The District Chronicles

Issue date: 7/27/08 Section: Business

Media Credit: Robert Eubanks/ Staff Photographer

When termites have taken their toll, roaches are running rampant, or beetles have become a burden, you want someone honorable to tackle those problems. Lenny Harris, owner of U-Can-Trust Pest and Termite Service has been taking care of his customers and their homes for years.

"The 'U-Can-Trust' means quality service. There's no hidden agenda, no hidden costs, and I'm very up front with my customers," Harris said. "I stick to that." Harris has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Five years ago, he closed down his first business as a T-Shirt designer when competition got stiff and operational costs ran high. "I should have persevered, and I could have been more organized," he confessed.

A friend of his recognized his good work ethic and offered him a job in the pest control business he was running. Harris spent two years learning the trade and perfecting the talent he didn't know he had.

"I like [pest control because I get to serve people.'' He said. ''The customers get to sleep at night, knowing the job was done right." Although Harris said the work is easy, it is a hard business to run. "Oh, it's definitely a struggle," Harris said. "I started with no capital.

Whatever I made from the business was put back into the business." Harris credits prayer - his secret weapon - for keeping him going during the tough times. "It's a hard process…but that's [prayer] what gets me through," he said. "I know God can take care of it."

As if setting down glue traps and running after pests wasn't sticky enough, Harris also tackles other issues. "Sometimes I run into the disgruntled customer that doesn't understand the problem," he reflected.

Other times, they do not realize the severity of the problem their home has, or past experiences make them distrusting of all pest control services. "I'll do walk-throughs, give them some literature, and just basically tell them about the insect they're dealing with," said Harris.

Confidence is one of the things that keeps him motivated. But he attributes sticking to his plan to another quality: "Being responsible enough to make sure everyone you encounter is satisfied with you makes owning a business great."

Harris' optimism and dedication to his business are essential to success in entrepreneurship. However, for those that are not sure about starting, he offers an extra trait - perseverance.

Continued...

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