I think Im in a mental sinkholw

[juniorc82]

Over the last few years my business has grown and I have got busier. As an owner operator I wear all hats. Coming with my limited success has been a bit of a downfall. Since being on the scene I have butted head with some other business owners here and there , and over the past year have grown frustrated of working with certain customers or networking associate's. This has shown in my attitude as I no longer go out of my way to bite my tongue or jump through hoops for these people like I used to. I am however a bit concerned and dont want to be considered a groutchy ass hole. Not trying to bitch but this business really can suck the life out of you and leave you with the glass is half empty type of attitude. I am just tired of everyone expecting me to have my shit together and no one else has a clue. I know im not the first cleaner to be stuck
in a mental ditch. what have you guys did to get the fire and determination back?

 

[Mikey P]

No helper?
No one to answer your phone?
Six days a week?


You know the answer..

 

[FLYERMAN]

You gotta have a hobby. For me it's fly fishing. Just get something to take your mind off it all for a few hours or a day or two now and then. Oh and tell some people NO when they ask the impossible.

 

[juniorc82]

No helper?
No one to answer your phone?
Six days a week?


You know the answer..

no one to answer the phone. 2 helpers both getting around 20 hrs a week a piece

 

[Art Kelley]

It's called not being a door mat. You don't have to take crap from anyone. It's just a few people that cause most of your problems, and like you say, you can either bite your toungue and hold it in or speak up if something bothers you. But don't let them control your inner happiness. Life is too beautiful, and short, to allow that to happen.

 

[Mikey P]

What hobbies do you have?

Ken is so right on that..

 

[Shawn Abbey]

Its nice to know you're concerned..

I've seen many owner/operators burn out and close or sell their businesses. My suggestion would mirror what Mikey told you. You need to push more responsibility down, and hire on a part time office manager. That, will lift a huge burden off your shoulders, and allow you to breathe easier. I've been exactly in your position. It was suggested to me that an Office Manager will be worth her weight in gold. Best advice I listened to in all my 23 years in this business.

Keep pushing responsibility down. Hire good people. Get to the place where you can turn off the business when you get home. Take some time to decompress when you get home. If you can't push responsibility down, then your only other choice is to raise your prices and focus on high end clients.

 

[adamh]

Do you exercise? That is a great way to clear the mind and feel much better.

 

[hogjowl]

I got that way a decade or two ago. Finding these message boards has helped me so much. Take your frustrations out here. Be the asshole you want to be here.

It will make you free.

Shithead ...

 

[Ken Snow]

Sorry to hear Jon. I would think an oo is even more at risk of motivational lows than ones with employees. Finding something outside of work that brings you fulfillment may really help.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jimmy L]

I've taken up walking for a hobby.
Really clears your mind and you get to notice an inner calm.

Or you can go out to your garage and put a couple blows of the hammer right at your forehead.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Jon you can't operate well if you're burnt out, take a weekend off even if you're too busy.
Just relax and try not to think of work. Or think of work but do so with a drink in your hand.

After that weekend at least once a week knock off a couple hours early and do something you like. I know you're busy but you need that time to recharge your batteries or you'll just stress more.

Try as much as you can not to get caught up in "the thick of thin things". I know it sounds simpler than it is but it's true, you have to let go of the small things and move on.
Those little things stress you more than they should, deal with them and let them go, don't carry them with you.

Focus on all you've done in such a short time, you've really done some positive things with your company in such a short time.
Take pride in that and feel confident when dealing with those outside forces that are trying to pull you down. Hang in there!

 

[Mikey P]

maybe you could use a little inspiration


http://youtu.be/9NjKgV65fpo

 

[jcooper]

John,
I'd imagine it happens to all of us who actually clean.

Happened to us/me a couple of years ago, answering phone, cleaning, book keeping, marketing, internet stuff, it's all overwhelming, doing it yourself! Plus at the time I was using a porty, uggggg.

I made myself go buy a tm or I was going to quit.

Now the wife is helping with phones and it's sooooo much better. Maybe have one of the helpers answer the phone part time.

It's normal to feel that way, John... We all do at some point.

 

[hogjowl]

22 minutes of inspiration?

 

[Gmackay]

I wear all the hats too because I chose to. I escape quite often to another reality. I keep a motorhome 45 minutes away in the mountains, I've been known not to return home but spend the night or day up there to clear my mind & put business on hold. The ritual is every 10 days I escape for a camping & fishing trip regardless. The business & money are not as important anymore because it 's on automatic. I always come home refreshed & motivated to get back to work unless I take more than a week off, then I get lazy.

 

[Goldenboy]

As I was watching the black water leave my waste while sittin on my lift gate yesterday I realized this is my hobby. When I retire I have thought about setting up a motor home kind of like the ones dirt bikers users use. The back end set up with my cleaning equiptment. Travel the country and clean for who I want to. If I dont meet Joe Bristor, Art Kelley, Harper, Forrest, Fred Boyle or jImMy LaDwig before I die I consider my career a failure.


Golden Boy

 

[Goldenboy]

Man that video was rough. Tough kid. Tough family.



Golden Boy

 

[juniorc82]

Man that video was rough. Tough kid. Tough family.



Golden Boy

ya no kidding it was a tear jerker, now I feel like a douche for complaining about work

 

[Goldenboy]

Naa Jon. Everybody here could benefit from this thread cuz of that video. Its tough work being a Top 25 Cleaner. Take a few months off from Pre-Vaccing. See if that helps you out.

Golden Boy

 

[Ron K]

First thing is send your used glides to Waldo he know how to repurpose them.

Second thing is after you've been doing this for a while you have to not let this get to you. Everyone has day's and weeks they feel like shit. You have to have enough respect for yourself and not take it personally. Sounds like you may need to raise your prices 10% loose 10% of the bottom feeders and take some pride in what you do. I myself am tired of having to prove myself to certain customers, my hero day's are over. If your customers don't have the self respect to take care of their shit you shouldn't have to...that's what assholes like Waldo are for.
Oh and Waldo thanks for your advise I feel a lot better Asshole!

 

[Shane Deubell]

I got that way a decade or two ago. Finding these message boards has helped me so much. Take your frustrations out here. Be the asshole you want to be here.

It will make you free.

Shithead ...

Yep, works for me.

 

[juniorc82]

alot of what is frustratiing to me is that the town of 60,000 I live in is a very clickish town with the people in the business community(im sure it is in every town in some way). I have just gotten tired of kissing ass and bending over backwords to accomidate some of the people here. My most recent riff with a lady who owns a maid service was started because she referd me to someone who was looking for a vct job. Earlier this week I went to the emergency room with an ear infection and was down for 2 days and feeling like shit. I didnt get around to calling the client until about a day and a half after I was supposed to. After explaining what happened to the maid service she stuck to her guns that being ill was no excuse and after talking to me crazy I told her to find another floor guy ( even though I have completed over 100 referals for her with out a bump in the road). Before that it was a bni style group with whom I wasnt snobby and popular ennough to remain in their group. I dont to let my image in the community to go in the shitter but as hard as I work my days of taking a bunch of shit off people is done. The funny thing is that my local newspaper announced that the public had voted me #2 carpet cleaner in the town. Im not really too worried about losing the respect (if they ever did respect me) of a few locals its just funny that the I know I will continue to thrive here because the majority of my competitors in my area in my opinion are either hack cleaners or the skilled ones passed their prime long ago and no longer have the motivation to go kick ass like me and my guys do. I am taking baby steps into moving into another nearby market which will hopefully open some doors for us.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Jon I think you're wrong and should rethink your new attitude for many reasons.
1) You're in a small market and it's not wise to burn bridges in such a small market.
2) In this poor economy you can't afford to give up work and future work from her.
3) Its just not professional to return calls, even if its to say you're too busy or in this case sick.

Now you can think I'm a dik for saying it (which works for me since I am) but if you continue with your planned new attitude you'll work your way out of the #2 position and possibly out of business. Please rethink your position and go back to what allowed you to build your business.

 

[juniorc82]

Jon I think you're wrong and should rethink your new attitude for many reasons.
1) You're in a small market and it's not wise to burn bridges in such a small market.
2) In this poor economy you can't afford to give up work and future work from her.
3) Its just not professional to return calls, even if its to say you're too busy or in this case sick.

Now you can think I'm a dik for saying it (which works for me since I am) but if you continue with your planned new attitude you'll work your way out of the #2 position and possibly out of business. Please rethink your position and go back to what allowed you to build your business.

your absolutley right chavez, its just hard to accomidate people at times. As far as not returning a call I should have gotten to it quicker and I wasnt in denial that I was in the wrong , I was just made that the lady who referd me was talking to me in a crazy way (with whom might I add expected me to pay her 10% cash for every referal she sent me). I am certainly not trying to burn bridges but it just gets hard to hold your tongue and put up with certain customers and business associates especially when they dont weant to meet you half way on anything. Common chavez you own a restoration company and I am positive at one time or another you have had it out with a contractor or business associate a time a two. I just feel like in a sense I need to draw the line in certain situations of fear that it will become the norm. I have squeezed in last minute jobs , pulled all nighters , and went miles above and beyond for my customers. I have also learned that certain people and situations are a lost cause. I do accept ownership for my actions and know that at times I have had a short fuse especialy more recently

 

[Derek]

just take Bob's advice...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow0lr63y4Mw

 

[Mikey P]

I got that way a decade or two ago. Finding these message boards has helped me so much. Take your frustrations out here. Be the asshole you want to be here.

It will make you free.

Shithead ...

This board has saved many a marriage.

 

[FredC]

occasional vaca....and cult meetings/pep rally's

 

[Shane Deubell]

I have there many o time, now i take a very aggressive approach to service and ask customers if there is anything else we can do. On commercial jobs we always offer to leave fans behind even though it is not really needed and offer to come back for up to 30 days if a spot wicks back. Think it relaxes people because it almost never happens.

My recommendation would be to flip around it around and stop being a punching bag, which is probably how you feel.

 

[FB7777]

The key to a well lived life ( a life worth living ) is balance

If you're smoking busy, then you are making more than enough money for vacations, and allocate funds towards employees which " buy" time for yourself.

It's pretty simple really, while you're slaving away cleaning in this mindless endeavor, you must be occasionally thinking of what you'd rather be doing.

Hopefully you are busy because you're a great businessman, not because you are willing to give your services away on the low end scale of the market you work in.

IMo , high volume, low margin in this racket is death by a thousand cuts.

This business has been the greatest venture for me, over the years I've found that most of the " problems" I've encountered could be solved by the use of capital. Use it to buy your time.