Shop Talk is a weekly column featuring locally owned and operated businesses. This week, we talk to Barry Jones of Tambear Creative Solutions in Milford.
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How long have you lived in the area?
Nineteen years ago, my parents and I moved here from Connecticut. Our family has roots in this area _ my grandmother was born in Schenevus. We moved into the house in Milford that they lived in.
My wife, Tammy, has lived in the area all her life.
Tell me about your business:
Tambear Creative Solutions is a Concrete Technologies Inc. dealer serving Otsego, Delaware, Chenango and Schoharie counties. We repair and resurface concrete and other surfaces inside and outside the home or business.
We can give a custom look to almost any surface from countertops to driveways. We are not limited by the color, shape or size of a tile. Our finishes are extremely strong and easy to clean. We can produce a finish to compliment any area. We can also put a logo or design on your surface.
Right now, it is busier in the summertime, only because it's more thought of as an outside application.
Our inside materials are extremely good, but it's just a little tougher sell _ there's a little more competition for the interior work.
Describe a typical day in your business:
I really don't have a "typical day." I might be prepping a job by masking off the area, grinding down the surface or applying our material. Then in between jobs, I might be keeping in contact with former customers and new customers to schedule a job.
How did you get started in this line of work?
I have always wanted to do something for myself and family. When we went to the training down in Florida, the whole family went through the training and loved the idea. My two boys help out any way they can. It has been wonderful.
Where do you see this business in five years?
I hope to continue to grow the business in some different directions that will compliment what we presently do _ possibly pouring small cement jobs, as well as resurfacing them in the warmer weather, and remodeling whole rooms in the colder times of year in addition to just the surfaces.
Describe a memorable moment in your workplace:
I had a customer earlier this year that had a few areas that she wanted us to resurface. After we got one done, she told me that she has some friends that may be interested in what we do, but she was hesitant about telling them, because she wanted to be sure her surfaces got done first before we got busy.
What have you learned from your work?
When I started, it was hard to interpret what look the customer was looking for. I have gotten in the practice of making a sample board to show what the finished product will look like, and that has worked well.
What is the hardest thing you have to do?
Advertising has been the most challenging. With the wide variety of applications and finishes we can provide, it has been extremely hard to get that in a small ad or commercial.
We're still trying to introduce people to the concrete countertops _ it's something new to the area, so people aren't as familiar with it.
I've done one or two so far, and I have a few more that I'm going to be doing in the next few months, so I'll definitely put those up on our website as soon as I have the photos. Compared to granite and quarried materials, we're at least half the price and just as durable, and we don't have any seams, so it's a nice alternative.
The most enjoyable?
When we are done with a job and we see how satisfied the customer is. Most customers wind up doing another area, or recommending us to someone.
What are some advantages/drawbacks of doing business in this area?
Our population is spread out more so than in other areas of the country. You have to combine tasks to different areas to keep the gas bill down. But we do love the area _ we love living here.
What sets you apart from your competitors?
We are not limited by sizes or colors of tiles or templates. When we finish a job, it is completely seamless, except for expansion joints in concrete.
What advice would you give to someone trying to enter your field of work?
Always remember: you are not working for yourself, you are working for your customer.
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To suggest a business for Shop Talk, contact Emily F. Popek at 432-1000, ext. 255, or epopek@thedailystar.com.
