[Skyglide]

Been building, employing, buying kit, repairing kit and working like a dog all year. Now it's less daylight hours to get the work done, two weeks not earning at Xmas, chunks of tax to pay January and July.

Why should I pay for all those on benefits and public sector employees??

Methinks its back to a one man band in 2012. Less stress, less effort, peace of mind, happy days!

Anyone else?

[Frankybadboy]

thinking the same.

[Ian Rochester]

It's certainly food for thought, I had a much easier time when I worked by myself and still earned a decent amount each week.  21 staff now and it can at times be a nightmare

[john k]

How long did it take you to get up to 21 staff ian

[mick hay]

Before i started window cleaning, i had a publishers. 3 offices employing 24 telesales staff. After i got rid i made a promise to myself NEVER EVER employ again.......i could do....but i wont, very happy as i am 

[rah]

I went from 4 down to myself after selling a lot of work and vowed never again, I currently have my son working with me, but this is to get him started not a permanent thing.

So much easier, totally rebuilt my customer base and now have a very enjoyable time working.

Rob.

[Ian Rochester]

It'll be 9 years in Jan since I started, the main reason I employ is so that hopefully we will have an attractive saleable business in a few years time and I can sell up and retire.  Or if that fails I can put a manager in to run it and just take a dividend.

[g.brookes]

whats people on benefits and public sector employess got to do with wanting to scale the business down? are you spouting some daily mail article here?

[Skyglide]

No I try to avoid reading newspapers and despise the Daily Mail.  It's just an expression of frustration at putting the graft in, only to see and hear most of the country doing very little and not only surviving, but enjoying themselves.

I thrive on working hard, but I'm not going to feather other peoples nests in future!

[trevor perry]

It's certainly food for thought, I had a much easier time when I worked by myself and still earned a decent amount each week.  21 staff now and it can at times be a nightmare

i currently employ overv 30 staff but may loose a very  large contract in january, if this happens i will never try to go that large again rather i will just keep my qaulity priced work that are good payers and just keep about 3 or 4 of my best employees from this i could still have a good income and not working the silly hours i do now it will also be good to get rid of a lot of the paperwork we do with audits etc

[tompoole]

Tried employing , it was hard to find someone to turn up on
Three consecutive days let alone five! I gave up sold van
And now down sizing back to 4-5hrs a day. Max! No call backs
No stress of having lazy apathetic time wasters. Ok the down side
Is no extra money , but I can live with that.

[thermoclean]

Turnover is vanity
All that matters is your take home pay

[poleman]

I went big years ago, was office base, had office manager, window cleaning manager, telesales, but stress was big time and made me ill!

I down sizes and keep it simlpe! now have two van and two chaps, business is good and im happy 

[hwcleaning]

Im in the process of down sizing. a bit soul destroying selling good work that you put  so much into getting. but have kept the best work and me and one other go clean. leaving happy custs minimal stress and funnily enough more money in my pocket.

[A & J Owen Window Cleaning]

will be doin the same here mate concise my rounds and less hoping about

[landy2]

i used to have a few cleaners out years ago have sold alot  of work over the years and must agree less cleaners less hastle
had a very good offer last week for some of my work i am considering it alot of money to say no too

[Skyglide]

Good to know I'm not alone in my thoughts!  As they say "Is the flame worth the candle?" Not in the case of expanded window cleaning business.

Why did I not listen to a couple of my customers who are ex captains of industry?  One of them had a civil engineering business with 300 staff. He said 10 probably made him money, the rest cost him money. He ends up with a yacht he can't sail because he has heart problems and general ill health. He said the majority of his life was consumed by the business. His words - "Don't do it - keep it simple." I didn't listen.

The other one was head of a large insurance company. He listened to my enthusiastic plans, then said "All sounds fine, BUT, who are you going to get to clean all these windows? Here's £20 I'm offering to anyone to clean my windows. In 3 years I have had 3 people say all the right things and start cleaning, but they have all disappeared. No one wants to work."  He is a great loyal customer, pays on the dot and the house is a doddle.

Anyone got any other views?

[Justen Uff]

Yep, looking forward to the new year.  What with all these unemployed starting up the Country will have a new Headline, "Windowcleaner party takes over Britain"

[bobby p]

 the trouble is if you stay a 1 man band you will burn yourself out physically or be bored senseless  by doing it alone long term.  ive 2 p/t workers now and plan to have 4 by this time next year which should mean i will be off the squeegee at least half my week ,i hope !

[Frankybadboy]

the trouble is if you stay a 1 man band you will burn yourself out physically or be bored senseless  by doing it alone long term.  ive 2 p/t workers now and plan to have 4 by this time next year which should mean i will be off the squeegee at least half my week ,i hope !

so wrong


why would you burn yourself out

explain.......that gone over me hand that one.