Hello, first off…I appreciate anyone’s input/experience during this type of transition.
Wondering if anyone in this forum left their corporate high paying career to start your own window cleaning business?
If so, would you please share your over all experience thus far?
Thank you!
I have that background. Probably best to PM to discuss as it could get lengthy.
Probably 10% of the industry has taken this path. Not one of them but if you need some pm me
I left my suit and tie to clean windows . I don’t regret it a bit . Don’t let you friends opinions change your mind.
I worked for 6 years at an architecture firm and have a degree for it. I hated office work and would always dream of being outside free of the cube farm. I could never go back. When I do businesses with people sitting behind desks in cubes I feel so much pity for them… But maybe they like it. It wasn’t for me.
I still do architecture work on the side. So if you can freelance for the kind of work you do, don’t entirely give it up.
Thanks for the advice… Are you getting plenty of jobs with your window cleaning gig?
If there’s glass, there’s work. Just dive in and you’ll find out how deep the pool really is.
Wish you the best. Enjoy the fresh air.
Eh, what can I say? I laughed, I cried, I fell down, it changed my life. The End.
Hey @Joekwood welcome to the WCR!
If you ever need it, we have a guide for new members about how to use the most common forum features of the forum
Angela WCR
I still do both.
My experience is you will have the ability to close deals others won’t because of your ingrained professionalism.
I fight the power. I have no tact and no professionalism. I am really good at what I do. So when they tell me to put on a tie I give them the finger and leave. Therefore my professionalism is lacking. But I have closed some really big deals in my flip flops, so maybe what I am doing is working… IDK…
I am probably delusional.
Maybe that’s why I am self employed?
Hello Louie,
Appreciate your feed back and over all approach on fighting the power.
You are definitely on to something with regard to fighting the power. I get it for sure and couldn’t agree more as the corporate BS these days is ridiculous.
If your closing big deals in flip flops! Good for you and don’t change a thing!
I’m just ready to enjoy working for myself and hearing how you do things is inspiring!
Cheers!
Joe
Joe,
2 cents. Consider pressure washing as your main service. Many pro’s in that field.
slower forum, but check out pressurewashingresource.com
I think there is a thread on here about this topic. It was very uplifting for me to read. I was very impressed when I read what other window cleaners were doing before they left it all behind. There is a freedom in doing what we are doing.
more money in it also
Also larger available work force.
I earned a Bachelors in Environmental Science, realized I needed a master’s to do anything with it worth doing; ended up working at an auto plant in the Environmental Health and Safety and QA departments fresh out of school and despised it. Stuck it out for a year, and was so stoked my last day there I was in tears walking back to my truck. Moved to CA, and lived out of my truck for 8 years working odd jobs and living the outdoor mountain / ocean lifestyle traveling the world. I went back to school for my Master’s and got depressed in all corporate environments. I’m recalcitrant by nature, so anyone above me telling me what I think is wrong is going to get my honest opinion. This personality trait lead to multiple entrepreneurial ideas, but nothing came of fruition due to bad credit from being unable to pay off loans and credit cards. I was young and dumb. I feel old getting started in this, but I can make a living doing this anywhere.
I think a certain level of income whereby you’re not worried is important, but you don’t need millions to be happy. I enjoy what I do, and even days when I take it for granted and slack, it wasn’t someone else that put me in a position where I have to work harder tomorrow, it’s ME.
If you’re sociable and know how to talk to people, you can do well in this industry. I use the word ‘can’ because it’s what you make of it. I’m second year into business, and surviving my first winter. You’ll have ups and downs, and it’s not a consistent income. To be honest, I literally hung out and played guitar for a week plus because of heavy snow. Weather is scary. It would be less so if I were in CA. (in CO atm.)
The only marketing I’ve done is stopping into storefronts with a polo and landing residential from store and restaurant owners. As we work into spring, I’ve been concocting this stew of marketing ideas which will definitely give me a stronger foothold in this endeavor.
I’m bad at this, particularly in winter when it’s slow and have a bit of a nest egg, but think about how many hours you are actually productive working for a corporation. Say you’re on the clock, salaried or whatever, for 8 hours. How many hours did you actually work? 5 hours? Ok, now step up and actually work ON your business for 8 hours a day. You’ll be surprised what you can do.
Thank you Sir for taking the time to share your story.
Inspiring for sure…
Good luck to everything you do in life!
