[Platinum NW]

Does anyone on here run more than one business?
Just like to know how you cope with the workloads and if you think its worth it

[Blue Frog Systems]

I have and it works well with my window cleaning.

Can email details if you want ?

[Platinum NW]

if you can - Its just incase i decide that i want to go bk into window cleaning as well as running my construction company which iv always dreampt of doing
dmj.guest@hotmail.co.uk

Cheers

[Clive McDonald]

Platty
Two incomes are better than one. two different biz's just under the vat limit is good.

[Platinum NW]

my thought exactly. I might regret selling ALL my work to fund my new business but i didnt feel as if it was challenging enough after the growth started to slow down but i felt that if i had more time to work on it id have sold my lower priced work and canvassed in my higher priced work. If i do come back to window cleaning il be looking to optimise all the income possible and as this time round i wont have loans i got to buy alot of the work. Id also look at putting my missus down as the owner so the tax bill would be lower as my construction company may turnover 100-200k a year so vat will apply.

Another thing i learned off on eof my buyers is that when you price high tell them its not going to incure a price rise for 5 years which will give the customer more confidence in the company

[jonnyald]

hey  plati, i can tell your missing "the world of windows "    ,  maybe u can combine your building work and still do a few?  i sense you never quite got over feeling that cleaning was "beneath you " , maybe your mates mocked you or summat?

[bad trippy]

I think Platty is a taxman in disguise

[Platinum NW]

hey  plati, i can tell your missing "the world of windows "    ,  maybe u can combine your building work and still do a few?  i sense you never quite got over feeling that cleaning was "beneath you " , maybe your mates mocked you or summat?

No never bothered me when i remembered that i was earning £500 a week after my bills and loan repayments i laughed any jokes off. I dont just do things tho for the money . i like to enjoy it and i get a buzz out of business anyway and i felt that i couldnt really improve on the company i had at the time so decided to look at my construction company set up i was on and off about and decided the recession was tthe right time to jump in. If i set up again i wouldnt have my debts and id have more knowledge.
One fact i have learned is that peoples first business is never the one that makes them rich - I was told that 50% of all businesses that closed in the first 3 years was sown to people using them as an apprenticeship so to speak to get an hands on approch to running a business. I decided i could make more money in construction and here i am nearly ready for the first job. If i did WC again id get some cleaners work for me and id just manage the business but who knows
What stage is your business at? Are you start up or established

[Pureandclean]

I have been researching residual income, such as royalties on books or songs etc. The idea of doing work once and being paid many times appeals to me.
 I have found an interesting business that works very well with the window cleaning and carpet cleaning, it is early stages at the moment, but just like the window rounds a few customers a week soon builds up to a significant total.

[Platinum NW]

I think Platty is a taxman in disguise

i wish - id be very rich for doing FA. Not a bad job tho have a few hundred thousand businesses struggling and striving each day to make you money .
Id know how the queen lived

HAVE YOU PAID ALL YOUR TAX?

[Platinum NW]

I have been researching residual income, such as royalties on books or songs etc. The idea of doing work once and being paid many times appeals to me.
 I have found an interesting business that works very well with the window cleaning and carpet cleaning, it is early stages at the moment, but just like the window rounds a few customers a week soon builds up to a significant total.

Whats that and how does it work?
Can you patant it?

[AuRavelling79]

I used to run three separate business (as a one man band with my wife doing the accounts) - for me I chose the one and I'm glad I did.

However I reckon two would be good if they were complementary e.g. husband runs the w/c and wife the office cleaning.

Or if one of you has a hobby which works as a business so e.g. one does w/c and the other sells organic sauces or suchlike which are made from home while keeping an eye on young kids sort of thing.

[Platinum NW]

what where your businesses malc ?

[jonnyald]

plati,   in your old window round your prices were very low,  where was it do you hear from the guy who bought it off you , describe him a bit?

 

 iv been going almost3 years , its still tough physically,always will be ,on the ladders 

[Clive McDonald]

Yeah i think your underdeployed too malc.

Good attitude platty- from a kid- well done.

The only thing you have to do is find a way of adding value to a product or service and then tell people about it.The only thing you have to do besides this is look for the opportunities.

When choosing an opp look for something that can grow.

wc is easier than constuction (bad debts-competition-huge material costs for gig contracts)

[Platinum NW]

I bought some work when i started and canvassed the rest. All my work was on ladders but when i got to full capacity taking into account the weather and i didnt work saturdays i though the next challenge is wfp but with the funds i wanted a loan if i was purchasing a tank and new van to hold it in which i never got so i decided to sell as even though the business was growing i never felt like it challenged me like it did 3 years previous and if a business isnt expanding in my eyes its going backwards.
I live in st helens were these low prices are good. The further south you get higher prices being charged but its balanced by the cost of living and salaries being higher too ask ian from wigan hes been looking for work around here and unless he wants to work for stupid prices its hard to get work

[Platinum NW]

Yeah i think your underdeployed too malc.

Good attitude platty- from a kid- well done.

The only thing you have to do is find a way of adding value to a product or service and then tell people about it.The only thing you have to do besides this is look for the opportunities.

When choosing an opp look for something that can grow.

wc is easier than constuction (bad debts-competition-huge material costs for gig contracts)

I know wc is easier but my company isnt just run by me i employ senior management that have nearly 80yrs experience between them so my team are all very experienced. I know what my role is and i know im more than capable for it. For materials i just go to the bank with a commercial contract then get an overdraft against the contract for the cashflow. Also because we are working on new build only there is a tax advantage as we are vat register all Vat charged on us for materials is 0% vat on new builds so we can claim all that back and as we are working on hospitals, colleges schools and housing estates when we offer our labour plant and materials package on  builds so big we are profiting largely on the Vat refund at the end of the contract

[Clive McDonald]

can't comment on what you said because i'm out of my depth, you do seem to know what you are talking about.

You were right to sell, if you did restart you'd need de programming and a very fresh approach.Trying to repeat what you did first time is not what it's about.You'd more or less have to forget everything you think you know about the wc biz.Use new tech (ie computers), new biz model (forget compact,forget 4wks), be prepared to travel, and use proper marketing techniques.

[Platinum NW]

That would be the plan if i came bk. Travel wouldnt be a problem and id  happily go canvassing every night. New business name - new style uniforms - Nicer van - id even look at WFP. Really wanted one but got refused on the loan but i can always start on a trolley system. The best thing i would do also is to price high and i will travel to get better prices but to now there are new housing estates everwhere round here and companys who buy the last few houses on estates to complete the projects at discount prices are now renting them out so the estates are now gaining residents were they lied empty upto 6 months ago. Also any advice would be a great help and taken on board - My aim would also be to clean every 8 weeks and possibly 12 so i could take on a larger customer base - Also haveing two businesses would help as they could fund each other ie when i want a van mounted WFP System i wouldnt need to borrow the full money

[Clive McDonald]

You've got a good attitude to biz. You would need a two man van mount, and a van to take the weight.Website, leaflets etc. Being skilled in trad is great, and you have the background to quote.

You wouldn't make any money for six months, after a year you might get a wage.Year two you'd hit paydirt.

This is probably better as a fall back if the construction doesn't fly, but i there is a smaller chance you would fail at wc.