NDL Forum

Yup, just business

Business is business!
You have to put food on the table and pay the bills.

The_Niddler wrote:Business is business!
You have to put food on the table and pay the bills.

That's my thought as well. But at the same time I try hard as hell not to be an asshole, which I fail 80% of the time.

But so far in just over a month I have secured 4 accounts totaling $35k a year gross. Not sure on net now that I switched soap vendor going from $16/gallon to $4.10/gallon. Still gotta see how many trucks I can clean with my new vendor.

It’s not an ethics question. It’s a moral/values question

You should list out your moral/ethical/value priorities on a piece of paper before hand this way when a situation comes up you can fall back on that rather than whatever emotional mood you’re in at the time. For example, a lot of people think they are morally responsible then a bad year comes and they bend their values cause the finances were more important than they thought. If you really can be honest with yourself from the start it will make life a lot easier down road as challenges get bigger.

Many people believe “business is business” and thats the right answer for most. For me I’d always rather put myself last and do right by others whenever anything like this comes into question and I find that the relationships I have are almost always life lasting (I’ve lost less than 5 real clients in 16 years... most guys lost 5 a year). With that said I’ve probably also lost out monetarily a ton in my life cause of this.

There isn’t really a right answer, it’s just knowing what matters to you. And by no means am I saying going after the biz is morally wrong, I don’t know the situation. What I’m mostly saying is you should define your priorities now so when this relatively random acquaintance down the road is someone much closer or a different situation arises where you have to choose between work and family for example you’ll immediately be able to look at your priorities list and know what you really should be choosing

DRiccio21 wrote:It’s not an ethics question. It’s a moral/values question

You should list out your moral/ethical/value priorities on a piece of paper before hand this way when a situation comes up you can fall back on that rather than whatever emotional mood you’re in at the time. For example, a lot of people think they are morally responsible then a bad year comes and they bend their values cause the finances were more important than they thought. If you really can be honest with yourself from the start it will make life a lot easier down road as challenges get bigger.

Many people believe “business is business” and thats the right answer for most. For me I’d always rather put myself last and do right by others whenever anything like this comes into question and I find that the relationships I have are almost always life lasting (I’ve lost less than 5 real clients in 16 years... most guys lost 5 a year). With that said I’ve probably also lost out monetarily a ton in my life cause of this.

There isn’t really a right answer, it’s just knowing what matters to you. And by no means am I saying going after the biz is morally wrong, I don’t know the situation. What I’m mostly saying is you should define your priorities now so when this relatively random acquaintance down the road is someone much closer or a different situation arises where you have to choose between work and family for example you’ll immediately be able to look at your priorities list and know what you really should be choosing

Good Dave response here. Not knocking you whatsoever. I'll respond to this better when I get home. But in short, I do not know this guy at all

GeorgesGoons wrote: I try hard as hell not to be an asshole, which I fail 80% of the time.

Was leaning more towards 95ish% but we can go with your numbers if need be.

Cnasty wrote:

GeorgesGoons wrote: I try hard as hell not to be an asshole, which I fail 80% of the time.

Was leaning more towards 95ish% but we can go with your numbers if need be.

Well, I do sleep sometimes

Great advice by Riccio, ain't no way George is writing his ethical priorities down and putting in his sock drawer!!!

shel311 wrote:Great advice by Riccio, ain't no way George is writing his ethical priorities down and putting in his sock drawer!!!

Nope, but I do have my values I live by. And Integrity is and always be the number 1 for me. And Loyalty isn't far behind.

I applied for a job almost 3 months ago doing meter reading for a gas company mpany here (making $40k a year). Well today I got called regarding this job. I'm conflicted on whether to pursue my dreams of being a small business owner or being safe and doing my pressure washing on the side.

GeorgesGoons wrote:I applied for a job almost 3 months ago doing meter reading for a gas company mpany here (making $40k a year). Well today I got called regarding this job. I'm conflicted on whether to pursue my dreams of being a small business owner or being safe and doing my pressure washing on the side.

You have 4 accounts at 35k annual gross. You need to figure out net ASAP. (not sure why it's taking so long, you don't have that many factors to at least be in the ballpark) From there, you need to ask yourself 3 questions: 1.) Based on my net from these 4 accounts, how many more accounts of a similar nature do I need to secure to reach 40k net? 2.) Am I capable of securing the necessary accounts? 3.) If I do secure the required accounts to reach 40k net, how does the effort/workload compare to that of meter reading? You can throw in the bonus question of potentially adding more accounts and workload beyond to exceed the stable option if there is room once everything is calculated.

ReignOnU wrote:

GeorgesGoons wrote:I applied for a job almost 3 months ago doing meter reading for a gas company mpany here (making $40k a year). Well today I got called regarding this job. I'm conflicted on whether to pursue my dreams of being a small business owner or being safe and doing my pressure washing on the side.

You have 4 accounts at 35k annual gross. You need to figure out net ASAP. (not sure why it's taking so long, you don't have that many factors to at least be in the ballpark) From there, you need to ask yourself 3 questions: 1.) Based on my net from these 4 accounts, how many more accounts of a similar nature do I need to secure to reach 40k net? 2.) Am I capable of securing the necessary accounts? 3.) If I do secure the required accounts to reach 40k net, how does the effort/workload compare to that of meter reading? You can throw in the bonus question of potentially adding more accounts and workload beyond to exceed the stable option if there is room once everything is calculated.

I could easily answer the net questions if I didn't keep bouncing from one soap to the nest. But to be short, if I picked up one or more acount that had 8 trucks cleaned bi-weekly I'd be at/above 40k a year.

40k? Pff come sweep schools in Toronto and make 55k

nick wrote:40k? Pff come sweep schools in Toronto and make 55k

Currently at 35k for 90 days of work if I do everything on different days for the year. If I couldake $55k working that little I'd move there and start a side business

35k in 3 months is wild. That's 140k a yr

nick wrote:35k in 3 months is wild. That's 120k a yr

Your math is skewed.

I have 4 contracts, 3 of which is bi-weekly, the other is monthly. So 3x26=78 + 12 = 90, that is for the whole year. I can't do that in one month as that is a yearly contract.

If I can get 12 more contracts I'd be at $140k/year

It sounds like you're answering the question in a round about way. You're grossing 35k a year now, but it's with a workload that is highly spread out. So you do have room to fit in quite a bit more and could max up to 140k. So now you have to get to the question of whether or not you can get those accounts locked down and settle on your cost, you'll have an answer. Seems to me that you're doing fine considering the time that you've spent and what you have to show for it so far.

Yeah, if you can work say, 100-120 days per year and make $40k, why would you want to go work a job reading meters where you work 240-280 days for the same amount?
If you double the contracts that you have now and end up working say 200 days and making $80k per year.
That is a lot of wiggle room if contracts come and go and still be way above the $40k job reading meters and still working less days per year.

And I assume that you don't need the health insurance being a retired veteran.
I get that it is a little more work in securing your accounts or not as steady as one could leave you at any time, but personally, this seems like a no brainer to me.
Follow your dream of being self employed. Seems like it is already working out for you.

george, what do you charge to power wash a 2 car driveway and walk way to the front door. walkway is maybe 25 feet from curb. just curious as i have a power washer at home and i see about 90 of the 109 homes in my development need cleaning. just a ballpark estimate. probably take 2 hours or less.

Talked to my sister in law, her wife’s nephew is the one I plan on trying to take business away from. After our talk I don’t mind now. He takes his kids out there, one is preteen I believe, to help brush everything. And she said companies are starting to get upset because his other businesses are starting to get in the way, he has a lawn care business as well, and they don’t like the fact he is using his kids on their property.

Sounds like a perfect time to pounce as they are growing thin, from the scuttlebutt I hear. And she said he would 100% try to undercut me if he could. Sounds like the perfect guy to try to put out of the pressure washing business so he can focus on lawn care and snow removal. Monday I start to knock on his doors.