I've always enjoyed reading, ever since I was a little kid. I rarely went anywhere without taking a book with me.

I have less time for it these days, but I always have a book I’m currently reading. And when I need a break in between titles, I always have magazines lying around.

I really love magazines. I love all types. It doesn’t even matter what the topic is: I’m not as picky about them as I am about books. I love flipping through a magazine — and of course I mean the real thing, the glossy-paged, hold-it-in-my-hands edition, not digital copies. I still subscribe to several magazines and will never stop.

Considering my love of reading, it’s no surprise I ended up working in publishing. It’s been so interesting to helm this magazine, and I enjoy putting together the stories for each issue.

One thing I value so much during that process is the conversations I have with the contractors we feature. They have been so great to talk to and learn from. It’s rewarding to tell their stories and hold them up as examples to inform and educate the rest of the industry. My main goal is to help you, our readers.

I’ve learned a lot in my time here, about products and technology that were never even on my radar before being introduced to this industry. My hope is that, even if you’ve been working in this field for a long time, you still find value in these pages. 

There’s no one correct way to run a drain cleaning business. We’ve told the stories of contractors with very different philosophies and business plans. But I hope reading about the ways others do things inspires you in your own work. Maybe a tech story delves into a service you don’t offer yet, but want to learn more about; or Better Business introduces some new branding or marketing tips you could try out.

But I can’t keep this content interesting and, most important, helpful without your help. Every story I assign needs knowledgeable people to help tell it.

I’m always looking for contractors who are doing great things in this industry to participate in our profile articles. If you are growing your business, started branching out into new services or just have a good story to tell, I want to hear about it.

If you recently completed a difficult job or discovered that one piece of equipment that you can no longer do without, reach out. I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email at editor@cleaner.com or call me at 715-350-8441.

I am also always open to hearing any ideas for topics you’d like to see covered in Cleaner in the business, tech or safety columns, so if there’s something you’d like to see more of, drop me an email and let me know.

Sharing your expertise with others is such a great way to give back, and it also helps elevate the industry as a whole.

I hope you enjoy this month’s issue.