Corporate guy quits to start window cleaning business

Introductions
21

I was a newspaper reporter from 1988 to 2001 but quit my job and moved to a small town to take up window washing and sports photography. Actually, the window washing was just supposed to supplement my photography income until the latter (hopefully) became my No. 1 source of income. I still do both jobs today, but sports photography has never come close to matching my window washing income.

I got my first window washing job after moving to Alma, Michigan in May 2001. Since then I have increased my window income every year. My biggest increase was in my second year when a competitor I didnā€™t know suddenly went out of business. Someone said he died, but he might have just quit. In any case, he wasnā€™t coming around anymore, and I picked up several of his former customers.

I havenā€™t come close to the income I had in newspaper business, but Iā€™m certainly in much better physical condition for having washed windows for 15 years than I would be if I had stayed in my cubicle. Iā€™ve never been able to exercise for its own sake, so having a job that involves exercise is a blessing.

6 Likes
22

Dude.

This business is an awesome business model. From an entrepreneurial perspective you are in the right place my man.

The pressure washing suggestion I can say I agree with. I am not a member of that forum because I donā€™t have a proper pressure washing rig. I recently invested in some quality gear from the guys that started this forum. Wanting to get my foot in one market share before adding another. Honestly, I have so much going on right now I can barely keep up. I just hired 4 people to replace what I was doing in my other ā€˜line of workā€™. Well, that and an unruly guy who just had to go.

23

Morning Joe,

Iā€™m considering that now. Currently have been selling steel in Cleveland Ohio for 20 years. Bought all the equipment about 12 years agoā€¦was promoted, saw raises and nice bonuses and tossed all my equimpent in the closet. Well sir, Iā€™m pretty sure corporate life is going to kill me by 50 (45 now) so Iā€™m strongly considering it again.
My biggest mental roadblock is I live in NE Ohio. It rains here. Alot. Last year it rained 2 mos straight from May through Juneā€¦how would I work in that?! I want to prefice that I plan on targeting more commercial bizā€¦hell, may aqs well take advantage of all my contacts over the past 20 years. Thoughts? Advice?

Also, do you think its worth while investing in on of these Window Cleaning Start Up biz packages that gives you advice on insurance, taxes, billing and marketing templates? Thanks

1 Like
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Hello Sir,

First offā€¦good luck in chasing this business model. What I have learned in the past few weeks is very inspiring from other conversations on window cleaning resource.

The best piece of advice that I have learned is do not let people tell you otherwise about this business and that you are crazy for chasing it!

As far as your questions:
Donā€™t let a little rain hold you down, recently their was a post about a guy out in Portland that just started his business on a bike and it rains out there all the time.
Business package, in my opinion save your money!
Window Cleaning Resource offers an annual membership that will give you access to marketing/templatesā€¦good stuff I might add!
As far as taxes, hire an accountant and let them handle your books, well worth the money!
Insurance, you can find reasonable rates on line for a million in coverage etcā€¦

Also, follow ā€œLuke The Window Cleanerā€ on you tube, he is very helpful, great attitude about the business in general and funny as well!

Good luck!

25

Forgot to give you the site.

www.thewrca.com

Cheers!

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Well played!! Thanks so much for the advice, sir!

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Funny enough, I am leaving the business after 8 years. May seem short in some eyes, but I started from nothing and have made it a good distance. I now do route work, high rise, residential and pressure washing. So many things to say, because I still love it. First off, Iā€™m going back active duty with the Army, so not so corporate, but hopefully a little less time involved who knows. I love the Army too :slight_smile:

First off, you want to decide are you going to start and grow a business where you eventually become a true CEO (not just on paper) or will you be doing the work?

If you want to do be in the field, it will limit your growth. The most important and main thing I learned is the business owner is wasting his time actually doing the work- after you are up and running.

The goal is to hire and keep good workers that you can pay well and train well to keep around. Whether that be one or 5 depends on how many clients you can get.

I started from nothing so I could never leave the model of personal service done by me and Iā€™m so detail oriented that I was hardly satisfied with my employees lack of attention to detail- downfall of mine. Ultimately you will have to be out there doing it all on your own in the beginning but always be looking for good employees, the work force has plenty out there just have to find the gems. Train and enforce all the standards you want for your name and company.

With employees it has to be all business, no favors- another down fall of mine, I was too nice thinking these people are adults and should be treated as such. Nope. They are employees.

I currently do route work (commercial one story), residential, high rise and pressure washing. So I advertise that I clean any and all windows and pressure wash all buildings, sidewalks etc, no matter how high. Iā€™ve figured most of this stuff out on my own with some help from employees who did it for other companies.

High rise is the money maker hands down (not hard to get into). Then route work and then pressure washing. Residential is nice because it is usually same day pay.

An accountant is an absolute no brainer. Hire someone to do something that you may not know that well. That principle applies to everything in the business.

So much to say but I will leave you with this- what I was started with and I have more work than I can handle. Be where you say you are going to be, at the time you say you are going to be there and be fair and honest about your prices and work. You will get more work than you know what to do with. Then you can start raising your prices on estimates when you have more work than time.

3 Likes
28

Good luck on your journey, stay safe!

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this is great I just started my window cleaning company about a year ago. I have the big vision as you do i have one employee so far. its good to hear this type of success stories. If you have time I was wondering if you can give me some advise. I would like expend my route to some of these chain restaurants or stores but i find it difficult getting in contact with the right person and sometimes i dont know who to ask for that would handle their window cleaning decisions. I also have a few new contruction fast food places that are being built and wondering how would you approach them and who should i ask for when i do? thank you for your time and have a bless day!!