Hey guys I need help..

I am 25 and I have always dream about having my own business... this days I have been doing some research over the internet and I found out about carpet cleaning.... I love the Idea of starting up a carpet cleanin business... but I have no idea of how this business work..
I currently manage a storage facility but I will quit to start this business... however I am affraid of quiting my job to start with this.... thats why I need your help

I have no money to invest and I need to find out the way to start in this business.
what machines, permits, is this a good job?... the pay.. how do I start??? how much money i need

Please, I need your advice...

Thanks!!!!

Novato

Well, I hate to say this, but you don't sound like you are in ANY position to start this business if you have no money to invest. For example, you have to figure out how you're gonna survive for the first 6 months - 1 year at least. When I started my company, I was fortunate enough to have cash available as well as rented out my house, traded in my new flashy car for a used dented up family car, etc, etc. I intially figured i would be set for less than 10K...boy was I wrong. Now, keep in mind that I bought NEW. I got the rotovac starter package with an upgraded portable. (4K), then had to buy a trailer to haul it (2K), not to mention a used pickup (5K) all the chemicals ($200), a year of YP ads (3600), miscellaneus supplies (200-300), Gas, etc etc.

After paying out all of this money and living off funds I had available for the first 6 months I am actually doing quite well just over a year into this. Another example,during my first quarter in business, I only brought in $766 total. Now, I consistently average over 6K TOTAL SALES each month. Now, subract gas, taxes, chemicals, new toys, insurance, and everything else, and its tough to keep strong and push through, but for me, an 11 year Army vet, as long as I am supporting my family and am my own boss, i'm successful.

Please note, that there is ALOT more to this game than just swinging a wand or floor machine. You have to have knowledge, and dont ever commit to something that youre not comfortable with.

But it all pays off with hard work and patience. After the first six months, I got my first truckmount, then 6 months later (this past Fathers day), I bought another truck/mount.

Hope this helps...

BTW, you can always start out on the weekends/evenings when youre not working

Thanks a lot!!....

I appreciate your advice.... now it seems harder than before...
since a have a family to support,it makes it harder to save money.

maybe I will have to stay with the idea of working on the weekends to start up..

anyway I don't want to be rich, I just want freedom...

Thank you!!!!

Wow, hope you learned your lesson. A lot of people quit their job after they buy someone elses old stuff. Then their first winter hits and their crying about not being able to buy anything for their kids. Asking everyone "what is the best way to make money now? What's the best marketing to do at christmas time? Why won't anyone let me clean for them in December?" Then January hits. "How come I can't give away a free carpet cleaning? What's the best marketing you can do to make money?"


You think working for someone else is hard? Try your family.

A friend of mine worked 8 hours a day for the county as a hvac repairman. Then worked in the evening and every week end for 2 years, before he left his full time job. He's a man to be admired. Hard worker working for his family.


I would think a person in your shoes could learn a lot just on this board. Read all,(lots), the past posts. If you still want to give it a go. Set up your business before you ever buy a piece of equipment. Business name, insurance, banking, license, transportation(with more insurance), tax/accountant, forms, marketing material, uniforms(nice looking work clothes), business cards. I'm sure there is more to be added.

Then get a cimex and build an evening and weekend business cleaning commercial carpet. Then slowly expand into other add on services, tile and grout would be good, add a portable machine(for a few residentual jobs), clean windows, janitoral.


Good luck

DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB !

Do you have a ServiceMaster cleaner in your area? If so try to get a job with them and learn the business. The phone will not ring off the hook when you try to build this business. A rotovac start up package is about $2195 which gives you the main tools to get started. What about using your income tax to get started? It takes time and a lot of work to get going. If you can get some equipment just try to get some jobs for weekends. Whatever you do, do not quit your regular job.

These guys are right! DONT just get up and quit your job - my biz is 2 yrs old and finally making a little money...This is my 2 cents - START WITH BUYING A MARKETING PACKAGE FROM JOE POLISH - PIRANHA MARKETING, read it and just digest it all over 2-3 months, THEN start your biz!!!!! DO IT! Dont do like everyone else, run out and buy a brand new truck and truckmount - that's just "Feel Good" toys that will get you in financial trouble FAST. (although, for a relatively low investment, you can buy a cimex from rick and start making GOOD money!!!)This is what I did:

Bought Piranha Marketing material

studied it over 3 months

Bought a Bane Clene paramount on ebay for $2500

Spent a couple of weeks & $200 fixing it up

Went to the Bane Clene Institute for training & certification

started IMPLEMENTING what the marketing info told me to do

THEN went full time into the biz.

Joe

I would reconsider spending hundreds on advertising or some one else marketing plan.

One thing about advertisers, they for some reason and the weather man are aloud to make statements and claims that have no truth or results and still they get paid. Ask one advertiser or marketing firm for a guarantee. They will laugh at you. But when I enter my customer’s home I guarantee my results 100%.

If you tell a customer you just want to get paid and not guarantee any results they would throw you out of their home. Why people keep spending money on marketers and advertising is beyond me.

You do your work part time. Do you have credit? Use your credit for small $3000--$4000 in equipment.

When and if you do this, DON'T give any advertiser or marketer your money use it for your advantage.

What I did getting started was spend more time with a customer. Let’s say 30 to 45 minutes in the beginning. That showed my customers great service. Then the referrals start coming in.

You are getting into a service business. Service the customers and they will come. One of the keys to survival in carpet cleaning is keep your overhead low and your profit high. This is really not hard to do compared to many other business.

Service the customer. Give them what they value and you will not have any problems.

Now this is my opinion but I know it works. I offer it for free. Go to an advertiser or marketer and they want money. Butt offer no results. Think hard before you put your money in someone else’s hands.

It can be done. Starting from zero on a shoestring at a young age is possible. I know, because I did it.

I was 21 years old when I started my cleaning business, Pioneer Bldg Maint, back in 1982. I was single at the time so my needs were small. I had been working as a mechanic in a bike shop back in those days. I started my cleaning business working nights and weekends, doing full janitorial. I drove a 20 year old car at the time. I bought a used Kirby vacuum, an answering machine, a few spray bottles and pails, and a box of business cards. It was HARD WORK. The growth was slow! But I knew I had the drive to do it, so I persisted. I was flat broke and dead tired most of the time for the first few years. Yet by the time I married Nancy 4 years later in 1986 I was starting to make a more reasonable income. I wasn't where I wanted to be yet, but I could start to see light at the end of the tunnel. I was already transitioning away from janitorial and was primarily focusing on commercial floor and carpet care. BTW that cleaning business is still operating today, however the name has been changed to Kleenstep, Inc (because I learned about MARKETING).

That last sentence is an IMPORTANT one!!! Learn about business and marketing. Become a student of business. Read, read, read everything you can. Network with other successful people! BTW we didn't have message boards like this when I started my business. Be slow to spend money on equipment. Grow gradually. Take your time investing and use your head. Be willing to invest plenty of energy. And be content to be broke a lot of the time in the beginning. Keep your day time job until you’re really ready to cut loose from it. I think commercial cleaning could accommodate that transition for you, as it did for me. You can do this if it's what you really want to do. And ask plenty of questions. If I can ever help you in any way I'll be happy to do so.

Wishing you success



Rick Gelinas
encapman

Some of the best advise in the industry from many points of view

would be nice to have a section for new start up companies and put this at the top.

Greg Loe
Chico,Ca
www.gregs-ucs.com

Agree with Greg 100%

That's a first! Sorry won't let it happen again.

Greg Loe
Chico,Ca
www.gregs-ucs.com

Don't quit your job yet! Take the IICRC carpet & upholstery classes, then start doing carpet & upholstery cleaning part time. Most distributors have decent portables that you can rent for a weekend. Just schedule jobs for Sat. & Sun. Start with family & friends, get referrals from them and keep on expanding from there. This way you can tell if it's for you or not without spending a fortune. Do it part time until you have enough business to justify going full time. Be committed and persistent and you can succeed!