Some times you just have to face the cold hard facts

[Bjorn]

Times are hard right now for many cleaners business owners have no idea what this president is going to do to them next and just sitting back and holding on to what money they have customers are doing the same thing.

Not everything is the same depends where you live or if you listen to one of the gurus they are making more money than ever before and have the keys for you to do the same thing.

Before you sink your last dollars in to a last ditch effort you have to look and see what is more important

You just might have to face the facts you might just have to get another job.

Put the cleaning business on part time and get another income source

some times the man who fights and runs away lives to fight another day.

here is a example 4 years ago I did over 20k dollars in yacht cleaning

3 years ago around 12 2 years ago 6 and now this year under 3k

I have customers with 125 foot boats that are in dry dock all year these guys are multi millionaires

and next year to make things worse the local port is raising all the dock fees on boats over 45 feet you know because those rich bastards can afford it. ( Bellingham wa aka Berkley north )

glad I did not put all my eggs in the yacht cleaning basket

 

[Marc Imbesi]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[Art Kelley]

Terry, are you all right? Do you need some money?

 

[Bjorn]

yes always could use more money

my business is fine I'm not going under but I have noticed all my customers who spend XXX amount last year are only spending XX this year around a 30% drop

but having more than one income source has been a blessing

so many cleaners are afraid to face the fact that they just might need another income source that does not come from their cleaning business

then they fall prey to the gurus for the answer to their problems

m]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q08L6POKJsEm]

 

[FB7777]

how much of a hit did your trust fund take T?

I pulled 750 K out of the stock market between 2 and 2.5 years ago and laddered it into CDs

the rates are anywhere between 3-4.5 % and are all long term ( 5 years )

the interest rate may be horrible, but at least I will have my principle and some money left to pay for my 3 kids education


Very good post, by the way Terry

I really don't see things getting any better for the next 20 years... just hoping for some bottom

COuple of my friends that have commercial real estate are trying to sell most of it... between deadbeats, vacancy and declining value and escalating taxes on commercial properties its just not a sound investment unless you are occupying it for your own business use

 

[Marc Imbesi]

So, I shouldn't get into this business?

 

[XTREME1]

It depends on alot of factors. Like T said it is that way in many parts of the country and not others. What Fred didn't tell you is his business is probably humming along with any drop at all and was only talking about his cha-ching. I am not sure if you have had much business since starting smartstep but hopefully it will come along.

I would say don't listen to the hype and if your main source of info is brian then don't start a carpet cleaning company start a manpower and marketing company. If you start a carpet cleaning company you should do your research specific to your area and get out and see how other companies are doing and see how many are in your area.

 

[Brian R]

A company to have right now is one that sells something that everyone needs and everyone can afford.
If you can make pennies on each sell, you could make millions.

 

[Bjorn]

My big hit money wise when Obama nationalised GM I as a bond holder ( been a good investment over the years ) being a bond is well a bond and secured by real estate machinery and product.

I lost over 65k in several 401s with bond investment

shot to shit gone never to been seen again

Obama used the bond money to pay off the unions

funny how this illegal move never made the headlines

GM never declared bankruptcy never went to a court

now obama motors is selling stock

I don't have a rich wife ferd and I don't have your millions

and I can only write off a very small % of it as a loss on my taxes

 

[XTREME1]

Fred has a rich wife

 

[Royal Man]

Tough times will break some companies and make others even stronger as they learn to innovate and grow.

I saw it through the Jimmy Carter days. We sold even more by selling how cleaning can make your carpet lasts longer.

You can can see it with automotive maintenance. Business in booming as client s are holding onto what the own versus buying new.

The Internet can also be a big boom for business now days. It levels the playing field like never before. For next to nothing.

Sure times can be tough or it can be a great opportunity.

Adversity breeds innovation!!

 

[FB7777]

I think the rich wife was directed at you Shark

I hit the lottery when I married my wife , but she didn't have a dime in the bank

 

[Hoody]

I was given an inheritance from my great uncle which the money has been/was in the stock market. I lost just under 57k when the market bottomed out. Luckily before I lost my whole ass our finance manager pulled it out and rolled it into some CDs with a crap interest. Hopefully I'll be able to make up the loss over time, but doesn't look promising. That money is for my retirement, and for Ethan's education.

 

[cucu]

This is a much better post terry then the bash polish one, not that there,s anything wrong with it , just your not saying anything new about polish that has not been said for the last 17 years...(i guess same could be said for joe)..i,ll let you know when i come back from L.A

But i am going to it with a open mind, For the same reason im reading this post
For the last 15 years i have done apartments, im very good at it and make good money at it, but now the time is right for me to move to the housing market aswell
this i have no idea about

Getting the customers, the whole upsell thing , even just where to start
To me the two worlds are very different .So i have to learn as much as i can about the housing market . and that to me means how to sell the job and close the deal
not to rip joe public off or be a bait n switch company . But to be the fair and honest company that people should call

at the end of the day i should be in a far better place and not ever have to think of looking for a real job..or be stuck doing nothing but apartments,water damage , truma scenes...........

sounds like i need a mentor for the housing market

 

[Royal Man]

Jerry,

If you want to learn how to sell you could learn more by going here:

http://www.tomhopkinstips.com/

or your public library should have some of these books and tapes.

 

[Bjorn]

Irish what more can I say nothing more than a Swede with his brains knocked out

4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyx0K4WrElo4]

 

[cucu]

he even sounds funny like me