Guard your gutters
By Olivia Bloom
Unforgettable Beginnings
Every entrepreneur remembers the time and place where the idea for his or her business was birthed. For Ken Wilson, part owner of The Gutter Boys, that moment is unforgettable for more than one reason.
“I can remember sitting in my brother’s living room in Cleveland watching television with my sister-in-law on the morning of September 11, 2001. My sister-in-law and I were discussing names for my new gutter maintenance business idea when the show we were watching was interrupted by a breaking news alert about the World Trade Center attack.”
Although the idea for The Gutter Boys was birthed on that fateful day, the company itself would officially form some seven years later during another trying time for the country.
“We officially launched the company in the early spring of 2008. Little did we know, just a few months later the country would descend into a historic recession,” Ken says.
Ken had partnered with his longtime friend, Anthony Alberino to launch the business. Together they worked hard to get things going in a terrible economic climate.
“We built our company on the foundation of hard work and integrity,” reflects Anthony. “We succeeded in a very difficult year simply because we treated people right—and we hustled.”
Their hard work and integrity paid off big time. Since that challenging launch nine years ago, The Gutter Boys has grown to become the largest gutter maintenance company in Northeast Ohio. Though their growth was explosive, Ken and Anthony are proud to report their customer experience never suffered, they’ve managed to maintain ‘A’ ratings with both the BBB and Angie’s List.
Spring Forecast: Sunny with a Chance of Clogging
“We are expecting a bumper crop of seedlings falling from the trees this spring,” reports Ken.
He adds, “When people think gutter cleaning they usually associate it with the fall season, yet the smaller-sized spring debris is far more invasive and much more likely to clog downspouts than the larger fall debris.”
The Gutter Boys highly recommend gutter cleaning in both the spring and the fall for optimum gutter maintenance.
“Cleaning your gutters twice a year is cheap insurance to protect against damage to your home that results from clogs in the system,” says Ken.
The S-Curve Design
Of course, if you really want optimum gutter protection, you’ll need to get an effective gutter guard. Ken and Anthony did their research and introduced to Northeast Ohio Valor Gutter Guard, the most advanced micro-mesh guard on the market. Valor features a patented S-curve design that withstands even the heaviest rainfall, repels leaves and debris from entering the system, and prevents bugs and pests from setting up camp in your gutters.
“After encountering so many faulty guards out there that didn’t do what they said they would, we decided to offer our customers a premium guard system that we can stand behind,” says Anthony.
No Smoke, No Mirrors, No Arm-twisting
“Face it, our industry has a reputation for questionable sales tactics,” says Ken.
“Some national companies sell their product at an obscene profit. We operate on a different level from the rest. From beginning to end, we act honestly and honorably, earning customers’ trust and ensuring they stay with us for life. Our product is warrantied, our work is guaranteed and we have the most responsive customer service in the industry.”
The formula is working, as the company has grown exponentially since 2008 and today is more than 10,000 active customers strong.
“We have a deep conviction that it’s not just about growing that matters, but how you grow,” says Ken.
The Gutter Boys is headquartered at 8059 Lewis Road, Suite 301, in Berea. Call 440-454-7040 to schedule a free on-site consultation and estimate, or visit TheGutterBoys.com for more information.