[mark mann]

Hi guys

just a topical which was briefly touched on in a thread the other month -

for all year experienced long term wfp or trad guys and the newbies been going in last 12 months -

q- if you were starting again for the first time is there anything you would different?
 

[mlscontractcleaner]

One major difference I'd make is that I'd become a male escort instead of a window cleaner.

I'm obviously the best looking fella on here and with my looks, body and prowess in the bedroom I'd earn a sack full of cash

By the way, if my wife comes on here to tell you any different she's very bitter and confused, honest

[cozy]

Yes, when canvassing new areas to work, I would have charged more for first cleans. Not much, maybe 15%. We charge between 50% and 100% now.
Also, I would have started everything on 6 weekly instead of 4 weekly. Changed everyone from 4 weekly to 6 weekly years ago.

[cozy]

One major difference I'd make is that I'd become a male escort instead of a window cleaner.

I'm obviously the best looking fella on here and with my looks, body and prowess in the bedroom I'd earn a sack full of cash

By the way, if my wife comes on here to tell you any different she's very bitter and confused, honest

 

[scottt24]

the only thing i would do differently is i would not have gone out collecting money.

i only collect from two small ares now and thats only because they expect it (because the guy i bought the work from always collected friday nights) and if i did not go i would never get paid from them

It only takes me 1 hour, friday evening every 6 weeks but it still winds me up

[G3ST Cleaning]

I borrowed money from my brother to have the rounds he was selling. I paid him back every month then an it was reduced which made it easier to pay my own bills and have any money left over. It was a big juggling act. Very quickly i knew id made a massive mistake and tried to sell the work which id bought. Found out i would struggle to get the money back quickly so i sold it.

Now ive paid the money off and built my own round with better prices and better customers. Since april ive built up £2k a month of new business and still going steadily.


Danny

[prestige cleaners]

I borrowed money from my brother to have the rounds he was selling. I paid him back every month at £1k then reduced to £500 which made it very hard to pay my own bills and have any money left over. It was a big juggling act. Very quickly i knew id made a massive mistake and tried to sell the work which id bought (Didnt know anything about round prices just believed i was getting a good price). Found out i would struggle to get the money back that i owed so i built smaller rounds to sell to pay the debt off.

Now ive paid the £25k off and built my own round with better prices and better customers. Since april ive built up £2k a month of new business and still going.

Lessons to be learnt are never to trust anyone in business  
Dont work with family (can be complicated)

how much pa was the work worth?
Do your homework well before committing

Danny

[G3ST Cleaning]

I presumed it was abit more than i had but a few cancelled with a few bad accounts

I had one customer owing £42 on a £2 a fortnight clean.

danny

[darren clarke]

danny are u platinum or is ur brother platinum,  as i know a women in st helens who owns her wc £50 and it is only a terrace houses

[prestige cleaners]

I presumed it was £3k a month but because of the debts that customers where left with because my brother didnt collect regularly i had a few cancel so when done with there was £2,500 roughly.

I had one customer owing £42 on a £2 a fortnight clean.

danny

you paid £25k for £30k worth of work! man thats bad, and your own brother, what a scumbag.

[darren clarke]

the only things i would change is i would knock the first week every day from 10 -8  and then knock every night from 5- 8 for 3 months and do the cleans in the day,  i didnt knock enough when started,

[G3ST Cleaning]

He did have someone to buy the work but i said id have it if i could pay him monthly and thats the agreement we came to. i was only abit younger and didnt really know anything about business or round prices so i was just trusting i got a good deal. When i struggled to pay the money my brother did reduce the payment. To be fair i did really want the work and did a bit of mithering to get it but after a month or so i regreted it because it was difficult. Ive learnt a lot from it though especially how to keep the costs low and run efficiently.

Since i started in april its been easy because of that experience even though i regret it ive learned loads from it

Danny 

[darren clarke]

u got ripped off mate,

i would of just give him the work back saying get stuffed

i cant believe that work is going for 10 X in st helens, espically £2 houses,  and espically from your brother

[Smudger]

1.  should have taken up this game a few years earlier than i have.

2. With WFP had 6/12 wky cycles rather than 4/8/12

Darran

[G3ST Cleaning]

u got ripped off mate,

i would of just give him the work back saying get stuffed

i cant believe that work is going for 10 X in st helens, espically £2 houses,  and espically from your brother

Your right but the way i seen it i wanted the work and he had a cash offer so i paid extra for work i wouldnt have otherwise been able to afford. In the end he let me off with some money and ive paid it back and im now very profitable. I had a construction company i set up at the time but i couldnt get a job becuase i knew f*** all about construction and we had no trading record. I had £500 of work i had before i sold the last round and am canvassing every week.

In contrast im buying a small round locally worth £100 a fortnight for £400.

danny

[Scrimble]

go straight for carbon fibre poles dont waste money on crap fibreglass

[prestige cleaners]

yeah wish id started straight from school, and not wasted 20 years of working for peanuts.
id be minted by now!

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

wouldnt  buy a trafic , vivaro or primastar
ever still wishing ida brought a smiley
transit 

[bobplum]

I WOULDNT CHANGE ANYTHING,im perfect
bob

[Llaaww]

yeah wish id started straight from school, and not wasted 20 years of working for peanuts.
id be minted by now!

Yeh!! me to.

If I had to put it all together again I would without any doubt only use a top carbon pole. Other than that it worked once so theres no reason it won't work again.