How do YOU ..."do it"....?

[joe harper]

How is your business structured...?

1. Do you have a business "Budget"...?

2. How are...YOU ...paid...?

3.Are ...YOU ...really making a profit...?

4.When or How...do you define SUCCESS..."In your business"...?

5.Could your business...support your family..."If your partner lost their job..?"

6.Is YOUR business...funded properly..."Do you live hand to mouth"...?"

7.Do you have the "Financial Disclipine"...to be a ONE MAN show....?

8.If you aspire to be a "multi truck" operation..."How much CAPITAL will you need..?"

9.What is keeping you from growing your biz..."capital,lack of motovation,basic accounting
skills,inability to deal with employees, FEAR of failure or the ability to manage the STRESS.?"

10.Have you found your "sweet spot"..and are content with what your business provides
for you & your family....?


I have left out MARKETING FOR A REASON....It gets beat to death...with "cookie cutter" ideas..
WE can ALL agree that marketing is one of the MOST important ingredients in this PIE.. :!:

Ps Dave & Brian...You are absolutely invited to participate in this thread... !gotcha! EVERYONE
has something to offer in this thread.... :!: But can we keep the FREE marketing advice to a
minimum.. :idea:

Lets see some ACTION in this thread... 8) It makes NO difference if you are a part-timer or
a Veteran of 40 years... :idea: We all have something to bring to the party... :!: :!: :!:

 

[bob vawter]

Do yor very best at EACH job....
and in the end you can say that you did the best job ....you could!






and no madder WHAT....don end up lik HARPER!
a sad ol' man that has to "buy" his lovin'....................

 

[joe harper]

Do yor very best at EACH job....
and in the end you can say that you did the best job ....you could!

"It reaLLy is that simple... :idea: "

This has been a great thread.. :!:

I would like to THANK all of the participants... !gotcha!

I Hope everyone has benifited from the advice given here... :!:

 

[Brian R]

How is your business structured...? Corp. only me and outsourcing everything I can't do myself.
1. Do you have a business "Budget"...? Yes

2. How are...YOU ...paid...? Not very well

3.Are ...YOU ...really making a profit...? Yes...because I don't pay myself very well

4.When or How...do you define SUCCESS..."In your business"...? Numbers and Customer Satisfaction

5.Could your business...support your family..."If your partner lost their job..?" Yes

6.Is YOUR business...funded properly..."Do you live hand to mouth"...?" Funded Smart and live hand to mouth so the business can grow

7.Do you have the "Financial Disclipine"...to be a ONE MAN show....? I do and am

8.If you aspire to be a "multi truck" operation..."How much CAPITAL will you need..?" Marketing is what it takes first...everything else is secondary

9.What is keeping you from growing your biz..."capital,lack of motovation,basic accounting
skills,inability to deal with employees, FEAR of failure or the ability to manage the STRESS.?" Harper...j/k...Only I keep it from growing any quicker

10.Have you found your "sweet spot"..and are content with what your business provides
for you & your family....? Never content (it's a curse) but I'm doing ok

I have left out MARKETING FOR A REASON....It gets beat to death...with "cookie cutter" ideas..
WE can ALL agree that marketing is one of the MOST important ingredients in this PIE.. :!:

Ps Dave & Brian...You are absolutely invited to participate in this thread... !gotcha! EVERYONE
has something to offer in this thread.... :!: But can we keep the FREE marketing advice to a
minimum.. :idea:

Lets see some ACTION in this thread... 8) It makes NO difference if you are a part-timer or
a Veteran of 40 years... :idea: We all have something to bring to the party... :!: :!: :!:

I didn't read the last part until I answered the first 10...I'll be good I swear. !gotcha!

Speaking of Budget...I will have a new one after the beginning of the year. Probably should be before that but I like to do it in mid January.

 

[joe harper]

You behaved yourself very WELL... !gotcha!

OK Brian...

Whether you believe it or NOT...I am very familiar with your ...BIZ MODLE... :shock:

One of the great things about you biz...Is that you can CONTROL almost ALL of the
intangibles in the biz..I.E. "You have an exact "FIXED" % that you can attribute to the operating cost to perform the JOB... 8)

With that being said..Your business .."IS"..a marketing BIZ.. :!: If you don't ..generate the Leeds..book & schedule the work..."YOU DON"T EAT...!"

So .."WITHOUT"..giving personal #'s..about your biz...!!!
What percentages do you "budget" to the distribute to YOUR..remaining "gross sales"..?

I would assume that your personal "income" would be 25% of YOUR..total gross sales.:idea:
Because, the remaining profits ..MUST be re-invested immediately to insure the VOLUME
does not fall-off...!!!

You ...MUST...retain a high volume of new customers..for your biz modle to be profitable..!!!

So what is the breakdown..."If you please".. :?:

 

[Brian R]

Harp. My personal income is about 10% of my gross income.

I do have a healthy supply of repeat customers because I require these guy do quality work and the customer is in fact mine.

If you don't ..generate the Leeds..book & schedule the work..."YOU DON"T EAT...!"

Isn't that every business?...and isn't every business a marketing business...even if marketing to your customer base?

Obviously 50% goes right to the Tech...sometimes more if materials are needed etc.

20% to marketing

10% to office costs

10% to me and God

10% goes into the company account for the "oh shits" and cash flow.

Those are general numbers for my "Envelopes" but are pretty accurate. I will cut my marketing back here and there when needed (because it's my most flexible expense)...marketing also includes everything from Service Monster even though part can be considered office.

I will take 5% of marketing from time to time and place into cash flow or business savings (same) just to give me peace of mind.
My personal life is budgeted as well and sometimes I don't need to make as much..sometimes I can make a bonus but I keep it to a minimum. I do make it happen sometimes because I have to show it happens sometimes.

The beauty of this budget and running a trim system is most of the time the %'s are lower than allowed. My business has funds in place to take on new ventures etc and I do get personal income from other venues...as does my business income.

 

[joe harper]

brian..

You may have a HARD TIME..believing this....BUT... :!:

Our ..ENTIRE marketing expense this "year to date" is LESS than 1%..... :shock:

 

[Ken Snow]

Maybe if you girls wouldn't go after each other and any respondants there would be more comments.

 

[bob vawter]

Maybe if you girls wouldn't go after each other and any respondants there would be more comments.

HE STARTED IT!

 

[Jim Martin]

Do yor very best at EACH job....
and in the end you can say that you did the best job ....you could!

Its not a matter of doing your best.....you have to know what you are doing first and then...do your best....

 

[renegade_cowboy]

How is your business structured...?

1. Do you have a business "Budget"...?no

2. How are...YOU ...paid...?commission

3.Are ...YOU ...really making a profit...?Yes, everything I own is paid off.

4.When or How...do you define SUCCESS..."In your business"...?Being able to substain a life style

5.Could your business...support your family..."If your partner lost their job..?"I am a single dad with 3 kids and support them well.

6.Is YOUR business...funded properly..."Do you live hand to mouth"...?"
7.Do you have the "Financial Disclipine"...to be a ONE MAN show....?Have no choice but to.

8.If you aspire to be a "multi truck" operation..."How much CAPITAL will you need..?"Still trying to figure that out

9.What is keeping you from growing your biz..."capital,lack of motovation,basic accounting
skills,inability to deal with employees, FEAR of failure or the ability to manage the STRESS.?"the only thing that stops me is me.

10.Have you found your "sweet spot"..and are content with what your business provides
for you & your family....?Havent found the sweet spot but confident I will.


I have left out MARKETING FOR A REASON....It gets beat to death...with "cookie cutter" ideas..
WE can ALL agree that marketing is one of the MOST important ingredients in this PIE.. :!:

Ps Dave & Brian...You are absolutely invited to participate in this thread... !gotcha! EVERYONE
has something to offer in this thread.... :!: But can we keep the FREE marketing advice to a
minimum.. :idea:

Lets see some ACTION in this thread... 8) It makes NO difference if you are a part-timer or
a Veteran of 40 years... :idea: We all have something to bring to the party... :!: :!: :!:

 

[Brian R]

brian..

You may have a HARD TIME..believing this....BUT... :!:

Our ..ENTIRE marketing expense this "year to date" is LESS than 1%..... :shock:

That's why you are only running 3 trucks. shiteatinggrin

 

[Mikey P]

Just shoot me.

 

[Brian R]

Ok, I said I would be good.

1% of a million is pretty good so really the %'s don't mean squat to how much you are paying...but it does mean a great deal when it comes to how well you are growing the present state of your company.

If you are going to grow, I believe your highest % should be in marketing but that should only be 1/5 of the total gross income.

Yes, I know I am paying out 50% directly and therefore doing the opposite of what I am saying but think of it this way.

I don't take the 50% pay into consideration when I look at my total gross...I only look at the 50% that I get to see (I actually see the other 50% but it's in one window and out the other before I have a chance to salivate on it).

This is probably the "wrong" way to do it...and I'm sure my accountant pays attention to it...but I can't.

 

[FB7777]

jhc do they ever get your avatar correct, slingbrain

 

[Brian R]

jhc do they ever get your avatar correct, slingbrain

Huh?

 

[bob vawter]

[quote="bob vawter":3vdr7bc0]Do yor very best at EACH job....
and in the end you can say that you did the best job ....you could!

Its not a matter of doing your best.....you have to know what you are doing first and then...do your best....[/quote:3vdr7bc0]

you have to know what you are doing first

of course....HOWEVER.......
everyone THINKS that they know what they're doin'...
cause WHO would do anything wrong....
ON PURPOSE....

errrrrrr.............present company excluded!

 

[Jim Martin]

How is your business structured...? LLC...

1. Do you have a business "Budget"...? Yes....there is a separate account strictly for the company...

2. How are...YOU ...paid...? I get a weekly paycheck from the company.....

3.Are ...YOU ...really making a profit...? defiantly......

4.When or How...do you define SUCCESS..."In your business"...? when I am ready to walk away from this and retire...then I will know if I was successful or not.....

5.Could your business...support your family..."If your partner lost their job..?" Yes...it has since the 3rd year....

6.Is YOUR business...funded properly..."Do you live hand to mouth"...?" yes... every thing is funded properly

7.Do you have the "Financial Disclipine"...to be a ONE MAN show....? I am a very frugal shopper.....

8.If you aspire to be a "multi truck" operation..."How much CAPITAL will you need..?" at this point in time I have no desire to be a multi truck operation....

9.What is keeping you from growing your biz..."capital,lack of motovation,basic accounting
skills,inability to deal with employees, FEAR of failure or the ability to manage the STRESS.?" my company is growing all the time...but I am in no hurry what so ever for it to get to the point where I can not manage it....for me...slow steady growth is what I want to see...that way I can keep more control over the details and what direction I want it to go.....

10.Have you found your "sweet spot"..and are content with what your business provides
for you & your family....? no..every thing changes yearly...and you have to work do better each year....you cant allow yourself to get into a comfort zone or you will get left behind.....


I have left out MARKETING FOR A REASON....It gets beat to death...with "cookie cutter" ideas..
WE can ALL agree that marketing is one of the MOST important ingredients in this PIE.. :!: good...I am pretty much anti marketing anyway....

Ps Dave & Brian...You are absolutely invited to participate in this thread... !gotcha! EVERYONE
has something to offer in this thread.... :!: But can we keep the FREE marketing advice to a
minimum.. :idea:

Lets see some ACTION in this thread... 8) It makes NO difference if you are a part-timer or
a Veteran of 40 years... :idea: We all have something to bring to the party... :!: :!: :!:

 

[Jim Morrison]

How is your business structured...?

1. Do you have a business "Budget"...? No, other than checking a monthly income & expense graph to see if more came in than went out

2. How are...YOU ...paid...? Take out cash when I need it

3.Are ...YOU ...really making a profit...? Good question, doing my year end now and will talk to my accountant within the next couple of weeks

4.When or How...do you define SUCCESS..."In your business"...? Most of the time I define it as being busy, making ends meet and having a little money left over. Lately my thoughts have been on growth, a couple of lines by Ken Snow really hit home for me recently " If a business is going to survive long term it must grow..." and "...if the trend isn't upward it will ultimately be downward." - Thanks Ken

5.Could your business...support your family..."If your partner lost their job..?" Yes

6.Is YOUR business...funded properly..."Do you live hand to mouth"...?" Close

7.Do you have the "Financial Disclipine"...to be a ONE MAN show....? Discipline?

8.If you aspire to be a "multi truck" operation..."How much CAPITAL will you need..?" Have thought about adding a small van to focus on low moisture commercial work. I hate budgeting, would return to my income and expense graph to see whats going on.

9.What is keeping you from growing your biz..."capital,lack of motovation,basic accounting
skills,inability to deal with employees, FEAR of failure or the ability to manage the STRESS.?" Does fear count?

10.Have you found your "sweet spot"..and are content with what your business provides
for you & your family....? At times, not always



Important questions to answer honestly but kind of tough. After a few years in this industry I would look at my gross and get all excited thinking “I have arrived” Then reality kicked in and I realized I was just a garden variety BD, what now?

 

[joe harper]

Thank's to all that answered the question's...!

I REALLY wasn't looking for a "HOT SEAT" type response.. :!:

I listed some of the MOST common ISSUES & HURDDLES that need to be overcome.. :!:

My intention was not to diminish or applaud any specific member..My goal was to have
some discussion and exchange ideas...as to some possible solution's of the above realities.

Many here only face a couple of the issues listed..! Many peices of the puzzle are time
sensitive..! And SHOULD follow a well thought out plan... :idea: "It is very easy to get the
cart before the horse.."

Jim Morrison...gave a very honest response & solidified where most cleaners are in this
business..! Maybe...we can offer some specific direction.. "If he wishes" ..that will help
ease the fear.. :idea:

ps..I think we all have felt the FEAR of having everything invested in our profession.....
WHEN THE PHONES "STOP" RINGING... !gotcha!

 

[XTREME1]

1. Do you have a business "Budget"...? Yes

2. How are...YOU ...paid...? $$$$$$$$$$

3.Are ...YOU ...really making a profit...? Yes

4.When or How...do you define SUCCESS..."In your business"...? Never sucessful

5.Could your business...support your family..."If your partner lost their job..?" easily

6.Is YOUR business...funded properly..."Do you live hand to mouth"...?" more than it should be

7.Do you have the "Financial Disclipine"...to be a ONE MAN show....? if I was a 1 man show yes

8.If you aspire to be a "multi truck" operation..."How much CAPITAL will you need..?" I dumped $100.000 in

9.What is keeping you from growing your biz..."capital,lack of motovation,basic accounting
skills,inability to deal with employees, FEAR of failure or the ability to manage the STRESS.?" my business is growing at an appropriate rate, just concerned that I am missing the boat on specialized services

10.Have you found your "sweet spot"..and are content with what your business provides
for you & your family....? yes but my wife hasn't found my sweet spot

 

[joe harper]

James...

As to question #1.

Sit down and figure your "personal expenses" are for an average month...

This will, establish what your business needs to pay YOU for your salary...

Lets say...you need $650.00 a week to cover those expenses..WRITE the check...!


If your company cannot afford to pay you this amount EVERY WEEK then you have a problem.
This will FORCE you to operate your business on a budjet..You also will know immediately if
you can afford to be in this business..Adjustments will have to be made somewhere to
compensate for the lack of revenue..!

These are SIMPLE common sense tools..."But they are a start"..! I have no DOUBT, that
you are going to be successful in your business.. 8) Just because you were so "honest"
in your response.. :!: There is nothing to FEAR...when you embrace the TRUTH...

 

[XTREME1]

also you can hold the checks against future busier times such as not getting paid from feb-march but cutting the check easch week and cashing it when funds are available cutting your business taxes

 

[Jim Morrison]

Sit down and figure your "personal expenses" are for an average month...

This will, establish what your business needs to pay YOU for your salary...

Thanks Joe, why is this stuff like a trip to the dentist?

 

[joe harper]

Sit down and figure your "personal expenses" are for an average month...

This will, establish what your business needs to pay YOU for your salary...

Thanks Joe, why is this stuff like a trip to the dentist?

Don't feel bad... !gotcha!

My son just walked out of my office..."He just got a "rOOt canAl"... :shock:

When I told him what his 1099 was going to be.

So it works both ways...THE I.R.S. will be pUllInG hIs wIsDoM TeeTh... thathurts thathurts

 

[Brian R]

Sit down and figure your "personal expenses" are for an average month...

This will, establish what your business needs to pay YOU for your salary...

Thanks Joe, why is this stuff like a trip to the dentist?

You gotta love what you do...I love doing budgets...not sure why...I think it adds future to the business and I love to see that.

If you don't love what you do, it's always a good idea to get someone to do it for you. Plenty of CPA's will do you budget for you if you want them too...but it's not that hard.

I always start with my personal budget and work backwards...I'm in the business for me of course but I am trying to make the business grow...so I need to make small sacrifices.

I could just rape it and live high on the hog but what will my family have when I'm gone?

 

[joe harper]

OK...mary...merry Christmas.... :!: :!: :!:

There is only one thing keeping you from DOUBLING you business in the next year... :!:


first.."I will be bEaTinG my chest in this POST.." :shock:


THIS IS WHAT IS YOUR..."hOlY GraIl"...........................20%........................ :idea:

Until you give up 20% to your subcontractor's...you will be STAGNATE... :!:

You have to pay your subcontractor's....70%...!!!!!

This is why. A professional cleaner can NOT survive @ 50%. With a good sub you will easily
regain the 20% back in a couple of ways. First your gross tickets will go up in a hurry. A
good sub will give you the ability to bring you "customer retention" # , from 40% to 75%.

When you are paying a good cleaner 70%...He will "CYA" and always give you the BEST
service..."After ALL"..you just became HIS biggest client.. :idea: You might be SURPRISED
that he will put his customers on the BACK BURNER...just to get to your client's...!
I have had three "companies"...GIVE ME their entire customer list.... :shock: For an extra
10% as a "one time" purchase of their client.... 8)

"MOST O/O CLEANERS...JUST WANT TO CLEAN ." "They HATE the phones & the office
side of the business. " You will effectively turn your competition in to your EMPLOYEE'S.


Here is the other ADVANTAGE...!!! "You get to do what you like to do...MARKET."
With your DRIVE...you have NO NEED for Full Circle,Service Monster, or ANY OTHER
office LABOR...Your A.D.D will keep up with the volume just fine... !gotcha!

Then you can have what you HATE about me..."CONTROL"....

You can OWN your LOCAL market in no-time....The BIG money is always made in your
BACK YARD... !gotcha! You can do your little side BIZ in your NEW truck.. :!: Find a
good RESTORATION company in your area...refer you W/D work to them for a 10%
referral fee...or ...a FLAT..."bird-dog" fee of $250.00... :idea: You ONLY need 3 good
SUBs to net you "six Figures"...3 truck's grossing $150K each....will give you a 30%
gross of $135K....NOT BAD... !gotcha!

YOU HAVE TO SPEND MONEY.....TO MAKE MONEY... :idea:


Guess how ..."I"...know this will WORK.... :mrgreen:

 

[Brian R]

People smarter than both of us have told me I pay too much.
Even with my ADHD, I can't do all the phone answering and scheduling...I wouldn't get anything else done.

I just started paying one of my CA Techs 20% more....actually they did it by increasing his job average by 40%. :mrgreen:
You get the picture.

It's not the % as much as it is the per job average...I'm sure you'll agree...begrudgingly.

They are not doing more work or taking more time...they are just becoming self confident enough to charge what the job is worth.

This way we all make money.

I do refer WD jobs out..typically I get 20% minus equipment rentals and materials....probably about 10% at the end of the job.


If I was a much larger company, I could get away with 60% or 65% probably.

So far these guys do great work in CA...TX not so much yet...I have to find my sweet spot. !gotcha!

The subs in the TX area are used to getting 30% or so from other companies....so they love getting 50% from me.

Thanks for your help...I get what you are saying....so "how do you know" this will work?

 

[joe harper]

People smarter than both of us have told me I pay too much.

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF...

Even with my ADHD, I can't do all the phone answering and scheduling...I wouldn't get anything else done.

YOU COULD IF ...YOU WOULD QUIT WAISTING YOUR TIME ON THIS BOARD...

I just started paying one of my CA Techs 20% more....actually they did it by increasing his job average by 40%.
You get the picture.

DUH...

It's not the % as much as it is the per job average...I'm sure you'll agree...begrudgingly.

NO I DON'T...A GOOD CLEANER CAN OFFER MORE SPECIALTY SERVICES..BRINGING THE
AVERAGE UP.....

They are not doing more work or taking more time...they are just becoming self confident enough to charge what the job is worth.

SHOULDN'T YOU ....KNOW WHAT THE SERVICE IS WORTH.....

This way we all make money.

I do refer WD jobs out..typically I get 20% minus equipment rentals and materials....probably about 10% at the end of the job.

GOOD...


If I was a much larger company, I could get away with 60% or 65% probably.

IF YOU MANAGED YOUR COMPANY BETTER......YOU WOULD BE LARGER

So far these guys do great work in CA...TX not so much yet...I have to find my sweet spot.

BULLSHIT...!!! IF YOU HIRE SH@T...YOU CAN EXPECT SH@T....

The subs in the TX area are used to getting 30% or so from other companies....so they love getting 50% from me.

THEY GET 30%....BECAUSE THEY ARE HACK'S....SO YOU JUST HAVE A MORE EXPENSIVE HACK

Thanks for your help...I get what you are saying....so "how do you know" this will work?

BECAUSE...I TAKE GUY'S "LIKE YOU"...AND DRAG THEM BY THE NOSE...INTO REALITY...!!!
I AQUIRE COMPANIES....&....CONVERT THEIR "JOB'S"....INTO CLIENT'S... :roll:

 

[Brian R]

Damn Harpet ...you don't read well

It's not the % as much as it is the per job average...I'm sure you'll agree...begrudgingly.

NO I DON'T...A GOOD CLEANER CAN OFFER MORE SPECIALTY SERVICES..BRINGING THE
AVERAGE UP.....

You disagreed with me and agreed with me in the same sentence about the same thing.

SHOULDN'T YOU ....KNOW WHAT THE SERVICE IS WORTH

Yes I do...that's why I can get more usually than the average Tech...we have prices that allow a bit of flexibility...not every job is the same...these guys used to go a little low out of fear...not so much any more.

So far these guys do great work in CA...TX not so much yet...I have to find my sweet spot.

BULLSHIT...!!! IF YOU HIRE SH@T...YOU CAN EXPECT SH@T....

I've hired shit...not easy to find the kind of Tech I need here...an NO more % won't help unless it's 90%.

The subs in the TX area are used to getting 30% or so from other companies....so they love getting 50% from me.

THEY GET 30%....BECAUSE THEY ARE HACK'S....SO YOU JUST HAVE A MORE EXPENSIVE HACK

Agreed

If I was a much larger company, I could get away with 60% or 65% probably.

IF YOU MANAGED YOUR COMPANY BETTER......YOU WOULD BE LARGER

I'm growing everyday...how about you?

BECAUSE...I TAKE GUY'S "LIKE YOU"...AND DRAG THEM BY THE NOSE...INTO REALITY...!!!
I AQUIRE COMPANIES....&....CONVERT THEIR "JOB'S"....INTO CLIENT'S...

When were your eyes any other color than Brown? :roll:

You take from dying people and make money off of them.

You know it, I know and the America people know it.