Seth sort of inspired this with his post last week. So how did everyone here get started in window cleaning? Tell us your story!
I got started, jeez I guess about 9 years ago now. Ive always been completely unemployable, I literally have gotten fired from every single job I have ever had. Seriously!
Well anyway, I got this summer job while I was going to school working with a local window cleaner. The company had 3 employees, I made #4. I was hired to drive around and work with there main guy who had just gotten a DWI. So I was the driver and helper. This guy was crazy, he had lunch at the bar everyday and pounded down 4-5 beers in half an hour.
He would make me work while he was inside “having lunch” Either way the whole job lasted for exactly a month. We had a mini argument on a job site about my speed. Apparently I was working to slow… That night the main boss called me up and fired me for working to slow on the job site… He had me met him down the rd at a local pizza place to pick up my last check…
The conversation went like this:
Him: here ya go man sorry about this, but you just cant keep up with Carl
ME: *%$@ You, I hope you go out of business…
My girlfriends dad gave me a job where he worked at printing place. It was way better pay the the window cleaning job… but it was horrible work. I moved huge pallets of paper around all day in August in a factory with no AC. I hated it… I would fantasize about window cleaning all day… Working outside, seeing awesome homes, freedom etc…
So I stayed at this job for about 3 months before I was eventually let go, (due to lack of work) Code for Chris you really suck at this job.
The whole time I was at the printing place, I thought about starting a window cleaning business and how easy it would be to do. So the next day, I made some fliers on my computer and passed out maybe 2 -300 hundred in my first day. When I got home from passing out the fliers, there were already 3 people on my answering machine asking for estimates… I thought to myself hell yea! I fired over to home depot and bought $90 bucks worth of tools, that included a 24 ft ladder that was on sale. I did 2 of those 3 houses 2 days later (in one day)… Got home and looked at the 450 bucks I had made in 9 hours…and thought to myself… this is it… Im in!
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Almost 4 years ago to be exact, I was working in a clinical laboratory doing cancer testing for patients when a local window cleaning company came by to clean the windows of the building I was working in. I remember sitting at my desk watching these guys as they were laughing, having a good time working outside. The swirl technique they were using to clean the windows tripped me out too. I thought man what a cool job, but i bet it doesnt pay much. As they were packing things up, i watched them jump into some pretty nice looking trucks and drive away. Right then the wheels started turning in my head. Hmmmmm… they must be making some decent money to be able to purchase those trucks, equipment and pay those employees.
That night looked into in on the net, found NWCD. Joined there, started asking questions and met Terry Kannady from Terrys window washing. He was super cool enough to take me under his wing and show me the ropes on everything window cleaning, start to finish. He took me to a bunch of jobs with him and i basically worked for free as i learned the trade of window cleaning. Juggled the full time job with part-time window cleaning for a bit then finally took the plunge and went full time. Thats pretty much it in a nutshell.
During the 70s I installed solar film. A big part of that is getting the window clean before applying the film. I was doing a job for the horse track in Hot Springs, Arkansas and was running short on film. The only distributor there at that time was Hot Springs Janitorial. I called them and his wife told me that he was on the roof of the Majestic Hotel. This was before cell phones so I went to find him. What I found were window cleaners dropping over the side of this ten story building. I ordered my film and asked if they were hireing. He asked if I had done anything like that before and I lied and said “yep”. I think he knew but he gave me a chance anyway when I volunteered to do a drop. To tell you the truth, you couldn’t have slapped a toothpick up my butt with a two by four when I was dangling over the edge of that building, feeling for the seat with my feet, but, by the time I got to the ground I was hooked and nearly ran to the elevator to go up and do it again. I combined my previous window cleaning expertise with how they did it and ended up with a process much like we do it today. I worked with Tom for about four years before moving away and starting my own business. When I first applied for my government tax id. I described my job as soliciting homes and businesses orally with no written contracts and they sent me a piece of paper that had a number but stated that I made “No Taxable Income”. Sounds so good. Those were the days. Tax laws change… tools change…But the profession is basically the same. Folks like clean windows and we can do that.
[I][B]“because glass looks it’s best when you can’t see it”[/B][/I]
Was shooting the shi* with another firefighter at the kitchen table one day. he started a gutter cleaning side biz with one house and word of mouth kept him busy. I said to him…“You have to do something else with gutters…what goes with that?” I thought…“windows” Then I said to myself…Hell I have been up in orange county for 11 years and NEVER saw a window cleaner…so went home…looked in yellow pages(chris…thank you for not being in there anymore:D ) and there was only about 4 people doing it…so then I found WCR…spent about 2 months reading/researching…then jumped in.
My Dad was a truck driver/window cleaner. He always worked for someone else driving a truck and when he got angry with who he was working for he would quit and pick up the squeegee and bucket.
I always thought WCing was a sh*t job. Because my dad never stayed with it. He charged rock bottom prices and that’s the reason he kept going back to driving a truck.
In 2002 he passed away with cancer. When I was helping cleaning out his stuff with my brother I found a bunch of fliers with my dad’s business on them. “Bob’s window cleaning”
I remembered a few of the business he would clean from time to time. I went by to visit with some of them. They were shocked of his passing and a few of them asked me if I was going to keep his part-time business going on. I only smiled and said it’s not for me. Actually I was thinking to myself “are you serious? He never made a dime in window cleaning!”
Well after a few months of being curious about window cleaning I did some research and found out that there were people making money WC’ing. And after 60 days of my father’s passing away I was cleaning windows!
Started out with a few of those storefronts and then landed a residential home and made $300.00! Gave a huge business a quote and the guy told me all he needed was my business name so that he can make out the check. Wow all this running around I didn’t even think about creating a business name…I thought about my dad’s business name “Bob’s window cleaning” And went with
B Clean Windows to honor him.
Well, since 2002 I was swinging a hammer doing construction on roofs, and then doing everything from the foundation to the roof and everything in between. Trouble was, like Chris, I got fired from alot of my jobs. Then, I became a really good employee. Always early, stayed late. The pay was horrible. I could not survive on 10 bucks an hour and 20 hour weeks. So a friend of mine got me an interview with a construction cleaning company called Velasquez Maintenance in San Diego. They clean model homes and the like. Started at 15 an hour, and I thought that was great…easy money. Then they bumped me up to 20…and after one more month, up to 25. This went on for a year. She made me barrow 980.00 for liability insurance, and another 400 bucks for a ladder and squeegees before she would let me work.
So, after she turned into a nazi- accusing everyone of stealing jobs and even accused me of having an affair on my wife, I quit. Started my own thing, figured hey, I already have the insurance, why not.
So, the first year was really bad. But I stuck it out and did okay. The second year was awesome. Now I am in my third year and its better than ever.
[SIZE=“7”]I will never work for someone ever again!!! EVER![/size]
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I was attending Community College and saw a job description on a bulletin Board. Little did I know that it was a career move. It was perfect. I cleaned windows before and after class on my route. When I left the University, I was married without a job. So I needed work fast. So I became a high rise window cleaner. But the guy I worked for was a thief. He decided what my pay hours were no matter what I worked. I was working 6 days a week and getting 30 hr. checks. After 12 years of this I started doing my own houses and route. One day I ran into a guy who wanted this big complex done and asked if I could handle it. I was looking for time to make my move and this was it. That was 12 yrs. ago, and now I have 6 employees.
i got my start when one of my best friends asked me to go over and work with him on marthas vineyard for the summer… we had a blast but we worked for a company that would lose our time sheets and not pay us every week so i quit… i got a job for an amazing company 20/20 on cape cod, learned a lot then started my own business 6 years ago… everyday is still a blast 
I came to this country 7 years ago, worked as dishwasher/busboy for $350 BY-WEEKLY, then valet parking at hospital fulltime and part time on restaurants. Then a whole bunch of other crappy jobs for a while, then worked for a glass shop for year and 1/2 moved on because I was making contractor work and being paid as a helper, started working with a pressure washing company, after a month I was promoted to supervise the work in the whole Houston area baby sitting 20 employees for $18, was stressing and didn’t have to work a lot, I was in charge to provide my own hours so I made a difference because of that and stayed there for another year and 1/2.
Friend of mine was moving back to his country and owned this window cleaning company for over 5 years, one employee only and couple of part timers, he made me and offer, a down payment and monthly quotes … so I have some saved money and the rest I’d pay it with the same money I’d be getting while working the company, so it was a no brainier and being into this for over year and 1/2. Now we’re kinda thinking about moving back to our country so I don’t know … I love doing this and cannot keep doing it over there since it’s not the same market, but I did learn an extremely important lesson, like Tory said, I’m not working for no one else anymore.
Chris, that one gotta be your longest post to date right ? 
My first experience with a squeegee was in 1992. Basically my dad got my the job. I lasted about 6months (if that). I was young and not willing to get up at the butt crack of dawn to clean windows. So I quit. Then, that’s when the trouble started. Unemployed and going nowhere fast. I got involved with the wrong crowd causing trouble. Eventually I got busted by cops and hauled to the slammer. Eventually, I was let out with an ankle bracelet a month later. That guy with the window biz hired me back, said “[I]I figure you wont be going anywhere for a while with the ankle bracelet on[/I]”. I stayed with the company for years, became a fireman and got part of my life straitend out.
Now here I am, running my own show. And I’m loving it!
I guess I was the opposite of Chris. I was the model employee and always worked may way up close to the top, then I would get very disappointed with the boss/company and the way things were being run and I would leave to go work for another company then the same would happen.
Well back in May 2007, I had just finished fixing up my Dads condo for sale and the last thing on the list was cleaning the windows. I cleaned them myself and the whole time I felt an inner peace. Even though I was using a sponge, a shower squeegee and paper towels for detailing, I was still quite amazed at how well the windows were looking. I couldn’t believe people actually hated cleaning their own windows. ZAP!, a little light bulb went on in my head and I just couldn’t shake it. A few weeks later I did my first paying window cleaning job, worked part time for a couple of months and by Sept 2007 I was a full time business and scared as hell.
But here I am, still going and still growing.
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I wanted to say that but kept going on the small details. But that really is the story of my life. Honest, responsible, going the extra mile for no extra money, and so on, then you get tired of that crap and move on to find the same thing in the next job sooner or later.
Was working at a grocery store into late 1985. I go in one Monday morning and my manager tells me the boss fired me. No explanation offered, I asked for none. I just left and went home. My friend had a floor buffing, mat changing, window cleaning route in upstate New York and took me 2 days each week. I thought window cleaning was easy enough to try with minimal investment. So, in Feb. 1986, I just started pounding the pavement in my hometown and since then I haven’t looked back. I’ve had up to 9 poor-good employees and now am much happier w/3 really good employees.
Window cleaning has always put food on the table. I should have a pretty fat wallet, but my lack of budgeting and marketing skills have nixed this. That’s why forums such as this one are SO helpful.
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My story is similar to Chris’. I have had several jobs ranging from grocery stores to construction to computer warehouses. I hated almost every job I had where I was working for someone else. In 2004 I was working in a deli at my local Wal-Mart (I know Larry - they’re evil:D) and a friend of mine offered to show me the ropes in window cleaning. I was hooked from the first job. I have changed my service area since I first started and gone from both commercial and residential to just residential. I have been happier cleaning windows than any other job I’ve ever had and since Mrs Squeegee joined me full time in 2007 it’s been even better.
Great stories. Yeah Ive had so many crap jobs. I was doing concrete forms and just hating it when my wife found an ad in the paper for window cleaning $500-$700 a week. Sounds good to me! Worked a couple months with this company and just loved it. Being outside, independent , getting tons of compliments and just feeling that my service was appreciated. I also realized there is a huge market for window cleaning and a huge paycheck for those who got serious about it. After those two months I just slowly started doing jobs here and there. Flyering like crazy, then my wife started working with me and now two years later we’re totally self sufficient .
So much better than digging holes and carrying lumber!!!
Got that right!
[B]FYI - Here is my original thread on this forum dated 6-29-09 - that is when the magic started. I haven’t looked back since…[/B]
Hopefully my time has come…
Hello all -
I am absolutely grateful for stumbling across this forum, and how about a “job well done” to the folks at WCR for having us! Warning - my post is a bit long winded - but well worth it.
I came to the realization last night that historically I keep investing myself in other companies, people, projects, successes…only to be let down again, and again. I keep putting myself on the line to the benefit of someone else. Now I don’t mean in the sense of showing up to work everyday, and punching a time clock for 40 hours a week. I mean literally sacrificing everything I have - time, energy, money, sweat, tears, a little blood here and there, even relationships.
I am extremely hard working, dedicated, almost borderline workaholic. And in the end, I’m still standing here empty handed…so I have decided that enough is enough.
I’m 25, and I just got married after ten years to the best woman in the world. I have a dog, a couple cars, and a house that I hand built when I was 19, last year we refinanced to a 15 year mortgage…life was good - so far.
This past winter I was laid off from a company where I had been working for six years - in fact my uncle owns the company. He’s a multi-millionaire, and living proof of how money can change a person…for the worse. Let’s just say we didn’t see eye to eye. These people were literally idiots - you know the type, overpaid “yes” men (and women)! I prefer research and calculated risks, while these people enjoyed shooting from the hip with the boss man’s money. Long story short, I put myself in the line of fire of his management, in order to save his behind. I single handedly helped him salvage his financial arse, I became his sacrificial lamb. No apologies, no appreciation, and in the end he threw me under the bus. It wasn’t the first time, but it was the last.
I have never been without a job, I have been working since I was 12 delivering newspapers. I dropped out of high school at 16 so that I could bring home a paycheck instead of homework. I got my first apartment at 17, and was able to support my now wife and myself so she could continue school and graduate. Unemployment has been a real eye opener - I have always been able to find work when need be. Not anymore. As I said previously, my wedding was May 16 2009 - we had been planning it over the last year, it was too late to back out (financially) our deposits had been sent off. The wedding was great - I love my wife, we went to Mexico for our honeymoon. When we arrived home, she went back to work only to find she too was laid off. What a way to start your married life - eh?
To sum it up - I have started the process of liquidating my assets (if you want to call them that) in order to finance a startup company. The wife and I have decided that we are young enough to risk it all in order to better ourselves. Plus we have a relationship and understanding that could never foreclose or go bankrupt - she is my saving grace, honestly.
My grandma is my other saving grace - literally. Those are two women I couldn’t do without! I was speaking to her a couple weeks ago, and she mentioned that my aunt was getting the windows cleaned - they live together as my aunt is a nurse and grandma is 84 (she still drives). They have it done once or twice a year - cleaning in and out. She said the guy stated he had more business than he knew what to do with. So literally… grandma, like always, had the answer - window cleaning.
If you made it this far - congrats! I hope to have this business up and struggling (I’m a realistic-optimist) in a month or so. Sort of bad timing, missed the spring cleaning rush, but hopefully the late summer and upcoming holidays will help. I look forward to the future.
Thanks for your time.
Shawn
WOW
Shawn … When dealt with lemmons , Make lemonade ! Sounds like you could probably open up a lemonade stand with all of the lemmons you have been dealt with.
In the window cleaning business i would have to say it is a lot of PERSISTANCE.
It is probably one of the lowest cost businesses to get into.There will be high’s and lo’s in this game. Do not get discouraged !!!
You have to remember this is a numbers game. ( from what i have learned from this bus,)
You could put out 1000 fliers and get a 1% or more return or you could get none !
Don’t drop your pants to get a job meaning if it is a 100.00 job don’t do it for practically nothing.
Right now people are taking advantage of a lot of businesses such as window cleaning , Pressure washing, auto detailing etc,
I think a lot of window cleaners these days and that are on this site did not have that goal in life to be a window cleaner and to run their own window cleaning business,99% of them just happened to get into it by accident whether it was by helping out a friend or by just getting a pat time job to help pay the bills.Those people i am sure saw the potential in this business and hunkered down and went full out in. To all of those who did that congrats and may your business still be prosperous with this economy !!!
Hell just look at what Cris went through as far as jobs went and look at where he is today amongst others !!!
Keep a positive attitude and things will change. Potential customers can pick up on stuff like that.
You need to EAT,SLEEP,THINK - WINDOW CLEANING !!!
i had spent many years as a car mechanic,day after day getting crusty old cars thru the annual test. It ground me down eventually and as my mind wasnt on it i kept injuring myself .Big cuts to my fingers . So i quit and wandered aimlessly for a while.
One day i noticed ladders on sale at a low price. Immediately i walked out to my car and paced the length of my car and figured they would fit inside it .
Next morning i took a deep breath and hit the streets with my new LADDER, bucket and squeegee . I had never cleaned a window before. The first few hours ,nobody but nobody wanted to know .I started to think i could hide the ladders in my mums shed and it could all be forgotten . So i decided to go for a walk on the local beach instead … on the way to it ,i stopped in a small village and started door knocking there . Within a couple of hours i had cleaned 5 houses(houses are small in england) and the seeds were sown for my business .
My work now is mainly in town ,and even though the village is quite a long drive out , i still go out to that village cleaning and always will .
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