Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 12 of 46
  1. #1

    Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    So some of you may remember, i quit my job for the DoD out in California and moved back home to where i grew up in Arkansas. I was just miserable working behind a desk all day, meetings and briefings, etc. Even though I still have my full GI Bill, I have been struggling on what path to take and i ruled out anything to do with animals, just couldn't deal with seeing the bad stuff daily. Dont know know why i didnt think of this sooner, but cleaning. Yes, cleaning. I have always enjoyed cleaning and being in the Marines i am stuck in those ways. Low start up cost compared to most businesses is also a huge plus. People will always the service.


    On my research list
    - Business Name
    - Creating an LLC
    - Insurance
    - Price point supplies
    - Marketing costs ie flyers, business cards, etc
    - What to charge: hourly or flat rate? Call competitors and see average costs
    - Website design
    - Read and watched a lot of videos. Already started this.

    Now i dont expect anyone on here to have started a cleaning business, but im sure some of you ol...more experienced guys have started businesses before. So im just looking for any tips, stories, or just a discussion to help me think of things i havent yet.
    Last edited by usmccharles; 01-28-2020 at 09:40 PM.
    “I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.” - Bret Hart





  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    21,926
    Blog Entries
    1

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    My wife has started one recently. What type of cleaning?





  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Carroll County
    Posts
    6,324
    Blog Entries
    1

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by usmccharles View Post
    So some of you may remember, i quit my job for the DoD out in California and moved back home to where i grew up in Arkansas. I was just miserable working behind a desk all day, meetings and briefings, etc. Even though I still have my full GI Bill, I have been struggling on what path to take and i ruled out anything to do with animals, just couldn't deal with seeing the bad stuff daily. Dont know know why i didnt think of this sooner, but cleaning. Yes, cleaning. I have always enjoyed cleaning and being in the Marines i am stuck in those ways. Low start up cost compared to most businesses is also a huge plus. People will always the service.


    On my research list
    - Business Name
    - Creating an LLC
    - Insurance
    - Price point supplies
    - Marketing costs ie flyers, business cards, etc
    - What to charge: hourly or flat rate? Call competitors and see average costs
    - Website design
    - Read and watched a lot of videos. Already started this.

    Now i dont expect anyone on here to have started a cleaning business, but im sure some of you ol...more experienced guys have started businesses before. So im just looking for any tips, stories, or just a discussion to help me think of things i havent yet.
    Assuming you would eventually be hiring people to do the cleaning, the hardest part that I see would be the hiring of good, reliable, honest workers to do the cleaning. Steady cleaning of businesses can be very lucrative. Best of luck in whatever you pursue.





  4. #4

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by NCRAVEN View Post
    My wife has started one recently. What type of cleaning?
    Residential. Too early to talk about branching out to commercial. Bigger spaces requires different equipment etc which from what i read is one of the reasons start up costs is higher on commercial. Focus on one thing and do that one thing well

    Quote Originally Posted by CarrollCoRaven View Post
    Assuming you would eventually be hiring people to do the cleaning, the hardest part that I see would be the hiring of good, reliable, honest workers to do the cleaning. Steady cleaning of businesses can be very lucrative. Best of luck in whatever you pursue.
    Definitely. I have worked in the service industry a lot of my life, finding reliable people where you dont have a high turnover rate is crucial. Thanks.
    “I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.” - Bret Hart





  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    21,926
    Blog Entries
    1

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by usmccharles View Post
    Residential. Too early to talk about branching out to commercial. Bigger spaces requires different equipment etc which from what i read is one of the reasons start up costs is higher on commercial. Focus on one thing and do that one thing well


    Definitely. I have worked in the service industry a lot of my life, finding reliable people where you dont have a high turnover rate is crucial. Thanks.
    Sorry. I meant type like - house cleaning, power washing, junk removal etc.





  6. #6

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by NCRAVEN View Post
    Sorry. I meant type like - house cleaning, power washing, junk removal etc.
    House. Basically maid service.
    “I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.” - Bret Hart





  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Pasadena, MD
    Posts
    12,183

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by usmccharles View Post
    So some of you may remember, i quit my job for the DoD out in California and moved back home to where i grew up in Arkansas. I was just miserable working behind a desk all day, meetings and briefings, etc. Even though I still have my full GI Bill, I have been struggling on what path to take and i ruled out anything to do with animals, just couldn't deal with seeing the bad stuff daily. Dont know know why i didnt think of this sooner, but cleaning. Yes, cleaning. I have always enjoyed cleaning and being in the Marines i am stuck in those ways. Low start up cost compared to most businesses is also a huge plus. People will always the service.


    On my research list
    - Business Name
    - Creating an LLC
    - Insurance
    - Price point supplies
    - Marketing costs ie flyers, business cards, etc
    - What to charge: hourly or flat rate? Call competitors and see average costs
    - Website design
    - Read and watched a lot of videos. Already started this.

    Now i dont expect anyone on here to have started a cleaning business, but im sure some of you ol...more experienced guys have started businesses before. So im just looking for any tips, stories, or just a discussion to help me think of things i havent yet.
    The Clean Marine for the business name obviously

    Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk





  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Frederick, MD
    Posts
    61,259
    Blog Entries
    4

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Triple-D Cleaning (Dirt Devil Dog)


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.





  9. #9

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ortizer View Post
    The Clean Marine for the business name obviously

    Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk
    Quote Originally Posted by wickedsolo View Post
    Triple-D Cleaning (Dirt Devil Dog)


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I like em. I figured it would be a good idea to put something with the Marines in the name as the extra eyes it would grab.


    Sent from my LG-M430 using Tapatalk
    Last edited by usmccharles; 01-29-2020 at 01:10 AM.
    “I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.” - Bret Hart





  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Carroll County
    Posts
    6,324
    Blog Entries
    1

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ortizer View Post
    The Clean Marine for the business name obviously

    Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk
    That's a good name.





  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    21,926
    Blog Entries
    1

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ortizer View Post
    The Clean Marine for the business name obviously

    Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk
    Seriously. That’s exactly what I was thinking.





  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    30,965

    Re: Starting a business? Maybe. Tips?

    The Clean Marine is genius and it would really help with you branding. I'd hire you.
    "Cause if you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre, and ain’t no man in here okay with just basic.”
    - Ray Lewis

    https://www.baltimoreravens.com/author/cole-jackson

    Twitter: @ColeJacksonFB





Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Link To Mobile Site
var infolinks_pid = 3297965; var infolinks_wsid = 0; //—->