Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Couture.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lindsey. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My mom and step dad started the company in 1989. I joined the company when I graduated from high school in 1998. I was unsure on what I wanted to study in college so I figured I’d work a little bit, make some money, and then re-enroll in college once I “figured it out.” We were small back then with three trucks and very casual. There wasn’t a ton to do except for file and I’m pretty sure I slept on my desk half the time and the other half I pushed around paperwork to kill time. I certainly wasn’t the best employee. At some point, I started taking interest in certain jobs and began seeing them through from start to finish. This gave me a sense of accomplishment that I didn’t even know I could find here. The company had been in business for some time and was building a great reputation gaining high end contacts in the field. The business was growing and the jobs were getting more interesting with the addition of our commercial sect. I was proud of what my mom and step dad had accomplished in such a tough industry. I finally figured out, this is what I wanted to do so I went out and got my C.S.I.A certification. My mom and step dad have since stepped back allowing myself and my little brother take the reigns. I love telling people I am a certified chimney sweep. I still get a kick out of how surprised people are, even in this day and age. I also love that 9 out of 10 people I tell, have a question for me about their chimney.
Has it been a smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. We were hit hard in the recession of 2008 and it was scary to think that, for the first time, we may not recover. That “fear” feeling lasted almost two years and it was very stressful around here during that time. Having gone through something like that really puts the success into perspective. I never take a successful year for granted. We continue to look for ways to stay fresh and be better.
A constant struggle for me personally is navigating through all the changing regulations and laws. From industry code changes to HR and employment law, it’s hard to stay current. I am a true believer in seminars and CEUs if you want to stay up to date.
Out of all that, I would have to say that working with family has definitely been the biggest challenge. These people are as stubborn as me!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Boston’s Best Chimney story. Tell us more about the business.
Our residential services include inspecting, rebuilding, relining, and overall maintenance of chimney systems. Some people think that if they don’t have a fireplace than they don’t have a chimney and that’s not necessarily true. More often than not, the heating system vents though the chimney and this is the most important flue to check!
Our commercial specialty is venting. We can vent commercial sized boilers for buildings, hotels, schools, hospitals, etc., through an existing masonry chimney (if space allows), or through a brand new stack. Creating a venting solution for projects like these is like piecing together a puzzle, there are a lot of moving parts. This is my favorite part of my job.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I have seen so many changes in the last 5-10 years that it’s hard to imagine what the next 5-10 will be like!
Right now we’re looking into performing aerial drone inspections. The ability to perform an inspection from the ground will be huge from a safety standpoint. The process is slow because you have to obtain the proper licenses and permits, but we’re hoping to be able to launch that service early next year.
Pricing:
- Visual inspection – $99
- Camera inspection – $275 (up to 50′)
- Regular sweep – $195
Contact Info:
- Address: 76 Bacon Street
Waltham, MA 02451 - Website: www.bestchimney.com
- Phone: 781-893-6611
- Email: office@bestchimney.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/bostonsbestchimney
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bostons-best-chimney-waltham
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