I currently own and operate a retail flooring business with my brother. Since we started I have done everything to set up and establish this business. We have grown greatly over the past 4 years, however, my brother is the main installer and he has to have surgery that will ultimately end his installation duties, so he (larger share-holder) will be purchasing my shares and take the reins. I am looking for a business that I can start with little capital (to be safe) and grow to become as profitable as we have with flooring.
I have great deal of knowledge on all of the organizational setup of a business and understand that it is a BUSINESS and not just a way to make a living. It seems to me that there are a few window cleaning companies that make some pretty good coin, at least our window cleaner at the store does.
He’s given me some information on the start up and investment, I am just curious to see what you guys think of a guy like me starting a business like this. I am used to a 10-12hr work day, I handle all of our sales, bookwork, purchasing, merchandising, customer contacts, scheduling, etc. In other words, I know what kind of work and service it takes to run a business.
I’m only second guessing myself because I can “google” window cleaning and there are a ton of search results. This is a fairly saturated market in a city of 200,000 people or so.
What do you think?
Am I crazy for wanting to try and penetrate a saturated market?
Can my excellent customer service prevail?
What do you think it would take for me to be successful?
Should I work with my local window cleaner to learn this trade well enough before I try to launch this on my own?
Great businesss to get into. That said, Penatration pricing is a tactic for getting into the market. Price low to get a market share but, slowly raise your prices as to be able to keep up with the volume and still grow as a company. Customer Service in my opinion is the #1 factor in having a successful business. Hope this helps.
Am I crazy for wanting to try and penetrate a saturated market?
Nope there is a lot of glass out there!
Can my excellent customer service prevail?
Fo sure
What do you think it would take for me to be successful?
Persistence knowledge
Should I work with my local window cleaner to learn this trade well enough before I try to launch this on my own?
Yea that couldnt hurt and will really help with the learning curve… Good luck!
Watch as many of the beginner videos here as you can, and this video right here will shave years of time in learning the skill:
Anyone who has ever needed a lawyer or doctor has found one, so technically those fields could be seen as saturated. Plenty of people become successful following those career paths though.
If you have a desire to own a window cleaning business you should GO FOR IT!
My advice would be to find a window cleaning company or two to work with and learn the correct techniques. I didn’t start this way and wasted a couple years before realizing it. Then I relocated and worked for two different company’s and learned everything really.
As far as saturated, I think anywhere you go and most businesses you get into could be considered saturated. What it really comes down to is, Can you find customers? Also forums like this to ask questions. People don’t realize how valuable a free forum like this really is. The information in here is easily worth a mini franchise fee. Matter of fact, I can 100% say you will learn more here than any (Yes is said ANY) window cleaning franchise in existence.
You’ll be fine if you try and don’t ever give up. Learn how to accept No as an answer and don’t wait for business to come to you. They don’t know it, but they’re just waiting for you to come and make the sale
