Sally McKnight has developed some pretty decent office skills over the
years. So when she was hired to set up an office for a chimney sweep in Oakland,
California, it didn't take her too long to get an efficient, workable system
on the go.
McKnight knew a lot about running an office, but she knew very little about
chimney cleaning. So when her boss suggested she come out on the job with
him for a day, it seemed like a good idea. The more she knew about chimneys,
the more effectively she'd handle customers.
That day changed McKnight's career direction forever. "One day. That's
all it took. I said, 'I don't ever want to go back to the office again.'"
Many years later, she still feels the same way. Eventually she went into
partnership with her boss and, in time, bought him out.
So what is it about chimney sweeping that appeals to her so much?
"It's refreshing to be able to be in different places all day long. I'm
in five to eight different homes each day, with five to eight different homeowners,
all with different chimneys, all with their own problems and idiosyncrasies."
That variety and interaction with people helps keep the job interesting.
"By the time I retire from this, I'll be deserving of a master's degree in
psychotherapy. Chimney work is providing a service to homeowners. You have
to have the ability to listen to what other people are saying to you. Your
job is to solve their problems," says McKnight.
After the northern California earthquake of 1989, McKnight had lots of
problems to solve. She hired 14 employees to help with the increased workload.
Because McKnight has two different contractor's licenses, she was able to
offer several options to her clients.
"If I only had a masonry contractor's license, all I'd be able to do is
rebuild their chimney. But because I have another license that allows me to
work in metals, when I meet with a homeowner to solve a really big problem
like that, I have lots of options to offer them. And most homeowners do not
understand about their fireplaces. They don't have a clue about how they work."
McKnight sees herself as an educator first and foremost. It's important
to give her customers as much information as possible so they can make good
decisions.
"I can't make those kinds of decisions for them. I don't live in the house.
It's not my pocketbook. It's not my lifestyle. So that's who I am -- I am
an educator foremost."
Though her company increased in size after the 1989 earthquake, McKnight
was miserable. "I didn't want to be a manager. I wanted to be a field technician-entrepreneur.
I went back to a much smaller company."
Gary Stanger can relate to that. He got started in this business right
out of high school, working for a company with a staff of 10 chimney sweeps.
"It was just a job and I wasn't going to do it forever. I didn't have any
real career goals at that time. My father was a bricklayer, and I figured
I'd go into the trades, too. I just didn't know what trade yet."
But after learning the chimney service business, it occurred to Stanger
that he and his father had a lot in common in terms of their work.
"I wanted to go out on my own, but I was a little nervous about it. My
father was already doing brickwork, including building chimneys, so we formed
a partnership. He builds them and I maintain them.
"My dad would say to people, 'I've built you this beautiful fireplace and
chimney. That was my job. Now your job is to have my son clean it regularly
to keep it in this fine condition.' I got lots of business that way."
Stanger's father is semi-retired now, and Stanger runs the company pretty
much alone. "We do less building and more maintaining and repairing now."
The worst part of the job for Stanger is working in very cold weather.
Though fall and winter are the busiest time of year, Stanger says it is the
worst time to work.
"You're dealing with icy and wet roofs, and that can be dangerous." He
offers lower rates in the spring to encourage homeowners to do cleanings earlier
in the year. "I keep hoping it will reduce the mad rush in winter, but so
far it hasn't worked."
The key to being a good chimney sweep is customer service. Stanger listens
carefully to his customer's needs and educates them about fire safety in their
homes.
"Most people don't have a clue about their chimney -- how it works, how
often it should be cleaned. That's why we still have so many chimney fires.
People just don't know any better. That's the most important part of my job
-- educating people," says Stanger.
Aside from the importance of fire safety, Stanger and McKnight agree on
another benefit of the job. "Cleaning chimneys is hard physical
work, but it will keep you fit!" says Stanger.