written by: Zanne Lamb-Hunt
Harold Bussey, Jr. is a Brooklyn native by birth. He attended PS 32, IS 293 and George Westinghouse Vocational and Technical High School. He found employment in the New York City Housing Authority development. That’s where he first started learning all about cleaning.
Prior to making the move to Frederick Maryland from Brooklyn, New York a little more than 13 years ago Harold and his family resided in Myrtle Beach, SC. for 5 years. They then relocated back to Frederick were his wife could be closer to her grandmother. Harold’s wife was born and raised in Frederick. She is employed by Parkview Medical Group.
Harold is the proud father of three kids. He has two teenagers — a son, 18 and a daughter, 16. He also has a younger daughter, 9. He still has relatives in Brooklyn, including his parents and a sister. They all get together as often as they can. Family is everything to Harold.
ZCZ Family Cleaning Services
* Commercial
* Residential
* Business
* Carpet
* Floor Stripping & Waxing
* Detailed Cleaning
* Established for 8 Years
* Expertise In Providing Professional Cleaning Solutions
Harold’s ‘Good Weird’ Journey To Entrepreneurship
Harold describes his journey to entrepreneurship as “weird — but a good weird.” He explains that he’s been employed with several different companies and he has ended up doing some type of cleaning at every one of them. It’s always like looking back at where he came from and his first job.
He confides that something just came over him when he was living and working in South Carolina and he started telling himself, “You need to start your own business. You need to do this.”
He thought to himself, “I can’t start a realty business. I don’t know anything about that. I can’t start a business selling cars. That’s not me.” Then it came to him. “Do what you know.”
Before they could get a business launched, they made the move to Maryland. Once again, Harold found himself working for somebody else.
Eventually, he decided to try owning his own business and ZCZ Family Cleaning Services was brought to life. ZCZ was created with the first initial of each child’s first name, thanks to his wife’s suggestion.
“Honestly, I never would have thought of it. Sometimes, you need a woman to show you the direction.”
Harold Remembers Where He Started
Harold stays very much aware that he was fortunate to make it out of Brooklyn years ago. “I’m very humbled and blessed. In my neighborhood, where I grew up at, not everybody made it out.”
He continues, “Not everybody has seen outside of New York City. To this day, there are people that never left that neighborhood.”
Harold reveals that “It was rough.” He gives credit to his family for keeping him on the right track. He admits that he sometimes started to stray off course but “the ladies kept me on it.”
They reminded him, “This is where you need to go. This is what you need to do.” Today, he commends a lot of single parents and ladies who have sons that they’re raising.
“It’s very hard, especially in a city like New York City — especially Brooklyn. There are a lot of things that you can get yourself caught up in. But, if you have the right people, you’ll make it out with no problem.
“I ran with it and I’m going to keep on running with it. I’ll never forget where I came from. I’ll never forget what I’ve been through. I’ll never forget about the people that helped me along the way.”
He adds, “This is where I prevail and stand tall and have the people who helped me along the way to be proud — to know that I am here doing what I need to do and being able to provide for my family.
“It’s a blessing to have that feeling come over you when you know that it’s time to do something that you may have put off for awhile.”
Harold’s Greatest Challenge In Starting ZCZ Family Cleaning Services
Harold admits that it wasn’t all smooth sailing. There were a few set-backs along the way. One issue was ‘second guessing’ which he learned to conquer. He turned negatives into positives.
A bigger challenge was when a family tragedy struck. Harold recalls losing his 17-year-old cousin who was also his Godson. He was murdered in New York.
“The biggest challenge that I had was knowing that I lost somebody that close — that young. It really set me back for a while. I was in a deep place of depression, as well as darkness, but I made it out of there.
“I look at each day as days that he’ll never get to see. So, as a family, we need to live to the fullest and accomplish what deep down we know he may have accomplished.
“I’m just very thankful and humble for everything that comes my way now. I’m seeing things clear.”
Advice That Harold Would Give To Himself If He Could Turn Back The Clock
“Don’t be nervous. You’ll never know what you can achieve if you don’t go for it.”
Harold remains employed full-time while operating the family business full-time. “I haven’t quit anything,” he shares. “I’m going to stay on the pace that I’m on and keep looking forward.
“I see big things for myself. I speak of big things for myself. I have a family and I’m looking forward to leaving this to my three kids down the line.
Harold Knows The Power Of Words Can Make A Difference
When Harold was seventeen, he was walking along with a young friend in Brooklyn. The friend confided that he wanted to do something different, aside from being known for playing ball. He didn’t feel like he was being respected in his neighborhood.
Harold dropped some friendly advice. “They respect you because you’re going to school. You may not see it. You may not understand it at this moment. But, people are going to respect you because they see what you’re doing. You’re not hanging around out there.”
An older lady was nearby and heard the wise and caring words. She approached Harold later on and said, “I like what you told him. I think you kind of saved him from going into a decision that we all know he was going to go to.”
Harold knows. “I can do a lot in many ways. I may not see it at this moment but just talking to certain people can open up doors and can touch them.”
Harold Doesn’t Leave Home Without His iPhone
“My iPhone is like my wallet. If I don’t have my iPhone with me, I’m crazy.”
It takes the place of so many things. “You have everything in the palm of your hand. You don’t need a calendar. You don’t need to write notes. It’s like everything in one.”
An Old And Very Meaningful Saying
[The family that prays together stays together.]
“That’s what molded me because of my Grandmother. That was her thing. We’re all going to pray together and we’re all going to stay together, no matter what. And, that’s what I stand by now with my kids.”
ZCZ Family Cleaning Services is a family business that considers every client to be like extended family. Trust them to treat your premises like it’s their own. They’ll even “clean the surfaces that you don’t see.” No cutting corners!
If you’re located in Frederick or one of the surrounding counties, contact Harold today to say hello and become part of ZCZ’s steadily growing ‘family of clients.’
* Affordable * Bonded *Licensed
Call: 240-397-9141
zczfamilycleaningservices.com
e-mail: info@zczfamilycleaningservices.com
Contents Provided by Frederick Advice Givers Podcast Episode #070: Eric Verdi Interviews Harold Bussey, Jr.
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