Audio Version
Podcast Transcription
Video Version
Introduction
Joel Craddock’s first experience in the commercial cleaning industry came from his church, where he made $0.25 an hour. The job taught him hard work and responsibility from a young age. If he woke up, he knew that his job expected him to be at work. While in college, Joel worked his way up to an operations manager position for one of the biggest commercial cleaning companies in the Rochester, New York area. In this role he had hundreds of employees reporting to him at just 23 years old. While it was intimidating and a steep learning curve, he accepted the challenge. This opportunity forced him outside of his comfort zone and prepared him for his future as a business owner in the commercial cleaning industry.
Episode Summary
Joel dedicated himself to cleaning for health as a business owner when a doctor told him that he had more chemicals in his body than an embalmed person. When he first started in the industry, no one used personal protective equipment. Because of this, he has long-term lung, hand, and foot damage. He knew when he started Doc’s Facilities Solutions, he needed to focus on protecting his employees and his clients. His clients realized cleaning for health was working when their employees were taking fewer PTO days and carrying over time to the next year.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joel was hospitalized for 5 weeks, and on January 19th, 2022, he flatlined and was pronounced dead. The Doctors worked quickly and diligently on Joel, and they successfully resuscitated him. When he was stable, he found out employees ran the company and kept the business running when he was fighting for his life. It showed him how well the staff were trained and stepped up during his time of need and that the company could continue without his involvement.
The challenges continued during the pandemic when DOC’s lost 90% of its customers as they were deemed nonessential businesses. They adapted yet again, working with manufacturing facilities, assisted living, and senior living facilities. They have continued to build these relationships into 2024.
Aside from discussing COVID-19 during the episode, Joel also remarked on how many people in the commercial cleaning industry are looked at negatively. Joel serves to end this stigma. He highlights that people outside the industry do not understand how much training and certifications people must get, along with the math they must do when mixing chemicals. He believes that “every night we clean, we’re writing the prescription for the next day.”
About Our Guest(s):
Joel “Doc” Craddock
Owner - Doc's Facilities Solutions, Inc. and Doc's Facilities Consulting, Inc.
With over 40 years of experience in facilities maintenance, Joel is making a significant impact in the commercial cleaning industry and has made it his mission to train and mentor others in the industry. As the owner of two companies, Doc’s Facilities Solutions, Inc. and Doc’s Facilities Consulting, Inc., he is committed to creating clean and healthy environments for all. Doc’s Facilities Consulting, Inc., also provides training and certifications in best practices for front-line staff and supervisor development programs. Additionally, they conduct cleaning audits and offer systems to remove pathogens from the air.
Recently, Doc’s Facilities Solutions, Inc. was awarded Small Business of the Year for 2023 in the Greater Rochester, NY Region.