I've just spent 10 minutes of my valuable time reading back posts - didn't know you could - the one thing that struck me is how much time and effort posters are willing to give up.
For instance, a newbie called Dan Marsh (sorry mate not stalking just happened to be your back posts I read) started in this game about four months ago after researching on here plus asking questions. Now he's got the beginnings of a viable business with his partner. Hats off to you for helping out.
Nathan
Robbo33
P1W1
Simon r
Ash Bash
Don Kee
Sorry can't remember any more
When I started out in 2010 it was the likes of Spruce and Vin @ Perfect windows who availed me with some sound advice and of course Dazmond who suggested Gardiner poles (I'd have still been using an18ft Streamline if it wasn't for him. God forbid).
My point is - almost everyone on here deserves a 'pat on the back' for their insight and input but I have one question for you all?
Does anyone on here still use 'VISION'?? Sean K or Dry clean
*Sighs! Sits back on the office chair, opens the digestives and prepares for the vitriol*
Vin was the one to keep me motivated through the initial stages of the credit crunch 10 years ago. I will always be grateful to him for that. Whilst some of us; me especially, were panicking about what could happen to our non essential business services, he was the one to keep encouraging us to just keep doing what we were doing and ignore what was happening around us. ( I was stressed as we had just brought my son into the business having resigned from his full time job the previous month, fitted a van out for him and was working hard to fill my schedule as he was given most of the work I did.)
Vin wrote that we didn't cause the problem and we couldn't change it, only just work with what we had. This was opposite to the doom and gloom we were reading in the newspapers and on social media, and to a greater degree, influenced by.
He was right. In the end, we lost 3 customers, 1 later came back to us, 1 we were happy to loose and the last one was never heard off or seen again in the area. The estimate was that our area lost around 4500 jobs, directly and indirectly with the closing of British Steel on Teesside.
So again from me; thank you Vin.
I think most would agree, if anyone deserves praise it is you spruce
Whilst most of us have our moments of helpfulness you always go the extra mile in your responses and are the go to man on this forum and the other one.
Hats off to you sir. I always enjoy reading your posts as usually learn something.
Thanks Adam for your kind words. I'm glad I could help someone in some small way.
But as said elsewhere, I honestly get far more from this and the other forum than I give - it seems that way to me anyway.
There was a man on here who started window cleaning despite having some really big health issues. I think I'm right that his name was Ash and he was in the Midlands somewhere. (I can't recall him being called Ash Bash Adam.) He was an inspiration to me. Some days when I wasn't feeling so good I would just think about his situation. If he could do it then I really had no excuse.
His posts were like a tonic to me. Its like going into the hospital feeling like the end of your world is eminient and then seeing really ill people. You ask yourself, what am I doing here as there is nothing wrong with me compared to them?
I think that one of those ommitted from the list is Alex Gardiner. What some of us have still to learn he has long forgotten. He has helped so many of us in this industry. Had it not been for his innovation where would the majority of us be today? Still using modified fish poles with DIY Bentley brushes? Or worse still, Unger Teleplus poles with oval Vikan brushes on the end?
Yes, Alex has a successful business but that's because he catered for the masses providing good product and a reasonable price that we could afford, and backing that up with superb after sales service. I tip my hat in respect to you sir.
Lets also not forget Steve Jones with his marvellous Aquadapter and the later Univalve. These have been and still are excellent, easy to operate water saving devices that have extended many a window cleaners working day.
I think there are many others to also mention, Peter Fogwill and Jeff Brimble come to mind from the early days of wfp era.
We thank you all.
