.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_02: And the same thing with the the apprentice.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_02: If you're an apprentice, don't settle for less, don't settle to stay there.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_02: Grow, grow, grow because the mechanics are gonna retire.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_02: And you are the way with that the industry needs more people like you to take that position and that those apprentices to make sure to grow and develop themselves.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, the big money is not in the apprentice, it's in the mechanic position and not to be afraid of it.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_02: And add to the build business owners, I would say make sure to treat well your mechanics, um, look out for them.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_02: They are really, really uh your asset because this is if you're a service company, they are your main asset.
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_02: Your mechanics, the service that you're providing, they are the representation of your company.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_02: If you treat them well, if you make them happy.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_02: Even sometimes you need to be the friend, you have to be the psychologist, you have to be, you need to understand every situation that they're facing.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, it's not easy, you don't want to invest the time in that, maybe because you're there for the money, because you build a business for a reason.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_02: But if you are a service company, who provide the service is your main asset, and that's your mechanics.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_02: That's pretty much what I would say.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thank you so much.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for your time.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for just sharing your story and your wisdom, and I appreciate you being on with me today.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having me.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_02: I feel very honored.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Matt.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening to the Elevator Careers Podcast, sponsored by the All Red Group, a leader in elevator industry recruiting.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_00: You can check us out online at elevatorcareers.net.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_00: Please subscribe, and until next time, stay safe.