[wpclean]

This is good article ~ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-2650879/What-makes-business-great-simple-following-three-rules.html

[justin cooper]

NaCC if you go to this web site and sign up they send you an email with a start up guide it helps with pricing up a job, equipment, templates for sending out letters, images to use  its some where to start .http://www.sealersdirect.co.uk/business_opportunity.html     ITS NOT A FRANCHISE

Do you have eperience of using the their products ?

No i havnt used the products samson i was just pointing out the start up guide for him as it answered some of the questions he was asking.

[P.D.Crosbie]

Dear NaCC

This subject matter certainly created a reaction in the forum after which I am not sure you know which way to turn.

Please allow me to introduce myself my name is Paul from Jet Stream Drive Clean and I run the training day, Jet Stream Drive Clean is the Business Opportunity department of Spinaclean

Your would be more than welcome to attend our training day during which we will offer you some good honest advice after which you will be able to make a fully informed decision as to whether this is a business opportunity that suits you and your lifestyle with no pressure from us.

As a one of for you only and to help you make sense of it if you feel the training day was not helpful to you we will refund your £149

I hope this helps

Kind regards
Paul.

[Rob_Mac]

Just to update on this one.

Probably one month from closing the business down it has absolutely exploded. We are being pulled into so many different directions it is frightening and I think that the business is in it's busiest period ever.

I spoke to a couple of the other contractors on site @ Chesham and it turns out it has been quiet for everyone.

Moving forward it seems we are becoming known and required for the Tesco refurb programmes, with a recommendation this morning for works on the distribution centres and I have got Tescos lined up all over the country.

I've kept away from the forum to concentrate on the circumstances and it seems It has paid off.

Thanks for all the support

Rob

[B Bailey]

Good to hear Rob, hope all turns out well.

[cleaning4usussex]

  :)well done!

[chris scott]

Just to update on this one.

Probably one month from closing the business down it has absolutely exploded. We are being pulled into so many different directions it is frightening and I think that the business is in it's busiest period ever.

I spoke to a couple of the other contractors on site @ Chesham and it turns out it has been quiet for everyone.

Moving forward it seems we are becoming known and required for the Tesco refurb programmes, with a recommendation this morning for works on the distribution centres and I have got Tescos lined up all over the country.

I've kept away from the forum to concentrate on the circumstances and it seems It has paid off.

Thanks for all the support

Rob

It's good to hear you are back up and running.
What did you do to turn it all around?

[Rob_Mac]

I did my last job as if it was my last job

Rob

[Rob_Mac]

If I'm honest I don't know what happened.

The business has always been self generating but the phone stopped ringing when I needed a big start to the year.

I was kept off the tools for nearly all of last year, that had a cost, that cost built, we lost works because I couldn't be around. I bought the shot blasting set up at the wrong time. If I hadn't bought it we would have been well into profit.

The shot blaster sat in the unit, not earning money when I also needed it to be working.

As soon as I got a big job in, April, I was back on the tools, new client and the job in Kingston, for Asda, that impressed a couple of people, recommended to someone else.

I had a call from the Tesco programme and we have impressed more people by doing what we always do and now it is snowball time.

The blaster is going out next Friday, to clean a tank out and there is a big wood job pending.

Work starting @

Sainsburys in Oxfordshire
Tesco Gloucestershire
Works Kent

Recommended for works @

Tesco Gloucestershire
Tesco Bucks
Tesco Cambridgeshire

Further works every month till winter

Rob

[chris scott]

Cleaning a tank "out" with the blaster? That does not sound good to me.
Regarding work ....did the ar5e fall out of your basket. You should do something about it while you are busy again.

[TomCrowther]

The harder you work, the "luckier" you get. Well done Rob.

[Rob_Mac]

Thanks Bill & Tom.

Does 'ar5e fall out of your basket' mean - why didn't you put something aside?

Rob

[chris scott]

Thanks Bill & Tom.

Does 'ar5e fall out of your basket' mean - why didn't you put something aside?

Rob

No ...It means "Don't put all your eggs in one basket...incase the bottom falls out of it".
 
You need more clients ..so if Tesco gets somebody to do it cheaper (which  they will eventually) or they will  force you to do it for next to nothing,which might already be the case....then your f***ed again.

How many clients do you have?  Do you mainly work for the same people?

[Rob_Mac]

We gauge the year from the previous years activities and go from there. Because it is a nine month year it is very difficult to fill the quiet three months, December through to February.

That was why the shotblasting set up was bought, to start feeding cash flow into the business and be ready for the winters quiet time.

The website had been set up with nil SEO (I didn't know about this till we had lost the momentum on it) and Wasn't being picked up by Google, that had a knock on effect. By this point I was in a set of medical circumstances that could not have been seen.

I think you may have missed the point, I was ill last year, everything was revolving & developing from me. It was a critical time for the business, moving outwards to create diversification, so just this set of circumstances wouldn't happen.

I am back on my feet again now, i've been told yesterday that another principal contractor wants to be giving us more work so I am juggling at the moment, keeping everything the right way up.

It is highly unlikely that I am going to see more ill health so the plan is back on, new main website imminent
drain jetting has had to be put on hold but the blasting is being pushed and I know it will get easier.

I feel I did all I could do under the circumstances. Within the next three weeks the business debts will be cleared.

Do I know how to run a business monsignor Christophe?

Rob

[chris scott]

Do I know how to run a business monsignor Christophe?
Do I know how to run a business monsignor Christophe?
Rob

You are a one man band...you don't have any employees.It's always quite in winter...go back to Thailand for a month or two
You were considering closing down your business cause you were not making money. Most one man bands make it pay in one form or another.
So to answer your question "Do I know how to run a business monsignor Christophe?" ....NO.
Thats not a  dig at yourself.
I just think you are working in the wrong way.
I don't doubt you do an exception job....maybe you are not charging enough? Working for the wrong people? We can all work for nothing.
I know nothing of your health problems and i sincerely hope you recover/are recovering.

[Rob_Mac]

Put me right then Chris?

Tell me how I should be doing it

Rob

[chris scott]

Review your prices  while you have plenty of work.(even at the risk of losing work). That job you priced for me was ridiculously cheap.
Look for other customers....so you are not tied to a few.
Ask yourself  if it is the type of work you wish to continue doing...you seem to be run ragged all over the place.Working days /nights away from home....this is not good at your/our age!
Sometimes we are so busy trying to earn a living,we miss opportunities to make money.
Maybe you could earn more by just working by yourself doing domestics and the odd cleaning jobs that nobody else will tackle?
Change your web designer....nobody builds websites without taking SEO into consideration...nobody!
Go to a Smartseal training day (£80).
Book a months holiday start of Feb when it;s cheap ...go somewhere hot and come back when the season really gets going....any Feb jobs can wait.
I might be wrong but  Sell the blaster. Thats a s88t job.

[Rob_Mac]

You've got it so wrong my friend

Your job would have taken two days, what was the price 3500.00, 1750 per day!!!!

I always go away in December - Pacific coast of Mexico this winter.

I'm busy now but run ragged - not really.

I drive to Cheltenham tomorrow, unexpected job, very big client, not supermarket related (diversification)
Leisurely drive back in the company pick up.

Drive to Tesco in Cambridgeshire, price up and then down to Kent, accommodation - very nice, quality place, nice secure parking.

Very well paid job on Friday. Drive back up north.

Three lads on site today at a store, I worked at Witney. Four of us out. Do you really think I have got it wrong.

Chris - you talk sh*t. as has been suggested to me in the past, I guess I ask for the inane comments because I enjoy the retort and you humour me but I will continue down my route rather than the expert and clearly more educated response of yourself.

You clearly haven't followed your own advice.

My earnings this year are nothing to do with the forum but be the snidey s*it that you are and look online next winter. I wont be taking the advice but maybe you ought to, keyboard ble*ding guru!!

Rob

[chris scott]

I know i confuse myself with 5hit i come out with....glad your so busy.

[Rob_Mac]

Come on expand a little

I don't charge enough. I've told you my rate, time taken, why is that undercharging or did you expect me to take a week?

Rob