Scheduling and hiring…

An email I recently received:

Hi Steve!!

First I want to say thank you for giving me an avenue to pursue my own business. I have always wanted to run my own business but had no idea how to start…well with your information and training now I will know!!

I have not received my materials yet but just wanted to ask a few questions while I am thinking of them. First of all I am currently working full time and will have to run my business around that until I can sustain myself full time washing windows. My job is one where I work 4 days on (12 hr shifts) and then have 4 days off in a row. I rotate days and nights working from 7am - 7pm for 4 days and then the next rotation is nights 7pm - 7am.

My question is do you think this schedule will interfere with trying to build a successfull business? Obviously the 4 days off in a row are good but the days I'm working it will be tough to answer calls and market the business.

My next question is do you recommend starting by myself and then bringing people into the business as I grow? The reason I ask is that I have a good friend looking for an opportunity like I was and I am wondering if I should approach him from the beginning and grow as a team or should I start myself and then maybe approach him after I'm a little more established?

Thanks for you help and I'm sure I will be sending many more emails asking for help. I can't wait to get the materials and get started in my new business! Thanks again for all your help.

Sincerely,

Troy

My response:

Hi Troy:

Thanks for your email and welcome aboard.  If you take action on the materials on their way to you, I can assure you that you'll have a successful business.  And don't forget that I'm just a phone call or email away.

Now on to your questions…

I don't think your schedule will interfere at all.  The thing about the window cleaning business is that we're not talking about an emergency type service like maybe a broken refrigerator or air conditioner.  We're talking window cleaning.  So you can fit the customers around your schedule.  I had a backlog of jobs from 5 to 8 weeks out, so people will wait for you.  The key of course is to make them believe that you are the best man for the job.  And that happens during the estimate process.  You'll see how it all comes together when you receive your materials.

I do recommend starting it solo and then slowly over time bringing people on board to help.  I hired my first helper 6 months after starting.  Just learn the business yourself from the inside/out, and then branch out.  I talk more about this in the bonus section in my manual.

I would caution you not to bring your friend on board right now.  This may be news you don't necessarily want to hear, but there are some things you need to be careful of.  The first of course is to make sure you have enough jobs on your schedule.  It's much easier supporting one person with jobs then it is supporting two people.  I'm talking primarily if someone is brand new to this business.  So I just wouldn't put the pressure on you having to make sure you have enough jobs for both of you. 

Another potential problem is how do you pay him?  A percentage?  A flat amount per hour?  Both forms of payment can present their own individual problems.  I'm referring to the financial arrangement for partnerships which sounds like what you want to do.  If this other guy was looking at the same opportunity, I doubt he wants to be an employee, right?  If I were you, what I would do if you want to hire someone right away is focus on hiring a couple of kids that can massively distribute hundreds of flyers quickly.  I did this every saturday morning and the phone rang like crazy.  My only investment was $15 to $20 per kid. 

Making an investment in "help" is a good thing, but I don't think it's such a good idea to invest in the "team" approach fresh out of the starting gate.  Put 100% of the profits in your pocket and then grow over time. 

I hope this helps.  Take care for now.

Regards,

Steve