Meet Corey Howell of Heavy Metal HandyMan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey Howell.

Corey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
 I had been touring as a roadie for metal bands for about 10 yrs when i moved to LA in 2012. With the cost of living so high here, I found myself having issues filling in the gaps between my tours. I worked weekends at a moving company and met tons of people needing their TVs mounted, curtains hung, basic repairs etc. So I made business cards and started handing them out. Hardware stores, whole foods , Customers of move jobs ,craigslist, I hustled everywhere. The dudes at the moving Co. nicknamed me Heavy Metal HandyMan and couple of friends made me new business cards and a magnet banner to put on my truck with my new nickname. I thought it was cool and rolled with it. Within six months, I was too busy to keep up with the amount of work that was coming in. So I quit touring, went legit, and now my accidental business has a couple of employees, a couple of trucks and 5-star reviews all over the interwebs.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I was a kid, I got paid $5 to mow the lawn. One day my dad’s lawnmower broke down so I went down to the local hardware store  and bought my own. When my dad got home from work, he asked why I hadn’t yet mowed the yard. I told him cause his mowers was broken but for $10 i would mow it with my mower. He laughed and agreed and from that day on hardwork and business has just come natural to me.

When I was 19, I opened a retail skateboard shop. I operated and grew that buiness over the next 10 years and definitely learned the do’s and dont’s of business in that time. I’ve always been a hardworker with a mentality that if I am capable of something It’s my obligation to myself to master it.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Heavy Metal HandyMan – what should we know?
I am an all around handyman. I can fix, rig, repair, just about anything. My businesses main focus is basic home decor and repair. Mounting TVs, curtains, blinds, art, window ac installs, replacing light fixtures, basic Furniture repair and assembly. I’m also the guy your landlord sends to fix the hole in your wall or the noise coming from the garbage disposal… But unlike your landlord’s guy, I’m happy to help and when I leave , the problem is fixed.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My friends Heather and Dave made me the business cards and banners for my truck which definitely catapulted my business to another level. Rock and roll movers for showing me that business branding in LA is key and for giving me the nickname that ended up being a big part of my brand. Most of all, my dog Mia for being with me on every job… If you hire me you’ll meet her.. she’s the best.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 217-816-9558
• Email: theheavymetalhandyman@gmail.com
• Instagram: heavymetalhandyman
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/HEAVEYMETALHANDYMANANDHAUL/
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/localservices/ya/sellerprofile?sellerID=A2JWR1WJBWH2LW

Image Credit:
Lance Koudele

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