[matthewpaul]

Hi all i'm new here and would like to know where members are in there business life and where they want to be, and how you got to where you are now and how you did it.

I started Jan 2013 so been going about 7 month i started window cleaning but have now added Contract cleaning to my business i have a 2 van window round and a pretty ok contract cleaning side with about 5 contracts that are done on a daily basis, i employ 4 staff at the min but looking to get more.

I seem to be getting new contraccts on a monthly basis at the min

I have never advertised the only thing i have done is joined a networking group that i have got all my contracts from but im sure it will dry up at one point then i need new ideas to gain more work, what do you guys do.

[C o z y]

WOW, sounds like a fantastic start. Keep doing what you're doing mate, and use the search function at the top of the page to type in Advertising etc. Going to be keeping an eye on you mate!!  Keep us up to date. Looks like we could learn a lot here.

[matthewpaul]

I do feel i have got where i am fast (it was a shock im not the smartest fella lol), however i can also see it drying up the people who i get the work from only know so many people, Then what do i do.

I am lucky enougth to of made the rite choice in Jan spending the last money i had in the world (i couldnt even afford to put fuel in my van my dad gave me £10 to get to my first job) lol joining the group i joined, my wife told me it was a stupid thing to do but hey i didnt listen like usual but i was rite for once.


now i want to learn from people with experiance hence joining this forum.

[HampshireWindowCleaning]

2 window cleaning vans running and 4 cleaning staff in 7 months is bloody good going.
I guess you have had to go vat registered already then?

[George P]

looks like youre doing well, what was the net work group you go to

[robertphil]

uve done unbelievably well in such a short time

[H20cleaning]

refuse to believe this... unless you bought a round! if you started from scratch I think you need at least 1-2 years before you even get 2k a month..... nevermind employing people.
correct me if im wrong please

[Wheeliebin]

h20cleaning: Of course you are wrong, if you employ door knockers like I do you end up generating about 10 new customers a day.
If one man wanted to wait around all day for customers than of course it would take that long but some people are prepared to get out there and have a go.

I find it totally amazing that people are very quick to effectively call someone a liar just because they can do things that you can't.

He probably works past 2 o'clock as well, I suppose you don't believe that either.

[roundbuilder]

refuse to believe this... unless you bought a round! if you started from scratch I think you need at least 1-2 years before you even get 2k a month..... nevermind employing people.
correct me if im wrong please

Noncence, i just built 2k 164 customers in 6 weeks

[H20cleaning]

1- I am pretty sure I didn't call him a liar, I said I refuse to believe this then went onto say correct me if I am wrong.

2- I am also sure I said, unless he invested money in a round there was no chance

3- how can someone starting from nothing and find money to employ door knockers?
 
my uncle started with nothing... spent every evening  canvassing... then bought bits and bobs... as well as a website and 6 years on he has only JUST employed his 3rd member of staff.
there is no way someone has 4 staff working for him in 6 months, but like I said CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG

[H20cleaning]

refuse to believe this... unless you bought a round! if you started from scratch I think you need at least 1-2 years before you even get 2k a month..... nevermind employing people.
correct me if im wrong please

Noncence, i just built 2k 164 customers in 6 weeks

are you a brand new business.... if not I should imagine you had all uniforms... vans... leaflets ext and prepared for it! someone starting from nothing has to progress to buy all these thing unless LIKE I SAID '' he funded it to start with''

[paul ette]

is this not spam trying to get people to join a network group? sounds too good to be true
nothing comes easy, probly wrong but just a thought

[matthewpaul]

I started canvassing my arse off for 8 hours a day 5 days a week no breaks no days off i had just spent my last £600 pound i have 5 children, married and a house to pay for so i had no choice, i put all my eggs in one basket and was crapping my pants so i had no choice but to make money after i had been earning £30,000 per year in the army down to £0.00 but i was'nt going to sign on the dole.

In Jan 2013 I did not have a pot to pi55 in, i was a skint looser.

The group i go to ( its balled the BNI) started to introduce me to pretty big companies for there window cleaning and on of these is one of the biggest pub chains in the UK asked if i would do contract cleaning for them because theres was bad so i said yes not thinking about it and before i know it i had to take on staff to do this, then they offer me more pubs, i do these 7 days a week i have 3 of there pubs now and 2 office cleaning contracts.

The window cleaning is a mix of residential and commercial, all the residential is all self canvassed with help from my brother in law.

I Make a point of getting testimonials from ALL my clients for when i meet new ones it helps so much when you show them you work for big companies.

I'm not the smartest bloke in the town i think i have just LUCKYLY made the rite choices and had a lot of dedication IT CAN BE DONE.

[Darren Spreadbury]

Had to borrow £10 then weeks later two vans employing 4 people . yeah right lol

[matthewpaul]

is this not spam trying to get people to join a network group? sounds too good to be true
nothing comes easy, probly wrong but just a thought

Not at all i'm here to get help from people with lots of experiance, i have been lucky but luck doesnt last forever but knowlege does, thats why i want to pick brains of the people who know.

Just to add the networking i go to all seperate franchises all over the world so if you joined one in say Birmingham that wouldnt benifit my group.

[matthewpaul]

Had to borrow £10 then weeks later two vans employing 4 people . yeah right lol

2 weeks later NO dont be so stupid it takes longer than that for people to pay you.

[Darren Spreadbury]

Didn't say 2 weeks. stupid

[matthewpaul]

Had to borrow £10 then weeks later two vans employing 4 people . yeah right lol

2 weeks later NO dont be so stupid it takes longer than that for people to pay you.

Also i wish it was 2 weeks then my parents wouldnt of had to pay for my house for 3 month

[Wheeliebin]

Who says you need leaflets and t shirts. I pay all my doorknockers after the first clean. They are not window cleaning canvassers who charge 2x what ever they get. They are people looking for work and have experience in knocking on doors. They get paid around £7 an hour and only need to sign up a couple of people an hour for everyone to be happy.
Businesses can be grown quite easily with little money.

He also said he spent his money on buying kit, and was down to his last little bit to actually get going.
I have employed one cleaner 3 days a week, and he now has  someone he is training up as we are getting more business. My cleaner gets paid on percentage of work he completes so I have no cost at all to pay him for his work.

Once a break even point is reached, the door knockers can be paid out of the next clean without needing to dip into your own pocket anymore.
I bet all the people who are saying it cant be done have never employed any one or even if they did they don't anymore. As I said in my previous post, just cause you can't do it doesn't mean others cant.
So much for a new forum user to come on here and he has to justify why he is growing quickly and trying to have a go.

[matthewpaul]

Had to borrow £10 then weeks later two vans employing 4 people . yeah right lol

2 weeks later NO dont be so stupid it takes longer than that for people to pay you.

sorry i didnt read it corectly, but stupid im not, if you thinks i talking crap well just dont read the post, I'm sorry if your business is'nt doing as well as you planned but no need to put others down and call them stupid, im only here to talk to decent people and people like you ruin it for others who want to gain knowlege from other decent members