Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Longo.
Hi Mike, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Our story officially began in 2024, but in many ways, it started 37 years ago.
I grew up in a blue-collar family in New England, surrounded by the trades. At a young age, my family moved to Oregon, where my dad’s best friend from the military became a major influence in my life. He was one of the most talented craftsmen I’ve ever known. He could design a home, draw the blueprints, pour the foundation, handle the framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and finish work—all with exceptional skill and craftsmanship.
I spent many years working alongside him, learning not only the trades themselves, but also the value of hard work, integrity, and doing a job right the first time.
As life moved forward, I pursued a career as a professional firefighter, serving my community for nearly three decades. Throughout those years, I continued doing trade work for family and friends whenever I had the opportunity. Building, repairing, and helping people solve problems was something I genuinely enjoyed.
As retirement approaches, my wife and I began talking about what the next chapter of life might look like. In her infinite wisdom, she recognized two things: first, I enjoy being productive and don’t sit still very well; and second, after 29 years in the fire service, she had become accustomed to getting a two-day break from me every four days.
She is still the love of my life, and thankfully she agreed that keeping me busy was probably a good idea.
With my background in the trades, she suggested that starting a handyman business might be the perfect fit. It would allow me to stay active, continue serving people, and put a lifetime of experience to good use. The more we talked about it, the more it made sense.
As we brainstormed names, a good friend suggested CPR Handyman. Coming from a background in emergency services, the name immediately resonated with me. Better yet, CPR could stand for Complete Property Restoration. It was the perfect fit.
From there, I obtained all the necessary licensing and insurance, built the website, and officially launched the business at the end of 2024.
My goal was simple: provide exceptional service, grow responsibly, and remain debt-free.
The debt-free part is still going well. The growth part has exceeded every expectation.
Thanks to the incredible support of our community, the business continues to grow, and I am deeply grateful for the trust our customers place in us to care for their homes and commercial properties. That growth has allowed us to bring on a second skilled tradesman, and it has been exciting to begin building a team that shares the same commitment to quality workmanship, integrity, and customer service.
What began as a conversation about the future has become an opportunity to continue doing what I love—serving people, solving problems, and taking pride in a job well done.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Any time you start something new, there are always unique challenges. I’ve always viewed those challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, both personally and professionally.
For me, the biggest challenge wasn’t the trade work—it was learning the business administration side of running a company. I had spent nearly three decades in the fire service and many years working in the trades, but bookkeeping, invoicing, scheduling, estimating jobs, and managing the day-to-day business operations were all new territory.
It quickly became a crash course in small business ownership, fueled by long nights, plenty of coffee, and a lot of trial and error. At my age, I sometimes joke that new information takes a little longer to stick than it used to, but I’ve always believed that if something is worth doing, it’s worth learning how to do it well.
Today, I’m much more comfortable wearing both hats—the tradesman and the business owner—and that challenge has ultimately made me better at both.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a handyman business, we provide a wide range of maintenance, repair, and improvement services for homeowners, property managers, landlords, and commercial property owners. No two days are ever the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about this work.
I especially enjoy working with realtors who need homes prepared for sale on a specific timeline. Helping a client transform a property and get it market-ready is always rewarding. We work across most areas of the building trades, handling everything from repairs and maintenance to larger improvement projects. In addition, we operate a metal fabrication shop where we design and build a variety of custom small- and medium-sized projects for our customers.
We have built our reputation on three core principles: quality craftsmanship, clear communication, and reliability. Our customers appreciate knowing what to expect, being kept informed throughout the process, and having confidence that the work will be completed to a high standard. We also pride ourselves on being responsive and are often able to schedule projects within a week of an accepted quote.
As a business owner, what I am most proud of is the team we are building. As the company continues to grow, my goal is to strengthen that team, improve our efficiency, and create a culture that values professionalism, integrity, and exceptional customer service.
What I believe truly sets us apart is not only our craftsmanship, but the way we communicate and build relationships with our customers. My goal is to respond to every customer inquiry the same day whenever possible. I want our customers to know they can trust us, rely on us, and feel confident that their property is in good hands.
At the end of the day, our business is about more than repairs and projects. It’s about people. Whether a customer hires us once or becomes a lifelong client, my goal is to build a relationship based on trust, respect, and quality service. To me, those relationships matter more than any single job.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I have a bible app on my phone that gives a verse every morning that helps set the tone for the day for me. When I have time I enjoy the written word. Some books that I have enjoyed:
“The Greatest Generation”
“Richest Man In Babylon”
“Sweaty Startup”
“ Rhinoceros Success”
“ EntreLeadership”
“The 4 Hour Work Week”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.cprhandymanllc.com
