How many if any of you are perfectly content with...?

[Mikey P]

..being a solo operator?

Would you mind explaining your mind set?

Most here want grow and own a biz yet I know there are some here more then happy "owning their job" and I would love to hear from you.


You first Loren...

 

[Guest]

I wish that you'd go on a US tour with robocop as an opening act!!

 

[Doug Cox]

First of all I don't really want to have to deal with employees and the issues that come along with them. Then theres the issue of having to move my company and having the added expense of renting or purchasing an appropriate place to operate out of. Not to mention all the other expenses (Insurance, workers comp., some more insurance), I could go on and on. I'm not making it much longer before I move on, so I don't want to get larger.

 

[hogjowl]

I had to answer that's me, because my life on the truck is so easy, stress free, and I actually enjoy the work. I wish it would never end, but the problem is, I can't prevent old age forever.

So, it's gonna end one day.

 

[Mikey P]

I wish I could afford to still be truly on my own.
Just having the chimp around really cramps my style.








I should have married Mrs Ladwig.

 

[vincent]

I agree with what Marty says. I used to manage 100 drivers and over 500 pieces of equipment along with payroll and other bs. It sucked and the pay was great, but the stress wasn't.

I have also found out just as others here, my customers don't like change and I'm just do damn picky.

Like things just the way they are and now by having a tutor to help me with my financial management, things will get better.

 

[Mikey P]

I agree with what Marty says. I used to manage 100 drivers and over 500 pieces of equipment along with payroll and other bs. It sucked and the pay was great, but the stress wasn't.

I have also found out just as others here, my customers don't like change and I'm just do damn picky.

Like things just the way they are and now by having a tutor to help me with my financial management, things will get better.

Did you sign up to have Rampage mentor you?
Good thing you're in his Region.

 

[vincent]

I agree with what Marty says. I used to manage 100 drivers and over 500 pieces of equipment along with payroll and other bs. It sucked and the pay was great, but the stress wasn't.

I have also found out just as others here, my customers don't like change and I'm just do damn picky.

Like things just the way they are and now by having a tutor to help me with my financial management, things will get better.

Did you sign up to have Rampage mentor you?
Good thing you're in his Region.

Uh No. Local person used to be a PR person with State Farm and has done very well in the financial area too.

We are setting up a website and sending new postcards to print this week.

Plus she's hot.

 

[Mikey P]

Hotter then Dave?

 

[Jim Martin]

I enjoy what I am doing and I have no desire to throw someone in the truck with me................when the time comes when I can't drag a hose anymore..I will teach someone else to take it over and I will work on the business from another angle.........

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

I have done it both ways, less mental stress being on the truck until you have more work than you can handle. When you finally get over the perfectionist issue (hard to do!) you can make much more money working on your business and not in it. Its hard to see that if you worry too much about the technical part of cleaning. Its also hard to trust techs, but you have to let it go.

I always drop in on jobs for old time clients and have coffee or whatever if I'm not cleaning that day. The old adage "time is money", I'm thinking time spent marketing my services, personal, business, family growth and someday my golf swing.

I also like to send techs on referral jobs because the customer doesn't really know me and if the techs perform the way our system works then we will retain them as a client.

Plus when you cant clean some day, Whats your business worth to anyone else if you are the whole show!

 

[Chris A]

I do enjoy going out on the road, a lot actually, but I know it's not a permanent thing. I don't ever think I'll stop cleaning completely, just on a very part time/overflow basis.

 

[ron markam]

I have to agree with Kevins post wholeheartedly.Employees can be a royal pain but we all are limited as to how much we can physically handle.Some employees will mirror you and some will not.Those who do not you will have to decide if they are productive and profitable.I had an account where the contact person could not stand the guy who serviced them and requested another of our employees by name.The guy they did not want imo was better than who they requested but they liked him and it saved the account so go figure.

 

[Blue Monarch]

I can't get off the truck soon enough. I do like cleaning carpets and interacting with Mrs. Piff, but that's not why I got into the biz.

There are a ton of headaches with employees, but I have faith that good ones are out there. I want them on the front lines while I deal with the office stuff. Eventually, someone else can deal with the office stuff while I go fishing.

 

[Jimmy L]

I sent off Mrs. Ladwig to work around 7:30 am today.

As she gets older I swear the time when she gets home to talk about her job has increased from 45 minutes to 1 hour.

I know to ask her everyday, "How was your day dear?"
And then its on.
Blake and I discussed this topic last week and now we both watch the clock.When that magic hour hits I jump in and tell her, Thanks for sharing your day with us.Now its time for you to be quiet.

She was unemployed for a 2 and a half months last year and I had to increase my work schedule just to get out of the house.

 

[Farenheit251]

In 15 years I've seen a lot of multitruckers come and go. Most operations looked impressive but weren't usually making more money than a dynamic O/O. It is so easy as an O/O to make an extra $100 a day and invest it.

 

[DevilDog]

You do not need multiple trucks to do well in this business with employees.

For those of you that are one man operations or are at least on the van most of the time with someone else...you are playing with fire boys.

I used to do it with employees....and sure there are headaches but most of those can be avoided by doing just ONE simple thing...

.....pay them well. It is amazing what a good wage can do in helping you find and keep good employees.

As a owner operator there is no money coming in when you are sick and cannot work. Or when you are injured and cannot work...like what happened to me.

When you are in the Filipines banging all sorts of dirty girls (according to wacked out Larry C.) there is no money coming in.

When you are on vacation with the family...there is no money coming in.

Without employees you own a good paying job, and that is it.

And when you go to sell your business it is almost worthless except for the depreciated cost of the equipment.

I have done it both ways and the owner operator way is not the best way for me.

All you owner operators better hope you don't get sick. You don't get injured. Your wife or kids don't end up needing special care from you because of sickness or injury....because it any of those things happen you are in some serious trouble unless you have GREAT insurance.

DevilDog

 

[SRI Cleaning]

I agree with todd.

 

[The Preacher]

i have to agree with the owning a job reference. i make real good $$$ at my JOB and i'm free to work my schedule around my family and hobbies!

a good hose puller/wand artist is in my future this summer when it's so hot and humid you don't want to work after 10am!!!

 

[Greenie]

Out here in Cali it was just Lisa and I on the truck (someone had to pull her hose), so I wanted to put in two bits about the O/O Team, this is quite possibly the most profitable one truck structure and has most of the benefits of both company structures, and honestly it was the best for day to day happiness, you just have to invest some of that cash along the way.

Back in Hawaii during the Window Cleaning gig I did the O/O thing (mostly subcontracting in the beginning) and then teamed up with another O/O to build the largest window cleaning company in the state, we put 20 guys to work every day, that was a lot of stress, and not a penny more for my time then my early days as a Greenhorn O/O, I eventually sold the highrise portion and went back to a small Co. structure (where I added Carpet Cleaning as a service) it was just more my style (small and personal).
Then I met Lisa and it's been good ever since, we would have been perfectly happy to charge a little more and keep on pushing wand if GG hadn't taken off....and we may again someday.

The focus was the small O/O can be a good thing if you invest some money along the way.

 

[hogjowl]

Uh ... wth was that all about?

 

[nickreal]

Cleaning carpets isn't bad work and I like seeing great results when I'm done cleaning but I want off the truck yesterday. I also enjoy the business side of things a lot more than the cleaning end.

Being an O/O is stressful too. I got sick a few weeks ago and the CC business brought in a big $0.00 for the week. It would have been nice to have someone else making some money for me that week. What if I got hurt and can't work for a few months? What if I got disabled and couldn't work again period? Please don't tell me "You can sell your business" O/O businesses are nearly worthless. You're lucky to get fair market value for your equipment. Clientèle isn't worth much at all either because you're clientèle is usually buying because of the individual not the business.

I'm out of the truck ASAP. If I can't get out of the truck within a year I'm gonna ditch the CC business and find another business. I don't want to own a job.

 

[Doug Cox]

Todd- What services do you offer other than carpet cleaning and how many employees do you have?

 

[Steve Toburen]

Good question, Mike. But very honestly one without a "correct" answer. As with so many other things in life, it all depends. The main "depends" is based on the goals and personality type of the business owner. Neither approach is wrong IF the individual goes into things with his or her eyes open AND plans for the future.

BUT the sad thing is most carpet cleaners wind up somewhere "in between". And this is a very dangerous and frustrating place to be.

Steve

PS Here is an excerpt from a Special Report I have done up on "Avoiding the Road In-Between". If you want the entire report emailed to you just write me at stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com (Include your physical mailing address if you want the companion DVD.) No charge for either one. All I ask is that you read and use this information:

Simply put, you can choose the “big company/lots of employees road” and make more money, enjoy more security and potentially build a great organization that will sell for big bucks to fund your retirement. Of course, building a business should be about more than just piling up tons of money. And yes, the big company route can be extremely gratifying emotionally. It is a true joy to build a team of quality people that will help you find success as you also help them achieve their dreams.

OR you can choose the “small owner-operator road” and enjoy the freedom and lack of worries that not having employees gives you. Many carpet cleaners rank a worry free, low stress lifestyle far above achieving a huge net worth. And this “less is more” lifestyle approach can’t be faulted. But here’s the problem. All too often carpet cleaners wind up on the dangerous and frustrating “road in between”.

The “road in between” is where you hire employees (with all the potential problems and dangers that they present) but continue to run your business in the carefree (some might say careless!) manner of an owner operator. This is a difficult and potentially financially devastating place to be. This dangerous state of affairs is known as being “too big but too small.”

 

[Jim Williams]

As an owner operater I am living my dream. I have always wanted to operate a service business. I would not be happy sitting in the office and managing employees. I love getting out and talking to customers.

As far as security in case of sickness, you need to be sure you charge enough to pay for disability and life insurance to cover your family if you are the only income.

I have no desire to build up a business I can sell at retirement. I have real estate and mutual funds for that purpose.

After only 3 years I am netting twice what I made at my last job. As far as I'm concerned, I am successful. I didn't go in business for myself to stay up at night sweating bullets over whether or not my employees would show up the next day because I have them a full day booked. I choose a laid back stress free lifestyle.

I am currently debt free except for a $168 a month truck payment.

In 15-20 years I will lay my wand down, unplug the phone and go fishing.

 

[White-Magic rebuilder]

As an owner operater I am living my dream. I have always wanted to operate a service business. I would not be happy sitting in the office and managing employees. I love getting out and talking to customers.

As far as security in case of sickness, you need to be sure you charge enough to pay for disability and life insurance to cover your family if you are the only income.

I have no desire to build up a business I can sell at retirement. I have real estate and mutual funds for that purpose.

After only 3 years I am netting twice what I made at my last job. As far as I'm concerned, I am successful.

I am currently debt free except for a $168 a month truck payment.

In 15-20 years I will lay my wand down, unplug the phone and go fishing.

Good for you Jim.
Robert.

 

[steve r]

right now i have no choice but to be an o/o.it is what i always dreamed to do since i was 16,i am now 44, besides my doctor told me i needed more excercise. ive been full time since april 2007 and am growing fast so if the time comes i need help i will hire employees but im in no hurry im loving this lifestyle.

i can go a while without income maybe a month or two and i have pretty good business insurance that would pay me under certain circumstances.

right now the biggest thing is i like to be alone but that too will change one day.

 

[John Buxton]

It was a good day when I hired a helper...But it was a fantastic day when I fired em.

 

[RichardnTn]

My wife helps me occasionally and on when she doesn't, I either do it myself or have someone to drag hose and be a gopher.... I have no desire to go beyond one truck....could have easily done it in the past but I am just too demanding of the quality of work...Richard R

 

[Art Kelley]

.

"Many carpet cleaners rank a worry free, low stress lifestyle far above achieving a huge net worth."

A million dollar net worth may not be considered huge, but if I stopped working right now and cashed out that's where I'd be. But that's not the the reason I keep working. There is tremendous satisfaction in doing this job better than anyone around and the interaction with all the customers. Some mention that as an O/O you can't make money if you're sick or injured and that's true. But you find you'll take exquisite care of your health and fitness because that is the source of your income. At 52 I have the same energy and drive I did at 20. Just less hair. I hope to continue doing this well into my sixties and beyond. And hopefully I won't need to hire some resentful little snot bastard who doesn't want to be on the job with me.