Looking for input to startup on a budget.

[Stoneface]

I graduated college a few years ago and am living with my dad, making $9.50 an hour at the only place that would hire me. I have no idea why. I have a friend that referred me to this board and said you can make pretty good money and it's possible to startup on the cheap with $1500. It will take some doing, but I can save $1500.

Being completely naïve to the industry and with nothing more than a willingness to work hard, I'm looking for some input on a to-do or must-have list from any veterans who would be willing. If you could give me brand names, sources to buy from and estimated pricing, too, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

 

[renegade_cowboy]

You're not going to want to start a business in an industry you know nothing about .. I would say get educated about the industry and how to do the work.. get educated in what it means to be a business owner. I would say go work for a good company.. stanley steemer would be a great one.

The truth is you can't start a business for $1500.. expect more in the $10,000-$15,000 minimum and that is just for the equipment. The fun part comes trying to get the customers so you can go use your machine.

I will say this is a very good industry to be in.. its like automotive, everyone needs the service and some more than others. I am curious though.. what did you go to college for and why aren't you in that industry?

 

[dgardner]

the only place that would hire me. I have no idea why.

A suggestion - go back to some of the places you applied for work and sincerely ask them why they chose not to hire you. If there's something about your demeanor that put them off, potential customers might notice the same thing, making it hard to get your foot in the door.

Several on this board got started with way less than $15K, but they struggled early on. Are you willing to make even less than you do now for a (perhaps long) time as you build up your business? That's likely what you face if you start on a shoestring - no money for marketing, etc.

Not trying to dissuade you, but just trying to be realistic.

 

[Art Kelley]

I started on a shoestring when I was young. The most challenging aspect of this industry is getting work. Buy your equipment and work as a subcontractor for a year and learn all you can. If you think you can handle the physicality of this line of work, I say go for it. This is a great business to be in.

 

[OneBlueSummer]

Don't listen to those negatives up there. U need zero education. I started with that and haven't worked for someone else since.
Buy a used floor machine, 2 types of pads, a pump up garden sprayer, a gallon of cleaning juice, and some business cards, a logoed polo shirt, get a hair cut, borrow someone's vacuum, some new Asics, and start walking and talking. Throw it all in whatever vehicle u have and don't listen to negativity and just realize the doubters will be in viols of you one day.

 

[dgardner]

Don't listen to those negatives up there. U need zero education. I started with that and haven't worked for someone else since.
Buy a used floor machine, 2 types of pads, a pump up garden sprayer, a gallon of cleaning juice, and some business cards, a logoed polo shirt, get a hair cut, borrow someone's vacuum, some new Asics, and start walking and talking. Throw it all in whatever vehicle u have and don't listen to negativity and just realize the doubters will be in viols of you one day.

Hello OneBlue - welcome to Mikeysboard. I'm curious, your website says you are a 3rd generation cleaner, how did you manage to start with no education at all?

 

[Mikey P]

Welcome!


Start off with a portable extractor and a 175rpm floor machine. Both are cheap so buy new. You don't need to be breaking down on the few jobs that will come your way at first.


Learn to use the search feature here, spend the weekend reading up and your good as gold



assuming you have a house wife pleasing personality, all your teefs, no visible tatts, fresh breath, normal hair, don't take no for an answer, strong back, anal retentive attention to detail and can speak the kings english you'll do just fine.


With a name like Rowdy how could you not?

 

[Desk Jockey]

STOP NOW, before you become just another porty hack. Sure you can buy a machine for $1,500.00 but that is just the beginning. Cleaning with a porty is not easy and unless you know what you're doing expect mediocre results. With little demand you'll end up earning less than $9.50 an hour and yet be out the $1,500.00

Save the $1,500.00 and go on a vacation and figure out what you want to do with your life. Just stay the hell out of this industry, we have enough porty hacks!

 

[Ron K]

Listen to Mike, it's how I started, it's called A Two Step Process and does a great job of Cleaning ...done well it can compete with some of those TM hacks. If all else fails move to Spokane!
Good Luck
Ron

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Don't listen to those negatives up there. U need zero education. I started with that and haven't worked for someone else since.
Buy a used floor machine, 2 types of pads, a pump up garden sprayer, a gallon of cleaning juice, and some business cards, a logoed polo shirt, get a hair cut, borrow someone's vacuum, some new Asics, and start walking and talking. Throw it all in whatever vehicle u have and don't listen to negativity and just realize the doubters will be in viols of you one day.

What's the guy suppose to be talking about when he's got no edumucation about the industry he now owns a business in?

 

[JS41035]

Use your degree if you can.


....

 

[Shorty]

Was not the info on Ricky's board suitable ??

 

[GCCLee]

$30k

You have to spend money to make money. More ya spend the more ya make.


Kinda Suks : )

 

[Desk Jockey]

Go work for a franchise for a year or two. Save the money and find out if you want it for a career.

 

[Mikey P]

Go work for a franchise for a year or two. Save the money and find out if you want it for a career.

probably the best advice yet.


Learn to clean upholstery and rugs on someone else's dime. Replacement of one nice sofa gone bad could kill you.


You'll learn how to up-sell, cover your ass, clean with better equipment than you can afford, maybe some water damage, tile, stone and grout, how to deal with asshole housewives who didn't hire you, they hired your company so YOU mean squat to them, hopefully alternative to Steam methods and even more hopefully, how to diagnose and fix equipment.

 

[ruff]

Working for a franchise or a large company could be a great lesson in both how to do as well as how not to do business.

If one pays attention, there's a lot to be learned.

 

[Shane Deubell]

How come nobody wants to hustle for a couple years and save money anymore?
Nobody wants to do the grunt work it takes to be successful.

Plan on working 60 hours a week for 3-5 years, if you can't do that then stay home.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Go work for a franchise for a year or two. Save the money and find out if you want it for a career.

X3

Steve

PS Pick who you apply with carefully. Look for a long-time local company with a great reputation, that does superior work and charges well for their services. Then excel at what you and give 110%. Who knows, maybe you will love it so much you will lose your "entrepreneurial itch" and progress with them. But either way you will learn on their nickel and that is "priceless".

 

[Art Kelley]

You can go work for a franchise and learn bad techniques and bad habits or just go and start your business and rely on operating on the Golden Rule. Nobody wants a franchised trained person in their house looking for ways to extract every last dollar from them when they only want a couple of rooms cleaned. Just learn how to be the best cleaner around and you will be wildly successful.

 

[ruff]

You can go work for a franchise and learn bad techniques and bad habits or just go and start your business and rely on operating on the Golden Rule. Nobody wants a franchised trained person in their house looking for ways to extract every last dollar from them when they only want a couple of rooms cleaned. Just learn how to be the best cleaner around and you will be wildly successful.

Yes.
With a caveat.

What Art meant by being "the best cleaner around", was being good technically but even more important is being good with people.
A mediocre carpet cleaner with good people skills will do ten times better than the world's best carpet cleaner with no people skills.

That's what you meant, right Art?

 

[Art Kelley]

What was the question?

 

[ruff]

See.
Art gets it.

Don't you, Art?

 

[WillS]

Here's some advice from someone that got into this industry with no experience. You gotta learn from someone before doing! When we opened our business I had no experience, but my business partner had been cleaning for another company for a little over 4 years. I started working with him cleaning full time and was able to learn a ton. Even after 3 months, even today I'm still learning new things. You need some sort of training, experience, otherwise your going to be Googling how to remove a red dye stain and then wind up burning someone's carpet off.

Worst mistake I ever made, putting one of those damn oil plug in stupid ass pieces of crap wall plug ins on this guys nice oak desk and it knocked over and leaked stripping it. (That was my one and only - $500 mistake. If you don't learn before doing, your just going to be doing and the results won't be high quality. Therefore no customers and you'll turn into one of those guys with the $49 for whole house cleaning, wind up creating 8 different company names under one business just so customers use you once and never call again.

I don't think $1,500 can even buy you a truck or van to get started really. Maybe look into the SBA loans (which will take a while) or like Doc said start working for a franchise first. Build up experience and even customer relationships that you might be able to take with you to your own business one day...

 

[TomKing]

Rowdy
You live outside of Joplin. That area is devastated from the tornado. My son went to college in the area. Seen it myself.
You would have a hard time starting in your area of the country. Half the city is still gone.

Go to work for someone in the area. I would look at moving to KC or STL to work with a larger company.
Look at Woodard's in STL one of the largest in the country.

What is your degree in?

3-5 years you might be able to start up on our own.

If you cant get hired with a reputable company with a college degree you need to get a career counselor and figure out why you are not getting job offers.

Good luck!

I graduated college a few years ago and am living with my dad, making $9.50 an hour at the only place that would hire me. I have no idea why. I have a friend that referred me to this board and said you can make pretty good money and it's possible to startup on the cheap with $1500. It will take some doing, but I can save $1500.

Being completely naïve to the industry and with nothing more than a willingness to work hard, I'm looking for some input on a to-do or must-have list from any veterans who would be willing. If you could give me brand names, sources to buy from and estimated pricing, too, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks a lot, everyone!

 

[TomKing]

Nice tell the guy to go steal from his future employer.

I hope you get a few guys that do that to you.

I told guys who had prior experience I am not interested in hearing about your former employers methods or tactics.

DON'T TELL A FUTURE EMPLOYER YOU ARE LOOKING AT STARTING YOUR OWN COMPANY.

No one will ever hire you.

Build up experience and even customer relationships that you might be able to take with you to your own business one day...

 

[WillS]

Steal? It's called building relationships. If you were in Sales for a hotel, or a Casino Host at a Casino, you would not build relationships with customers to where when you moved to another property, your calling this customer to move with you? Unless you have a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement, then get real this is life. C'est la vie.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Isn't that the same thing but different industry? I may have missed your point but it does sound like you're stealing customers as you change employment.

Maybe its easier to see if its closer to home.

So lets say your top technician has amazing skills, both customer relationships and technical ability. He's your right hand man, he's been working for you since you opened up and you give him all the prized jobs. The big accounts, the real bread and butter money makers. Great guy, always on time, always presentable and he just over all cares about his craft.

Monday he walks in with his clothes and company cell phone. He tells you he really appreciates all you have done for him but his father inlaw just loaned him 100K and he's going out on his own. You're disappointed but you'll move up another tech to his spot and begin the search for another tech.

Problem....you don't grasp the reality of the situation.

He has your top clients now as his data base, not only does he have their contact info BUT he has the relationship. He is offering to do the same work he did while your employee but now at a better price, since he doesn't have the overhead you have.

Did he steal your book of business or is this real life?

Noncompetes are not worth the expense you pay to have them drawn up.

 

[WillS]

Noncompetes are not worth the expense you pay to have them drawn up.

I was on a non-compete working outside of this industry for up to 1 year and 50 miles. Stopped me. How do you prevent that top technician from doing just that though? You give him classes on ethical behavior? I don't understand how someone would think this would not happen. Not is it just life, its reality.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Steal? It's called building relationships. If you were in Sales for a hotel, or a Casino Host at a Casino, you would not build relationships with customers to where when you moved to another property, your calling this customer to move with you? Unless you have a non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement, then get real this is life. C'est la vie.

That's some pretty shady stuff there buddy to justify stealing customers from another company.. You know why its wrong to do?? .. because YOU wouldn't want some tech to come in a steal your customers that YOU PAID to get.

When you are "building a relationship" as a tech.. you are building that relationship for the company you work for and not for your own personal gain later down the road. Once a person displays shady business tactics like that.. stay far away from that bad seed you can't trust.

 

[WillS]

I'm not justifying it, simply stating this is what happens and works in every industry. Have you worked in sales before? Let's say you hire a sales person to to out and get you commercial business. This person is the contact most of the time for those accounts, builds a relationship. Another company comes along and offers this sales rep more money. What's gonna happen? This is unfortunately what takes place in every industry. That is why you need employees you can trust, even then, piss them off it's another story, therefore a non compete never hurts.