Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: daz1977 on September 27, 2009, 08:35:25 pm

Title: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: daz1977 on September 27, 2009, 08:35:25 pm
after watching dragons den with the window cleaners on. saying that he went from nothing to 6 grand a month in 6 months(i think might be 3)  do u think that this might make a load of newbies this that it is easy money and all jump on the bang wagon  as a lot did with plumbing a few years ago, and end up flooding the market and under cutting people just to get work
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: LWC on September 27, 2009, 08:42:08 pm
Winters almost here, you watch them disappear  ;)
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Clive McDonald on September 27, 2009, 08:54:54 pm
I saw the where are they now follow up, and i got the impression it was a fix. Judges are not supposed to have any prior knowledge of applicants and nothing was said to dispel this.

However, the reason given for the investment was because duncan was impressed by the passion of the guy. On paper it doesn't make much sence, he does better than us of course, but any return is still modest.The equity given away was large for someone who had taken great pains to retain 100% ownership up untill now. It wasn't explained what the investment wasactually needed for.The other dragons looked  baffled at why they were there and even more surprised when dunc got his cheque book out.

If large contracts could be gotten , and the show used for publicity it makes far more sence.

As to your question, i think we are okay because it looked like commercial and duncan made a point of 50p a window.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Ste M on September 27, 2009, 08:58:41 pm
If the winter doesnt get rid of the newbies the fact that most start off Traditional will, people just dont realise how hard it is to clean windows. Its one of the hardest jobs i have done as its very pyhsical and you also have to be bloody good at your job or people will just not put up with it and get rid of you
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Clive McDonald on September 27, 2009, 09:13:41 pm
If the winter doesnt get rid of the newbies the fact that most start off Traditional will, people just dont realise how hard it is to clean windows. Its one of the hardest jobs i have done as its very pyhsical and you also have to be bloody good at your job or people will just not put up with it and get rid of you

I agree, and you can be good at your job but still people get rid of you or twist bad things in their life into bad things in yours.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: weetot on September 27, 2009, 09:14:50 pm
If the winter doesnt get rid of the newbies the fact that most start off Traditional will, people just dont realise how hard it is to clean windows. Its one of the hardest jobs i have done as its very pyhsical and you also have to be bloody good at your job or people will just not put up with it and get rid of you

Here Here >:(
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: chrismroberts on September 27, 2009, 09:54:58 pm
I dont know if its just me, or does £0 to £6000 a month in 6 months sound a bit much? Thats some serious canvassing. And a lot of first cleans. Especially for someone new to the business?
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: mick partington on September 27, 2009, 10:54:30 pm
sounds like bull the guy thay like and invested in told them what thay wanted to hear a good salesman full stop.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: daz1977 on September 27, 2009, 11:11:38 pm
i agree it did sould like bull,   does any one else think that, that bloke might really be PCNW lol, as hes gone quiet lately, probably trying to undercut the north east now
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Ste M on September 27, 2009, 11:18:12 pm
The only thing i thought was a bit crap was his profits that he was making, they were not that good if you asked me, if i was turning over 6k a month i would be expecting a better return than he was getting. I also think he was using it as an advertisement as there was no other reason to be on the show asking for investment as he was expanding at a good rate anyway
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Gaby P. on September 27, 2009, 11:19:15 pm
Daz, good point, he's probably to busy to come on here. Too busy constructing things.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: ♠Winp®oClean♠ on September 27, 2009, 11:36:49 pm
Turnover means nothing in reality.

My mate's ltd company turned over 275000 last year & made a 40k loss!!!!

And, like many, it seems, was so focused on turnover he was baffled at his situation! :o

Even though he's my best mate, his flaw is that his focus is on stature, how he looks to others, how big his company is etc!!! More vans, bigger vans, an office, ten phones etc. All of which earned hin sweet fA.

As I have told him, he's a fool. ;)
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: clear-view on September 28, 2009, 08:16:28 am
Think about it 6k turnover if you charge £10 per clean that is only 600 customers in a month. If i had the money i could easily buy a couple of runs from people to get those figures.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: trevor perry on September 28, 2009, 01:26:09 pm
Turnover means nothing in reality.

My mate's ltd company turned over 275000 last year & made a 40k loss!!!!

And, like many, it seems, was so focused on turnover he was baffled at his situation! :o

Even though he's my best mate, his flaw is that his focus is on stature, how he looks to others, how big his company is etc!!! More vans, bigger vans, an office, ten phones etc. All of which earned hin sweet fA.

As I have told him, he's a fool. ;)
there is a lot of them about in the latest cleaning magazine plimsol who look at large busineses said that out of the 200 cleaning firms it looked at 1 in 4 of them where running at a loss.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: windowswashed on September 28, 2009, 07:55:20 pm
I'd rather have a smaller, more profitable round than working flat out for peanuts trying to impress others.
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: LWC on September 28, 2009, 08:28:58 pm
He woulda made more money on his own cleaning windows lol
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Sean Dyer on September 28, 2009, 08:39:24 pm
He woulda made more money on his own cleaning windows lol

I think he must of made more doing the 6k per month definetely and know he is stuck splitting his money with an investor, i dont think he is as business minded as he thinks he is lol

6k per month probably trad paying what 2-3 lads? 250 a week each ? 3k per month he makes 3k for nothing

From that to a business that made 16 k profit in second year was it?

Ludicrous, how can a window cleaning lose so much money lol

although he did say they owned all the vehicles etc, but why bother if your gonna lose profit , lease?
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Moderator David@stives on September 28, 2009, 08:55:53 pm
They have since pitched for £25m of new business, so it says on the dragond roadshow episode.

I think they will make lots of money with Duncan behind them
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: JSMC on September 28, 2009, 08:59:05 pm
duncan will now have them cleaning all his gyms so there is one contract for them and wirth his business contacts you can bet they will ge tplenty of business
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: Moderator David@stives on September 29, 2009, 06:51:30 am
Duncans cleaners clean there gyms, I have heard, I think its in his book
Title: Re: dragons den (again) sorry
Post by: weetot on September 29, 2009, 07:16:43 pm
I,ve met the guy, and he seems to be a very decent chap, hope he does well.

I'm still bitter and jealous mind you! :-[ ;D