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Poll

My Views on investment are?

Paying what seemed overthetop money was the best thing I ever did
50%
30 (50%)
I regret spending so much
15%
9 (15%)
I invest only the minimum
35%
21 (35%)

Total Members Voted: 56

matt

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #20 on: April 21, 2008, 07:08:28 pm »
I've made a few bad buys and business mistakes Lionheart so I suppose i do fit into the fool and his money catergory, but I always make loads too.

I had a trailer and tried to get a system into it. It was horrible impossible to park and 450kg for me to lift on and off the towbar everytime I was in a cul  Sde sac.So I bought a van 7k plus the vat just to make my life serviciing thirty customers easier.My whole ethos is about making my life easier. I am fifty two years old and I find the job very hard, and if i'm honest when I started knocking those first few doors and asking can I clean your windows a little humilating.

I had a split relay pro installed and the van sign written. One day a friendly competitor showed me his thermopure, the feel of the hot water on my hand was enough to convince me that I needed one. I hadn't actually got the cash spare so after posting on here i chanced £300 on building my own. I figured if it didn't work it wasn't the end of the world. It did work, it was and is brilliant and by far the best thing i've ever done.

My speed and my earnings leapt, but big money or no I was still sh@@ged after a shift. I reasoned that if I could take out rewinding the reel then this would help,as the only thing that really puts a ceiling on me is my physical ability. That's what made me push for the electric reel, I wasn't happy that the ones available would do what I wanted so I designed my own. Yes- with an electric drill- but things have moved on a lot since then and this is the second best thing i've ever done.

So I am human, i do make mistakes . I have three varistreams,two reels, three batteries,and some poles I shouldn't have bought- but i also have some succeses, and in the electric reel a showstopper.

All businesses need investment and ours is no different, invest and the rewards will come.Jimmy1 believe me you have saved yourself a year of life and you have done exactly what the text books say you should, well done.


Ive got to say this is your best post by far, you've given insight into the reasons why you have choosen to do the things you've done and no one is going to slate that.
Welcome back

yet he still has digs at people who DIY sytems themselves eventhough he has built his own  ::) ::) now thats ironic


Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #21 on: April 21, 2008, 07:48:27 pm »
Don't get so wound up I was only joking. I think you and pro went a  bit rther than you mean't with the banter although the burbury on Bermondsey was quite good. The guy who runs wembley has just been done 300k and is looking at pokey.

Ref the cheap suit and shiny shoes i think this a silence of the lambs lift, what he actually said was cheap shoes and something about the suit (ladies business suit) that Clarise wore when she visited him (lector). From this he went on to make inferences about her childhood and get inside her mind.

Your orignal post was in fact quite disrespectfull and dissmisive of anyone with an expensive system. These people have feelings too, and are constantly called stupid- hence the backlash.

I shouldn't fire at squeaky like i do because I know he's just himself, but sometimes I just can;t help it.

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #22 on: April 21, 2008, 07:51:26 pm »
The title of this post is wrong to start with, investment can work, other times not.
Investment does not always pay as everyone would do it  ::)

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #23 on: April 21, 2008, 07:58:07 pm »
It worked for you WW.

It can still work for you. Think about it, your business changed markedlyfor the better when you invested in a van mount?

Invest again, improve again. It's how business works,

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #24 on: April 21, 2008, 08:00:43 pm »
It worked for you WW.

It can still work for you. Think about it, your business changed markedlyfor the better when you invested in a van mount?

Invest again, improve again. It's how business works,
in a way yes, other ways yes investment helped, but sometimes investment does not work you already know this  ;).

I know where you are coming from, was just pointing out that investment does not always pay.

matt

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #25 on: April 21, 2008, 08:08:55 pm »


Ref the cheap suit and shiny shoes i think this a silence of the lambs lift, what he actually said was cheap shoes and something about the suit (ladies business suit) that Clarise wore when she visited him (lector). From this he went on to make inferences about her childhood and get inside her mind.


my ref to this is from a song " weeekender", top song from the early 90's




Your orignal post was in fact quite disrespectfull and dissmisive of anyone with an expensive system. These people have feelings too, and are constantly called stupid- hence the backlash.


my original post in that other thread,  i actually said " people who use the " mine cost more, so its better" are stupid and i stand by that, as the comment is something a 5yr old would use taling about a bike or something , the facts of the situation are what i put, we all use the same water, pump, we try and find which pole / brush suits us ( how mnay have 5 poles and the same brushes , you try them all out and find your fav and people fall into certain camps, people who are blind to the fact that other systems work just aswell and come out with the line " mine costs more, so its better " that line has been used on here more than once  ::) ::) , you have the people who buy the system because they didnt know ( a local guy to me, allways stops for a chat, he paid for a system and wishes he had saved his money and put it towards a holiday place in spain, he just didnt know you could get the parts off the shelf, he had never heard of this place, he has seen me working out of a car and now my van, he allways laughes that he needs to work 2 hours more per day to pay for his van and setup, he's a good lighthearted type of bloke, just didnt know that you could build a system yourself, infact he now has a backpack on a sacktruck and uses that for a bit of his work, saves a hose across the pavement  )

TDW

  • Posts: 213
Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #26 on: April 21, 2008, 09:06:00 pm »
I spent 4k on my system 3 years ago(supplied and fitted). I've not had one problem with it.

My mate went the DIY route and spent £1200 at around the same time.

At the time I thought perhaps I had been ripped off. But not now. Hes had endless problems making many trips to the suppliers and endless days trying to adjust his system.
Every time he sees my system he drools over the hassle free and quick way it goes about its business.

You can pay over the top but that 4k is the best 4k I've ever spent.

P®oPole™

  • Posts: 985
Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #27 on: April 21, 2008, 09:09:53 pm »
Matt,

I have never seen anyone in all my time here say " mine costs more, so its better " if you cant point me in the direction of them posts I will hold my toungue. However I have seen many of dreamers making out there major players and our logo's and brands are nothing "all you need is a pair of shinny shoes and a fmaily car" but in reality there commercial empire is nothing more than a £5 shop window ;D ;D ;D ;D

The investment I made worked for me although I couldn't say if it would for everyone. I have work that would make your jaw drop and dont have to dream or pretend to others where my business is.

Pro

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #28 on: April 21, 2008, 09:19:15 pm »
Mr Sol, as you are getting on and have problems with the physical side of the job, i would hope you have invested heavily in the lightest possible carbon poles and lightweight brushes?  ;D

Nathanael Jones

  • Posts: 5596
Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #29 on: April 21, 2008, 09:20:39 pm »

You can pay over the top but that 4k is the best 4k I've ever spent.

4K is a good price for a pro setup 3 years ago,... it goes to show that even those who don't want to go DIY have other options that a £15k Ionics setup,... there are lots of sensible alternatives.
I've nothing against pro systems (My next setup might well be a purefredom one),.. I'm just against the ones with silly price tags!

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #30 on: April 21, 2008, 09:23:09 pm »
There's something else too Matt, I know some of my posts get up people's nose's- and I know that people bragg about earnings, but aside from that when you get some of the top cleaners posting,- such as propole- conceited or not, it gives the rest of us something to aim for

Why should we all be mediocre and do things on the cheap?
We need Ronaldos in this life even if they do earn too much!

But don't worry DJW we need journymen Fred Dibnah types as well ;)


Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #31 on: April 21, 2008, 09:30:22 pm »
The thing is how do you KNOW who the top earners are? JDemacho was pretty good after all.

matt

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #32 on: April 21, 2008, 10:42:26 pm »
The thing is how do you KNOW who the top earners are? JDemacho was pretty good after all.

exactly

it doesnt take much for some1 to come on here and say " look at me, im a success,i earn XXXX a week "

i know a bloke ( some1 who i would call a mate ) he was on here a long time ago, he exchanged e.mails and took advice from this bloke, this bloke painted a picture that he was 1 of the area's big boys, had all the better contracts, earnt big money, they met up 1 day, the successfull guy wanted to swap something with him, to save him the travel, the guy went around his house ( got his address from his website ), the big success still lived at home with his parents and drove a clapped out old van

he left the forum as he said its full of day dreamers who dont live in the real world

Ian Rochester

  • Posts: 2588
Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #33 on: April 22, 2008, 09:47:52 am »
TDW,

What system did you buy 3 years ago for £4K, we bought a Stream system around the same time and it's been virtually trouble free for us, however it doesn't look much better than a DIY system and I think we will do our next one ourselves.

Discount,

I wasn't calling anyone in particular a fool, if I want to do that I can just look in the mirror and tell the guy there!!  We've made several bad investments since starting out, however we have also made some very good if not excellent investments over the same period.

I am now a firm believer in "buy the best equipment you can afford in order to do the job quicker, easier and better"

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #34 on: April 22, 2008, 08:41:46 pm »
Yes, yes, and yes. As far as this thread goes that's one heck of a mission statement

."buy the best equipment you can afford in order to do the job quicker, easier and better"

It amazes me though that some people can't see a connection between their sudden, success and investment. Without being unkind there are some people on here who I would term failures, untill investment changed this, unless they seize the connection the shape of their lives will be drawn back to where it's most comfortable.imo




Londoner

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #35 on: April 22, 2008, 08:46:29 pm »
This thread is cobblers. Its that plonker up to his old tricks again.

It should be "A fool and his money are soon parted"

Don't waste your time.

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #36 on: April 22, 2008, 08:51:57 pm »
Yes, yes, and yes. As far as this thread goes that's one heck of a mission statement

."buy the best equipment you can afford in order to do the job quicker, easier and better"

It amazes me though that some people can't see a connection between their sudden, success and investment. Without being unkind there are some people on here who I would term failures, untill investment changed this, unless they seize the connection the shape of their lives will be drawn back to where it's most comfortable.imo




I really hope that was in no way pointed in my way, I personally invested in wfp because I had an accident and value my body more than money that was my push.

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #37 on: April 22, 2008, 08:55:15 pm »
How can spending money make you more successful? We had a post before, called "who's got his head screwed on?" where a member on this forum was used by me as an example of someone who had a full round, plenty of work, had been cleaning for years but had spent next to nothing on his system - he doesn't need to - no point. Then there is the guy who spends thirty thousand pounds on a van and system but has no work. Who's successful now?????

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #38 on: April 22, 2008, 08:56:48 pm »
How can spending money make you more successful? We had a post before, called "who's got his head screwed on?" where a member on this forum was used by me as an example of someone who had a full round, plenty of work, had been cleaning for years but had spent next to nothing on his system - he doesn't need to - no point. Then there is the guy who spends thirty thousand pounds on a van and system but has no work. Who's successful now?????
valid point that   ;), investment can work if done correctly

Re: Investment Always Pays
« Reply #39 on: April 22, 2008, 09:09:47 pm »
This has to be one job where you don't NEED to invest much to gain success. You would be better off investing in labour to be a success and employing someone to do the donkey work for you. The whole thing about windowcleaning is the attraction of minimal investment requirements to start up in the first place with minimal training and low overheads.
 I have invested around £10,000 to get into wfp from another trade. A good investment in one sense as it gives me employment but if you saw my figures for the first year in no way would it be deemed a successful investment. Had a bankmanager loaned me the money his eyes would be watering by now. ;D