Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Reis.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started with a phone call. My good friend and now business partner Brian Rushing gave me a buzz late one evening, within seconds of saying “What’s up buddy” – I knew I was in for trouble when he started the conversation with “We need to talk business, how soon can you get to my house?”
Brian took over his Dad’s HVAC business quite some time ago and now wanted to pivot his business in an entirely new direction. At the time, we were both into the firearm community and visited indoor ranges for competitions & recreation. The one glaring issue we always noticed was in the quality of air, we always felt like there was a better way to do things, but like most ideas, they fell by the wayside due in part to family, work, the usual.
‘FRESH AIR-Listen, I want to change the way ventilation is done for indoor shooting ranges. I’m not the business guy, but you are, so why don’t we start this business together……how soon can we start? So much for theatrics.
At that time, I was in the midst of running a small carpeting business that extended its reach into several markets in Texas. I also ran a few other small businesses that varied from medical devices, marketing and sales consulting for small service based businesses, to search engine management consulting.
My experience with the HVAC industry was very limited, but the one area I felt I had some experience to level the playing field was in business development and an insatiable appetite for wanting to learn.
As I began doing my research into the industry itself, I found most of the technology and literature to be outdated and antiquated. When Brian and I started to dig into his big idea of offering Fresh Air, I began to learn the nuances of the industry, the redundancy in the way things were. It didn’t take long for me to realize just how big his idea was. I knew his idea was revolutionary, I knew this would shake up the industry and I needed to find the way to get Brian’s vision and passion, into the hands of the people who needed it the most.
Within 30 days, I had either closed my part time ventures, or put them in the hands of someone who could take the wheel and go.
Rushing Air Treated Air Systems was born.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A smooth road? Show me one business owner who says opening and operating a business is an easy, smooth road and I’ll show you a prime candidate for the looney bin.
Even after our early failures and setbacks during R&D process, we still had to fine tune our product, our processes, our message, but none of this compared to our biggest obstacle of all, and that was the industry itself.
We were/are the new kids on the block.
Our competition has dominated this industry for well over 4 decades, the easiest comparative analogy I can use would be in the automotive industry. Our competition is Ford – Chevy – Dodge, the guys who have been providing a product and service since the beginning of time, yet here we are, some small outfit out of Texas screaming at the top of our lungs “We’ve found a better way!”
You can only imagine the amount skepticism and negativity we have fought every single day since.
While this may have been insurmountable for some, if there is one thing I’ve learned through all of my failures and small advancements in small business, is relentless forward progression. If you believe in what you’re doing, don’t let the nay sayers stop you, when their voices get louder, then you’re doing something right.
And that has been the fuel to our fire every day going forward.
Rushing Air Treated Air Systems – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Rushing Air exclusively specializes in the air management and filtration of indoor shooting ranges. We supply 100% Fresh Air, 100% of the time.
While most, if not all HVAC companies in our arena recirculate air into the customer’s breathing space, we simply pump 100% Fresh Air in and out, never recycling harmful particulates into the breathing space.
Our firm is known for the ability to offer Fresh Air with full cooling and heating capabilities, our clients enjoy the capabilities of offering their employees or customers 70° temperatures in their facility whether it is 100° or 10° outside.
While our systems are proving to be the safest on the market place for both the user and environment, a feature that I am the most proud of, our range owners truly appreciate that they are no longer breaking the bank to provide a safe and comfortable environment for their employees and range visitors. In fact, compared to the competition, our clients are seeing anywhere from 30-75% savings on their annual energy consumption. It is something we didn’t set out to do, but became a byproduct of constantly challenging the status quo.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
“In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
During the growth of my career, if there is one thing I can express my sincerest gratification for is in my failures.
I’ve come to learn that there is absolutely nothing wrong with failing. In fact, I’ve come to the point in my career where I truly appreciate my failures, no matter how they manifest themselves, be it in business, personal relationships, communication, it really doesn’t matter.
I know that failures are nothing more than lessons to be learned, whether they are minuscule or catastrophic, there is always a silver lining to be found, you just have to look for it. The ability to look past the failure and find the path of least resistance is an attribute I can say I’m proud of.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3315 Spring Cypress Rd
Building 4A
Spring TX 77388 - Website: www.rushingair.net
- Phone: 832.791.5521
- Email: jay@rushingair.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rushingairusa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RushingAirTreatedAir/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RushingAir_USA
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFaegjADfGUrV17OlCoUuuA
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