AC Lockyer: 0:13

Hey guys, this is AC Locker, here with Building a Lifestyle Business, and I've got Robert and Chantal here and I need you guys to pronounce your name for me because I don't want to butcher it, because people butcher my name all the time. Pronounce your last name for me Casillas, casillas, okay, cool. And you guys are with San Diego Soft Wash out there and, of course, san Diego. Keep it classy, right, keep it classy A little. Ron Burgundy there. Keep it classy. San Diego, okay, and yeah. So tell us a little bit about you guys. You guys got great shirts on Nice and new and crispy. Yeah, give us that biographical. Tell us who you are, where you're from, what you do, all that kind of stuff. Tell us about the baby and yeah, um, yeah, let's go.

Chantal Casias: 1:06

Okay, you want me to go first. Okay, so I'm Chantal Um. Before we started our business, uh, I had started working while I was in high school. I did sales for a company that sold used RVs. They bought and sold used RVs. So I got my first sales experience while I was still in high school, making hundreds of phone calls a day trying to connect with people who either wanted to get rid of an RV they had or buy an RV, and that was kind of my start into sales and business and just kind of like the workforce. Once I graduated high school, I started dental assisting and I worked at a dental office for about 10 years. During my time at that office I had a wonderful boss. I loved working there, I loved my patients, I loved my team, my boss, and during the time that I worked there I went from working in the back office dental assisting so actually cleaning people's teeth and doing all of that to helping with their marketing. So I would travel. We called it inter-office relations.

Chantal Casias: 2:13

Okay.

Chantal Casias: 2:14

So I would go to offices that were maybe referral partners of ours and do luncheons with them, do meetings with them, talk about our specialty. Our specialty was orthodontics and pediatric dentistry, um, so basically talk about what we did, um, and build strong relationships with our surrounding um colleagues and you know other specialties and uh did that for 10 years, ended up um managing the office. Absolutely loved it. But, uh, I I come from a family that's pretty entrepreneurial entrepreneurial, um, my dad has always been very business minded. My two older brothers own a business together, um, and so always knew eventually I wanted to start my own business.

Chantal Casias: 3:01

I had dabbled in a couple of little things. I started a t-shirt brand called Blondie and made little illustrations, put them on t-shirts and stickers and stuff like that, and did that for a little while and then eventually we'll talk more about this later but we came to know about soft washing through some really close friends of ours, family friends, to know about soft washing through some really close friends of ours, family friends and we had known we wanted to start something and it just so happened that all the right pieces aligned at the right time and it's like it was really a God thing that led us into starting the soft wash things and going from there, and we've been doing it. Now we're in the middle of our third year and going strong and excited to keep keep growing the business.

AC Lockyer: 3:48

So cool, and so I always call you Bob. And then somebody said I need to call you robert. But what do you? What do you like to be called?

Bob Casias: 3:56

uh, everybody calls me Bob, so everybody that knows me calls me Bob. It's funny. I answer the phone like hey, this is where Robert can see us. And they like, hey, hey, do you see Bob? But, everybody calls me Bob. Yeah, all the friends, family calls me Bob.

AC Lockyer: 4:09

I know I'm called by Alfred Al AC, so I get it yeah.

Bob Casias: 4:15

You don't look like a Bob, but it's like it's been Bob. You don't pick your names, that's right.

AC Lockyer: 4:22

So, what's your background?

Bob Casias: 4:25

So that's right. So what's your background? So, growing up my dad owned a framing company. So my dad was an entrepreneur. He kind of went out and started doing his own thing and ran crews and he was in pretty much. He was in a niche kind of industry too, like pretty uh high-end home custom homes. He uh pretty specialty framer and uh so I for detail, he called he's. He said he calls it the sickness, uh in his sick. Yeah, pretty much everything has to be perfect. He's ocd uh about you know he's likes everything perfect. So I grew up uh, pretty much that was my dad.

Bob Casias: 5:11

So everything that would explain the nervous twitch that you have yeah no joke, yeah, yeah, it was good and you know I took the good, you know, and we uh moved on you.

AC Lockyer: 5:22

That's right I graduated high school. I'm a son of a perfectionist too, so we can start a little group. You know, my name is AC, my dad was a perfectionist, my dad's a perfectionist.

Bob Casias: 5:38

But he's good. I'm more of a deep personality, so like I'm driven goalie oriented so I go getter. So having the perfectionist kind of detail oriented was, I think, good for me. I think he knew I needed to slow down, look for the details. But starting my own business, I've always had a mind to work and earn money. Actually, the first thing I used to build duct tape, wallets and so, yeah, before that I used to go sell candy, candy bars door to door to raise money for camps and stuff at the church. So it's always been like okay, eventually my goal when I first graduated high school to be like take over my dad's business, become a trainer, yeah, and go with that. So I worked for him for about a year Didn't really work out on the crew and stuff like that. An opportunity opened up and I went to.

Bob Casias: 6:28

I became a journeyman carpenter in the union doing concrete, so building high rises, and it's hard work. It was heavy, dangerous, but good, paid the bills and I remember I actually it's funny the bills. And uh, I remember I actually it's funny. Uh, just like last week I talked to my old boss and uh, I feel like that really the conversation we had before I left. He was like, uh, I want to make you a foreman. And I was like, okay, that sounds awesome. I just journeyed out. I'm like, yeah, I'm young, I'm 23 and be journeying out is a pretty big milestone when you're a carpenter. So, uh, he was like I want to make you a foreman, but it's.

Bob Casias: 7:07

I was like, okay, when, how long? He's like three years. Like if you work for three years, we can make you a foreman, you can be running work. I'm like that's not going to do for me. Three years is way too long. I got to do something else. So I'm like I can probably give myself a raise. So, uh, right that my mindset are going like, okay, we need to find a business to start, we need to do something else. Yeah, I'm not gonna die, you're pouring concrete. So, uh, uh, that's when we actually it's funny uh, we kind of talked to lombardo. So the l Lombardo's talked to us before you need to start soft washing, you need to start soft washing. We're like, oh, yeah, whatever, you know, we have a good job for good. And then, a few years later, it's funny, around that time we were at a church event and they were there and Vince, vince, lombardo pretty much sold us on soft washing.

Bob Casias: 8:01

He was like well, I make this much a week. Can I make at least this much a week? And he's like dude, you can make way more than that. It's not even good. He's like okay, and literally how long after that? How did that?

AC Lockyer: 8:17

go after. That was December of 2020.

AC Lockyer: 8:18

But let's not get too deep into how you found soft wash systems, because we'll get to that.

Chantal Casias: 8:32

We'll get to that we'll get to that. Let's talk about the baby. Yes, so we have a little guy. Yeah. Okay, so we have a little guy. He just turned one uh-huh bowdrey paul. He is so much fun, he's awesome, uh, and he's one of our greatest motivations. So he's amazing. He's got this thick old head of hair oh, I've never seen a kid.

AC Lockyer: 8:50

They came, he came out with the johnny. Bravo, hairdo, I mean out of the womb totally did you're pulling up he has.

Bob Casias: 9:01

good, he has my coloring and Chantal personality. That's great, oh my goodness, he's so perfect.

Chantal Casias: 9:11

I mean.

AC Lockyer: 9:12

I instantly fell in love. The first time I saw him, I was just like oh my goodness, yeah, yeah, he's a cute guy.

Bob Casias: 9:19

He's a people person, he is he loves people.

Chantal Casias: 9:21

He's awesome.

AC Lockyer: 9:24

Now, so you. So, Bob, you said you're a D, so what are you on the DISC assessment?

Bob Casias: 9:29

A D, yeah, so I'm mainly I'm like, straight on the top Straight a, d or a.

AC Lockyer: 9:32

D-I or a D-C or what are you.

Bob Casias: 9:35

D and then D-I. Like I said, there's like a D-I so I can talk to people, but mostly just D.

AC Lockyer: 9:49

So I got to work on everything else Chantal, what are you?

Chantal Casias: 9:51

I'm a mix of D-I-S-C. So, are you so?

AC Lockyer: 9:56

Are you, are you a level or yes? Oh, wow, okay, cool that means, you can do a lot of things.

Chantal Casias: 10:07

Yeah I'm blessed Trying to do it well, good, good, very, very cool.

AC Lockyer: 10:14

Yeah, and so how long you guys been married.

Bob Casias: 10:15

This is October. Yeah, five years, five years, five years

AC Lockyer: 10:18

Now. Chantal, you said you talked about your job in high school and you talked about getting into the dental world. You talked about you worked your way, all the way up to managing and that you had worked there for 10 years. And I'm doing math right now.

AC Lockyer: 10:38

And so how old were you when you left the dental office?

Chantal Casias: 10:43

was 26. Yeah, 26. Yeah.

Chantal Casias: 10:44

Yeah 26.

Bob Casias: 10:45

Yeah, think.

AC Lockyer: 10:46

Yeah, 26. Yeah. So, is one of you guys older than the other.

Chantal Casias: 10:54

Yes, I'm four years older than him.

AC Lockyer: 10:57

Well, you know what the Oak Ridge boys say. Have you ever heard that song? Older women make beautiful lovers, those older women.

AC Lockyer: 11:06

That's right, that's great, so very cool. You guys are just you're a fun couple and you know, and you just have all kinds of energy and everything and you're really involved in your church. And so talk about that a little bit, because we at Softwatch Systems we're not on purpose a faith based organization, but because of who we are and everything else, we really attract a lot of faith based people. So let's talk about that, because we've had some great conversations on this podcast about that.

Bob Casias: 11:40

Yeah, yeah. So my father, Chantal dad, pastors a church. I grew up going to church and going to that church. That's how we met, but that's always been pretty much the center of our lives. We go to church three, four times a week and really is the reason why we live, that's why we do what we do and I think for us, I feel like that's always been the center, and I guess raising Beaudry is going to be the center for his life. I don't, I don't feel like business. Everything else is kind of surrounding that.

Chantal Casias: 12:19

So, but yeah, we say and a really great friend of ours kind of coined this, but it's God, family, church, work in that order.

Bob Casias: 12:29

Right.

Chantal Casias: 12:29

So that's, that's our view and how we live, and we're thankful.

Bob Casias: 12:34

We're pretty active. Cantel sings. I used to be in the band uh, but uh what did you?

AC Lockyer: 12:40

What did you play in the band?

Bob Casias: 12:42

A guitar, yeah, okay, cool Electric guitar so, but yeah, always been active, always been involved doing that. That's, yeah, definitely something we do multiple times a week.

Chantal Casias: 12:55

I think that's a big influence too and, like you said, it's when, who you are, is that and and faith and God and everything is that much a part of you. It just kind of bleeds over into everything else and what's really shaped, I know, for me, my, my whole thought process on work and business and everything is anything your hand finds to do do with. All your mind is unto the Lord.

Chantal Casias: 13:25

My parents told me that growing up in high school, you got to do your best, work your hardest If nobody sees it. God sees it, you know. And then being able to own a business, it's like you get to put those really deep rooted values and core beliefs into action and it's like your mission statement at work. You know, I think that's a cool thing about being able to own a business is you're the deepest parts of you. You get to try to live out publicly with a team and with your community and stuff, which is really cool.

Bob Casias: 13:59

Yeah, yeah, I feel like, uh, I guess, as far as business we're going to relate, to do it, owning a business is a lot like walk your walk with God. You know it's uh, not too complicated, it's simple, but it's consistent. So, uh, staying consistent on the simple things is really where it's at. And then the core values of, I guess, faith and what we believe, as definitely, I mean, that's the way I believe life was meant to be, you know, like way God designed it. So we, we are blessed from it for sure.

AC Lockyer: 14:29

No, absolutely Absolutely, and so I think that probably is a lot of the reason why what led you guys to also want to be entrepreneurs so I'll do the plug for you. You guys go to the rock church, right?

Chantal Casias: 14:45

You know what that's Lombardo?

Bob Casias: 14:46

Yeah

Chantal Casias: 14:46

Lombardo.

AC Lockyer: 14:48

That's Lombardo, but is it a similar?

Bob Casias: 14:50

movement you're part of. Yeah same, yeah, yeah same. Uh. Denomination her dad comes from the rock church.

AC Lockyer: 14:57

Yeah, okay, yeah yeah, and so super evangelistic, um, super charismatic, really, really deep and very interwoven to all parts of your life and all so. So you've got to be a church. You don't have to, but you want to be a church a lot and you live in community and so sometimes having a J-O-B isn't real conducive to that. So you know, we have like y'all may figure this out we have a ton of Jehovah's Witness in soft wash systems and they like to be entrepreneurs because it gives them freedom to be able to go on mission trips and do things with the church and leave work early to get to church and serve people or go to Bible studies or be evangelistic without having to worry about losing your job. I got to imagine for us because you guys like sold out, I mean you're like you know, I mean when you're part of that movement.

AC Lockyer: 15:55

you breathe, eat, sleep church. So I got to imagine that has a certain amount of play into your decision to be entrepreneurs no-transcript.

Bob Casias: 16:34

Like it is an opportunity that God's opened up for us, but I think keeping God first for sure is it's necessary, but I guess, yeah, it's opened up opportunities for us, is not? Yeah, they get. It goes hand in hand. I think, whatever we do, you just have to be pretty much go for it all the way, and I'm pretty hardcore on pretty much everything I do, so keeping that balance at the same time.

Chantal Casias: 17:01

Yeah, but it is true, when you're running your own business, you're not at the mercy of someone else's schedule that they set up for you and things they require you to do or be at. You know where for us. You know our, our faith, our relationship with God and how that turns into our, our being involved in the church. That's like a non-negotiable.

Chantal Casias: 17:24

Yeah, I remember so there are lines of work where that won't jive with, because they want work to be first thing. You know, they want work to take priority and everything. And so being able to run a business, you have the, you have the incentive to make the business work. So that way the rest of your life is able to be prioritized how you want to prioritize it.

Bob Casias: 17:47

Yeah, I remember taking off of work, like, okay, like on Tuesday nights we have service like, hey, I can't work past this time. I got to go to church, like usually, because you're the best worker, you show up, you're not drunk, you're not, you don't do anything like that, you're there to work and that's all they really want is like, hey, they can respect your faith, you know. So, even as an employee, I remember like making sense, like, hey, I don't work on Sundays, I can't work too late on Tuesdays, but any other time I'll work. So it's always been. I guess it was almost such a natural step. It was not necessarily for the church, because I was going to go to church regardless, but it felt like the doors did open, like it was a God thing that we were able to start a business. So it's like it was like, yeah, we were meant to do this. Uh, church is going to be number one, regardless of whatever we do.

AC Lockyer: 18:39

So it's good, very cool. So why cleaning? Because I mean, I know I know you guys said the lombardos came and mentioned it to you and everything else, but they're, I mean I understand why you didn't go into framing. That's hard work, that you know, and no matter how obsessed you are over how straight a two by four is, you know and and all that kind of stuff, that's hard work. It's hard, hot work outside and everything else. But why cleaning?

Chantal Casias: 19:12

can I start the answer? Yeah, yeah, okay.

Chantal Casias: 19:14

So it wasn't like there's anything in cleaning that was particularly glamorous so that we're like, oh, we've got to do that right I think it was once we had talked with vince and the lombardos um, and kind kind of dipped our toe in the water a little bit to see what they had going on. And then we met people that they were associated with and saw how people were able to build a business, grow a family, keep priorities right and do something that was successful, that was good for the community, that was sustainable. There's always going to need to be something that needs to be cleaned up and made better and made beautiful. So it's like there's job security. And then we met all these really awesome people who were and I'm talking about other softwashed companies who we met some of the camps and training courses with um softwash systems and it was getting to see oh, my goodness, there's like a really great um, not just opportunity here, but there's a lot of really good people who are making things happen and we want to learn from them. Like we're hungry to grow, we're hungry for knowledge, we want to.

Chantal Casias: 20:34

Whatever we do, we want to do it the best way we can, and we saw an opportunity and a path to do that with what we found in the community of software systems and the training that was available and all of that. So it was kind of like for us when all those doors open at the same time and kind of it felt like we were led to softwashing and the concept of San Diego softwash. It was kind of like, okay, you know what, God has opened these doors. And yeah, it's going to be kind of scary to make the jump and do it and go, you know, full speed ahead. But if God led us to this, it's for a reason and we're going to do it and we're going to work hard and we'll see what happens, you know.

Bob Casias: 21:15

So it's kind of um yeah, at least I remember coming back from talking uh, vince, uh and uh, then trying to decide whether to spend the money to buy the equipment, sure, and driving around like it was more of like yeah, like yeah, there's a bunch. Like we literally drove away from our house and like, hey, there's grain on that roof over there and it's like, hey, we can clean.

AC Lockyer: 21:38

Like that that would be you got the sickness, as your dad would say yeah, yeah, we can.

Bob Casias: 21:43

Actually, this is a good product and I feel like we can actually do this. I like I'm always like I did construction, so I wasn't scared to work outside and be like, okay, it's. It seemed like a better product than what's out there and that's really uh in the market, so there's a, there's room for it. It's unknown, but you're like it looks like it does work and we're able. I remember uh playing for a few houses and like uh talking to lumbar. Yeah, I was like, hopefully this works, you know we're able. I remember uh playing for a few houses and like uh talking to Lombard. Yeah, I was like hopefully this works. You know we're spraying this on here. You know like you got to see it to believe it, but it takes time to see it. Uh, especially in San Diego the Vikings.

AC Lockyer: 22:19

Right, you have a different funk there, for sure.

Bob Casias: 22:22

Yeah, it's hardcore. So it takes months for that stuff to come off and we're like, oh yeah, we're selling it. And we're like, oh, we're praying. You know it's like hopefully this comes off. But I remember it was more like that. It wasn't necessarily like I have a passion for cleaning, it was just like I'm not going to work with my hands. It seemed like a good product and everything looks right. And, you know, the doors opened up. We went for it.

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AC Lockyer: 23:29

Cool. And so you found SoftWash Systems through the Lombardos and you came down and went to Discover SoftWash and started your softwashing journey Again. Refresh my mind, I know you said at the beginning of the podcast how many years have you been doing this now?

Bob Casias: 23:55

equipment. We got the truck running like april 2022. We did our first job in april and then I think discover soft wash was in like june or something like that july, like a few months after. So we did a job, you know, and we pretty much landed two jobs in april and then couldn't land another job for like a few months, uh, knocking doors and trying to figure out how to do it, and then we went to start us off. So, yeah, it's been just over our second year. So we're almost halfway through our third year right now. So two and a half years.

AC Lockyer: 24:23

So it's been growing each year. For you guys, I mean, do you guys mind sharing any numbers or anything? What was your first year? How did you do your first year?

Bob Casias: 24:36

We're just looking at right now. So we did, uh, from April to April, we did $57,000. Uh, so April, that was 2022 to 2023. And then from 2023 to 2024, which April this year we did 375. Wow, yeah, there's a bunch of yeah. I have no idea what we're saying. It's been a grind, that's been helping us.

Chantal Casias: 25:05

Yeah, we definitely don't have it figured out yet.

Bob Casias: 25:08

We still kind of know how to grow and so we're always constantly learning, like literally calling people up like, hey, what are you guys doing? How can we fix this? And I feel like it is just consistency of the little stuff like stuff, the simple stuff that you overthink is like oh, got to be more than that. It's like it's not more than that. It's just that consistently and it builds up and adds. So we are fixing, we're trying to grow. I think we're on track to at least double this year this coming April. So we should be, we should be on track to do that at least what are we at so far this year.

Bob Casias: 25:45

From April to now, we did 200 at 275.

AC Lockyer: 25:49

Wow yeah, so you're doing really good so calendar year, if you went from january of 2024 to where you're currently at now, do you know what that number is?

Bob Casias: 26:02

yeah, we are looking at 370, I believe, yeah, 370. We're gonna fix it. We're gonna do about 500 with one truck this year. We have a crew where the crew's out right now doing it, and then I've been doing all the sales and all that stuff. But, uh, I'm gonna see if we can add another truck and figure out the uh, the bottlenecks. So pretty much the marketing generating leads and closing the jobs, and then then add the truck. So so it's always learning.

Bob Casias: 26:31

Those like you still got a lot I don't feel good.

Bob Casias: 26:33

I don't feel necessarily great about it, if that makes sense. The margins are all whack when you try to figure it out.

AC Lockyer: 26:42

Well, that's the thing. It's one thing to produce revenues, it's another thing to really tune and hone the machine and get that profit and everything out of it.

Bob Casias: 26:53

It's a wild train. It's just going right now. Not a pilot in, for sure, so you mentioned you have some crews out doing the work for you guys.

AC Lockyer: 27:01

Tell me about the structure, Cause it says we are talking about building a lifestyle business. It's not you and Chantal out anymore cleaning roofs together, so tell me about the structure of your company. Team members you put on and what's your, what's your life looks like now.

Bob Casias: 27:17

So well, I wake up in the morning, I go, roll the guys out. We just everything's on the CRM. They have an iPad on the truck and they're able to see pretty much what the job is. And we meet up at the at the truck and roll out from there. We have two guys, we have a lead technician that's been with us since april. So, uh, kind of bit up and down with bringing guys on and trying to get this first one going. Yeah, literally a year ago we were at the same spot we are today with the truck, but the crew wasn't really trained and I think I tried to put guys on the truck too quick so I ended up letting guys go, getting rid of guys and then bringing.

Bob Casias: 27:58

I brought this one guy on and he's been with me since april and I was personally on the truck with them, showing him everything. And now he's better than me, he gets soft watch better than me, he's. He's, yeah, he tracks me when I do stuff wrong, like, oh, okay, yeah, awesome, you do it, you do it, yeah. So I got him an assistant and the assistant super smart, he's like a type c, uh, detail oriented he actually uh. So he's been on for like a month now. Uh, less than a month, yeah, but uh, he just sold uh literally a three thousand dollar job yesterday talking to neighbors. So, like he knows the product, he's learning the product, learning the processes and uh and this is kind of cool.

Chantal Casias: 28:37

I just want to sentimental uh little note here. Yeah, so, um, this guy, the assistant technician that Bob was talking about, he's a very close family friend of ours. Their family goes to our church, um, and his dad passed away a couple of years ago. Great man, like a Prince of a man, um, uh, a whole legend, awesome man. And before his dad passed away, um, his dad had told us like, hey, take care of my family. You know, he's got a beautiful wife, he's got two sons and a daughter, um, and I vividly remember him saying like look, out for my family.

Chantal Casias: 29:20

Look right, my kid. You guys, you know, look out for them. And now it's like so cool to be able to, um, have this boy his name is sam around and like teach him the ropes and teach him something that he could use to grow his own life, you know, and be successful, and really like, uh, teach him how to fish, basically, yeah. And watch him develop skills and just become like you know he's going to do awesome. He's yeah, he's destined for it, but that's really really cool.

Chantal Casias: 29:50

Yeah, he's destined for it, but that's really really cool.

AC Lockyer: 29:53

So you know, a lot of people are afraid to hire friends and family, and I'm not I mean, but you could get screwed, they could disappoint you. I'm like that's all people I mean, that's so what. You know, we disappoint, we disappoint Jesus every day. You know, I mean I'm numb, you know. I just I do stupid stuff, but we all do stupid stuff and, and you're right, being able to bless other people with jobs and take care of other people is is a lot of the reason why we do this, at least a lot of people in soft wash systems. So I think we attract a certain type of person to this organization and we all, all of us, even, you know, even the ones that aren't Christians in our organization, almost see their businesses like missions. You know, and it's, you know, ministry and it's just, it's what we do, you know.

Bob Casias: 30:45

Yeah, I think it's. It's satisfying for me. The guy, the guy that we've had pretty much all year. He has a wife, he has a kid and they're actually uh from brazil, his wife is a scientist, works at the college and but uh, it's inspiring for me. That's a big move from to move different countries, kind of learning the language still and doing all this stuff and they're they're he's super detail-oriented suit, like the best worker I've had, like as from uh since owning the company.

Bob Casias: 31:14

So, uh, for me, I for me, I'm like dude, I want to be able to help people that want to keep on growing and keep on going. You know cause I want to keep on going, I want to keep on learning and uh be able to help support a given work and teach them a skill and uh help them pay his bills. You know it's like provide for his family. It's a blessing for me to be able to do that, to see it. So if we're able to make a company that they want to stay in for, have a career in and like be part of it's, that's a, that's a new thing I feel like for us, or before, like hiring, figuring out hiring people, it's really the quality of person Like it will work. It's just like if the person will really work and like it works. You know it's great, you know so it's. If you don't put the right person in the system.

AC Lockyer: 32:02

The system's not going to work.

Bob Casias: 32:04

Exactly, yeah, exactly. So that's been. I mean, it's it's been a call. We've been doing it. I've lived 10 years in the last two and a half years Like it's like a college degree on steroids, oh yeah.

AC Lockyer: 32:18

So, Bob, I guess you're out selling. You got two guys out of the truck and then Chantal. What are you doing in the organization now?

Chantal Casias: 32:26

So I was full-time answering phones and kind of doing admin stuff. Now, with the little guy being more mobile, mobile that's a little bit more limited yeah, so it's really, um, uh, helping out with marketing stuff.

Bob Casias: 32:40

We're gonna get a marketing program going just to kind of build connections and relationships in the community, other businesses yeah, we're bringing my sister on as like a salesperson to like from okay, to be connected, like she's gonna start building relationships with like other businesses. So she's recently got gone on and she's actually doing the visits and calling and emails and trying to get on vendors lists and stuff like that, kind of taking over what Chantal was doing. Chantal trying to phase out. So she's going to try to go full-time mom, which is great, but she does add like a accomplishment for us it's an accomplishment, for for us it's like, wow, man, this is an opportunity like we're.

Bob Casias: 33:17

Years ago, this would not even be an option.

AC Lockyer: 33:19

Well, that and that's the goal. I mean, we're, you're building a lifestyle, business and, and, and part of your lifestyle is you want to be mom and you know you, you want to be that homemaker mom, you know, go into that role that used to be called the traditional role, but now it's the non-traditional role, but there's still. There's still some people out there that you know want to be mom and and want to have that and and having this business and the income it's producing and all gives you the, the blessing to be able to do that.

Chantal Casias: 33:50

Oh, a hundred percent. That's always been like my, my passion. I always knew, even working at the dental office. Um, I would tell my boss, doctor, eventually I'm going to get married, I want to have a family and I want to be able to take care of my kids.

Chantal Casias: 34:03

You know that's like my I, that's my heart. That's what I want. You know, I want to be able to raise my family, um and so for this, to be able to do that and then still be able to have some involvement with the business cause. Like the businesses, I'm fully invested in that, of course. You know we built it from the ground up, with our blood, sweat and tears together, from the days on the truck together.

Bob Casias: 34:26

And that was only a few months ago.

Chantal Casias: 34:27

Yeah, so now you know, to have something in place where I can take care of my son and be a mom and still get the satisfaction of being able to talk to customers. I love that kind of connection. Um, and you know, continue to grow.

AC Lockyer: 34:49

Things is awesome you know what's crazy, and I'll ask you guys this because this hasn't just dawned on me, but I think this is a good opportunity for me to ask you guys this question. I look at you guys, I look at the Lombardos, I look at Kelly King, I look at Landon Digman, you know, I look at the West Coast. The companies that we have on the West Coast and there's several others Coast and there's several others, but especially those four companies I just mentioned are doing far better numbers, revenues, goals and everything else than even some other parts of the country. And when you look at California, washington and Oregon, they're some of the most governmental, oppressive and really they're some of the most governmental oppressive and really oh gosh, anti-business areas of our country. And you guys are doing well, why do you think that is?

Bob Casias: 35:47

Great question.

Chantal Casias: 35:49

I know a lot of. It is the help of God. I know there's stuff that opens up for us that's just kind of like oh my goodness, that was a hundred percent. God Cause, that wasn't us, you know. And two, I think I know for us, like the cost of living in San Diego is so insane you kind of have no choice but to go like full speed ahead If you're going to make it there's.

Chantal Casias: 36:11

No, you're not going to make it by accident. You have to be intentional and like, fully invest in every way to be successful, and so I think that kind of um removes any other possibility, like there's no other option. So you're either doing it all the way and uh, as hard as you can, as fast as you can, or you're probably not going to be doing it for long, or you're not going to survive, yeah I think this is the cost of uh.

Bob Casias: 36:39

Cost of living is way higher than anywhere else in the nation, like our average ticket is probably higher than anywhere else in the nation. It's just because the cost of living it's not. Yeah, I think we're able. We have to charge more because it costs more to live here, you know.

Chantal Casias: 36:53

So uh and to do business, and to do business. Yeah, so everything's way more expensive.

Bob Casias: 36:58

So it's yeah. So I think we're on pace with like. It's just different numbers. You know, like our structure, business structure, is probably on pace with a lot of other software systems companies. Uh, it's different numbers. It's like you have to do different numbers, just charge more at the same time. You know it costs more. So I don't know. That sounds great. It'd be easier to make a million dollars here than anywhere else, right, like?

AC Lockyer: 37:23

well, you would think, you would think and a million dollars today isn't what it was 20, 25, 30 years ago, but still that million dollars seems elusive for so many people. It's just crazy. So what do you think the future holds for you guys? I mean, you're growing, your family's growing, life seems to be going good. You got fresh new shirts. I mean, where are we going? What's, what's the vision, what's the dream now?

Bob Casias: 37:54

uh, that's funny. That's that's what I. That's what I constantly think about. Like I, she's implementing and doing everything. I'm just good at thinking about the future that's all I'm good at you're.

AC Lockyer: 38:04

The CVO is have you read the book Traction yet? No, not yet. I got to look that up. You got to read the book Traction. Gina Wickman and talks about the CVO. You got the CEO, Chief Executive Officer, the CFO, Chief Financial Officer. Well, he comes in and says there's a CVO, and I'm like CVO, what's a CVO? Chief Vision Officer. And that's what I am. I can see the playing field, I can see the vision.

Bob Casias: 38:30

I know where I want to go.

Bob Casias: 38:31

And it's a good thing. Yeah, that's what I mean for sure For us I think we're two and a half years into it there's still a lot of learning to do. There's a lot of business out there. It's really perfecting how to acquire the business that there is out there is figuring out how to do it at a reasonable cost and then perform the work at the reasonable cost and get that all dialed in uh. So obviously we have one truck going, we we just got a salesperson, so we still got a long way to perfect.

Bob Casias: 39:03

Uh, but once we get a perfect, you knowed model I think that's the goal for next year is to obviously double. We have. We do have room on the truck on the schedule to do more, more capacity, more capacity on the truck. So we're going to try to max out the capacity on the truck. The two guys are great. We're going to try to expand, get another truck going. But yeah, who knows going? But uh, yeah, who knows?

Bob Casias: 39:31

There's definitely still a lot of uh implementation and learning we got to do as far as, like, generating the demand for the trucks. I think that's where we bottleneck at like. Obviously the guys are great, the customers are happy, but uh, I think the new steps that we are taking as far like b2b, commercial stuff that we haven't been pursuing, I think that's the next step, and then it's just duplicating that, so pretty much developing systems as we go, documenting everything. This is how we do it. I think that's where we're at. So, yeah, who knows, 10 years, I don't know. I literally live like one week at a time. We got a goal. If we hit the goal this week, we can do it next week.

Chantal Casias: 40:10

You have long-term goals, though.

Bob Casias: 40:11

Yeah, I mean like I live one day at a time.

AC Lockyer: 40:15

Right, this week is the one time your vision is out further, but your execution is one day at a time.

Bob Casias: 40:23

Yeah, yeah, and so like, yeah, the visions, I guess long guess long term, I guess multiple trucks it is expensive, I guess like prop owning properties and stuff like that. So, yeah, multiple branches, I guess operating on small branches, I think that's, that is the on model. I think that's probably the best way, for sure, just because the price of real estate in san diego is like insane, right, uh so, and then probably moving, like I, it sounds crazy, but I don't know if we go uh east to arizona or go up north, as you say, in california. California is kind of, yeah, like you said, it's kind of hard to be in business, for sure, but also too, you got, you got to figure out when is enough enough, and you know.

AC Lockyer: 41:08

But what are you building the engine for to support your lifestyle and how? How big do you have to have it? But you know. But but what you just said about the real estate and everything else, eventually this business does become a real estate model, because once you, you get two or three branches out there and they're turning off an executive income and you have to work in it every day. You plant those two or three branches in a facility that you own. You put a 15, 20-year mortgage on those, you let the business pay those down and then those pieces of property, especially in California, when it's all said and done, one day that becomes your retirement and so yeah.

Bob Casias: 41:40

Yeah, it makes sense to not own the building. I think, yeah, you become a real estate owner. Real estate model yeah model yeah yeah, yeah, very cool yeah but uh, yeah, who knows, who knows what the next 10 years hold.

AC Lockyer: 41:53

I, I guess for us we're just gonna be grinding for the next 10 years, so you know at least well you're still young, so yeah, you know, you can say well, okay, we'll retire when we're 40, you know yeah, so the the big question have is are we going to come up with a little baby girl with awesome hair? You know, I'm trying, I'm trying. You know, I don't know if there's any red hair genes anywhere in your family, but I know you, Chantal. You got your hair up in a ponytail and everything else. I mean if people can see your hair. Chantal has got incredible hair and you know get a little baby girl with that blonde hair and everything else.

AC Lockyer: 42:35

You got the dark haired one, you get the blonde haired one. It'd be like a little match book set. You know, yes, little mini me's that would be awesome.

Chantal Casias: 42:47

Yeah, AC, thank you so much for taking the time with us and letting us be a part of this. It's a pleasure, it's an honor. We appreciate it.

AC Lockyer: 42:58

Yeah, it's really fun. Well, guys, thank you for trusting us and helping us. Let you get in. You know, help you get into the business and all that. It's really cool to see you guys prosper and thrive and everything. And hey guys, if you listen to this podcast here and you're interested in possibly getting into soft washing, certainly you can reach out to Soft Wash Systems. Really, if you're in any kind of business at all, you know there's a lot of ways that we can help you, but the number one way that we can help you is to go ahead and hit the like button down here, hit the subscribe button, and go ahead and possibly share this podcast to other people, and that will help other people out as well. But, Bob Chantal, thank you so much for being on today and remember San Diego. Keep it classy. This is wrong. Go forth and prosper. Good night, Thanks, guys. We'll see you later and we'll see you guys at the next podcast.