October 5, 2023 • 28 mins
What if you were told your dreams were out of reach? Would you let the world crumble your aspirations or would you rise above the adversity? Get ready to be inspired by our guest, Isaac Traylor, owner of 3-i Pressure Washing and Detail, as he shares his remarkable journey from homelessness and addiction to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Isaac's resilience in the face of adversity, coupled with his transformative relationship with Communities Unlimited, which funded him when banks turned him away, is an epic tale of personal and financial growth.
Isaac's story goes beyond business expansion. It's an inspiring narrative of personal and spiritual development. Learn how he leveraged social media and mentorship to grow his pressure washing and mobile detailing company, while also finding time to run a non-profit feeding the homeless and underprivileged youth in Little Rock. Tune in to hear about Isaac's path from homelessness to home ownership, and from struggle to success, all while making a positive impact in his community. Isaac's journey offers invaluable insights not just to aspiring entrepreneurs but to anyone battling adversities in life.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
The journey coming to Communities Unlimited was.
It was kind of rocky because Iwas like, well, I'm doing this
and ain't nobody going to giveme no funding, with no big
resume behind me.
But I had enough faith in Godthat he would put the proper
people in front of me.
And when Communities Unlimitedwas presented to me, I just knew
(00:28):
.
I didn't know how I was goingto have them, but I knew I was
going to have them.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Welcome back to another episode of Small Talk
with Communities Unlimited.
My name is Chris Baker.
It's our podcast, meant toempower rural communities and
introduce people to theopportunities that CU has.
I am sitting down with a veryspecial gentleman.
I don't know if he knows thisor not.
I'm going to tell him now.
You were one of the firstpeople that I interacted with
when I came to CU to work, soIsaac Trailer is with us today.
(01:01):
Isaac owns 3i Pressure Wash inDetail With a loan client of CU.
I'm not going to tell yourstory, isaac.
You tell your story.
Tell everybody how you came towork with CU.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, actually a little over a year ago, I was
trying to expand my business andI had went to several
conventional banks and they allturned me down.
I spoke with a guy, matter offact, named Harry Blanc, from
Small Business Association inLittle Rock.
(01:36):
He gave me the number toCommunities Unlimited and told
me to give him a call.
I did.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Can I stop you right there?
What was your thought?
You were like who are thesepeople that I'm calling, or what
was it.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I had no clue.
I was just wondering okay, whatarea or what avenue do I take
if the banks turn me down?
But he said reach out toCommunities Unlimited and see
what they can do for you.
So I made the call and it'sbeen a blossoming relationship
ever since.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So tell everybody what your business is.
What do you do, man?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Okay, so my business is a three eye pressure washing
in detail LLC.
And the three eyes come fromIsaac, ikea and ISA those are my
kids name and a mobiledetailing mobile auto detailing.
And I pressure washing houses,decks, fence, concrete, boats
you name it.
If it's dirty I clean it.
(02:36):
And I also I do newconstruction cleanup apartments,
houses and I also run anonprofit in Little Rock where I
go around and feed the homelessand in the underprivileged
youth that I encounter I try tolead them in the right direction
.
If I can't lead them in theright direction, I try to point
them in the right direction.
It's my nonprofit is fundedfully out of my own pocket.
(02:58):
You know God has blessed me tobe a blessing, so I just want to
give back in the best way I can.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I gotta say, man, I know you've have experienced it
a little bit today.
I think it's really cool for methat you were one of the first
clients that I interacted with,because I've watched your
journey so far, man, from whenyou came to us to where you're
at now, and I gotta respect thehustle man.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
That's how I eat.
You know I have to get outthere and get it.
You know I don't have a richmom or rich dad to fall back on,
you know so if I don't get outand get it, I'm not gonna eat.
I wake up every morning withexpectation of growing not just
financially but spiritually aswell, because you know, without
a proper mindset you're goingbackwards.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Now can you remind me what you came looking for alone
, for?
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Well, when I came here, I was looking to expand my
business.
I was needing a pickup truckand a trailer and I wanted to
get all of the equipment theproper equipment to do the
bigger jobs a bigger pressurewasher, a roof pump, a water
tank, a generator.
I needed all those things andwhen I reached out to the
(04:11):
community, it was unlimited.
I asked what I did.
I told them exactly what Ineeded and the rest is history.
You know, I came with abusiness plan which I got a
business plan from a lady namedWendy Orvitz from Arkansas Small
Business and TechnologyDepartment in Little Rock and
she did an amazing job doing mybusiness plan.
(04:31):
When I presented my businessplan, I had to get a few more
documents and the rest washistory.
You know community is unlimited.
It made the process very, veryeasy.
I highly recommend community isunlimited to anybody that's
looking to expand their businessor grow their business or start
a business, you know, and it'slooking for funding.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
We're gonna get back to why you're doing the
non-profit kind of stuff andeverything in just a minute,
because I know that's importantand it's an important part of
you.
But could you what?
You don't mind, sharon, abouthow you came to the point you're
at, kind of right now, likewhere you been man, like where
are you from, all that kind ofstuff?
Okay, well, and I got time too,just so you know.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Okay, all right, all right.
Okay.
I was born and raised in Camden, Arkansas.
I moved away.
I'm back in the 90s.
I moved away, but I came back,you know, and as I got older I
dippled and dabbled in drugs,drugs and alcohol.
And along the journey, you know,I became homeless.
(05:39):
I became homeless and 2019, myfather passed away and I was
homeless when he passed.
As any young man, they alwayswant their father to be proud of
them.
But at that point I felt like afailure because when my dad
died, he knew I was homeless and, you know, I said to myself
(06:01):
okay, well, I'm not going to letmy mama see me like this, no
more.
And I had enough sense tofollow my needs and I asked God
to deliver me.
And when he delivered me, Ihadn't looked back and I've
always been a pretty sharp guy.
You know I had a lot of skills,a lot of knowledge.
You know I did a little time inthe military, so I mean, I got
(06:23):
some discipline.
But you know, when your mind isnot right, I'll let go out the
window.
But when I started the journeyof getting my life back together
, you know I knew some talents.
You know I've always used tolike washing cars, you know.
So actually, I started washingcars out of the trunk of my car.
And when I moved to Little Rockin 2019, after my dad passing, I
(06:48):
got a little job at a factory,which was it was just a job.
You know, they worked six daysa week and was not appreciated.
And in the middle of a pandemicI quit my job because I knew
God had something better for methe slave drive being slave
driving for somebody that don'treally appreciate it.
(07:10):
I got a water bucket and waterhose and a little bit of
handheld vacuum and I startedwashing cars out of the trunk of
my car and my pastor gave me avan so I was able to get a
little water tank and put it inmy van and I went to Walmart and
bought a pressure washer and Iknew how to do some things.
(07:32):
But what I did know, I went onYouTube.
Youtube taught me how to do alot of pressure washing and
friends, I asked friends.
I had a friend guy of mine fromStevens, arkansas, named Dezzy
Hunter and he told me some stuff, man, about pressure washing,
and I do this, do this, do this.
And I started doing it and I waslike okay, well, I quit my job.
(07:56):
So I got to go all in now.
But you know, god startedopening doors left and right,
you know, and I'm making moremoney doing that than I was
working the six day a week job.
But the journey coming tocommunities unlimited was.
It was a kind of rocket,because, you know, I was like,
well, I'm doing this and ain'tnobody going to give me no
(08:18):
funding, with no big resumebehind me.
But I had enough faith in Godthat he would put the proper
people in front of me.
And when communities unlimitedwas presented to me, I just knew
.
I didn't know how it was goingto happen, but I knew it was
going to happen.
And when I talked to Ms DeborahWilliams, man, she just made
(08:40):
the process so easy and I hadthe proper documents already in
place to get the ball rolling.
And the rest is history man,you know.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
So, Isaac, I mean, 2019 wasn't that long ago.
Man Does it feel like a longtime ago.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Actually it don't, but I look at the progress I've
made in what four years, man, Iwent from homeless to I bought a
brand new house in May, yeah,you know.
So you can't tell me God won'tdo it.
And it don't take God long todo nothing.
(09:21):
You know, and I'm living proof,from washing cars out of the
trunk of a car to now having avan and a truck and a trailer.
You know, I'm making more moneythan I've ever dreamed of, you
know, and it hasn't been easy,but it hasn't been that hard
either, you know, because I getup every day and I get it.
I get it, man.
You know it's a lot of days Idon't want to get up, but, like
(09:44):
I said, I don't have a fall guy.
I am the fall guy.
You know I got to get out andget it.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
You know they talk about like breaking the cycle.
Right, somebody's got to breakthat cycle and it sounds like
you're wanting to be that dude.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Hey, man, I want to make sure my grandkids and my
daughters don't have to strugglelike I did.
I want them to be financiallysecure, you know, mentally,
physically and spiritually.
You know.
I want them to be able to seewhat their daddy and their papa
did, you know for them, and forthem to continue it on after I'm
(10:20):
gone.
Yeah, I definitely want tobreak that generational curse.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I also think that people who deserve opportunities
get opportunities, and the onlyway you deserve opportunities
is if you earn them, and I thinkit just happened in the hallway
again for you man, isaac hascome up to our office that's
where we're recording thispodcast right now, and this is
the first time he's been here,first time we've met, and he's
standing on the hallway with me.
(10:45):
He's like you know, man, what Ineed help with is bookkeeping,
and I was like I know somepeople that do that are
entrepreneurship department, andwhen I said that the director
of the entrepreneurshipdepartment walks by us right
then I don't.
I don't think that'scoincidental man that's called
favor, that's called favor.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
You know being in the right place at the right time.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Well, I'm glad you're here, and not only right now,
but also here in the sense ofyou are part of our CU family.
Thank you, it's always funnybecause we share your stuff, we
look at your stuff, we talkabout your stuff because you
take great pictures.
I mean, it's dramatic, right,you're putting soap on the side
of an 18 wheeler and all thatstuff.
That looks cool, and so we talkabout it quite a bit, man, and
(11:28):
I'm glad we're sitting down totalk because I want people who
hear this podcast to learn fromyour experience how you're using
that.
You know parlay into the future.
Man, my question to you rightnow is what?
What does the future look likefor you in an ideal sense?
Speaker 1 (11:44):
The future is bright.
Right now I don't even thinkI've scratched the surface and I
got hopes, dreams andaspirations and they're going.
They're going to come to pass.
But my future is so bright, man, because I already see more
trucks coming, more employeescoming.
You know I have a few already,but it's going to be to the
(12:06):
point where I got to have a fullfledged staff and communities
unlimited is a starting pointfor me and I can't thank y'all
enough, you know, and that'sanother reason why I was so
excited about coming today so Icould meet all y'all that I've
been talking to on the phone andemailing back and forth just to
say thank you, because you know, I don't know if, if many
(12:27):
people do that, but I'm going tobe that one that says thank you
for the opportunity to grow mybusiness and to be successful in
what I'm doing, because withoutthe proper equipment, you know,
you can make a a a easy jobhard and a job a hard job easy.
You know it just depends on howyou look at it.
And communities unlimited hasbeen that stepping stone for me.
(12:47):
And three I press Washingtondetail to expand.
So thank you?
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Well, you're welcome.
I didn't do it, but you'rewelcome as a representation of
our, of our company here.
Man, you know you, we weretalking off the mic just a
minute ago and we were talkingabout, kind of like, why we do
what we do and the the answer Ithink short answer for you that
I would tell you right now isthat we appreciate you saying
thank you, but your success andyour hard work and your attitude
(13:15):
on what you're up to is isthanks enough for us, because we
do this solely to see peoplesucceed.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
That's it, and you know that's kind of rare these
days, you know, for people to goout of their way to see
somebody else succeed.
And that's why, once again, Ihave to say thank you, because
you don't see it too oftenwithout strings attached.
You know it wasn't what I'mgoing to help you if you do this
(13:43):
.
You know it was like, hey, thisis what you need, we're going
to do this.
Sky's limit, you know, and I'mtaking this opportunity and I'm
running with it because it maynot come again.
So I'm going to utilize itwhile I got it.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I think that I mean that's obvious to me that you're
running with it.
It's almost like you say thatlike I don't know that, but you
don't know how much I see likeyour social media stuff, you
don't know how much we sharethat stuff.
We'll say, hey, do you see whatthree eyes up to?
Seriously, OK, how about this?
You're watching like a DallasCowboys bus.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
I got a phone call and they was coming through
Arkansas and they wanted me toclean their buff.
And it was like, hey, I thought, I thought it was a joke.
And they was like, hey, man, wecoming through, man, we need
you to clean up to a bus becausewe can't take it back to
headquarters dirty.
And I said, well, where are yougoing to be?
And I'm on my way and I got theopportunity to watch the Dallas
(14:34):
Cowboys bus and got to walkaround on the inside eat up some
of their snacks and, you know,got a couple of hats.
I'm not a real big DallasCowboys fan, but I got some hats
from one from my passing, onefor this other guy.
But it was cool, man for themto think of me.
You know, just a little oldbitty guy that decided to get
his life together.
(14:54):
Now I'm doing stuff for theDallas Cowboys.
You know I'm watching.
I'm watching stadiums.
You know, university ofArkansas, pine Bluff, I've done
this stadium, the press boxes.
You know I'm doing 70, 80,000square feet, churches.
Now, all because I get up and Iget it, you know, and I try to
pride myself on integrity beingconsistent, you know, because
(15:18):
consistency is the key tosuccess and I'm just, I'm just,
I'm proud.
For the first time in a longtime, I'm proud to say I'm proud
of myself.
You know, wow, yeah, I said I'mproud of myself.
Yep, yeah, I said.
(15:38):
Yeah, man, you know it feelsgood.
It does.
It does Because two years ago,man, I was hopeless.
I was hopeless, homeless.
But I can sit here now and sayI'm proud.
(16:00):
You know, I'm financiallysecure, my children are okay, my
mom is proud of me, you know,and I know my dad, he hero.
I just can't see him, but I'mproud.
(16:23):
And three I first watching thedetail, I'll see it's going to
be a household name for a long.
I truly believe that.
I truly believe that.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I love that for you, man.
I'm really glad you get achance to say that about
yourself.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Well, it's been a long time coming.
It's been a long time coming,you know, and I'm just, I just
got to keep doing what I'm doing.
You keep putting God first man,and I'll never be last.
But it was a journey, but I hadto go through it to get where I
am now, because now Iappreciate it.
(17:04):
You know, I appreciate the hardwork, I appreciate the long
days and the long nights.
I even appreciate the naysayersor the haters, or whatever you
want to call it, because theypushed me, they pushed me into
my destiny.
You know, not that I had toprove them wrong, but I had to
prove me, prove to myself that Icould, and I did, and I am and
(17:26):
I'm going to continue to do so.
But I didn't, I didn't, I can't, I can't do it without saying I
give God the glory behind it,Because without him I couldn't
have done it.
You know, I couldn't have doneit.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I don't know if anybody can hear it in the
background or not, but yourphone keeps buzzing.
That's more work, isn't it?
More than likely?
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I love it, me too, man.
You know it's funny, man, thatwhen I say more work, more work,
god just give me what I askedfor.
You know, I prayed about this acouple of years ago and now I'm
getting it.
You know, and it's definitelyI'm not going to say amusing,
(18:11):
but to see and surprisemanifests is awesome, man.
It's awesome, especially whenyou're getting paid behind it.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Can I ask you to take me back to 2019?
What was the catalyst?
I mean, I know you said yourdad passed.
What was that moment where yousaid, all right, man, I'm all in
on the pressure washing thing?
Speaker 1 (18:34):
When I moved to Little Rock in 2019, right after
my dad passed and I was working, and I was living paycheck to
paycheck, you know, and I wasworking from five in the morning
or five in the evening, andthen I would go work at my
church trying to make extramoney and I'm like this ain't
(18:54):
getting it.
You know, this ain't getting it.
You know, like I said, man, Igrabbed my bucket, I throw it in
the trunk of my car and therewas this one young lady's head
always been asking me to washher car, so I don't think I
would wash that car.
And then her neighbor saw meand said well, can you do mine,
sure.
And then her neighbor saw me,so that's three.
(19:16):
And then, man, before I know it, people in my mail was calling
me and I had heard that theywere saying have y'all seen the
little man just washing the carsout the trunk of his car?
And they were like no, we allneed to call him.
You know what I'm like.
Don't talk about me, you know.
(19:37):
And then I started seeing howthe money was coming.
I was working, like I said Iwas working at that factory and
they kind of made me mad becausethey wouldn't let me take my
vacation to go watch my daughterrun track.
But soon as after I had put itin, they told me I couldn't.
The next week they said well,you can take it now.
(20:00):
I said OK, and I had beenpraying.
I said, god, I know you gotsomething better for me.
Then it's just working to makesomebody else rich.
I took my vacation and I neverwent back and we was in the
middle of a pandemic.
The middle of a pandemic was2020.
Middle of a pandemic, I saidyou know what?
(20:21):
And you talking about steppedout on faith.
I stepped out, I mean because Isaid to myself, ok, god, you
said you'll supply all my needs.
I said, ok, show me.
And he ain't Mr B, and he ain'tgoing to miss a beat.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
It's interesting to me, your story because of what
you've done with it, not onlywith your business, not only
with the fact of why you'redoing what you're doing with
business.
But let's actually revisit thatnonprofit angle that you want,
because I didn't realize whatyou were up to and what your
goals are for that man until wejust talked a few minutes ago.
Tell everybody what you're upto.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
OK, I also run a nonprofit called I Care Outreach
where I go around Leroc and Ifeed the homeless and then the
underprivileged youth that Iencounter.
I try to lead them in the rightdirection.
Or if I can't lead them in theright direction, I try to point
them in the right direction.
And my goal was first, when Istarted seeing people on the
side of the road, it just kindof done something to me.
(21:19):
So I started making little carebags.
I mean, I'd have a trunk fullin my car, in my work truck or
whatever, and I just startpassing them out at the street
corners where I see the folksstanding up with the signs.
And then I had a friend say man, why don't you start it on
private?
You can get people to donatethis and donate that.
So I went through the process.
(21:39):
I got my 501c3 and I got all mystuff from the Secretary of
State.
So I'm legit, Everything islegitimate.
But I wanted to do more.
I wanted to do more.
So I started going out a coupleof Saturdays a month or maybe
once every two months or so, andjust started feeding.
I make sandwiches, water, givethem masks, socks and I go out.
(22:02):
Man, I go to some of the littleareas that's in Little Rock,
where it's always somebody.
And a couple of weeks ago itkind of hurt my feelings because
I hadn't went out in about twoor three months and the guy said
, man, where you been?
He said you're the only onethat come down here.
And I hurt my feelings so badand I'm like you know I'm
(22:22):
putting my job or my business infront of doing God's work,
because he didn't bless me tohold on, he blessed me to bless
others.
So I got to start going outmore often and my long term goal
for I care outreach is toobtain a shower truck so where I
(22:44):
can go out a couple ofSaturdays a month to different
sides of town and let homelessindividuals take a shower.
And once they take a shower Iwant to be able to give them
some cleaner underwear, socks,two bucks, two paces and let
them feel good about themselvesand let them know that just
because you're homeless don'tmake you less than a person.
(23:07):
You're still an individual,You're still a God's child.
But I would want to be that onethat can let them know somebody
care about them.
You know I don't care how yougot there.
Let you feel good aboutyourself today.
Give them a sandwich, Give themsome something to read, and
then also, you know, at somepoint when they shower, hey, we
(23:29):
can have this barbecue grillgoing.
Let them feed them, let themeat to their hearts content,
because who knows where theirnext meal coming from.
And that's my long term goalfor them, but for IQ outreach,
but for right now, I just feedsome sandwiches, you know, give
them some sauce, and just I justwant them to know that they
(23:52):
cared about.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Would 2014 Isaac have said the same thing?
Speaker 1 (23:58):
No 2014.
Isaac would was so into himselfand it's all about me.
I would have drove by ahomeless person and probably
turned my head.
Until you've been homeless, notknowing where your next meal
going to come from God willhumble you.
And now, when I see him, I meanI sympathize with those that
(24:23):
are homeless.
I mean, and just because yourhomeless don't mean you're some
crack addict or some drug addict, situations happen and people
don't deal with it in the propermanner.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Most people are a paycheck or two away from being
there themselves.
That's right, just totallydestruction.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
They, they don't.
They don't really realize that,hey, I'm one paycheck away from
being homeless, or I'm onehouse kitchen on fire, one car
accident away from beinghomeless yourself.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Right.
The thing I want to remindpeople here is that I'm sitting
in my job talking to a gentlemanwho came asking for a loan and
I'm learning so much.
Man Isaac trailer, three eyepressure Washington detail LLC,
(25:15):
based in Little Rock.
Let me tell you something, sirI had a feeling the first time I
talked to you a year and changeago or whatever it was, that
you were going to do something,and it's awesome to see you
doing it.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I give God the glory.
But thank you, you're welcome,you know, but all I needed was
an opportunity, and Communities,unlimited gave me that
opportunity to thrive, you know,and I just want to continue to
grow.
You know, I want to continue togrow and just do great things
(25:50):
Once again for my children'schildren to be able to see how
my papa took that opportunityand ran with it so we're able to
do the things that we're doingbecause of him, you know but
thank you, isaac Trailer, we'regoing to wrap up things about
here now.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
I'm proud of you.
I'm glad you came to us.
I agree with you.
I think things happen for areason.
I guess I want to ask yousomething, and this is a little
self-serving, but I want it tobe communicative to people.
I want them to understand ifthey're still listening 30
minutes on and just talking in.
It's a real simple question,but you can answer it however
you want to.
What do you want people to knowabout working with Communities
(26:33):
Unlimited?
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Communities Unlimited .
They don't just help you getfunded, but they care about you.
They care about your success,you know, and once the loan is
done, it's not over with, youknow, you can always come.
It's been over a year now andI'm still dealing with
Communities Unlimited in apositive aspect, and I was so
(26:57):
excited to be able to come here,you know, because of the love
that Communities Unlimitedshowed me as a person, not as a
client.
So I mean I would adviseanybody, if they're searching or
seeking some funding, come withthe proper paperwork and these
guys will get you what you needand they will mentor you through
(27:18):
the process, you know.
So thank you, CommunitiesUnlimited.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I appreciate you coming on today, isaac.
I appreciate you driving uphere today.
We're going to wrap up now, but, like you just said, man, our
relationship doesn't end, so wemight have a part two, part two
we might have part three man.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Hopefully you know, the next time I come I can tell
you what the entrepreneurshipdid for me or how they mentored
me to new levels.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Well, next time we talk, I want to be like.
You know what, isaac?
You started with the truckertoo, and now you're on to 10,
and you know, the next thing iswe've got locations all over the
state and all that.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
That's what I'm talking about, you know.
I'm here to grow.
I'm here to grow.
We're just playing the seed now.
We're going to get water lateron.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Isaac Trailer 3i Pressure Wash in Detail LLC,
based out of Little Rock area,but if you need his services,
man, he comes highly recommended.
You should check out his socialmedia as well.
Appreciate you coming on again,sir.
Thank you so much, man.
It was a pleasure Small Talkwith CU.
We'll talk to you again in acouple weeks.
The journey coming to Communities Unlimited was.
It was kind of rocky because Iwas like, well, I'm doing this
and ain't nobody going to giveme no funding, with no big
resume behind me.
But I had enough faith in Godthat he would put the proper
people in front of me.
And when Communities Unlimitedwas presented to me, I just knew
(00:28):
.
I didn't know how I was goingto have them, but I knew I was
going to have them.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Welcome back to another episode of Small Talk
with Communities Unlimited.
My name is Chris Baker.
It's our podcast, meant toempower rural communities and
introduce people to theopportunities that CU has.
I am sitting down with a veryspecial gentleman.
I don't know if he knows thisor not.
I'm going to tell him now.
You were one of the firstpeople that I interacted with
when I came to CU to work, soIsaac Trailer is with us today.
(01:01):
Isaac owns 3i Pressure Wash inDetail With a loan client of CU.
I'm not going to tell yourstory, isaac.
You tell your story.
Tell everybody how you came towork with CU.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, actually a little over a year ago, I was
trying to expand my business andI had went to several
conventional banks and they allturned me down.
I spoke with a guy, matter offact, named Harry Blanc, from
Small Business Association inLittle Rock.
(01:36):
He gave me the number toCommunities Unlimited and told
me to give him a call.
I did.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Can I stop you right there?
What was your thought?
You were like who are thesepeople that I'm calling, or what
was it.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
I had no clue.
I was just wondering okay, whatarea or what avenue do I take
if the banks turn me down?
But he said reach out toCommunities Unlimited and see
what they can do for you.
So I made the call and it'sbeen a blossoming relationship
ever since.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
So tell everybody what your business is.
What do you do, man?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Okay, so my business is a three eye pressure washing
in detail LLC.
And the three eyes come fromIsaac, ikea and ISA those are my
kids name and a mobiledetailing mobile auto detailing.
And I pressure washing houses,decks, fence, concrete, boats
you name it.
If it's dirty I clean it.
(02:36):
And I also I do newconstruction cleanup apartments,
houses and I also run anonprofit in Little Rock where I
go around and feed the homelessand in the underprivileged
youth that I encounter I try tolead them in the right direction
.
If I can't lead them in theright direction, I try to point
them in the right direction.
It's my nonprofit is fundedfully out of my own pocket.
(02:58):
You know God has blessed me tobe a blessing, so I just want to
give back in the best way I can.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
I gotta say, man, I know you've have experienced it
a little bit today.
I think it's really cool for methat you were one of the first
clients that I interacted with,because I've watched your
journey so far, man, from whenyou came to us to where you're
at now, and I gotta respect thehustle man.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
That's how I eat.
You know I have to get outthere and get it.
You know I don't have a richmom or rich dad to fall back on,
you know so if I don't get outand get it, I'm not gonna eat.
I wake up every morning withexpectation of growing not just
financially but spiritually aswell, because you know, without
a proper mindset you're goingbackwards.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Now can you remind me what you came looking for alone
, for?
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Well, when I came here, I was looking to expand my
business.
I was needing a pickup truckand a trailer and I wanted to
get all of the equipment theproper equipment to do the
bigger jobs a bigger pressurewasher, a roof pump, a water
tank, a generator.
I needed all those things andwhen I reached out to the
(04:11):
community, it was unlimited.
I asked what I did.
I told them exactly what Ineeded and the rest is history.
You know, I came with abusiness plan which I got a
business plan from a lady namedWendy Orvitz from Arkansas Small
Business and TechnologyDepartment in Little Rock and
she did an amazing job doing mybusiness plan.
(04:31):
When I presented my businessplan, I had to get a few more
documents and the rest washistory.
You know community is unlimited.
It made the process very, veryeasy.
I highly recommend community isunlimited to anybody that's
looking to expand their businessor grow their business or start
a business, you know, and it'slooking for funding.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
We're gonna get back to why you're doing the
non-profit kind of stuff andeverything in just a minute,
because I know that's importantand it's an important part of
you.
But could you what?
You don't mind, sharon, abouthow you came to the point you're
at, kind of right now, likewhere you been man, like where
are you from, all that kind ofstuff?
Okay, well, and I got time too,just so you know.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Okay, all right, all right.
Okay.
I was born and raised in Camden, Arkansas.
I moved away.
I'm back in the 90s.
I moved away, but I came back,you know, and as I got older I
dippled and dabbled in drugs,drugs and alcohol.
And along the journey, you know,I became homeless.
(05:39):
I became homeless and 2019, myfather passed away and I was
homeless when he passed.
As any young man, they alwayswant their father to be proud of
them.
But at that point I felt like afailure because when my dad
died, he knew I was homeless and, you know, I said to myself
(06:01):
okay, well, I'm not going to letmy mama see me like this, no
more.
And I had enough sense tofollow my needs and I asked God
to deliver me.
And when he delivered me, Ihadn't looked back and I've
always been a pretty sharp guy.
You know I had a lot of skills,a lot of knowledge.
You know I did a little time inthe military, so I mean, I got
(06:23):
some discipline.
But you know, when your mind isnot right, I'll let go out the
window.
But when I started the journeyof getting my life back together
, you know I knew some talents.
You know I've always used tolike washing cars, you know.
So actually, I started washingcars out of the trunk of my car.
And when I moved to Little Rockin 2019, after my dad passing, I
(06:48):
got a little job at a factory,which was it was just a job.
You know, they worked six daysa week and was not appreciated.
And in the middle of a pandemicI quit my job because I knew
God had something better for methe slave drive being slave
driving for somebody that don'treally appreciate it.
(07:10):
I got a water bucket and waterhose and a little bit of
handheld vacuum and I startedwashing cars out of the trunk of
my car and my pastor gave me avan so I was able to get a
little water tank and put it inmy van and I went to Walmart and
bought a pressure washer and Iknew how to do some things.
(07:32):
But what I did know, I went onYouTube.
Youtube taught me how to do alot of pressure washing and
friends, I asked friends.
I had a friend guy of mine fromStevens, arkansas, named Dezzy
Hunter and he told me some stuff, man, about pressure washing,
and I do this, do this, do this.
And I started doing it and I waslike okay, well, I quit my job.
(07:56):
So I got to go all in now.
But you know, god startedopening doors left and right,
you know, and I'm making moremoney doing that than I was
working the six day a week job.
But the journey coming tocommunities unlimited was.
It was a kind of rocket,because, you know, I was like,
well, I'm doing this and ain'tnobody going to give me no
(08:18):
funding, with no big resumebehind me.
But I had enough faith in Godthat he would put the proper
people in front of me.
And when communities unlimitedwas presented to me, I just knew
.
I didn't know how it was goingto happen, but I knew it was
going to happen.
And when I talked to Ms DeborahWilliams, man, she just made
(08:40):
the process so easy and I hadthe proper documents already in
place to get the ball rolling.
And the rest is history man,you know.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
So, Isaac, I mean, 2019 wasn't that long ago.
Man Does it feel like a longtime ago.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Actually it don't, but I look at the progress I've
made in what four years, man, Iwent from homeless to I bought a
brand new house in May, yeah,you know.
So you can't tell me God won'tdo it.
And it don't take God long todo nothing.
(09:21):
You know, and I'm living proof,from washing cars out of the
trunk of a car to now having avan and a truck and a trailer.
You know, I'm making more moneythan I've ever dreamed of, you
know, and it hasn't been easy,but it hasn't been that hard
either, you know, because I getup every day and I get it.
I get it, man.
You know it's a lot of days Idon't want to get up, but, like
(09:44):
I said, I don't have a fall guy.
I am the fall guy.
You know I got to get out andget it.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
You know they talk about like breaking the cycle.
Right, somebody's got to breakthat cycle and it sounds like
you're wanting to be that dude.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Hey, man, I want to make sure my grandkids and my
daughters don't have to strugglelike I did.
I want them to be financiallysecure, you know, mentally,
physically and spiritually.
You know.
I want them to be able to seewhat their daddy and their papa
did, you know for them, and forthem to continue it on after I'm
(10:20):
gone.
Yeah, I definitely want tobreak that generational curse.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I also think that people who deserve opportunities
get opportunities, and the onlyway you deserve opportunities
is if you earn them, and I thinkit just happened in the hallway
again for you man, isaac hascome up to our office that's
where we're recording thispodcast right now, and this is
the first time he's been here,first time we've met, and he's
standing on the hallway with me.
(10:45):
He's like you know, man, what Ineed help with is bookkeeping,
and I was like I know somepeople that do that are
entrepreneurship department, andwhen I said that the director
of the entrepreneurshipdepartment walks by us right
then I don't.
I don't think that'scoincidental man that's called
favor, that's called favor.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
You know being in the right place at the right time.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Well, I'm glad you're here, and not only right now,
but also here in the sense ofyou are part of our CU family.
Thank you, it's always funnybecause we share your stuff, we
look at your stuff, we talkabout your stuff because you
take great pictures.
I mean, it's dramatic, right,you're putting soap on the side
of an 18 wheeler and all thatstuff.
That looks cool, and so we talkabout it quite a bit, man, and
(11:28):
I'm glad we're sitting down totalk because I want people who
hear this podcast to learn fromyour experience how you're using
that.
You know parlay into the future.
Man, my question to you rightnow is what?
What does the future look likefor you in an ideal sense?
Speaker 1 (11:44):
The future is bright.
Right now I don't even thinkI've scratched the surface and I
got hopes, dreams andaspirations and they're going.
They're going to come to pass.
But my future is so bright, man, because I already see more
trucks coming, more employeescoming.
You know I have a few already,but it's going to be to the
(12:06):
point where I got to have a fullfledged staff and communities
unlimited is a starting pointfor me and I can't thank y'all
enough, you know, and that'sanother reason why I was so
excited about coming today so Icould meet all y'all that I've
been talking to on the phone andemailing back and forth just to
say thank you, because you know, I don't know if, if many
(12:27):
people do that, but I'm going tobe that one that says thank you
for the opportunity to grow mybusiness and to be successful in
what I'm doing, because withoutthe proper equipment, you know,
you can make a a a easy jobhard and a job a hard job easy.
You know it just depends on howyou look at it.
And communities unlimited hasbeen that stepping stone for me.
(12:47):
And three I press Washingtondetail to expand.
So thank you?
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Well, you're welcome.
I didn't do it, but you'rewelcome as a representation of
our, of our company here.
Man, you know you, we weretalking off the mic just a
minute ago and we were talkingabout, kind of like, why we do
what we do and the the answer Ithink short answer for you that
I would tell you right now isthat we appreciate you saying
thank you, but your success andyour hard work and your attitude
(13:15):
on what you're up to is isthanks enough for us, because we
do this solely to see peoplesucceed.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
That's it, and you know that's kind of rare these
days, you know, for people to goout of their way to see
somebody else succeed.
And that's why, once again, Ihave to say thank you, because
you don't see it too oftenwithout strings attached.
You know it wasn't what I'mgoing to help you if you do this
(13:43):
.
You know it was like, hey, thisis what you need, we're going
to do this.
Sky's limit, you know, and I'mtaking this opportunity and I'm
running with it because it maynot come again.
So I'm going to utilize itwhile I got it.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
I think that I mean that's obvious to me that you're
running with it.
It's almost like you say thatlike I don't know that, but you
don't know how much I see likeyour social media stuff, you
don't know how much we sharethat stuff.
We'll say, hey, do you see whatthree eyes up to?
Seriously, OK, how about this?
You're watching like a DallasCowboys bus.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
I got a phone call and they was coming through
Arkansas and they wanted me toclean their buff.
And it was like, hey, I thought, I thought it was a joke.
And they was like, hey, man, wecoming through, man, we need
you to clean up to a bus becausewe can't take it back to
headquarters dirty.
And I said, well, where are yougoing to be?
And I'm on my way and I got theopportunity to watch the Dallas
(14:34):
Cowboys bus and got to walkaround on the inside eat up some
of their snacks and, you know,got a couple of hats.
I'm not a real big DallasCowboys fan, but I got some hats
from one from my passing, onefor this other guy.
But it was cool, man for themto think of me.
You know, just a little oldbitty guy that decided to get
his life together.
(14:54):
Now I'm doing stuff for theDallas Cowboys.
You know I'm watching.
I'm watching stadiums.
You know, university ofArkansas, pine Bluff, I've done
this stadium, the press boxes.
You know I'm doing 70, 80,000square feet, churches.
Now, all because I get up and Iget it, you know, and I try to
pride myself on integrity beingconsistent, you know, because
(15:18):
consistency is the key tosuccess and I'm just, I'm just,
I'm proud.
For the first time in a longtime, I'm proud to say I'm proud
of myself.
You know, wow, yeah, I said I'mproud of myself.
Yep, yeah, I said.
(15:38):
Yeah, man, you know it feelsgood.
It does.
It does Because two years ago,man, I was hopeless.
I was hopeless, homeless.
But I can sit here now and sayI'm proud.
(16:00):
You know, I'm financiallysecure, my children are okay, my
mom is proud of me, you know,and I know my dad, he hero.
I just can't see him, but I'mproud.
(16:23):
And three I first watching thedetail, I'll see it's going to
be a household name for a long.
I truly believe that.
I truly believe that.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I love that for you, man.
I'm really glad you get achance to say that about
yourself.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
Well, it's been a long time coming.
It's been a long time coming,you know, and I'm just, I just
got to keep doing what I'm doing.
You keep putting God first man,and I'll never be last.
But it was a journey, but I hadto go through it to get where I
am now, because now Iappreciate it.
(17:04):
You know, I appreciate the hardwork, I appreciate the long
days and the long nights.
I even appreciate the naysayersor the haters, or whatever you
want to call it, because theypushed me, they pushed me into
my destiny.
You know, not that I had toprove them wrong, but I had to
prove me, prove to myself that Icould, and I did, and I am and
(17:26):
I'm going to continue to do so.
But I didn't, I didn't, I can't, I can't do it without saying I
give God the glory behind it,Because without him I couldn't
have done it.
You know, I couldn't have doneit.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
I don't know if anybody can hear it in the
background or not, but yourphone keeps buzzing.
That's more work, isn't it?
More than likely?
Speaker 1 (17:50):
I love it, me too, man.
You know it's funny, man, thatwhen I say more work, more work,
god just give me what I askedfor.
You know, I prayed about this acouple of years ago and now I'm
getting it.
You know, and it's definitelyI'm not going to say amusing,
(18:11):
but to see and surprisemanifests is awesome, man.
It's awesome, especially whenyou're getting paid behind it.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Can I ask you to take me back to 2019?
What was the catalyst?
I mean, I know you said yourdad passed.
What was that moment where yousaid, all right, man, I'm all in
on the pressure washing thing?
Speaker 1 (18:34):
When I moved to Little Rock in 2019, right after
my dad passed and I was working, and I was living paycheck to
paycheck, you know, and I wasworking from five in the morning
or five in the evening, andthen I would go work at my
church trying to make extramoney and I'm like this ain't
(18:54):
getting it.
You know, this ain't getting it.
You know, like I said, man, Igrabbed my bucket, I throw it in
the trunk of my car and therewas this one young lady's head
always been asking me to washher car, so I don't think I
would wash that car.
And then her neighbor saw meand said well, can you do mine,
sure.
And then her neighbor saw me,so that's three.
(19:16):
And then, man, before I know it, people in my mail was calling
me and I had heard that theywere saying have y'all seen the
little man just washing the carsout the trunk of his car?
And they were like no, we allneed to call him.
You know what I'm like.
Don't talk about me, you know.
(19:37):
And then I started seeing howthe money was coming.
I was working, like I said Iwas working at that factory and
they kind of made me mad becausethey wouldn't let me take my
vacation to go watch my daughterrun track.
But soon as after I had put itin, they told me I couldn't.
The next week they said well,you can take it now.
(20:00):
I said OK, and I had beenpraying.
I said, god, I know you gotsomething better for me.
Then it's just working to makesomebody else rich.
I took my vacation and I neverwent back and we was in the
middle of a pandemic.
The middle of a pandemic was2020.
Middle of a pandemic, I saidyou know what?
(20:21):
And you talking about steppedout on faith.
I stepped out, I mean because Isaid to myself, ok, god, you
said you'll supply all my needs.
I said, ok, show me.
And he ain't Mr B, and he ain'tgoing to miss a beat.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
It's interesting to me, your story because of what
you've done with it, not onlywith your business, not only
with the fact of why you'redoing what you're doing with
business.
But let's actually revisit thatnonprofit angle that you want,
because I didn't realize whatyou were up to and what your
goals are for that man until wejust talked a few minutes ago.
Tell everybody what you're upto.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
OK, I also run a nonprofit called I Care Outreach
where I go around Leroc and Ifeed the homeless and then the
underprivileged youth that Iencounter.
I try to lead them in the rightdirection.
Or if I can't lead them in theright direction, I try to point
them in the right direction.
And my goal was first, when Istarted seeing people on the
side of the road, it just kindof done something to me.
(21:19):
So I started making little carebags.
I mean, I'd have a trunk fullin my car, in my work truck or
whatever, and I just startpassing them out at the street
corners where I see the folksstanding up with the signs.
And then I had a friend say man, why don't you start it on
private?
You can get people to donatethis and donate that.
So I went through the process.
(21:39):
I got my 501c3 and I got all mystuff from the Secretary of
State.
So I'm legit, Everything islegitimate.
But I wanted to do more.
I wanted to do more.
So I started going out a coupleof Saturdays a month or maybe
once every two months or so, andjust started feeding.
I make sandwiches, water, givethem masks, socks and I go out.
(22:02):
Man, I go to some of the littleareas that's in Little Rock,
where it's always somebody.
And a couple of weeks ago itkind of hurt my feelings because
I hadn't went out in about twoor three months and the guy said
, man, where you been?
He said you're the only onethat come down here.
And I hurt my feelings so badand I'm like you know I'm
(22:22):
putting my job or my business infront of doing God's work,
because he didn't bless me tohold on, he blessed me to bless
others.
So I got to start going outmore often and my long term goal
for I care outreach is toobtain a shower truck so where I
(22:44):
can go out a couple ofSaturdays a month to different
sides of town and let homelessindividuals take a shower.
And once they take a shower Iwant to be able to give them
some cleaner underwear, socks,two bucks, two paces and let
them feel good about themselvesand let them know that just
because you're homeless don'tmake you less than a person.
(23:07):
You're still an individual,You're still a God's child.
But I would want to be that onethat can let them know somebody
care about them.
You know I don't care how yougot there.
Let you feel good aboutyourself today.
Give them a sandwich, Give themsome something to read, and
then also, you know, at somepoint when they shower, hey, we
(23:29):
can have this barbecue grillgoing.
Let them feed them, let themeat to their hearts content,
because who knows where theirnext meal coming from.
And that's my long term goalfor them, but for IQ outreach,
but for right now, I just feedsome sandwiches, you know, give
them some sauce, and just I justwant them to know that they
(23:52):
cared about.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Would 2014 Isaac have said the same thing?
Speaker 1 (23:58):
No 2014.
Isaac would was so into himselfand it's all about me.
I would have drove by ahomeless person and probably
turned my head.
Until you've been homeless, notknowing where your next meal
going to come from God willhumble you.
And now, when I see him, I meanI sympathize with those that
(24:23):
are homeless.
I mean, and just because yourhomeless don't mean you're some
crack addict or some drug addict, situations happen and people
don't deal with it in the propermanner.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Most people are a paycheck or two away from being
there themselves.
That's right, just totallydestruction.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
They, they don't.
They don't really realize that,hey, I'm one paycheck away from
being homeless, or I'm onehouse kitchen on fire, one car
accident away from beinghomeless yourself.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
Right.
The thing I want to remindpeople here is that I'm sitting
in my job talking to a gentlemanwho came asking for a loan and
I'm learning so much.
Man Isaac trailer, three eyepressure Washington detail LLC,
(25:15):
based in Little Rock.
Let me tell you something, sirI had a feeling the first time I
talked to you a year and changeago or whatever it was, that
you were going to do something,and it's awesome to see you
doing it.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
I give God the glory.
But thank you, you're welcome,you know, but all I needed was
an opportunity, and Communities,unlimited gave me that
opportunity to thrive, you know,and I just want to continue to
grow.
You know, I want to continue togrow and just do great things
(25:50):
Once again for my children'schildren to be able to see how
my papa took that opportunityand ran with it so we're able to
do the things that we're doingbecause of him, you know but
thank you, isaac Trailer, we'regoing to wrap up things about
here now.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
I'm proud of you.
I'm glad you came to us.
I agree with you.
I think things happen for areason.
I guess I want to ask yousomething, and this is a little
self-serving, but I want it tobe communicative to people.
I want them to understand ifthey're still listening 30
minutes on and just talking in.
It's a real simple question,but you can answer it however
you want to.
What do you want people to knowabout working with Communities
(26:33):
Unlimited?
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Communities Unlimited .
They don't just help you getfunded, but they care about you.
They care about your success,you know, and once the loan is
done, it's not over with, youknow, you can always come.
It's been over a year now andI'm still dealing with
Communities Unlimited in apositive aspect, and I was so
(26:57):
excited to be able to come here,you know, because of the love
that Communities Unlimitedshowed me as a person, not as a
client.
So I mean I would adviseanybody, if they're searching or
seeking some funding, come withthe proper paperwork and these
guys will get you what you needand they will mentor you through
(27:18):
the process, you know.
So thank you, CommunitiesUnlimited.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I appreciate you coming on today, isaac.
I appreciate you driving uphere today.
We're going to wrap up now, but, like you just said, man, our
relationship doesn't end, so wemight have a part two, part two
we might have part three man.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Hopefully you know, the next time I come I can tell
you what the entrepreneurshipdid for me or how they mentored
me to new levels.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Well, next time we talk, I want to be like.
You know what, isaac?
You started with the truckertoo, and now you're on to 10,
and you know, the next thing iswe've got locations all over the
state and all that.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
That's what I'm talking about, you know.
I'm here to grow.
I'm here to grow.
We're just playing the seed now.
We're going to get water lateron.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Isaac Trailer 3i Pressure Wash in Detail LLC,
based out of Little Rock area,but if you need his services,
man, he comes highly recommended.
You should check out his socialmedia as well.
Appreciate you coming on again,sir.
Thank you so much, man.
It was a pleasure Small Talkwith CU.
We'll talk to you again in acouple weeks.
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