[8weekly]

Hi Vin.

I have read about your accomplishment and would like to say that quite frankly, I find your self-promotion appalling. I mean seriously? A successful business man, proud of his hard work and achievements in making rapid growth in a sector where there are so many franchise lawyers, £600 a day window cleaners who could do exactly as you have done if they could be bothered and who do not pocket a bit of extra cash when asked to do a conservatory roof? You should be ashamed of yourself.

No one is interested in or jealous of your thread, that's why it's generated only 1400 views and 9 pages of comments.

Now go and sit on the naughty step, think about what you've done and let these experts who are locked to a single revenue stream income who turnover nearer £25k per year than £250k show you how it's done. Tut, tut.

I'm actually a little disappointed not to have been mentioned in the same bracket as this boasting, self-promoter. Does anyone dare me to start a thread about the week I've just had? 

The difference is that Perfect Windows doesn't BS. Ask him how many girls he has in the office to service £250k t/o.

[andyM]

Oh gawd maybe some of the luvvies on here should spend valentines day in the hot tub together. 

[Walter Mitty]

Maybe because he's planning for the day when his body is no longer up to the physical graft?  Even if he doesn't want an income from it when he's older, he will still have a very sellable asset for a fat lump sum - rather more than anyone is likely to get for selling their one-man round.  Also, that £250k turnover can become £500k or more if he wishes.
If I hadn't made bad financial errors earlier in my life (I left her eventually) or become too ill too work at one point, I would likely be debt-free and considering this sort of business myself.  However, those past errors mean that I muddle along as a sole trader just doing my best.  It's not such a bad life, but I'll probably be screwed when I'm older.

wow ... that's very weirdly very similar to my story .. ex wife financial mess  ... illness effecting this job for a good 2 to 3 years started  window cleaning2010 - depressed but not realised I was from about 2012 to early last year .. and yes had the just muddling along / ticking over situation. Decided I needed some business advice so sought out what are in my opinion the top 2 operators on this forum ( Smudger also on the list but wanted to talk to 2 directly opposite poles employing v franchising)

early 2015 realised I wanted / needed to grow this thing or jack in  so spoke to Mr Lee Pryor about growing business thru employees Lee is a brilliant operator and I am still very grateful for the 90 minutes we spoke on the phone when I say we spoke it was actually Lee who spoke for about 99% of the conversation  I simply listened and took it all in .. the man really is a force of nature when he gets going and one day he will be a millionaire no doubt

then I hassled Vin via email and several phone conversations .... again another brilliant operator who will also be a millionaire thru window cleaning though not sure that's his actual goal ? Vin was incredibly generous with his time and advice and information he happily shared ... like Lee another top guy.

so with this new found information gained early in March last year I went away and did ...... nothing ................... as I realised my head still wasn't in the right place so didn't want to start something I wouldn't finish ...... fast forward to late last year and now feeling a lot better and a lot more focused and motivated I made the decision to grow thru franchising as being 47 and wanting to move abroad for a few months a year from 55 onwards franchising will give me this with minimal input from me.

Next step is more customers so I can sell a franchise off and still be able to live as currently if I was to sell a franchise now I wouldn't have enough left over to pay my bills every month.

Also employed the services of an accountant from this financial tax year as selling a franchise with fAg packet figures just wont fly ... ordered a new much larger van so can increase my daily turnover (combo 400 litre tank to Toyota Proace with 800 litres) about to start a new customer drive (March to September) and will hopefully at the end of this year have enough customers to be able to sell my first franchise. Putting a whole host of other things in place to make my business better and more attractive and more profitable.

If I cant create a franchise immediately it wont be a problem to have those extra customers.

Im just glad in the dark place I was in at the time  I spotted the end of the tunnel and yes the black dog may come calling again but this time I be ready for him 

plus for some light relief I can call into here.

Vin and Lee .... thankyou 

Yes, I chat with Lee myself when I bump into him (he's local to me).  I know he's doing pretty well but it's necessary to have some funds or borrowing power in order to expand.  I have neither as it seems like I go to work just to service debt.  I need to get on top of that before I think about any expansion beyond sole trader - and that's a few years away.  At my age, it may not happen (58).  Mind you, I have taken on a fair bit more work in recent months.  I haven't yet felt much benefit from that - partly because it took me several times around before I could do it without a street map (slowed me down) and, although very few of them were first cleans, the previous guy wasn't so hot on frame cleaning so I had to treat them as such.  Then came the shorter daylight.  So, it's only now that I'm just beginning to see a little benefit, and that will improve now that the days are lengthening.  I also have some irons in the fire for commercial work that can be cleaned out of hours, but it remains to be seen whether they will come to fruition.

[Walter Mitty]

Oh gawd maybe some of the luvvies on here should spend valentines day in the hot tub together. 

Sorry to disappoint but I only have a cold water system.

[Clever Forum Name]

Oh gawd maybe some of the luvvies on here should spend valentines day in the hot tub together. 

Sorry to disappoint but I only have a cold water system.

 

[Perfect Windows]

Vin, what would happen if a franchisee decided not to pay you royalties anymore and took all the customers himself?

They'd be in breach of their franchise agreement.  They are not allowed to service customers they had when they were franchisees.*  So it would end up in court.

Vin

* Note to the unwary/weirdly obsessed (not you, Tom).  You do need to read the following sentences.  Maybe more than once before posting.  This is not saying that the customer is restricted as to whom they can ask to clean their windows - no-one can do that.  What it's saying is that the franchisee is not permitted to have them as a customer, so if they were asked, they would have to say "no".  I think that's pretty clear and unambiguous, so it'll be hard to repaint it as "but if the customer asks the ex-franchisee it'll be OK".  Let's see.

[Perfect Windows]

By the way, if I ever had to take the franchise agreement out of its dusty box and even look at it, I'd consider it a failure.  The aim is to keep the franchisees as happy as it's possible for them to be so major issues never form.

We (for it is "we", the wife and I) also spend a lot of time making sure potential franchisees are the right sort of people.  We don't pick the first person who walks in off the street.  I'm sure you can see that one of the effects of only making money from royalties rather than initial fees is that there is an incentive for us to be very choosy.

Vin

[Mr B shine]

PW, glad it is going how you wanted.

 I find it odd some of the vitrol comments that come up on here when someone is doing well, to me the whole point of a vocation like being a self employed windy is to live your life more on your own terms than someone elses, and I think this carrear makes it very possible.
    Why people care or worry so much about how others are going about it makes me laugh. Do it the way that suits you and sod anyone elses idea of how it should be done.

[Perfect Windows]

Not sure if I've ever said this but there are times when I turn to the wife and point out that if I were just cleaning windows life would be a doddle.  Days when I just clean, come home and organise tomorrow's work are a delight. 

I don't begrudge anyone who chooses to stick with cleaning as a one-man band.  It's the best job I've ever had.

Vin

[Perfect Windows]

Also, that £250k turnover can become £500k or more if he wishes.

Looking forward to the reaction to that post.  Three years with a splash of luck and a following wind.

Vin

[Walter Mitty]

Also, that £250k turnover can become £500k or more if he wishes.

Looking forward to the reaction to that post.  Three years with a splash of luck and a following wind.

Vin

There's no reason for there to be a reaction really.  The only limit is the number of viable (i.e. accessible) properties that are within the particular travel-to-work area that you regard as a reasonable imit.  Even then, there is the potential to start from another base where the franchisees won't overlap with existing work.  That last part could be more difficult though unless you have a manager(s) in place to run it.  It probably wouldn't be necessary either as there ought to be plenty of work to live well on while expanding from your own area.

[ChumBucket]

Also, that £250k turnover can become £500k or more if he wishes.

Looking forward to the reaction to that post.  Three years with a splash of luck and a following wind.

Vin

I suspect the reaction wouldn't be based on any monetary figure, or how successful you may or not may have been by that time but rather whether or not you're still belittling others less successful, oozing a superiority attitude, using silly innuendos like "leaflets don't work" etc and generally just being a big headed K N O B!     

[Rogue Trader]

It seems that a few on here are confused on very simple business terminology and mathematics. Vin does not have a 250k turnover. He has a 50k turnover. He does not pay vat as his turnover has not reached the vat threshold. His franchisees collectively have a 250k turnover and individually have not reached the vat threshold. Anyway why this is important I have no idea. Vins vat dealing are between him his accountant and hmrc. The fact is that vin has done very well in creating a franchise network and is an inspiration for those who choose to do something similar. If anyone is interested in doing something similar themselves then the best person to talk to is Ian Lancaster.  He will answer any questions u have on this subject. 

[Thr-windowcleaning]

For someone who's newish to the business, I've found this topic informative, inspiring and idiotic in equal measure. I've seen your name mentioned before Solar Steve, so I'll look forward to something just as enlightening!

Since joining this forum, this has been my favourite post. That is all. As you were....

Welcome to the forum TRH.

Just wait until I start a thread. Popcorn and a beer are recommended.

[Micky Barber]

He's renting work out big news, oh but hang on he's looked up franchising on wikipedia

[NWH]

That is all it is.

[Perfect Windows]

He's renting work out big news, oh but hang on he's looked up franchising on wikipedia

I have just looked it up on WP, Cumbucket (you're quite clearly the same person under two logins), and it says "Franchising is the practice of the right to use a firm's business model and brand for a prescribed period of time."

Looks like I am franchising then.  Thank you for helping to clarify that!  Good for you.  Jolly good.  Well done.  Your opinion is important to me.

Vin

[AuRavelling79]

@Vin

Just skimmed through the posts following your reply to me and come back to mention - if you check my point about a van I said "new (ish)" but it did cross a line ending.

I take your points about e.g. accountant referrals and skimming off of setting up charges.

May I ask - if a franchisee has a customer walk up to him, does he have free rein to negotiate the price and does he keep 100% at least as long as he is a franchisee?

[ChumBucket]

He's renting work out big news, oh but hang on he's looked up franchising on wikipedia

I have just looked it up on WP, Cumbucket (you're quite clearly the same person under two logins), and it says "Franchising is the practice of the right to use a firm's business model and brand for a prescribed period of time."

Looks like I am franchising then.  Thank you for helping to clarify that!  Good for you.  Jolly good.  Well done.  Your opinion is important to me.

Vin

Well that's where you're wrong Vincent and Admin will assist you in clarifying that. Why would I need Two logins? I'm perfectly capable and satisfied with One and clearly not hesitant to make my feelings and observations about you clear.

Haven't a clue who Mick Barber is and NWH has been posting on here for years- as have I under various user names.

To clarify, I don't care about your business and wish you all the success in the world, it matters not to me - however, I will confirm again, I do think you're a jumped up, narcissistic, big headed K N O B regardless of those things.

[Perfect Windows]

@Vin

Just skimmed through the posts following your reply to me and come back to mention - if you check my point about a van I said "new (ish)" but it did cross a line ending.

I take your points about e.g. accountant referrals and skimming off of setting up charges.

May I ask - if a franchisee has a customer walk up to him, does he have free rein to negotiate the price and does he keep 100% at least as long as he is a franchisee?

All our pricing is menu-based and, in general, we stick to it unless a house is well off the norm.  However, that decision is entirely up to the franchisee.

Regardless of how a customer comes in, royalties are due.  If that seems harsh, the logic is that the only reason someone even sees the guy out working is because they are a franchisee in the first place.  If it wasn't for the franchise the work wouldn't have come in.

Vin