Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Stoots on November 21, 2014, 11:38:30 pm
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Hi, after 10 years of working dead end jobs approx 18mnths ago i had the idea to be self employed, i setup as a car valeter just doing 1 job a week on a saturday, then i had a setback with personal problems and it went on the back burner, anyway as of april this year i quit my full time job and too a part time job hoping to build up slowly.
Anyway although i ws getting 1-2 jobs a week from phone calls/website i was struggling to build up regular work, so around september i had the idea of window cleaning, low on funds i picked up a few jobs from fb and practiced. I now have a few custies and looking to build up over the winter into spring , when hopefully i will be able to go full time self employed at last...
Just wondered how you guys started, did you build steady? just quit your job or dive in? im excited yet scared to take the leap what with the guaranteed bills paid each month etc that you get being employed, but the money is crap i can never live the life i want on minimum wage!
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Why didn't the valeting take off?
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Made redundant didn't want to work for any one else also was scared of heights so thought it would sort out my fear and it did . almost gave up with lack of work until 6 months when things started to take off . best thing I did work wise.
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Why didn't the valeting take off?
Didnt put the effort in. Cannot wor in any sort of drizzle. Plus harder to get regular work people dont want a monthly car valet. It will take off eventually I just need to target commercial.
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Last resort job for me. Print trade was collapsing so had to find something that required no skills, no training and no qualifications. Which meant cleaning windows ;D
Built my own system with help from here, started canvassing and away I went, got too much work for two careers so jumped ship.
Not a bad way to earn a living - hate it some days - quite enjoy it others but would never say I love it.
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Hi, after 10 years of working dead end jobs approx 18mnths ago i had the idea to be self employed, i setup as a car valeter just doing 1 job a week on a saturday, then i had a setback with personal problems and it went on the back burner, anyway as of april this year i quit my full time job and too a part time job hoping to build up slowly.
Anyway although i ws getting 1-2 jobs a week from phone calls/website i was struggling to build up regular work, so around september i had the idea of window cleaning, low on funds i picked up a few jobs from fb and practiced. I now have a few custies and looking to build up over the winter into spring , when hopefully i will be able to go full time self employed at last...
Just wondered how you guys started, did you build steady? just quit your job or dive in? im excited yet scared to take the leap what with the guaranteed bills paid each month etc that you get being employed, but the money is crap i can never live the life i want on minimum wage!
hi mate I started window cleaning six and a half years ago,at the time I was also doing a bit of carpet cleaning.
Personally what I did was invested in a decent van and system,I was in a position where I had the money to invest in my new business,the fear of failure didn't cross my mind,as I was confident that if I kept knocking on doors I would gain work,in my opinion canvassing is the quickest and best way to gain work,maybe this is due to I am confident enough tot knock on someone's door and talk to them,if your not happy to canvass you will have to put out thousands of leaflets to gain a few customers,in my opinion this way will take o long time to build a round.
Basically there's no easy route,I just kept canvassing,and still do now to replace messers and customers that drop me.
Good luck
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I was working in a very unhealthy environment so when the chance of voluntary redundancy came up
it took it.
Put my redundancy money into buying a van, WFP equipment and a gutter vac without having ever cleaned
a window or a single customer to my name.
Took a small business course on the back to work program which was a real eye opener.
Dropped about 20000 leaflets never got a single call and then started to worry.
Bit the bullet and done the one thing I hate more than anything else in life I door knocked, got about 60 customers
in two weeks.
That was it, I done a decent job charged a fair price and the work just started pouring in through recommendations.
I'm now going just over seven years and next year I will be employing which is another first for me.
That's what I love about this job, I can do what suits me, and work the hours that suit me.
Don't get me wrong there have been a few ups and downs along the way and a few near call it a day moments
but nothing worth doing or having in life is easy.
I was also at the stage in my life when I was debt and mortgage free and had a few quid as back up so I wouldn't recommend the way I did things to everybody.
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After many years (25+) in engineering making everything from washers to F1 components redundancy loomed large again (4th time) decided that I'd give something a go on my own so armed with the family vitara, vileda squeegee, sponge and bucket I canvassed the village I was living in... Never looked back, that was 5 years ago
Darran
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Why didn't the valeting take off?
Didnt put the effort in. Cannot wor in any sort of drizzle. Plus harder to get regular work people dont want a monthly car valet. It will take off eventually I just need to target commercial.
If you didn't put the effort in with the valeting then why should it be any different window cleaning...building a window cleaning business isn't easy the job itself is but getting loyal customers isn't easy you have to go through all the timewasters it's demoralising and it takes someone with a hard nose and grit and determination to succeed.
I don't want to sound harsh but that's how it is.
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After many years (25+) in engineering making everything from washers to F1 components redundancy loomed large again (4th time) decided that I'd give something a go on my own so armed with the family vitara, vileda squeegee, sponge and bucket I canvassed the village I was living in... Never looked back, that was 5 years ago
Darran
30+ years doing the same Darran, but I do miss manufacturing at times you don't get a finished product with cleaning.
I'm sure you know what I mean.
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Worked for NASA and decided I wanted to earn more. So I quit my lifestyle and started window cleaning. Best thing I ever did. £800 by lunch time most days.
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Got asked by a customer whilst cleaning their carpets if I knew any window cleaners as they hadn't had one in their estate for over a year. I leafletted the estate and picked up 6 of them initially, now got 47 in that estate out of 81 houses.... and another 3,500 in other estates ;D 3 vans and 6 window cleaners fully employed. 8 vans and 18 staff in total now in all our cleaning operations.
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Worked for NASA and decided I wanted to earn more. So I quit my lifestyle and started window cleaning. Best thing I ever did. £800 by lunch time most days.
You must of been over the moon with how it finally worked out.
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I fell off a ladder and landed on my feet.
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I fell off a ladder and landed on my feet.
Don't you mean your head?
:-*
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It was my head at first but I bounced and came to rest on my feet.
I've been resting there ever since.
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I lost my job as a banker and needed something that would pay at least £150k a year. So I started cleaning windows.
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Yes I know what you mean Sean, next door still manufacture stuff for the oil industry, I can say I dont miss the smell of the coolant :-X
I mainly do the first off cleans, SFG and pressure washing so you get some satisfaction of leaving stuff clean and shiny
Darran
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My dad did it...and my grandad...would be wrong of me not to do it...not sure how my daughter feels about taking it over when shes old enough ;D
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Or do it like this guy....
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=191162.0
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Worked for NASA and decided I wanted to earn more. So I quit my lifestyle and started window cleaning. Best thing I ever did. £800 by lunch time most days.
You must of been over the moon with how it finally worked out.
:D
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I lost my previous job when the company folded. I was unemployed for around three months, and was on the verge of starting to learn the knowledge to become a London cabbie, when a good friend of mine offered me part time work cleaning windows.
I worked for him for about three months, when he encouraged me to build a run of my own.
I canvassed in my spare time, and within a couple of weeks I was earning enough to go solo. It snowballed from there.
Three years ago I relocated to Ireland and started up again. It's been a challenge this time as my move was in the middle of the recession, which hit Ireland hard, but I am still plugging away and inching closer to where I need to be with the business.
John
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i walked out of my last job as a transport manager for a rather large local firm,when i got divorced,lost my dad to cancer and then finally had a break down
didnt work for 3 months lived of my saving,and then brought a part round of a local guy,who i worked with for a month and then took on 3day a week worth of work off him
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....... and still only works three days a week ;)
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....... and still only works three days a week ;)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D got to ride all them bikes somehow ;D ;D ;D
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....... and still only works three days a week ;)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D got to ride all them bikes somehow ;D ;D ;D
three days should be enough to earn a good living ;)
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....... and still only works three days a week ;)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D got to ride all them bikes somehow ;D ;D ;D
three days should be enough to earn a good living ;)
about 80k ;D
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Sort of.
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i walked out of my last job as a transport manager for a rather large local firm,when i got divorced,lost my dad to cancer and then finally had a break down
didnt work for 3 months lived of my saving,and then brought a part round of a local guy,who i worked with for a month and then took on 3day a week worth of work off him
Franky what firm was that?
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I used to work in sales for a company called In-Tuition computer training in central London. I was 20 years old getting up at 5 am and coming home at 9pm, it started off ok, and I did relatively well out of it, I was getting tired though and I had a boss who used my naivety to bully me and make my day harder. My sales targets kept getting bigger, the better I did, the more they kept moving my targets, I would come in a 6 am for a two hour sales meeting to discuss what the focus was for the day, only for them to rollock us for not hitting targets, or increase our targets.
I lasted about 18 months and quit due to burnout. I then had a few other jobs, and started my own telemarketing business. I managed to get 12 clients and was making good money, and then the contracts finished and I couldn't get anymore as no one was spending money.
So I went window cleaning with a friend to earn some cash, did some gardening with my (now ex) father in law until work picked up. I realised I enjoyed working outside and as worked picked up again on the telemarketing I longed to work outside again.
I had a meeting with a customer in Scotland, I rang him up and cancelled the meeting; I cancelled any future work, finished my contracts and closed the business down. The next day I started canvassing for window cleaning, that was back in 2003 and I haven't looked back since.
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I lost my job as a banker and needed something that would pay at least £150k a year. So I started cleaning windows.
;D ;D
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Lost my job as a city stockbroker so needed something that paid loads of money for very little effort and also tax avoidance. Normally do about 3k a day
Thinking about going legit next year.
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You do £3K a day in pies. ;D
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hi Adam. When I started a lot of people took the mick but I got publicity because of my size. You could gain weight to ab out forty stone and copy me but I don`t recommend that.
Here`s what works for me.
Get some good professional leaflets printed but don`t just stick them through doors but knock the doors. This way the leaflet is a sign that you`re not just another fly-by-night. If there is no answer then post leaflet or if the door has no cold callers then post leaflet.
When you`ve cleaned a house, knock on the neighbours say you`ve just done their neighbours and do they need a window cleaner.
Facebook have selling pages in your local area, go on there and promote yourself.
If you want to build a business then re-invest every penny you can back in.
Finally get a back pack and pole from wcw. you can usually buy water from a local firm.
This is a great way to earn a living so go for it. gerald
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You do £3K a day in pies. ;D
Shut up you fat pikey :P ;D
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i walked out of my last job as a transport manager for a rather large local firm,when i got divorced,lost my dad to cancer and then finally had a break down
didnt work for 3 months lived of my saving,and then brought a part round of a local guy,who i worked with for a month and then took on 3day a week worth of work off him
Franky what firm was that?
David hathaway transport ;)
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hi Adam. When I started a lot of people took the mick but I got publicity because of my size. You could gain weight to ab out forty stone and copy me but I don`t recommend that.
Here`s what works for me.
Get some good professional leaflets printed but don`t just stick them through doors but knock the doors. This way the leaflet is a sign that you`re not just another fly-by-night. If there is no answer then post leaflet or if the door has no cold callers then post leaflet.
When you`ve cleaned a house, knock on the neighbours say you`ve just done their neighbours and do they need a window cleaner.
Facebook have selling pages in your local area, go on there and promote yourself.
If you want to build a business then re-invest every penny you can back in.
Finally get a back pack and pole from wcw. you can usually buy water from a local firm.
This is a great way to earn a living so go for it. gerald
Like that, good attitude.
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You do £3K a day in pies. ;D
I`ve cut down to only 1.5K
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I used to work in sales for a company called In-Tuition computer training in central London. I was 20 years old getting up at 5 am and coming home at 9pm, it started off ok, and I did relatively well out of it, I was getting tired though and I had a boss who used my naivety to bully me and make my day harder. My sales targets kept getting bigger, the better I did, the more they kept moving my targets, I would come in a 6 am for a two hour sales meeting to discuss what the focus was for the day, only for them to rollock us for not hitting targets, or increase our targets.
I lasted about 18 months and quit due to burnout. I then had a few other jobs, and started my own telemarketing business. I managed to get 12 clients and was making good money, and then the contracts finished and I couldn't get anymore as no one was spending money.
So I went window cleaning with a friend to earn some cash, did some gardening with my (now ex) father in law until work picked up. I realised I enjoyed working outside and as worked picked up again on the telemarketing I longed to work outside again.
I had a meeting with a customer in Scotland, I rang him up and cancelled the meeting; I cancelled any future work, finished my contracts and closed the business down. The next day I started canvassing for window cleaning, that was back in 2003 and I haven't looked back since.
Interesting story Marc, do you use your sales skills to the max now? What training did you have behind all that work? You must find getting commercial work pretty easy.
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Wow late reply here.
Yeah I have found that my sales background has helped a bit. But it's like anything really the more effort you put into a business the more you get out.