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Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Building A Business

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

That's great Ed, I hope to one day be in your position, 4 trucks is a fantastic goal. Not to take away from your post at all, but most of the guys I see on here putting up the promo posts are guys in there first 2 years of business if not 2 months like myself. We are in the SEO building stages, we are trying to get the phone to ring, we are trying to start a business. I don't want to promo post every rainy day, but it needs to be done because that is what I am struggling with. So right now my area of struggle is advertisement because my phone isn't ringing enough.

Dan

May 3, 2012

Good topic Ed, It has been busy but starting to slow { I just enjoy doing roofs } I am looking at hiring an extra guy so I dont have to squirt the hose so much. But I'm afraid to show someone else how to do it for fear of starting thier own which means competition for me. So I guess I would like the phone to ring more and want to hire the right person.

Guest

Excellent post Ed.

Our biggest struggle at the moment is getting spread too thin. I've hired an assistant and he's working out great, but it's hard to run hard all day long in the field AND run the office and sales at the same time.

My wife (great ground tech, by the way) does what she can, but English is her second language so she tends to shy away from telephone contact with clients. Now that I've hired Erland, my wife is back to being a homemaker which she's done for 25+ years.

It's a good problem to have I suppose. We're at a cross roads - continue on as we have with prior seasons, taking time off to have fun along the way, or crank it up a few more notches. And given that I'm building a second rig now, I think we know were we're headed Ed! More expansions headed our way including a class C license for a number of other services.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Dan, I completely understand. You hit the nail on the head. Most guys here are new. I did the same thing in the beginning which was not long ago. So what to do when the phone starts ringing? Will you start answering the phone standing on the roof with a bluetooth and wand in hand? If you throw wet logs on the fire theyll eventually burn. The phone WiLL start ringing if youre dilegent. Whats the next move when the phone starts ringing? You learned how to clean roofs but can you run a business? 2 totally different things.
Pat, the hardest part is to let go. Whether its on the phone or in the field. No body who works for me could hardly put a chink in my chain. It would take a year to just learn where to buy all the stuff I buy and how to putit together. Theyre are not businessmen, thats why thy work for me. Not sayingit cant happen. And if the fear of tht holds me back in anyway I could never move forward. I consider it part luck that I even got this far. Its mostly all ballz that im at where im at.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Ted, a 2nd rig surely leads to 3, and so on. Good to hear.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Ted once youre able to get a good top guy or 2 and give them a helper, things will grow exponentially. I have 3 main techs. Then I have a pool of 5 or 6 helprs that rotate. The first helper that can be trusted will go to truck #4. Then I increase the helper pool to 6 or more. Then, maybe this or next year, comes truck 5. I will be careful to not get ahead of myself and insist on building this business on 0 debt. Everything is paid cash. No loans or credit cards. Debt can drown you.

Guest

Yes the hardest part was stepping back from doing the work. Now its all estimates and marketing which is the toughest part of the business in my mind. There are definetly days when i wish i was still doing the work. But yes definetly the hardest part of business is making the phone ring enough to keep the workers busy and eventually put money in your pocket. I put a business action plan in place back in february and we have been exceeding all of our projected numbers for every month so far.

Also I keep a close eye on all my numbers as far as costs per income(paid jobs for the week). Basically we track everything from wawa down to chemicals and everything inbetween.

Also being able to schedule jobs close to each other and following a schedule helps big time. Even keeping track of estimates where ill be at at certian times becuase as the calls come in my wife knows what town im in to fit new estimates into either that day or the next day im in that area.

It all comes down to impimenting systems and sticking to them.

Guest

Ed great post we really have gotten away from this look at the business aspect of things. It will definetly make people think of how serious they really want to be.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Sure thing Mike. Are we business men, or just simply roof cleaners?

Guest

I used to be a roof cleaner but i have since graduated into a businessman.

CICS · May 3, 2012

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
I will be careful to not get ahead of myself and insist on building this business on 0 debt. Everything is paid cash. No loans or credit cards. Debt can drown you.

I love the 0 debt Ed. I am on the same page. I have been knocking out my debt and can say that as of this past weekend I am 100% debt free, besides my home. It is a great feeling to not have a car payment, student loan or any other payments!! This is how I will continue to live my life. I am getting married in June and we are both debt free. Great way to start a new life. I am 28 and she is 27, so now we can start building an empire and giving away lotso money!!

This post really makes a guy think. I would really love to be in the position to just be doing estimate and customer service. I had a new ground guy helping me last Tuesday...as we are midway through the roof I look down and see him talking on his phone. Low and behold...I got the call two days later that the HO had a dead plant. I have a feeling trust issues are going to hold me back a bit. However, I will continue to grow my business and see what happens! It's my reputation on the line

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
Sure thing Mike. Are we business men, or just simply roof cleaners?

I had to put this in quotes because I liked the saying so much. I am a business man. Great thread I love the comments. I try and stay on top of the game and I am fortunate enough at my age to have a "pool of helpers" and people who will work for under $10. I never ever want to miss an oppurtunity to speak with a prospective customer, so the phone is very important to me, I have my 855 number routed to my cell phone and from there I have my voicemail setup as if we are Bob at pressuretek receiving high call volumes at all hours of the day.

Secondly I use google calendar, also linked to my phone so I know exactly where I am going and what I am doing. Using the different colors to differentiate between cleanings and estimates.

My best bit of info I can give all of you, is read the book "Don't worry, Make Money." Even for some of you guys who can't really read that well (Hank) its only about 100 pages. But YOU personally and your business will benefit 10 fold. I promise and I guarantee satisfaction just like my roof cleanings.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Don't worry Hank. You secret is safe, lol. I'm sure we all can offer some good books. I've read alot but Dave Ramsey seems to the most realistic and applicable to business and personal finance.

CICS · May 3, 2012

Dave Ramsey is the man, Ed. We are going down to give our debt free scream the week of June 10th.

Roof Cleaning New Jersey · May 3, 2012

Good to hear. I got a long way to go before I can say that. But at least all of my debt is my home and investment property mortgages. But I'm chipping away.

Apex Roof Cleaning · Guest

Roof Cleaning New Jersey wrote:
Don't worry Hank. You secret is safe, lol. I'm sure we all can offer some good books. I've read alot but Dave Ramsey seems to the most realistic and applicable to business and personal finance.

" Don't Worry, Make Money" isn't about business. Its about fear and how it can diminish your business plans

sweetwaterfish · Guest

Awesome post and thread guys....plan to chime in after i get some rest.

Roof Cleaning Tallahassee · Guest

Ed, very inspirational post and it has my wheels turning. I have been doing freelance drafting from my home office for years and it's my main source of income but with the markets the way they are, I'm taking a beating. I am trying to build the roof cleaning biz to a point to where I can go all in and let the drafting pick up any slack on the side. My wife is recently unemployed due to layoffs and it is making it that much harder to give up the meat and potatoes and go all in. It would be perfect if she enjoyed marketing / sales but that is not the case.

Like others, the leads seem to be slower coming in this year for me. I have been working on website SEO since the very start, slinging "rocks in a bag", social networking and cold calling when I have a break in between my drafting jobs.

I enjoy the softwash and pressure cleaning biz and after doing it for some time now, I'm sure I would know if it wasn't for me. What I have found is, I totaly enjoy doing this (from marketing, landing a lead to seeing the finished project) and want to continue building this business and get my numbers up.

Ed, thanks for posting this because sometimes a swift kick in the azz is just what I need every now and then. It takes nerves of steel and brass ballz to commit and my hat goes off to all of you who have done so well.

-- Edited by Roof Cleaning Tallahassee on Thursday 3rd of May 2012 01:59:09 PM

Liberty SoftWash · May 3, 2012

I need my phone to ring more!

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"Find A Certified Roof Cleaner Directory"