new business gearing up!

[cobra]

My wife and I started our business this year. We started with great portable (goliath), doing carpet, and tile mainly apartments. we recently built enough contracts to finance a TM and van. This has kicked our ability up a notch! Heres the catch. We both work full time jobs. This has given us the ability to put money into the business. My brother does the day jobs and we do the evening and/or weekend jobs. I want to go full time but I make very good money for this area(S.C.) We are working very hard to build this business but we need some help with the next level. Any suggestions, thoughts, or input would be appreciated. Looking forward to talking to yall on this board!

 

[juniorc82]

It has been about 4 years since I made the transition from ft job to ft cleaner however I was single at the time . I would first say that if this is what you want to do you need to get some formal training and learn the craft . I would recommend an iicrc class in at least carpet and upholstery cleaning that is if you haven't already. I don't get into the whole iicrc thing but I am a certified master cleaner and learning the chemistry and scientific aspect of what we do will immediately put you at an advantage over other cleaners. If you and your wife both work you might give the insurance situation some thought before one of you quits your job. I will say to be ready for lots of early mornings and late nights if you really want this thing to succeed and be ready to sink a sizeable investment into things like advertising and expanding your arsenal of tools and equipment. As far as how to leave your job I cant say because when I did it , it didn't happen like thought it would so I had to buckle up and hang on for the ride for the fisrt year and a half that I worked after I quit my ft job to clean. If you and your wife both works it should go a lot smoother. Just take the time to learn the business and make a plan before you dive face first into the jungle. Having crushing financial obligations on a starter business usual ends in demise so take it slow. If you are professional and willing to work hard in this business you will do just fine and don't forget it

 

[cobra]

It has been about 4 years since I made the transition from ft job to ft cleaner however I was single at the time . I would first say that if this is what you want to do you need to get some formal training and learn the craft . I would recommend an iicrc class in at least carpet and upholstery cleaning that is if you haven't already. I don't get into the whole iicrc thing but I am a certified master cleaner and learning the chemistry and scientific aspect of what we do will immediately put you at an advantage over other cleaners. If you and your wife both work you might give the insurance situation some thought before one of you quits your job. I will say to be ready for lots of early mornings and late nights if you really want this thing to succeed and be ready to sink a sizeable investment into things like advertising and expanding your arsenal of tools and equipment. As far as how to leave your job I cant say because when I did it , it didn't happen like thought it would so I had to buckle up and hang on for the ride for the fisrt year and a half that I worked after I quit my ft job to clean. If you and your wife both works it should go a lot smoother. Just take the time to learn the business and make a plan before you dive face first into the jungle. Having crushing financial obligations on a starter business usual ends in demise so take it slow. If you are professional and willing to work hard in this business you will do just fine and don't forget it

Thanks for that> I am already iicrc cert in water restoration and my brother and I are taking the carpet tech course in october, so I definetly agree with the knowledge. You mentioned a great deal of money! Thats my concern here, So one of us will have to cont working while the other jumps into the business(her b/c she has insurance!) Marketing is a whole nother beast. I have tried several things and the ONLY thing that has produced results is door to door business. We have a website w/mobile site. not the best but it'll do for a start. we are listed on google, yahoo, bing, angies list, yelp, manta etc. I am however wondering about these pay per lead companies that keep contacting me? Has anyone done a PPL and if so what results?? Again thanks for the input

 

[Mikey P]

Great to have you here Mr Holland.


LOTs (lots!) to be learned here for a guy in your shoes.

Go back to page one in each room and start reading..


and please don't be hesitate to ask ANYTHING, even if you think it's been rehashed over and over.

 

[Mikey P]

and I agree, when brand new nothing beats door to door face to face asking for business.

Hit up your desired neighborhoods on the weekends when people are out mowing the lawn or washing the car.


Bring along cute female family members too.

 

[Mikey P]

oh, and where in South Carolina are you and what truckmount did you get?

 

[Shane Deubell]

My wife and I started our business this year. We started with great portable (goliath), doing carpet, and tile mainly apartments. we recently built enough contracts to finance a TM and van. This has kicked our ability up a notch! Heres the catch. We both work full time jobs. This has given us the ability to put money into the business. My brother does the day jobs and we do the evening and/or weekend jobs. I want to go full time but I make very good money for this area(S.C.) We are working very hard to build this business but we need some help with the next level. Any suggestions, thoughts, or input would be appreciated. Looking forward to talking to yall on this board!

Good move!

I stayed full time for 1st year and part time 2nd year, helped out a lot. This is the time to bank money and test marketing campaigns, some campaigns will fail or need time to develop.

 

[Greg Cole]

Define help? My suggestion is don't own a job. Own a business with employees that perform the work. Craft your role in your business around your strengths.

My wife and I started our business this year. We started with great portable (goliath), doing carpet, and tile mainly apartments. we recently built enough contracts to finance a TM and van. This has kicked our ability up a notch! Heres the catch. We both work full time jobs. This has given us the ability to put money into the business. My brother does the day jobs and we do the evening and/or weekend jobs. I want to go full time but I make very good money for this area(S.C.) We are working very hard to build this business but we need some help with the next level. Any suggestions, thoughts, or input would be appreciated. Looking forward to talking to yall on this board!

 

[Steve Toburen]

and I agree, when brand new nothing beats door to door face to face asking for business.

Hit up your desired neighborhoods on the weekends when people are out mowing the lawn or washing the car.

Bring along cute female family members too.

I agree. Except that assuming if your customer is not Mikey I would bring your cute and hungry-looking little kids with you instead of your hot 16 year old daughter! Seriously though, the door-to-door route is great if a)you have the "fire in the belly" for it (many don't) and b) you do it right. HERE is a door-to-door script (and a "hook") we used with great success.

Steve

PS DJ, this can be a great industry if you get started off right. This place will help you plus you won't need to waste time watching soap operas any more!

 

[Mikey P]

Don't be such a perv Steve.

I had my wife and 13 year old daughter hand ING out my cards..

I think you may have me confused with your soft porn loving buddy who wouldn't buy you dinner.

 

[hogjowl]

Contact Dave Gargan off this board and ask him if you can do a ride along for a couple of days.

 

[cobra]

oh, and where in South Carolina are you and what truckmount did you get?

We are in the Pee Dee area(florence hartsville darlington and sumter/camde area
we bought used truck with new sapphire rage . we started with goliath portable. Worked great and got us started but tooo much set-up-teardown time. we proved our business model worked by getting and fulfiiling contracts, then moved up to TM!

 

[cobra]

Will do! Thanks!

 

[TomKing]

Define help? My suggestion is don't own a job. Own a business with employees that perform the work. Craft your role in your business around your strengths.

Greg is spot on.

We started 4.5 years ago. I just went full time this month. We run 3 residential trucks and 1 full time commercial route.

First hire a solid tech someone that is quality. Pay him very well. $40k plus
Second hire a full time CSR $30kplus
Third fill in as you are doing when needed.

If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.
Build your commercial to have solid monthly cash flow
Pay off all your personal debt and adjust your lifestyle lower than you currently make. This will buy you margin when you leave your job eventually.

Keep building and when you have enough revenue from what your employees are doing leave your full time job.

We had 4 fulltime employees and 3 part time before my wife left her job to manage our company in 2011
We now have 6 fulltime and 3 part timers. I just left my job and can concentrate full time on selling and coaching employees.

If you do not have solid leadership and management background be very carful about leaving your current position you just may end up owning a job and not a business.

 

[Buck1955]

I would keep the job with benefits and work the cc for cash savings and retirement.