Starting up again

[adamangler]

Everyone's target is different, some want to have a big business, some want to stay as a sole trader. @P4dstaris new at this game and can see there are some, potentially, very big rewards to be achieved. After a few years of knocking himself out, like most on here have done, he might still be a sole trader earning enough to be able to sit back and decide, do I want to go hell for leather for another 2 or 3 years or do I want to consolidate and have a nice lifestyle with not a lot of stress.

Most on here at some stage have thought like him, some have built nice businesses, some have found it all too much and some have accepted that big houses and flash cars would be nice but not worth the extra hassle. All I would say is the bigger it gets the greater the stress gets and I hope all that try find a goal they are happy at.

Thats interesting.

Im a relative noob at this still i suppose, it will be about 3 1/2 years now since i first cleaned a window.... but often from reading posts from guys who have been doing it 10 plus years you get the feeling a lot have gone the same way.

started out with gusto smashing work off, got a full round, had dreams of building a bigger business, tried employing realised it was a lot of work for little gain  then come full circle and realised it was better in the beginning without the stress.

 

[steve garwood]

I have a lad out on his own in a van and me in the other but im considering just having him out with me in the one van, i know we will earn less but it will be so much easier not having the extra van and seperate worksheets to sort out. Also he rings me a few times a day, i couldnt do this house gates locked or pumps stopped working in van what do i do etc ect...

That’s what I do mate. Got a young lad jake that works with me 2-3 days a week, and my son works with me 1 day a week on his day off from college.

I find this a lot less stressful.

I also sub out any massive pressure washing jobs to another windie who gives me a cut.

I also sell any extra window cleaning work I don’t want to him.

All this is making my life a lot happier. More time for motorbikes, fishing, football, the missus and most importantly ??

 

[Clisty1989]

Work to live, not live to work, that's my motto.

 

[P4dstar]

I do want to go hell for leather and make a big thing out of it. I can see that in 2 years I may sit back and go... sod that, I can get everything I want just working as a sole trader.

@adamangler you're right, people always live to their means and you can always look across the road at Joe Bloggs fancy new motor and feel jealous.... @steve garwood I know what you're saying about the work life balance but you are looking at it through the eyes of a guy who has made a life out of this trade. I imagine selling work on isn't going to affect you financially, you will be able to survive because you are pretty skilled at this stuff. I am looking through the eyes of a guy who needs to pay the bills, if I rest on my laurels now I will be half of what I used to earn. I have the upmost respect for your opinion on it and cannot wait until I can take back some of the time i'm plowing into this (And the time I plowed into my last miserable business attempt). Thats the joy of this industry, you can go out and get 3 vans on the road, a team of people, expand into pressure washing etc etc etc or you can plod along as a sole trader making enough to pay the bills, have every weekend off and finish by 4 every day... either way its a good life. I maintain my point that if this chap is planning to leave a good job and is worried about providing the same life for his family he needs to be willing to make massive sacrifices for a while, this may include working 7 days knocking doors and cleaning windows. The size of the prize is completely up to each individual, I was just using an example.

 

[adamangler]

That’s what I do mate. Got a young lad jake that works with me 2-3 days a week, and my son works with me 1 day a week on his day off from college.

I find this a lot less stressful.

I also sub out any massive pressure washing jobs to another windie who gives me a cut.

I also sell any extra window cleaning work I don’t want to him.

All this is making my life a lot happier. More time for motorbikes, fishing, football, the missus and most importantly ??

I think this might be the way to go mate, its good having the extra help/money but not at the expense of sanity. cheers 

 

[Jango]

The best thing kids need is love and care, sharing happy memories, it might sacrifice more money and less material things, but it’s worth it, you can’t rewind time. Adam has given some good advice and it makes sense. Each to their own, everybody is different. I have heard this all before, big goals etc, yes we all need goals, but balanced. 

 

[P4dstar]

The best thing kids need is love and care, sharing happy memories, it might sacrifice more money and less material things, but it’s worth it, you can’t rewind time. Adam has given some good advice and it makes sense. Each to their own, everybody is different. I have heard this all before, big goals etc, yes we all need goals, but balanced. 

I think you also have a responsibility as a parent to set an example of a hardworking individual.... But yeah I agree.

I feel I was maybe taken out of context with my comments. I did 7 days a week while working a full time job, I needed to do that and so recommended the same for the chap who asked the question. Experienced window cleaners think working 7 days a week and think of full days on a nice full round, the reality is 7 days for a noob would mean 7 part days. I just meant be flexible, work weekends so people see you (Loads more people walk up to you on a weekend). There might be days where you only have 2/3 jobs on but while you build a round I think it is a good idea. Prior to leaving my full time job I was flat out 7 days a week, both my days off were spend window cleaning and I don't regret it. It was only ever short term and helped me have a springboard into doing this ''full time''

There is a lot more to life than money but there is also more to life than struggling to pay bills and put food on the table. There needs to be a balance. Right now I am slogging my guts out to fill my round and pay the bills but I also make every awards ceremony or school play. I take half days and take the kids out but I am working 7 days still, doesn't have to be 7 full days (not possible from where I am currently)

You can work hard and have a work life balance at the same time. Eventually when things settle down this will all change in to a more structured balance, for me anyways.

 

[Dave Shaw]

Work hard and play harder, that’s my rules. I’m only 34 so I’m still able to burn the candle at both ends so to speak. Our job is quite physically demanding so I may change my mind once I hit the wrong end of forty. I have three kids and whilst time is limited and precious I also enjoy the finer things in life and I also would like my kids to want for nothing which means working hard. To counter this I’ve devised a plan which means I can work part time hours giving me more time with my family and also keep the cash flowing and still enjoying my luxury’s. I’m almost there but for now it’s back to the grindstone for me.


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