So, I just can’t stop feeling like window cleaning is not sustainable for me long-term for a number of reasons. Without getting into the specifics, I’m exploring other options, one of which is to go back to school. I already have an Associate’s Degree and think that it might be realistic to go back to school for a two or three years to learn a new career (If I’m being honest, I’d love to be a teacher).
I’m thinking that even if I decide to go that route, window cleaning may be good to stick with at least until I’m done. It might be perfect: school in the winter, window cleaning in the summer. And maybe I could still do storefronts year-round depending on the schedule.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Or even something different, but where they kept window cleaning on a limited basis while tackling something else?
Good question! Answer… yes. I was working as a licensed electrician for many years. I honestly didn’t enjoy it anymore. When work slowed, I started to do things for myself and decided to try window cleaning to help pay bills. I started basically from watching YouTube and reading cleaning books, and trying at home. So basically I worked electrical mornings till 2pm, and did windows either after or on weekends. I managed to ask my boss if I could just work M-Th, and work Windows Friday, Saturday, and occasionally Sunday. I eventually had enough work that I quit electrical and have been full time (sort of- because I choose). Good luck out there!
There are very few jobs working for someone else that pay as good as a solo skilled window cleaner can make per hour. If you could figure out how to keep your most profitable accounts, or get more very profitable accounts, then you could do 5-10 hours a week when/if you have your new career. At a min a $50/hour you would have at least an extra $1,000 gross a month to add to your income, and on what most teachers that I know make that could be the difference between a vacation, retirement savings, and having fun money, or none of those things and eeking out a living until you are old enough to collect SS and maybe not having retirement. To me, 5 hours a week is worth that! I was making 43k a year before I started this, and I relized to own our small home, I could either save for retirement, not drive anything but old cars, and never go on vacation once or twice a year, or we could drive slightly newer cars, go on some vacations, and not have anything to retire on. That outlook, along with hating my job helped me to choose option 3, which was starting a window cleaning business.
All that rambling to say, yes, you should be able to pursue your passion and window cleaning should be able to help you do that and live a more financially secure life.
I was a teacher that quit to clean windows. My experience is that teaching can be a great profession as long as you understand that you will not fix the problems of education (They really do not want it fixed because the solution is always more money) and that some children either are past the point of return but still deserve our full effort, support and love or because of personal or external choices do not want to helped. Too many teachers complain about pay but I do not remember anyone telling me to because with the windfall that comes from being an educator. Teaching is a great field that provides nearly 3 months off and ignore the “you get paid a full year for working 9 months” the reality is it is splitting the 180-ish day contract up to help teachers budget better. The pay is on par with other 4 year degrees when you take compare hourly pay and not annual.
I left because I want to go back to school again later and want a business that can sustain my family when I do so for 3+ years. And the fire hot mirror glass in 120 degrees in Vegas gets me excited.
When you are done keep the window jobs you love and you’ll have great vacation money for the breaks!!!
Good luck and God bless
This is really good advice. Once we can just concentrate on recurring accounts we don’t have to invest so much time on getting new clients.
I hope you stay on the forum. You started about the same time I did and I am always inspired be business owners like yourself that have been building a business from the ground up.
Im a full blooded window cleaner. Window cleaning gave me a way to succeed in life when i had not other options. It irratates me a lil when people say they do this part time or just for vacation money. For me its a way to provide for my family and pay bills, so excuse me if i step in and get a little personal. If your a teacher cool than be a teacher, i dont like it when someone does this part time for vacation money or some bs when this is how i make a living, basically taking work from people like me that built a legitimate business doing it. Dont say you own a business when basically its a part time gig for you. I spent crazy amounts of money to get where im at from certifications, insurance, equipment, trucks, vans, ect. Lost everything at one point, lived check to check and never gave up. I believed in what i was doing, i fought off bucket bobs, and part timers, draining my market to nothing. To me its real, not some part time fantasy, i get up everyday at 5am check the weather, suit up and grind, most the time not eating breakfast because i know every minute counts before the lunch rush. I guess what im saying is, cool man, you obviously know window cleaning isnt your career, so go teach and be the best you can be at it, like i do when it comes to window cleaning. I dont clean windows and substitute teach part time, or work on cars, or fight fires, or sell cars, for vacation money. Be the best you can be at what you enjoy doing most, and everything else will fall into place. Just my opinion, others will disagree but tbh i dont care. Thats how much i believe in this.
@Rockward To be clear, I never advised him not to be legitament. He should still carry appropriate licencing and insurance, which at long as he makes enough to be taxable, makes him a legitimate business. Personally, I respect your grind, but I also think that there is nothing wrong with a part time business. I am not saying be a jack of all trades either, but it doesn’t always hurt to have multiple revenue streams if it’s is done intelligently with regards to ones strengths.
Understood, i guess my point of view is different. Ive tried to understand the " part time business mindset" but i dont. I feel theres a difference between being your own boss and running a Business with overhead and the potential for actual loss. When i talk about certifications and insurance, im talking about thousands of dollars i pay annually to stay up to date not the $400 to $600 dollars i see people shopping for on this forum alot. Ive got alot of skin in this and i feel people view window cleaning as an easy way out, when in all reality when you do it professionally its not. Some say that its not a skilled trade and all that bs, but tell them to go over the edge and rope access or clean windows on a 40ft ladder, ask them to even throw a 40ft ladder solo and see what happens. I guess i just need to vent, dont take it personally. I just take window cleaning serious. Ill die with a squeegee in my hand.
I think I might have a different view on some of these points, but I can say that I understand the frustration of having to compete with a non-business/business that is less professional. It’s frustrating when a customer thinks that all window cleaners are like that and doesn’t know the value that someone more experienced brings to the table.
Appointments canceled due to incoming rain so I’m being a lazy, illegitimate owner of a business that has been going 40 years…so I’ll digress to address your agonistic post…
I understand you’ve already said “tbh i don’t care.” But I do care. I left teaching because I cared. No one ever said, “wth, why you working an extra job, bru?! you’re stealing from me!!!” They understood I was attacking my goals. That’s why so many people have second and third jobs. According to Occasionally Cortex (AOC) from NY, everyone has two jobs!
I work two jobs now. I’ve had always two or three jobs, and at least one full-time, to make ends meet for my family-even during college.
What is wrong with someone working a PT gig to supplement income; whether it is to buy a car, build rainy buffer or be so wasteful as to want a vacation!
You are doing it right with insurance and all the other things required to run a business-just like ME and most of the others on this site. This is a great place to “vent” but not agreeing with or being critical of others goals does not mean they are wrong.
Lastly, I bought a great blue book on marketing from this site by a guy that according to his story would have been described by any of us as master bucket bob or a hustler in his first days but by doing it the right way build a LEGITIMATE business that many of us want to emulate. #ChrisL-TY4the Inspiration
Do you feel this way because it’s winter ? I know I’ve had the same feelings like this during past winters , but spring comes along an everything changes
Like you said in your post, you left being a teacher to pursue window cleaning and being a Business owner. My beef isnt with you so dont get your panties in a bunch. Its with the ones that have careers and say they clean windows part time as a side gig to make money for vacations ect. Then they say that its easy and try to present themselves as a business owner when they dont have a clue. I do everything, comercial ground, store fronts, mid rise, high rise, residential, everything. Theres alot more to it than people think, and when they call it easy because they got a couple storefronts or residential a week to do, its a joke. It was easy because they dont do it professionally thats why. If you left being a teacher to clean windows than awesome! Your obviously doing well, congratulations!
Honestly guys im not in the best mindset to keep going with this thread, so im gonna bow out before i get really upset. Im super biased because i found out that somone i gave a chance that no one else would, stabbed me in the back and is trying to take some of my accounts. I gave him a job and helped him support his family taught him alot, spent time and money training him, now he is out with home depot equipment trying to under bid jobs. If i offended anyone, it wasnt my intention. I just got alot of frustration going on right now.
I’ve got a few rainy days ahead… need me to come visit your old friend? plausible deniability!
I am sorry that happened. I’ve been fortunate to have great people helping me along @mshramek@GenaroGuzman and others.
God speed my friend.
Guys Like this don’t last. Cleaning the windows is one thing running a business is another. More than likely he will fail.
Keep going back in Every once in a while to see if therr happy with him that you would be more than willing to take them back.
Stay on top of the work he didn’t take , stay aggressive with new work in the area , an you will flush this idiot out.
They think the grass is greener on the other side but have no clue , what running a business is like.
I couldnt of explained it better, i guess im more upset than worried about him. I always go that extra mile for people and it always seems to bite me in the A$$, especially went it comes to employees. Thank you for the reply bro.
