Plymouth Resident Climbs the Ladder of Entrepreneurship

People change, things change, and in this economy, of course, careers change. Plymouth entrepreneur Lisa Temple knows a thing or two about the latter. A few weeks ago, I located Temple’s contact information via an online Plymouth business directory which advertised her company, Life Maid Easy: Temple was a professional residential and commercial cleaner.

Fast forward five years and Temple, a 15-year Plymouth resident and proud mother of two (Kyleigh, 21, is a student at the University of Michigan, and Amanda, 15, is a student at Canton High School) is on an entirely different path, albeit one that seems poised to take her straight to the top, literally.

Temple’s new venture involves a new business, one which enables her to represent and distribute a new product called the WorkStation Pro. The WorkStation Pro is a portable work/tool surface that has a universal fit securing it to the top of most extension ladders, which provides the user an accessible work area.

“This is the new calling for my life,” Temple said with a healthy dose of conviction.

Think this product is reserved for men in Dickie boots who drive pick-up trucks? Think again. After my conversation with Temple, I learned that even I have what it takes to perch a ladder and go boldly where I never would have gone before. 

CC: How did you even become aware of WorkStation Pro, and what made you want to invest in it?

LT:   A family friend, Glenn Tokoph, whom I’ve known for quite some time was talking to me at a picnic a few years ago about a product he was making – a new tool that sits on top of an extension ladder. His mission and his views on what he wanted for this product really impressed me because he was determined to have this product made in Michigan and not have it out-sourced to another country. I believed in his vision of bringing jobs back to our state – that is what really got me interested in this product. And once I saw the product – and then got up on the ladder to use the product myself – I was sold. 

CC: Lisa, how user-friendly is the WorkStation Pro? At the risk of beating around the bush, let me just come out and say what I mean: Is it easy for we women to use? I certainly don’t mean to suggest that we’re mamsy-pamsies, but I know quite a few women who would rather chew glass than climb a ladder. How does it feel to use the WorkStation Pro?

LT: Being a homeowner and a single parent, I’ve been on ladders and cleaned my gutters and hung Christmas lights and whatnot. Well, when I got up on the ladder myself to try the product, I thought, I would actually not be afraid when I put this on my ladder. I could do this! As a woman, I could use a ladder now with this product and take care of my house and not have to hire someone. 

CC: Wow. That sounds really neat. But fess up, Lisa, do you have a construction background? It doesn’t sound like you’re a complete novice when it comes to home maintenance…

LT: No, I’m not. In fact, my ex-husband and I actually owned a window replacement business here in Plymouth, so I did that years ago, too.  So I was definitely familiar with the fact that this [the WorkStation Pro] was a viable product that I think would do great. And it’s Michigan-made, which is huge for me. 

CC: Talk about your role as a product representative and distributor.

LT: My business, A WorkStation Pro, LLC, is based out of my home, and I’m basically doing everything I can – going to retailers, different stores, hardware stores – to get the word out about the WorkStation Pro. The goal is to get it in stores. 

CC: From what you’ve already told me, I can definitely see the merits of this product, but, really, what really makes the WorkStation Pro rock?

LT: Well, the person who created this product has worked on an extension ladder for 25 years, so this product was created for two main reasons: safety – the number of deaths and injuries on an extension ladder every year are off the charts – and work efficiency. This is such a one-stop product. With all the ladder accessories out there, this does it all. Anyone who uses an extension ladder would benefit from this product…people who do work on their home, clean gutters, hang Christmas lights…It completes the extension ladder. 

CC: I have to ask you, though, about your tenure as a professional cleaner. How did that begin?

LT: It was basically because I wanted to own my own business. I just have always been the type of person that wants to be in charge of my own finances and do my own thing. So I did some research and got an idea of what the top ten in-home businesses were, those that were least likely to be affected during hard times – and one that involved the least amount of start-up cost. Professional cleaning was, by far, one of the top three, and I think it still is today. So, I decided that that was what I was going to do, started with a few accounts, and then it grew by word-of-mouth. 

CC: It goes without saying that there’s a down side to professional cleaning – all professions have a down side. But what was the best thing about being a professional cleaner?

LT: I met a lot of nice people and it paid my bills. It was also great because it was a well-paying job and I could work at my own schedule. And as a single parent – on top of always wanting to be an entrepreneur – I needed a job that allowed me to be home for my girls so that I could make sure I was at school events, be home in time to make dinner, and just be a mom. 

CC: Do you think that if you were still a professional cleaner the WorkStation Pro would be a part of your cleaning arsenal?

LT: I think it would, particularly to get in the corners of high ceilings, for sky lights, and window cleaning. 

CC: Where do you ultimately see the WorkStation Pro in years to come?

LT: I see this as someday being in every store – from the big box stores to the local hardware stores. I see this as a household name. I believe in the dream behind this product. 

To learn more about the WorkStation Pro – or to contact Lisa Temple – visit http://www.aworkstationpro.com.