Thoughts In Return? A Q&A With Fairbank Septic Pumping

1 — Tell us about your business. How did you get started and how has the business grown and evolved since you got started?

Prior to owning my own business I spent almost a decade working for a local company as a technician. When the owner decided to retire I made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase his business. In time I decided I didn’t want to go into another industry but I also didn’t want to work for the incoming ownership. I decided that the best option was to borrow some money and try to start my own pumping company. I started small, with a pump truck and some hand tools and a couple customers. Along the way we have grown dramatically from the beginning. We currently operate 3 trucks, a small backhoe for inspection and have 5 employees. It’s been an amazing experience.

2 — You have many loyal customers in Sudbury who recommend you to neighbors with great enthusiasm. What has been the key for Fairbank Septic to build that kind of customer base?

I think the most important part of success is being honest and transparent. My approach has always been to talk to customers and handle each job as if I was working on my own property. I strive to educate people about the systems they own so that they can make informed decision about maintenance, construction and upgrades. We want everybody to walk away from an interaction with FSP feeling like all their questions were answered thoroughly and they got value from the transaction.

3 — You have some deep roots in Sudbury. What does it mean to you to serve this community via a local business that you built from the ground up?

My family has a lot of history in this town. It has been humbling to see and feel the support for my business from the community. I have always had a soft spot for supporting local business. I have looked up to many people locally that have created successful business inside the community. It feels amazing to be part of that group of people. It’s a great feeling to help people in the town that I grew up in and be supported by them. It has been a wonderful experience.

4 — What services do you offer today? How have your services grown or evolved since you got started?

We haven’t changed what we offer from day one. The growth of the business has allowed me to offer the service to more people without burning myself out. I have technicians that rotate an on-call schedule with me in the mix, so now I can get a couple weekends a month off, whereas before I was the guy 24/7/365.

5 — What is something more people should know about septic systems? Do you find that there are any common misunderstandings about how they work?

I think the most common misunderstanding I find is what happens to the water you use in the house. A septic system is a recycling system for your water. The septic and soil absorption system removes the majority of solid waste from the water before that water reenters the groundwater. Here in Sudbury and most surrounding towns the drinking water is pulled from municipal wells. The water that passes through your septic system is the same water that comes back through your tap water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. It’s the same water in streams, ponds and wetlands. This is why its very important to clean your septic tank. The septic tank is the first stage of “treatment.” If the solids are not removed from the septic tank at regular intervals they will build up to a point, and will pass through your tank to the soil absorption system. Over time this process leads to failure and in turn can lead to pollution of the water supply.

6 — What’s next for Fairbank Septic? What’s your vision for the business in the long-term?

When I first started my goal was to build a business that my children could be part of if they wished to be. I still have that dream. My brother has become part of our team in the last 6 months, and is helping to streamline office processes and bring us into the 21st century technology wise. I would like the business to be self sustaining and be able to meet the needs of the Sudbury community and many other surrounding towns. I would like it to be able to take care of the families of the employees, and be a place that people work for most of their careers. I would like to grow it to a point that we can use the resources to create/achieve some other projects I have always wanted to undertake. Most of all I just want to be able to keep doing what I am doing, because most of all I love what I do.

Feature Image Credit: Fairbank Septic Pumping