My RV Resource likes to do things a little differently. We love sharing details about our Featured VIP members!
We’re proud to introduce Paul with Foremost RV Inspections.
You can find more information on Paul’s website, on his Facebook page or on his MyRVResource.com company listing page.
Tell us a little about your situation while running your RV business.
My home base is in Middle TN, a Nashville suburban area. We service Middle TN, Central and West KY. My wife and I enjoy long weekend trips with family, friends and the dogs of course and the occasional couple of week get-aways.
Do you live in an RV full-time?
We currently own a Jayco North Point 310RLTS.
What inspired you to start your own RV business?
My wife and I have been camping in some form, tents and up, since children. We’ve met so many great people over the years. We love meeting new people and one of things I’ve always enjoyed is sharing our experience with RVs and camping with others hoping it helps them get more enjoyment or have a better experience in their adventures.
What RV services or RV products do you offer?
We offer pre-purchase inspections for buyers and sellers, finance and insurance inspections as well as routine maintenance inspections.
What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start your business?
I spent 30+ years in the insurance claims industry with the past 25 years owning an independent appraisal service. One of the areas we specialized in was claims on RVs. We did business in 3 states and had earned a reputation as the go-to for complicated RV, coach and bus claims.
After selling the business in 2019 I quickly realized I missed interacting with the owners so took the knowledge I had gained along with the passion for helping people as well as love of RVs and turned that into Foremost RV inspections.
What has been your business’s proudest moment?
The greatest reward is when a customer, especially first time buyers, lets us know how much they appreciate what we do. We’ve had several comments that they felt so much better after our reports.
Perhaps one of the proudest moments was when a buyer recently sent me a message thanking me and saying “… when we started this process we were so scared of making a mistake and a bad purchase. I prayed for guidance on what we should do and I really think God guided us to you.”
Another proud moment was when a customer from Seattle Washington contacted me to inspect a Class A motorhome in central KY. I did an inspection for him, sent the report and he purchased this sight unseen based on my report. After picking it up and returning to Seattle with it he told me he was more than happy with my report and it even picked up items he’d have never noticed.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Helping people understand the process and what goes into an inspection. RV inspections are not inexpensive but there is great value in what we do.
While an RV inspection can cost several hundred dollars and up many times buyers may not understand what goes into the inspection. We typically spend anywhere from 5-8 hours inspecting the RV. This doesn’t include driving time to and from the RV, 2-3 hours finalizing the report with photos and narrative documentation to provide clarity.
Describe your typical work day.
I don’t know if I really work. I’ve always been told “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life”. That being said, I like to get started early. With the area we cover inspections sometimes are as many as 100 miles away. Travel and inspection will typically take up most of the “typical work day”.
Our reports are completed and back to the customer within 24 hours so many times I’ll start work on the report as soon as I return home. I also encourage customers to call anytime day or night. If I’m not available I turn on Do Not Disturb, otherwise I’m happy to talk to anyone at any time.
Tell us something interesting/fun about your business.
We’ve come up with many great parks, resorts and destinations from our customers and sellers just through conversation about the love of RVing and travelling.
If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?
While I enjoyed my time in the claims business and it provided a comfortable life for me and my family I wish I had begun doing pre-purchase inspections long before I did.
What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start his/her own RV business?
It has to be a passion. If not, it’s a job. Be honest and open with people and always listen.
Any other comments or advice you'd like to share?
I’ve heard before “… we think this will be good for our family and especially the kids”. Ask anyone who is a lifelong camper. We still share stories with our kids and grandkids from experiences when we were children and teens. Take the leap, you won’t regret it.
Conclusion
If you’re an RV service provider, make sure you sign up for a company listing on My RV Resource, where we nurture a community of RVers and RV-related small business owners.
If you’re an RVer, become a member today so you can use advanced filters to find RV service providers all across the US (and even a few in Canada).
We’d also appreciate it if you would suggest companies that should be added to our directory and share reviews directly on the company’s listing page! It’ll help everyone in the long run.
