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A good man’s not that hard to find anymore thanks to Rent-A-Man

Joe Marquez

Need a good man? Now you can rent a man!

. a handyman, that is. When Ross Woodward set up shop in Glenwood Springs, he wanted to grab the public’s attention. He did it by naming his business Rent-A-Man.

A good-humored East Coast gent in his 30s, Woodward says he loves his work as a repairman at local businesses and private homes, and that his good nature and sense of humor are always on the job with him.



Woodward contacted Joe Livingston, director of the CMC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Glenwood Springs, for information on starting his new business. The SBDC is a free service to area citizens and offers expertise on the “ins and outs” of starting and operating a small business in Colorado.

“Joe was fantastic. I had never had my own business before. It’s a kind of scary thing to do,” said Woodward. “I didn’t know anything about tax laws or business licenses or anything to do to have a legitimate legal business. He helped me with deciding which way to go with incorporating. I wanted to be sure I did that right the first time.”



Success has followed Woodward’s efforts and early this year he brought a partner, Brett Goldman, on board. The two met when Goldman rented a home from Woodward shortly after moving to Glenwood springs two years ago. They discovered a strong camaraderie and shared similar views about business philosophy. Both had a desire to become part of the small business community.

Rent-A-Man is in its second year of operation. Services include routine and common repairs, and remodels, installations, light plumbing and electrical work, and general building and property maintenance.

Woodward is a graduate of the Denver Institute of Technology and a past member of the Local Pipe Fitters Union, where he had two years of schooling in pipefitting, drafting and plumbing. His background includes private and commercial experience as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician.

Woodward moved from Vail to Glenwood Springs seven years ago. While in Vail he had been working in the refrigeration appliance business. A service call to the Daily Bread in Glenwood Springs exposed him to the area and he decided it would be his new home.

“I fell in love with Glenwood Springs right away,” he says, and soon afterwards made the move.

Woodward recognized a need in Glenwood Springs and the surrounding communities for the prompt servicing of household and commercial repair jobs that would include light plumbing and electric. So rather than secure a new job, he created his own company.

Part of the motivation was also the desire to be part of a community he admires. Woodward’s hope was to succeed as a small, privately owned business with a commitment to quality and quick service. He also decided that no job is too small.

“Most of our jobs are small but we’ve done remodels,” he explains.

Goldman, also in his 30s, left the corporate world of Chicago for the quality of life he had discovered in Glenwood Springs. “I retired out here for a few months just to relax,” he said, and he’s never left. Goldman describes the Glenwood Springs area as Disneyland for adults.

Goldman gained most of his handyman skills when he was in the business of converting two family homes into single-family homes in the Chicago area.

The teaming up of the two just seemed natural; both enjoy their work, and both bring a bubbling sense of humor to every job. Most of their clients come to them by word-of-mouth.

“We pretty much cover the gamut,” says Goldman. “Ross has networked with enough people” to keep the men busy and the business steadily growing.

When asked if they plan to expand, neither jumps in to answer the question. They haven’t forgotten why they each moved to Glenwood Springs in the first place. Goldman sums it up saying, “We’re local guys . looking to serve the local community, and we’re going to stay that way.”


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