Douglas Bolar, President and owner of Accountable Custodial and Maintenance, Inc. has been a proud and successful business owner for over 23 years. He finds his inspiration in growth, stability, and prosperity. Douglas’ story is about following his ambitions and finding satisfaction and pride afforded through the careful stewardship of his company.
His passion for entrepreneurship began when he was a teenager, where he was inspired by his mother who was also a small business owner. She taught him to stick to his values and rely on his wisdom to get through uncertain times. When he started his first company, Blind Cleaners Northwest, Inc., and his staff and customer portfolio began to grow, his mother also reminded him that his first priorities were to pay his employees and bills on time and be mindful of how he ran his business.
Adhering to this advice allowed Douglas to proudly share his prosperity with his staff. Over the years, he has witnessed the lives of his staff improve, such as buying homes, getting married, and starting families with the security of his company being their primary source of income. Douglas stated that this has been one of the greatest sources of pride in his professional life.
When asked what piece of advice he would give to those just coming into the industry and business ownership, he stated that education is paramount, particularly education on the risks of starting a business. He explained that some of this knowledge can be picked up through experience over time, along with an overall awareness of current economic events. However, he was careful to point out that a strong understanding of how to manage finances is also fundamental even if profit margins are not a problem, citing his own experience with making decisions that would cost more money down the road.
Douglas joined ABC for the opportunity to collaborate with other business owners. Since then, he has also received great exposure for his business, learned many new things, and has had access to great resources. When asked what he would say to someone considering ABC membership, he stated: “I believe that joining can really help you achieve your business goals.”