Part-Timers....what is your day job?

[secs 14]

Hello,

This is my first post. I've been lurking for a while soaking in all the info before I jump into my part-time venture. Anyway, just wondering if there are any "part-timers" out there and what is your "full-time" job. Or.....maybe you started out part-time, and business was so great that you left your 9-5. If so, what was your full-time before you broke your bonds of slavery. I'm just wondering about all the different walks of life that everyone comes from.

Tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine. hehe

[Celeste 341]

We're full time now but started last year as part time although not a 9-5 "day job". Roger worked at GE 2nd shift....had 12 years in, benefits like none you've ever seen and walked away to go full time after only being in business for 6 months. We've been bustin' loose ever since. It was a huge decision to make - we have a really big mortgage, one in college and three still at home. With the Grace of God and lots of hard work, doing things the right way - paying attention to advice on the boards , we're still standing with what's looking like a pretty bright future.

Best of luck to you :)

Celeste

:lgangel:

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Welcome Secs! Glad to see you posting. We started out part time in 1999, but became full time quickly.

Over the years we have met people from many difference backgrounds. High tech, medical, law, human resources, retail, hospitality management, telecommunications, military, and the list goes on.

Look for skills you have from other jobs, and see how they will apply to this business, and look at how strong they are. Then work on the other skills you don't have yet. Before you know it, you will balance these things out. Let us know how we can help.

Beth

[PowerPlay 14]

Hiya Secs,

My partner and I are both part-time washers. We've been part-time now for about 2 years.

Many people advise, "start small with maybe just a cold washer", well we're doing the opposite and decided we would start big and work full time else where until all of the equipment is paid off. We purchased a HydroTek hot water washer, all the best hoses wands ext. wands, shurflo pump sprayers, surface cleaner, and recently a box truck. After all that we're still well ahead of ourselves with what we brought in over the last two summers, we're not doing any large contracts at this time because of our F/T obligations.

Oh yea, I forgot the question. I'm currently in sales employed by Sunline Coach Co. We manufacture travel trailers.

We hope to be washing F/T this spring?? :)

[RyanH 14]

Started out PT in college. Currently looking for engineering work since it is so much fun, but will keep doing the cleaning PT because of the satisfaction I get out of a job well done. And, it's a little therapeutic at times.

Welcome!

[GymRat 14]

I work as a utility job trainer at Honeywell International. My job entails training operators how to run our boiler house, refrigeration generators, Large air compressors and the equipment users throughout the plant site. Just started pressure washing this summer, and have only done about 6 houses and 2 roof jobs. Still learning a lot from this board, and wanted to thank everyone for the great advice and expertice.

John

[SPOTLESS 14]

I did the part time thing for 1 year Welder/Heavy equip mechanic 50 hrs a week washing 15 to 20 hours a week until it got to be too much. Have been full time 2 years now and lovin it.

[Brad 14]

Pressure washed part time for 10 years, full time now for 2 years.I use to make paint the industrial stuff.Pure poisen.But it was good pay and benefits anyhow got layed off and thought it was the end of the world,ya right,next year were looking at managing 4 to 6 people.We also clean windows and do Parking lot/Grounds clean up.You can not count on a good job,You can always count on your self.

[Celeste 341]

You can not count on a good job,You can always count on your self.

That is so true :)

Celeste

[Chappy 138]

I started part time with the Gumbusters thing, I was in industrial sales at the time, so it was easy to see where work needed to be done as I drove around. I added pwing in jan of this year. Didnt have enough business to force a choice when I went full time, just got sick of the other job. Now fairly busy and looks like Ill close my first year with a little under 2x the revenue I expected.

[Jon 533]

No part time thing with me here, researched the business for 3 month and asked questions on the boards at the time, back then it was Delco and Dave's bbs.

Met up with a nice chap for a couple days and learned what work is all about then came back and went in full time.

[Aplus 525]

Started part time in 1996, while working full time for EDS. Served 17 years in various postions from mainframe computer operator, to business analyst, production support, and finally, the last 5 years as a system administrator. In 2002, I resigned and begin power washing full time.

Have not looked back since.....

[Degraffreed 21]

Sec,

I started in Jan of "04. I am currently in management here in Atlanta, Ga. I manage a Rv distribution center. I have been doing this for 17 years. I am also a newbie in the PW feild and have gross sales this year alone of approx.$6000.00.

This does not sound like much but I do this on weekends only. Also I do not work everyweekend. I like having this as a side gig and looking one day to go full time.

I have read and researched the boards for about 4 months before I invested in Me.

I did not start out small ither. I took my bonus check and some savings and invested in a 14' double axle enclosed and bought a Ram 04 1500 Hemi, skid mounted hot/cold Delco pw and hoses, extention wands, chems, xjets, and various access and attended Delco 5 day trainning school.

I just thought that I would not start out small and have to keep upgrading as I go. I know my work ethic and I know me. So I will keep my first job for the seniority and the medical benefits and will work this business until I get canned or can make the same salary on my own. Go for it. (If you Build it, they will come), That my thinking.

Good luck, Get in and do not look back. Do not pay attention to the DREAM KILLERS

Degraffreed

JayCam Pressure Wash

[PATZPW 14]

I Work For Keystone Automotive Inc. We Sell Those Inexpensive Fenders Hoods Door Etc.. When You Crash Your Car And The Insurance Company Doesn't Want To Put On An Oe Fender They Call Us. I Started Washing In 1997 With No Insurance And No Experience, Now I Do It Mainly During The Summer Because My Wife Is A Teacher And Doesn't Work During June, July, Or Aug.

[John T 744]

My Day time job is Powerwashing and my nite time job for almost 18 yrs is Law enforcement. I work 12 hr shifts and after vacation days are used I only do about 125 nites a year and I have a little control over my scheduling where I move my nights around when needed. So I consider myself lucky because my day and nite jobs work perfectly together.

I still am not exactly sure which way my future is heading but I can tell you this every year I make more and more money Powerwashing and if I can do it then most anyone can. :)

[beclean2 14]

Started part-time in 2001, at that time I had owned a specialty retail store for 10 years and was growing tired of it. Went full-time in 2002 and sold my retail business. Currently have two full time employees and will have to add at least one more next year. This is absolutely a wonderful business and I believe it has a huge growth potential in the future.

Mark Crump

Be Clean Services

[Mathew Johnson 123]

I am a Registered Nurse in an Intensive Care Unit. I started out in late 2003 and just finished up my first full season. I made more $$$ while I was Pressure Washing than while I was working as a Nurse this season. My advise to you is listen to the people on these BBS... They will save you money avoiding mistakes and make you money with thier marketing and skills advise. It is all about customer service... exceeding customer expectations. I expect that someday I will leave nursing to do this full time. Right now I have a pretty cushy Nursing job.

[ROBERT MCLAUTHLIN 14]

right now I work for a distribution center that distributes ac delco, delphi, catipillar, international batteries for car, trucks, far equipment and everything under the sun. My shift hours are from 4pm -1am but I have the option of comming in early if I want. Usually do during the winter, try to make as much OT as possible.

[Scott Stone 604]

I started out part time. When I started I was sorting used bolts in a warehouse at a utility company. It was a lousy job, but the pay was good for what I was doing. $16 an hour 15 years ago and incredible benefits. They came and said we will give you a bunch of cash to leave, and if you don't you are gone anyway because you are low man in seniority. Not a tough decision. I worked a little trying to build the business, but lacked the resolve at the time to make it work. I just piddled part time, averaging about $30,000 a year for the business.

I got another job as a milk man. Did that for five years, and by the end of my time, I was a supervisor over 115 drivers. They decided that I should fill in for any drivers that were sick, so after the 3rd 120 hour week in a row, and I picked up my youngest son at the time and he cried because he did not recognize me.

I quit the next day and got another job driving a truck. During that year I really worked at getting the business rocking and quit on my one year anniversary. They had also changed the parameters of the job the day I got hired. At the start I was to do a start up for a trucking compnay, and they decided on my first day that they did not want to go in that direction. I committed for a year, and made it.

I have been full time since I quit that job. It has been 9 years full time now.

Scott

[secs 14]

My Day time job is Powerwashing and my nite time job for almost 18 yrs is Law enforcement. I work 12 hr shifts and after vacation days are used I only do about 125 nites a year and I have a little control over my scheduling where I move my nights around when needed. So I consider myself lucky because my day and nite jobs work perfectly together.

I still am not exactly sure which way my future is heading but I can tell you this every year I make more and more money Powerwashing and if I can do it then most anyone can. :)

I need to use you as my Mentor John. Same here with the "day" job....night shift patrol, 12 hr. shift. Pretty good schedule though, 3 on 4 off, 4 on 3 off. Too much free time not to be doing something for extra income with another new mouth to feed.

[One Tough Pressure 580]

I have done misc pressure washing for about 14 years now, but up until 2002 I just viewed it as a task to be done rather than a business opportunity.

While doing machine demo's in search of a washer for my employer, the light came on and I realized that this is much bigger than I had been viewing it over the years. While I passed on the unit that started the whole thing, I ordered up the trailer package for myself that same week.

I have been full time in the cleaning industry for 8 years but had many jobs that required an unusual amount of cleaning as well, such as the military and the restaurant biz, so the years just keep stacking. I have been doing pressure cleaning as a business since 2002.

I like solving problems for people and being able to restore something and just simply dazzle people with the results is a good feeling. Of course the money helps too. My main focus is interior concrete cleaning, but I am not picky, so I do plenty of exterior stuff as well.

[John Doherty 126]

I bought my pw biz in early 2002, was part time venture for the seller so I got it for the cost of the rig and a few thousand for goodwill. For the first year I got a night job driving a truck to make ends meet. Since June 2003 this has been my fulltime gig and I love it, I have enough work to keep me and two subs busy just about full time.

Before this I spent 13 years in financial services, there I did everything from call center and operations management to business product management. The last 5 years or so I was a business analyst, I basically fixed operations that were broken or inefficient, and created and launched new products. My last year I developed the core client service experience (how the co interacted with clients; in person, phone, and online) for a joint venture in London.

Although I met many great people and got to travel all over the US and the world, I found that the higher you move up the ladder the more of your soul you seem to lose. I hope to never work in that world again, and although it may take a few more years to get even close to the old money I used to make, I wouldn't trade it for anything! My success or failure is directly on me, not on politics or any of that other corporate crap! It's great to be able to sleep at night with a clear conscience!!!

[tropical wave 22]

The little lady and I are geting this thing up and running part time, the weather in Chicago wont allow too much winter work in the house washing-wood restoration angles of the biz. We are both Police Officers in two different Chicago suburbs for over 10 years. I worked for a PW outfit in CT back in the mid 80's, before entering the military and enjoyed the work and the profits. We've got most of the equip to get rolling, just need to get some type of ideas on flyers, direct mailers etc. Before we know it, it'll be spring and we need to get selling. We just got our IRS papers, Chicago license etc, plus some fantastic signs for the truck and great t-shirts made up....at least we'll look good while cranking out the sales.............good luck to all, happy holidays.

P.S. Not to change the subject, but if anybody wants to share a flyer for some ideas, that would be outstanding. These boards have been great and appreciate all the knowledge you folks toss out to us "newbies"....merry xmas

Mike

tropicalwavePW@aol.com

[Michael Nardoni 14]

I have not started a pressure washing service as of yet , I'm still in the researching stages . But i do have a asphalt sealcoating business Which is a very short season Starting approx April 15 til Oct. 15 weather permiting maybe alittle longer or shorter . My full time job is a Teamster truck driver .

[The Hydro Blaster 14]

I sell chewing gum to people at mini malls and around store fronts in my service area!!! I have a landscape design and consultation business and operate equipment for a couple contractors digging pools and grading. That all keeps me busy.

[rocco 14]

Well I started originally managing a company for another guy. They offered fleet washing and Deck restoration. Within the 3 years I was there they went to washing buildings and commercial work and dumped the deck restoration. After leaving I tried my hand at driving a truck and hated it so I came back to work at the Deaf School overnight where I have had plenty of time to contemplate my own business and do planning! Been in business for 3 years and last year made just under $6k. Now for 2005 my sales are around $4k already and I am only getting busier! So soon it will be bye bye to that overnight job here. My wife cant wait! As far as that other comapany I still do some jobs for them.