[COLOR=#0000FF][FONT=“Times New Roman”]Hi All[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000FF][FONT=“Times New Roman”]I was just wondering apart from the money and working for yourself. What is your motivation as mine is drying up, after 25 years of window cleaning and at 56 years old and still abseiling and always looking for new leads clients etc I am over it, what I need is new thought and new motivations, I just seem to get depressed thinking about it.[/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000FF][FONT=“Times New Roman”]Getting knock backs and delivering flyers is just getting me down. [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000FF][FONT=“Times New Roman”]It used to be fun until money got in the way [/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#0000FF][FONT=“Times New Roman”] OTTRA[/FONT][/COLOR]
[MENTION=2370]ottra[/MENTION]
I hear that! $ ruins everything…
I made a pretty major business change yesterday, Ill talk about it soon here… but basically what it comes down to is I need to bring the fun back into my window cleaning business.
What are you thinking?
beast advice I could give is to make a list of everything about your company, What you do on a daily/weekly basis. Then the that list and separate what you enjoy doing from what you don’t like. Find as much time as you can to focus on the things that make you happy
I personally get a rush out of doing sales. I know if I’m having a slump of a few down days, I make a point to go do some sales/marketing cause I know once I get that “rush” form closing a job, I forget about whatever was bothering me before.
Ottra, What is something in your business that you like or find joy in?
For me it is simple and my primary motivation is this: When I’m cleaning glass, I’m at peace with everything.
I have a long list of secondary motivations that are both tangible and intangible. But the key to all of those is recognizing how/when/why/where the term resentment can ever possibly enter the equation. Once recognized, then it’s a simple matter of finding out how to remove it. I have worked for other companies in various trades for years and have observed a slew of ways in which companies sow resentment in their employees and (unfortunately) customers alike. That’s a no-win situation for all parties involved. But take resentment out of the equation, and suddenly the world opens up.
I have customers whom I have never met face-to-face who will leave their home open with instructions as to where the check/payment will be; Who will give me a key to their home but not to their own family member; Who will have me re-program their garage code so that I can come and go as needed; Who will remind me that when the weather is bad, there is spare room to be used; Who give me special security clearance to service their commercial properties when it fits best my route; And a slew of clients who will either ask (or insist) that the crew and I eats lunch/dinner with them.
And then there are times when I will surprise the crew by taking them out to dinner and telling them publicly face-to-face how much their efforts are appreciated. (And I’m not talking about serving them hotdogs and potato chips either.) I make sure they know how our clients feel about them, that the client was impressed with how carefully personal items were put back exactly in place. In short, I use a shield and sword to keep resentment away, and make sure everyone involved gets blanketed with appreciation.
Take resentment out of the equation, and all sorts of positive things will flood your situation. 
My motivation is the time I get to spend with my family. Next up is actually enjoying what I do for work.
Up until yesterday I was cleaning windows part time during the day then going and working at the Post Office distribution center 2pm-10pm… The perks were great, benefits were great, but after a year there I saw how many people hated their jobs and despised going to work.
In 2 weeks I will be back to a full time window cleaner and I know it’s the best move I could make. What’s the point of life if you wake up hating your career path?
Mike Radzik
Pro Window Cleaning
Central, Mass
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource mobile app
I remember one time a person said " act like its your 1st season". When you were ready to take on the world.
Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Resource mobile app
I always tell people that it is never to late to reinvent yourself or your business. Some do it to break out of boredom and some do it as a means of bringing their earning potential back up.
Since getting into waterfed, I’ve often thought that if I started up a window cleaning business again I would do exteriors only, market only neighbourhoods that have screens on the insides and blast these cookie cutter communities with ONE sweet price. Just a ‘no frills’ exterior window cleaning biz.
sometimes you just gotta shake things up a bit and get out of your comfort zone.
Same here. Been doing the Army’s bidding for so long. Refused to go higher because I knew the life I would expect after that. Was a ground pounder not into all the political but kissing. Just had it. Was worried at first to retire. Going from just under 6 grand a month to the hopes the business continues well was a gamble. Never had a hobby or something I liked to do. I liked to do windows. Yeah new const sucks, sometimes there are marks and spots that fight you every step of the way but I like to figure out how to fix it. The other day I took a reply very personally. Wasn’t meant to be presented that way but I took it wrong. If I went all out I could go all out and make a hell a lot of money. Buy the big fancy equipment. I need to set my boundaries. Years working long hours have taken its toll mentally and physically. Why would I use a small RO to make water? I like the fun of doing just that. Making water to playing with my poles, trying out soaps and ideas others present. Sure I am making a bit of money but happy doing it. I clean every night for about 7 or 8 hours leaving time in the day to do other tasks for the business and window cleaning. What keeps me going is finding clients that really appreciate my work. When I am told that in 15 years of working at XXX they have never seen the place and windows look so good. That keeps me going. I like the fact I can do what I what when I want. That is a freedom that many take for granted. Until you have lived a life where, by law, you will do this or else. I gave up my personal freedom in 86. Wasn’t until 2009 that I got it back. So do the jobs I want to do now. Sure some just have to do because need the cash, life cost a lot. My life, my terms, my way.
Find cleanings that you like to do. If you have client base, maybe focus on them if you can afford to. Maybe try a new item out. I was just not a good fanner. practicing and getting discouraged. Tried a simple wagtail. I am waggin everything now. I liked it a lot and now want to seek out more jobs to wag. So maybe you need to find a new purpose or “thing”. I am sure after 25 years you tried everything under the sun. Maybe it is too much business and not enough boots on the ground. Maybe a modern “Walkabout” would do some good.
Sometimes you just gotta head to the mountains…
(no i am NOT talking about the mountains of Busch Beer…)
Head to the shore, head to the canyon, head to… Well your favorite NATURE place.
(mine is the mountains…)
Take a couple days to relax and ENJOY the pure joy and beauty that NATURE has to offer.
Leave it ALL behind you for a couple days…
Then go home home and figger out how to pay for your vacation…
There ya go- MOTIVATION!!!
BUT REALLY…
Check out your local state parks and get away for a couple days.
Its amazing how rejuvenating a few days in the woods can be.
And i have found REJUVENATION and MOTIVATION go hand in hand.
@Chris
Funny… i have been trying to think of ways to have more fun in my biz (i am a 1.5 man show…)
AND make it more enjoyable for my clients…
I am looking forward to hear about your major changes…
Pax
I can’t say I can completely relate to your situation with this business as I have only been at it 3 years and you have 26. I do however know that too many years at any career can be taxing. I retired from law enforcement after 25 years. I never thought I would get tired of it when I was younger. When I retired I was soo done with it, I couldn’t wait tile retirement day. Have you thought of adding different services? Maybe adding emplyees so your not the one cleaning the glass. Shaking things up a bit.
Staying hungry - like you were in your first year - is very hard to do. It doesn’t matter which industry/job/career you are in. Once you’ve climbed “the mountain” how do you convince yourself to go climb one bigger?
Or quit climbing and return back to the valley. At some point, enough is enough.
So true. Either going back to the valley (quiting) or staying atop the mountain you are on ( getting complacent/lazy) can be so easy for a business owner.
You may want to hire employees if you don’t want to do the physical stuff anymore.
You could become passionate about training excellent employees. I don’t know the ins and outs high-rise window cleaning, but maybe the problem is the bidding process itself. With some of these big contracts, the job seems to go with the cheapest. It can be relentless always trying to win in the price game.
High rise seems like it would be amazing in the way that you are up so high and have such an amazing view. I would guess that it’s like hang gliding. Maybe, you don’t want to give up the adventure to do residential.
When I was trying to flier my way to success in the middle class homes, I got very discouraged because there is a lot less $ circulating in the middle class anymore. I kept hearing that my prices were too high. I would get very discouraged driving around giving estimates because I knew I wasn’t the cheapest and that the customer would probably go for the cheapest… at least 8 in 10 would. Constantly hearing that you are too expensive will mentally beat you down.
That’s why later when I started getting all my customers through the internet, I was so relieved. By putting my prices on line, it would weed out the people who couldn’t or were unwilling to pay my prices. It saved me gas money by not having to drive all over the place giving estimates. I didn’t have to sell anymore either.
At least not in person. The website does the pre-qualifying and selling for me so by the time they are calling me, they just want to schedule the job.
I’m an introvert so, I become a lot more motivated if I don’t have to answer the same questions over and over and also that I don’t have to make a sales pitch to anyone ever.
Other window cleaners, however, like approaching people face to face and closing the deal. Storefront window cleaners with a sizeable route, no doubt, have gone door to door making sales for there company. Some people like that.
I guess a major question with regards to motivation is whether you like to sell or don’t. Whether you like to be out in the field or not. As was mentioned earlier, figure out what parts of the business you like and don’t like and figure out how to do more of the stuff you like.
Funny you say that because I am only targeting homes with Streetbidder that have casement windows so I don’t have to go inside the homes or adhere to their schedule. I would love to build my client list with nothing but outside only work!
RiverCityMN, same here I like exterior. Most of these homes are “cookie cutter” homes. Find a good price same as these small store fronts. Determining a win win price is what I am figuring out.
hmmmmm…
Maybe he read about the costume dressing up thread?:eek:
Awesome insight and worthy of a thread all to itself. Just reading about Zero-Based Thinking and it’s all about what you’ve just said “If I were starting over again, would I choose to be doing this?” Asking yourself this question stops you slipping into ruts and doing things “just because you’ve always done them”.
[COLOR=“#0000CD”]I don’t believe it[/COLOR]…LOL
Good post again.
