My RV Resource is proud to introduce Featured VIPs Gwynne and Bobby May with Amayzin RV Inspections & Services, LLC.
Back in mid 2017, I was working as a certified surgical technologist traveling to different hospitals in different states. That’s where our RV journey began. I was contracted at a hospital in Tyler, TX and my hubby Jason got certified as an RV inspector. Little did we know what kind of whirlwind we were about to endure.
By September 2017, Hurricane Irma caused widespread destruction in south Florida and the Florida Keys. Jason answered a fateful call that would ultimately change our lives forever. He went to help disaster survivors by inspecting travel trailers before they moved in. Fortunately, I was able to travel to the Keys weekly and help where needed. I realized pretty quickly that I wanted to become an RV inspector, too.
And so I did – in January 2018. It was during the RV inspector training class that I met Gwynne and Bobby May. We spent a few weeks – some of the coldest weeks on record – learning about performing RV inspections but more importantly, forming a friendship that will last a lifetime. Yes, Jason and I went from 90 degree weather, beaches outside the door and flip flops to temperatures around 9 degrees F with snow, ice and several layers of clothing on a daily basis.
But it was all worth it! Gwynne and Bobby are two of the most thoughtful people we’ve met. They work as a team – just like Jason and me – to bring their customers the most value. They are talented and trustworthy and I’m very proud to share a bit of their journey with you.
Tell us a little about your situation while running Amayzin RV Inspections & Services.
Our home base is Wichita Falls, Texas. Check our website for our current location.
We hit the road in September 2021 as full-time traveling RVers. We have enjoyed traveling the highways and byways of our beautiful country, discovering the hidden gems. We have so much more to see, though!
Amayzin RV Inspections & Services are available for RV inspections and RV training, to discover potentially hidden issues in RVs for our clients. The surprise of a hidden gem is wonderful. The surprise of a hidden issue in a new or new-to-you RV…not so much.
Do you live in an RV full-time?
We moved into our RV full time in mid-August 2021. We have made trips to see family and long-time friends, along with spending summer 2022 in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
What inspired you to start Amayzin RV Inspections & Services?
Bobby grew up in a military family, crisscrossing the country in a class C with his parents and three siblings, traveling between duty stations or for summer vacation. By the time he was 18, he had been through 48 of the 50 states, Guam and the Philippines. In 2016, we decided to start downsizing and move into full-time RV life. Bobby realized much had changed since his early days of traveling with his folks and wanted to know more about today’s RVs.
We found the RV Systems Training course sponsored by the Mobile RV Academy (now the NRVTA) and Bobby attended in May 2017. During the course, he was introduced to the NRVIA and becoming a Certified RV Inspector. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Gwynne & Bobby May with Amayzin RV Inspections and Services, enjoying the RV Life.
What RV services or RV products do you offer?
Amayzin RV Inspections & Services offer Premier Level RV Inspections, which come with a detailed report, 360-degree photos and videos (as warranted). Fluid analysis testing – like a blood test for the mechanical system – is offered for motorized RVs, generators and tow vehicles.
We also offer safety inspections and training for new RVers; neither of these options comes with a written report.
What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start Amayzin RV Inspections & Services?
Bobby spent 25 years in restaurant management and 10 years in financial management and planning. He has also always owned his own businesses. In the mid-1980s, he owned a balloon delivery business. In the 1990s and early 2000s, he owned a numismatic (coin) business, specializing in pennies.
Gwynne has a bachelor’s degree in management with a focus in human resources and organizational behavior, spending the early part of her career as a subject matter expert in the employee benefits department of a Fortune 50 company. After a few years, she realized that she had a desire and calling to do work that made a difference and mattered in the lives of others, so she returned to school and got a Masters of Divinity with a focus in pastoral care and counseling and spirituality. She is an ordained minister in a mainline Protestant denomination, spending 16 years in healthcare ministry, with most of that time spent as a hospice chaplain. She has spent a lot of time with people who have regrets, who wish they had done more, seen more, traveled, spent more time with family, not waited until “later…” None of them have wished they spent more time working.
As stated above, we found the RV Systems Training course sponsored by Mobile RV Academy and Bobby attended in May 2017. During this course, he was introduced to the NRVIA and became Certified as a Level 1 NRVIA Inspector and RV Maintenance Tech for Campgrounds. Realizing he could use this knowledge to help other RVers better understand their rigs, he continued training and became an NRVIA Certified RV Inspector in January 2018. He is also an RVTI Certified Level 2 RV Technician.
Gwynne got her start in RV inspection training with the home study course, completing her Level 1 NRVIA Inspector certification in July 2018. In April 2019, she took both the Level 1 and Level 2 NRVIA Inspector training courses in person in Athens, Texas, becoming an NRVIA Certified RV Inspector in April 2019. She is also an RVTI Certified Level 2 RV Technician.
What has been your business’s proudest moment?
Amayzin RV Inspections & Services have been honored to work with FEMA on two different occasions – after Hurricane Florence in North Carolina (2018/2019), and after the Almeda fire in Jackson County, Oregon (2020/2021). The work with FEMA is inspecting the travel trailers that FEMA provides for survivors to ensure the trailer is safe to live in, while their homes are being rebuilt. While we do not hope for any future disasters, we look forward to serving with FEMA again, should the opportunity present itself.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge was getting the business started, developing our web and social media presence and getting our name known within the community. Helping potential clients as well as dealerships understand the importance of having an RV inspection conducted by a trained, NRVIA Certified RV Inspector (or two!) was initially challenging too. As RV inspections become more prevalent, both buyers and sellers are coming to understand why it is important to hire an independent, third-party Certified RV Inspector.
Describe your typical work day at Amayzin RV Inspections & Services.
Amayzin RV onsite Jackson County, OR – working with FEMA, inspecting travel trailers for safety for Almeda fire survivors.
We work together as an inspection team, so our work day together starts long before we arrive at the inspection site. Bobby usually tackles the exterior of the RV, with Gwynne handling the inspection of the interior components. We utilize mobile devices to enter our findings into the inspection software, including photos and videos. This helps make the report completion and delivery smoother, once we arrive back home after the inspection.
Our goal is to deliver the report the same day as the inspection, which can make for a late night, if there are a significant number of issues to report on the RV’s condition and operation. We both answer the phone, answer questions and set inspection appointments. We are both well-versed in all aspects of our business.
Tell us something interesting/fun about Amayzin RV Inspections & Services.
The “Amayzin” in our business name is a play on our last name – May – as well as the type of service we strive to provide to our customers.
Not everyone can say that they work side-by-side with the love of their life either. We really enjoy working together, learning something new every day.
If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?
Looking back, we would have had Gwynne come in as an inspector sooner. The RV inspection business was a part-time venture for us, as Gwynne was still working full-time in healthcare. When she was laid off due to the impact of COVID-19 on the agency she worked for, we had a business in place and were able to move immediately into full-time work as RV inspectors.
What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start his/her own RV business?
Our advice is to be patient with yourself. There is a lot to learn about the RV inspection business. The business needs to be nurtured and cared for. Most likely, you won’t have a full calendar in the first few weeks. Take care of the back office and support systems, so they will take care of you when you are busy with inspections.
Be curious. Seek out continuing education opportunities. The more you know, the better you will be as an inspector and advocate for your client.
Any other comments or advice you'd like to share?
HAVE FUN!!
Glad to chat with you, Gwynne & Bobby!
To read more about Gwynne and Bobby May and Amayzin RV Inspections & Services, click here to check out their company listing page.
You can also follow Gwynne and Bobby on Facebook and Instagram at ouramayzinjourney or visit their website at https://amayzin.com/.
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