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What are your plans for 2017?

adamangler

Wakefield Window Warrior
Messages
4,263
Location
Wakefield
Well guys, perhaps a bit early with this one but im already thinking about having a nice long christmas break and where i want to go with the business in 2017.

Had a meeting today with a financial adviser thats got me thinking about the future and investing etc.

This year has been my first in full time self employment, im happy ive survived for a start and am just reaching the point where its starting to pay off and for the first time in my life have a bit of spare money each month which is great.

However going forward i have some big decisions to make, i want to have a serious think what i want from my business, this year has been a learning curve and im hoping to get a bit more direction for next year..

Anyways, ive decided my main plan of attack for next year will be leaflets and a lot of them (found a company to deliver them around 5000 a month to start with ) along with local magazine adverts, re vamping of websites etc.

The main idea is to keep offering plenty of services which should keep the enquires higher and allow me to charge a premium price for all services generating revenue to invest back into the business with the ultimate aim of growing a premium window cleaning round pushing into more upper class areas.

So how has your year been and what do you plan to do differently next year? Are you looking to expand, stay the same, do less hours, employ etc?

 
Well with a lot of personal stuff this year it's been a long one. (Didnt mind hanging out in my brother in laws roof top infinity pool though /emoticons/smile.png))

Having a meeting on Monday with Nick, ex employee whom will be coming back part time in spring full time in summer. He's grown and i've matured and we know what to expect from each other.

I will put out a minimum of two new vans buy the end of next year and plan to be off tools by 2018 just covering holidays etc and dealing with the marketing. Aiming for at least 8 vans out by 2018.

I too have been considering the future and hanging about just below the VAT threshold will not see me retire in a style I want.

You are right about marketing and you only draw out what you put in. Have been drawing up canvassing strategy as well as planning continuall leaflet drops and working up an on-line strategy as well.

I think we are in for some exciting times and look forward to watching you all grow.

 
Might sound like a small thing compared to yours, but I am just planning to get a van, so I don't wear out my personal car so quick.

It will have a custom built wfp system m, diy style of course. I am designing a special setup with one short and one long hose and a trolley to fit all kinds of jobs most effectively, as well as support two man when needed.

 
Not small at all @Nudel .
I went from walking to junk car to better car to junk van to better van and so on.

We all gotta start somewhere. /emoticons/biggrin.png
I did exactly the same ,as I think a lot of us did it just takes time

 
Been thinking over the last few months what and where I want the business to be.... and I'm still undecided lol

Mainly next year I will be doing price increases on all poor paying work and try and bring it up to the hourly wage I want. And improving my brand for the business with new workwear, signwritten van new leaflets.

Also be better organised and make full use of the features on cleaner planner and use quote forms to get all potential customers details.

Keep making the back of van better for ease of use and better use of space, can't wait to fit my power up reel.

This is the bit I'm uncertain on I'm undecided on whether to expand in the areas I'm currently working and employ and thy and get a few vans on the road and try and make some decent money.

Or whether to sell some of my work from further away and try and compact my work to a couple of town and villages and keep refining the round

My personal plans are, I get married next year and to keep saving to put towards a deposit on a house,and to save towards the next van.

 
I am unsure of what direction to take my business so currently sitting at the laptop working on a business plan for my own use to help me decide what direction to take in the new year

Doing it properly so then i have something set in stone to work towards and know how much to put in to what etc

 
My outlook for next year is to ditch the ladder's (apart from gutter cleaning), buy a new van and wfp set up, (and get the hang of it ). And then basically just tighten up on the round I've got, and do less than 40 hours per week to keep the work/life balance together. Not very sexy and I'll never be a squillionaire but we make a good living. Oh, and a price increase in March.

 
Mine is to slow it down a bit.

This year has been hard trying to find good staff.I have had two which I have had to let go so I have decided to sell of most of my residential and go commercial only and stick on my own but try to get a better work/life balance.

 
My outlook for next year is to ditch the ladder's (apart from gutter cleaning), buy a new van and wfp set up, (and get the hang of it ). And then basically just tighten up on the round I've got, and do less than 40 hours per week to keep the work/life balance together. Not very sexy and I'll never be a squillionaire but we make a good living. Oh, and a price increase in March.
I think for a lot of people, in reality is not about being a millionaire, but just being financially free. Being able to do what you want, when you want, or facing time and unforseen occurrence without flinching and thinking "oh no if I buy that or go there I might not have enough to pay the bills" or "I need to budget for that holiday or car or I can't afford to take time off work to look after an I'll family member, or I can't make things comfortable for my retired parents etc"

Basically, you starting to dictate your life, not life dictating you.

 
I think for a lot of people, in reality is not about being a millionaire, but just being financially free. Being able to do what you want, when you want, or facing time and unforseen occurrence without flinching and thinking "oh no if I buy that or go there I might not have enough to pay the bills" or "I need to budget for that holiday or car or I can't afford to take time off work to look after an I'll family member, or I can't make things comfortable for my retired parents etc"
Basically, you starting to dictate your life, not life dictating you.
100%

It's no life having to agonise over every purchase you want to make, done that fir so many years it becomes second nature even something as simple as choosing heinz beans over the smart price ones you have been buying for years feels like a victory

 
My plans are to crack on as I'm doing. If any more work comes up for sale i might buy and then send my brother out to work himself for it and give him a significant pay rise and just take a cut off him

 
For me I'm having my first cull ever after 12 years! I don't like to as although the messers get replaced it doesn't happen all in same month so income is down for a bit. however I'm at full capacity and getting sick of the messers so biting the bullet and refining round.

Also need to increase prices but that's another story. They haven't gone up since 2013 by £1 and 2007 by 50p

I'm planning on canvassing in just my postcode area and building up a small local round to me. I'm all over Bradford atm but local cuts travel time and costs.

I m getting a guttervac and pushing that service next year its much better pay per hour. 2weeks Windows and 2 weeks gutters per month would be great. once iv built up in my area I will gradually sell off my other rounds.

 
I can't figure out how to add quotes but following to meridions post I think being financially free is more to do with how you manage money than what income you have. hence why there's stories of lottery winners blowing their fortune in a few years

 
@adamangler it's good to see such a clear vision mate. Wasn't sure if you were going to go more carpet cleaning for a while there!

Well mines are to increase commercial work by maybe one or two decent sized jobs in the spring. Specific targets for the amount of gutters and conservatory cleans I do next year. Build more work in my town (carefully) and have it all at a minimum price that's at least a quid dearer than my worst so far.

Admin related,add social media to website IE instagram and Linkedin. Review site and have prices on it etc.

Method related perhaps go wfp. Guess that's defo going to happen soon.

 
@Chris33 after taking advice from a financial adviser who also has run many successfull businesses a key point I took away from it was to let the money money work for you.

I see many a story online about a window cleaners who start out and aim to grow a full round but once full they seem to think the job is done and stagnate and flat lin fir many years cleaning the same customers at the same prices do little advertising, lose a few and gain a few here and there but generally plod along earning a decent wage in return for their efforts.

What I've come to realise is the more money you earn for your time is more funds to grow the business upwards rather than outwards. of course you can get more customers and put more hours in but there'd really no need. what I want to do is keep pushing the prices up, re invest that extra money back in and the cycle continues until a point where you are making maximum profit from as little time invested physically working as possible. of course once that point is reached where the conversion rate from your enquiries drops so low because you are pushing price boundarys you then have to look into working in better areas or employing.

I'm just waffling lol but you get the point

 
@adamangler @HALTON how are your letters going lads?

I'd hit a few mansions with letters two weeks ago or whatever,maybe ten. I've to go quote one for repeat windows and a one off gutter clean so far.

 
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