I read so much about the threats that scare ya'll. Does anyone take the time to give back? Let's talk about fun stuff.
http://www.crittercatchersinc.com/aboutus/Giving_Back.html

That is great, Ryan. Just set a goal to do more each year...

I was also thinking of what Ammerman does for WW2 vets. That was quite a story in WCT. I think if people started talking about the good deeds, it would go a long way to build up goodwilll.

I'm just finishing up catching oppossums for a woman with two small children.While I was talking to her, she mentioned that her husbands' unit has been activated and he is off on a ship somewhere serving our country.That got me thinking about that story in WCT, about giving back to our vets,so I decided to implement a "active military discount". I am only charging her the service fee,the rest is on me.Caught 5 oppossums so far.I just felt that would be a decent way to thank him for his service and her for her sacrifice!

.....and a raccoon this A.M./job is done ,she was very happy with the bill but I think I was even happier to help!

I'd like to think that we all give back to our communities. Anything from helping out a neighbor with an animal problem to supporting the food bank to working with troubled kids. It's all good.

Charitable giving is a rather personal thing. I don't know if you're going to get too many guys talking about it, much less using it as a marketing strategy.

I would like to bring up a couple of organizations that I hope anyone in a position to help out would consider though. Good people doing much needed work.

The Alzheimer's Association (link) and Save the Children (link).

I do free bees all the time. Some cant pay, but they can climb, so I'll teach them how to solve the problem. Others can't pay, and are actually too old or something to do it themselves, so I take care of the problem with a promice that they send me a Christmas card.

There is a difference between personal and business giving. Let's talk about business...and we can all keep the personal stuff to ourselves.

I do no personal giving unless of course I give my Miller High Life bottle cap for the troops. All my charitable giving is 100% through the business. Childrens Hospital, Susan Kormen Foundation, this year I sponsored a soft ball team and always donate money to the kids girl scouts troop.

There are millions of charities and non-profits to give to and I really don't see who we give to being a big secret, but the reasons we give are a different story.

Anyone who knows me knows that within three months of being laid off from my job my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. No insurance, no job, and living on unemployment. Luckily for me I had a untouched GI Bill sitting there and went to school full time, got back into nuisance work part time, and took care of three kids and a sick wife. Years later I am thankful for the opportunities I had available to me at that time. Now I do what I can to help others and if that means writing a few checks or giving my time for a charity walk I am gonna do it.

It will take one heck of a sob story for me to do a job for free. "I fell on hard times" doesn't really cut it for me. I was watching this show the other night called "Shipping Wars" and the one guy was trying to get a Buzz Lightyear kiddie ride delivered to Minnesota from California for his grandson. In his ad he said it was for his grandson who just lost his father. The one guy says that poor kid, I will take it for free. So he drives to California, loads it up, hauls it to Minnesota. On the way he breaks down and has to rent a truck to get it there. He pulls up and the guy owns a grocery store and the ride is going to be in the store. So not only was the guy more than capable of paying for the shipment, he is going to make money off it also (even if it is only $0.50 at a time). Maybe I am not compassionate or maybe I am heartless but people are shady and will use any angle they can to get something for free.

I was taught to give by my father almost from day one. His contributions were always to the church we attended. He wasn't that big on the well known charities but he always gave to church. ( Whether he attended or not or whether he could afford it or not )

Now I know why! Every church donation is accounted for. ( And yes, we did have a pastor's wife, many years ago, who was dipping into the till and got caught ) We know what the money is used for and we take comfort in the fact that it's being used properly. These are our personal donations.

Whenever we give a larger donation, we give it through the company. Al Krier has been doing a Cystic Fibrosis charity for years. ( Al's grandson died from CF shortly after I met him for the first time and I did shed some tears ) The fact that we are now able to donate money that we could never afford when I worked for someone else, is probably the proudest thing that I can say about Advanced Wildlife Control. As far as customer discounts, glad you asked! I've given several to older, retired folks in the last month or so; it's great advertising when they don't know it's coming and you hand them a bill for less than they agreed upon.

Seems to me that there is a lot of good things happening in the ADC market. It's worth talking about...and getting the word out there to the public.

I guess I found the subject odd because my business name is my personal name.

I've known guys with businesses anywhere from funeral parlors to general contractors who support various activities and community programs but do it as just another form of advertising.

Dave, you seem to be more of a business man than a WCO. What got you interested in this business as opposed to all the others?

SQS - Well...

Earlier in life, I could probably relate more to a WCO than a business man. I was in 4H with pheasants and horses. I loved bowhunting...fishing...hunting morels...trapping...

However, I have always tried to push myself into areas of weakness as a way to grow. I figure, that I have to get outside my comfort zone to get better at anything. The business man side came after college (although I have no formal education in business). I have found a passion in business from the standpoint of it being a challenge and a creative outlet.

While in school, I worked with Al Krier....it was a natural fit at the time because I was pursuing a degree in Biology. After I obtained the degree (and left Al for a "real job"), I found that the profession was not a very good choice to make a living...and not as fun as working for Al. At the time, the market was flooded with Biologists. I figured that I should obtain a Masters in Hazardous Waste Management...because that market certainly would note be flooded with eager college grads. I spent 15 years in the Environmental, Health and Safety profession at a variety of companies...I moved around every few years (PPG, Lear, Magna...and others). I developed my experience in business by working for a variety of companies and seeing how they operate (culture, management, etc).

One day my lovely bride started talking about how we wanted the rest of our live to go. You know...the kids talk. Maybe I was trying to dodge the question, so I started talking about figuring out a way to buy Al's business or start one. Since she had listened to this story thousands of times....she explained that I ought to do it or forget about it...because she was sick of it! That was a green light, if I had ever heard one.

Fast forward seven years...we have a 5 year old, 2 year old...and a growing business with 7 employees. Go figure!

This plays right into this topic. About 45 minutes ago, I'm standing in line at the grocery store check-out. The guy in front of me is $4 short and he and his young son are trying to figure out what costs 4 bucks that they can have the check-out gal take back.

We'll you could have knocked us both over with a feather. The cashier pulls 4 bucks out of her apron and throws it in the till. I'm sure she was the most elderly cashier in the place. I'm really beginning to love old people. The customer was still stammering about how he was going to pay her back as he left the store.

It's not really giving back, but I have a weakness for people with kids stranded on the road in the mid summer heat. I can't tell you how many times I've given a mother with kids gas to get them going again while on the job. I was the little kid in that car once with a mother who worked her tail off to make ends meet. It doesn't hurt to help people out for nothing in return every now and then.

I always give military discounts, active or non-active. I didn't serve, so I feel it's the least I can do.
Also, whenever you see a guy or gal in uniform in an airport, buy their meal. It makes you feel good and it saves one of the good guys a few bucks.

I have a standing annual appointment at the local elementery school and next month I'm doing mock employment interviews at one of the high schools. I also offer military discounts as well plus I've been none to count some folks a break.
I much prefer though helping young and upcoming NWCOs if they have what it takes.

That is cool....ask them to list their biggest weakness. I hate that question...

[quote=Paul Winkelmann]I was taught to give by my father almost from day one. His contributions were always to the church we attended. He wasn't that big on the well known charities but he always gave to church. ( Whether he attended or not or whether he could afford it or not )

Now I know why! Every church donation is accounted for. ( And yes, we did have a pastor's wife, many years ago, who was dipping into the till and got caught ) We know what the money is used for and we take comfort in the fact that it's being used properly. These are our personal donations.

Whenever we give a larger donation, we give it through the company. Al Krier has been doing a Cystic Fibrosis charity for years. ( Al's grandson died from CF shortly after I met him for the first time and I did shed some tears ) The fact that we are now able to donate money that we could never afford when I worked for someone else, is probably the proudest thing that I can say about Advanced Wildlife Control. As far as customer discounts, glad you asked! I've given several to older, retired folks in the last month or so; it's great advertising when they don't know it's coming and you hand them a bill for less than they agreed upon. [/quote


I was taught the same thing Paul, only it was from my Mothers sacrificing... always tithe ... and the other part of your post is what I hope to do more of as time goes by.

I hooked up a Korean War vet last week, he had 7 groundhogs in his yard, I cut him a real good deal. The school career day thing sounds like a good idea.

I did a presentation for a vet club with 4H....that was fun!