[Tom White]

Mine started with a massive resentment against the army and authority figures in general.  I was like, "I'm neva gonna have another boss again!"  So I became a window cleaner. 

[king marko]

Worked as an upholsterer for 20 yrs straight from school - brother in law worked for a local chap window cleaning but had to pack it in when he damaged his shoulder and couldn't use the pole So offered me the chance to change job
Money wise, it was same but the big difference for me was the hours - I was doing 50 hrs in the factory - he was doing about 30 hrs for the same wage so thought I'd give it a go - I took a few days off to see if it was for me and didn't go back
Worked for this fella for about 18 months then been on my own ever since

[TomCrowther]

I was in IT for 19 years or so, got the golden bullet in 2009 and wanted to start a business that I could control all the way through from finding the customer to providing the service/product and finally getting paid. Started almost half heartedly, all my mates and better half thought I was mad. Getting a bit more serious about things now, doing OK and planning the next stage. Enjoy working outside {not so much in Jan/Feb} and love not having an idiot for a Manager {theres an awful lot of them out there}.

[magic moments]

Cant wait to become established and not have to work under pressure,oh well tommorow evening on the canvass .

[colley614]

How many are you aiming for?

[supernova77]

I had a completely different business with huge overheads and when i started a family i just couldnt make enough money, my wife suggested trying window cleaning so i started while still running the other business and realised after a year that this was the way to go!

 so i got rid of my unit, vans, staff and got on with the windows!

after 3 years i went wfp and i now have a good solid round and a lot less stress! the best thing i did was throwing my old business phone in the sea, i will never go back to my old trade  Cheesy

Richard - What was your old trade?

Andy

[supernova77]

I was in IT for 19 years or so, got the golden bullet in 2009 and wanted to start a business that I could control all the way through from finding the customer to providing the service/product and finally getting paid. Started almost half heartedly, all my mates and better half thought I was mad. Getting a bit more serious about things now, doing OK and planning the next stage. Enjoy working outside {not so much in Jan/Feb} and love not having an idiot for a Manager {theres an awful lot of them out there}.

I was in IT for 11 years before window cleaning... I just got to the stage when everyday I woke up dreading going into work... Office politics, stupid people etc...

I wish I had started window cleaning straight from school !

Andy

[Johnny B]

I got into this game 15 years ago helping a friend. He taught me how to clean windows, and I helped him 3 days a week. After 3 months I started canvassing and within a couple of weeks had enough work to cover what I was earning with my friend. At this point I went it alone, although we would help each other out with a day's work.

My business grew until I had too much to cope with, so I sold some of it off, and gradually refined it.

Last year I had it pretty much how I wanted it, but then had to relocate to Ireland for family reasons, and so I sold it off, then started up here from scratch. Seven months in, I have close to 200 customers (48 of them I have picked up since the beginning of January).

It has been hard going at times, (eg. I have experienced the 'not today brigade' like you would not believe)  but I feel that I am now beginning to reap the rewards for being very determined to succeed in what is (here) a very tough environment.  

John

[magic moments]

How many are you aiming for?

As many as poss in 2 hours,in the evening if I can get a baby sitter il have the other half out as well

[Steve Sed]

Mine is a long story, but my dad was a wc and so was his dad. We all turned to it when it suited us. We have been cleaning windows for 70 years.

I know that people look down on us, but I NOW remember my dad losing his job and within a week having a new income. We all canvassed with him one Saturday. I asked my mum how she thought my dad would feel me doing this and she saidbthat he probably would be unhappy. But sometimes I would love to pick his.brains and wish he was still here.

[Jackal]

i got laid off from jcb excavators nearly 3 years ago was a good paid job but long hours,was on the dole for 6 months,set up a mobile jacket potato stall in a local town centre and market on a sunday liked it at first but it didnt take off as i planned , gave it 6 months and new it was going to fail so i started dropping leaflets and picked up some custys for window cleaning,then i saw a small round for sale in local paper and paid £2500 for £600 a month work and never did the stall again,2 months later brought a further £200 of work off same windy for £800,been going for 2 years now and round is full,just need to convert it all to wfp now and happy days

[supernova77]

I got into this game 15 years ago helping a friend. He taught me how to clean windows, and I helped him 3 days a week. After 3 months I started canvassing and within a couple of weeks had enough work to cover what I was earning with my friend. At this point I went it alone, although we would help each other out with a day's work.

My business grew until I had too much to cope with, so I sold some of it off, and gradually refined it.

Last year I had it pretty much how I wanted it, but then had to relocate to Ireland for family reasons, and so I sold it off, then started up here from scratch. Seven months in, I have close to 200 customers (48 of them I have picked up since the beginning of January).

It has been hard going at times, (eg. I have experienced the 'not today brigade' like you would not believe)  but I feel that I am now beginning to reap the rewards for being very determined to succeed in what is (here) a very tough environment. 

John

John,

Whereabouts in Ireland are you?

I've always wanted to relocate to Ireland... I still might do it one day!

Andy

[Johnny B]

I got into this game 15 years ago helping a friend. He taught me how to clean windows, and I helped him 3 days a week. After 3 months I started canvassing and within a couple of weeks had enough work to cover what I was earning with my friend. At this point I went it alone, although we would help each other out with a day's work.

My business grew until I had too much to cope with, so I sold some of it off, and gradually refined it.

Last year I had it pretty much how I wanted it, but then had to relocate to Ireland for family reasons, and so I sold it off, then started up here from scratch. Seven months in, I have close to 200 customers (48 of them I have picked up since the beginning of January).

It has been hard going at times, (eg. I have experienced the 'not today brigade' like you would not believe)  but I feel that I am now beginning to reap the rewards for being very determined to succeed in what is (here) a very tough environment. 

John

John,

Whereabouts in Ireland are you?

I've always wanted to relocate to Ireland... I still might do it one day!

Andy

Andy,

I am in Tralee, Co. Kerry (South West).

It's a beautiful place, very scenic. I had wanted to move here ever since I first visited 20 years ago, but I lacked the confidence to believe that I could get work here. Ironically, when circumstances forced my arm, I had to go for it. Now am beginning to feel glad that I did.

John   

[supernova77]

Andy,

I am in Tralee, Co. Kerry (South West).

It's a beautiful place, very scenic. I had wanted to move here ever since I first visited 20 years ago, but I lacked the confidence to believe that I could get work here. Ironically, when circumstances forced my arm, I had to go for it. Now am beginning to feel glad that I did.

John   

It is a lovely place... My friends dad used to own a 3 bed bungalow in Clonmel, we used to visit there every year when I was in my teens, I've wanted to move there ever since!

If I ever was to come over Kinsale in County Cork would be my choice I think...

Andy

[bobby p]

i got laid off from jcb excavators nearly 3 years ago was a good paid job but long hours,was on the dole for 6 months,set up a mobile jacket potato stall in a local town centre and market on a sunday liked it at first but it didnt take off as i planned , gave it 6 months and new it was going to fail so i started dropping leaflets and picked up some custys for window cleaning,then i saw a small round for sale in local paper and paid £2500 for £600 a month work and never did the stall again,2 months later brought a further £200 of work off same windy for £800,been going for 2 years now and round is full,just need to convert it all to wfp now and happy days

my brother worked for Jcb, i remember he said it was long hours. once laid off he moved to France and seems happier there

[Scoop]

Did a BSc in Civil Engineering at Southampton and then an MSc in Hydraulic Engineering at a top engineering University in Paris (and learned the lingo in the process). Started work in France and was quickly sent as an expat to Kuwait for 4 years where money was stupid. Married a french girl and then a chance meeting with a bloke at an airport started me selling wedding dresses to shops in france. Made a mint over 10 years but divorce saw a lot of it off. Came back to UK with new English wife and started a wedding dress shop in Nottingham. Brilliant income from 1997 to 2005 but stupidly I wanted more. I had a mid-life and bought a US franchise. Franchise was a disaster and ended up down the swannee. Lost almost everything.

Dabbled for a year with no success before walking into an agency and getting sent to a factory making cattle feed. Biggest shock of my life. I'd never done any hard work before. Finally scraped a few grand together in 2010 (mainly through www.stealmygold.com) and bought a wheelie bin cleaning van that should have been scrapped 5 years ago. Started leafleting and gradually built it up. Added gutter cleaning last year.

And the happy ending? There isn't one. I'm still the poorest person I know.

[H2GoKent]

Worked in sales had a good salary, nice shiny car, expenses, all that, then the co fiddled the rules not to pay up my bonuses. It was a well paid job but I was so annoyed it got me thinking. Also we had two small kids that I never saw during the week cos of the long hours I worked.
A mate of mine was a windy and gave me a lot of help, but the firm I worked for changed my car to one with roof bars.
Cue light bulb moment! 
I started working a day a week cleaning using the firms car, by the time they got shift of me for someone cheaper (saw that coming too) I'd picked up £1000 a month in work. When the MD offered me £4000 to leave quietly I had to try and keep a straight face. I think he thought I was trying not to cry! 
Two months after I left I went WFP
9 years later, wish I'd set up on my own years ago.

So Thank you Martin Elmore my old boss, you may be a weasle like turd, but you did me a massive favour   

[londoncleaners]

Army straight from school 6 years. Worked in a factory making Chinese meals, trust me the best by far not..after that. Security and door work for around 4 years. Old man always said to me, u can't beat a little window round. One day woke up and done just that, I got my mate we knocked doors all week after buying a start up kit for 30 quid, which I still use today...best move I did, as we all know with a good round the money is silly and hours are awesome. We now have 2 vans fully kitted out with wfp and vacs ect, and hold some very good contracts in the commercial sector.

[tom cronin]

So whats youre story magic? You say youre only canvassing evenings, so you have a job atm?

[GDwindowcleaning]

You still in nottingham scoop?