I've been self employed most of my adult life. My first business was a commercial landscape maintenance company in Massachusetts. I specialized in maintaining and installing condominium landscapes. I had crew of 12 workers and 1500 units under contract. I learned a great deal about running a business, managing people, multi tasking and scheduling.

After about 10 years I sold my landscape company and moved to my second home in the western mountains of Maine. I started a one man woodworking company. I made wooden salad bowls in a woodturning studio that I built behind my log home. In 1998 I built my first web site. I sold my salad bowls to people in every state in America, most countries in Europe and as far away as Japan and New Zealand. During my woodworking years I learned a great deal about marketing myself and my products.

I eventually got tired of the long cold Maine winters and decided to move to some place warm. I chose Ocala because of the reasonably priced housing, the climate and the fact that it has never had a hurricane. I live in South West Ocala with my wife of over 30 years, 2 dogs and a couple of cats.

Over the years I've learned that businesses are built on repeat business. Repeat business is earned by exceptional service. Exceptional service is when you hold yourself to a higher standard than your customer expects.

Joe's Rules Life & Business

The day isn't over until you've returned all your calls.
Don't do business with people who don't return your calls.
Never avoid people or problems. They won't go away.
Do what you say you will do, when you said you would do it.
No one really cares about excuses, no matter how good that excuse might be.
Tell people what you think not just what they want to hear.
Do what ever it takes to get the job done.
Hold yourself to a higher standard than your customer expects.
It's better to learn from other peoples mistakes than from your own.
Everyone makes mistakes but if someone makes the same one over and over, fire him.
Honesty is always the best policy.
Beware of people who tell you how honest they are, they usually aren't.