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100 Unsexy Business Ideas: Name as many as you can!

NuclearPuma

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I saw a truck on the highway a few years ago that offered dog poo clean up service. I'll probabaly never forget the hideous paint full vehicle job. And the letters were brown. It was memorable. Not sure if it scales well you'd have trouble finding employees and demand might be too low.
 
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Deleted52409

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I think these ideas are interesting.

Bamboo grows fast and is very versatile. Maybe you could even grow bamboo on your own and manufacture high-end furniture or flooring with it. Marketable as "Grown and made in the USD" or whatever country you're in.

Mushrooms are also captivating. There was this man on a Joe Rogan podcast who spoke about them, and I even think he grew some species and sold them as nutritional supplements:


Mushroom farming is so difficult. I thought about making a progress thread on it and to promote it as a side hustle but I've quickly realized that most people should not even attempt. Right now I am crossing the desert of desertion trying to learn the process and let me just say that contamination is a heart breaker!!!

If I had the land for it I would definitely have done bamboo instead but I'm a broke teenager who lives in a subdivision. I might switch over one day but it's going to depend entirely on if I am able to scale the mushroom farm.
 

minivanman

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This. Most of the guys don't have a dedicated person to answer the phone, doing that alone would probabaly significantly boost sales. I remember one time I was getting voicemail after having called 6-7 guys. One of them actually called back and YELLED at me for NOT leaving a voicemail. How hard would it be to compete against that?

Another issue- billing. It's 2018, and most still take payment only by check and snail mail. I just want to give them a credit card on monthly rebill and I literally cannot do it.

Yes, billing. Lots and lots of guys have no clue how much you owe them. They are so busy working, they have it set in their mind they don't have time for paper work and then wonder why they can't buy food on Friday.

I would think the dog poo business would be an add on for something like dog walking or pet/house sitting or mowing or even house cleaning but it usually isn't an add on. I just don't see how it makes any money by the time you drive there and then do the job. Along with dog poo pick up... I've yet to see one named Scooby's Doo but I always thought that would be a great name... I think they should clean the cat liter box also. I just don't see any real money in it though. That's why I never added it on.
 
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Deleted52409

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101. Global Business Arbitrage

I just came up with this idea while trying to sleep. But basically it comes off like this.... What if you stole a business plan common from another country and started normalizing it in another country where it is not popular or well known (assuming you could find a market for it)?

Some examples might include bamboo farming in the USA, opening up a Taco Bell franchise in Australia, or opening up shop as an orthodontist/selling teeth whitening products to British people.

Obviously this strategy could work anywhere but it would probably be easiest in a developing country that is behind yours technologically speaking or possibly radically different from yours culturally speaking; depending on the market of course.
 
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Real Deal Denver

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Yes, billing. Lots and lots of guys have no clue how much you owe them. They are so busy working, they have it set in their mind they don't have time for paper work and then wonder why they can't buy food on Friday.

I would think the dog poo business would be an add on for something like dog walking or pet/house sitting or mowing or even house cleaning but it usually isn't an add on. I just don't see how it makes any money by the time you drive there and then do the job. Along with dog poo pick up... I've yet to see one named Scooby's Doo but I always thought that would be a great name... I think they should clean the cat liter box also. I just don't see any real money in it though. That's why I never added it on.

I talked to a guy that did the poo biz one time when I was filling up gas.

He worked for poop911. These guys have this figured out to a T.

Customers sign up on their website and pay the company direct. The company is nationwide, and sends out a list of their customers a day in advance. Great business model - an exact list of what to do everyday. No inventory. No overhead. No billing. Discount on poo for employees and their families.

The company pays the area offices their cut. I like this model, as the company is in charge of everything, and is ensured of getting their cut.

This guy getting gas was driving a mini pickup. Great logo paint job on all sides. Couldn't miss him if you tried. Turns out they have seven crews, each with their own truck, working full time doing this. He wouldn't tell me what they did with the poo, but he said it wasn't fertilizer as it had too much sodium in in and would burn the soil.

In a bigger city, this could be a gold mine. They start at $9.95, and go up from there. Not bad for a 15 minute job, start to finish. That's $40 an hour income per hour, minimum. Might not be a high priced high flying biz, but with seven crews, they are probably pulling in a grand a day. Not huge - but maybe $30 grand a month?

And I think they have an iron clad guarantee. If you're not 100% satisfied, double your poo back.
 

SquatchMan

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101. Global Business Arbitrage

I just came up with this idea while trying to sleep. But basically it comes off like this.... What if you stole a business plan common from another country and started normalizing it in another country where it is not popular or well known (assuming you could find a market for it)?

Some examples might include bamboo farming in the USA, opening up a Taco Bell franchise in Australia, or opening up shop as an orthodontist/selling teeth whitening products to British people.

Obviously this strategy could work anywhere but it would probably be easiest in a developing country that is behind yours technologically speaking or possibly radically different from yours culturally speaking; depending on the market of course.

This is what Rocket Internet does and they're a multi-billion dollar company. Definitely potential in this.

In Southeast Asia there is Grab, which is a Singapore based company that copied Uber's business model. *They recently purchased Uber's Southeast Asia division. (*correction)

Vietnam has Highlands Coffee, which was started by a Vietnamese-American guy that saw how successful Starbucks was in the US and decided to do a similar concept in Vietnam.

Lots of potential with business models like this. Especially going from US --> Southeast Asia or other developing countries. Southeast Asia is developing the fastest though.
 
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ZF Lee

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Guest06196

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Thanks for starting this thread @JohnnyAppleseed I always wanted to find out more about dirty jobs but had no idea how. Never knew I could just start a thread!

101. Global Business Arbitrage

I just came up with this idea while trying to sleep. But basically it comes off like this.... What if you stole a business plan common from another country and started normalizing it in another country where it is not popular or well known (assuming you could find a market for it)?

Some examples might include bamboo farming in the USA, opening up a Taco Bell franchise in Australia, or opening up shop as an orthodontist/selling teeth whitening products to British people.

Obviously this strategy could work anywhere but it would probably be easiest in a developing country that is behind yours technologically speaking or possibly radically different from yours culturally speaking; depending on the market of course.

Yes this is a great way to get ideas. After my recent trip to the US I got many business ideas and I'm currently pursuing one of them. The best part of this method is the business model is already proven.

However, execution is still the key. Can you convince Taco Bell to let you sell their franchise in Australia? Can you get any local business to join the franchise?
 

minivanman

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I talked to a guy that did the poo biz one time when I was filling up gas.

He worked for poop911. These guys have this figured out to a T.

Customers sign up on their website and pay the company direct. The company is nationwide, and sends out a list of their customers a day in advance. Great business model - an exact list of what to do everyday. No inventory. No overhead. No billing. Discount on poo for employees and their families.

The company pays the area offices their cut. I like this model, as the company is in charge of everything, and is ensured of getting their cut.

This guy getting gas was driving a mini pickup. Great logo paint job on all sides. Couldn't miss him if you tried. Turns out they have seven crews, each with their own truck, working full time doing this. He wouldn't tell me what they did with the poo, but he said it wasn't fertilizer as it had too much sodium in in and would burn the soil.

In a bigger city, this could be a gold mine. They start at $9.95, and go up from there. Not bad for a 15 minute job, start to finish. That's $40 an hour income per hour, minimum. Might not be a high priced high flying biz, but with seven crews, they are probably pulling in a grand a day. Not huge - but maybe $30 grand a month?

And I think they have an iron clad guarantee. If you're not 100% satisfied, double your poo back.

They probably stop by an apartment complex and dump the poop.

It's only $40 an hour if you get 4 houses on the same street and in order to average $40 an hour for a whole work day you would need 32 houses all in a row basically. I see they have now added dog walking on to their poop removal. While it might be a great thing for the franchise, I don't think it makes a very good profit for the franchise owner. And, they have cornered their selves in by the company name.

Jane: I'm looking for someone to walk my dog, do you know of anyone?

Jim: I use poop911 to walk my dog.

Jane: Uuummmm, no thanks.

Hey, if it's working for the owner, more power to him/her! lol
 

minivanman

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I always look at other countries for businesses or to see how they run a certain type of business. For example, here in the US there aren't really any franchises for residential mowing. But in Australia there is or used to be Jim's. He has his picture on all the trucks as I recall. One stand alone business I do find really odd is that in the UK they have stove cleaning businesses.
 
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Deleted52409

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Thanks for starting this thread @JohnnyAppleseed I always wanted to find out more about dirty jobs but had no idea how. Never knew I could just start a thread!



Yes this is a great way to get ideas. After my recent trip to the US I got many business ideas and I'm currently pursuing one of them. The best part of this method is the business model is already proven.

However, execution is still the key. Can you convince Taco Bell to let you sell their franchise in Australia? Can you get any local business to join the franchise?

I have absolutely no idea. If Australia has McDonald's, KFC, and Burger King than maybe it would work as long as you can find the market for it. I guess it depends on whether or not Australians like spicy food.

Mexican food in general (although Taco Bell is mexican physically but is really just american fast food) is popular in North America but it doesn't seem very popular anywhere else. So my logic was that maybe someone could bring Mexican restaurants, microwave burritos, the Taco Bell franchise, guacamole, and other types of Mexican food products somewhere else where it's uncommon in an attempt to start normalizing it.
 

Real Deal Denver

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They probably stop by an apartment complex and dump the poop.

It's only $40 an hour if you get 4 houses on the same street and in order to average $40 an hour for a whole work day you would need 32 houses all in a row basically. I see they have now added dog walking on to their poop removal. While it might be a great thing for the franchise, I don't think it makes a very good profit for the franchise owner. And, they have cornered their selves in by the company name.

Apartment? I never would have thought of that. Brilliant!

As for the money, in your next thread you mention lawn mowing. Let's look at this. I would guess it would take close to an hour to mow a lawn. I don't think they could charge $100, but let's say they did.

That's a LOT of work for $100. Not to mention hauling the machinery around and paying for the gas.

Now - poop scoop. They hop out, scoop, and they're done. 10 minutes if they're slow - and down the road they go. 5 minutes to get to the next stop.

They should be able to do four of those quite easily in an hour, versus one lawn mowing.

I'll take the scooping job any day over the mowing job. And I think my mowing fee is greatly exaggerated. I don't think they would make anything close to $100.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. I love your analysis, and am trying to guess your take on all of this... ?
 

minivanman

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Let's take 10 regular blocks of a neighborhood. How many lawns do you think get mowed by a company on those 10 blocks? How many do you think hire pooper scoopers? Way easier to sell mowing than pooper scooping, although for the person who is not a sales person it might be easier to 'sell' pooper scooping if they don't know how to beat the competition in something like the mowing business. There is probably very little competition in scooping so they don't have to compete. But I don't think there is any way you can make $40 an hour in pooper scooping for 8 hours every day..... but I could be wrong, I've never tried. As for mowing or pooper scooping, neither is my line for doing the physical work itself so that part is not in my line of thinking. But let's say I had the choice... I'll mow. I'm not a popper scooper. One reason we have no animals.

Over-all I think I could sell 20x more mowing jobs than pooper scooping jobs.

Now my question is.... if a person wanted to go in to the pooper scooping business, why on earth would they buy in to a franchise? lmao THAT is the crazy part. My thinking is the same for any service business though. And I think that for a few reasons.... first of all, didn't they want to be in business for their self? Being part of a franchise means you don't get to make the rules which means you STILL have a boss! If I want to charge $14.95 to scoop a yard I wouldn't want someone to tell me I have to charge only $9.95.

So what is your thinking on this Denver? :)
 
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B. Cole

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Captain Obvious says:

This thread collectively shows that basically anything you can successfully apply CENTS to can be made to succeed.
 
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MakeMoreMoves

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Very easy answer(s) here: #1. Answer the phone. Call 10 mowing businesses in your area and let us know how many answer the phone or call you back. If it's anything like Omaha or Fort Worth that number will be 0. #2. Customer service. Lots of lawn care guys don't speak English very well and have 0 customer service skills. #3. Continually show up. You don't even have to be on time.... you don't even have to show up on the correct day.... just show up!

These are 3 of the same things that happen in the residential cleaning business. In cleaning there are a few more things but you spoke about mowing so those are what will set you apart from most guys out there. Now don't get me wrong.... they have a VERY good reason for not answering the phone or calling you back or not giving you good customer service or showing up when they are suppose to..... the reason a lot of times is because they are so busy before they know it, the time is 8pm and by then, they just want to go to bed. The larger companies may have people that are designated to answer the phone or keep their guys on a schedule and you will pay for that. Problem is.... those guys might charge $40 while the smaller guy will charge $25. So if you can be a $25 guy without all the over-head and answer your phone.... you will soon move up to be the $40 big company that can have someone answer your phone..... but then the customers that had you mow for $25 will cancel and their woes will start all over again trying to find someone that will show up...... :)

It was my perception that good customer service was default because I personally didn't think it was that hard to provide. I also had the perception that anyone that went into business knew that customers are the most important part of the business. So the thought that if anyone treated customers like crap, they wouldn't have a business for very long.

Still hesitant to go into these types of businesses because it seems like your success is dependent on competitors just sucking. What happens if your got fastlaner in the local area? ;)

This is so true in so many areas and so many services.

The big companies don't give a fu** because it's ran by a bunch of minimum wage employees that hate their jobs.

The small companies are mainly ran by workers with poor manners and communication skills, not business savvy entrepreneurs. So it's very hard to find a company with amazing customer service, and someone that is on point with everything they do. Replying back to customers, handling service complaints, and maintaining consistency in your services.

How do you dominate the service industry?


In the beginning, you will not get that many jobs, so you don't have to worry about not having the time to do it all. This is the most crucial part, you have to solve the problems/issues well, and give your customer an amazing experience. You have the free time to treat everyone special, so do it and they will sing praises about you to everyone because 0.1% of the companies out there genuinely care about the customer. 99.9% of the companies don't care about the customer, they only care about getting paid. After mastering your craft and getting some good jobs under your belt though, you'll get some buzz about your company and you will start getting more and more calls. This is you differentiating yourself from the competition and you will see it pay off in your phone starting to blow up all day.

This is where the 12+ hour days come in to play. In the beginning, you will work from 8 am until it's dark out and you can't work anymore, and all while working, you have a blue tooth headset with 2 portable chargers and you're answering the phone and talking to customers. Have the customers text/email you their contact info and pictures of the job so you can provide quotes. Never let your phone go below 30%.

Get a calendar notification app and put everything down on your calendar so nobody gets forgotten about. Every single thing that you plan on doing even 1 hour in the future. I can't stress how important this is, my calendar is always full of 1000 little things, and I never forget about ANYONE'S problem that they called me about because I have my phone reminding me and I don't dismiss anything until after it's done. If I am about to do it, I snooze it 30 minutes until it's done.

When you get home every night after working, put all the jobs you picked up on email and send it out to the clients that you will be out there between X times... Invoice out all the jobs that you did that day... Check your ads and make the tweaks that you want to make (holy crap it's midnight already, I gotta go to sleep). Rinse and repeat until you are so busy you need to hire your first employee...

Go out with him for the first few months until he doesn't need you anymore, then go directly behind his work without telling him to make sure he is performing the same level of service you would be performing.

Then start playing the manager role where your employee/employees are doing the work and you are just giving great customer service. You are still differentiating yourself from the competition by providing the customers with great communication and managing your employees to where any issues they have are quickly solved. This is where you can start experiencing some freedom because all that you need to run your business is your phone/laptop. You can be in Vegas, on the beach, or wherever and answering phone calls and managing employees.

One thing that really kills your time, but is a smart move to make is having your employees send you pictures of all the jobs they do and you send them over to the customer with the invoice. It takes up some time, but I can't tell you how much it saves you on managing because you see the completed job so you don't have to worry if the employee is showing up and doing the work or not. Install GPS trackers in your vehicles as well and you can check on your phone where the employees are at any time.

Eventually you have enough employees and cashflow to where you can hire a manager to take over your management role, and now you're one of the big companies, but you can still differentiate yourself from other big companies on procedures that you implement with management making sure everyone is doing their job properly and still providing an amazing service for your customers. I have a lawn service company that is a massive company, but they are amazing with how they run their operation, and I will never go to a different company. They charge premium prices, but I don't care because I know I'm getting high caliber work and service.

Never thought of the GPS idea. I was worried at first that employees would take side gigs while on the go. Using business equipment and then telling the customer that it costs $100 and pocketing it for themselves. Under the table work using business equipment.
 
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Real Deal Denver

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Over-all I think I could sell 20x more mowing jobs than pooper scooping jobs.

Well, of course. Why didn't I see that? You are absolutely right.

I just don't know WHY I don't think **like** that. My brain cells have been dying, I guess, and not replenishing!

Do you know how hard it is for me to get the people I know to answer something intelligently? Almost impossible. They always cop out with a I don't know - for whatever reason is the flavor of the day.

I'm turning gears in my brain that have not been used in a long time. Even if it's something trivial, like this, it still is moving them old rusty parts that haven't been used enough.

Great answer. Even BETTER logic to back it up. It's not the answer that counts - it's HOW you think that counts, and I missed this one by a mile ~
 

Oztrepreneur

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Lots of great base businesses. How do you assess whether the need is not being met well enough that you could possibly compete? These seem like the sorts of businesses you have to go all in or nothing and not something you could run on the 'side' until it grows legs.
 

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Still hesitant to go into these types of businesses because it seems like your success is dependent on competitors just sucking. What happens if your got fastlaner in the local area? ;)

Your success is dependent on yourself. That's how every business is. How are you going to provide a better product/service than your competitors. It's like that not only in the service industry, but also online.

If you have another fastlaner in the local area, it's all on who executes better. Just like if you have a fastlaner competing against you on amazon in the same category. Who delivers more value to the customer? That doesn't mean who provides the lowest dollar price, but instead the best cost for the dollars spent.


Never thought of the GPS idea. I was worried at first that employees would take side gigs while on the go. Using business equipment and then telling the customer that it costs $100 and pocketing it for themselves. Under the table work using business equipment.

This is no joke. I see a lot of employees in my industry ripping off their owners by using their equipment and supplies to do side jobs for themselves. Or trying to charge customers for additional work while they're at properties. But that additional work and the additional time is very easily trackable.

Keeping a good level of communication with your customer is key and explaining the billing process up front helps. Take out ways where employees can rip you off out of the equation, no undocumented money. You only accept checks in the mail or credit cards made out to (enter company name). Quotes and approvals are always needed before any work is performed. Never pay a technician on the site in cash for any work as they are not the billing department.

If you keep up with your inventory, then you'll see how much you're spending and can relate it to a dollar amount that that should equate to. Your inventory will always be slightly off, but if it's way off, then you know you have a problem and can sniff out the problem and fix it. Giving managers bonuses for maintaining good inventory is a good incentive to keep them on their A-game and keeping employees in check.

You will never be able to weed everything out though and employees will still find ways to di** you when given a chance, but things catch up and you catch on pretty quickly to those things.
 
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The hardest part of these businesses in my ignorant opinion is finding good employees. Ones that you can trust to do a proper job, treat the customers well and be reliable.

A friend of mine had a pretty great idea and made a small attempt to help serve the property management industry because the need is there for good service as most service really sucks. He even had well networked investors wanting to invest in it for equity or be a customer.

BUT the problem was finding good workers that could execute the job proves to be a lot harder than he expected. They were essential to the business model. I gave some advice on trying to niche down a little bit first and start smaller but he wouldn't and never REALLY went all in on it and there was another flaw to the model that wasn't yet solved.

But damn there is a ton of interest from wealthy property owners for good blue collar services he had them wanting to buy equity in the business and be a customer.

One of those things where the scripted life kept him from going all in since he is well paid in the corporate world.
 

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MakeMoreMoves~ Feel free to google lawn care in the Garland/Plano/Allen/McKinney Texas area. If you want to see competition, I think there is more true competition in that area than any other. The owner of Citi Turf is known as the Lawn Care Millionaire. He started with nothing and now is known nation wide for his marketing and business ideas. But.... he has some fierce competition. There are guys in his area that stepped it up and very easily compete. They probably use his own software to compete with him. They all seem to be doing VERY well and growing so I don't think it matters about another fastlaner gets in to said business in your area. But, I can guarantee you that 95% of the people within 100 miles of you have no clue how to run real lawn care business or cleaning business or most service businesses. Don't forget about that window cleaning I mentioned. I called several people trying to find a window cleaner, I finally had to hire my sales lady and her boyfriend to come and clean them.

NuclearPuma~ Yes, employees can be a pain and they are a big reason I got out of the cleaning business but if I had really wanted to stay in the business, I could have hired workers that actually wanted to do good work. It's all about the hiring process. Have about 3-4 interviews..... if the person gets pissed off that you make him/her keep coming in for an interview, you know they aren't a good fit. That right there weeds a lot of people out. Take them out to lunch, let them get comfortable with you and you can see how they really act. That's what we do with the people that do other types of work in a few of the businesses that I am a part of. So all-in-all it's the employer that needs to do a better job at hiring but even at that, you can't always tell who will be bad all the time.
 

Real Deal Denver

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It's all about the hiring process. Have about 3-4 interviews..... if the person gets pissed off that you make him/her keep coming in for an interview, you know they aren't a good fit. That right there weeds a lot of people out.

I guess I've got too much rhino DNA in my system.

I would be in the group that would throw in the towel if I didn't get results after the second interview.

I think it's a mutual respect thing. Don't waste my time and/or expect me to be beholden to you, as my boss or supervisor. If I'm doing my job properly, I'm making the company money - and I certainly expect, no demand, respect for that. Share the wealth and make me happy to be there, and I will exceed your expectations across the board. Treat me badly and you will find out exactly how employees can run with your idea and give you massive headaches, as I will become your competition in short order. I might even take your key performers with me, for good measure.

I have never done that, but I know several people that have. And they are thriving.
 
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There are some innovative solutions to the employee problem if you are good at marketing and can generate a large demand.

Instead of hiring employees to work for you, hire highly reputable companies and give them so much work they will give you discounts... After the hurricane in Florida last year, I had so much work that my crew couldn't handle it and I wasn't able to hire more employees and train them. So I hired 2 solid companies to fill some orders for me. I handled the clients, and just gave them addresses for the jobs and they did the work. I profited 10-20% on each job. This strategy works if you have volume, but you don't have to stress managing employees because you're hiring an established company that you already see how they perform based on their reviews.

Big players in the fencing industry do this. One of the biggest fencing companies in my area is called fence outlet.

What they do is buy large amounts of materials from their supplier, then sell it to customers at retail price along with charging labor to install the fence. Instead of hiring employees as installers, they hire 1099 contractors and pay them per foot of fence they put in. These guys start their own companies and feel like they own their own company, and the quality of work they give is so much higher than if fence outlet hired a bunch of people for $12/hr.

Fence outlet makes money selling the fence material, and make a percentage of the installation cost, and these installers make $8-$10k/month. They will never have an opportunity to make money like that and be their own boss anywhere else, so they take large amounts of pride in their work and it yields very little on the management side for fence outlet.


This is what management companies do for real estate owners as well when homes need repairs done. They handle repairs and make small percentages on the work completed.

So if I have 200 clients that I'm cutting their grass, why don't I also fix their irrigation and electrical issues as well? Sub contract the work out and make a little off of it. Since you're established with them and doing a great job with their lawn, they will choose you over any other company to do the work. Your advertising efforts are still focused entirely around the one service you provide, but if the problems present themselves, you can solve it for them and make a little money off of it.

I implement this strategy in many different areas. I have every kind of service business on my Rolodex you can think of. I don't do electrical, but if a current customer has an electrical issue, or if we're doing a job that requires a licensed electrician to come in and do some work, then I tell them I can solve this issue for them.

I call up my guy, have him go out and fix the issue, and I handle all client relationships and make 10%+ on the job. This adds up overtime; I had one job that was a foundational issue covered by insurance, came out to be close to $20,000, and I made a little under $2k off of the job just making some phone calls and emails. No employee management required.

Just make sure you add the company on as a sub contractor and have them sign a non-compete and have them send you copies of their licenses and insurances just so you're in the clear on them doing work for you.
 

minivanman

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Denver~ Personally, I think everyone should interview like this. It's not a time waster, it's protection for my company. As for pay, I found out that in the low pay brackets, when people ask that as one of the very first things.... don't hire them. There are very people in the low pay brackets that think like you. Or maybe not very few but the percentage is very low. When I used to work for $4.15 an hour I worked my a$$ off just like it was my own business.... fast forward to today.... pay the majority of the people $50 an hour and they still don't care.

Duane~ Yeah, I've done that before. It didn't always go that smooth though. But if his friend has so much opportunity with backers it is a very good option for him. After the summer is over I'd have no problem backing something like this if I liked the idea. I might actually look for something like this again. Great post! :)
 

Duane

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Duane~ Yeah, I've done that before. It didn't always go that smooth though. But if his friend has so much opportunity with backers it is a very good option for him. After the summer is over I'd have no problem backing something like this if I liked the idea. I might actually look for something like this again. Great post! :)

Yeah sometimes you get hiccups and you'll transition to another company, but it's a lot less hiccups over employees and you don't have to have the licenses and knowledge to do the work. That company has dedicated their life to mastering that craft.
 
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MakeMoreMoves

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Your success is dependent on yourself. That's how every business is. How are you going to provide a better product/service than your competitors. It's like that not only in the service industry, but also online.

If you have another fastlaner in the local area, it's all on who executes better. Just like if you have a fastlaner competing against you on amazon in the same category. Who delivers more value to the customer? That doesn't mean who provides the lowest dollar price, but instead the best cost for the dollars spent.

I am in the online space and have created my own products and it is much easier to create something unique. There are more vairables you can play with. Not only with product features either. Although the hardest thing i find about this route is product viability. With services the demand is there, but at the end of the day it is just cutting grass or window cleaning. Etc.



This is no joke. I see a lot of employees in my industry ripping off their owners by using their equipment and supplies to do side jobs for themselves. Or trying to charge customers for additional work while they're at properties. But that additional work and the additional time is very easily trackable.

Keeping a good level of communication with your customer is key and explaining the billing process up front helps. Take out ways where employees can rip you off out of the equation, no undocumented money. You only accept checks in the mail or credit cards made out to (enter company name). Quotes and approvals are always needed before any work is performed. Never pay a technician on the site in cash for any work as they are not the billing department.

If you keep up with your inventory, then you'll see how much you're spending and can relate it to a dollar amount that that should equate to. Your inventory will always be slightly off, but if it's way off, then you know you have a problem and can sniff out the problem and fix it. Giving managers bonuses for maintaining good inventory is a good incentive to keep them on their A-game and keeping employees in check.

You will never be able to weed everything out though and employees will still find ways to di** you when given a chance, but things catch up and you catch on pretty quickly to those things.

Ok thanks for the tips. I am solely looking for extra cash now, but got too much on my hands.
 

Vinayalchemy

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I will be interested to build as a joint venture . Let me know if you like to discuss.

Thanks
i been wanting to make an app for an overlooked niche for the longest time.

Something like an Info App. It's so easy to make:
1) Get good info
2) Get some graphics
3) Whip up nice looking info app
4) Put in Admob ads
5) Profit

Sadly have not found an expert in their field who has a good idea for an info app for their industry.
One friend is in IT but he says there's already lots of apps for that out there...

I know years back, medical info apps made money, but all that's saturated now.

There's gotta be something... something........
 

Duane

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With services the demand is there, but at the end of the day it is just cutting grass or window cleaning. Etc.

That is why nobody wants to do it. It's not sexy, it's "vanilla".

Everybody is running online right now, but these unsexy service businesses aren't going anywhere and are ripe full of potential, producing tons of millionaires every year because there's massive demand for it.




A cool service business I seen today is mobile auto repair. This company in my area has a repair shop where they run their operation out of, but they also have a few vans that go around and does on-site auto repairs. Small issues that leave you on the side of the road; hose leaks, dead batteries, flat tires, etc. You call them up if you can't get to their shop, give your vehicle info and say what the issue is, then they come out and fix it. The call out charge is cheaper than towing your vehicle to the mechanic.

A pretty innovative solution that will make a lot of peoples lives easier, tons of auto repairs don't require the vehicle to be in the shop to fix it.
 
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KLaw

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The hardest part of these businesses in my ignorant opinion is finding good employees. Ones that you can trust to do a proper job, treat the customers well and be reliable
How is this not true for any business, not just the service industry? Treat them right, pay them well, engage them, respect them. Hire slow. Fire fast.
 

MJ DeMarco

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The hardest part of these businesses in my ignorant opinion is finding good employees. Ones that you can trust to do a proper job, treat the customers well and be reliable.

True, that's why a "human resource system" is the hardest to execute. That is essentially what all these businesses are if we are to get away from "time for money" and hit the Commandment of Time.
 

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