For what seemed like a pipe dream over 50 years ago, a New Mexico small business became a local success due to the love of one family.
Elijah Taylor I started the business with just a homemade septic pump and a converted propane tank in 1962 in Tatum, NM. He moved to Lovington and then settled in Hobbs in 1968 and established Lea County Septic Tank Service.
Lea County Septic Tank Service offers septic tank services including cleaning, inspection, repairs, and new system installs for the 90 mile radius of Lea County, NM, and parts of West Texas. Elijah I gained a wife and a business partner in Patricia Taylor in 1980. The business grew from there, starting installations in ’83. Their son, Elijah Taylor II, came on to help out after his first year of college in 2001. Today, his son Elijah II and widow Pat have continued with Elijah Taylor I’s legacy since 2006, having added on porta-potties, roll-off container rentals, restaurant maintenance, and home inspection.
Having a need to diversify themselves even further, Pat and Elijah II looked into financing new waste management equipment. Beacon Funding helped Lea County Septic expand by financing a dewatering system, screening system and holding storage tanks. This helped them expand and create a new revenue source.
Watch Taylor’s Testimony on How Equipment Financing Helped Grow His Business
Lea County Septic Tank Service Snapshot:
- Septic tank service business established in 1968 in Hobbs, NM
- Offers septic tank services including cleaning, inspection, repairs, and new system installs for the 90 mile radius of Lea County, NM, and parts of West Texas
- Started as one man using a homemade septic pump and a converted propane tank
- Expanding from his legacy, his widow and son manage 7 employees and have 15 pieces of equipment, including 175 porta-potties
- Beacon Funding financed a dewatering system, screening system and holding storage tanks
Customers are Family
Famous for his ability to talk to anyone, Elijah Taylor I went by Gator during his time at Lea County Septic. His widow and son continue that kindness with their customers. “We treat our customers like our family,” Pat Taylor says. Lea County Septic is known for its name, longevity, and customer service. They even have a gator as their logo to embody the memory of Elijah Taylor I and his friendliness. “We have been providing the same services as we did 10, 15 years ago. You’re going to get customer service; we’re going to do the job right the first time,” Elijah Taylor II says.
With seven employees and 15 pieces of equipment, Lea County Septic continues to grow. The waste management business has pumper trucks, service trucks, portable toilets, a portajohn trailer, mobile restroom trailers, backhoes, and even 175 porta-potties! To keep up on their game and reduce fuel costs, Lea County Septic needed to invest in more equipment. The three newest pieces of equipment were courtesy of the flexible financing Beacon Funding provided for the family business.
No Limits Financing
Elijah II attended 2016’s Water & Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport (WWETT) Show in February to look at new equipment. What transpired was much better than his expectations. Elijah II met his two Beacon Funding sales representatives at the show. He talked with them about expanding his business. After the show, Beacon was with him every step of the way. Elijah II was back and forth about what equipment he liked for a few months. Beacon stuck with him on his thought process and negotiated with six equipment dealers to get him the equipment his business needed.
“It makes me feel good to know that in dealing with Beacon Funding is like dealing with a local bank, like they’re a part of our community” Elijah says.
Beacon helped Lea County Septic finance a dewatering system, a screening system, and holding storage tanks. The lease process itself only took about a month. Elijah II had all of his equipment by August. “Beacon Funding was one of the easiest and most helpful processes we’ve been through when it came to financing. It was the best possible deal for what we needed,” Elijah II says.
Beacon Funding was able to help Elijah II because the lender has no restrictions on what type of equipment can be financed. Their flexible financing can help businesses like Elijah II and Pat’s acquire title trucks, porta-potties, trailers, luxury lavatories, or even mounted tanks. “We would not have been able to create that new revenue stream if we hadn’t made those improvements by purchasing this equipment and working with Beacon Funding,” Elijah II says. So how did Lea County Septic create a new profit foothold? Recycling.
Environment and Wallet Friendly
After acquiring their new equipment, Lea County Septic was able to move beyond land application. Their new dewatering equipment enables them to recycle water and send it back to the city. It separates sludge from water, making waste removal cheaper and easier.
“The biggest opportunity came when we were able to decide to take our competitors waste. We can take anything from portable toilet, to septic tank, to grease trap waste and recycle it. Then we send that water down the city sewer. They recycle even more and use it for irrigation, so it created a new revenue stream for us, which was able to be taken and put into other areas of the business.”
On top of that, their new holding storage tanks help them save money on fuel.
Instead of going 20 miles outside town, employees go five miles down the road to dispose their waste in their own tanks. With this newfound success came some other improvements. Lea County Septic moved from a rented building to a facility they own themselves. “A big load has been taken off our shoulders with the new building,” Pat say.
Pat and Elijah II should be happy with how the business has grown and evolved in the past 11 years, let alone the last 50. Beacon is honored to help this business with family at its core. Gator would be proud.
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Thank you to Lea County Septic Tank Service for participating in Beacon Funding's Success Spotlight program. The Success Spotlight program gives Beacon customers and partners a chance to shine with recognition of their equipment financing success. This is achieved through enhanced exposure and free nationwide publicity through Beacon's online channels. To learn more about the program click here.