Dan was always a go getter, wanting someday to own his own business. Times were hard in 1993 and work was getting slow. His employer called him into the office and told Dan the following; "Dan, you have always been a hard worker, you have always said you wanted to be in sales, you have told us that you want to own your own company someday. Since we are slow we decided we think we can help you out." Dan was told by his employer that if he could find work, they would allow him to build all the duct work in their shop. If He needed a purchase order to get the materials and equipment for the job that they would let him use their account and all they wanted was for him to be able to work and give them 10% on any contract that he received. He was told if he made it as a business owner that would be great, yet if he failed he could simply come back to work for them and continue to be the best employee they had. The first job Dan found was a new construction house. This house was 3700 sq. feet, with two levels, tall ceilings and lots of windows facing south. The owner of this house was a man by the name of Don S. who was building his home himself. Don was a airline pilot and was building his dream home. We do not have permission to give his full name so out of respect we cannot. When Dan arrived at the house he met Don, explained to him that he was starting a business and telling him what he wanted to do as far as installing his new heating system in his new house. He was asked by Don, "Do you have a license and bond?" Regretfully Dan had to tell him "no, I am just starting my business and I don’t have any money for that. I just got laid off from my job and I am trying to start a business, and this would be my first new company job." At that time Dan had been in the trade for just over 10 years. After a long discussion about the house, furnace location, thermostats and ducts, Don told Dan. "Out of all the contractors I have had out here to give me a bid, you seem to know the most about my house, furnace, and duct system. Why don’t you go and draw up a bid and I will look at it." After meeting Don 2 more times, Don had made his decision. He told Dan "My friends think I'm crazy but I have decided what I am going to do. I believe you are the best guy to do the job, although I cannot have someone who is not licensed and bonded install my heating system; it is the most important part of my home. So, I have decided that I will give you all the money up front and you take that money and buy your license and bond, then come back and put the furnace in my house." Dan told Don, "Thank you Don that will work." This duct work was designed and built by Dan in his previous employers shop; it and the furnace along with all the parts were delivered to Don's house on a three rail motorcycle trailer towed behind a red Trans Am. This equipment was purchased by a purchase order given to Dan by his old boss and yes, they got their 10%. Don to this day is still a maintenance customer of Dan's Top Notch. It has been almost 20 years since that first install at Don's house. This business has grown to many trucks and employees. Dan has always said, "our goal is lifelong customers, through honesty, quality, and reliability. He knows it is not if you have a problem. It is how you fix it when you do, that is what really matters. We stand behind our work, we stand behind our equipment, and most of all we stand behind our customers.
