Hello Everyone, I am looking seriously at this business and I was very pleased to find this Forum. I hope someone might take some time to offer a little advise to help me make good choices. I have been laid off recentlyt from a 20 year career, so I am very interested in becoming independent business owner, but I have never done this sort of thing. I have always wanted to become a business owner. I know how to work hard, I am good with people, and I am not lazy. I think I can succeed in the right business, if I prepare and do my home work.
I don’t have a lot of start up money, so this is why I am looking at starting a window cleaning service. Am I wrong to think that I can start up with a small investment and grow as I go? I will be working at other things at the same time to suppliment my income, but I can devote time to develop my new business.
Where do I begin? I was thinking store fronts to begin with maybe, is that ok? I live in Rutherford county Tennessee and it is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. Lots of residential, commercial, and retail growth nearby. I think I can get accounts, but don’t know where to focus.
If anyone can offer suggestions/advise it would be appreciated.
This is the perfect place to start! Do you have a wife/partner that can give you an extra pair of hands? I didn’t think I would be much help at first - just more or less a gopher, but gradually tried more things and became a little more confident. It’s also nice to be able to keep the money in the family, so to speak. You have help, but don’t have to pay an employee. Hope things go well for you!
Welcome. Window cleaning can be a low start up business. Check w/ Chris and Alex about a starter kit. I’d try both storefront and residential in the beginning. Look around the marketing threads on here for good ideas.
Welcome…the best suggestion I can make is to read, read, and read some more. This forum has a ton of great info, sometimes you just have to dig for it. I know that when first starting out, it can be all too overwhelming, but like anything it will become easier as you go. Good luck!
Reading is great, but also write down all your questions and give several people a call. Numerous people on this forum have sacrificed a lot of their valuable time to help save my butt on several occasions.
Also, there are a 3 or 4 local guys who didn’t feel threatened by me starting a business and were extremely helpful. I would say that meeting those guys was one of the smartest things that I could have done. They also used me as a sub until I no longer needed the work. Really helped me keep a full schedule, but the work was nothing in comparison to what I learned from them.
