Re: SFS Contest
Here is my entry.
First, let me give the picture of how tough it is for Canadian small business owners:
- We paid more here for vehicles, gas, oil, tires, repairs then the USA...
We pay more for insurance and licensing...
We pay MUCH more for cleaning chemicals as they all come from you know where...
We pay more for TM and ALL our equipment, virtually everything is imported from the USA...
We pay way more taxes on what we make.
To top it all off, our price per sq. is not any higher
Oh, I almost forgot, we are also verbally challenged by inserting "eh" after every second word! .
So next time you see a Canadian, tell him to hang in there and buy him a beer!
Here is my crazy history:
Started a cleaning business when I was 18. Kept it small and later sold it for very little when my wife and I went to Paraguay to do some volunteer work. Something we wanted to do before while we were still young.
Came back after 5 years broke. Did NOT want to go back to the Janitorial biz, so I worked with a friend who was an owner operator. He was starting to think about retirement and wanted me to take over his business one day. I followed the carrot for a several months and realized that I really liked what I was doing. I friend and distributer Rick Thode turned me on to the boards. Mikey's Board quickly became my favorite and I lurked and learned for a few months. I quickly surpassed my friend in knowledge and skill. That sounds cocky but it's not. That just shows you how apathetic carpet cleaners have become in my city. It's actually pretty sad. But that's when I realized how I could do well in this biz. I firmly believe that your business is an extension of you and decided his business is not something that I wanted. I wanted to start from scratch and do it right.
With the help of Rick Thode (fellow canuk and SFS attendee), Greenie and Bob Savage (sorry for stalking you guys at that time and thanks for not phoning the FBI) I learned what I needed to get started on my own with very limited funds. I still remember Bob Savage telling me on the phone: "Don't feel bad for phoning me again (the 20th time for a really dumb question), were all carpet cleaners trying to make a living and we are all in this together." I would take a bullet for you Bob!
Then I had a bad break (no pun intended) when I slipped down the stairs at home and really jacked up my ankle. Two surgeries and 8 months without work put a dent in my plans. We lived off credit cards since I did not qualify for unemployment insurance after away from Canada for so long. I used the time to read and learn. I devoured as many business and marketing books as I could get my hand's on and studied some basic electrical and electronics. I read probably every post on Mikey's board during that time (I am still recovering from that
). It also gave me lot's of time to make up a really good short term and long term business plan, create all my own graphics and marketing materials. Learn how to use Adobe Illustrator, the in's and out's of Wordpress and some basic SEO.
I needed capital big time. The bank I dealt with my whole life turned me down. At least the loans officer tried not to laugh in our face. No big surprise. I had no job, no stable work history for 5 years, no stable address for 5 years, no assets and lot's of credit cards racked up. I did have good credit though as we have always being responsible. I was deflated but not defeated. I need to make this work. So I went to another bank. This time a small provincial (state) bank where decisions were made locally. The loan officer actually read and really liked my business plan and listened to our history. He went on a limb and really fought for me. I got the money I needed. It was not enough, but I knew I could make it work with blood, sweat and tears.
In April, 2008 I bought a 2007 GMC 2500 (image important), put on some nice graphics (which paid off the first month), imported my TM, hoses, wand, you name it from the States. Did the install myself in the graveled parking area in the back of where we were living amid the mud and snow. Installing a under belly propane tank for the first time with limited tools in the mud and snow is not fun (enter the blood, sweat and tears), but builds plenty of character! My wife was VERY understanding at that time.
I got everything up and running in time to go to my first job that I had booked for early May. Of course, the money was not enough (I did not budget for the small stuff and got nickel and dimmed to death), and I literally could not even afford to fill up my van the first time just to get to the job. I started with a 1/4 tank. With each job I got the first thing I did was put some more gas in the tank. The summer was awesome! By September we were able to afford a place with a double car garage to protect my van and TM from the approaching cold Canadian winter.
By December 31, I had paid off a nice chunk of my debt and even put some money aside for these slow months. I am now gearing up for April.
Things are going really great. I am very excited and positive about 2009. I have an awesome relationship with a very reputable carpet store and have found a great niche market. At 39, I really need to make up for lost time and so that's where SFS comes in. I would love to attend the one in Portland (lot's of great brewpubs and microbreweries there!) this August. I have been fighting so hard to just get started, but now I really need to focus on where to take the business in the future. I am hungry to learn whatever I can and think that SFS would fill that hunger.
That's it. Thanks for considering my entry.
