It would be easy to talk about his energy, his confidence or the beautiful surroundings in which he works. But the real story of Bradley Carvalho of BJ Services in Kohala Coast, Hawaii, is where he came from and what drives him and his family to stay close to their roots. “I had no idea that I could even own my own business,” explains the third-generation Portuguese immigrant. “Mr. Harry Otsuji, an old friend of the family, told me that he thought I had what it took to make it as a business owner.” He says a little “katonk” (a local word meaning to push or aggressively encourage) from Mr. Otsuji was the catalyst that got him into the mowing business.
Humble Start
Rewind to Bradley’s younger years and you’ll find the meager beginnings of his journey on a sugar cane plantation in a small community on the northeastern coast of the big island. “All I ever knew was working on the plantation,” says Bradley. “I gained valuable experience in equipment and hard work that have both fit great in owning my own business.” He says the experience of doing “basically every job you could do on a plantation” at one time or another seasoned him for a future in business ownership. Even with all of the physical training and knowledge he gained, he says probably the greatest qualities he took from the plantation are strong core values and simply treating people with respect.
Bradley says his leap from the plantation in the mid-80s happened at the right time, since cane plantations are now all but extinct in his area. His move off the plantation came gradually, as he and a friend were doing some hauling and working security for a housing development, and the development association asked if he would be interested in some mowing. Bradley jumped at the opportunity. He and his wife Jocelyn bought a few push mowers and went to work — BJ (Bradley and Jocelyn) Services was in business.
Building Their Kingdom
Days were long and the mowing was hard at the time, but Bradley says he and Jocelyn were determined to make it work, because it was something they could call their own. He says maintaining a good image and upholding his family name was critical to the early and continued success of the business. “On the island, we have what we call the ‘coconut wireless,’ and news travels fast,” he shares. “If you damage your name, you won’t be in business long.” Bradley credits his wife of 27 years with being a hard worker, never giving up and always having good common sense. “Nowadays, she does the books for our business,” he explains, “but she is still as proud of the business as when we first started.”
Things have changed a lot since those earlier days, and Bradley has gained valuable experience as a business owner, especially in the area of handling the “brotherhood” (his word for his employees). One such lesson is about getting too big and losing touch with employees. Bradley says the most valuable part of the day is early morning when everyone shows up and talks about their time away from work, because they all get to know each other better and it is a way to keep up on everyone and their families. He says this was the setting where he discovered his business was getting out of control.
“We had 16 employees, and I realized we were too big because some of my guys did not feel like they could talk with me,” he remembers. “I always felt that if they could not talk with me, then I had failed.” With some natural attrition and patience over the next few years, BJ Services’ employee list dwindled to seven, and Bradley says it has been the perfect number. He says this size of business also makes it easier for him to follow his practice of “whatever he gets the ‘brotherhood’ gets.” One of the seven employees includes Bradley’s son Clayson, whom he affectionately calls “Traka” (meaning Tracker).
Believing in and following your instincts about people is another trait Bradley says he has always tried to exercise, even when doubted or ridiculed. He shares the story of hiring a man who had fought addictions and needed a chance. Even though they had to give him a ride to work each day and bend over backwards for him on occasion, the man soon realized someone cared about him, and he became a valuable employee.
“I went as far as going to my credit union and taking out a loan to pay for his insurance because he had lost his license,” Bradley recalls. “I’ll never forget the look on the lady’s face at the credit union when I told her what I was doing, and how she told me that I would never get the money back,” he recalls with a grin. “To this day, she still shakes her head whenever she sees me, because she can’t believe that I would do that for an employee.” Sadly, Bradley shares that his “project” employee is no longer with BJ Services, because he had to move to the mainland for more advanced treatments for a cancer he now has.
Living Like Kings
“Nobody in their right mind likes work,” Bradley says with a chuckle, “but the Walker makes it so much easier. On a good day of work, a guy gets totaled with other mowers, but not with the Walker.” Bradley explains how they purchased a Walker in late 2002 to mow a polo field in the 4,000-acre community they maintain. They soon realized that it would be useful for irrigated roadways, parks and entrances.
It’s at this point that Bradley’s excitement for the Walker boils over. With his rich accent and a smile as inviting as a Hawaiian sunset, the 46-year-old begins to brag like a teenager with a new car. “My guys are like kings on the Walker,” he says with arms and legs flailing. “I have always said ‘don’t kill the men.’ Everything on the Walker just makes sense. When you are mowing you just have to say ‘it’s a beautiful day!’” he says as he assumes proper Walker operating position, throws his head back and spins himself in a couple of circles on his office chair.
Bradley says he has never forgotten his roots. To be sure, he says he still uses his identification number from the plantation as a password on his computer and other areas. Even though the concept of business ownership was foreign to Bradley and his family in the beginning, treating people well and drawing energy from living a good life were not. The Carvalho family has proven that living the American dream and making your own paradise are alive and well, even in a remote spot in this small, distant state.
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