[TomCrowther]

I am asking for advice/help on growing the business.
After being distracted by another business over the past four years {now sold}, I want to focus on growing my window cleaning business in South Manchester. I have two franchisees who are great but wish to work part time/short hours and I am also back, working on the glass.
We have 500 customers at the moment and I want to grow it to 2000 in as short a time as possible. I wish to go down the employment route for this next phase.
There are some people on here who I really admire for their ability to focus, growing a business to something they can be proud of but also happy to help others. I am more than happy to travel/meet with people and pay for their time.
Any advice is appreciated guys.
 Thanks. Tom

[TomCrowther]

any my number is 07921766022

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

Hi Tom. I would advise getting hold of the book  'The One Thing' by Garry Keller.
The 'One Thing' that your business needs is more customers. Seems obvious, but not easy to put into practice without getting distrated with other minor business tasks and general living. Fill up to bursting point and more, off load the work to the new employee or franchisee, (after training) then repeat.  Dont overcomplicate this process.
Youve found 500, you can find another 500 in the next 6 months if you put your mind to it.

[cleaniac]

I'm approaching that point. I need to get to 60k before getting another van. Looking to get another van next month hopefully..

[Dry Clean]

You've already done the hard part just turn your 500 customers into 600 and keep on growing, the biggest problem with taking on an employee is cost of employing them when there isn't enough extra work to pay their wages and costs, this is probably why you want 2000 customers as quick as possible, unfortunately there isn't a quick fire way of doing this and its the unwillingness to cover these expenses that hold most guys back.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

Dry Clean makes a very good point. Your end goal is to earn 'off' either the employees or a franchisee. Building your business up to this point may and probably will cost YOU more than you are getting back in return in the early days. Look after your employees/franchisees and they will look after you.

[Lee Pryor]

You've already done the hard part just turn your 500 customers into 600 and keep on growing, the biggest problem with taking on an employee is cost of employing them when there isn't enough extra work to pay their wages and costs, this is probably why you want 2000 customers as quick as possible, unfortunately there isn't a quick fire way of doing this and its the unwillingness to cover these expenses that hold most guys back.

See. You can do it.

[Lee Pryor]

I am asking for advice/help on growing the business.
After being distracted by another business over the past four years {now sold}, I want to focus on growing my window cleaning business in South Manchester. I have two franchisees who are great but wish to work part time/short hours and I am also back, working on the glass.
We have 500 customers at the moment and I want to grow it to 2000 in as short a time as possible. I wish to go down the employment route for this next phase.
There are some people on here who I really admire for their ability to focus, growing a business to something they can be proud of but also happy to help others. I am more than happy to travel/meet with people and pay for their time.
Any advice is appreciated guys.
 Thanks. Tom

Tom your exactly the person my new youtube chanel will be aimed at.

Starting next month I will be covering issues just like these for people like you.

[Lee Pryor]

On second thoughts Tom the best advice is as follows.

Aparantly according to certain people on here (ones with no experience what so ever of being more than a 1man band) Theres no money in being a bigger business.

So you and others like you (people with ambition and drive to be more) should just not bother and follow the advice of people who have never done the things they are giving strong opinions on. Of course that makes perfect sense.

Mate I just saved you a fortune and lots of time!

[TomCrowther]

Haha. Thanks Lee.
I will check out that book David, thank you.

More than prepared to take the rough with the smooth. The other business had 80 odd staff at one point, so quite a few lessons learned during that spell.

[Lee Pryor]

Haha. Thanks Lee.
I will check out that book David, thank you.

More than prepared to take the rough with the smooth. The other business had 80 odd staff at one point, so quite a few lessons learned during that spell.

Well in that case your the one who should be giving out the advice!