About Us

UPDATE MARCH 2022:

Due to overwhelming demand, these Hands are now specializing in building Catios - enclosures that enable cats to enjoy the outdoors safely! A new brand and website are in the works; stay tuned! As such, we are unable to accept new clients for Handy services at this time. Thank you!

-Michael

Those that know me understand how I find delight in a great many things: Humor, simple observations, being of service, human nature to name just a few. So it’s with some amusement I observe that, like virtually everything in life, I’ve now come full circle at least a couple times. Life's a carousel, right? Round and round, up and down... After 30-some years of uniting companies - people - with technology solutions that enriched their lives and business, I’ve come back to a new beginning...enter Helpful Hands.

My first real job in high school was at a Service Station. Indeed, back then you could actually GET services at what’s now simply called a ‘gas station’...or your local Costco. I learned the value (and good feeling) of providing great service, while developing a knack for finding creative solutions.

While earning a telecommunications degree at Clark College, I worked as a Handyman servicing group homes, work centers, vehicles and more at Edwards Center Inc. (edwardscenter.org), serving mentally- and physically-challenged adults. At the time, I thought I understood the value of what I was doing - for those I served and for myself - but really I didn’t. Knowing what I know now makes me wonder why I left! Ahhh, the wisdom of youth....

I went on to enjoy a 30+ year career in technology sales and support, working on complex communications networks for Fortune 100 Enterprises, Schools, Governments and Telecom Providers. Truly one of the highlights was leading a week-long training class...in Brussels...teaching students from 10 different countries! English was the second or third for all of them. Effectively conveying very technical terms and concepts to such a diverse audience was tremendously rewarding.

The not-so rewarding part about being in sales in hyper-competitive, ever-changing technology markets? The layoffs! After my last one, I decided enough was enough….

Because I’ve continued to hone my handyman skills over the years, launching Helpful Hands made perfect sense: Be of service; work with my hands; exercise creativity; and lastly, fully... ‘OWN IT!’ I’ve completed dozens of repair and improvement projects and hundreds of maintenance tasks on my own homes and floating vacation homes, boats, vehicles, and more, as well as the homes of friends and family.

Literally, there is no project too small (though we do have a minimum billable time). On the other hand, there ARE projects that are too big or outside the scope of our hands: Repairing fire, smoke, and water damage; significant remodels and construction projects; roofing, and large-scale concrete work are good examples.

Here’s the unique twist: In addition to offering traditional Handyman services ‘by the hour’ or ‘project’, our Hands Full Subscription service offers peace of mind and predictability, saving you both time and money by taking care of those important yet often overlooked maintenance items for a reasonable monthly fee.

Let’s connect, and explore how my hands can help you.

Michael