Team Wall is Franchise of the Year

8/23/2022 (Permalink)

And then: “And our new Franchise of the Year is…Team Wall.” It’s truly just the beginning!

In June 2011, we were a different company, a different team, different people.

We didn’t have family in the area to help with childcare. With all our earnings being reinvested back in the business, I made the choice to stay home with our young kids to offset costs. Meanwhile, Jim was a full-time (to the third degree) entrepreneur. To say that this man worked 18-hour days, every day is no exaggeration- he would go sometimes up to 2 weeks without seeing our boys. He was out the door before daybreak and back home after bedtime. Weekends were non-existent. Vacations were an impossibility. And every event we attended always had a contingency plan… just in case that phone would ring. This was our way of life.

We learned many things about the dichotomy of ‘teamwork’. We had a common goal (to succeed in family and business), but it required us to be incredibly independent in order to make it happen. The whole experience was a crash course in self-reliance, innovation, grit, and faith. And, man, could it be lonely.

More often than not, I wondered if it was all worth it. Right around those times the weather would break, and the phones would start ringing. I wish I could capture in words the joy that radiated from Jim’s every step and exuberance in each word he spoke. He thrived in these moments.  With his team 15 strong, he absolutely loved taking on the challenge of a mounting workload. Saying “yes” was his mantra and “figuring it out” was like fire in his veins. I continued to do all I could to support him, as this was his passion.

We thought for two years, that we were the only ones that lived and experienced this crazy way of life. That was until I flew to St. Louis, MO for my very first SERVPRO convention. I looked around and realized I was dead wrong. Thousands of people just like us were gathered to network and learn from each other. Convention was an unforgettable week soaking in all things SERVPRO, beginning to really understand at the core what got Jim so charged up about this business. Though, I do remember thinking, “If I have to listen to one more conversation about dehumidifiers…!” ??

And then came awards night. Yes please to dressing up and dancing! Although, that’s not the extent of what I remember from that night. The magnitude of it all- what we were a part of- hit me like a ton of bricks.

The top 100 franchises in the entire SERVPRO system are highlighted at every awards banquet. Additionally, the top 3 get a special video. Via my 100-foot screen, I remember watching with pure awe those stellar teams highlighted. I took note of the advice they gave, mentally logging their massive revenue volume (#1 was at $12M), and secretly wondering down deep inside, “Could it ever be us?”

“Us.” That was the very first time I thought of it as something other than just ‘Jim’s Business.’ It was ours. No longer was I just supporting his dream; we were tackling a vision together. Really, it was “us” every step of the way- no matter the period of time I was a stay-at-home mom or now fully involved in day-to-day operations. We built a team, redefining our last name to mean something that meant more than ‘just the two of us.’ We became a very cozy “just the 150 of us”…Team Wall.

In June 2022, after eleven years, massive growth, and so many life events, I was sitting among a thousand of my SERVPRO peers at the final gathering of the 2022 convention. I had eight of our amazing team members by my side. Meanwhile, Jim was sitting on the tarmac of Dallas Love Field, having to head home early. 

Wouldn’t you know it? They were announcing an award that we always quietly wondered might one day include our last name, yet always with a sense of improbability. We roll with a sea of titans at SERVPRO, anyway. Who were we among them?

And then: “And our new Franchise of the Year is…Team Wall.”

What went through my mind first? Elation…intricately weaved with devastation. Jim wasn’t there. His dream was the beginning of it all and he wasn’t there. The fact that he had to miss an incredible moment like this had my heart breaking and tears welling up in my eyes for hours. Days? Maybe more. I’m still emotional just writing this. ??

Hugging each and every one of our Team Wall members tight, we walked up together to accept the incredible recognition. Next, I did what anyone else out there would do: I told a thousand people to text Jim and let him know we are FRANCHISE OF THE YEAR baby!!!

His phone was blowing up. And he was crying tears of joy and pride for the achievement earned by each and every member of Team Wall. This may have started as a dream for one, but it became far more than we could ever have imagined.

Cheers to every member of our team for this incredible accomplishment. You should be so proud of yourselves!

It’s truly just the beginning, my friends!

- Trish Wall