I Need Some Advice, Please....

[Tom Mock]

I have just signed my resignation for the tool company that I have franchised for the past year. I was able to get no growth and simply ran out of money. Besides, I would rather be a carpet cleaner.
I intended to get a full time job while I continued to market my CC business with the hopes of moving into CC'ing full time in the next year or so. I have been working with a marketing firm since Nov. At this point not enough people know that I exist.
At this time I have been offered a full time job with Frito Lay, the pay isn't bad, but the hours aren't the greatest. In my free time I would clean.
Now the twist. This week I answered an ad at ServiceMaster for a CC supervisor. I was called for an interview yesterday. The interview went well, and the owner was impressed with my qualifications. I don't know how much pay I will be offered at this point. The opportunity to advance is very good.

My question is should I consider this opportunity with SM knowing that I wouldn't be able to pursue my own business at this time? I am really burned out from dealing with the tool biz for the past year. At this point I simply want to earn a paycheck. What kind of pay could I expect?
The hours would be good. I would be on call for water damage once a month and compensated well.

Just looking for your feedback. If anyone has experience with SM, please speak up.

Thanks!

 

[Fred Geyen]

Tom I know many of the guys doing business with SM in your area. They are very well run group. Why not see what the inner workings of a Franchise is like. I am not sure of your position, just don't sign a non-compete/non-soliciting.

It would put money in your pocket, might learn something new about the industry you are in. At some point you can leave and get back in on your own if you want to.

 

[Bob Foster]

Tom may I suggest that running a business you have to have your heart, brains and stamina to put into it.

You just stated that all you wanted was a paycheck. The answer is in front of you.

I would learn all that I could and at the appropriate time you sound like a person who will be on your own again in the future. I don't think that SM can hold you to a non compete clause as an employee - not that you out to screw them. With this company you have the opportunity to learn at someone elses expense lessons that you may have had to learn at you own expense.

Good luck at what ever you decide.

 

[Tom Mock]

Thank you, some very good thoughts!

As far as the no compete goes, I found that even in the tool biz, 2 guys that were with our brand switched to another tool co, they didn't see THEIR former custy's but saw different ones. Matco tried to slow them down a bit, but I don't think went any further than just sending letters.

 

[John Watson]

Does this mean Hawaii is to be delayed again??? Just joking

Bob gave some good advice. I for one was held accountable to my no compete clause in my contract, but that was for management. It is pretty hard to stop a person from making a living unless you are in the white or blue collar and then it is not always enforceable.

 

[Jeremy]

Go get 10 commercial accounts on a monthly or quarterly frequency. Never look back

 

[Brandon Culp]

Tom,

I live in the DM area as well. If you decide not to go with SM, give me a call 963-5424. I'm currently working a PT job 33hrs a week, 9.5 shift in Des Moines. You'd work 2 days on and 2 days off. 80% of the job is free time for me to work on my biz...direct mail, whatever. The catch about this job...it doesn't pay well, but it is income.

Brandon

 

[Jack May]

Tom,

as Bob said, I think you have possibly without realising it, already said what you need to do.

Think about the pros and cons and if that's what you decide, then go with them. It'll allow you to learn the ropes from a different perspective than if you start by yourself, it'll allow you to recharge after your last employment but I'd try and request an exclusion clause form a non compete based on your recent plans/work already in this field.

They may request a limited clause (as I've done with one of my guys) whereby you don't pursue your business while employed by them, and after you leave, you don't contact their customers. Now that is just being fair and honest I believe.

Learning under a SM franchise system, it'll give you an appreciation of HOW a business NEEDS to be run, regardless of size. The core principles NEED to be the same, just the scale differs.

At the end of the day, only you can make that decision so all of this in simply IMHO only of course.

John

 

[HOS]

Tom, I can only give you advice on working with Frito Lay. I worked for them for 18 years as route salesman. If you are going to be a route salesman, the hrs will be long until training is over. You will put in a average day of 12 to 14 hrs a day starting at 4:00 am to 4:00 pm, tee com, turn your paper work for the day in, go drop off your van in a yard and then go home. Frito lay is a good company to work for, but there is a 50% turn over. Once you build your route up and have it under control , they take some of your high dollar accounts from you and build a new route in. The pay could be anywhere from $45,000 to $75,000 a year, but if you add the hours you put in, the hourly rate is not very good. The only time you will have to do carpet cleaning is on the week end, if your not to tried. I left in 1994 to start by carpet cleaning business, at the age of 47.


Tom H.

 

[steve frasier]

this is from the ICS BB
Re:
How many worked for another company before?
Posted By steve frasier on 3/20/2007 at 3:14 PM
I didn't work for another CC but watched other CC companies come in and do work that seemed to be an easy add on to the company

Scott,
If you wanted to start your own CC company would the best advice be to go work for someone and learn the ropes if you had never owned a business before

Re: How many worked for another company before?
Posted By Scott Rendall on 3/20/2007 at 4:35 PM
Steve -

Sure, I'd pick a company just like I'd want to be like, but not in the same service area. I'd absorb everything I could - especially how the business is run from the top down, not from down up. I can pretty much figure out how to clean carpet in 2 weeks or so. It's the big picture that I'd really focus on.

I'd also let the hiring manager/owner know ahead of my hire what I wanted to do so there were no hard feelings down the road. I would envision the company I went to work for would be a tremendous help to me both while I was there AND after I left. I would not want to burn any bridges because they could be instrumental to my growth.

I'd pick the brains of everyone in the company from the janitor to the top dog. I wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Maybe "no" right now, but I'd continue to pick away until I was very comfortable with the entire system. I'd keep copious notes.

Within a year I think I'd be pretty comfortable striking off on my own, if financing and timing was right. If not I'd stay on-board until the moons aligned.

There are a couple of things I wish I would have told some of my ex-employees.

Like: WARNING - The cost of doing business is not as it appears.

It costs a lot of money to run a successful company. Maybe one or two of my ex-employees wouldn't have left and tried to start their own business that way, but they did and folded within a year.

It's sad, really. All of their hopes and dreams of running their own business down the tank because they didn't place enough emphasis/money on marketing and growth. They probably didn't have a vision or solid business/marketing plan in place before they started. They went the way so many others do in business - they hit the whole market with cheap prices. They gave the customer no reason to pick them over the competition other than price. The writing was on the wall from the first day they opened for business.

Sometimes the best lessons learned are those of shattered dreams.

I wish them well and we still talk to this day.

Scott

Re: Scott
Posted By steve frasier on 3/20/2007 at 9:54 PM
I know a lot of people that wouldn't hire that person, they would be to intimidated but my question for you would be

After meeting you in Vegas @ the round table, I assume you would hire this person, if so what would be your goal with them, let them learn or make it so they wouldn't want to leave or something else

Re: How many worked for another company before?
Posted By Scott Rendall on 3/20/2007 at 11:05 PM
Steve -

I wouldn't hire that guy either. LOL!

Scott

I feel that the best way to learn is to go see how it is done just don't tell them what you plan to do

 

[Scott]

Steve -

Even though *I* wouldn't hire that guy, I know several cleaners who have entered our industry through such an arrangement as I described. It worked out well for both parties.

Your way works too, but if I was Mr. Mock I would try to find a company that I could call on even after I left.

Scott

 

[Tom Mock]

Thanks very much for the responses!

One that I have learned by being in the tool business, it's a lot more work than it appears.

Thanks HOS for your insight into Frito. I suspected that the hours would be considerable and my free time would be limited.

I will find out more from SM today as far what they will offer, if they choose me. LOL I feel that it would be a great opportunity. The owner that I interviewed with feels that I would be a good fit for the position.

More Later!!

PS. My wife will get to Hawaii one day!! LOL She might have to find a sugar Daddy though!