Just Started My Company This Summer (2009)

[Little Buddy 14]

So here is my story. Since freshman year in high school, i landscaped every summer until by senior year where i had a better offer to work for someone else, then work got slow and was let go. The remainder of summer, about 2 months, i didn't have a job. Then college came and was super busy and forgot all about looking for a job. The stock market crashed and the economy went down the tube, along with any potential jobs for my age group which has an unemployment rate of nearly 30%. So this entire summer, after 33 applications, i didn't get a job either. At this point i am furious. I was so sick of working all summer and only making 3k just to watch a third of that go to gas getting to work and back. I decided right then and there (about 1.5 months left of summer) to start an Exterior Cleaning Business or powerwashing. I wasn't like most and jumped out and advertised, but thoroughly researched the business and lived on these message boards. I did all the footwork and paper work and looked for all the free advertising possible, which ended up being yellow-pages.com. The last few weeks i landed two jobs for $3,600 total. Now i am back in school and have excess to graphic and web design majors and professors. FREE LOGO DESIGN and all the business advice i could possible ever want. I have sat down with some acct. professors and purchased my quickbooks pro. I have all the behind the scenes work finished and paperwork setup. I have been looking for a good company for printing and mailing of postcards as well as a good company for amazing customer shirts. The chemical research was the easiest (ready-seal, and pressuretek).

I will start this next session balls to the walls with a 2500 mailer in late march and again in mid-April (targeted of course). I have worked out the kinks in my wood maintenance program and pricing as well.

Next summer should be a blast and i might be able to hit the $20K mark in wood Restoration alone. Thanks for all the free info and the advice.

-Joe

[RPetry 564]

Joe,

Good for you, that is an uplifting story. Contrary to what some say, your generation has got drive, gumption, intelligence, and do not shirk from hard work. I know, I have hired college kids these past 7 years.

Two points out of many that could be advanced. First, set up a web site. With your college connections, this may not be too difficult or costly. When doing wood jobs, take plenty of pictures and slowly build up a picture gallery on your site.

Second, do the best work you can do, each and every time, for the best demographic customers that you find. Ask for testimonials, again powerful stuff for the web site, and especially ask for referrals.

You are on your way to a successful business. Please don't let a few bucks get to your head, by all means make sure you finish and graduate from college.

[Little Buddy 14]

Great advice...to elaborate a bit more on the college side of things. I am a sophomore with a double Major in chemistry with a business emphasis and biology. My goal is to get into Marquette University's Dental School. However, school doesn't pay for itself and this would be a good business to turn over to my dad if it gets rolling.

As for the website, i was going to get one designed to look like this one. Pavers, Retaining Walls, Stewart Land Designs, Tomball, Texas, TX but personalized to my company. try and get a little branding going on with a color theme. My way of thinking has already changed so much in the last three months it is incredible. Starting a company is so exciting and fun, it almost has a game appeal to it. I cant wait to see my little company grow, plug and chug some numbers to monitor it, and build relationships with you guys and my future customers.

When i use to do landscaping, i worked for the best guy in the world. He has motivated, mentored, and inspired me to strive for profession and excellence in everything. I asked questions everyday to pluck the mind of a very successful business man.

[big mike 14]

Joe,

I'm glad you took my advice and joined up here. I enjoyed our phone conversations, and I do believe you'll pass that 20K mark easily. There are some real wood restoration pro's here, that love helping out (as long as you do your part). Welcome aboard Little Buddy!!

[Little Buddy 14]

Mike quick question,

We were talking about the maintenance of ready seal and you said you always return to the job expecting to strip and reseal. How do you know if you need to strip the existing sealer? What do you do if it is grayed because i would just clean and brighten if it was grayed, but it still had some pigment to it i would just apply another coat of ready seal.

Thanks, Joe

[big mike 14]

Joe,

What I meant was that we always come prepared to strip and reseal, but that usually is not the case. We do lots of RS maintenance, and most often a light cleaning and re-coat is all that's needed. Sometimes you are money ahead removing the finish and starting over, rather than having premature failure. This is the case with multiple coats over several years. When the pigment builds up to a high level, it interferes with the penetrating properties of the oil, and leads to early failure. All I meant was to have a full arsenal when going out on a job.

As for graying, it shouldn't be an issue if maintenance is done in a timely manner. If a RS deck has grayed, it's been too long between maintenance coats, and will require a restoration. That's how you sell maintenance to people - keep up the maintenance, and you won't be paying for a restoration.

You ask how I know if a sealer needs to be stripped and this is my answer: If we didn't apply it, it gets stripped. I can't be responsible for someone else's prep work, and you're taking a big gamble that they did it properly. Err on the side of caution.

[Little Buddy 14]

Mike,

So lets say you have a customer that you have been doing annual maintenance on. You have been doing the maintenance for 3 years (just cleaning and applying new ready seal). The next year i would personally strip and do the whole thing. Here is my question.

Since the maintenance program price is a fraction of the full restoration price, would you charge the full maintence price of the fourth year to do the whole ball of wax? Because i can see myself saying to the customer, "with the maintenance program, you wont have to pay for a full restoration as long as you stick with the annual maintenace program."

How will you ever get to charge for a full restoration, unless they skip a year, if they continue to sign on for the maintenance program?

Thanks, Joe

[Celeste 341]

Joe - Believe it or not, lots of maintenance is your goal. Faster service is supposed to equate to higher profits.....your restorations will turn into maintenance. Your restorations will be the new customers you will harvest annually and convert :)

Celeste

PS - Welcome aboard! Thank GOODNESS I didn't have to use the dreaded "search" line with you - I think you're going to be a fine asset to this forum!

[big mike 14]

Joe,

Celeste summed it up very well. As far as restoring a deck that I've done maintenance on, it is part of the cost of retaining that loyal customer. One good referral from that person, trumps any extra cost incurred with restoring their deck. Also, every customer you retain, is one less you need to go out and sell. Selling costs money.

[Little Buddy 14]

Joe - Believe it or not, lots of maintenance is your goal. Faster service is supposed to equate to higher profits.....your restorations will turn into maintenance. Your restorations will be the new customers you will harvest annually and convert :)

Celeste

PS - Welcome aboard! Thank GOODNESS I didn't have to use the dreaded "search" line with you - I think you're going to be a fine asset to this forum!

Are you a big ready seal guy? I think the homeowner would love to hear mike's line, "Keep up the maintenance, and you won't be paying for a restoration." I agree with you on lots of maintenance is my goal, i was more of thinking out loud about possible kinks down the road. Mike's little line there even makes me feel good, so i know the homeowner would feel the same. It just sounds like a DEAL.

-Joe

[Celeste 341]

Actually, no - we don't use Ready Seal at all....it's just not our thing. But, we do encourage maintenance because in the long run, it does save the customer money (while you make money) and it's just better for the wood.

Celeste

(PS - I'm a girl!)

[Little Buddy 14]

Actually, no - we don't use Ready Seal at all....it's just not our thing. But, we do encourage maintenance because in the long run, it does save the customer money (while you make money) and it's just better for the wood.

Celeste

(PS - I'm a girl!)

HaHa...sorry