About Bradly Lewis, President of Bradly Lewis Home Maintenance INC
Brad Lewis
President of,
Bradly Lewis Home Maintenance INC
1501 N Hayden IS DR 21B
Portland, OR 97217
Phone: 503-481-8872
How I Got Started
It's a long story, but here's the short version. My business started with washing windows and moved on to cleaning gutters and then removing moss from roofs. It has kept growing from there as I learned more of customer's needs.
My Beliefs
I'm dedicated and hard-working. I believe in working wisely and reinvesting money into the best tools for the job. I firmly believe that I will succeed in my business by helping homeowners maintain their home cost-effectively. If I can legitimately help you maintain your home, then my services will always be in demand, And indeed they have been.
Why I Chose These Services
I provide you with services that are very difficult for you to do because of: safety, expensive equipment, lack of time or skill. By being knowledgeable and having a full set of professional tools, I can help maintain your home much quicker and provide you with information about your home to help save you much more money and time than if you tried to perform these home maintenance services yourself. These services are also chosen because they provide a financial and time margin that allows me to make a living. I couldn't do these things by pulling weeds:)
Education
I learn more about my business by listening to customers: their needs and wants and also by thinking about ways to save them money through preventative maintenance. By trying different things and from years of experience, it improves my skills at finding out what solutions would probably work best for you.
Marketable Job Skills
Marketing and Advertising
Sales
Tool procurement and maintenance
Laborer
Accountant
President
Treasurer
Website building and server maintenance
Scheduling and dispatcher
Out of about $24,000 income, I have to pay over $4000 to the Federal, State, County, City and other governments and law regulation government bodies. That's not a joke. Those are the real numbers. About $61 per working day.
If the bridge thing goes through, then I will have to pay a toll to drive to my house on Hayden Island. This will result in increased prices because I cannot print money or tax other people like the government can. I don't even see how they can build a bridge for millions of dollars when they are already overspent.
If you wonder why many of my "competitors" don't have licenses or insurance, it is because they often have a family and kids and cannot pay the taxes. Higher taxes create increased stress on people and tempt them to break burdensome taxes and laws.
Licenses, Taxes and Fees I Pay
- Income Tax - Federal
- Social Security (I have to pay twice what employees pay because I have my own business)
- Medicare - Federal
- Medicaid - Federal
- FUTA - Federal
- Income Tax - State
- Business Pesticide License - State Oregon
- Individual Pesticide License - State Oregon
- Business License - State OR
- Contractor License - State OR
- SUTA - State Oregon
- Property Tax - State
- Vehicle Fuel Tax - State
- Sales Tax - State WA
- Business License - State WA
- Business Pesticide License - State Washington
- Individual Pesticide License - State Washington
- Business Corporation Tax - State(increased with Measures 66 and 67) though I make less than $25K per year
- Vehicle Registration Tax - County
- Vehicle Licensing Tax - County
- Business Income Tax - Multnomah County
- Income Tax - Trimet
- Income Tax - Portland City
- Workman's Compensation Insurance
- New equipment as people change laws and make old equipment illegal
- High vehicle insurance because I have a business
FAQ
Why did you choose this line of work?
It was the quickest way or only way I saw at the time to make a living. A previous employer told me that because I was hard-working and did a good job that I should go out and start my own business. After handing out flyers, I got my first job in less than 30 minutes. I do it now because I can make a living at it and I enjoy doing a good job for people. I love to see people smile when the work is done. I don't feel compelled to do unethical work or work with others who rip people off for fear of losing a job. There is tons of work to be done and lots of people wanting the work done.
Do you like your work?
Yes, I do now. At first I was doing it just to stay alive. It was a big change for me. It's also been very challenging. It gives me hope. It builds self-confidence and because I've taken on the responsibility it has been empowering. It builds valuable life skills. I don't have to worry about "losing my job" or running out of work. I have plenty of work and am able to freely tell people what the least expensive ways of maintaining there home are without fear of not having enough work. I get to share with people ways they can maintain their home and save money so they can enjoy their home that they've paid so much for. Being thanked by the customer and seeing them smile is awesome. Some people even mail me thank you cards. That's cool. I post them on my walls at home to encourage me when I'm feeling down.
What's hardest about your work?
Keeping track of accounting, budgeting. Disciplining myself to keep organized after finishing job when I'm tired, keeping truck clean and cleaned out. The physical work is invigorating and enjoyable. It's also hard to keep being so creative in making things I need. It's also a challenge to keep documenting things to build my knowledge and understanding of the work. Answering the phone is tough too. If I answer the phone, it's hard for me to turn down work even when I'm busy. This is probably from being poor from other jobs and learned behavior of making money wherever possible. So now I just have to shut my phone off when I'm working and busy. |