What is your biggest regret in your cleaning business and...

hogjowl

Idiot™
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
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48,932
Location
Prattville, Alabama
I’ve never thought enough of the industry folks to let any pressure to be placed upon me coming from anyone in the industry, but I did let my common sense tell me I needed employees in the beginning. However, my general dislike of unmotivated people caused me to rethink that. Took me 8 years to give up on the idea. I see employees coming again in the future, but I’m more patient now and it’ll possibly be a better experience.
 

Kenny Hayes

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
8,829
Location
Yukon, Oklahoma
Name
Kenny Hayes
Don’t count on it. I can see you needing employees. Lordy, I’d be a nervous wreck sending employees into a house with hoses and a wand😬 Crap, I had an employee break a very large vase with a vacuum in a bank. One broke a urinal this summer😏
 
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jessi

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2024
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9
Location
Idaho
Name
Jessi Lopez
I’ve never thought enough of the industry folks to let any pressure to be placed upon me coming from anyone in the industry, but I did let my common sense tell me I needed employees in the beginning. However, my general dislike of unmotivated people caused me to rethink that. Took me 8 years to give up on the idea. I see employees coming again in the future, but I’m more patient now and it’ll possibly be a better experience.
I can see why most people wont find this industry appealing but the reality is there’s money in it like every other industry. Hard work, high pay

Edit: and knowledge of course
 

BIG WOOD

The Timminator
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
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13,860
Location
Georgia
Name
Matt w.
I had that slap in the face 1st quarter of last year when I hired that dude full time since I was recovering from shoulder surgery.

Family is the only way to grow my business right now. My 14-15yo son has overworked every prick I hired at decent pay.

20years from now, if my son takes over the business and wants to grow it, maybe he will be better than me at know ing how to manage employees. But as for my situation currently...owner op and sub contract any assistance is my only path

You guys know my patience with crappy tools. Crappy employees piss me off even more
 
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Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
115,078
Location
The High Chapperal
To thrive as an owner op, we must have all of these qualities..



Great soft skills and the Minty Fresh Breath.
Handyman/tool skills
Driven and ambitious
A certain level of fitness
Naturally curious
Outgoing and braver than average
A level of morality and honesty that goes far beyond being caught by the IRS or the maid
Community/social involvement
Adaptable to change, now more than ever





Imagine if we could find employees with just a few of those attributes....


(btw most OO's don't thrive due to missing some of those qualities)
 
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jessi

Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2024
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9
Location
Idaho
Name
Jessi Lopez
Shadow custodians overnight and hire the employee that loves to be detailed. I might do that when I go off on my own
 

Kenny Hayes

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
8,829
Location
Yukon, Oklahoma
Name
Kenny Hayes
I had that slap in the face 1st quarter of last year when I hired that dude full time since I was recovering from shoulder surgery.

Family is the only way to grow my business right now. My 14-15yo son has overworked every prick I hired at decent pay.

20years from now, if my son takes over the business and wants to grow it, maybe he will be better than me at know ing how to manage employees. But as for my situation currently...owner op and sub contract any assistance is my only path

You guys know my patience with crappy tools. Crappy employees piss me off even more
So, I forgot. Did he not work out at all. Did he quit, or did you kick him to the curb. Or, did he go to beauty school?
 

Papa John

Lifetime Supportive Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Messages
6,938
Location
San Francisco, CA.
Name
John Stewart
Wish I'd:
Check the oil in the Vortex blower more often.
Didn't buy a Zipper.
Not taken a Color repair class again. About 10K down the drain when time off and travel expenses included.
Sell or dump some items in my tool graveyard-- needed them a few months later.
Didn't buy a Tile spinner a 2nd time-- I still don't offer this service.
Didn't waste money on EDDM.
Didn't waste money on Yelp.
I've only used my Odyssey VLM a few times.
Didn't buy the Rug Sucker tool.
Didn't get a vasectomy.😱
Never sold certain stocks.
Bought a house when they were only $200k-- now are $1-1.8 Million!
Didn't buy a stair-climber, and an inversion table.
I'm sure there are many more.:hopeless:😱
 

bob vawter

Grassy Knoller
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
44,160
Location
La La Land
Name
bob vawter
So Brian are you still working I remember you talking of retirement! Let me jus say that day we signed papers at the bank with CRASH was the beginning of a new life....no more race boats....no more blowing money....lik water.....and Joan's simultaneous retirement worked out perfectly.. even if I'm broke as a church mouse ....i did build a dozen or so Genies right under Mikeys nose to get me by... that was 13 years ago and I miss those days....squat!
And again I want to thank all you great people for still working and paying those taxes......
 
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Kenny Hayes

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
8,829
Location
Yukon, Oklahoma
Name
Kenny Hayes
So Brian are you still working I remember you talking of retirement! Let me jus say that day we signed papers at the bank with CRASH was the beginning of a new life....no more race boats....no more blowing money....lik water.....and Joan's simultaneous retirement worked out perfectly.. even if I'm broke as a church mouse ....i did build a dozen or so Genies right under Mikeys nose to get me by... that was 13 years ago and I miss those days....squat!
And again I want to thank all you great people for still working and paying those taxes......
So, are you so broke you don’t still pay taxes. Is your accountant that good? If you’re that broke, you’re broker than the 10 commandments!
 

bob vawter

Grassy Knoller
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
44,160
Location
La La Land
Name
bob vawter
Bob
So, are you so broke you don’t still pay taxes. Is your accountant that good? If you’re that broke, you’re broker than the 10 commandments!

needs somebody to help him keep up with
So, are you so broke you don’t still pay taxes. Is your accountant that good? If you’re that broke, you’re broker than the 10 commandments!
Well Kenny......as they say.....the only thing certain in life is death an taxes...and I ain't dED yet!
So what’s going on around here.
 
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