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I started a business and now I'm doubting it

momomaurice

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I started a business because I spent too much time thinking about starting a business and just said F*ck it I'll start a power washing business. 2 months in and some mornings I dread the thought of waking up and doing the work thats ahead of me for the day. I'm making more money that I ever made in my life but I'm finding it a struggle to keep going. I know having a passion for your business is bullshit but shouldn't there be some bit of interest in what you do? Shouldn't I be waking up in the morning feeling happy that I'm in business? Is this normal to feel like this? I feel a bit lost and would love some advice on the matter.
 
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Real Deal Denver

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Been there, done that. That's why I'm here.

You need a plan. I work hard in my job, but go round in circles. I go fast but get nowhere.

So I have a couple of things I'm working on. I have a new horizon that I'm moving towards. Now, my job is a vehicle that is going to get me there - instead of being just a job. That opens up new doors of opportunity, and life is interesting again.

Look deep inside, and ask yourself what you would do if you could pick the career you wanted. I can see why power washing sucks the energy out of you. There could be so much more in your life. But there isn't because you're trying to make a dull go nowhere job go somewhere meaningful. Ain't gonna happen. It is what it is. Sorry. But use it to get to that place that you would really like to be. It's bringing in the money, so you have most of the battle already won.

I went from being drudging through the mud every day to now - I have so many projects that I have to limit myself to focus on one at a time. Life is certainly much more fun now! And I'm still doing the same old crap - but now, with a purpose. Now, life is good.

"Change your thoughts, change your world."
Norman Vincent Peale
 
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momomaurice

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hire someone
Hire 2 someones. Make more money.[/QUOTE
Been there, done that. That's why I'm here.

You need a plan. I work hard in my job, but go round in circles. I go fast but get nowhere.

So I have a couple of things I'm working on. I have a new horizon that I'm moving towards. Now, my job is a vehicle that is going to get me there - instead of being just a job. That opens up new doors of opportunity, and life is interesting again.

Look deep inside, and ask yourself what you would do if you could pick the career you wanted. I can see why power washing sucks the energy out of you. There could be so much more in your life. But there isn't because you're trying to make a dull go nowhere job go somewhere meaningful. Ain't gonna happen. It is what it is. Sorry. But use it to get to that place that you would really like to be. It's bringing in the money, so you have most of the battle already won.

I went from being drudging through the mud every day to now - I have so many projects that I have to limit myself to focus on one at a time. Life is certainly much more fun now! And I'm still doing the same old crap - but now, with a purpose. Now, life is good.

"Change your thoughts, change your world."
Norman Vincent Peale

Thank you for this. This is what I needed to hear. I was thinking of using my job and the money I'm making now to go towards selling online.
 

momomaurice

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I'd love to hire people. Thats the vision in my head. I want crews working for me and a few trucks on the road but I'm losing interest fast. It doesn't serve enough purpose for me. Plus I don't have the cash or supplies to hire people right now.
 
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jon.a

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Thank you for this. This is what I needed to hear. I was thinking of using my job and the money I'm making now to go towards selling online.
If you can make it more passive, you'll get where you want to be faster.
 

Kak

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I started a business because I spent too much time thinking about starting a business and just said f*ck it I'll start a power washing business. 2 months in and some mornings I dread the thought of waking up and doing the work thats ahead of me for the day. I'm making more money that I ever made in my life but I'm finding it a struggle to keep going. I know having a passion for your business is bullshit but shouldn't there be some bit of interest in what you do? Shouldn't I be waking up in the morning feeling happy that I'm in business? Is this normal to feel like this? I feel a bit lost and would love some advice on the matter.

This is probably because you didn't actually start a business... You built a job...

If you have enough work, why not hire some hourly employees to do the labor? Then focus on getting more work... And then hire someone that can focus on getting more work...
 

Kak

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Either hire people, or work on a product-based business.

Product based business is such a canned answer... Is this a pay the bills with a somewhat passive income forum or a millionaire entrepreneur forum?
 
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Kak

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I'd love to hire people. Thats the vision in my head. I want crews working for me and a few trucks on the road but I'm losing interest fast. It doesn't serve enough purpose for me. Plus I don't have the cash or supplies to hire people right now.

This is entrepreneurship... The answer is to figure it out. I thought you said you were making more money than ever before... Where is that money going? Beer?
 

Scot

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I'd love to hire people. Thats the vision in my head. I want crews working for me and a few trucks on the road but I'm losing interest fast. It doesn't serve enough purpose for me. Plus I don't have the cash or supplies to hire people right now.


Get an SBA Loan
 

Scot

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I’m also going to tag @Duane in here. He has more insight than most into this type of business.
 
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Scot

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Boom... REP


No excuses man. There’s money to be had. And for buying equipment, SBA throws money at that.
 

Kak

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No excuses man. There’s money to be had. And for buying equipment, SBA throws money at that.

Alternatively...
-He could get a traditional loan.
-He could buy the equipment on a store payment plan.
-Sub the jobs out for a profit.
-Rent the equipment.

There are so many things he could do .
 
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vinylawesome

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Equipment purchases would be Section 179. Therefore, after tax.
 

Kak

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what's your problem

I have a problem with people that act like or think they know what they're talking about while dishing out shitty or incomplete advice like "start a product based business".
 
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ZeroTo100

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What's your plan with the business in 2 years? You selling it, you keeping?

I think you need to find interest within your business. Hire the people to do the shitty things you don't want to do and focus on the fun things you do want to do. Focus on the branding, the marketing side - that's always fun for me.

You think garbage men love their job? No but they get paid A LOT. What about the owners of waste removal companies? You think they love garbage? What about college hunks?

Seems like they made the job fun. Make it fun bro! Build mantra, build culture!
 

Dunkafelics

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It seems like you got tired of thinking about business opportunities and threw your hat at one you felt could be a fit for your current lifestyle.

You've hit a crossroad quite quickly and you really only have two choices to make going forward:

1. Scale this business model by hiring employees and start treating it as a business instead of working within the business. Be the CEO of the company, not the owner-operator.
2. Scrap the business and move on to something else.


You are providing a lot of reasons as to why you can't do something - I can't hire employees due to lack of funds, the mindset in the mornings, lack of purpose, etc.

There definitely needs to be a mindset shift here quickly or your customer service is going to suffer as well.

I get a feeling that there are bigger and more meaningful things out there that you would like to do. What are they?
 

pwilliams84

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man i’ll tell ya there’s no better time to paint a home or commercial building than shortly after a good power wash. sounds like an outsourced upsell, or a lead gen opportunity.

i like money.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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minivanman

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Sounds as though you can't afford to NOT hire an employee. So you're making more money than ever, cut that back by 1/3 (live like you lived before), hire someone and then within a few months you will go through the growing pain all over again.... until you are where you want to be. Or else you might wake up next Thursday morning and decide to not make any money at all. Hire before it's too late. If nothing else, get excited about hiring someone and then once you get it built up a little, sell it and move on. Find SOMETHING to get excited about in this business before you just drop it. Use this business as the business you learn from.
 

Andy Black

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Kudos for escaping analysis-paralysis and taking action.

Encountering new problems is a sign you’re making progress.

Problems are just stepping stones in disguise. Solve this current problem and you’ll be further ahead.


This is probably because you didn't actually start a business... You built a job...

If you have enough work, why not hire some hourly employees to do the labor? Then focus on getting more work... And then hire someone that can focus on getting more work...
^^^ This.

A couple of years ago it dawned on that my job was no longer to DO the work. My job was to GET the work.

Now my job is to setup the business to get the work and do the work, so that I’m no longer needed.


Here’s one of the sliding scales I think of:
  1. Learn a skill.
  2. Sell the skill.
  3. Scale the skill.
Where are you on that scale?


Also... as the business owner you’re NOT selling power washing. This thread might help:
 

momomaurice

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When I say I'm making more money than ever before I am not making millions, I am making more than I ever had in a shit job. Everything I make is going back into the business not on beer. I am living like a bum at the moment, I pay rent and food for myself and I don't go out, it doesn't bother me. I know that if I have to be rich I have to sacrifice now. Having crews working for me is the vision. What is an SBA loan? I don't have enough work to hire people and pressure washing is seasonal, I haven't even done my first season yet. It feels like it's turning into a job that I hate. I'm still learning the job myself. I am not sure what I want to do, I feel no interest in growing this business and I am thinking of using it now to fund something else. But thanks for all the replies I needed your input.
 
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momomaurice

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Not sure about the loan. I think that's pretty shit advice to give someone new in business.
 

Real Deal Denver

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When I say I'm making more money than ever before I am not making millions, I am making more than I ever had in a sh*t job. Everything I make is going back into the business not on beer. I am living like a bum at the moment, I pay rent and food for myself and I don't go out, it doesn't bother me. I know that if I have to be rich I have to sacrifice now. Having crews working for me is the vision. What is an SBA loan? I don't have enough work to hire people and pressure washing is seasonal, I haven't even done my first season yet. It feels like it's turning into a job that I hate. I'm still learning the job myself. I am not sure what I want to do, I feel no interest in growing this business and I am thinking of using it now to fund something else. But thanks for all the replies I needed your input.

SBA stands for Small Business Administration, which is a government program of sorts in the USA. I don't think they noticed you are from Ireland, so that advice would not apply.

Since your business is seasonal, I know just the hands on guy that can help you.

@minivanman is the man. He's already replied here earlier. I'm fairly new here, but I have been amazed at his down to earth resourcefulness. I think he will have a truckload of ideas now that he knows more details.
 

Real Deal Denver

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man i’ll tell ya there’s no better time to paint a home or commercial building than shortly after a good power wash. sounds like an outsourced upsell, or a lead gen opportunity.

i like money.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Two business ideas that you can start quickly are painting and cleaning. @minivanman has in depth knowledge of cleaning for sure - because I was surprised he explained that residential cleaning can be much more lucrative than commercial cleaning. I thought it would be the opposite.

What I like about these two business ideas is they can fold in and compliment your existing power washing - AND they are a service that is already popular. Another added on service could be moving - but that would involve setting it up. I think the idea of moving AND cleaning the house when you're done could be a great combo deal. If setting up the moving part is too difficult at this point, you could partner with several movers. They could pay you a referral fee for finding the work - and it would be a good lead in for cleaning and power washing.

See how things are expanding? This is starting to look a little more like an empire in the making, and less like a time consuming job!

You're on the right track. I don't know your market at all, so this is as deep as I can go. Some places in my market HATE cleaning windows and doing lawn work, so those are two more things that you can consider. You'd be surprised at the simple things and how much in demand they are.

But the real expert in this is... where the hell is @minivanman anyway? It's almost 4 am here, so he might be sleeping. He's getting lazy. Some of us work 20 hours a day and floss with broken glass... (all together now - BOO YAH!)
 
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Scot

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Not sure about the loan. I think that's pretty sh*t advice to give someone new in business.

Why?

A lot of us have taken loans for the business. Myself included. This whole “don’t touch debt because it’s the devil” is poor advice.

If your business is stable and you’re making money, why would taking a $50k loan for a new truck and washer be a risk?

Bad advice: Take out a $500k loan for your unproven concept, I’m sure it’ll be great!

Not bad advice: Your business is already generating good cash flow and the only thing holding you back from more is that you don’t have enough man hours to do more work. $50k for a new truck, power washer, and some payroll to get a second truck will only increase your business. Low risk.
 

momomaurice

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Why?

A lot of us have taken loans for the business. Myself included. This whole “don’t touch debt because it’s the devil” is poor advice.

If your business is stable and you’re making money, why would taking a $50k loan for a new truck and washer be a risk?

I am not stable in my business. I have no idea what winter time will be like. My work is week by week at the moment. I have 2 months experience in business and I am being told to take loan. I know that I would buy some very stupid things with that money as I don't have the know how yet.
 

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