truckmount girl
1800greenglides
I was a one woman show for 18 years and raised four kids and 2 foster kids while pushing wand through divorce and being widowed, so I know where you are, where you've been and where you're going.
You can do this, but it's hard, physical work. How old are you? Any major health issues, strong and in relatively good shape? if you're on the light side of 40 and can answer yes to the other questions, you should be okay.
I started with a porty. moved up to bigger and better portys and then bought a POS underpowered poorly engineered TM, and eventually had a pretty nice unti before retiring to do GreenGlides.
The TM is DEFINITELY easier on your back and faster. However, the initial investment is a lot more and normally portables are more reliable with less that can go wrong. I was lucky, I am very mechanically inclined and know my way around a motor and a tool box. When stuff would break, I learned how to fix it myself on the job if possible.
When my kids were young I did repo's from '87 to '98. I solicited the property management brokers for the VA and HUD repos in the county/territory around me and did those. It was great. I was given a list of houses to do and a window of time to accomplish the work, usually 3-10 days. I could make my own schedule and because the houses were all empty, I could even bring my kids if I had to. Many a time I sat up a play pen or video games to keep the kids safe and busy while I cleaned the house. I used a porty because all of the houses were empty, so there was no customer to impress with a TM unit....and I didn't have the money for a TM.
In '98 my husband died unexpectedly and with the loss of his income and insurance coinciding with the upturn in the housing market (the beginning of the infamous real estate bubble) there were few repos anymore, so I decided to use his small insurance policy and I purchased a new 16 passenger van and a small TM, my first TM. I put my name on the van and started doing occupied residential work. For many years I had the TM in the back and two rows of backseats for the kids. It had to do as both a business and personal vehicle.
Being a woman markets extremely well to residential clients. My customers LOVED me. We didn't go through the whole trust issues that many men have to deal with as service providers to women who are often home alone with kids.
Avoid commercial work like the plague, it will have you out nights and weekends when you need to be home with the kiddos. Focus on residential. I used to do weekend appointments, but I charged a nominal fee for a weekend/Holiday appointment, $50. If they really needed a weekend, they would pay, but most managed to schedule during the week.
Welcome to the industry. This may not be the most polite bunch, but they are honest and good people...a better bunch you will never find. Avoid the Rubber Room and Bird Room at all costs. Not a place for you! At times it's a bit like a biker bar here, but if you can roll with the boys, they will take good care of you.
Pembertons is a wonderful place to help you and guide you. Jim Pemberton is probably the best person this industry has....with the possible exception of his father, Lee. He can advise you on the best moves with your Rotovac set-up, whether to keep it or go for something else....and I'm always here to stick my opinionated two cents in as well. John Olson at Superior and his wife Lora are great people, as are many of the suppliers on board here.
Take care,
Lisa
You can do this, but it's hard, physical work. How old are you? Any major health issues, strong and in relatively good shape? if you're on the light side of 40 and can answer yes to the other questions, you should be okay.
I started with a porty. moved up to bigger and better portys and then bought a POS underpowered poorly engineered TM, and eventually had a pretty nice unti before retiring to do GreenGlides.
The TM is DEFINITELY easier on your back and faster. However, the initial investment is a lot more and normally portables are more reliable with less that can go wrong. I was lucky, I am very mechanically inclined and know my way around a motor and a tool box. When stuff would break, I learned how to fix it myself on the job if possible.
When my kids were young I did repo's from '87 to '98. I solicited the property management brokers for the VA and HUD repos in the county/territory around me and did those. It was great. I was given a list of houses to do and a window of time to accomplish the work, usually 3-10 days. I could make my own schedule and because the houses were all empty, I could even bring my kids if I had to. Many a time I sat up a play pen or video games to keep the kids safe and busy while I cleaned the house. I used a porty because all of the houses were empty, so there was no customer to impress with a TM unit....and I didn't have the money for a TM.
In '98 my husband died unexpectedly and with the loss of his income and insurance coinciding with the upturn in the housing market (the beginning of the infamous real estate bubble) there were few repos anymore, so I decided to use his small insurance policy and I purchased a new 16 passenger van and a small TM, my first TM. I put my name on the van and started doing occupied residential work. For many years I had the TM in the back and two rows of backseats for the kids. It had to do as both a business and personal vehicle.
Being a woman markets extremely well to residential clients. My customers LOVED me. We didn't go through the whole trust issues that many men have to deal with as service providers to women who are often home alone with kids.
Avoid commercial work like the plague, it will have you out nights and weekends when you need to be home with the kiddos. Focus on residential. I used to do weekend appointments, but I charged a nominal fee for a weekend/Holiday appointment, $50. If they really needed a weekend, they would pay, but most managed to schedule during the week.
Welcome to the industry. This may not be the most polite bunch, but they are honest and good people...a better bunch you will never find. Avoid the Rubber Room and Bird Room at all costs. Not a place for you! At times it's a bit like a biker bar here, but if you can roll with the boys, they will take good care of you.
Pembertons is a wonderful place to help you and guide you. Jim Pemberton is probably the best person this industry has....with the possible exception of his father, Lee. He can advise you on the best moves with your Rotovac set-up, whether to keep it or go for something else....and I'm always here to stick my opinionated two cents in as well. John Olson at Superior and his wife Lora are great people, as are many of the suppliers on board here.
Take care,
Lisa
