Testimonials
COVID-19 shutdowns forced a drastic drop in business for Bailey Coach, which charters buses across the country. An idea for a new business, called Bailey Zero Hazard, has kept the lights on.
John Bailey didn’t know what to do. The York County entrepreneur had just laid off more than 60 employees at Bailey Coach, a family business that charters buses across the country. It felt like the company his father and uncle built was crumbling under COVID-19 shutdowns.
“I prayed,” John says. “I asked the Lord for guidance.”
Walking through one of his garage bays, John was drawn to the specialized electrostatic sprayer. For three years, Bailey Coach has used Electrostatic Disinfection – an electrostatically charged mist of disinfectant – on his fleet of 30 vehicles that transport over 130,000 passengers each year.
Suddenly, John realized, he had an opportunity to diversify his business while helping keep others safe during the pandemic.
That idea turned into Bailey Zero Hazard, a new business that offers disinfection services to area companies across four counties. He employs more than 20 people through the endeavor, many of whom are previous employees.
‘A mix of grit and determination’
John has worked with PeopleBank for several years, including his recent venture. While he usually goes to the business team at the bank for financing and advice, he also found unexpected support for his new endeavor. His first customer was PeoplesBank. John and his team disinfected several bank facilities to help slow or stop the spread of COVID-19.
“The community has always been good to us, and PeoplesBank has supported us in numerous ways,” John says.
In previous years, John worked with PeoplesBank to secure funding to grow his business and open a new facility in Spring Grove. Today, John says, PeoplesBank is helping him keep his business alive.
Continuing to grow, John is now a distributor for the disinfecting solution and specialty sprayer. He sees opportunities to expand into new industries, offering continued peace of mind as people try to return to a new normal.
“We got here with a mix of grit and determination,” John says. “PeoplesBank believed in us, and that has always meant a lot.”
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