Scott Stone

There are people on here that are happy to spend hours on the phone with you. They will usually answer any questions that you have, and any questions that you should have. There is also the search button that is always useful, so that you can get ideas on different types of pressure washing, what you think sounds appealing to you, and what you think is within you abilities. Keep in mind that it is really much harder work than people on the outside think, which is part of the reason that the failure rate is so high in this field. Another thing might be that someone comes into the industry so ill prepared, because they have not done their research, and have no business plan.

Yep, you need to sit back and rest. Listen to your wife. There are more important things than these boards, or phone calls. Health and family rank right up there.

Yeah, well, teh microwave is already gone...That took what, about 4 hours, from delivery of non matching range to the purchase of a microwave that is appropriately matching???

I thought about showing my wife this thread. Then I got smart. I did buy her a double oven for Christmas, and best of all, she was thrilled. Of course, the microwave has to go, and then it will be the countertops. Of course, we have tile for the counter tops, so it will probably tear up the cabinets on removal. The refirgerator is new though, and she loves her dishwasher. It looks very nice. I don't think I need radiant heat in our floors, though. BTW, I think you need a faucet.

Really? You want to do this? My guess is they would be a minimum of $5 a piece. Then of course, there is the problem of the smell, and what you will smell like. In all honesty, I would double that price, and hope to get them done in a day. Take extra clothes in your truck, and change before you leave, and have a plastic tarp over the seats for when you need to move it around. Nasty smelly job.

Right now, it looks like I am going to have to add two rigs this year for garage cleaning in Arizona, and for bus shelter maintenance. I am also going to have to buy another small truck, and that one is for sure. It is nice to be busy.

rotfl!!!

Well, he did start out cleaning hoods. Those guys are all dwarves.

I think I would have to take a pass on that one, too. Something about being wearying.

hmm, I though that I was the first one to leave the Island if it was a ***** thing... Since I manage to control everything behind the scenes, I am thinking that I could orchestrate something that would really make it interesting. And no Fenner would not be allowed to walk around naked. The thought of any of you fat guys walking around naked is, at the least, a bit disturbing. Before I could decide who wins, I need rules... Like I tell my customers, I don't care what your contract says, I will figure out a way to make it work to my advantage. They laugh, and I always do.

I know CETA has a scholarship, but I am pretty sure that is not for contractors, but for distributors kids.

Have you tried talking to the academic counselors? They will usually have a heads up on what is available. What were your grades like in High School, and last year? Maybe they can score you a need based academic scholarship. There are a lot of things out there, you just need to ask the right person.

But they have to be really good...

I want a shop. I don't have much room at my house, but would like somewhere to do little projects, and store tools so that I can clear out the regular garage. There is something wrong when you have a three car garage and can only park one car in it...Well, an Excursion, but still.

Imagine what could have happened if it was an economic plan that actually made sense! I have never been able to spend my way out of financial despair, I don't see how the government can, either. But then, this might be a new idea on marketing and managing your business. You are constantly complaining about profits, and low ballers. I say you take the business at whatever price you can get it at, then continue to provide the undoubtedly high service levels that you provide. Sooner or later, you will not have any more problems...

Curious thing, the same posts that are causing drama on ***, are here, with the same answers that were cut and paste. Yet, there is no drama here... That being said TGS is great, it does have a different flavor then ***, because of the different personaliities and how they operate.

I voted technical expertise and execution. I am very good at customer service, and bidding the jobs, but I think my expertise, and willingness to ask questions when I don't know the answers, or the answers don't make sense, set me apart from most.

I had something like that happen one time. We leave the back door open when we have a dog, while someone is home. One day, I was sitting in the office, talking on the phone to a customer. All of the sudden, I hear a huge commotion in living room with our teacup yorkie yipping and barking. I finally get off the phone, and he was going absolutely nuts. I looked around, and we have a clerestory window in our kitchen. The dog was looking up there so I did, too. There sitting on the ledge was a hawk. He had to have flown in through the back door. I actually went out to my truck, and got my leather gloves. I got on up to the window, talking calmly, and the hawk just sat there. I actually reached up, and wrapping his body and his wings, I picked him up, and took him outside. I called my wife, and told her the whole story, then had a job to do that was going to take the rest of the day. About three hours later, I get a call. "I thought you got rid of that damn bird." I assured her that I did, then she told me that there was a bird on the kitchen window ledge. She pushed out the screen to let the bird out, and called me. The way I figure it, the hawk was chasing the bird, and the bird ducked into the house to get away. I was so fascinated by the hawk, as was my dog, I did not even notice the bird that was hiding somewhere in the house.

So, stop it already. You have to be one of the most negative contractors that I have ever seen on these boards. One would think that you were constantly beat with a stick to keep your attitude up. Don't you realize that people can see and feel a downer attitude, and will feed off it? The problem is, that you are going into jobs expecting them to hammer you on price. That way, you are never disappointed. Either, you need to adjust your pricing to current market conditions, to maintain a workload, or you need to learn how to sell what you have in a way that makes people want to buy your services at a premium. There is no in between. As for the name, I agree, it sounds cheap. Maybe that is a large part of the problem.

My guess is that Chris will be a million dollar contractor one day. That boy is the future of the industry. I got to spend a few hours with him in Texas, and it was an absolute pleasure.

Someone quoting a price in the states, and trying to transfer it to Australia is a very large stretch. That is as bad as someone in San Francisco giving a quote for a job in Alabama, where the cost of living is half, so prices are less, too. I am thinking you would be better served by a time estimate, so that you could translate that into your hourly rate. BTW, I don't o that type of work, so I can't give you an estimate.

Uhm, I used to be a milk man.

Oh, you might be surprised...

I love government contracts. Universities are great, because they are more likely to understand the associated costs of doing business, so you can more easily charge them a fair price. Of course, I have never shied away from a government contract, and actually have them as a large part of my business.

I am confused why you think that this has not already been done? I don't think that anyone has ever been excluded by Ron at a roundtable, and there have been distributors that have shown up as distributors that have not paid the same promotion fees as the others, from what I hear. Every organization has been invited, or requested to be allowed to come, and the invitation has been sent on request, even if Ron had something personal against that organization, and they were allowed to have time to present themselves. So I guess the question should be, Do you think that we can pull off this same type of show without Ron, and separate from Ron?