Following Up on Success

Mike Cleck Paving & Sealcoating started with a very good year in 2005 and has never looked back.

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Every once in a while we follow up on a contractor we’ve written about in the past when we think their experiences will make for a valuable lesson for our readers.

Mike Cleck was featured 10 years ago after he quit his job as a paver operator in Mifflintown, PA to expand his weekend sealcoating business into a full-time paving operation.

The first article, "A Very Good Year,” talked about Cleck’s experiences setting out on his own and the challenges of learning to operate your own business.

Then the recession hit and everyone struggled to survive.

[Insult to Injury]

Every once in a while we follow up on a contractor we’ve written about in the past when we think their experiences will make for a valuable lesson for our readers.

Mike Cleck was featured 10 years ago after leaving his job as a paver operator for another company in Central Pennsylvania to expand his weekend sealcoating business into a full-time paving operation.

The first article, called “A Very Good Year,” talked about Cleck’s experiences setting out on his own and the challenges of learning to operate your own business.

Then the recession hit and everyone struggled to survive.

Insult to Injury

“My company grew extensively in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and we were expanding and upgrading equipment and improving employee benefits,” Cleck says. “2008 hit us hard and was devastating with the crude oil prices causing asphalt to skyrocket and the economy hit a recession. It was hard to go through, not only for me but my crew.”

Cleck had to downsize in order to stay in business. “I cared about my crew and set up interviews for all of them to get jobs with a large paving company and they all succeeded in obtaining employment which was a relief for me,” Cleck says.

Then another blow. Cleck was involved in an accident that broke his arm in three places. 

“I had to undergone multiple surgeries,” Cleck says. “When I was laid up in the hospital, I trusted my employees to look out for the company during my recovery but I had two trusted employees that really took advantage and really hurt the company and the other employees. They had stolen from me and actually cost the company a lot of money.”

After that incident, Cleck really focused on finding good, trustworthy people he could count on and working on ways to better manage his bookkeeping.

“I’m on every job from start to finish and I didn’t keep track of everything that was going on with the paperwork,” Cleck says. “Now I watch everything down to the penny. I pay attention to both the business end and the jobsite.”

“Years 2008 and 2009 were set-backs but I stuck with it and worked hard to overcome a lot of what had happened. I love to pave and I knew this is what I wanted to stick with so I suffered through it and got through the sleepless nights and here we are today better than ever.”

Better Than Ever

2016 marks the 12th year that Cleck has been in business for himself and he knows that being a great paver and doing a great job doesn’t necessarily mean you will be successful. “You have to know every inch of the business, such as sales, marketing, public relations, accounting, forecasting and budgeting,” he says.

Reputation and word of mouth continues to be the biggest asset for the company, who now travels almost 60 miles from their headquarters to complete work for customers who have heard about jobs Cleck and his crew have completed.

 “The success of Mike Cleck Paving has always been based on our reputation for doing a great, high quality job consistently every time we pave,” Cleck says. “I would say over 75% of our work is based on reputation and word of mouth alone.”

And since his background was a paver operator, Cleck is on the paver on every job ensuring that reputation is upheld.

“And I am a perfectionist,” Cleck says. “The crew may get a little upset with me at times but it’s my reputation and I am not satisfied until the job is perfect.  This mind-set has gotten us through the set-backs such as the recession, dishonest employees and injuries.”

“I care about my crew and want to make things better for them in the future,” Cleck says. “I want to make cautious decisions and adjustments in order to keep supplying the quality work we are known for and offer my employees more benefits to show my appreciation.  I have all really hard workers and they deserve more.” 

When things get bad or you have a bad year, hang in there, make adjustments if needed and there will be brighter days ahead.”

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