How far an area do you consider someone to be your direct competitor?

[John T 744]

If you were to teach a specialized subject and not a beginners subject how close to your place of employment would you draw the line on who you teach in the contracting business? This would be for advanced/specialized training.

[Scott Stone 604]

I think that the only time I won't teach someone technical things is when I have been specifically told I could not bid on a contract, and the winning bidder is told to call me so that I can teach them how to complete the contract. Yes, it has happened. It did not turn out well for the winning bidders, nor for the contracting entity.

The reason they would not allow me to bid the contract was because in the scope they had a very specialized license that was really unnecessary, but did manage to keep someone else from bidding that they had problems with before, multiple times.

[bks0005 14]

If they live/ work in the main areas you do business.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I'm curious as to the reason behind your question. *scratching head*

Beth

[AAPaint 14]

I'm not really into teaching anyone who's not 3 states away, haha.

[John T 744]

I'm curious as to the reason behind your question. *scratching head*

Beth

There's always someone who's to smart for there own good:cool:

Answer is I'm not teaching squat but I'm OK giving out info on the net and also helping out some local guys with things but I'm getting request to bring guys to a parking garage when we do them.. Thats where I draw the line. I might video a garage and show it on the net because I don't worry about competition but these r good paying jobs and I really would not want to teach a guy how we do it while he is at my customers garage. Also bigger then that is every time we do them there are time constraints and it wouldn't be fair to the guy or myself to not give him the time needed because we go non stop in them and everything has to work or be fixed ASAP so on those type jobs it's in and out with very little interruptions.

[cleanhoods 43]

All is your competitors...so i teach no one,i worked hard to get where i am at, i walked on the ruff road so should you then you will learn too respect where you are at. Now small advice pieces is ok but to give your whole process is just suicide.

MArko

[John T 744]

I hear ya Marko. I don't go to that extreme because I have worked with other contractors(I may be doing that again soon) and we share many idea's. Some of us took the same classes together. I believe in people networking and teaching others to help raise the standards but like you I wouldn't give up my operation.

The thing today is so many people network so the lone guy out there is fighting an uphill battle no matter how you slice it. It's just the way the times are. Darn by me there going to start video taping areas 24-7. I don't like half the stuff going on but the other half is essential in today's society and networking and teaching is the way of the future. Also with all the info thats out now the bar has been raised already...

Example to that is when I first started in 96. Actually I power washed a little a few yrs earlier before I started my business in 96. I use to blast everything with PSI and never any chemicals cause I didn't know about them. A couple of yrs later I learned a little about chems from the net. Then I went to Roundtables, Conventions etc and learned some more and then networked and also went to classes. Just another way to look at things.

[newlook 265]

Been asked what we charge per sq.ft....don't offer that up at all.

[apsurfacesolutions 17]

Been asked what we charge per sq.ft....don't offer that up at all.

My answer. We charge enough to cover our operating cost and make a profit.

[newlook 265]

My answer. We charge enough to cover our operating cost and make a profit.

I just tell them that my business is doing well because I don't spend time minding theirs...lol

[John T 744]

Lol.. I tell most what I get per sq' bit there's a different factor in here is how fast you can do it. We just lost an opportunity for a garage thats managed by "Standard Parking". It's in Atlantic city. We charge 5 cents a sq' with the guarantee that we can complete it in 3 nights. The garage was just over 200,000 square feet.

We lost the bid to a company that charge 2 cents a square including sweeping in there. To me that's a waste of time and I know this company couldn't compete with mine but there happy clearing $400 or so a day for themselves then they forget uncle Sam see's this and then there taxed on the income... Those guys are out there and then they disappear themselves swallows up by there mistakes.

So hello Jim Gamble. How do you work around Standard parking and companies like that? I'm slowly figuring that out but I'll still ask for info from the ones I consider the experts in the field such as Jim with parking garages.

I learn my wood restoration from the experts there as well such as Beth/Rod,Jim foley,Everett Abrams, Rick Petry etc. There is no specific order in there but those guys on the east coast were gold in my pocket.

Keep your mind open and don't ever think you know it all because there is people out there that are truly experts.

Gotta love this industry when we connect... I know I do:wink: