Driven by a call to serve and a stomach for grisly scenes

Business Review Lansing - Jackson

Q: What was your very first job?
A: The first real job I had was working at a small restaurant, a chain of five restaurants, called Mr. Taco. I was the guy who deep fried the soft corn tortilla shells to make them into the half-moon taco shells.

Q: What did you learn in that first job which is still valuable today?
A: How leadership is supposed to react or act and behave and interact and what makes an effective team. I learned at the age of 16 in a real workplace setting what it means to be an adult and what it means to have a responsible job where people are counting on you and depending on you.

Q: How did you get into this business?
A: I did a lot of soul searching and I came to the conclusion that I had some ability and tolerances that many people don't and that would entail being in very gruesome situations or scenes. How I started BIOCLEAN TEAM, Inc. is, I started asking officers that would come in (to Meijer). We did a lot with law enforcement with retail fraud or check fraud investigations. I asked a couple of officers (about) who actually cleaned up crime scenes or suicide scenes. They said, "Kam, we don't know, but we wish we knew because a lot of families ask us and once our investigation is over, we just walk away." They are left with an awful scene. As it turns out, I ended up brainstorming and thinking to myself, "Wait a minute, I have these abilities, talents and gifts. I want to use it to serve other people. I want to have a company or be self-employed serving other people." In 1996, I took $46.00 out of our account. We had three small children. My wife stays home with our children. I took the money out of our account and started my own business. I worked it hard. I stayed at Meijer for about seven years and burned the candle at both ends. It started to really take its toll on harmony within the home. I made a decision in January of 2004, when Meijer announced that they were restructuring their management structure and my particular job title was eliminated from the new structure. My store director offered me two other positions in management and I knew right then that was God closing that door and expecting me to go out and do BIOCLEAN work and live by faith. That's what I did. I resigned on bery good terms. I devoted a few more hours a week to my business and now our business is in two states. We work about one scene a week. I'm home every day with my family. I'm blessed. I have a successful business to the point where we do about 20 jobs a year for free. It's not so much pro bono. It's the fact that when we get called to serve somebody, 90 percent of my work is suicide-scene related. When we get called to serve, it could be at any hour of the day. We dispatch within 60 to 90 minutes. Generally, we get the job fully done, completely remediated from all biohazards on scene and put the room back together for the family before an insurance company even knows that the situation took place and there's been damage. There are times when families don't have insurance and the family doesn't have any resources to pay to clean it up. When I dedicated my life to doing this, I knew I was going to be in it for better or worse. If I know and I believe that what I am doing is what God has for me to do, then it cannot fail and I will not go hungry. I can afford to be benevolent. The Lord has always been faithful. I base my business on that. I really believe that my faith in Christ enables me to keep a spirit of ministry about doing this work. There have been times when it's been lean and it makes you think a little bit and our faith is stretched. Every time our faith is stretched, we grow and when we grow there is always a blessing attached to that.

Q: How did you know that you had this ability to do this?
A: I have seen things in different training manuals and on the big screen in movies. I even went to a real bullfight in Barcelona, Spain. That in itself is a pretty gory situation. I reacted completely opposite of all those around me. I don't want to sound morbid, but I am able, 100 percent, to maintain my composure and function and not be ill or traumatized by the scenes that we encounter. I've always been that way. I've never been squeamish.

Q: What training did you have?
A: I received my training from more than one source. Working for Meijer in loss prevention, I was charged with the responsibility of being a first responder. I received more information on my own from attending different conferences, workshops, web sites, and The Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety at Michigan State University. Plus the state health department has all necessary information listed as well.

Q: Who most influenced you and how?
A: My father, Doug Bradman, influenced me in my work ethic. Dad went to work every day. He didn't work in town either. He went to work before the sun came up and came home pretty much when the sun came down. I don't think he set out purposefully to teach me that, but he did by example. I have to say my wife has been a huge influence and impact and support for me in my life.

Q: What's the most rewarding part of what you do?
A: Absolutely, by far, knowing that what I did positively impacted someone's life, especially at a time when they think their life is over. You cannot put a price tag on a comment when someone looks you in the eye and gives you a hug and says, "I don't know what I would have done without you. Thank you."

Q: If you couldn't do what you are doing now, what would you want to do?
A: I'd really like to build a custom motorcycle. I think that would be so cool.

Q: What was you worst decision or your biggest missed opportunity?
A: There was a season in my life when I worked in retail for Meijer that I put that corporation ahead of my family. It was an expectation that that was what you do. It was 50 to 65 hours a week, holidays and weekends. My wife said to me one day, "You go to work and give everybody your best and then you come home to your family and we get the leftovers." That changed my scope. That changed my priorities. That started us to pray about something being different and then when the decision came to leave the company or to take a job I know I didn't want to do and work more hours. I walked away.

Q: How do you sharpen your competitive edge?
A: Character and credibility. I don't do much for marketing or advertising. I also make a point of not being too consumed with the competition. This is my philosophy...every job I get is because I'm supposed to get it. The ones I don't get, it wasn't meant to be and I'm fine with that. The competitive edge, in my opinion, is from a character that I display and the credibility I have within law enforcement throughout the state of Michigan that puts perhaps my company name above others when asked.