[gordonswindows]

Well done Slump

You have found the answer to running a business

Many people are negative about the e-myth but it is because they just don't get it, these are similar to the PC Window fans who don't understand Apple products except of course their beloved iPhones

If you read the history of the e-myth author you may begin to understand why ,apart from the money" he shares the book with us

E-myth changed my business and my life and anyway who fails to embrace it is either blinkered, biast or unwilling to believe someone else may just have the answer

The e-myth is not the final answer to your business becoming a success but it may just set you out on the right road

Even the little tips like hanging a door-hanger flyer on the houses next to the ones you already do works so much better than any standard flyer and the building of your procedure manual answers the questions every technician moans about becoming an employer "why can't they do it as well as me"

I have just told you my thoughts on The E- myth  but you know I really hope you all tell me I am wrong as it leaves all the more customers for my business

Gordon

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Well done Slump

You have found the answer to running a business

Many people are negative about the e-myth but it is because they just don't get it, these are similar to the PC Window fans who don't understand Apple products except of course their beloved iPhones

If you read the history of the e-myth author you may begin to understand why ,apart from the money" he shares the book with us

E-myth changed my business and my life and anyway who fails to embrace it is either blinkered, biast or unwilling to believe someone else may just have the answer

The e-myth is not the final answer to your business becoming a success but it may just set you out on the right road

Even the little tips like hanging a door-hanger flyer on the houses next to the ones you already do works so much better than any standard flyer and the building of your procedure manual answers the questions every technician moans about becoming an employer "why can't they do it as well as me"

I have just told you my thoughts on The E- myth  but you know I really hope you all tell me I am wrong as it leaves all the more customers for my businessGordon

Why have we all still got our customers then?

Surely you should have them by now?

[Richard iSparkle]

Even the little tips like hanging a door-hanger flyer on the houses next to the ones you already do works so much better than any standard flyer

hey gordon,

i tried to get some door hangers printed last year but couldn't find anywhere to do it.  have you been able to, and would you mind letting me know who did them for you?

thanks

R

[Clive McDonald]

I've really studied the replies that have been given and appreciate your insights- dazmond tom vince and anyone else all pretty smart and perceptive.Gordon, i know exactly what you mean.

About the e myth book.Well it's quite uncomfortable because he's got me exactly, and just like those house makeover programmes where the subject kicks up because the house doctor tells them why they can't sell their house; it's a pooe hole, and your pets need to be kept in the garden etc.

Bye the bye it's some consolation that he's not that good a writer and there are a lot of errors.Surprising in a book thats been a bestseller for fifteen years and been revised, but maybe he carries the "thats the way we do things here" ethos into this and tells the subs they are merely typewriter monkeys.

That said he's got the subject pretty much nailed and the picture he draws of me-even though he doesn't know me- is not one i like. I'm just over half way through, and am just getting to his solution.

I do have faults.I'll give you a couple of examples.I have new vehicles, but a lot of the time they are left dirty. and the back of my van is often untidy and cluttered.This is probably not the best advert for a cleaning company.

Keep the comments coming.Thanks Clive.

[Perfect Windows]

Well done Slump

You have found the answer to running a business

Many people are negative about the e-myth but it is because they just don't get it, these are similar to the PC Window fans who don't understand Apple products except of course their beloved iPhones

If you read the history of the e-myth author you may begin to understand why ,apart from the money" he shares the book with us

E-myth changed my business and my life and anyway who fails to embrace it is either blinkered, biast or unwilling to believe someone else may just have the answer

The e-myth is not the final answer to your business becoming a success but it may just set you out on the right road

Even the little tips like hanging a door-hanger flyer on the houses next to the ones you already do works so much better than any standard flyer and the building of your procedure manual answers the questions every technician moans about becoming an employer "why can't they do it as well as me"

I have just told you my thoughts on The E- myth  but you know I really hope you all tell me I am wrong as it leaves all the more customers for my business

Gordon

I'm with you on this.  Did you ever take up any of their consultancy or other services to help you with procedure manuals, etc?

Vin

[Clive McDonald]

I'm with him on a lot of stuff.My admiration of mcdonalds predates reading this book, and if i can switch back just for a mo to bragging mode my procedures are the best on the forum.Try ordering four porridge at mcdonalds- they only have one microwave and there is a two minute cool down.(many a manager has had this lecture } I believe the 'this is the way we do things here' stuff. But to answer your question i have never written my stuff down, and haven't got to his consultation bit yet.

[Clive McDonald]

oh you were asking gordon not me. :

[Perfect Windows]

my procedures are the best on the forum.

Your humility knows no bounds.

On what possible basis do you make a statement like that?

Vin

[thermoclean]

the one thing i have come to realise is that it hard to really push any business forward
if you have to be on the tools everyday.

[Lee GLS]

Slumpy keeps on saying how he's three years ahead of everyone, and that his procedures are the best but he will never divulge how he is, it makes you wonder if he is just spouting hit air  Unless you want to set us straight slumps

[Clive McDonald]

I'm trying to learn on this thread which means a difficult element of humility and keeping my trap shut and taking on board comments such as thermoclean and gordon.

[Nameless Drudge]

Hmmm,its manual work and customizing and refining methods to increase speed and productivity just means you get to fit even more manual work into the day and eventually it gets labour intensive and monotonous. Occasionally a customer might appreciate what you do(often the first clean)and then they become like the rest and just expect this excellent standard of work is the norm and you have made another rod for your own back.How odd that you have become so efficient that you sometimes you need to deliberately slow down if the customer is in,again no recognition for your art.
               

[JSMC]

just bought this book from amazon.  Been doing WC since june 2008 so a novice still but doing not too bad. This year i plan to build the work up more and hopefully year 4/5 i get someone to start helping me.

[REXyv]

So, thoughts please.It's okay to be as critical of me as you like- i can take it

I don't think there is an 'end point', in that if you're suggesting that if you had the right business, the right guys working for you, you could just sit back and relax and live off the income that everyone is generating for you, and then you think you would be well and truly happy.

I personally don't think that would be what would happen and the reality of the situation would be that you swap one set of problems for another set of problems, because that's what we're like. 

I mean instead of 'working hard and being tired' problems, you'd have more worries about staff, getting work, keeping work, accountants, lawyers, health and safety issues, having to pay staff when they can't work (just look at last Winter) and all the other stuff (I'm probably unaware of) that comes with employing.

I don't think status and money make us happy; they're like drinking salt water; we keep on wanting more and yet we're never satisfied.

Just my thoughts!

[REXyv]

SALT WATER?YOUR FUNNY

[Clive McDonald]

Some good comments, i shall be making some observations later.

Has anyone else got anything to say on this?

[Dave Willis]

I think you are in the wrong job Slumps.
It's just window cleaning at the end of the day. I think you worry too much, want too much and over- complicate things. For most of us this is a last resort job that just happens to pay well with little effort or business acumen.
If you want more money either work harder or push your prices up. If you want to call yourself a business man then employ and take the crap that comes with it.
Chill out you greedy bugger! 

[dazmond]

nobody can work all the time slumpy!as an alcoholic addict(clean and sober coming up to 5 years now!)who made a complete mess of his life im starting to be successful in quite a few areas of my life.my business is in a much better place than it was a few years ago and ive probably been a tad obsessed with window cleaning the last year or so!

getting a new van and wfp system,round software,uniform,signs for my van,business cards and leaflets and going about my business in a more professional manner im starting to reap the benefits with better earning power in less time plus im pricing much better for new work.

BUT I KNOW I NEED TO FIND SOME BALANCE!and not let it take over completely and find some leisure time.luckily i have a 12 step program and meetings that help me to keep my feet on the ground.

im certainly interested in reading this emyth thing.have you got a link?i would say your probably ahead of me in regards to equipment,van and a better earning round than me but im striving(not too much though!)to bang it into better shape!

having time for family,friends and doing fun things away from window cleaning including a few holidays to far flung places should not be underestimated.its as important as a good work ethic IMO.

im planning on going to barbados,new york and mauritous this year.


maybe reading a few business books might help me look at things different in regards to work.im not a natural businessman at all and ive undersold my service for far too long!

ive made a lot of mistakes in the past and life became unbearable for a few years due to alcoholism etc but its been one hell of a learning curve!good for character building!im through the other side well and truely now!

best wishes for a happy contented life(in business and private!)


dazmond

[Perfect Windows]

im certainly interested in reading this emyth thing.have you got a link?i would say your probably ahead of me in regards to equipment,van and a better earning round than me but im striving(not too much though!)to bang it into better shape!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/-myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300530263&sr=8-1

Read and acted upon, this will help you to spend even more time with your family and friends.  It'll certainly help if you want to expand and will help if you don't.   

The only caveat: you have to deal with the uber-Californian style of the book and get the content out through that filter.

Vin

[spongebob]

The e myth is the title of a book and i think it must have been written especially for us.Published in 95 and a bestseller ever since it addresses people who start a business and then get trapped by it. Trapped by having to work harder and harder and harder.

Trapped by not really haviing a business at all but merely a well paid job.


I'm in this trap and pretty fed up.I know a few of you have read it because it's been mentioned before on here.But if you haven't read it you can still have a view.

I'm coming up to four years in and all i do is work and work and work.If i carry on for another four is that all i have to look forward to?

I can't tell you what the book suggests as a solution because i am only half way through, but i do know that a few of you have found a way through, and i also know that many are in the same boat as me, and a few treat the job as a hobby.

So, thoughts please.It's okay to be as critical of me as you like- i can take it

I don't think anyone else has mentioned this so here goes.
Many a tradesman/woman has been promoted to the manager/supervisor and feels great. All their hard work has been rewarded and they have made it. For a while they are happy with a bit more money for the family and kids so they live up to the new wage and all is good. Sometime along the way they become miserable in the job, their home life etc..
I have many friends in this position who hate the constant form filling, personnel issues...you get the idea.  They are no longer doing what they enjoyed in the first place, ie. the trade they enjoyed. As an example my father is a carpenter at 68 years old from the age of 15 and still enjoys it. He wouldn't want to employ. he has worked hard and is well off. He knew that was what he wanted to do and never changed.
My point is if you become the boss and don't work , will you enjoy the money any more. You have swapped the trade that you probably enjoyed if the money worries were taken away  for a different set of duties all together.
I think for some the better answer is to remain "on the tools" and find someone to run your day to day operation and develop your business for you. Almost become an employee and go home with a wage each week. By default the self employed version of the promoted manager at the start of this post is the tradesperson  who went self employed, became too successful for his own good and now can't fit in the work around new quotes, invoicing, paperwork etc. Just because you are a good plumber, cleaner, sparky it doesn't follow you will run a good business but the jump to employing doesn't mean you have to be at the helm. In fact if you're not you are probably in a better position to ensure that the work and money are still being earnt while keeping an eye on the progress of your new employee.
If you are flat out meeting people, quoting, smoking around in the motor doing "stuff" the work can easily fall apart without your control and you end up putting out fires and pacifying old customers.
andy