Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Kuhlman.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jesse. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Like most parents, mine were not too keen on me going into the electrical trade, even though my father is an electrician. They would often say, you should work with your brain, not your hands! I wasn’t sure the electrical trade was for me either, so after high school I went on to college for civil engineering. While in college I was working for my father on the weekends and off days, and I had an awaking moment. I finally figured out what I was meant to do.
Leading up to that awaking moment, I had worked for my father Gary who had his own business starting as early as middle school, tagging along with him during the summer breaks. As I got older I did find that I enjoyed the physical work, but I still wasn’t sold that doing this for the rest of my life was for me, hence the brief stint in college.
What really changed everything for me, and I’ll never forget that day, we were working just south of Boston. I was changing an electrical panel as part of the job. My father began to explain to me how he priced the job and how he got this current customer through a referral from another happy customer. Basically he started to let me in on the business side of the electrical trade and from that moment I was hooked. I proceeded to question every business decision and move he made over the next few years. I would literally question everything, I’m sure I was driving him crazy!
About 7 or 8 years later I was given the opportunity to take over, we changed the name to what you see now, and began to grow the company to what it is today. We are in our 4th year under my leadership, and I must say, the past 4 years have been some of the most enjoyable of my entire life.
The business has grown and continues to grow which has allowed us to begin a new project. Our newest feature here at Kuhlman Electrical Services is that we now serve the South Shore. We have been fortunate enough to do well in the North Shore which has allowed us to bring the quality of our services to the South Shore. Proudly, we expand our services and look forward to working with the South Shore.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Upon taking over, I knew I wanted to grow the company. That was a major goal, yet something I knew little about. I was forced into learning a lot about advertising, what works, what doesn’t (definitely made some mistakes here early on), managing customer expectations, keeping the quality of the work high and trying to bring on new electricians all in a short amount of time.
That first year, I must have worked 80-100 hours a week. The only way I knew I could grow the business was to work 6-7 days a week in the field, and do the business side after hours. Once I felt we had enough work, we hired our 3rd employee. I continued to do the same thing, until we hired a few more electricians, then things began to smooth out a bit.
I credit my crew for facilitating this smooth transition. Without my crew I would have nothing. These guys are dependable, honest, kind, and great electricians. I’ve been fortunate to have the very best electricians in the area find their way to our company.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Kuhlman Electrical Services – what should we know?
Our specialty is home/residential wiring. Anything and everything related to homes – if you need a light changed, or a whole house rewired, we are the company for you. A huge part of our business is rewiring older homes, homes that have antique wiring known as knob and tube, or the 2nd generation of wiring used, BX wiring.
We really believe in doing things differently. Meaning, we do not miss appointments that are set, we give very clear and easy to understand estimates, if you call or email, you will get a thoughtful response every time, not a stock answer. Transparency is key, from our estimates to our hourly rates being listed right on the website for all to see! We really believe in taking care of the customer, we treat them exactly like we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.
I’m most proud of our loyal customer base who call us back time after time. It’s a testament to my electricians and their ability to deliver a high quality service.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Again, my crew deserves all the credit for making the company what it is today, without them, there would be no Kuhlman Electrical Services. Special thanks to James, Brian, Mike, Steve, Krystle, Sean, Danny, Gary, Nicole and Derek.
As far as helping me personally, I would start with my parents. My father Gary taught me everything I know about electrical work. My mother Jo-Ellen was always my biggest supporter, and one of my most trusted advisers when making difficult decisions. From an early age she always said “anything is possible, you can be anything you want, and there are no limits”.
My lovely wife Kim deserves a lot of credit too, putting up with the extreme long hours I’ve put into this business, and being my rock to lean on during the most difficult times. Love you hun!
Contact Info:
- Address: 313 Eastern Ave
Lynn, MA 01902 - Website: www.kuhlmanelectricalservices.com
- Phone: 781-484-6321
- Email: kuhlmanelectric@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuhlmanelectrical/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuhlmanelectric/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kuhlman-electrical-services-lynn
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/kesinc/kuhlman-electrical-services-inc
Image Credit:
Jim Abts Photography
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