All Clean Softwash November 2018

All Clean Softwash November 2018

GETALLCLEAN.COM 503-ALL-CLEAN

NOVEMBER 2018

Gratitude for My NewWork Family

And the Job We’re Lucky to Perform

lawn care company, I decided I was ready for the next chapter of my professional life. Against the advice of every job-hunting book and expert out there, I applied to exactly one company. Sound strategy? Probably not, but I knew exactly where I wanted to be. By some stroke of luck, that’s exactly where I ended up.

In addition to gratitude for my new employer, I’m also extremely thankful for my family. My daughter just turned 17, so she’s gearing up for the high drama of AP classes and college admissions. She’s a great student, so it’s amazing to see a world of possibilities open up before her eyes. One thing’s for sure, though; she won’t be repeating my one- and-done approach when it comes to her college applications! Whether you spend your Thanksgiving cooking turkey at home or eating dim sum in Hong Kong, I think we can all agree that the holiday is best spent in the presence of people you love. I hope you have the chance to do that this year, and if you need a group of hypertalented people to help make your home look its best, I think I might know of somebody you can call. In closing, I just want to express my sincerest gratitude to all of the staff and customers at All-Clean! SoftWash. You’ve made me feel so welcome and given me all the tools to succeed. I’m truly humbled to work alongside a talented team and for a wonderful group of customers. “For most families, aside from the weird ones like ours, the holiday season is a time to be in your house with friends and loved ones. That’s a wonderful experience, but it can also be stressful. ”

I have to be honest and tell you that my family usually spends our Thanksgiving away from home. It’s nothing against our extended relatives, whom we love dearly, but my husband, my daughter, and I often take the long weekend to head out of town for some skiing or fishing. It’s become something of an annual tradition, and while it may not be the typical Thanksgiving, we wouldn’t want it any other way. During the rare years when we do have Thanksgiving at the house, frantically cleaning the morning of the celebration is always on the agenda. Luckily, I have some insider knowledge on the best exterior- cleaning company in the area (Hint — it’s us!), so I don’t need to worry about scrubbing the windows or clearing the gutters. The team just shows up, works their magic, and gives you all the curb appeal you could ever want for the holiday season. Providing that level of spruce-up for our customers is one of the great joys of working for All-Clean! For most families, aside from the weird ones like ours, the holiday season is a time to be in your house with friends and loved ones. That’s a wonderful experience, but it can also be stressful. To be able to take some of that stress away and let folks worry only about creating lasting memories in their homes is something I never take for granted. Being part of a company that brightens up people’s homes and lives is something I’m extremely grateful for this year. I recently joined All- Clean! as our director of administration, and I’ve loved every second of it. Really, it feels as though the stars aligned. After 17 years with a

–Jennifer Ricca

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What Makes an 82-Year-Old Business Book Relevant? Dale Carnegie’s Classic Offers Timeless Advice

It’s a tall claim to say that a book will change your life, but this one has certainly had a profound impact on many people. Despite having been originally published 82 years ago, Dale Carnegie’s effervescent classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is still recommended by everyone who comes across it, and it’s one of the best-selling books of all time. In 2011, the book was No. 19 on Time’s most influential books list. How has it remained relevant in a massively different, technologically advanced world? Fundamentally, Carnegie’s book focuses on people, who may evolve, but whose basic needs don’t change much. We all need to feel valued, appreciated, and respected. By fulfilling these needs for your business associates, you will indeed win friends and influence them. When it comes to business, showing a genuine interest in the other person goes a long way toward building a lasting relationship, something we all know is key to converting leads into sales. With a message based

on relationships, Carnegie’s book hasn’t grown stale with time. Here are three of his suggestions that you can implement today. BE AUTHENTIC Carnegie’s methods for winning people over are, at their core, about authenticity. “Show a genuine interest in others,” he instructs. “Give honest and sincere appreciation” and “Be a good listener.” Adopt this advice by paying extra attention when a client introduces themselves. A person’s name is important, because, according to Carnegie, it may be “the sweetest and most important sound in any language” to that individual. BE NICE Carnegie’s ideas are revolutionary in their simplicity. This is what makes almost anyone who reads the book able to implement them immediately and see results. As Robert Kelsey, author of several business and self-help books himself, points out, Carnegie’s first principle was simply “Be nice.” “That will always be an

important thing to remember in whatever business you’re in,” Kelsey says. “His advice will always be relevant.” In the chapter entitled “Six Ways to Make People Like You,” Carnegie’s second suggestion is similarly straightforward: “Smile.” We’ve all read science on the psychological effects of smiling, but it’s still too easy to forget this simple gesture. BE HONEST Be transparent with partners and clients, and as Carnegie suggests, be quick to admit when you’re wrong. When it comes to conflict, being right won’t win you anything — it’s better to avoid that lose-lose scenario and instead listen to your associate’s point of view. Respect their opinions. Even better, begin with something you know they’ll say an enthusiastic “yes” to. Set your relationships up for success by implementing Carnegie’s timeless, genuine advice, and see the results for yourself.

Meet Britni Gonzalez Tigard’s New Office Manager

Britni Gonzalez recently joined the All- Clean! team as our office manager in Tigard. Though she’s only been here a few months, she knew from day one that she would love it here. “All-Clean! is a great company to work for,” Britni says. “It’s a place where everyone loves what they do and pulls their own weight. I like to describe it as the happiest dysfunctional family I’ve ever been a part of.”

We’d have to agree with Britni’s assessment of her duties. In her short time here, she’s quickly become the glue that holds the Tigard office together. Plus, her bubbly personality consistently raises our spirits. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine what our workflow was like before Britni got here, which is the ultimate testament to what she’s added to our company. When she’s not busy keeping our Tigard location running smoothly, Britni is probably running after her son, Jaxton. “As hectic as work can get, it’s nothing compared to the boundless energy of a 7-year- old,” she reveals. “Jaxton is very artistically and creatively inclined, so there’s always a project or three we’re working on together. He recently discovered the joy of science experiments and has been slowly turning our house into a makeshift lab.” All-Clean! SoftWash is lucky to have employees as passionate and engaged as Britni Gonzalez. As surely as Britni knew she’d love working here, we knew she would be a perfect fit for our team.

Britni describes her job as a little bit of everything. “I’m usually the first one in the building,” she says. “I make sure that the crews have everything they need to make their days run smoothly, send invoices to clients, field calls, do scheduling — whatever I can to lend a hand. Basically, I view my job as handling all the extra stuff so that our crews can focus on providing exceptional service to our customers. My goal is to make everyone’s lives a little easier.”

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From Set Up to Take Down Holiday Lights Done for You With the holidays fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll decorate your house. An elegant display will wow your neighbors and create memories for your family that will last forever. The problem is that buying and hanging all those lights takes away precious time that could be spent with loved ones during the most wonderful time of the year. This year, let the pros at All-Clean! decorate your property with a custom light display. To begin a holiday lighting project, our techs will visit your home for a free consultation and estimate. We have the capabilities to string lights around trim, cover trees, and create a tear-drop look where you desire. Lights are available in colors as well as a classic warm glow. All of our lights are LED, which means you won’t have to worry about a hyper-inflated electric bill. In fact, a complete custom setup uses about the same amount of power as two TVs. Even better, once you decide on a design, our team will handle everything from installation to take down. If a bulb breaks, you won’t have to take out the ladder and brave the cold, because our services come with unlimited repair visits at no extra cost. We want your lights to be perfect from the moment they go up until the moment they go down, and we won’t settle for less.

recipe title A beautiful light display that fills your family with holiday cheer shouldn’t require untold hours of work. Let our pros handle the hard part so that you can enjoy quality time with your loved ones. After all, that’s what the holidays are all about. Our holiday lighting service grows more popular every year, and spaces are filling up quickly. Call us today to learn more and schedule a consultation. In short, you get custom holiday lighting designed to highlight the beauty of your home without having to lift a finger.

Since we lease our holiday lights, you won’t need to worry about buying a setup that you’ll only use for a handful of weeks every year.

Sudoku

No matter how you cook your bird for Thanksgiving, it will taste better if you brine it beforehand. Break out your biggest cooler and some ice to ensure that your guests rave about your turkey. A Simple Brine for Succulent Turkey

I

INGREDIENTS • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt • 3/4 cup sugar • 1 carrot, peeled and diced • 1 large onion, peeled and diced

• 2 bay leaves • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)

• 1/4 cup celery, diced • 2 large sprigs thyme

DIRECTIONS 1. In a large stock pot, bring salt, sugar, and 4 cups water to a boil. Stir until all ingredients are dissolved. 2. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients. Place brine in the fridge, uncovered, until cold. 3. Add 6 quarts cold water to brine. Add turkey and submerge completely. Brine chilled for up to 72 hours. REQUEST A FREE QUOTE • 503-ALL-CLEAN 3

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

ALL-CLEAN SOFTWASH 15717 SW 74th Ave. Suite #400

Tigard, OR, 97224 GetAllClean.com

Inside This Issue A NOT-SO-TYPICAL THANKSGIVING PAGE 1

THIS BOOK MAY CHANGE YOUR LIFE

SPOTLIGHT ON BRITNI GONZALEZ PAGE 2 CUSTOM HOLIDAY LIGHTS FROM ALL-CLEAN!

A SIMPLE BRINE FOR SUCCULENT TURKEY PAGE 3

A HISTORIC VETERANS DAY PAGE 4

A Historic Veterans Day

Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the End of World War I This year, Veterans Day takes on particular historic significance: Nov. 11, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War. Countries around the world will commemorate the signing of this peace agreement with moments of silence, centennial ceremonies, and historical exhibits. of Europe. A chain reaction of land disputes, pre-emptive attacks, and strategic alliances brought over 30 countries into World War I. The Great War that ravaged Europe resulted in a devastating loss of life, but from those ashes rose a renewed appreciation for the importance of peace and a global effort to ensure its place in the future.

THE RESTORATION OF PEACE In 1918, Germany surrendered unconditionally, and the armistice ended the fighting at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, though the war did not officially end until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles the following July. An estimated 16 million soldiers and civilians died in just four years, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history. VETERANS DAY Originally called Armistice Day, Veterans Day was first observed on Nov. 11, 1919, to honor the one-year anniversary of the armistice, and it became a U.S. holiday in 1938. Today, Veterans Day celebrates veterans who served their country honorably. The U.K., France, Australia, and Canada also commemorate their veterans in November. If you know a veteran, thank them for their service this month.

Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day is a celebration of life. It’s a day to honor the power of peace and the living veterans across the globe who have served their countries. This November, take a moment to remember the war that helped shape the international community’s dedication to peace and thank the individuals who served to defend it. THE GREAT WAR By 1914, a world war had been years in the making, but the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by a Serbian nationalist provided the spark that would eventually burn down much

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