That is just a stupid statment to compare a lemanade stand to a business. When real money is collected by an adult, in return for a service. Not talking my 9 year old making a pitcher of juice and selling for 25 cents on my corner.
This is really all you got?
A lemonade stand is not a business? Now I’m confused and will bow out.
My apologies if i misunderstood your reply.
I thought you compared a lemanade stand not operating with insurance to a business doing same.
You can get the money for a broken window but can’t for insurance…what if that broken window falls on a PERSON or a vehicle. Your @$!@#ed.
Dude…you seem like an alright guy but you really need to stop arguing your side. Your making no sense at all.
Insurance is 70-80 bucks a month(Canadian)-If that. What’s the issue? Get a part time job and pay for things properly.
I only do part time window cleaning and I’m paying for it. 1 residential job a month pays for that PLUS some. Heck, 1 month of my store account pays for the year of it.
How embarrassing would it be if something goes wrong?
If your not going to do anything legit, don’t even bother giving customers receipts. Your leaving yourself a paper trail to a false business. And why even be on the forum if you are ok being a “bucket bob”. No one wants to help but argue with someone over shit when we are trying to set you in the right direction.
I also bought insurance before starting. YOU are responsible for other people’s stuff. I get you want all the extra cash but you can’t keep it all. That’s what a JOB is for as it was mentioned before. You want a business, some needs to be given to government and insurance agencies. Simple as that. You don’t get to keep every penny.
If your not making enough window cleaning part time to pay for it and help yourself, then get a normal job during school until you have money to do things right and customers can take you serious.
I mean, in the end, do you, but these guys have a point. Your making a negative dent on yourself and the industry.
I personally, take everything these guys say into account. They KNOW what to do. Sure, not every one started that way but that doesn’t mean you should be immature about it yourself and follow those footsteps that have negative effects on everything.
Seriously, it’s simple…get a part time job(even 1 shift a week) pay for insurance, try to get 1 residential job a month or a few storefronts and grow from there. No one said it’s easy work but every one will agree to take the right direction.
In the end, it’s your call but I wouldn’t be asking for any ones advice anymore. Use Google. I don’t think these pros want to deal with a “bucket bob” - as your ok with.
I hear ya. I’ve stopped to use the restroom on my 3hr drive so I won’t respond to any of your statements except the bucket bob part. I don’t plan on being a bucket bob for long. I’ve said it many times throughout this thread that I want to become legit, just not right now. But I don’t mind being called that because well I can’t really argue that I’m not a bucket bob. Soon I will be able to come back here and say that I’ve become a true business but until that day I will be held accountable and will accept any title one may give me
On the insurance issue, generally its the public liability that is the major concern, you spill some water, some one slips and falls there goes the rest of your life in paying for someones law suit. Over here I am required to provide all docs to malls management, so if you are planing to do storefront and not do anything in a “mall” type environment you may not even be permitted on the site.
Over here also if someone does get injured as a result of your work, since the public ALWAYS has the right of way when working around the public, and you do not have public liability insurance you can be held criminally liable and prosecuted.
At the end of the day the insurance everyone talks about is primarily in place to prevent you from losing everything you own and may own in the future, not to fix the occasional broken window as most excesses are start about $500 mark so regardless if you have insurance a mistake will cost you $500 to place a claim.
I know right?! It irks me when ppl try to make it seem like what we do is rocket science. Its not the end of the world if a kid starts his business without insurance. At least he is here asking. Amd sure we could create 1000 different scenerios that could happen, but guess what, none of those have actually happened to him.
And no, he doesnt ruin anything for the rest of us. Worst case, he goes out without ins, breaks something, and that sucks for him and the client and they (not us) will have to figure that out. That has no bearing on me even if i’m in the same town and if u think it does, then ur looking at a very small portion of the picture.
That’s why i tell the kid to not sweat. For crying out loud some ppl on here just really really like to critique and rant and rave.
The lesson here is NOT to put all your business in the street. You open yourself up to everyone’s stupid opinions along the way. Do what is legally required for yourself. Determine what you want this to be.
Many of us did side work while making it through college - mowed lawns, handyman stuff, painted houses etc. If that’s what this is for you, so be it.
If you want this to be a bigger, permanent line of work, then you will have further legal and ethical decisions to make. And the ethical decisions will need to reflect YOUR ethics, not the forums.
But keep your cards close to the vest. Since you are in college, you are of the generation that hasn’t learned not to put everything online. But the sooner you learn, the better for your long term piece of mind.
^like he said, solid post!
