Next year, differently...

[Guest rfitz]

Wow, what you can learn in a year, next year I will have my van set up totally different, no more mixing, I will have a 20 gallon float tank instead of a 55 gal tank, also, I will have a 30 gallon tank just for my housewashing mix, I will have a sureflow pump set up, that I can spray wood cleaners. strippers, briteners, all from my pressurewashing hose, tanks on van with T valves,

and the biggest help will be, I will be adding 2 more vehicles to my business probably another van, and a full size pick up that will be used for staining and sealing decks only and nothing else, I think this will help for the tremendous growth we are experiencing... and yes prices will be going up, as everything always does.. and to really increase sales, my wife will be doing all the estimating and bidding, women in general make much better salespeople than men

[dlamontm98 37]

Why the changes? Were you a little disorganized this year? or do you see these changes increasing your speed on each job?

I do agree with you wife doing the bidding and estimating. This is just my opinion, but women who do the selling, bidding or estimating are better than men. Plus, most people like to hear a soft, elegant voice rather than a ruff and grumbling voice. As a kid, I noticed that my dad used women to give estimates in his moving business.

Good luck to you.

[Guest rfitz]

Not really disorganized, but I would rather streamline my business and become more efficient, more focused on doing a few things, but doing them exteremely fast but with the highest quality in my area..

[Mike Cappa 14]

BE CAREFULL!! If your wife is good looking and the homeowner is a woman, or couple and the wife is home and gets jealous at all, you won't get the job. She has to be so professional around other women it will hurt.

[James 624]

Rfitzy com down. you've come a long way in 6 months. your life has taken on many ne w chapter's. don't stop at chapter 13........

[Guest rfitz]

James you are so right, I guess why stop whats been working, ? at least I can have my wife camcord houses that want bids on housewashes', ? that will save me some time.. and yes I have came a long way, and really loving everyday, Im in the biz..

THX All

[MelissaMW 14]

Interesting thought, I'd never even considered that me, being a woman, and pretty cute if I must say, would be threatening to a wife when giving a bid. When I meet in person or talk to the wife on the phone, I am as professional as I can be, and mostly just talk business. However, there are instances where a little personal talk does come in and since I am dealing with a woman, and I am a woman, I can relate.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, why keep your wife from meeting with home owners to give a bid? Why can't it be the other way around that the husband, if the man is so good looking, that he won't get the job because the husband is jealous? Most of the time it's the wife that is home when the work is going to be done.

There are a lot of women that call our business for quotes, either residential, commercial or industrial. I do not get jealous when my husband is going to meet them to give a bid, etc. Heck, he even tells me if he goes out on a job and the wife, owner, whatever, is there and if they were really good looking.

I do agree that a woman does need to be very professional, and yes, there are women out there who will nix the company just because she feels threatened, but if handled in the right way, that won't happen. The woman can not go in and be flirty and feel that if she is, she's going to get the job. Like Extreme said, she does have to be professional. I just wouldn't let that scare me away from letting my wife take over some of the selling.

I recently had to take over all aspects of our business when my husband had to have a major operation and was in and out of the hospital for a month. When I got thrown into it, just about every job I bid, I got. 75% of those were women that I dealt with.

Ok, I'm done babbling about this, and in no way was I trying to flame, upset, or '*****' about anything said in this post. I just wanted to voice my opinion on it, and maybe add some insite so that rfitz might be a little more comfortable in letting his wife do more in the business. I've been involved in my husbands business for over 12 years now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. No matter what he gets involved in, I want to be a part of it, and do my fair share also, so that we can succeed and move ahead together.

[Beth n Rod 1,278]

Hi Melissa,

There have been times that I have had homeowners (women) tell me they were glad I was a woman and not a man, as some feel uncomfortable with a strange man coming to their door. So long as you know your business you'll get the respect you deserve.

Good luck in all you do! We're glad to see you online!

Beth ;)

[Mike Cappa 14]

if it works great, I was just offering one opinion, doesn't mean it is always true.