[richywilts]

knocking up a business plan and just looking for bit of help and input as title says

please detail the key issues that will in a fundamental way effect the success of your venture

cheers guys

[Steve Sed]

Try a SWOT analysis. I denitrify your Stregnths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

[richywilts]

do you think this question is asking for positive affects or negatives???

i got impression it was negatives this that will be detrimental to success such as weather, lack of money, bad payers, rising fuel costs, changing policys and laws, security, recession etc etc

[supernova77]

Richy,

Surely if its a business plan for your business you need to think about your key issues that will in a fundamental way effect success of your venture  

It would be different key issues for each of us?

Andy

[richywilts]

yeah i understand andy just asking what general things may affect window cleaners as a whole which i may miss out

[supernova77]

yeah i understand andy just asking what general things may affect window cleaners as a whole which i may miss out

Fair enough

I always think about what might happen if I was "out of action" for a little while, effected by illness or somthing... Is there anyone who could step in and run the business?

Andy

[richywilts]

good one mate cheers

[Steve Sed]

do you think this question is asking for positive affects or negatives???

i got impression it was negatives this that will be detrimental to success such as weather, lack of money, bad payers, rising fuel costs, changing policys and laws, security, recession etc etc

Well those are all threats. Personally, as a wc, I think it's simp.e. Leaflet, clean. That said, I'm a lifestyle wc and not interested in building a lage business.

[richywilts]

im the opposite steve im trying to grow the business this is why im doing a business plan to try and get a small business loan for about 30grand

[Steve CM]

staff, staff, staff...

if you don't have decent staff you don't have a business...hope this helps

[Steve Sed]

im the opposite steve im trying to grow the business this is why im doing a business plan to try and get a small business loan for about 30grand

Did you see the pair on dragons den? Watch the profit. They were laughable... Built a million pound turnover business and from memory something ridiculous like 5% profit. Watch your margin.

[richywilts]

staff, staff, staff...

if you don't have decent staff you don't have a business...hope this helps

i agree steve iv gone thru a few staff myself and just had to sack one lad who done a great job just took the p**s when it come too turning in after weekends etc just cant grow ya business with unreliable staff.

iv taken on a friend to manage my business or major parts of it i feel i dont have great experience in and its really benefitting the business in the short term its hurting financially but we have just been working our figures and growth and profit will come with out expansion, im lucky im in a position where my parents help me out with my money for private things. we have employed a self employed canavsser whose pulling in avergae 400quid new domestic custom every week

[Helen]

staff, staff, staff...

if you don't have decent staff you don't have a business...hope this helps

 we have employed a self employed canavsser whose pulling in avergae 400quid new domestic custom every week

So I take it you have now VAT registered as only a short while ago you said your were close to the threshold, but not registered, if not then this would be a massive negative issue, that may affect the growth or not of your business if HMRC get hold of you.

Invest in all your staff.
Train them well.
Pay them well.
Pay their taxes and NI.
Any business is only as good as it's staff.

Be realistic, be prepared to take a hit in the first few years, ( if you can build steadily in this economy then it will be easier when the economy improves.)

Do you really have to get a loan? Can you not build the business without outside funding?
If your canvasser is pulling in that amount each week, why not employ another canvasser and borrow a lesser amount?

Good luck hope it works out for you

[richywilts]

hi helen main chunk of that money will be used to invest in a truckmount carpet cleaning machine and a hot water window cleaning system, we should be turning over near vat amount but not actually cleaning that much at minute, been advised by bookeeper and accountant not to register just yet.first few months of this tax year have taken bit of a hit due to break in and vehicles breaking down etc

[Nameless Drudge]

Your going to go tits up with thoughts like a 30K loan and reckoning the biggest chunk of that is a carpet cleaner and a hot wfp system.

Whats the rush to get into debt?

No harm in expanding in a recession but big big danger borrowing money to do it.
I`m scared for you,the biggest mistake people make is having this big idea that all these staff you are going to employ are making you a profit.Talk to people that have downsized and not pen pushers manipulating figures and leaving out the human element.

I probably should say nowt and keep my nose out but the impression coming over is that you are encountering problems already.Wait till you start missing loan repayments and being unable to pay VAT amounts due.Extra money isn`t the magic wand that solves anything unless the business has generated it,not a plan.

[H S and Son]

yeah i understand andy just asking what general things may affect window cleaners as a whole which i may miss out

Enthusiasm, drive, ambition and desire to succeed. If you have those you might be a winner, if you dont you're f***ed..

[Sean Dyer]

im the opposite steve im trying to grow the business this is why im doing a business plan to try and get a small business loan for about 30grand

Did you see the pair on dragons den? Watch the profit. They were laughable... Built a million pound turnover business and from memory something ridiculous like 5% profit. Watch your margin.

Id imagine at the very least youd want 10 % to even comtemplate running a 1m business

[Steve CM]

I wouldn't use that money to buy top notch equipment rich. I would advise using it to grow your business though. When you have the profit there then upgrade the equipment.

The biggest problem people seem to have is employing. Now i'm gonna throw a little spanner in the works here. If people downsize it will be down to staff issues mostly.

A couple of paragraphs defining an entrepreneur

As any leading entrepreneur knows, you must care, not scare, to get people motivated. Using fear as a motivational strategy may get short-term, temporary results, but future resentment from angry employees positions you in a very bad place of distrust, where that employee not only becomes unenthusiastic, but eschews any kind of commitment toward you or your business. On the other hand, when workers perceive that you care about them and respect them as valuable associates of your organizational team, they are much more likely to express cooperation, enthusiasm, and commitment for your small business.

In a small business, the proper environment for expansion promotes motivation, encouraging it to blossom and grow. When employees sense caring, appreciation, respect, and acknowledgement, almost all of them return these attributes with total effort, commitment, and loyalty. In a workplace environment where open, honest communication exists, creatively solving problems is part of day-to-day business. And entrepreneurs who provide sincere recognition for employees’ efforts and successes are way ahead of the game.

I have found this to be true. Treat people with respect and you will get the best from them

[richywilts]

because of our past experience of hiring staff i know we went down a different route this time and advertised in the job centre, we carried out 30+ interviews and got 10 back for second interviews where we did role plays and taught them to squeegee etc to see how they picked it up, we then narrowed it down to final 4 who all had day trials to see how they worked, with surprising results we took on a fit young man with no window cleaning experience, hes now completed two days out with us and performed well, arriving on time etc.

we arent going into this business loan naievely we know staff cause problems,ya never get as many jobs on as you expect etc.but i never set out to be a sole trader this is where i want my business heading, in business you have to take risks or you just stay the same as everyone else.

[H S and Son]

because of our past experience of hiring staff i know we went down a different route this time and advertised in the job centre, we carried out 30+ interviews and got 10 back for second interviews where we did role plays and taught them to squeegee etc to see how they picked it up, we then narrowed it down to final 4 who all had day trials to see how they worked, with surprising results we took on a fit young man with no window cleaning experience, hes now completed two days out with us and performed well, arriving on time etc.

Well managed Richy.