Sherry Rodriguez knew she’d face adversity and challenges when she started her portable restroom business just over a year ago. But despite an industry learning curve, escalating fuel prices and a harsh East Coast winter, Rodriguez’s Take a Break Portables in Hayesville, N.C., is exceeding her expectations — leaving her ready for whatever comes next.
“I’ve learned so much,” says Rodriguez, 48 — who used a marketing background to blanket a 75-mile radius in North Carolina and Georgia with the Take a Break name, restrooms and an eye-catching queen bee logo. Rodriguez’s startup efforts were featured in PRO a year ago, and the magazine spent the last year tracking her progress.
Launching her business on April Fools’ Day 2007 was an interesting choice, but the dedicated Rodriguez — who had no previous experience in portable sanitation — set out in earnest to prove her new venture was no joke.
“I’ve got an incredible team in place,” she says on her one-year anniversary. “I truly believe this will be the biggest portable restroom business in the area.”
SPREADING THE WORD
Right out of the gate, Rodriguez’s goal was market saturation of her company’s name. And her experience running a promotional products company really came in handy. “One of the advantages of being in a small town is the word gets out fast,” she says. “It’s really key to get out there and make a presence.”
Rodriguez made cold calls in person to construction sites across a four-county area (she’s since expanded her service area to seven counties). Hand-delivering promotional brochures and products ensured that she not only got her name into the decision makers’ hands — she got to shake those hands as well.
“As a newcomer, you’ve got to be out there,” she stresses. “Branding myself has helped a lot. People walk up to me and say, ‘Are you the queen bee?’ ” (a reference to her corporate logo).
While some might call Rodriguez’s style aggressive, she considers it “assertiveness, with a personal touch.” Potential customers, she contends, are “accustomed to getting slammed with e-mails; there’s no personalization.” To that end, handwritten introduction and thank-you letters remain an important part of her marketing arsenal.
TARGETING CONSTRUCTION
Initially, Rodriguez believed construction work would be her most likely target, and that’s panned out. “My bread and butter is construction, 80 to 85 percent,” she says. “Any time I see construction equipment moving dirt, I’m right on it. That’s a really good indication that something’s going to be happening soon. They’re not out very long without a portable restroom.”
She also regularly visited county offices to look at building permits for local residential and commercial projects. She then called the contractor, introduced herself and provided a gentle sales pitch, followed by a gift packet of promotional items and, once again, a handwritten note.
“There’s a system to my madness,” Rodriguez explains. She estimates an 80 percent or higher success rate coming up with new business through these contacts.
After six months, Take a Break had an inventory of more than 120 Hampel Corp. restrooms and one full-time driver. But Rodriguez had accomplished something else that made her most proud — paying off the loan on her first truck, as well as a $50,000 loan to purchase inventory.
After securing several high-profile construction jobs, Rodriguez broadened her focus to servicing special events. “When you land a special event, those are good dollars,” she says. “Those are dollars you get in two to three days that would take you months in construction.”
In approaching new clients, Rodriguez learned that persistence pays off. “Keep asking for the business,” she says. Initially, Rodriguez said one event promoter kept turning her down, but she kept asking until she got the job. “I must admit that I’m pretty persistent … but I take a very soft approach to it. Then I stop and let them respond. There is a fine line, and I try not to cross it.”
SETBACKS AND PITFALLS
While increased inventory and service area all marked successes, Take a Break’s first year wasn’t immune to setbacks. In December 2007, Take a Break’s only service truck — a 2007 Ford F-350 — died, just past its warranty. Luckily, Rodriguez had just purchased a new Ford F-450, allowing Take a Break to operate without lost time.
“The most challenging part for the team was when my truck went down,” Rodriguez recalls. “Your driver and your truck are what keep the business going.”
With two trucks on the road and a growing service territory, Take a Break was impacted by the soaring cost of diesel fuel and a harsh winter. Working through her first winter season, she needed to find the right saltwater brine mix to avoid freezing issues.
As Take a Break approached its first anniversary, Rodriguez knew she needed to plan for expansion. She had expanded her fleet, her staff, her inventory and her service area. Next she considered buying property — just over one acre — to house everything on one site. Recently, Rodriguez made an offer on property and was awaiting confirmation of a sale. That purchase would create one home base for Take a Break, something Rodriguez has been hoping for.
“I’m looking to continue to have this business grow to the capacity that we can handle. I want it to get as big as it can get without compromising our service,” she said.
Rodriguez remains humbled by the progress she has made in so little time.
“You need to realize this business is a lot of hard work,’’ she says. “You have got to do what you say you’re going to do. There’s always someone who is nipping at your heels trying to take business away.”
