Joe Poole knows how to pave. His challenge once he started his own company was to convince skittish homeowners that he ran a reputable, trustworthy business.
It took him less than a year.
Today he runs a family-owned, family-operated and family-financed paving business, continuing a legacy started years ago by his grandfather. “We’re a third-generation paving company and we’re pretty proud of that,” Poole says.
Poole got his start in the paving business 14 years ago working for Pike Industries, Belmont, NH, but he wanted to run his own company. So early in 2017 he left Pike Industries to start Poole Brother’s Paving & Sealcoating, Casco, ME, serving Cumberland and York counties of Maine.
“This region is serviced by a number of larger paving contractors, but they have to travel a distance to get here,” Poole says. “So in that sense there was an opening for a company like ours that focuses on smaller paving work.”
Renting to Get Started
Poole owned only a dump truck and some small tools, so to get work done they rented a Dynapac vibratory roller and Leeboy 8500 paver, among other equipment as needed.
“Renting was costly but in the end it was worth it because we were able to get the equipment we wanted,” he says.
The 2018 season will be a little different because Poole Brother’s was able to buy a used Volvo 3-5 ton vibratory roller and a used Leeboy 8500.
“We had done well enough where people wanted to invest in us but we turned them down because they wanted too much equity,” he says. “I was willing to give them a good return on their investment but I just don’t want to give up part of the company.”
In the end a family member invested, which enabled Poole to buy the equipment for 2018.
Today Poole Brother’s Paving & Sealcoating employs five people --- all family members: brother Peter; father, Herman (whose father, also Herman, had started a paving company in Connecticut); uncle, Larry Whittier, truck driver; and nephews Jerry and Derrick Burnham, who work as laborers.
Poole says 60% of their work is self-generated, split 90% paving and 10% sealcoating – almost all of it on residential driveways. The other 40% is as a paving subcontractor for Shaw Brothers Construction, Gorham, ME, performing small jobs, handwork and occasional excavation work.
“Shaw Brothers called and said they knew our reputation and they had some work that would suit us and they asked if we’d like to do it. We said ‘yes’,” Poole says. “They’re such a big player and they’re such a good contractor ... it was huge for them to contact us. That says a lot about who we are and our reputation in the industry and we’re pretty proud of that.”
Establishing Trust the First Year
He says crafting that reputation and developing that trust was the biggest challenge they faced in their first year.
“That was difficult because so many people have been ripped off by the fly-by-night guys who come through,” Poole says. “It makes people gun-shy, so we made it a priority right from the start to establish ourselves as a reliable, trustworthy contractor.”
How did Poole Brother’s do it?
“First, we answer calls when they come in,” Poole says. “We respond right away, which customers said many contractors don’t do.
“Second, we show up when we say we will. You’d be surprised the impact that makes.
“Third, we show up in uniform and we present ourselves well. We look and act professional and we treat our customers well.”
Poole Brother’s also provides printed materials about the company with the company name and address on them, provides references, and guarantees its work for 7 years on jobs it constructs from the ground up; 1 year otherwise.
And Poole says that their reliance on social media reinforces that they’re a trustworthy, reliable company. They buy Facebook ads, and on their Facebook page provide on-the-job videos, homeowner tips, and photos of poor quality jobs to show differences in workmanship.
“Fly-by-night companies don’t have Facebook pages,” he says. “It’s easy to find us, people can see what we’re about and they can see what other people think of us. We try to keep the page fresh because once we’re engaged with people on social media the conversations start to add up.”
But most marketing is the result of word-of-mouth support from Shaw Brothers, past customers, and even state inspectors. During his time with Pike, Poole built relationships with inspectors who realized that as a foreman he was intent on producing quality work on schedule.
“The state inspectors will often respond that they know we’re a good company to deal with,” he says. “It’s one thing for a homeowner to say we’ve done good work; it’s another thing when a state inspector says it. It’s really beneficial that they vouch for us.
“We’ve tried hard to establish a good name for ourselves and do a good job the right way,” Poole says. “We’re easy to get along with, our customers like us, and we do good work. That tends to get around.
