Nothing can ruin your day like a stressful move.
Hence the name of Sean Higgins’ year-old Hudson business: Daymakers Moving and Storage.
“Every person you meet is a chance to make someone’s day — that’s the foundation of this company,” he explains in an interview along the St. Croix River last week in the cab of one of his 26-foot trucks.
“Moving is the third-most stressful thing in life, right behind death and divorce. So, your mover should never be the stressful part of your move. We should be the ones who remove the stress.”
That’s not just a sales pitch for Higgins, who started the business last May after working for another moving company for about a year.
It reflects a pay-it-forward philosophy that’s deeply ingrained into his own life, the rest of his 12-person team, and in the way Daymakers Moving and Storage gives back to the community it serves:
Treat people special, and the rest will take care of itself.
“We don’t work for money. We work for happy customers — that’s where our heart is rooted. I don’t view what you can do in life as how much money you make. It’s how you live your life,” said Higgins.
“Everybody who works here knows that when we all wake up every day, that’s our goal and that’s our passion.”
Customer reviews over Higgins’ first year in business offer proof of its success.
All 40 reviews listed on the website rateabiz.com, for example, give Daymakers Moving and Storage a top 100 percent satisfaction rating.
Check Out Some of the Reviews!
–“Very hardworking, very careful and loads of fun to hang with! I have never had more fun and less stress moving. EVER. Hands down, these guys are the best there are. You won’t be disappointed, and they won’t break the bank either!”
–“Mom moved out of her apartment and into a care center in July. My sister and I needed help with packing and moving! I called Daymakers! What a blessing they were! From the care they took packing and marking boxes to the actual moving day, everyone was caring, professional, prompt and hardworking! They more than met our expectations!”
–“Often our business stages homes for tours or to sell. We tried Daymakers to help ease the staging process for an entire new home. The staff were polite, hardworking and took such great care of every piece and the new home. I can’t wait for the next project to hire them again. Totally made my day!”
–“I’ve never had a moving company care about my personal belongings as much as I do. If you are looking for above and beyond customer experience, this is the company for you. You won’t be disappointed!”
The Daymakers Moving and Storage website also provides details about each of the company’s specialty areas: residential and commercial moving, furniture, arranging storage, providing supplementary moving labor, moving supplies and packing services, piano/organ moving, pool table moving, and safes and vaults.
“We have the capacity to handle any size move,” Higgins notes.
He adds when asked about the lead time required as the Memorial Day-to-Labor Day busy season approaches:
“I always tell our customers, ‘the sooner the better’ but don’t ever hesitate to call whatever your situation is because we can adjust our schedule to accommodate you. Flexible scheduling is one of the things that sets us apart. We know how calendars can fall apart when you’re moving.”
For more information, go to the Daymakers website, send a message through the site’s contact page or call (715) 410-4054.
Eureka moment
Higgins, a New Richmond native with a Biblical Studies bachelor’s degree from Liberty University, got into moving after answering a Craigslist ad for another company. He took to the work immediately.
“It wasn’t a sign in the sky or anything,” he recalls. “I just really like it because I like to be in motion all day.”
Higgins continues: “But I started seeing things that I didn’t like. If a customer had a complaint, for example, they weren’t treated very well. The employees weren’t treated very well either, and we weren’t doing anything that really gave back to the community. So I decided that I wanted to start a company that fundamentally impacts, first of all, the customer, but also the employees. I wanted to empower them to not only be good workers, but also good members of the community.”
When Higgins explained his vision to his father Mike, he not only found a supporter, he found a partner. Mike is now a silent co-owner.
Sean lives in Amery with his wife Libby, 18-month-old son Judah, 8-year-old daughter Ayla, 10-year-old daughter Eden and two foster children.
“Libby and I met in church — her dad’s pastor at Living Word Chapel in Forest, Wisconsin. When we started our family, we had four foster kids, but two of them ended up going back to their own homes.” Sean notes, adding with a chuckle:
“See these grey hairs? Well, they’re not from the business, I can tell you that.”
Empowering and giving
Higgins and the rest of his workforce — six movers, three packers, and two office specialists — are, of course, the face of the company. And from the beginning, they’re immersed in a culture based on three core values: customer satisfaction, empowering employees, and impacting the community.
From the beginning, too, Higgins’s management style emphasizes bringing out the best in each employee — Daymakers and Moving Storage is anything but a crack-the-whip-hard company.
“We lead by example, and if someone makes a mistake, we don’t tear them down or take it out of their paycheck,” he explains.
“Instead, we want to build them up and help them learn from that mistake. For many of these guys, it helps, too, to let them know that they’re working for something bigger.”
An attractive bonus program is also part of Higgins’ style, as are frequent impromptu treats and employee-appreciation gatherings. After last week’s interview, for example, Higgins was off to a company party at Hudson’s Buffalo Wild Wings.
“If you think about it, these guys are busting their butts every day, and it’s important that we recognize that,” he says, referring specifically now to fellow movers Kevin Anderson, Nick Huston, Clay Bartels, Joe Anderson, Zach Moe and Ryan Ludwitzke.
“They’re great. To have six guys that are this good is just a blessing.”
That goes for the rest of the staff as well: packers Bridget Grindahl, Tiffany Olson and Abby Jensen, and office pros Valerie Peterson and Libby, who also oversees packing.
Higgins also sets the example for community giving — in fact, it’s the first thing he mentions last week.
In its first year alone, Daymakers Moving and Storage donated money and/or services to such groups as River Falls’ Turningpoint for Victims of Domestic Assault and Violence, Polk County’s Northwoods Homeless Shelters, Glenwood City’s West CAP community action agency, the Somerset Community Food Pantry, and the St. Croix Valley Foundation.
“Our investors, my dad, and myself didn’t take any profits our first year — we gave everything away,” Higgins explains.
“I gave 10 percent to a spiritual program for people struggling with alcohol and drug addiction, and from now on, 10 percent will go to alcohol and drug treatment programs.”
And the future for Daymakers Moving and Storage?
Higgins mentions adding trucks, storage facilities, and hiring more employees for the busy season. Eventually, he plans to expand more into the Twin Cities metro area.
But, really, what’s most important to him is solidifying the core philosophy that has made the company what it is today. That’s what will guide the company’s future.
“We’re just trying to impact the community in bigger and better ways,” Higgins says.
“In a time when generosity isn’t as common as it used to be, just being generous is a great feeling on its own.”
To contact Daymakers Moving & Storage go to their website: www.daymakersmoving.com or call 715-410-4054.