Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: magic moments on February 18, 2012, 09:46:13 pm
-
After some inspiration .
What's your start up story and where your at now?
-
Started by being granted princes trust loan. Bought van, equipment etc.
Very few customers, then van blew up.
Couldnt make repayments to princes trust so had to get another loan and buy a round an hour drive away, and buy another van.
Payed off both loans.
Sold the round to buy another round closer to home, which also needed a third loan to fund, along with a nice new van which i still have.
5 months left on third loan, the end is near.
Started employing 1 person 6 months ago.
Now have to much work and toying with the idea of getting a 2nd van and employee.
Its been a long hard few years but the end is in sight...
-
once upon a time blah blah blah blal now i make loads of money ;D
-
James what did you do before ,and what made you go for it?
-
once upon a time blah blah blah blal now i make loads of money ;D
Helpful thanks for your time.
-
Not my story but my fathers, after refusing to go to war and remaining neutral, he couldnt get a job, mother in law said area need window cleaner, turned to it and in a few months was earning 6 times the national wage, employed a deaf boy aged 15, who still works for us today aged 72, and eventually employed 18 window cleners , cleaning domestics, school and all the chemical industry on Teesside and ended up a millionare, and the company is still going strong, third generation after 55 years
idealrob
-
Not my story but my fathers, after refusing to go to war and remaining neutral, he couldnt get a job, mother in law said area need window cleaner, turned to it and in a few months was earning 6 times the national wage, employed a deaf boy aged 15, who still works for us today aged 72, and eventually employed 18 window cleners , cleaning domestics, school and all the chemical industry on Teesside and ended up a millionare, and the company is still going strong, third generation after 55 years
idealrob
Very inspiration that. He's a credit to our profession!
Did he start out wfp or trad :D
-
Nice story
-
Not my story but my fathers, after refusing to go to war and remaining neutral, he couldnt get a job, mother in law said area need window cleaner, turned to it and in a few months was earning 6 times the national wage, employed a deaf boy aged 15, who still works for us today aged 72, and eventually employed 18 window cleners , cleaning domestics, school and all the chemical industry on Teesside and ended up a millionare, and the company is still going strong, third generation after 55 years
idealrob
Very inspiration that. He's a credit to our profession!
Did he start out wfp or trad :D
you may joke but wfp was around then (in usa) ;)
-
James what did you do before ,and what made you go for it?
Worked for a window cleaning firm for about 8 months when I was 17, and thought why cant I be the boss? Why cant I be that bloke who is making all the decisions and telling me what to do?
My brother had just set up a aerial and satellite company, and is only a year older than me, so even now im trying to improve all the time just to compete against him.
Looking back, I made some very stupid decisions, decisions that Ill never make again, but I guess its all a learning curve.
No one belived in me, no one. Even my neighbours used to say to me 'why are you window cleaning when you could work for your brother' i felt like murdering the bloke, and still dont really speak to him, but it spured me on to sucseed.
-
once upon a time blah blah blah blal now i make loads of money ;D
Helpful thanks for your time.
any time mate nice to help out ;)
-
James what did you do before ,and what made you go for it?
Worked for a window cleaning firm for about 8 months when I was 17, and thought why cant I be the boss? Why cant I be that bloke who is making all the decisions and telling me what to do?
My brother had just set up a aerial and satellite company, and is only a year older than me, so even now im trying to improve all the time just to compete against him.
Looking back, I made some very stupid decisions, decisions that Ill never make again, but I guess its all a learning curve.
No one belived in me, no one. Even my neighbours used to say to me 'why are you window cleaning when you could work for your brother' i felt like murdering the bloke, and still dont really speak to him, but it spured me on to sucseed.
I got that no belived in me parents, brothers etc
that's another reason for me failure is not an option.
-
James what did you do before ,and what made you go for it?
Worked for a window cleaning firm for about 8 months when I was 17, and thought why cant I be the boss? Why cant I be that bloke who is making all the decisions and telling me what to do?
My brother had just set up a aerial and satellite company, and is only a year older than me, so even now im trying to improve all the time just to compete against him.
Looking back, I made some very stupid decisions, decisions that Ill never make again, but I guess its all a learning curve.
No one belived in me, no one. Even my neighbours used to say to me 'why are you window cleaning when you could work for your brother' i felt like murdering the bloke, and still dont really speak to him, but it spured me on to sucseed.
I got that no belived in me parents, brothers etc
that's another reason for me failure is not an option.
Prove them wrong then!!
Failure IS NOT an option.
-
After some inspiration .
What's your start up story and where your at now?
Three redundancies in two years in the early 90s recession saw me on the dole and unable to even get an interview. I was down to my last £100 and had an ancient car. Bought a few small tools. Borrowed a ladder. Went door knocking. Two months later signed off the dole as I was just about earning enough not to qualify (this was done the legal way BTW). Phoned an accountant in the small ads who I'm still with. After 6 months the car's engine was on the way out. Borrowed from the bank to get a second hand Nissan Sunny van (called it a car loan as they are always pickier about business loans). Also bought my own ladder. Door knocked 3 - 4 evenings a week for a year or so. Did the work I picked up the following day. After a while, I started joining up the dots.
These days I'm a millionaire and the plebs make me money cleaning windows while I sail my yacht around the Mediterranean.
Nah. The last bit's a lie but the rest is how it was.
-
Not my story but my fathers, after refusing to go to war and remaining neutral, he couldnt get a job, mother in law said area need window cleaner, turned to it and in a few months was earning 6 times the national wage, employed a deaf boy aged 15, who still works for us today aged 72, and eventually employed 18 window cleners , cleaning domestics, school and all the chemical industry on Teesside and ended up a millionare, and the company is still going strong, third generation after 55 years
idealrob
Very inspiration that. He's a credit to our profession!
Did he start out wfp or trad :D
you may joke but wfp was around then (in usa) ;)
I know I've seen the pics on here. Got the impression it didn't take off though until it got linked with pure water
-
I had a completely different business with huge overheads and when i started a family i just couldnt make enough money, my wife suggested trying window cleaning so i started while still running the other business and realised after a year that this was the way to go!
so i got rid of my unit, vans, staff and got on with the windows!
after 3 years i went wfp and i now have a good solid round and a lot less stress! the best thing i did was throwing my old business phone in the sea, i will never go back to my old trade :D
-
Not my story but my fathers, after refusing to go to war and remaining neutral, he couldnt get a job, mother in law said area need window cleaner, turned to it and in a few months was earning 6 times the national wage, employed a deaf boy aged 15, who still works for us today aged 72, and eventually employed 18 window cleners , cleaning domestics, school and all the chemical industry on Teesside and ended up a millionare, and the company is still going strong, third generation after 55 years
idealrob
Very inspiration that. He's a credit to our profession!
Did he start out wfp or trad :D
you may joke but wfp was around then (in usa) ;)
I know I've seen the pics on here. Got the impression it didn't take off though until it got linked with pure water
Im pretty sure it was pure water back then..tucker poles usa
http://www.tuckerusa.com/profile.htm
-
was i little ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D when younger ended up in all sorts of trouble .
cut a long story short I BOUGHT A LADDER ;D
-
I started in 2009 working sat only as had a full time job then three weeks after starting got told that I was gettin laid off in the august, so I built up to work every Saturday all day. Then just before getting finished leafleted like mad picked up a bit more work then when got laid off sign on and got as much help and equipment as I could off them. Then signed off a got £50 a week self employment credit.
Then once I got 150 customers Istarted carpet cleaning as well as gutters power washing etc I now have 270 customers both commercial and domestic and have bought this www.procleanconservatories.co.uk and also still picking up New work all the time on all the services I offer
-
Got made redundant in as Factory Manager in Nov 2002 and started carpet cleaning in Jan 2003, on the expection that it would be temporary until I could find myself a "proper job", added window cleaning in the summer of 2003 when a carpet cleaning customer asked me if I knew any window cleaners as they couldn't find one. Still clean for her.
-
Mine started with a massive resentment against the army and authority figures in general. I was like, "I'm neva gonna have another boss again!" So I became a window cleaner. ;D
-
Worked as an upholsterer for 20 yrs straight from school - brother in law worked for a local chap window cleaning but had to pack it in when he damaged his shoulder and couldn't use the pole So offered me the chance to change job
Money wise, it was same but the big difference for me was the hours - I was doing 50 hrs in the factory - he was doing about 30 hrs for the same wage so thought I'd give it a go - I took a few days off to see if it was for me and didn't go back
Worked for this fella for about 18 months then been on my own ever since
-
I was in IT for 19 years or so, got the golden bullet in 2009 and wanted to start a business that I could control all the way through from finding the customer to providing the service/product and finally getting paid. Started almost half heartedly, all my mates and better half thought I was mad. Getting a bit more serious about things now, doing OK and planning the next stage. Enjoy working outside {not so much in Jan/Feb} and love not having an idiot for a Manager {theres an awful lot of them out there}.
-
Cant wait to become established and not have to work under pressure,oh well tommorow evening on the canvass .
-
How many are you aiming for?
-
I had a completely different business with huge overheads and when i started a family i just couldnt make enough money, my wife suggested trying window cleaning so i started while still running the other business and realised after a year that this was the way to go!
so i got rid of my unit, vans, staff and got on with the windows!
after 3 years i went wfp and i now have a good solid round and a lot less stress! the best thing i did was throwing my old business phone in the sea, i will never go back to my old trade Cheesy
Richard - What was your old trade?
Andy
-
I was in IT for 19 years or so, got the golden bullet in 2009 and wanted to start a business that I could control all the way through from finding the customer to providing the service/product and finally getting paid. Started almost half heartedly, all my mates and better half thought I was mad. Getting a bit more serious about things now, doing OK and planning the next stage. Enjoy working outside {not so much in Jan/Feb} and love not having an idiot for a Manager {theres an awful lot of them out there}.
I was in IT for 11 years before window cleaning... I just got to the stage when everyday I woke up dreading going into work... Office politics, stupid people etc...
I wish I had started window cleaning straight from school !
Andy
-
I got into this game 15 years ago helping a friend. He taught me how to clean windows, and I helped him 3 days a week. After 3 months I started canvassing and within a couple of weeks had enough work to cover what I was earning with my friend. At this point I went it alone, although we would help each other out with a day's work.
My business grew until I had too much to cope with, so I sold some of it off, and gradually refined it.
Last year I had it pretty much how I wanted it, but then had to relocate to Ireland for family reasons, and so I sold it off, then started up here from scratch. Seven months in, I have close to 200 customers (48 of them I have picked up since the beginning of January).
It has been hard going at times, (eg. I have experienced the 'not today brigade' like you would not believe) but I feel that I am now beginning to reap the rewards for being very determined to succeed in what is (here) a very tough environment.
John
-
How many are you aiming for?
As many as poss in 2 hours,in the evening if I can get a baby sitter il have the other half out as well
-
Mine is a long story, but my dad was a wc and so was his dad. We all turned to it when it suited us. We have been cleaning windows for 70 years.
I know that people look down on us, but I NOW remember my dad losing his job and within a week having a new income. We all canvassed with him one Saturday. I asked my mum how she thought my dad would feel me doing this and she saidbthat he probably would be unhappy. But sometimes I would love to pick his.brains and wish he was still here.
-
i got laid off from jcb excavators nearly 3 years ago was a good paid job but long hours,was on the dole for 6 months,set up a mobile jacket potato stall in a local town centre and market on a sunday liked it at first but it didnt take off as i planned , gave it 6 months and new it was going to fail so i started dropping leaflets and picked up some custys for window cleaning,then i saw a small round for sale in local paper and paid £2500 for £600 a month work and never did the stall again,2 months later brought a further £200 of work off same windy for £800,been going for 2 years now and round is full,just need to convert it all to wfp now and happy days
-
I got into this game 15 years ago helping a friend. He taught me how to clean windows, and I helped him 3 days a week. After 3 months I started canvassing and within a couple of weeks had enough work to cover what I was earning with my friend. At this point I went it alone, although we would help each other out with a day's work.
My business grew until I had too much to cope with, so I sold some of it off, and gradually refined it.
Last year I had it pretty much how I wanted it, but then had to relocate to Ireland for family reasons, and so I sold it off, then started up here from scratch. Seven months in, I have close to 200 customers (48 of them I have picked up since the beginning of January).
It has been hard going at times, (eg. I have experienced the 'not today brigade' like you would not believe) but I feel that I am now beginning to reap the rewards for being very determined to succeed in what is (here) a very tough environment.
John
John,
Whereabouts in Ireland are you?
I've always wanted to relocate to Ireland... I still might do it one day!
Andy
-
I got into this game 15 years ago helping a friend. He taught me how to clean windows, and I helped him 3 days a week. After 3 months I started canvassing and within a couple of weeks had enough work to cover what I was earning with my friend. At this point I went it alone, although we would help each other out with a day's work.
My business grew until I had too much to cope with, so I sold some of it off, and gradually refined it.
Last year I had it pretty much how I wanted it, but then had to relocate to Ireland for family reasons, and so I sold it off, then started up here from scratch. Seven months in, I have close to 200 customers (48 of them I have picked up since the beginning of January).
It has been hard going at times, (eg. I have experienced the 'not today brigade' like you would not believe) but I feel that I am now beginning to reap the rewards for being very determined to succeed in what is (here) a very tough environment.
John
John,
Whereabouts in Ireland are you?
I've always wanted to relocate to Ireland... I still might do it one day!
Andy
Andy,
I am in Tralee, Co. Kerry (South West).
It's a beautiful place, very scenic. I had wanted to move here ever since I first visited 20 years ago, but I lacked the confidence to believe that I could get work here. Ironically, when circumstances forced my arm, I had to go for it. Now am beginning to feel glad that I did.
John
-
Andy,
I am in Tralee, Co. Kerry (South West).
It's a beautiful place, very scenic. I had wanted to move here ever since I first visited 20 years ago, but I lacked the confidence to believe that I could get work here. Ironically, when circumstances forced my arm, I had to go for it. Now am beginning to feel glad that I did.
John
It is a lovely place... My friends dad used to own a 3 bed bungalow in Clonmel, we used to visit there every year when I was in my teens, I've wanted to move there ever since!
If I ever was to come over Kinsale in County Cork would be my choice I think...
Andy
-
i got laid off from jcb excavators nearly 3 years ago was a good paid job but long hours,was on the dole for 6 months,set up a mobile jacket potato stall in a local town centre and market on a sunday liked it at first but it didnt take off as i planned , gave it 6 months and new it was going to fail so i started dropping leaflets and picked up some custys for window cleaning,then i saw a small round for sale in local paper and paid £2500 for £600 a month work and never did the stall again,2 months later brought a further £200 of work off same windy for £800,been going for 2 years now and round is full,just need to convert it all to wfp now and happy days
my brother worked for Jcb, i remember he said it was long hours. once laid off he moved to France and seems happier there
-
Did a BSc in Civil Engineering at Southampton and then an MSc in Hydraulic Engineering at a top engineering University in Paris (and learned the lingo in the process). Started work in France and was quickly sent as an expat to Kuwait for 4 years where money was stupid. Married a french girl and then a chance meeting with a bloke at an airport started me selling wedding dresses to shops in france. Made a mint over 10 years but divorce saw a lot of it off. Came back to UK with new English wife and started a wedding dress shop in Nottingham. Brilliant income from 1997 to 2005 but stupidly I wanted more. I had a mid-life and bought a US franchise. Franchise was a disaster and ended up down the swannee. Lost almost everything.
Dabbled for a year with no success before walking into an agency and getting sent to a factory making cattle feed. Biggest shock of my life. I'd never done any hard work before. Finally scraped a few grand together in 2010 (mainly through www.stealmygold.com) and bought a wheelie bin cleaning van that should have been scrapped 5 years ago. Started leafleting and gradually built it up. Added gutter cleaning last year.
And the happy ending? There isn't one. I'm still the poorest person I know.
-
Worked in sales had a good salary, nice shiny car, expenses, all that, then the co fiddled the rules not to pay up my bonuses. It was a well paid job but I was so annoyed it got me thinking. Also we had two small kids that I never saw during the week cos of the long hours I worked.
A mate of mine was a windy and gave me a lot of help, but the firm I worked for changed my car to one with roof bars.
Cue light bulb moment! ;D
I started working a day a week cleaning using the firms car, by the time they got shift of me for someone cheaper (saw that coming too) I'd picked up £1000 a month in work. When the MD offered me £4000 to leave quietly I had to try and keep a straight face. I think he thought I was trying not to cry! ;D
Two months after I left I went WFP
9 years later, wish I'd set up on my own years ago.
So Thank you Martin Elmore my old boss, you may be a weasle like turd, but you did me a massive favour :D
-
Army straight from school 6 years. Worked in a factory making Chinese meals, trust me the best by far not..after that. Security and door work for around 4 years. Old man always said to me, u can't beat a little window round. One day woke up and done just that, I got my mate we knocked doors all week after buying a start up kit for 30 quid, which I still use today...best move I did, as we all know with a good round the money is silly and hours are awesome. We now have 2 vans fully kitted out with wfp and vacs ect, and hold some very good contracts in the commercial sector.
-
So whats youre story magic? You say youre only canvassing evenings, so you have a job atm?
-
You still in nottingham scoop?
-
i got laid off from jcb excavators nearly 3 years ago was a good paid job but long hours,was on the dole for 6 months,set up a mobile jacket potato stall in a local town centre and market on a sunday liked it at first but it didnt take off as i planned , gave it 6 months and new it was going to fail so i started dropping leaflets and picked up some custys for window cleaning,then i saw a small round for sale in local paper and paid £2500 for £600 a month work and never did the stall again,2 months later brought a further £200 of work off same windy for £800,been going for 2 years now and round is full,just need to convert it all to wfp now and happy days
my brother worked for Jcb, i remember he said it was long hours. once laid off he moved to France and seems happier there
are you happier with him there? ;D
-
Tc I'm currently employed untill the end of the month but I'm serving my notice whilst on the sick,I am an in the public sector ,good money compared to the way the UK is and full benefits etc ,but stupid shifts,nights,15 hour days,stress,assaults,my kids don't see me much as a result of this ,it made me feel down and could see myself going into a little depression so decided rather then talk about leaving and waiting for the moment to come and it probably never would I decided I can't wait for an oppurtunity it was time to Make an oppurtunity ,so I handed notice ,have no savings managed to buy some cheap gear and well,GAME ON.
-
i did it part time at uni, cleaning the downstairs for a local chap to fund myself. finished my degree, realised the only jobs out there are call centre jobs and took over a round that was for sale local to me. ive always been an outside person, and hated the whole 'sucking the bosses ass/stabbing your colleagues in the back for a promotion' thing so window cleaning is ideal for me, as long as my body can still take it in 30 years time
-
i got laid off from jcb excavators nearly 3 years ago was a good paid job but long hours,was on the dole for 6 months,set up a mobile jacket potato stall in a local town centre and market on a sunday liked it at first but it didnt take off as i planned , gave it 6 months and new it was going to fail so i started dropping leaflets and picked up some custys for window cleaning,then i saw a small round for sale in local paper and paid £2500 for £600 a month work and never did the stall again,2 months later brought a further £200 of work off same windy for £800,been going for 2 years now and round is full,just need to convert it all to wfp now and happy days
my brother worked for Jcb, i remember he said it was long hours. once laid off he moved to France and seems happier there
are you happier with him there? ;D
he keeps an eye out and tells me about the window cleaning scene,south of paris
-
Have you been out canvassing today magic?
-
Got 2 and then had 2 recommended from my first customer.
-
Tc I'm currently employed untill the end of the month but I'm serving my notice whilst on the sick,I am an in the public sector ,good money compared to the way the UK is and full benefits etc ,but stupid shifts,nights,15 hour days,stress,assaults,my kids don't see me much as a result of this ,it made me feel down and could see myself going into a little depression so decided rather then talk about leaving and waiting for the moment to come and it probably never would I decided I can't wait for an oppurtunity it was time to Make an oppurtunity ,so I handed notice ,have no savings managed to buy some cheap gear and well,GAME ON.
Well good luck to ya, you ll look back in 5 years and wish you done it sooner, trust me.
-
Got 2 and then had 2 recommended from my first customer.
Whats that 11? the snowball effect has started already. I remember finding a street of big detatched houses worth £20-£50 a pop, all the houses were one off builds and I went canvassing and picked one up. I arranged it the next day and when I turned up the next morning her retired Husband had decided to go and canvass the whole road for me and picked me about 10 jobs up worth about £350.
I found some days you ent out all days and got a couple then next you would do nothing a get loads
-
It felt good to gain work from an existing customer ,89 to go and 5 weeks to do it..... Is it wrong to enjoy the challenge,I already love the feeling that its all on my terms and no boss to please.
-
Personally I think your doing really well. Have you thought about going around your local newsagents and seeing if you can pick a few of them up. I find they don't take long and then you can get your leaflet in their window. I used to get a few little shops in a village that would take me an hour in the morning then I found I'd pick a whole days work up either by canvassing the area, picking the shop owners house up or being asked for a quote while I was doing the shops.
-
Didn't think of the little shops just assumed they already have a cleaner,I'm going out again tommorow evening a little further out to try and get a days work as I only have 1 custy out in the area so wanna make it worthwhile,but cheers mate I'm going to try a few shops now.
-
I found aswell that if you have a shopping centre near you, if you pick a couple of shops up there at first the window cleaners grumble at you but after a while they will start letting on to you. I got given a job by an old guy once in a street and he told me he had given me a round. I went down there and as soon as I'd priced the job up and got my ladders off other people came running over. For every job I did that day I picked up 2 or 3 and ended up spending 3 days that week in that road
-
You still in nottingham scoop?
Grantham, but I do go over sometimes.
-
Did a BSc in Civil Engineering at Southampton and then an MSc in Hydraulic Engineering at a top engineering University in Paris (and learned the lingo in the process). Started work in France and was quickly sent as an expat to Kuwait for 4 years where money was stupid. Married a french girl and then a chance meeting with a bloke at an airport started me selling wedding dresses to shops in france. Made a mint over 10 years but divorce saw a lot of it off. Came back to UK with new English wife and started a wedding dress shop in Nottingham. Brilliant income from 1997 to 2005 but stupidly I wanted more. I had a mid-life and bought a US franchise. Franchise was a disaster and ended up down the swannee. Lost almost everything.
Dabbled for a year with no success before walking into an agency and getting sent to a factory making cattle feed. Biggest shock of my life. I'd never done any hard work before. Finally scraped a few grand together in 2010 (mainly through www.stealmygold.com) and bought a wheelie bin cleaning van that should have been scrapped 5 years ago. Started leafleting and gradually built it up. Added gutter cleaning last year.
And the happy ending? There isn't one. I'm still the poorest person I know.
;D better than a eastenders storyline
-
;D better than a eastenders storyline
Yes, a bit of a saga. I was in self-pity mode when I wrote it but am feeling better now and I do make a living - just cross with myself that I won't be ordering a new BMW anytime soon ;D ;D
-
I used to have about 10 regular clients I cleaned for and in only a couple of years they became around 90 clients. I was doing everything possible to keep the same standard of service although other people were helping me to do the job. In only three years I had 120 customers with a regular service.
-
I really enjoyed reading this thread, very inspirational.
-
I really enjoyed reading this thread, very inspirational.
so can we have the pleasure of your start up then reachwash?
-
Me? Oh thought you'd never ask! well I was a rebel as a kid, never went to school (unless it was art) so consequently found myself underqualified for any job other than factory work/petrol pump attendant (remember those days?) so I gave up and dropped out, punk rock, living in a squat, drugs etc.. went off to the states, married a cuban in Miami, ended up in Cal. Come home did a year in college (art & design) then started looking for work, had a painting exhibition in Greenwich, carried on looking for work, courier, bikes, vans ect. My girlfriends bro was a windy, carried around 2-3 wooden ladders at any time on his shoulder and worked like a demon, and had cash!! then the penny dropped, no boss, have a day as and when, so I teamed up with a west Indian mate and called ourselves zebra cleaning, he dropped out and became an art teacher, I brought his half of the round. In between then and now I have had three falls, so WFP came along, cheap trolley (fell apart) nissan van kitted out (stolen, stripped and burnt) brought another, sold it to the mate who carried three wooden ladders, and now Ive got a long wheel based traffic, 900 litre jobby, Gardiner lite weight poles, couple of honey pot websites, missus goes out once a week to canvas (legs and eyelashes) living in a four bed detached rent/mortgage free. working partime, wishing I was an artist!!
-
sounds great ,i will be using the other half for a little canvass tonight!!
-
When I started I didn't have a ladder, so I washed all the downstairs windows in the area. One of the punters leant me his ladder for a couple of weeks until I could afford my own.
I walked about all day everyday for a month until I had enough dough to get a knackered old vauxhall cavalier with 3 months mot and a bleak future.
I worked my conkers off and got exactly the same car but newer. In the end I had about five of those.
In 06 I moved down to sunny cornwall with enough dough to get a van and wfp.
-
After some inspiration .
What's your start up story and where your at now?
Late 1960's. I was in my mid 20's and couldn't keep a job - didn't like being told what to do, was sure I knew better :P
I lived on a boat on the Medway, and the bloke on the next boat worked what hours he pleased, winter time only (spent the summers messing about in the boatyard) doing London schools for a firm called A F Cheese & Co. Having just walked out on the latest idiot office manager I asked him next door if I could go with him.........
A year of so later decided to set up on my own - dead easy in those days - got a few hundred leaflets printed that said "I'll be canvassing in the next few days, if you're likely to be out please put this leaflet in the window"
Got better than 40% ;D
Life caught up with me: got married, had kids etc.......
Tried a few other jobs over the years but always came back and started a new window round.
Got divorced. Met someone new........ same old story.
Carried on window cleaning, on and off for 30+ years. Mid 2000's started thinking about what I'd do when I retired. Set up my own franchise network.
Now have 10 franchisees - would have had loads more, but who wants to graft that hard at my age? ;D
-
After some inspiration .
What's your start up story and where your at now?
Late 1960's. I was in my mid 20's and couldn't keep a job - didn't like being told what to do, was sure I knew better :P
I lived on a boat on the Medway, and the bloke on the next boat worked what hours he pleased, winter time only (spent the summers messing about in the boatyard) doing London schools for a firm called A F Cheese & Co. Having just walked out on the latest idiot office manager I asked him next door if I could go with him.........
A year of so later decided to set up on my own - dead easy in those days - got a few hundred leaflets printed that said "I'll be canvassing in the next few days, if you're likely to be out please put this leaflet in the window"
Got better than 40% ;D
Life caught up with me: got married, had kids etc.......
Tried a few other jobs over the years but always came back and started a new window round.
Got divorced. Met someone new........ same old story.
Carried on window cleaning, on and off for 30+ years. Mid 2000's started thinking about what I'd do when I retired. Set up my own franchise network.
Now have 10 franchisees - would have had loads more, but who wants to graft that hard at my age? ;D
Ian I honestly thought you were in your 30's. Don't know what gave me that impression.
-
I had a completely different business with huge overheads and when i started a family i just couldnt make enough money, my wife suggested trying window cleaning so i started while still running the other business and realised after a year that this was the way to go!
so i got rid of my unit, vans, staff and got on with the windows!
after 3 years i went wfp and i now have a good solid round and a lot less stress! the best thing i did was throwing my old business phone in the sea, i will never go back to my old trade Cheesy
Richard - What was your old trade?
Andy
Andy I ran a caravan and motorhome repair workshop for 21 years
-
Any more?
-
I am not a window cleaner but I was a window cleaner.
I remember saying to the guys I used to work with that £6.00 an hour was a good wage. Then I got to thinking that there was more out there.
I bought a set of domestic ladders for £20.00 and because I worked shifts I cleaned and leafleted before and after I went to work.
Within twelve months I had packed my job in ( I had equalled my salary by that point) and gone it alone. Within two months I had doubled my turnover and then ended up with a 700 strong domestic window cleaning business, with lots of medium sized commercial outlets and Britannia Building Society head offices.
I had a call from a client to look at Supermarket cleaning and decided to sell the window cleaning to an employee and concentrate on the supermarkets.
Into my 6th year of supermarkets and I would say I have pressure washed and cleaned nearly 200 of them, every year it has got busier and busier and i have no regrets.
I am away from home a great deal but the reward is worth it. In Southampton tonight and till Wednesday next week.
This is my thirteenth year of being self employed and apart from not seeing my wife as often as I would like I have just about everything I ever dreamed of!!!!
Rob ;D
-
Me? Oh thought you'd never ask! well I was a rebel as a kid, never went to school (unless it was art) so consequently found myself underqualified for any job other than factory work/petrol pump attendant (remember those days?) so I gave up and dropped out, punk rock, living in a squat, drugs etc.. went off to the states, married a cuban in Miami, ended up in Cal. Come home did a year in college (art & design) then started looking for work, had a painting exhibition in Greenwich, carried on looking for work, courier, bikes, vans ect. My girlfriends bro was a windy, carried around 2-3 wooden ladders at any time on his shoulder and worked like a demon, and had cash!! then the penny dropped, no boss, have a day as and when, so I teamed up with a west Indian mate and called ourselves zebra cleaning, he dropped out and became an art teacher, I brought his half of the round. In between then and now I have had three falls, so WFP came along, cheap trolley (fell apart) nissan van kitted out (stolen, stripped and burnt) brought another, sold it to the mate who carried three wooden ladders, and now Ive got a long wheel based traffic, 900 litre jobby, Gardiner lite weight poles, couple of honey pot websites, missus goes out once a week to canvas (legs and eyelashes) living in a four bed detached rent/mortgage free. working partime, wishing I was an artist!!
That’s a cracking story REACH ;D ;D
-
After some inspiration .
What's your start up story and where your at now?
Late 1960's. I was in my mid 20's and couldn't keep a job - didn't like being told what to do, was sure I knew better :P
I lived on a boat on the Medway, and the bloke on the next boat worked what hours he pleased, winter time only (spent the summers messing about in the boatyard) doing London schools for a firm called A F Cheese & Co. Having just walked out on the latest idiot office manager I asked him next door if I could go with him.........
A year of so later decided to set up on my own - dead easy in those days - got a few hundred leaflets printed that said "I'll be canvassing in the next few days, if you're likely to be out please put this leaflet in the window"
Got better than 40% ;D
Life caught up with me: got married, had kids etc.......
Tried a few other jobs over the years but always came back and started a new window round.
Got divorced. Met someone new........ same old story.
Carried on window cleaning, on and off for 30+ years. Mid 2000's started thinking about what I'd do when I retired. Set up my own franchise network.
Now have 10 franchisees - would have had loads more, but who wants to graft that hard at my age? ;D
That’s a great story ;)
-
You had a productive day Magic?
-
I gave a job to another windy today as it was out of my way and couldn't park,so after 10 mins of stressing went an approached my first other windie and offered him the house he was grateful and made me feel good,so on the way home pulled into a side rd ,banged the first door and a deal was made ,knocked the rest and nothing.
-
I gave a job to another windy today as it was out of my way and couldn't park,so after 10 mins of stressing went an approached my first other windie and offered him the house he was grateful and made me feel good,so on the way home pulled into a side rd ,banged the first door and a deal was made ,knocked the rest and nothing.
sorry magic your now banned, you have broke the first rule of CIU.....Its dump and replace with 2 ;D
-
I gave a job to another windy today as it was out of my way and couldn't park,so after 10 mins of stressing went an approached my first other windie and offered him the house he was grateful and made me feel good,so on the way home pulled into a side rd ,banged the first door and a deal was made ,knocked the rest and nothing.
sorry magic your now banned, you have broke the first rule of CIU.....Its dump and replace with 2 ;D
;D ;D ;D ;D
-
I gave a job to another windy today as it was out of my way and couldn't park,so after 10 mins of stressing went an approached my first other windie and offered him the house he was grateful and made me feel good,so on the way home pulled into a side rd ,banged the first door and a deal was made ,knocked the rest and nothing.
sorry magic your now banned, you have broke the first rule of CIU.....Its dump and replace with 2 ;D
Oh My God!! Wait until Tosh hears of the Blasphamy, where's the report to moderator button........... :P
-
Well I forgot to mention,I got one from Ian Lancaster on here as well yesterday so I did get 2 more does that count?
-
Phew..... You were nearly in trouble then!
-
Well I forgot to mention,I got one from Ian Lancaster on here as well yesterday so I did get 2 more does that count?
Ok Magic Im willing to let this one go ;D I just thought I would see what its like to be a mod for a couple of posts ;D
-
Cheers mate,I can only apoligise and if get In that situation again I know what do lol.
-
So many members so few storys come on guys and girls.
-
Army straight from school 6 years. Worked in a factory making Chinese meals, trust me the best by far not..after that. Security and door work for around 4 years. Old man always said to me, u can't beat a little window round. One day woke up and done just that, I got my mate we knocked doors all week after buying a start up kit for 30 quid, which I still use today...best move I did, as we all know with a good round the money is silly and hours are awesome. We now have 2 vans fully kitted out with wfp and vacs ect, and hold some very good contracts in the commercial sector.
And from the thread "What was your job prior to window cleaning?"
Tax office 14 years.
Benefit entitlement 2 years
Inconsistencyfrom London Cleaners? Surely not!