Most people don’t take on an entirely new career upon retirement. But 70-year-old Bill Robinson isn’t like most people. Robinson worked as an electrician in Peebles, Ohio, for 46 years, retiring in 2019. He also spent his entire career living next door to Clyde Pertuset, owner of Pertuset Septic Service. “I’ve known Clyde my whole life,” Robinson says.

Shortly after Robinson’s retirement, Pertuset approached his neighbor with a proposition. “He said, ‘I’d like for you to buy my business.’ I said, ‘Well I don’t know, I just retired; I don’t know if I want to do anything.’”

Robinson politely told his friend he’d consider the career change, but he never got the chance. “A few days later Clyde passed away,” Robinson remembers. After the death of his 83-year-old friend, Robinson thought more seriously about buying his business. Robinson’s wife was also on board. “My wife told me, ‘You better do something because you’re not used to sitting around.’”

Already restless in retirement and now determined to carry on his friend’s legacy, Robinson started his second career as the owner of Pertuset Septic Service. But he didn’t enter the venture alone.

WELCOME PARTNERS

“I reached out to Bill and said, ‘If you need someone to take care of the business side of the operation, I’d like to partner,’” says Trent Arey, co-owner of Pertuset Septic Service.

Arey and Robinson are family members. Robinson is the uncle, by marriage, of Arey’s wife. “I knew Bill pretty well. When I heard he was interested in purchasing the business, I approached him. We decided he’d drive the truck and I’d do the back end of things,” Arey says. 

Similar to Robinson, Arey was looking to start a second career. However, he didn’t have 40 years under his belt. Arey, age 29, had recently graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in business operations management. He started his career in government contracting but quickly realized it wasn’t for him. He decided to transition into entrepreneurship by buying properties and small businesses.

Pertuset Septic Service was his first investment. They purchased the company under R&A Septic Solutions LLC. Another family member is also involved. Robinson’s son Heath Robinson, age 41, is also a partner in the company. However, due to his full-time career obligations in another industry, he’s not involved in daily company operations.

A RESPECTED NAME

Clyde Pertuset founded Pertuset Septic Service in 1973 and ran it for 46 years. He built his business on a legacy of customer service and getting the job done right. So when it was time to let go of his company, he only wanted to hand it over to someone he trusted.

“He said, ‘I’d like for you to buy this. I know you’re a hustler and you’ll take care of it,’ ” Robinson recalls.

Pertuset knew Robinson had a successful career as an electrician. His hands-on skills, drive, attention to detail and work ethic ensure a successful small business. However, with the passing of his friend, Robinson now feels the added pressure to not only maintain the company’s success but carry on its legacy.

“Everybody really liked the previous owner and how he did business. We wanted to continue to do that same thing, provide good, quality customer service and always do a good job,” Arey says.

Robinson and Arey knew the value of maintaining the Pertuset name but they made sure they had the blessing from the Pertuset family. “We certainly have the family endorsement and that helps in putting out the public image that we are going to continue to operate things the way Clyde always had,” Arey says.  

PROVING THEIR WORTH

Arey and Robinson knew the value of the company was much more than it appeared on paper. However, banks don’t finance businesses based on a stellar reputation alone. “It’s hard to buy a company like that because you don’t put a value on it because you don’t know what it will do from one year to the next,” Robinsons says.

The company’s records showed it pumped about 400 to 450 tanks annually. In the last few years, Pertuset had scaled back his business, focusing on repeat customers. The bank also took into account the company’s equipment and assets. But it was impossible to prove the company’s true worth. Arey estimates the paperwork only showed about half of what the company was truly worth. After the purchase went through, Arey started making changes to help strengthen the company’s value on paper.

Arey created service contracts with commercial clients. The company maintains a large percentage of Pertuset’s original customer base. About 20% are commercial clients and 80% are residential. Most septic systems served are conventional tank and gravity drainfield, while a much smaller percentage utilized mounds or sand filters.

The company implemented service agreements with residential customers. The agreements are entered into a database that tracks clients’ information, property address, tank size, service dates and more. This not only boosts the company’s value on paper but also helps clients maintain information about their service history and tanks, making future service more efficient.  

EXPANSION PLANS

The company serves about a 60-mile radius including Adams, Brand, Pike, Scioto and Highland counties. Under the new management, the service menu was expanded to include aerator replacements, septic inspections and riser installation. Soon after acquiring the company, the owners expanded the service area by adding a second vacuum truck. They still use the truck purchased with the company, a 1993 International with a 2,500-gallon steel tank. The company added a 2016 Kenworth built out by Phoenix Truck Center with a 2,500-gallon steel tank with an NVE pump. 

Two trucks meant two drivers. Robinson brought on his friend, another retiree, Mike Beach. “He said, ‘I don’t like sitting around either.’ Customers call us the grumpy old men.”

Robinson is hoping to add a third, larger-capacity truck to provide more efficient service. Currently, all the waste must be dumped at the Adams County Treatment Plant. This wastes time and money when they’re servicing clients in other counties. “If you pump two tanks and that’s 1,500 gallons then you have to bring it back to dump and go back and get the rest. So, that really hurts us a lot,” Robinsons says.

Another option would be to acquire another company in the surrounding area. Now that they’ve purchased one existing company and increased profits they have a better idea of what to look for. There is some competition in the area for pumping. When Arey looked into expanding into portable restrooms or tank installation, he discovered the market was saturated. But there’s one area where he sees a growing need and not much competition. Arey is exploring adding hydrojetting capabilities.

“We see a lot of jobs where somebody’s leachfield is backed up or not working and we have to refer that work out because a lot of times its clogged up and they need high pressurized water to get it out,” Arey says.

Arey priced the jet system, trailer, camera and additional equipment at $60,000. The company would need to hire another employee to provide the services in addition to minor plumbing work and septic inspections. The company currently doesn’t own a camera, so purchasing the hydrojet equipment that comes with the camera would also allow them to expand into camera inspections.  

MODERN MANAGEMENT

Pertuset kept records on paper. Arey modernized the recordkeeping using ServiceCore software.

“I enter the calls directly into ServiceCore,” Arey says. “Whenever Bill gets into the truck he looks on his iPad and he can see his schedule for that day and the next couple of days.”

Current customer data is uploaded into the system. However, Arey still has thousands of paper records to upload. He’s working with ServiceCore to find a way to efficiently upload all the data.

Arey has also expanded the company’s marketing efforts to reach a new group of customers. “He’s really good at marketing,” Robinson says. “We put out our first video. He’s always coming up with different ideas.”

Arey doesn’t have a background in the septic service industry but his social media savvy has led him to source important information. He’s joined social media groups that swap knowledge and trade ideas. He also attended the annual WWETT Show in Indianapolis.

THE NEXT 50 YEARS

Pertuset Septic Service celebrated 50 years of business in 2023. Arey and Robinson are going on five years as the business’s owners. They attribute their success to Pertuset’s strong foundation combined with their modernization efforts. 

“We inherited a good company and we’ve kept it that way,” Robinson says. “We treat people fair. We pump their tanks clean; we don’t leave anything in them. That was the way Clyde was. Everything he did was neat and he always did the job right.” 

The company has grown under their leadership. Arey took a look at daily operations to find where he could streamline efforts, save money and identify efficiencies. The business now services about 730 tanks a year. However, their yearly goals aren’t tank-based. Their No. 1 goal is to increase net income annually, which they’ve successfully done every year. 

The company keeps the pair busy yet Robinson has no regrets about spending his retired years working full time. “I just like to work,” Robinson says. “As far as coming home and sitting on the couch, I can’t do that.”

Robinson plans to work until the very end. “I think I’ll retire when I’m dead,” he says. Like his friend Pertuset, he plans to leave the company in good hands.

“It’s a friends and family business, that’s the way it’s always been and will be,” Robinson says.