Winter is more than a seasonal inconvenience for Bob Billiet, owner of Mid MN Septic Services in rural Hutchinson, Minnesota. It has influenced the course of his life.
“Typically, we have six or seven months to earn 90 percent of our income,” says Billiet. “While thawing frozen onsite systems or pumping tanks puts some work on the service board in winter, it doesn’t generate sufficient revenue for a small enterprise like ours to retain trained help.”
Over the company’s 23-year history, Billiet has earned every license necessary to help sustain or grow the business: designer, installer, pumper, inspector, maintenance provider, real estate broker and appraiser, and plumber.
Winter also gave the company a fluid profile, exacerbated by a sometimes unstable economy. The only constant has been Billiet’s guiding presence, but that is about to change as he approaches retirement.