Choices for the Nomadic Owner Op

[Mikey P]

sad, frustrating but oh so common..

the restructuring of a single operator mom and pop to move a helper up to a lead tech with his own van.

Said tech bails so now what?

Attempt to find a guy with enough wand time to re-train and get on the road asap or start from scratch and wait it out 3 to 6 months before new guy can carry premium service experience.


Most of us have been there, what did you do?

 

[Cleanworks]

sad, frustrating but oh so common..

the restructuring of a single operator mom and pop to move a helper up to a lead tech with his own van.

Said tech bails so now what?

Attempt to find a guy with enough wand time to re-train and get on the road asap or start from scratch and wait it out 3 to 6 months before new guy can carry premium service experience.


Most of us have been there, what did you do?

When I worked for some of the larger companies, we would have a high staff turnover sometimes. We would always hire someone with some experience, put him on empties and lower value clients until he proved himself. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't.

 

[Desk Jockey]

You have to just keep trying to find cleaners. Otherwise you're destined to be an old man behind a wand.

It also makes it hard to sell when you're ready to. Nobody wants to buy a business where they are going to drop some big money and then have work hard. They want to buy a business that they can manage.

 

[Chris A]

sad, frustrating but oh so common..

the restructuring of a single operator mom and pop to move a helper up to a lead tech with his own van.

Said tech bails so now what?

Attempt to find a guy with enough wand time to re-train and get on the road asap or start from scratch and wait it out 3 to 6 months before new guy can carry premium service experience.


Most of us have been there, what did you do?

I went through it a few times. Finally hit the lotto on a guy who is a great tech, but not terribly motivated by money (crappy salesman). He was able to shoulder the load while I ran truck 2 and went through the revolving door of techs again. Almost 7 years later with 2 great techs and I'm on truck 3 and looking to get off the road for the 3rd time. It's a grind, and not always fun, but if you keep at it eventually you'll hit.

 

[hogjowl]

I’m so thankful for Brady

 

[roro]

Pity you didn't make a bunch

 

[Mikey P]

Plan your OO career to not depend on more than 5k coming from your business in the end.

 

[sassyotto]

Mack Clark said something once that stuck in my mind. Once you get off the truck, your main focus is hiring.

Always have one or two people ready to be hired. A good tech can obtain the *what would they do without me* frame of mind. Not an attitude necessarily but they can pretty much dictate what they want IF they know you would be hard pressed to replace them.

So its pretty logical (Mack in a nutshell) to eliminate that potential problem with having a list of people to hire.

Problem is that most owners are reactionary. In other words they react to actions already taken by employees and customers. The term Fire Chaser comes to mind. Sadly thats the way most businesses are run.

 

[Brian H]

Almost 7 years later with 2 great techs and I'm on truck 3

Are they just place holders until your sons are each old enough to run a truck?

 

[Mikey P]

Mack Clark said something once that stuck in my mind. Once you get off the truck, your main focus is hiring.

Always have one or two people ready to be hired. A good tech can obtain the *what would they do without me* frame of mind. Not an attitude necessarily but they can pretty much dictate what they want IF they know you would be hard pressed to replace them.

So its pretty logical (Mack in a nutshell) to eliminate that potential problem with having a list of people to hire.

Problem is that most owners are reactionary. In other words they react to actions already taken by employees and customers. The term Fire Chaser comes to mind. Sadly thats the way most businesses are run.

Mack wasn't hiring in these times, where our "techs" can make the same income if not much more day trading crypto, being a YouTube star or playing the system with his PTSD from a BLM parade he felt forced to attend

 

[Chris A]

Are they just place holders until your sons are each old enough to run a truck?

My biggest cause for lack of sleep is the idea that my son/s will one day want to take over my business lol

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Mack wasn't hiring in these times, where our "techs" can make the same income if not much more day trading crypto, being a YouTube star or playing the system with his PTSD from a BLM parade he felt forced to attend

Mack had an entertaining quality about him, and had an irreverence for some of our industry's common practices that others felt were supposed to be beyond criticism.

(If you're wondering: Hiring people you go to church with, hiring friends, and letting employees use business assets for personal use: Phone, vehicles, cleaning machines, etc.)

He understood our industry very well at that time, but I agree that a measure of what was once good advice wouldn't work in 2021.

One bit of advice I continue to live by:

"When you have an employee that irritates you so much that you find yourself avoiding them in your own place of business, fire them"

 

[Trip Moses]

I’m at a crossroads. I have two vans with TM’s. I have enough business to run both. I should run both, right? I have no desire for employees. I do 15-20 jobs a week. M-F. No after hours or weekends. My customers seem willing to wait on my schedule. Maybe this next year I’ll turn the corner. Idk.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I’m at a crossroads. I have two vans with TM’s. I have enough business to run both. I should run both, right? I have no desire for employees. I do 15-20 jobs a week. M-F. No after hours or weekends. My customers seem willing to wait on my schedule. Maybe this next year I’ll turn the corner. Idk.

Spend time looking for the next truck operator. Hire him as soon as you find him.

Spend this year developing your new hire so that next year he can handle the easy jobs on his own.

 

[Trip Moses]

Spend this year developing your new hire so that next year he can handle the easy jobs on his own.

I have a friend who’s had great experiences with female technicians

 

[hogjowl]

Spend time looking for the next truck operator. Hire him as soon as you find him.

Spend this year developing your new hire so that next year he can handle the easy jobs on his own.

Probably works for Mexicans with a huge DR business.

 

[Cleanworks]

I have a friend who’s had great experiences with female technicians

Yeah but, could they clean carpet?

 

[Trip Moses]

Yeah but, could they clean carpet?

Idk. She’s been with him for 4-5 year’s.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I’m at a crossroads. I have two vans with TM’s. I have enough business to run both. I should run both, right? I have no desire for employees. I do 15-20 jobs a week. M-F. No after hours or weekends. My customers seem willing to wait on my schedule. Maybe this next year I’ll turn the corner. Idk.

You can’t do it forever! And the you can’t will be here before you know it.

 

[Cleanworks]

Idk. She’s been with him for 4-5 year’s.

That was a joke but in all seriousness, my best employees have been women. I find that they take direction well and do things as you want. Guys always seem to have to find their own way.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Mack Clark said something once that stuck in my mind. Once you get off the truck, your main focus is hiring.

Always have one or two people ready to be hired. A good tech can obtain the *what would they do without me* frame of mind. Not an attitude necessarily but they can pretty much dictate what they want IF they know you would be hard pressed to replace them.

So its pretty logical (Mack in a nutshell) to eliminate that potential problem with having a list of people to hire.

Problem is that most owners are reactionary. In other words they react to actions already taken by employees and customers. The term Fire Chaser comes to mind. Sadly thats the way most businesses are run.

Although at 70, I preach against being a lone wolf too long. However, it’s easier said than done especially in today’s climate. Even in janitorial, you find yourself thinking I can do it myself easier. It’s a struggle. You can’t just line people up to hire.

 

[Mikey P]

A guy came to our booth in Vegas and had a lady with him that he stole from zero res. She was doing 400,000 a year by herself for zero and he was able to snag her, not sure what she's doing now but she was really into the whole glide thing and was a total treasure.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

It was his wife

 

[Desk Jockey]

Probably works for Mexicans with a huge DR business.

Did you say I had huge dik?

Actually it's just around average...for a horse.

 

[Trip Moses]

You can’t do it forever! And the you can’t will be here before you know it.

I’m not going to do this forever. One day I’ll quit.

 

[hogjowl]

Did you say I had huge dik?

Actually it's just around average...for a horse.

Ok Nate

 

[Desk Jockey]

I’m not going to do this forever. One day I’ll quit.

But you've built something of value that another entrepreneur may want to purchase. Especially if it can operate without you on the wand.

 

[Trip Moses]

But you've built something of value that another entrepreneur may want to purchase. Especially if it can operate without you on the wand.

Pfft. Give three examples of O/O who got off the truck and seamlessly sold there automated, non-franchise CARPET CLEANING business.

 

[Cleanworks]

Pfft. Give three examples of O/O who got off the truck and seamlessly sold there automated, non-franchise CARPET CLEANING business.

Willy just did. Without a truck mount even.

 

[Trip Moses]

What

Willy just did. Without a truck mount even.

What business systems, employees and real estate came with it? Or did he just sell his history of business?