[jo5hm4n]

Without going into all the details i have been suffering from some health problems this year, which i am struggling to get an exact diagnosis for but the last few weeks they have suddenly got much much worse.

Im genuinely at the point at the moment where if they get any worse at all, i will no longer be able to carry on working.

This worrys me because i run my business like clockwork and it's only really just starting to pay me good money and things have been progressing very well.

I dont know what i should do.  Ofcourse i dont want to give up my business.  I may be better in 6 months or less or i may be worse, but i dont want to get rid of the business until i know exactly health wise whats what.

I'm thinking really if things get any worse i will have to either employ somebody full time to run my round and carry out all physical work, whilst i take care of the admin side of things.

It would be much easier to employ somebody that already has window cleaning experience because the way my health is at the moment it would be more difficult for me to train somebody from scratch to get them upto standard.

I'm open to ideas and would like to hear what some of you on here have been through regarding health problems and keeping the business running and what you had to do or are still having to do?

The main thing is for me, i need some income, even if i have to pay somebody good money to run my window cleaning round and i will keep whatever is left for myself and find other ways to subsidise my income.  Even if i am just left with £800 a month after paying all expenses and full time employee, i can survive on that for a while.

Would really like some advice though and thoughts from you guys.

Thanks

[Arnold Palmer]

I'd say you'd need 4 full time employees (2 vans) to cover the cost of you doing admin.

[jo5hm4n]

I'd say you'd need 4 full time employees (2 vans) to cover the cost of you doing admin.

Yes to earn a full time income.  Please bear in mind though my business is enough for 1 man full time 4/5 days a week.  I just need to be able to pay somebody to do all the rounds to keep the business going whilst i am waiting to see which way things will go with my health.  Even if i am left with a small profit that is better than nothing.

[AuRavelling79]

Do you think your health will let you "sit in and drive the van" and do light duties such as writing slips and running out hoses or is it worse than that?

Sorry to hear you're going through this.

[jo5hm4n]

Do you think your health will let you "sit in and drive the van" and do light duties such as writing slips and running out hoses or is it worse than that?

Sorry to hear you're going through this.

At the moment if it did get worse though i should still be able to drive the van and do little things to help out throughout the day.  I suppose i could monitor my worker then making sure he is doing everything he is supposed to.  Its hit and miss though as health has been getting worse unexplained so i just dont know what the next few months will be but cant keep going on like this, which is why im thinking seriously of planning a backup plan of getting somebody in to do all my work just incase i get to a point where i cant do any more physical work for the time being.

[paul alan]

Hey josh lm sorry to hear about your health issues mate!

As you know l also operate in roughly the same area as you, maybe we should have a chat?

[jo5hm4n]

Hey josh lm sorry to hear about your health issues mate!

As you know l also operate in roughly the same area as you, maybe we should have a chat?

Hi Paul,

Cheers mate, yeah ive got your number il try give you a call later this week if its okay?

Was meaning to have a chat with you anyway about some stuff

[CleanClear]

Would really like some advice though and thoughts from you guys.

Ring up your local job centre and see what initiatives they have for apprentices and see if you might qualify. They do things like.. pay them a certain amount, pay them a certain amount and you have to top up a bit, give you a cash incentive for holding onto them for 3/6 months or whatever.............. Ultimatley you do the interview, and if you need someone with a licence then thats what will be put foreward to you. Moving foreward from that there's lots to think about i.e...  contract , hours of employment etc.. but Job Centre will help you through all this. Good Luck.

[paul alan]

Hey josh lm sorry to hear about your health issues mate!

As you know l also operate in roughly the same area as you, maybe we should have a chat?

Hi Paul,

Cheers mate, yeah ive got your number il try give you a call later this week if its okay?

Was meaning to have a chat with you anyway about some stuff
[/quote

Yes mate sound, maybe l might know something about your health issues too! Ive had a few myself.

Evening are good for a call.

[dazmond]

Hey josh lm sorry to hear about your health issues mate!

As you know l also operate in roughly the same area as you, maybe we should have a chat?

Hi Paul,

Cheers mate, yeah ive got your number il try give you a call later this week if its okay?

Was meaning to have a chat with you anyway about some stuff
[/quote

Yes mate sound, maybe l might know something about your health issues too! Ive had a few myself.

Evening are good for a call.

there you go!hope you get something sorted mate.

its every sole traders worst nightmare to be too ill/injured to work.i wish you all the best josh.

[CleanClear]

there you go!hope you get something sorted mate.

its every sole traders worst nightmare to be too ill/injured to work.i wish you all the best josh.

Not something a business man worries about though Daz, and thats the difference.

[colin bird]

Sorry to hear of your illness,and I wish you a speedy recovery.
As the others have already said,it's a self employed persons worst nightmare.
Good luck in sorting things out

[jo5hm4n]

Hey josh lm sorry to hear about your health issues mate!

As you know l also operate in roughly the same area as you, maybe we should have a chat?

Hi Paul,

Cheers mate, yeah ive got your number il try give you a call later this week if its okay?

Was meaning to have a chat with you anyway about some stuff
[/quote

Yes mate sound, maybe l might know something about your health issues too! Ive had a few myself.

Evening are good for a call.

there you go!hope you get something sorted mate.

its every sole traders worst nightmare to be too ill/injured to work.i wish you all the best josh.

Cheers mate, yeah it really is especially when your business is primarily setup for you to be able to work it 5 days a week with no problems.

[jo5hm4n]

Sorry to hear of your illness,and I wish you a speedy recovery.
As the others have already said,it's a self employed persons worst nightmare.
Good luck in sorting things out

Thanks colin appreciate the comment, will try my best to get things sorted!

[P @ F]

Get well soon matey , I do feel your pain , I was in the sort of same boat 2 years ago , I had a stroke and had to stop working and driving for a little while , when i asked about the doc giving me the ok to drive again all hell broke loose , it came to light that some plank at the surgery/hospital had told the DVLA that I had to drink 8 cans every day to function and as a result the DVLA seized my liscence 
12 months of fighting ensued to prove that I did not have this "Drink problem" , hey I like a beer after work , but not 8 !

I ended up getting my dad to drive and do the bottoms while i did the tops , was the longest 12 months of my life .
I did get handed my liscense back free of charge by the DVLA , but i never got an apology for their feck up .

Keep your head up mate , it'll come good I'm sure 

Rich

[AuRavelling79]

there you go!hope you get something sorted mate.

its every sole traders worst nightmare to be too ill/injured to work.i wish you all the best josh.

Not something a business man worries about though Daz, and thats the difference.

Not a very helpful response in a thread where a forum member is facing difficult times. And anyway any man - whether he views himself as a "businessman" or not would be very concerned if he were too ill or injured to go to work.

[colin bird]

Hi mate just wondered if you have managed to sort anything out regarding your business

[jo5hm4n]

Get well soon matey , I do feel your pain , I was in the sort of same boat 2 years ago , I had a stroke and had to stop working and driving for a little while , when i asked about the doc giving me the ok to drive again all hell broke loose , it came to light that some plank at the surgery/hospital had told the DVLA that I had to drink 8 cans every day to function and as a result the DVLA seized my liscence 
12 months of fighting ensued to prove that I did not have this "Drink problem" , hey I like a beer after work , but not 8 !

I ended up getting my dad to drive and do the bottoms while i did the tops , was the longest 12 months of my life .
I did get handed my liscense back free of charge by the DVLA , but i never got an apology for their feck up .

Keep your head up mate , it'll come good I'm sure 

Rich

Hi Rich,

Good to hear stories from other people who have been through hardships mainly caused by health.  Thanks for the advice

[jo5hm4n]

Hi mate just wondered if you have managed to sort anything out regarding your business

Hi Colin,

Im holding job interviews this saturday as need to get something sorted asap.  So see how things go.

Also need to have a chat with paul as hes local to me so maybe we can come up with something too.

This will no doubt be an ongoing thing for the next few weeks till i get something sorted

[colin bird]

Hi mate just wondered if you have managed to sort anything out regarding your business

Hi Colin,

Im holding job interviews this saturday as need to get something sorted asap.  So see how things go.

Also need to have a chat with paul as hes local to me so maybe we can come up with something too.

This will no doubt be an ongoing thing for the next few weeks till i get something sorted

Ok good luck mate I truly feel for you,as one day all is good then the next day unwell with no income,I would not know which way to turn,I would be a complete mess,and frightened,sounds like your doing better than me,good luck with the interviews