Forsythe, Pemberton, Olson and other hands on suppliers

[Mikey P]

Have you all noticed more the same or less folks walking in your shops with the ol' "I got laid off my 20 year job and thought I'd start a Carpet Cleaning business" line in the past year and a half?



and out of curiosity what do you tell theses people.

Better yet, what do you tell the hesbonics speaking ex janitor who you know you would never let into your mother's home..

Or the out of work Larry Lunchpail type who has spent the last 48 years gluing Impala emblems on car trunks.

and just for the hell of it what sort of help would you give the semi retired CNC Shop foreman, part time hot rod mechanic with some understating of the pH scale, got half way through a business major at his community college 30 years ago and is about as handsome and personable as Freddy Boyle?


In short give us your speech for the Janitor, Larry and Freddy.
Equipment and chem advice, upstart marketing suggestion, Do you send them to the boards or keep them dumb and loyal to your shop's shelves? Business soft ware? A guru? Brevic's phone number in hopes they disappear?


thanks!

 

[Bjorn]

"do you have a 401k then buy a vortex"

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I'm not sure you have the bandwidth for those answers.

Here's something else to put into the mix I've seen the most:

"I got out of carpet cleaning (5-10 years ago) and got a real job like my wife wanted me to. Now I lost that job and can only get something making 35K. I still have people asking me who can clean their carpet, so I'm getting back into it."

THAT is the most common visit/call I'm getting.

 

[bob vawter]

ALL THE TIME!
Three or four calls a week from guys wanting to start OR restart a business......
i find that MOST don't even know the correct QUESTIONS...they should be asking!

 

[Jim Pemberton]

We have a basic business start up program that is available once someone gets started in business as one of our customers. Nothing revolutionary, just the stuff every small business should know.

Regarding Mikeysboard:

Most aren't computer/internet savvy. Of those that are, fewer like the boards. They find the "fun stuff" offensive or distracting, and sometimes question why I send them here.

Of the few that stay, most lurk out of shyness or fear of how other newbies get hazed here. This is not a place for the faint of heart.

 

[bob vawter]

We have a basic business start up program that is available once someone gets started in business as one of our customers. Nothing revolutionary, just the stuff every small business should know.

Regarding Mikeysboard:

Most aren't computer/internet savvy. Of those that are, fewer like the boards. They find the "fun stuff" offensive or distracting, and sometimes question why I send them here.

Of the few that stay, most lurk out of shyness or fear of how other newbies get hazed here. This is not a place for the faint of heart.

LOL big time!

 

[davegillfishing]

we have had 3 start in our back yard in the last month alone..i was told to watch out
because there was a new sheriff in town..i burst out laughing told him the flier he was handing
out was given to me..funny thing was it was a 7.99 per room 21.00 per set of steps
and 29.99 per sofa..i charged her 35.00 per room, 47.00 for the steps and 75.00 for the sofa.
he told me i was a liar about my prices and just told me to hang onto my hat because he was
targeting me..personally i was honored to be targeted..bunch of johnny come lately bitches..

 

[Mikey P]

Steve Lillard set up shop there too eh?

 

[rhyde]

Of the few that stay, most lurk out of shyness or fear of how other newbies get hazed here. This is not a place for the faint of heart.

would you rather send them to "the other forums" where negative posts are edited and industry hucksters pray on gullible FNG's

 

[Jim Pemberton]

This is the only forum I recommend. What people do once they enter is up to them.

You know me better than that Randy.

 

[FB7777]

PEMBERTON APPROVED

 

[John Olson]

We haven't seen a huge increase of folks looking to get into the buisness but I have seen more folks that have gotten suckered by RotoVac and Bridgepoint.

When they come in here I give them the hard honest truth. I tell them I will be more then happy to help them but I don't sugar coat anything. I have more respect for people and their families then to sell them pipe dreams


Once I start talking REAL numbers with folks it tends to take the wind of if the dreamers sails. Now the ones that are ready to work hard and listen are really doing well.

As for sending them here I give them this website but warn them to not listen to the blow hards and lemmings. Most folks don't have the time to get on here. They are to busy working or spending time with their family. The ones that do get on here either lurk or leave quickly because of the BS. They say why spend time with idiots looking for a few nuggets when they can just ask me what they need to know.

 

[hogjowl]

I'm feeling nauseous again.

 

[Jimmy L]

John I am shocked!

Why do you hang out here?

 

[John Olson]

Because i'm one of the Idiots...or haven't you ever read one of my posts?

 

[Jimmy L]

Just picking on you because you can take it!

 

[ronbeatty]

Dave, I had the owner of a janitorial company call me one night to tell me he was going to put me out of business.
The week before he had told the owner of an office we had just cleaned, that we had scratch his woodwork, and broken desk in his office. As it turned out the owner of the office was my neighbor. My neighbor called me at 8:00 PM and ask me to go down to his office and look at something. When we arrived he told me to look around and see if I could find any damage that I caused. (NO DAMAGE) Then he told me about the accusation. While I was standing there, he got on his cell and called the janitorial company and fired him on the spot.
After he told me how quickly he would take over our business, I told him good luck, hope everything goes well for you. With in 3 months he was bankrupt. Called and ask me for a job. :roll:

 

[Chris A]

I bought a telephone tracking device out of the back of a popular mechanics catalog, so now when new competitors call I trace them, drive across town and murder them on the spot.