[ftp]

How do you know when you have made it to the end of the tunnel?
 When your busy most days? When you earn X amount per week? When you employ staff? or just when you are in a position to dump some of your crap customers? Or is it when you have no need to canvas/advertise or take on any more?

[ftp]

Well for me it's simply not having the need to look too hard for more work. I don't want to employ, run another van or expand so i'm happy for now.

[*frank cannon]

Well for me it's simply not having the need to look too hard for more work. I don't want to employ, run another van or expand so i'm happy for now.

similar thoughts to you ftp and also..

The freedom that breeds confidence that the job gives ...you can go on and achieve  personnel ambitions in life..ie if you fancied going abroad to  live  if things didn,t work out you would have  peace of mind in knowing  you can soon drop back into self employed w/c on your return....Llandudno here I come

[Londoner]

In a sense you never make it to the end of the tunnel. There is always more you can do.

Being able to pay the bills and have a little left over is the turning point where the worry and stress stops and thats a nice stage to reach. 

[Tosh]

Being able to pay the bills and have a little left over is the turning point where the worry and stress stops and thats a nice stage to reach. 

I've reached and breached this stage, just within the past few months; and it is a truly nice place to be.

Every-now-and-then I tot up how much is in the bank, how much I've got in cheques waiting to be banked, and I just can't quite believe it.  All my bills for the end of this month were covered by Friday just gone and we've another three weeks of this month 'in hand'; which tax and expenses deducted; is all ours!

We've also opted for a months payment break in December for our mortgage; just as a one-off treat; so no pressure at all for the month after that too.

We could take a month off if we wanted; we won't though; it's time to start some serious saving (though we have got some put away from an inheritance; but all my savings went when I started window cleaning, on boring stuff like food and bills).

I can hardly believe it, but's it's been a struggle to get here mind.

And we've still plenty of spare capacity; if next year is as good as this year (credit crunch or no credit crunch); we'll have arrived at 'that place' we want to be.

[AuRavelling79]

I'm pleased for you Tosh - just don't go living up to the new income level and getting yourself on the hamster wheel again! And when your Army pension kicks in it'll get even better!

As for me, I don't think I'll ever earn enough having 3 daughters to "help"  - but it's very rewarding and I'm quite content. At the mo' we're all healthy and Mrs Gold and I still love each other (shucks ) so what more do I want?


Well, she might just be a good liar of course!

[Tosh]

I'm pleased for you Tosh - just don't go living up to the new income level and getting yourself on the hamster wheel again! And when your Army pension kicks in it'll get even better!

Thanks Malc,

I've got a degree in being skint; I even flogged my army medals on e-bay about five-years-ago to pay for some car repairs; we didn't have a 'bean' no access to credit; and there was no way I was going crawling to parents.  That was a tough time; it's stressful being skint and worrying about bills.

So just paying the bills comfortably, without working your guts out is a nice place to be.  I started window cleaning because I thought it would be great not having the stress of a truly demanding occupation; I wanted nothing more than to get the bills paid, some savings for emergencies, and have a bit left over; but I didn't think it would be such a difficult route to get to here from where I began.

It's probably why I like this forum so much; if it wasn't for the help and support I've received from it, I'd be working... well who knows - but not as a window cleaner.

I've had a little bit of correspondance with Alex Gardiner on another site; I thought he had the impression that I was having a personal 'dig' at him with regards to my DIY pole posts, with regards to his product; but I wasn't.  Im just trying to give a little back, after all the help I've received. 

Anyway, I'm not 'rolling in it' yet - give me another year-or-two - but I know plenty of window cleaners who could benifit from a few equipment/money saving tips.

And, it's good that you've got a happy family life; don't you think you can strike a good work/home life balance being a window cleaner?  Not many of us work the long hours expected of some office workers. 

Wor Lass is currently running some cross-country race in Bath; she's upped her training because she's been asked to run for East Wales in some other cross-country thing.

So I'm skiving on the internet! 

[Kevin R]

For me its all about resetting the goals every now and then then striving for the new targets.

I get bored and like a challenge so my business is that challenge.  I once enjoyed being sole-trader and making a lot of money each week for myself doing residential  - then after having a fall and being off work for a fair while than having a heart attack (congenital defect no one spotted combined with years of smoking) the goals changed. I grew my business with loads of commercial work and took on subbies to help and continue grow.

I have a couple of kids and I am getting older. Working at my current rate physically for as long as I can is no security as I am my business - Sure I have sub contractors for some jobs but the bread and butter I would struggle to do if something happened.

So my goals are to build a business - not a job for myself. Then if something happened it would still continue to work for my family and my family work for it or at the worst sell it.

I have just taken on my first employee - on a trial basis. For now they will be getting a training hourly rate whilst I work out the details but Its a step in the right direction. I will order my second vehicle if he is suitable and then start training the next one in March if all goes to plan.

I have just been awarded a service contract for a very large company so the money from that will cover all our wages whilst I grow some other parts of my business. The good thing is they pay us in monthly installments so that makes the wages easier.

My plan is to be supervising and marketing only by 2010.  So the light at the end of the tunnel for me keeps moving as my business evolves, grows and changes.

Personally I would like to be able to spend a bit more time with my family - hopefully my business will provide this opportunity. 

As to have I made it? Well do you ever is possibly the answer?

[ftp]

Interesting replies that some have taken a lot further than what i was asking. Really i only meant in the windowcleaning sense as far as starting it as a new career. But thanks very much for the answers. Some of you have had quite some tales to tell. 

[Clive McDonald]

Yes they were interesting replies. To take what Tosh said first, well done, i was skint for a lot of years and trapped in a nightshift job I hated. As regards Tosh's correspondence with me, alex, or squeaky, he always takes as well as dishing it out and never shows a mean streak even when replying to racial comments.

Then Kevin R, again it's easy enought to indentify with what he's saying. What may surprise him is that in moving over to the marketing and admin he have to learn new skills and this could become the new challenge he enjoys the most. The money's only a way of keeping score. Besides even if you make a million there's allways someone who's made two million, and is ten years younger.

Window Cleaning didn't save me from poverty, I was pretty well set when I started, but i have given this job everything. About 14k in startup and then some very hard work, and a lot of time spent on this site. I know i come across as a bossy argumentative know all at times but this is my way at arriving at solutions and thinking things through.Bear in mind that I was the first on here to rig a hot on demand system and mine is still streets ahead of anyone else's; I cracked the electric reel problem; and I have developed dry remote access gutter cleaning and unblocking techniques and tools that no one else has.

So I suppose my goal was to be the best technically, and I succeeded in this for about five minutes, but more and more are going hot now and I expect that with time pretty much everyone will have an electric reel too.

So where does that leave me? Looking for a new challenge, and at the moment it's earnings.

[dai]

Well for me it's simply not having the need to look too hard for more work. I don't want to employ, run another van or expand so i'm happy for now.

similar thoughts to you ftp and also..

The freedom that breeds confidence that the job gives ...you can go on and achieve  personnel ambitions in life..ie if you fancied going abroad to  live  if things didn,t work out you would have  peace of mind in knowing  you can soon drop back into self employed w/c on your return....Llandudno here I come

Why Llandudno? I have never seen so many start ups in the last 15 years.
There is one guy who rents work out to benefit recipients, he takes 40% off the top, eventually these guys, either through getting caught or falling out have started up on there own.
Llandudno now has loads of window cleaners.

I think I am where I wanted to be financially, I wish I didn't have to work so hard for it.

[Sir Squeaky]

Being able to pay the bills and have a little left over is the turning point where the worry and stress stops and thats a nice stage to reach. 

I've reached and breached this stage, just within the past few months; and it is a truly nice place to be.

Every-now-and-then I tot up how much is in the bank, how much I've got in cheques waiting to be banked, and I just can't quite believe it.  All my bills for the end of this month were covered by Friday just gone and we've another three weeks of this month 'in hand'; which tax and expenses deducted; is all ours!

We've also opted for a months payment break in December for our mortgage; just as a one-off treat; so no pressure at all for the month after that too.

We could take a month off if we wanted; we won't though; it's time to start some serious saving (though we have got some put away from an inheritance; but all my savings went when I started window cleaning, on boring stuff like food and bills).

I can hardly believe it, but's it's been a struggle to get here mind.

And we've still plenty of spare capacity; if next year is as good as this year (credit crunch or no credit crunch); we'll have arrived at 'that place' we want to be.

Pretty much the same as me Tosh.

I know what my bills equate to per week, and most weeks I've passed that by wednesday.
Last week I'd made what I needed to by tuesday.
3 days to line my pockets.
As you say, nice. 

[seandyer2003]

My plan too, i am currently earning just what i need each month so not alot spare, but every job i pick up now is money in my pocket, cash in my hand, scrilla in my wallet

[bwoofie]

Good to hear some positive stories cos it aint all bad out there, but aint it true that the more hardship you go through in the earlier years makes you appreciate the good times after all the hard work?

[gary evans]

I,m in the niddle at minute have invested loads of, time effort & money. But, sometimes feel i am just chasing the wages as they say. Today monday i have 4 vans sitting outside doing nothing, yes reasons for it, but 2 of them could have been out.

We have bad debtors, late payers & reduce price or frequency syndrome. I still continue but, times are hard for small business,s & are going to get harder. We have 2 choices downsize or invest to grow, both, come with problems.

By 12 today i know if i have a job to save my company as it stands, it will be the biggest job i,ve ever done, if i dont get paid i will be bankrupted, c/pickers & equipment alone is approx £2,000 per week, then, labour to be added on.

On the other hand I downsize at 12, lose employees & put rest on short week & hopefully, with  a couple of small jobs reach xmas.

Last week i did 14 hour days starting at 4 to get organised for this quote & others, i,ve worked all day sat & sun with one job we got, & i am in at 6 this morning, one employee who didnt work the weekend has not come in so the other lad has been sent home, it doesnt rain it poors, we had loads booked on that van today.

I,m in office trying to keep them in employment, with loads to do & quotes to keep us a float, so unable to go on van, is it worth it. Yes?

Gary

[Alex Gardiner]

I've had a little bit of correspondance with Alex Gardiner on another site; I thought he had the impression that I was having a personal 'dig' at him with regards to my DIY pole posts, with regards to his product; but I wasn't.  Im just trying to give a little back, after all the help I've received. 

Hi Tosh,

Never thought you were having a dig at me, you were just showing an alternative option. I did then post some info as you were asking about early day SL development.

As far as having made it yet - The road to success is always under construction.

[Londoner]

"The road to sucess is still under construction"     I like that, it might explain why its still got some naffing great potholes in it along the way.

You never know when you talk to another window cleaner what he has had to live through or the road that has brought him to this point.
Some of the stories on here over the years have been very moving and I feel sad that some of the former posters have gone now because there were some  that I still wonder about.

I'm sure Tosh remembers them better than me.

[gary evans]

Usual no answer this job is waiting to start & no response.

Gary

[ftp]

and i thought windowcleaning was stress free. 

[Clive McDonald]

Some really good replies to this- gary evans shows the reality of even moderate success. Some of the posts make me feel a bit humble and embarrased when I am always sw***ing on here, but it's my way of trying to think my way through this maze and I think that some of you catch that.