Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin McEnaney.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My great-grandfather, James McEnaney started our company after the war. He started out by moving pianos with horse & buggy. The name of his squadron in the war was the Rainbow Squadron which is how we got our name. My grandfather then took over the business and my dad joined him in the 50’s. When my father Norman McEnaney Jr. was just 19 years old, his father gave him the business, a tall order for a recently wedded 19 year old with a baby on the way. Rainbow Movers became associated with North American Van Lines in 1953 which allowed the company to do interstate moves throughout the country. The company expanded into logistics, international, local and interstate business, offering services such as packing, storage and final mile delivery. At one point all of my siblings were in the business along with mom & dad. There are seven of us! The company further expanded to Hyannis, Plymouth and Portsmouth, NH. Along with many companies, our business shifted after 9/11 and several siblings left the business and the business contracted. After a few bumpy years and becoming the sole owner of Rainbow Movers, I became certified as a Woman Owned Business, a goal that drove me for years. What was primarily a household driven business, shifted to doing more final mile deliveries for companies such as Williams Sonoma, Restoration Hardware and Wayfair as well as doing more warehousing & distribution work. 10 years ago, Today it is an even split of business. I took my passion of working with seniors to a new level, becoming certified as a Senior Move Manger, working with seniors and their families as they make later life transitions. I am proud to state that in 2018 we celebrate 100 years of Rainbow Movers, a goal to be savored!
Has it been a smooth road?
Being a family owned and operated business is certainly not a walk in the park! The challenges of business are difficult enough without adding in the agendas of family members and spouses. I often wonder what our family would be like if we hadn’t all worked together. However, I also wouldn’t trade working with family and seeing them and working towards a common goal. Several years back the company filed Chapter 11 which was difficult and our business and family mix shifted. It was a difficult emotional time not to mention challenging and many days wondered if the fight was worth it. I can say today, 6 years later, that it was…the eye on the prize was 100 years.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Rainbow Movers, Inc. story. Tell us more about the business.
Rainbow Movers is an agent for North American Van Lines, 3 time winner of the Agent of the Year and multiple year recipient of the Customer Service Award. We are also an agent for CRST, a logistics group. We provide a menu of services and have adapted to the ever changing demand of our customers. I have told my move teams that moving today is not the same as it was even 5 years ago. It is more of a solutions process and being able to provide whatever services our customers need. We have specialized in final mile/home delivery for the last 10 years along with providing corporate relocations for some of the area’s top employers. International business became a specialty for us about 6 years ago and for me, I enjoy meeting our customers that are traveling abroad for work as many of the places they are destined to, I have been to so it’s comforting knowing that someone has an understanding of the challenges of an international move. I mentioned earlier that along with our current offering of local, long distance, international, & commercial moving, we provide packing services, warehousing and distribution along with special projects. We recently did a project with a local assisted living community where we moved 30 of the new residents into their new home at the community. Our teams know when working with me on these moves the special needs of the seniors and the stressful time they and their families are encountering. What sets us apart is that we use this the same sensitivity for all of our moves. Moving is right up there as one of the top 3 stressors behind death & divorce. We understand this take the necessary steps to make sure each move is successful. Our almost 100 years of service is what sets us apart!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The industry has been shifting the past couple of years and I think it’s going to become more of a concierge type service where moving will be just a part of the process. As the baby boomers age out, moving will inevitably become a more prominent side of our business. Providing options for what one encounters during a move is going to be key.
Contact Info:
- Address: 19 National Dr
Franklin, MA 02038 - Website: www.rainbowmovers.com
- Phone: 508-528-4111
- Email: sales@rainbowmovers.com
- Facebook: Rainbow Movers Inc Boston
Image Credit:
Jon McEnaney, Ray Roberts, Matt Giles, Bart Usher, Zeth Charlebois, Paul Farhquarson
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
