JANITOR to SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN

JANITOR TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN He was a father who only had an 8th-grade education. He was not handsome. He had grown up very poor and showed minimal talent. How was this human being ever going to amount to anything in this world? Earl James Ruff married the neighborhood Beyonce Beauty, Juanita Glasco, at the age of 23. They moved to Stamford, Connecticut, to become domestics, working as groundskeeper and maid for the wealthy corporate millionaire, Louis Backmann, and his family.

Later, Earl decided to build a home on a hill in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, working for ten years as a janitor at New Bolton Center, a large horse hospital. Earl was ready to make a change. He bought a small trash business from his entrepreneur friend Verna Cuff. Working with his one truck in the dirty, smelly, mushroom capital of Southeastern Pennsylvania was not ideal for developing a successful business.

Earl learned the basics of building a business, such as buying two large trash trucks and slowly over 20 years, making a good living, paying off his house mortgage, and feeding his family. I asked Earl why he took the risk of buying that one trash truck and starting his own business.

He said, “I always wanted to work for myself and help people. I pick up their trash, and that’s helping people. To get past my fear, I had to take the first step very slowly and learn. A person must first know what business makes them happy, then take the first step.

So, that’s what I did!” Earl retired from the business world after twenty years. I asked him, was it worth it? He said, “An idea worthwhile is hard, and it takes action. It’s a very poor mouse who only has one hole.”

“Thanks, Dad, for the lesson in business. I will do my best to follow in your footprints.” Kerry Ruff — Earl’s only son. www.kerryruff.com/kruff@aol.com