Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: pingu on November 25, 2007, 08:00:05 am
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2007 has been a mixture of up's and downs and being my first full year so to speak, I have learnt alot of things but in the main ...I am learning alot about me and my actions/reactions.
What have been your highs, lows...I am not talking about how many squillion's you earnt but new insights, revelations...tips and tricks...advice.
Look forward to your answers
Cheers
Dave.
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If this has been your first year self employed then it will have been a year of revelations for you.
A few tips to help you on your way
(1) You always need to feel that you are making progress, moving forward and consolidating your position. Keep planning ahead.
(2) Put some money away for a rainy day and don't touch it except in a real emergency. Just having it there is a real comfort.
(3) Work out a plan B in case it all goes wrong. Mine is internet trading and I am building up my expertise on e-bay all the time plus researching suppliers and products. In this business you are physically dependant on your own fitness to work and a slipped disc or a broken ankle will put you on the bench.
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This year started out great. Our little business was picking up and all was well. Then. The floods came. and came 2 more times. Lost a load of customers due to flood damage. And had nearly a month of no work. Then work picked up again, picked up some good work and some nice customers. Bought a new(second hand) van and now that has broken down we will be unable to work for 2 weeks. But we are all healthy and have learnt alot about running a little business. Also we found a bloody good accountant this year which has helped alot.
So this year has been up and down but we are still enjoying doing what we are doing. Still better than working for someone else!
We ahve some solid goals set out for 2008 and keen to see if we can meet them.
Ant
TVCS
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Year 2007 started very badly for me as could not work or stand from car crash at Christmas did make me think alot, my aim was to get myself back to work to recoup losess and get fit again aswell as expand, took on a guy had never window cleaned at all thats fantastic as he had no bad habits, trained him up and took every other week off work to get better, went wfp opened up another business, goals for the rest of this year are now to work on the commercial side of the business and hopefully get myself fully fit again (starting physio again in 2 weeks, cant wait for the needles to be stuck in me everywhere :() saying that 2007 is going better than I thought, 2008 goals are being rewritten
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doubled my turnover in 2007 which was great. looking to do the same in 2008. not all been plain sailing but looking back it has been a success and a very prosperus year
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Well, the year has been a good one for me, although I found the weather demoralising throughout the summer. Although April weather was wonderful, it went downhill after that for months.
The last 2 months Ive had one day off because of dodgy weather, but made that lost day up anyway in the rest of the working week. So no complaints of late weather-wise.
Ive found since using this forum much more that Ive been able to focus far more professionally regarding work, and take much more pride in the jobs I do. Its helped to encourage me to try to raise the profile of the services I offer, so this gives me a far more satisfying feeling of accomplishment. I now advertise in the local Parish Mag, also online, I have magnetic ads for the car and also now wear a uniform; so this year has seen me move forward in various ways, for which I have this forum to thank.
Of course it has helped in a good few other ways, such as confidence, how much I charge, where I target if I canvass; and also its opened my mind to WFP.
So thanks guys.
A good year all round. Oh, and yea, Ive decided Im worth more than just one holiday scuba diving each year ;D
Matt
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You can never dive too much !!...Take on some extra jobs 'cash in hand' for those dive holidays...it's ok, the taxman accepts this as long as you spend the money in a foreign country ;D ;D.
Dave.
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Eye opener for me jumped straight in the deep end in February, always a bit depressed with my earnings but overall not bad considering i don't work shifts anymore and work nine to three most days. Only worked three short days this week and still pulled in more than your factory worker on nightshift. BUT no sign of a holiday yet and not paying tax yet so a fair bit more work to be taken on board next year i think. Just hope my health holds out.
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But I take it you are doing ok then Davew?
I take your point about this forum and it's addictive nature ;D
Dave.
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You can never dive too much !!...Take on some extra jobs 'cash in hand' for those dive holidays...it's ok, the taxman accepts this as long as you spend the money in a foreign country ;D ;D.
Dave.
8 weeks ago Egypt
(http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2007Q2/MMatt in the groove (600 x 450).jpg)