Men in Kilts Aiming To Be More Than Just A Gimmick

Men in Kilts owner Sentwali Lewis (left) and his partner Darcy Longpre at work on a home in Scarborough.

Men in Kilts - Aiming to be more than just a gimmick: In a competitive business like window washing, skirt-wearing male technicians definitely attract attention. And Men In Kilts,which started in Vancouver more than 10 years ago, is banking on that curiosity to grow franchises across North America. A recent weekday morning found Toronto co-owner-operator Sentwali Lewis up on ladder buffing the windows of an east Scarborough home.

It was a typical sight, save the green tartan kilt he had on. “People are very surprised when we show up on site wearing our kilt, but that’s our name,” said Lewis. “You have to differentiate yourself from the competition. Everyone thinks the kilt is just a gimmick; yes, but once you experience our service, you’ll see what we have to offer; there’s a lot more going on than the kilt.” The rest of the uniform consists of black boots, black socks and a grey t-shirt that warns “No Peeking!” In winter, black running tights fend off the chill, said Lewis who actually traces great, great, great grandparents on both sides back to Scotland.

A little originality can boost brand awareness, but it won’t drive business long-term, said Queen’s University marketing professor Ceren Kolsarici. “Those little unique ideas definitely help establish the brand early on if a customer hasn’t heard of the brand name, but what keeps the company going is the satisfaction rating,” she said, drawing comparisons to movie trailers. “In the initial success of the movie, advertising is the big driver, but then word-of-mouth and ratings come into the picture. As long as the audience satisfaction is high, then the success will be strong on the upcoming weekend. This is the same idea.”

Kilts may be the calling card for Lewis, who launched the Toronto operation with Darcy Longpre in March, but customer service is their long game. “I say treat every homeowner like you’re going into your parent’s house or your grandparent’s house,” explained Lewis, 39. “Make sure that they see why they should choose us instead of one of our competitors.”

Founded in 2002 by B.C.-based Scotsman Nicholas Brand, Men In Kilts quickly gained traction, earning $1 million in revenue in 2009. That’s the year Tessa Wood, former VP of Operations at hyper successful start-up, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? took notice of their tartan embossed trucks tooling around Richmond, B.C. “They really stood out and would make me smile; and just seeing the emotion they would elicit from me, made me think ‘This is powerful,’ said Wood. “It stood out as such a cool brand. I reached out and said ‘Hey, do you guys want some help franchising?’ We partnered up and incorporated the franchising company.”

As CEO, she has heralded the establishment of nine franchises, system wide sales over 5 million, and the expansion of services to include, gutter, eavestrough and siding cleaning and pressure washing. Her goal is to have locations in every major city in Canada and the U.S. by 2017. “It’s a very fragmented industry,” said Wood. “I saw a lot of similarities between the market opportunities that JUNK had. Who you think of when you need to get windows cleaned? Well, no one. And we’re looking across North America and saying ‘This could be a really great brand and a service that people need.’”

The company will hire female technicians, but representatives say they rarely apply and none are currently are employed with the company, although the female Boston franchise owner is trained to clean windows. There seems to be no trouble finding men willing to clean in kilts, which are mandatory for the job, except on certain days in Alberta. “Because it’s really windy in Calgary which I didn’t realize,” explained Wood. “We had to put in sort of a safety caveat about not wearing the kilts if it’s windy to the point where the kilts are literally blowing up above their waists. But it’s only in that windy extreme weather; otherwise, it’s just a matter of layering.”

From left, Tyler Buchanan, Keenan Ndjiva, Ryan Light and Jonard Janolino of Men In Kilts are turning heads with their creative window-cleaning concept.

Men in Kilts more than clever gimmick - Window-cleaning company aims to expand to 50 markets: A window-cleaning service staffed by men in kilts that started in Metro Vancouver more than a decade ago is now focusing on expanding its unique brand throughout the U.S. From its start in 2002, Men In Kilts has expanded to Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto as well as Seattle, Boston, New Jersey and Philadelphia. CEO Tressa Wood said her goal is to be in every major market in North America by 2017. "There are about 50 on the list we're targeting," she said. "We might look at smaller markets, as well."

Wood has experience with expanding a start-up, having formerly been vice-president of operations at 1-800-GOTJUNK. Before travelling extensively throughout the U.S. for that company, Wood said she might have been a little intimidated about expanding south of the 49th parallel. "Once you've spent a lot of time in all the different regions of the States, it's not that scary," she said. "I see it as a big opportunity. We've really had no hiccups whatsoever delivering the same service."

Wood is aiming to expand the types of services offered by Men In Kilts in the next seven to 10 years. "Once you establish that footprint across North America and have a database of happy residential and commercial customers who are loving us for window cleaning and gutter cleaning and exterior cleaning, it makes sense for us to say: 'If you love us for that, we can also do your carpets and your lawn.' The brand is generic enough to do that."

In Men In Kilts' first year of operation, revenue totalled $20,000. This year, the company is expected to hit $6 million. Nicholas Brand, the Scottish-Canadian who founded the company, said the business is definitely about more than marketing. "Gimmicks have become a four-letter word in business," he said. "You need to stick out from the crowd in this day and age. If I started Nick's Window Cleaning, you wouldn't be calling today. If you can't follow up with quality, then you are nothing but a gimmick."

Men in Kilts has its North American call centre in south Surrey, where customers can phone to get estimates and book jobs six days a week. Customers are also contacted afterward to make sure they're satisfied with the quality and service. All technical training for the new franchisees is done by Brand. "I don't think there's a window cleaning company in North America that has the quality control and customer service that we do," he said.

Men in Kilts window washers wear kilts with a Wallace hunting tartan. They're made from a cotton-polyester blend rather than the traditional wool. They're the kind used by athletes in the Highland Games. Cleaning the windows of a typical bungalow in Oakridge would likely be done for the minimum charge of $140. However, the company's average invoice is $350 because its workers are often doing additional jobs such as cleaning gutters or pressure washing.

More news on Men in Kilts can be found here. 

The New Sexy In Window Cleaning?

Business cards to go - photo for MIK stampede appeal in Calgary.

Toronto firms bring sexy back to cleaning with French maids and men in kilts: Scrubbing and cleaning in the right outfit can do wonders for even the most mundane chores. Whether it’s sexy girls sporting French maid costumes while cooking and dusting your home, or manly window cleaners flaunting their legs while up on ladders in traditional Scottish kilts, some new local businesses are bringing sexy back to cleaning, while catering to their clients’ needs, whims and fantasies. With Men in Kilts, Canada’s largest full-service window cleaning, gutter cleaning and pressure-washing company setting up shop in Toronto last month, local owners Sentwali Lewis and Darcy Longpre are hoping their unusual work attire will give them a leg-up in the local industry.

“All the other window cleaning companies out there, they all do a good job, but I think we could do a better job, while providing excellent customer service and putting a smile on all of our clients’ faces,” says Lewis. The reaction they’ve gotten so far has all been positive, says Lewis, who brought in new clients just by shopping dressed in his kilt. “I was walking through the store, the manager of the store couldn’t stop laughing and giggling,” says Lewis, who’s already used to being the centre of attention. “And we signed on to do their windows for them commercially.”

While Lewis’ business is about keeping the exterior clean, for the in-house chores, Maids and Valets, which opened up shop in Toronto last June, has the solution. Margo Belaya and her business partner Kaytee Normad say it’s good old practical housecleaning and visual entertainment all in one. “It’s better to have your house cleaned, someone cooking for you, if it’s a sexy person,” says Belaya. “Any service is better performed by ‘eye candy.’ ” Their cleanup crew is made up of 20 housekeepers, butlers and bartenders, who will wait on their clients wearing anything from professional attire, a French maid outfit, lingerie or just their underwear.

It’s a business idea that’s been growing in Europe and other parts of the world, but still fairly new ground for Toronto, says Belaya. After finding postings looking for similar services on sites like Craigslist and Kijiji, she knew it would be a hit here in the city. But it’s all strictly visual, says Belaya, who stresses that their crew do not provide any sexual favours. With a $500 fine attached to any sexual advances or harassment stated in their policy, that rule hasn’t been broken so far, according to Belaya.

Maids and Valets have been hired on for nude family gatherings and birthdays for seniors to spice up the party, but besides bringing the fun with them, they also help cure some lonely hearts. “It’s not only about cleaning or cooking, sometimes people are lonely, they just want company, they just book someone to sit there with them, eat lunch, have a drink and talk, and that’s it,” says Belaya. “So it’s all about communication sometimes.”

Sexy services online: Some U.S.-based websites offering up unique and sexy products and services.

Those who don’t have that special someone to snuggle up with can pay for private sessions with pro-snugglers at The Snuggery. Single men can purchase girlfriend-like services for just $5 at www.girlfriendhire.com and get their new fake online girlfriends to text them, comment on their Facebook walls, and more. For couples looking to spice things up in the bedroom, The Fantasy Box mails out fantasy kits which include toys, costumes, lingerie and a variety of other sexy items to get you started.

Men In Kilts Calgary introduced its newest clan member! Wallace the fire truck.

Kilt-wearing window washers have strict 'no peeking' rule: The window washers in Holliston, Mass., not only hang from buildings, they also hang loose. A new window-washing, pressure-washing and gutter-cleaning franchise, spun off from a business in Vancouver, British Columbia, features male workers with no pants on — because they're wearing kilts. Men in Kilts has been a hit with customers and onlookers. "I got a good thumbs up from everybody," said one employee who contends he's paying tribute to his Scottish heritage. While the company insists it has a strict "no peeking" rule, it's hard to imagine how they could enforce it. And, after all, women have all those years of being catcalled by construction workers to exact revenge for. Payback's a bitch, guys.

Sentwali Lewis (left) and Luke MacLeod are two of the Men In Kilts, a new window, eavestrough and siding cleaning business in Aurora.

Men In Kilts offer revealing look at business - (By Chris Simon) Go ahead, take a look up Sentwali Lewis' kilt — you won't be the first person this spring. He opened a Men In Kilts franchise in Aurora earlier this year and has been busy cleaning gutters, windows and siding outside Greater Toronto Area buildings since then. The company serves residential and commercial clients, he said, while setting up at a south-end Aurora work site. "People are surprised, but yes, we do show up in our kilts," he said. "You have to be a very outgoing person to do this work because you get a lot of attention. People are always smiling and pointing ... and trying to peek."

Men In Kilts was founded in 2002 and has expanded across Canada and the United States. Mr. Lewis said he and partner Darcy Longpre were excited to open the franchise. "We know business," Mr. Lewis said. "For us, it was just a matter of learning a new skill set." The season is young, but the business' schedule is filling quickly, he said. "We try to do our best to deliver excellent customer service and go above and beyond," he said.

The franchisees also hired window washer Luke MacLeod, who proudly dons a tartan kilt each work day. "It's a great ice breaker and helps you get to know the people who are doing your windows," Mr. MacLeod said. "Whether you're peeking in their windows or they're peeking up your kilt, it takes away the whole, 'Who are these people looking in my house?' And you've got the built-in air conditioner for the hot summer." The franchise has high employee safety standards, so staff cannot clean windows and eavestroughs on buildings higher than four storeys, Mr. Lewis said.

From Camo to Kilt: The transition from US Army Specialist as a Military Police Officer, to that of a kilt-wearing window and exterior cleaning technician might seem odd from an outsider’s perspective. But in all reality, it makes perfect sense!

Chris Murphy, Operations Manager at Men In Kilts Boston, served in the US Army for just under 11 years and during that time was deployed to Iraq twice. He spent a year in Baghdad where he provided personal security to Tier 1 government officials. After being back in Boston for 6 months, Murphy volunteered to go back and this time he travelled to Fallujah where he worked with Iraqi police on daily operations and helped them to develop procedures and protocols.  

Murphy’s time serving in the Army was nothing short of rewarding, but he was ready for a change. Deciding to become a part of a franchise was deeply rooted in the support systems that Murphy knows are in place for franchisees. “The brand and operational support that comes from the franchisor is definitely a bonus. From fellow employees, the franchisor, and even other franchisees, there is always someone there to help you. In the Army, it is the same way. There is an endless system of support and everyone works together as a team,” says Murphy.

The transition from military to civilian was pretty easy for Murphy. “In the military, I was used to long days of training and work, and not having a set schedule was pretty standard. Being a part of a franchise is very similar. I could have a job that requires me to work earlier than 8 am or later than 5 pm, and I just have to go with it. So, when I came back to work full-time in the franchising world, it was pretty smooth.”

Previous franchise experience came from Murphy’s 8 years spent with 1-800-Got-Junk? Murphy’s mother, Judy Briggs, owns both the 1-800-Got-Junk? and the Men In Kilts franchise in Boston. “With my mom being an expert franchisee, it all just made sense to me to become a part of this industry as well,” says Murphy.

Men In Kilts first caught Murphy’s attention when the company was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine. He said he could not help but smile. “The thought of anyone washing windows while wearing kilts was so cool!” says Murphy. It was not long after when his mother came to him and asked, “Have you ever thought about wearing a kilt?” Murphy did not hesitate.

The Men In Kilts mission is to “bring smiles into the world…one kilt at a time!” Just like the Army, Men In Kilts is fighting to make the world a better place. Even if it is something as simple as making someone smile, Murphy’s passion for caring for his country and all the people in it, carries on in his work at Men In Kilts.

Murphy recognizes how he has brought smiles to the world by recalling one particular moment. “One Monday morning, we were in the heart of Boston cleaning windows and everyone that walked by couldn’t help but smile. I remember thinking, ‘people are normally miserable first thing on a Monday morning, but we just brought smiles to all these faces by doing something as simple as wearing a kilt’. That is pretty powerful!”

Murphy’s hard work has made Men In Kilts recognize the amazing fit for veterans in the company, and the opportunities to work with veterans in the future. Men In Kilts prides itself on dedication and a high level of work ethic, which is a great fit for veterans who have the skills and attributes necessary to succeed in a franchise such as Men In Kilts.

Men in Kilts just opened up a franchise in the Boston area and owner Judy Briggs said the response has been tremendous. She and her two employees went to Vancouver to train how to do window washing, gutter cleaning, power washing and other services for homeowners.

Men In Kilts Opens In The U.S., Offers Window Washers Dressed In Scottish Garb: “No peeking,” read the uniforms worn by employees of Men in Kilts, a Canadian company that just in opened shop in Massachusetts, offering home cleaning services by men dressed in the traditional Scottish garb. “It just grabs people’s attention,” Chris Murphy, a Men In Kilts worker, told local news station WCVB Channel 5 on a brisk morning this week. “It’s really comfortable, lots of freedom with it.” Judy Briggs of Men In Kilts said the phone has been ringing off the hook since she launched the franchise in the Boston area. And hers isn’t the first business to shine a light on workers doing less-than-glamorous labor. College Hunks Hauling Junk, an 8-year-old moving and junk-hauling company that’s expanded to nearly 50 franchises in the U.S., dresses its sprightly employees in bright orange hats and green shirts.

More Men in Kilts blogs here.

Homage To The Entrepreneur Window Cleaners.

Be very conscientious about doing an excellent job. Your dedication will help you better acquire business customers on a regular basis.

 Never have Entrepreneurs been so sexy. Young people everywhere who have tried working for someone else, realize the freedom & energy from being your own boss empowers your destiny. Put as much in as you get out! Window cleaners in general look for internet resources on a daily basis for peer reviews on products, trends & applications to take their businesses to the next level. Window cleaning hasn't stood still since the advent of the water-fed pole & other cleaning related work. Homage to the window cleaning forums & a special "hat tip" to Window Cleaning Resource in the USA, having just surpassed a six thousand (6000) membership, congratulations.

You need self-employed people around you or to converse with, for several very good reasons. First, employed people will struggle to understand you. If you have a bad day, you need someone to say “Yep, I know what you mean, that happpens to me too. It’ll be OK” rather than “Don’t worry, you can always go out and get a job”. I don’t have anything against employed people, by the way. It’s just that it’s a different way of thinking and you need at least a few people around you that think like you do.

Second, your perception of ‘normal’ comes from the people around you. If you’re the only self employed person you know, you’ll feel like a risk-taker who has recklessly leapt off the career ladder into a working wilderness. If you have a circle of self-employed people to interact with, you’ll (OK maybe eventually) feel like it’s an alternative career choice that has loads more possibilities for interesting and rewarding work. After all, it’s working out for them so why shouldn’t it work for you? If you have been in business for over five years, well done...

The U.S. Small Business Administration has seen lots of small businesses come and, unfortunately, go. According to the SBA, over 50% of small businesses fail in the first five years. The following are reasons for small business failure:

1. Lack of experience
2. Insufficient capital (money)
3. Poor location

4. Poor inventory management

5. Over-investment in fixed assets
6. Poor credit arrangements
7. Personal use of business funds
8. Unexpected growth
 

Gustav Berle adds two more reasons in The Do It Yourself Business Book:
 

9. Competition
10. Low sales

In his inauguration speech, President Obama paid homage to entrepreneurs. The path to greatness, he rhapsodized, has been paved by "the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things--some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom."

Almost three years later, it's clear he was spot on. Entrepreneurship has been one of the precious few bright spots in a terribly gloomy economy, and this new generation of entrepreneurs, both intentional and accidental, has taken it upon themselves to keep things chugging along. At the same time, starting a business gained serious cool cred.

Consider American Express' slick ad campaign featuring Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard; foursquare's founders as models in glossy Gap mag ads; and the cults of celebrity surrounding "the Zuck" and the late Steve Jobs. Even A-list stars like Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga added headlines to their clip files from startup-centric blogs like TechCrunch and Mashable.

"Entrepreneurship has become sexy in a lot of ways," says Clay Newbill, executive producer of ABC's Shark Tank, which features people pitching their dreams to a panel of deep-pocketed investors, including Mark Cuban.

Entrepreneurship has never been more practical, either. According to the Kauffman Foundation, 565,000 new businesses were created in 2010--the most in 15 years--as many new 'treps were forced into it by the downturn. "Young people know that there's a high likelihood they'll have to make it on their own," says Thomas Knapp, associate director at the University of Southern California's Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. USC has seen a 13.2 percent year-over-year increase in students taking entrepreneurship courses at the school.