Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Davis.
Michael, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My path towards becoming and Environmental Consultant began when I signed up for my first “Introduction to Geology” class taught by Professor Richard Cowen at UC Davis. I fell in love with the subject and never looked back. Once the euphoria of academia wore off, it was time to get practical and find an industry that required my skill set. I had always tried to practice good ethics when it came to my personal carbon footprint and was happy to be grouped with a tree-hugging, environmentalist/surfer/hippie stereotype, so I decided to focus my professional efforts in the environmental preservation of some sort. It turns out, the groundwater of the State of California needs protecting and cleansing.
After the passage of breakthrough environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act and because it is considered a “public drinking water source” the State stepped in to begin mandating cleanup of Leaking Underground Storage Tanks. They facilitated this by creating an Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund for claimants whose eligibility is dependent upon the proper and legal operation of their underground chemical storage tanks. Therefore, in the late 1980’s, local agencies such as the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health were created to oversee site investigations and cleanups.
An industry is born. I have been in the mix since I graduated from UCD in 1994 and formed Innovative Environmental Solutions in 2005. I really enjoy the small business structure that allows me to interact directly with clients and regulatory agencies to reach everyone’s goal of cost-effective site closures. It also gives me the flexibility to be there for my family and pursue other passions like surfing, yoga and the healing powers of essential oils.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Anytime someone starts a business, it’s a huge risk and a struggle. I had plenty of sleepless nights as I was committing to this vision and to be successful, you need to completely commit. It’s similar to dropping into a big wave that you’re pretty sure is going the way you that you think, but any hesitation could be disastrous. Keep your momentum and get slotted or question yourself, falter and get eaten up. Sometimes that means dipping into your personal savings, or home equity or approaching potential investors. When you have no business track record, it’s difficult to find enough funding to make the initial push.
Luckily I had developed good customer relations due to my ability to be on the front lines of the projects, and the work began to flow. After about 8 years on the bubble, with delayed state budget approvals and payments, IES began to feel the benefit of a stronger California and was able to maintain a solid client base while getting site closures. Our corporate philosophy has always been that once you get a site closed, two more will show up at our door, and that has played out.
Innovative Environmental Solutions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
IES is an environmental consulting firm that prides itself in providing turnkey services relating to unauthorized releases of hazardous chemicals such as gasoline and dry cleaning solvents into the soil and groundwater. We have extensive professional experience and success in accessing public funds to facilitate these cleanups. Many times the environmental liability was created historically (underground tanks have been used to store hazardous materials since the early 1900’s.
We apply our experience and breadth of knowledge to identify and access public funding available for qualified projects which benefit our clients on many fronts. It minimizes their out of pocket expenditures while allowing the environmental cleanup to proceed with the goal of environmental site closure and the return of a property to an economically viable parcel. We like to consider ourselves “earth doctors” but we also act as “earth health insurance brokers” and “earth wellness advocates.” The most satisfying day for me as an environmental consultant is the day we get a site closed for an innocent property owner in a responsible manner without breaking their bank.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success, for me, is measured in our ability to assess and appropriately clean up an environmental problem within a reasonable timeframe and budget. Of course, this is the real world, and we need to pay the bills too. And to that end, our clients benefit from us being fiscally healthy.
Too often I hear site owners complain about the speed of progress or loose ends left by previous consultants. Standing on the solid fiscal ground allows us to quickly react when the unexpected (inevitably) occurs. It also allows the accumulation of good credit with subcontractors and access to credit lines. All of these factors allow IES to efficiently manage most underground release cases.
Contact Info:
- Address: 839 Second St., Suite 2 Encinitas, CA 92024
- Website: www.iesconsultants.com
- Phone: 7606322330
- Email: mdavis@iesconsultants.com
- Instagram: @mikedsurf
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