Today we’d like to introduce you to Maxine Gomez.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It started when everything I knew ended. I had finally gained the courage to leave a toxic relationship from a man with whom I worked with. By no coincidence, I was fired shortly after. Within 24 hours I incorporated Dry Tech 24/7 inc. I knew I was going to have to work 24/7 to get back on my feet. I borrowed a little money from a friend went back to school and got certified and licensed in water and mold remediation. I bought a truck and the basic equipment I needed and started doing jobs by myself.
At that time I wore all the hats, manager, operator, office admin, and bookkeeper. I joined as many networking events and associations and when I wasn’t on a job site I was out meeting people and getting the word out. It took almost a year before I could actually hire part-time help. Two years later I have full-time employees and we have expanded our scope of services. I continued my education in the restoration industry and now I also teach other contractors at the state level for their license and continuing education credits.
As an organization and with my bi-lingual background we have added Spanish classes to the curriculum as well. I usually get funny looks when I walk into a room of 30 GC’s and get introduced as their teacher for the day. I start by saying, “I won’t pretend to know more than you, I am just here to share my knowledge so you can take it with you.” It breaks the ice and makes for a great conversation starter to the class.
Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth seas never made a skillful sailor. So I hope to come out of this a master Captain, haha. I had basically jumped in head first and blind into a completely new industry and it felt like skydiving without a parachute, as I am sure most entrepreneurs can relate. I did not expect to be so sleepless, for the cash flow to be foraged, or for the equipment to be so heavy, and to be judged as a woman in construction getting dirty. I didn’t expect it to be so expensive to do things right, to insure my employees, in this industry was almost impossible. But I kept looking until I found a PEO that would take us. I knew I had to protect the people working for me.
Although I heard about the fraud and corruption in this field I was surprised how prevalent and open it was and how I was refused work by some when I wouldn’t participate. I struggled to understand how many people have bad insurance policies and can’t afford to fix their homes. I try to work with as many people as I can to help them but sometimes there is a limit to what can be done.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Dry Tech 24/7 inc is a mitigation and remediation company. We handle water damage emergencies, mold and fire remediation, Indoor Air Quality assessments, and trauma clean-up. Very glamorous as you can imagine ; )
We work with residential and commercial property owners to fix their problems. It is never the same day. We play detective, McGuiver, therapist, and problem solver.
The nicest compliment I received was from a client. She called the man that referred her to me and said, “What a great team and you can tell she does it with love.” I am most proud of my team. They were trained by me and I couldn’t do it without them. They take pride and care on every job and people can tell that we are there to help. I am proud that we are a start-up, that we are a minority and woman-owned company and that all of us are interested in learning and growing and improving our service. I am proud of our community outreach and involvement and how our success has enabled us to help others.
What makes us different is that we are a solution based company. We do not just show up and do a small part and leave. We find the problem and address it so it does not happen again. We have a great line of products with the newest technology that can improve any indoor air environment.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Any business is difficult. I personally love our city and find it an ideal place to work. There are many great opportunities and resources available here but it takes work and you have to look for them. You cannot open your doors and simply expect people to show up. It takes outreach and engaging the community. People are busy and make quick decisions so you have to be on your game.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1314 E Las Olas #408
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 - Website: www.drytech247.com
- Phone: 9547796398
- Email: info@drytech247.com
- Instagram: @MitChick247
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MitChick247/
- Twitter: @MsMackseen
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dry-tech-24-7-fort-lauderdale-2
- Other: https://saberdistributors.com/xcart/dry-tech-24-7.html?xid=maNXhwcvo0pgKPFL1bvTUXDFFoQEUzmt
Image Credit:
Graciela Valdes
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