Sam Rankin
president
Etch Outdoor Living
Huxley, Iowa
1. Tell me about Etch Outdoor Living and how did you get into the business?
We are a full-service provider Design/Construction Companyand that's what we do Snow removal as well as. We put a little more emphasis on recurring services, but we also take care of pools, patios, putting greens, plants, pergolas – anything with a “P” in it, we seem to take care of. I was like any kid who started a mowing business when I mowed the neighbor's lawn – but I was dumb enough to stick with it. One thing led to another, and when I graduated college, I decided to pursue a career as a professional hockey referee. This business gave me the opportunity to make that dream come true. Over time it changed locations, which I really enjoy doing. The business became a little more fun every day.
2. Are you still a hockey referee? What's it like to be booed by everyone?
I now officiate college hockey. Last fall I broke my leg and partially tore my meniscus, which made me wonder if it was really worth it, but I want to get back out there. I'll be on the ice in Omaha soon. And we often get booed before the game even starts. It's great when both coaches shout because then you know you're doing it right. I tell the coaches, “My goal is to be consistent. It could be consistently bad or consistently great, but at least you know what you're going to get.”
3. Are there any trends you are noticing among your customers?
From a commercial maintenance perspective, price remains the driving factor. Property managers and management companies are praised for reducing budgets and increasing a property's ROI. We need to flip the script and let them know that we can meet your budget, but that budget doesn't meet the expectations that owners or executives will have when they come to town. Much Training is needed to ensure that we are both on the same path together.
4. What is your favorite tool to get the job done?
Our Turfco spreader. We have the T3100. I love their simplicity. When we're trying to scale a business, we want some things to be simple and have fewer parts that work. You can't go wrong with them. And if something does go wrong, we have the five or ten most common parts in stock so you don't have to wait for them. And the really nice thing about it is that Turfco is based Minneapolis. If it's a part we don't have and we call by 2 p.m., it'll be on our doorstep before I get to the shop the next morning. We have a great time with them. They allow us to scale. Your spreader fits through gates. They do all the little things. They have been a great partner for us.
5. Tell me about your family and what do you all do for fun?
My wife Haley, she is amazing. We have a 3 month old daughter, Ruby. She is a light. It's so much fun being a father. I don't think you'll ever be great at being a father, but I want to be great at it. Haley and I enjoy playing golf. Her favorite thing to do is drive around in the handcart, but the fact is that she is a really good golfer, which she enjoys. And we walk a lot with the dogs and our daughter. I really enjoy spending time with the family. In my opinion, you can never spend too much time just spending time with those closest to you.