Russell Joe

Eric Girouard  0:00  

Hey guys, this is Eric and you're listening to bucket talk powered by BRUNT. Today we're talking with Russ Joe, owner of quality sewer and drain. When Russ set out to start his business, he had literally zero connections and was struggling to make ends meet, listening to how he built his business up to what it is today, in his advice for anyone who's willing to roll up their sleeves and get dirty. This is bucket top weekly podcast where people who work in the trades and construction that aren't just trying to survive, but have the ambition and desire to thrive. The opportunity to trades in construction is absolutely ridiculous right now. So if you're hungry, it's time to eat. We discuss what it takes to rise from the bottom to the top with people who are well on their way and roll up their sleeves every single day. Hey guys, I'm here with Russell Joe, owner and operator of quality sewer and drain based out of Danvers mass. Russ, just want to thank you for taking the time tonight to talk to us about not only your trade, but also also the business that you're on on a daily basis. Yeah.

Russell Joe  1:02  

Awesome. Glad to be here. Thanks for having me. So

Eric Girouard  1:04  

before we get into business, can you rewind just as far back as you want to go to younger artists or where you grew up? And then kind of, you know, how you how your kind of life played out to where you are today,

Russell Joe  1:16  

the life of Russ Joe? I grew up in Niagara Falls, New York, that old Niagara Falls. Yeah, born and raised. My father owned. A big plumbing company still does to this day. So I kind of grew up plumbing sewers. It's in the blood. As far as I can remember. Yeah, I went to high school without High School, Niagara Falls high school. I did all the trade schools when a different approach than plumbing because they didn't offer any plumbing in the trade schools helped by me, which is a little you know, little different things are very predominant trade. So I want a different course and I did electrical, commercial and industrial. So I completed a two year trade school with that wrapped or high school I hooked up with that company doing commercial electrical, working on gas lines, pipelines, bulk storage facilities, something totally different. Kind of like plumbing, we laid a lot of conduit. So it's kind of like a pipe did that did that for a few years, loved it, learn how to operate tons of machinery, we did our own site work. And this was just, you know, a great learning process and always worked for my father. Just because I did the electrical thing I still put in time with the old man and his company learning and getting certified and learning the ropes of everything. And then literally, an opportunity came up and I totally veered directions and I took a job on the railroad totally different now as a conductor for company Cs x out of Buffalo did that for about six years. Went to Framingham, Massachusetts for two years. So that's kind of what led me out here eventually where I'm at on tambours but did that work out here for two years on a temporary transfer went back to New York back in Agra falls and started a little life they're a little family ended up here in Danvers about six and a half years ago, divorced have a beautiful daughter she was three years old, felt kind of stranded I opened up a company open up a company knowing what I know to do started quality sewer and drain and haven't looked back since. So it's kind of like the quick fast version of what the heck I've

Eric Girouard  3:36  

been doing in So you started to you you had come here here and started quality sewer and drain or was it after divorce that you were saying Alright, I'm gonna you know I want to do something I want to run my own show would you start a quality sewer and drain

Russell Joe  3:49  

exactly so basically I was in between staying here going back What do I do with my daughter? How high do I have 50% custody and raise you know my kid and be involved in her life as much as I can. So I decided to stay here my life here and I started quality sewer and drain in the midst of everything happening that way I can control my destiny my time my hours I could pick her up from school, take care of school be like how my father was worked a lot work hard. We made every event I had, you know, he did what he could for us. You know, he never missed a sporting event. And I wanted the same thing. And that's what I did.

Eric Girouard  4:26  

So how was it going from working in the electrical field to being a conductor and all along the way that works for your dad to to make the transition to jump to doing it

Russell Joe  4:35  

on your own man. I learned a lot. You know, I learned I learned a lot in between all that I worked at the dealership and I worked for a portion of an Audi dealership so I kind of learned some business aspect from a lot of things. I did finance with them. And I ran the store at you know in the back and front end. So pretty different pretty wild. very crazy round about story getting to where I got to put it all shaped me to where I'm at now and so you start

Eric Girouard  5:03  

out right you'd never started a business for you had some of this training. Your first step is you know you hang up a shingle quality sewer and drain Ross here. What the hell was the first thing you did where you're like Alright, I got to go get a customer was it I got to get some equipment I get a some tools or what was like day one. It was like a whole It was a whole lot going through my head like Hey, what do I do?

Russell Joe  5:26  

I hardly know anybody out here. I'm new to the area. I don't know anybody really? I have maybe two friends going through a divorce. What do I do? And, you know, no contacts. No one in construction. No. Just very out there without knowing anyone. I'm like carrying. So let's do this. I buy a van have beat up van. But I buy all brand new equipment because I figured the equipment should be the best right now. And basically I just mimicked exactly what my father has back home. I bought all brand new and I just bought a beat up dad and said okay, here it is. I had a buddy.

Eric Girouard  6:04  

What equipment were you running? So I rent and running all rigid

Russell Joe  6:07  

sexual machines rigid k 1500s Reggie k 50s. I bought like this cheap camera from China so I can video drains when I first got started. You know? Just It was crazy. Like a you know, it was an adventure basically. It really went man.

Eric Girouard  6:27  

And then so so alright, so that's like holy shit. You take a leap you're figuring it out you're you jump you know you're flying the plane you're trying to change the wings at the same time. While the stress of all the family stuff going on the background. Give us give us a quick right where you are today. Obviously you know you I you know I found you through your you know your social media which is which is great because you're showing you show it on a daily basis all day long. But you know Where, where? Where the company? Where are you taking the company from literally jumping out knowing nothing to running a business in the area that's got a good reputation a lot of customers and it looks like you've grown it off.

Russell Joe  7:06  

Absolutely. So I thought what June would be four years from the time I opened the door. A lot of planning and prep work went into it to get there but we're a two man crew right now. We

Eric Girouard  7:20  

keep it keep it keep it small.

Russell Joe  7:22  

Keep it simple. We run two trucks we run a full lightning, full lightning scale, all equipment, we lined pipes, all trenchless doing everything from cleaning the basic drain to main sewer to make the power the sewer lines manholes, just recovering all the grounds from drain the sewer to vent stacks for high rises, factories, no holds barred. I mean, we've grown and made a reputation for the name in our communities. I think that speaks for itself now.

Eric Girouard  7:53  

And that is obviously you're in Denver. So is that Danvers in the surrounding towns? Or is it Are you having to go you know Are you guys having to haul somewhere pretty far in the morning or you do is pretty in demand. So you might

Russell Joe  8:06  

not have to go that far. Exactly. So we you know we started off Northshore dampers no PV clo Marblehead North Shore, keep it local. So we're in high demand North Shore I try not to go to Boston but you know our services are in Boston now working on lining and everything else we still we specialize in this and that's what we focused on over the last like two years is getting into this line and aspect and we're in Maine New Hampshire, Connecticut. Wow. Basically going where the jobs you know, we're there it's demanded and you know, being subbed in from other plumbing contractors to bring us in to do it because they know what we do and how we do it. And they you know, they definitely rely on that

Eric Girouard  8:51  

so it took me four years to one I don't only figure out what the hell are you doing with starting a company to now you've got a business that's coming you got customers you got a reputation? What has been the most pivotal moment of building quality sewer and drain along the way if you can, if you can pinpoint one at all.

Russell Joe  9:08  

I wouldn't say there's an exact pivotal moment, but like to go back and you asked like what what did I do in the first like, how did I put the name out there when I opened I remember this as if it was yesterday. You know, I open the biz seminar open it, buddy, you know, printed some vinyl labeled my van shirts made I'm like, All right, I'm pumped. Yeah, you know, I guess pick a day and we're launching this company, right? We're gonna launch it just me, you know. And I'm sitting there the band's detailed wash equipment ready to go. I'm like, Alright, now how do I do it? I have no clue. I've never ran a business. So I go to Facebook or not. Yeah, Facebook. You know, I make a company page and I'm like, Alright, I make my first post. I'm like tomorrow I'm going live sending this post. Boom. I send that post quality sewer and drain that nor short. No sewer drain clean. Listen that I can hours went by now. days went by nothing. weeks went by nothing I'm wearing, I'm wearing my boots out. I'm door knocking, I'm putting fliers out at restaurants and I swear like two months went by not one call. So I went from I went from being hyped up, like, we're taking this and I'm doing it to Holy shit. This is real. I got no money coming in. I gotta figure this out. And let's go, you know, and then I got my first call, did the job. He loved it. Got another call. another call. Got another call? Hey, so and so recommended to you. We're just after house. Boom, it just all came together like, but those that I tell you that first year and a half. I didn't sleep very well. tell you that. Well, no, man, just thinking about like expenses. bills, like, no work came in this way. And I'd go weeks without a call. You know, when you first started up, no one knows the name. No one knows who you are. I'm not I'm not a townie. I'm not even from here. So I can't be like, hey, so and so you know, I grew up with just opened this company, check them up. I didn't know anybody.

Eric Girouard  11:04  

There was a slow build for you. And then you know, so about a year and a half is when it sounds like it started, things started. All the dominoes started align up and start to consistently fall and back to back to back referrals and recommendations and repeat work.

Russell Joe  11:19  

You know, provide quality work at a reasonable rate, take care of your customers take care of the community, and it's just gonna show and you're gonna come Don't take advantage of people don't oversell anything, do what they call you to do. supply them, take care of them. Recommend, treat them like your family. like as if it's your mom and dad and just do right by him. And people will love you.

Eric Girouard  11:41  

I love that. Okay. That's awesome. No, that's good. because not a lot of people tell about the hard parts, like talk about the artist parts or go back to them. So that's, I think, super helpful. And then, so now you're rocking and rolling. You're booming. We were gonna hang out last weekend, we could even hang out because you're so slammed this time of year, which is a great place to be especially with all going on the world. But what what's what's the biggest challenge now that you're facing? What do you lose sleep over about about your business has taken it to the next level? Is it finding the right talent to bring in? Is it you know, financing the growth to getting more trucks? what's the what's the big thing on your mind? He says, No, it's

Russell Joe  12:18  

definitely growing. I'm blessed. And lucky enough I have a great full time guy, Brian, he's fabulous. He's, he's learned over pizza with me a little over a year now. And he's learned tremendously and I really rely on them, especially when we're doing our lining and it's just it's tough to find guys like that. So trying to grow take it to the next step. You know, we're we're really trying to advance in this trenchless lining world you know, we're doing fittings, different wine, tea liners, and doing this real technical tricky stuff, you mess those up, you're in trouble

Eric Girouard  12:50  

and what's in what's and so obviously, this this sounds like this is not only obviously for your business, whether it's small businesses, large businesses in the trades, you know, recruiting in the next group or the next wave is this it's just the hardest thing that any any company is dealing with. And what's your take on it? You know, of course, the old guys in industry are like, Oh, the, you know, young guys don't work hard, like I used to do, you know, they don't, you know, wake up and to rocks and go to work and, and all that stuff, but like, what's your take on it? Because you're obviously a little you know, a lot younger than some of the the generation before us what's what's your take, as you're out there seeing it?

Russell Joe  13:26  

Yeah, I mean, I'm like down that I'm, you know, I'm, I'm 36 still considered a millennial. I don't think I'm one need some of the younger generation and they just don't have the they don't have the gold power. They don't do it. They don't want to show up. They show up late, you know, I brought guys in and you know, I show up late, they should no show up on time for the first two days, then they're late then they're late. They don't call you know, oh, what do you mean, we got to work late. We got an emergency to do. Yeah, we got emergency sewer, we got to dig up or stand. Let's get it done. I can't stay it's two o'clock. You mean we're gonna stay till six months? Come on. You know, like I get it. We all have things to do. Trust me, I want I don't want to be working all day, I want to be out on the boat or going to do things or going to hang out with you and you know, up in New Hampshire, but you know, some times we get stuck and we gotta do what we can so we can have time to do shit. All right. And that's a common buy, like common

Eric Girouard  14:15  

thing we're seeing across everything. It's just getting that that next group ID getting fired off.

Russell Joe  14:20  

It's part of why we're totally I've been trying to work with I've been trying to work with, you know, I put a couple calls in and met with a few people to get into. We got a local tech school right here in Danvers. And I've been trying to get in they got like a little plumbing program and everything and they don't touch on lightning linings, totally different, different aspects. But I've been trying to get in there and least go in and do some demos and show them Hey, man, there's different parts of these trades other than, you know, running pipe and soldering and pro pressing and toss in faucets, hot water, and sewer lines overhead. There's a lot of stuff in the ground that you can do and there's cool, like really gnarly, high tech stuff that you can do, or work for a company that does it. No, do some demos and show what it's all about? So we're moving forward and hopefully gonna, are they? Are

Eric Girouard  15:04  

they welcoming you in there? Or is that a tough thing for you to even get out and get in the door?

Russell Joe  15:07  

It's a little tough. It's a little tough, but I believe we will be in the in the door for next school season.

Eric Girouard  15:13  

So one thing, obviously, the world's moving faster than ever, you know, you're you're on the cutting edge of at least social media, which, which is how we met. But what, how is technology the advancement in technology affecting the business that you're in? Especially, you know, you're in more technical stuff? So I'm sure you're seeing it the most.

Russell Joe  15:30  

Yeah, you know, tech stuff is awesome. I mean, the sewer cameras, the crawlers that you have how you could, you know, go down a pipe and take a look at it on color HD screens, and it's pretty gnarly. I mean, you could diagnose problems see problems. technology with lining and trench lift, cipc pipe, it's just, it's cool stuff. And then take it to the social media side with technology. It's, it's endless. Yeah.

Eric Girouard  15:55  

And has your head social at all helped your business? Or is that more fun and enjoyment keeps you sane while you're doing while you're doing your gig? Because, you know, I love it. You're, you're literally you're driving around, you're recording all day long.

Russell Joe  16:08  

Literally, I just post nonsense all day of what I'm doing. I don't post everything I'm doing, or every job, Oman But yeah, I just post nonsense the whole day, you know, people like it, it gives a real aspect of what we do. Man, I put my phone on record I recorded I send it I you know, if you watch my stuff, there's, I'm sure you could pull billing bloopers or whatever it is. This is true. You know, it's true life, this is what it is. Your center, it's fine. You know, it's connected me with tool companies across, you know, it, it brought knowledge to me about what's out in other countries and how they're doing stuff. And me trying to learn different styles and techniques of doing, you know, things in our trade, which is pretty, pretty wild, connected with a ton of great people within, you know, my community in the plumbing community around the world. You know, I've made friends, from Russia, to California to Australia to, you know, people right here in the hometown, you know, in Beantown and the non fun part of

Eric Girouard  17:05  

running a business. Well, it sounds like you had actually some experience in this. So finances are always especially for smaller man shops. You know, one two man crews versus big companies do have an accounting department. And we talked the guys in the trades, like, yeah, I can run I can run a killer job. I can do X, Y, and Z. But like, having to manage the accounting and the payroll, the finances and what's coming in, what's coming out is that is a total pain in the ass. You had some experience sounds like from your time at the dealership, but how do you how does that finances come into play as your one as you built your business just keeping it afloat? To now you've got a good business where you want to grow it in? How do you think about that? And how does that come into play on a daily and weekly basis for you?

Russell Joe  17:46  

Yeah, I think that that the struggles of any business, especially starting up finances, unless, you know, you have a huge bank account, and you had money to start, you know, my situation I was in the worst place in my life, I was going through a divorce and losing everything. So I was already at rock bottom, and I had nothing else to lose. So I just invested literally everything I had packed credit cards, bought equipment, and funded the company.

Eric Girouard  18:09  

And so now that you're on the other end of that, right, are you running the books yourself? Or is that something now that you have luxury? Or like, you know, here's what I do, I you know, I have, you know, I have a external accountant or someone that can help me manage, you know, the most common get depart in the business, man.

Russell Joe  18:23  

I wish So right now, since day one, I run the office at night, you know, after my day working all day, I'm in my office, doing my books, invoices, putting everything in the computer, my expenses, this that ordering material? I do I do everything I do have an external account, count one who does everything, either sometimes they record or helps me with my quarterly taxes, make sure everything's in the system, make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing the right way. And of course, at the end of the year, my taxes and all that crap. But you know, without her, I'd be in trouble. But yeah, I do everything. And I think that's, that's the hardest part. You know, everyone could, you know, I could go out and do that job. And I could do this, you know, but they don't realize what's on the back end. And that's a lot of a lot of businesses struggle. And probably the failure of the business is on the back end,

Eric Girouard  19:12  

right? They could be a stud in whatever field they're in. But if they're not sending their customers the right invoices or following up or accounts receivable, or they're getting screwed, the business goes,

Russell Joe  19:21  

falls apart. And I think coming from you know, my father's company, they still no, it's still in business. Now my little brother is going to be taken over everything. Which I was, you know, I had that to fall back on one 800 call mom, mom, hey, what the heck do I do here? How you guys doing this? Like, where are you put this under and so I had that to fall back on and I always had my dad my dad. If it wasn't for my father. I probably wouldn't be where I'm at that that man taught me everything. Everything. And I was so nervous in the beginning. I mean I did it since I was a little kid, clean sewers and drains and put in a hot water tank and did everything but I get stuck on it. jobber I got nervous when I first started. I called dad, my dad. What the fuck? No, take a couple pictures. What do I do? How do I do you know, he's, you know, walk me through and guide me. But he's like, You got this, you did it forever. Literally, he's my support. And I know he's super proud. And you know, and that's how I got my name. So I brought quality, my father's company's quality plumbing and sewer cleaning. So I wanted, I wanted it, I couldn't take over the business. I couldn't be back home working for him. So that's where you get quality sewer and training from I wanted to carry on the quality name. For my dad. That was my way of honoring

Eric Girouard  20:31  

him. I'm sure he's proud. And I'm sure you appreciate it.

Russell Joe  20:33  

I love He, honestly, he right before this COVID nonsense came out. He came out spent a week with me. And he's never seen a sewer line line before, or none of the trends list. So he spent a week with us and we did some gnarly jobs. And yeah, it was cool to teach him something and show him.

Eric Girouard  20:50  

Yeah, and my guess is the stuff you're doing from a tech you know is so far advanced from what you saw when he was starting

Russell Joe  20:55  

out. So like and he's more geared driven on the plumbing side. service work? Sure. And drains he doesn't take them. He doesn't repair them because I'm forever gonna get a sewer camera.

Eric Girouard  21:04  

I talked him into it. Nice. Nice. All right, you're getting them down there. He's he'll be on Tiktok sooner? No. I think it's just super helpful. I mean, showing literally like, one it's not like you've been doing it for 20 years, it's been over the past four years, which is understandable, palatable. Not to mention, you had a lot of stress and stress going on while you're doing this. But you've come out on the other side, you've got a business, you've got a small crew and you control your own destiny. So now that we want to lighten things up a little bit away from qualities, you're a drain for everyone to get to know Russ a little better. We always ask this question, if you could spend a half an hour with anyone who would it be and why? That's a tough one.

Russell Joe  21:44  

Kind of have two answers to that. Because there's two people, of course, I'd like to spend some time with my father. I don't get to see him all the time, because he's back home in New York. Other than that, I'd like to see Mike Rowe. I'd like to spend some time with that man. Okay, I think is a pretty, pretty gnarly guy. He's a blue collar badass, you know, they focuses on the blue collar and dirty jobs. And he's a smart smart businessman too. So I I'd like to spend some time with him and chat about a few things with him. Also, one of my buddies is,

Eric Girouard  22:11  

is the executive director for a new show. So I think we may may be able to make that connection. I haven't watched the show but it's he goes into these businesses and people who are doing good in the world I guess I haven't really seen it yet. But he's

Russell Joe  22:24  

he brought us Dirty Jobs, which was awesome. I grew up watching that and just what he does with the younger generation trying to get them in the you know, the trade schools and and trying to get them involved in you know, the blue collar jobs that make this world run is pretty good. And let alone his business sense of things.

Eric Girouard  22:39  

And then last but not least, I think I already know the answer just because I you know, follow you on social but so when you're finally able to unplug after a long week of long days and hours and you finally get to release what's the thing you like to do the most that is not related to quality sewer and drain, you can find me on my boat.

Russell Joe  23:00  

I'm on the water fishing hanging out lots of time on the boat. And it's local, right because you're near the ocean. So

Eric Girouard  23:05  

where you are here in maps is your what a couple towns your one town or two towns over from

Russell Joe  23:10  

from the water that right? That's two minutes up the road at the Danvers river on the slip. Takes me 30 minutes to get out to the ocean.

Eric Girouard  23:17  

What do you go fishing for anything and everything or you got a

Russell Joe  23:19  

specific thing you're going after we go for a little bit of everything, but we focus on stripers the tuna fish, we love when the bluefin tuna come in, so it will be out next week. Case in the tunas, I got a bunch of lobster pots in so I pull off your pots almost every day when I'm out in the water, I come home with last year's cookout. So

Eric Girouard  23:38  

Ross, this has been awesome. I think, one just to get to know kind of your story. Also, you know, you started a business four years ago later on in life, want to stress that and you know, it sounds like you've got your your business, your reputation, your repeat customers, you're in a good place and you're kind of hidden Kenny hopefully to the moon and you know, figuring out basically Alright, how do I take this thing to the next level? And, and you know, a lot of these young guys that listen to this or try to figure out, you know, do I want to jump into something like this, but one is in you know, sewer and drain work. But to start my own business force. Maybe your story is like, Hey, listen, that sounds like a lot of pressure, I'd be better off being you know, the right hand man to someone that's dealing with a lot of the stress, the pressure, the accounting, the finances and, and that's what kind of down to business is all about is to help help hopefully, Shine a light behind. It seems glorious on the outside to own and run your own business because you do get to call the shots and control your own destiny but your company's big responsibility on the

Russell Joe  24:36  

back end. Absolutely. And you're always working. You might not you know what I mean? I mean, you're always working office phone calls. It's not for everyone. And there's nothing wrong with that. Neither, you know, not everyone wants to run the business. I didn't have a choice. You know, I could go work for someone and be like, Alright, I need this day off. This day off. I need this time off. I got to take my daughter here and do this. I didn't have a choice. So that was the path that took me I had You know, no option but to make it there's nothing wrong with working for a company, being the right hand man, or just a great employee. You work hard you learn, you're gonna get taken care of

Eric Girouard  25:09  

and make sure you show up on time. have reliable transportation. Don't try to leave at two o'clock when Russ is telling you Hey, dude, we got a job we have to get

Russell Joe  25:17  

done here. Absolutely. Cuz you know what we could bang these jobs out and then take Friday off and have a three day weekend.

Eric Girouard  25:21  

You go there you go. Awesome. Russell, thank you so much for sharing the story. You know, super pumped about quality sewer and drain and for anyone that wants to follow along so obviously I follow you both on on Instagram at Tick tock, but for bit to look more into your business is your Facebook page, your website? What's kind of the best place to check you out?

Russell Joe  25:41  

Yeah, I pretty much post everything business wise on Instagram. If you just type in quality sewer and drain, I'm pretty sure that it shows offers and will tag you obviously

Eric Girouard  25:49  

and all that stuff. And then for anyone that has questions, hit him up in the DMS. And if you don't get an answer, it's probably because he's working

Russell Joe  25:55  

but hang tight. Anyone that deems me I get back to everyone. They might not be right away. But I respond to every single dm message question and I'll help anyone out.

Eric Girouard  26:04  

Well, thank you so much for taking the time tonight. We are hopefully hopefully going to make you proud and hopefully it sounds like hopefully your father who will hopefully get to listen to this make him proud for what legacy that he's passed on to you and the torture you're carrying and in a different part of the country.

Russell Joe  26:21  

Absolutely