Fifth Blog: From Bare Bones to Warmhearted Dreams: A Couple's Journey Through Self-Employment and the Insulation Industry
Hi there, friends! Last blog, I left off with a cliffhanger about the perils of navigating internet advertising—a lesson we’ve learned. Buckle up, because this memory is quite the tale!
It all started a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away... Just kidding. It happened right here on Earth, not more than six years ago.
To set the stage, I must admit that as a busy wife, mom, odd-job-holder and Luyk’s sidekick on job sites (setup and cleanup crew included!), I may not have stayed up to speed with all things internet and “apps.” There may very well be a logical explanation for what unfolded, but since the Google Gods themselves haven’t enlightened me, I’ll simply tell this story as I experienced it.
We’d been advised about the importance of creating a Google listing, so we did. I did my best to fill out all the questions accurately. The setup requested a credit card number and gave me the option to display our business like an ad, with a budget I could set myself. Feeling cautious, I capped it at x-$amount per month, patted myself on the back, and moved on. Job well done, or so I thought.
Everything went smoothly for quite some time. A year, two years, maybe even three passed. I didn’t give that Google listing a second thought—why would I? We were busy, and business was booming! Then, strange things began happening, setting us on a wild goose chase to uncover the cause.
Our phones started ringing truly non-stop. But the bulk of the calls weren’t from potential clients—they were from people looking for Disney World tickets, exotic pets (personally my favorite of all the fun and laugh-worthy calls we took during this situation!), septic services, plumbing, tree removal, dentistry, and even more bizarre requests. What in the WORLD was going on? We were overwhelmed, humored, and perplexed! Our phone service provider was no help, and then… the credit card bill arrived.
Oh. My.
The bill revealed thousands of dollars in charges—courtesy of Google. But why? What had changed after all this time? I called the credit card company, hoping they’d classify it as fraud, but since we had an established relationship with the Google listing, they couldn’t dispute it. They did, however, block further charges. Unfortunately, this didn’t stop the charges from accumulating according to Google itself. Meanwhile, on my end, everything in my Google account appeared exactly as I’d set it up—no changes, nothing I could adjust, and no record of rising charges. What on Earth was happening?
As it turned out (and I’ll spare you the long, agonizing road to this discovery), a second Google account had somehow been created in our name, yet inaccessible by us. It was linked to our business credit card, had no budget limits, and lacked any proper business descriptions. The result? The Google Gods unleashed our phone numbers in advertising campaigns across the entire country!
If you’ve ever tried reaching a live person at Google, you’ll understand when I say I’m not convinced they exist. I emailed responses to every one of their collection requests, I called 800 gazillion “contact us” phone numbers, and I even Googled every version of “How To Talk To Google” I could think of; all with no luck.
Believe it or not, after a full year of chaos, the entire mess was finally resolved and refunded when a live person from a collection agency (not Google!) finally called me. I tell you what, I have a feeling my flurry of words, excitement to finally hear from a HUMAN (collection agent or not, HUMAN!), and intensity in telling the tale probably sticks with him to this day! Of several takeaways here, the biggest might be to never get too comfortable in your day-to-day life as an entrepreneur or small business owner. The unexpected is always lurking, ready to jump out and challenge you, whether you’re prepared or not. I hope you enjoy a rollercoaster ride; often simultaneously terrifying and funny, leaving you breathless and exhausted! The key is to not wet your pants or toss your cookies!
Next blog, let’s dive into the ebb and flow of human behavior patterns—how they become recognizable, how we adapt, and whether it’s better to fight the flow or let it go.
What is your self-employment or small business story? Have you faced similar challenges or considered taking the plunge? What business rollercoaster rides have you experienced? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
