SLO County Reduces the Headaches and Hassles of Relocating

Joanie Melanie Virgil
March 12, 2003

If cleaning a closet fogs your bifocals and buckles your back – imagine tackling the task of moving a whole house. And if wondering what in the world goes where sends you into a downward spiral – it’s time to consider your options. Some say that the stresses of moving ranks right up there with marriage, death, and paying taxes – and frankly, who needs that?!

Even as budget cuts, down-sizing, and the cost of living forces folks to pull up stakes – here’s the good news. Whether you’re moving across town or cross-country, professional help is only a phone call away – and the job will get done right: soup to nuts – or anything in between.

Meathead Movers of SLO County is ready to take it on – and to reduce the headaches and hassles of relocating. Aaron and Evan Steed – brothers, best friends, and company co-owners, work in concert to ensure that their enterprise stays at the top of the game. They make no apologies for being a bit more expensive than their competitors. The fact is, you get what you pay for – and money spent up front saves expenses down the road.

Aaron, older by two years, is the CEO of the company and in charge of marketing, networking, and sales management while Evan, the CFO, sits at the helm as Operations Manager.

When the brothers, now in their early twenties, were in high school, they assisted family friends in a move across town – and a belly full of pizza and a grip of gratitude was their just reward. Scholastic and athletic schedules disallowed them from maintaining traditional part-time jobs – and helping people pack seemed to be an ideal solution. And so, the Steeds solicited the help of a handful of fellow athletes – and the rest, as they say, is history.

The company, born in 1997, has enjoyed a steady growth spurt. Meathead Movers gives back to the community by supporting high school booster and athletic clubs, the Civic Ballet, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, law enforcement, and the United Way. Perhaps most heartening is their steadfast dedication in donating services and / or monies to The Women’s Shelter so that the needs of individuals in precarious domestic situations are wholly met.

Given Aaron’s love of wrestling, and Evan’s propensity for football, the name “Meathead Movers” is fitting – and it stuck. Traditionally, movers have earned the reputation of being rough around the edges and careless. From the beginning, Evan explains, “we wanted to defy the stereotype of the dumb jock. . . We wanted to show that we could establish a high-quality, client-oriented business.”

“Team Meathead” is 130 employees strong; a company that prides itself on being the crème de la crème in its field. Aaron compares the philosophies of physical fitness to business savvy. “. . .You’re constantly working to achieve new levels by facing obstacles and new challenges.”

The Steeds are particular about who they hire. In fact, the rigmarole that a potential employee endures to land a job – and keep it – is impressive. A series of interviews, a folder fat with rules and regulations, on-the-job training, and a written test are part of the package. And employees anonymously rate each other as “studs” or “duds” depending upon job performance.

Because the work is physically-taxing, specific lifting techniques are taught to ensure that nobody gets hurt. Work-related lingo keeps everyone on the same page. “Re-gripping” demands that both parties pause and prepare to re-arrange the weight of whatever they carry, and “pop it up” warns the other worker that the piece of furniture will be shifted skyward.

All the while, the customer is invited to sit in the shade, in a “VIP chair” where s/he orchestrates exactly what goes where. The role of Meathead Movers is to accommodate the homeowner, after all, and a follow up questionnaire is provided to ensure quality control.

Art Young, a professor at Cal Poly, met Aaron in a business class and over time, he became a mentor and, eventually, the company’s General Manager. “The thing that attracts me to this organization is its unique business model. In an industry with a reputation for poor customer service, Meathead Movers competes with outstanding service and its over-the-top experience. There are cheaper (moving company) alternatives that carry a commensurate risk in service, damages, and scheduling-conflicts for the customer.”

Dan Routt, the Local Moving Department Head of Meathead Movers concurs. He speaks of the “absolute dedication” that the company directs toward excellence. “Because we’ll never sacrifice customer service, we’ll always have customers.” Routt is in the game for the long run, he says, and “want (s) to work here for the rest of my career. It’s conducive to the type of person I am: a Meathead!!”

With an attitude like that, it sounds like a win-win for employees and for customers. For a front row seat in the coveted VIP chair, and an iced drink even as the guys run around you, call Meathead Movers at (805) 544-6328.