BizBrain
Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
229%
- Apr 1, 2023
- 14
- 32
It’s been a minute since I’ve posted. I introduced myself a few months back after losing my job and wanting to start my own journey.
Well, unfortunately for me, life has a real sick sense of humor sometimes…
My mother ended up unexpectedly passing away shortly after I made that introductory post, and it really sent me into a deep depression. Like, big time…
I was a mess for months, and spent the last of what I had in savings for end of life services.
That left me:
Jobless
Mother-less (no real contact with the rest of my family)
Flat broke (literally like $150 in my checking account living off food stamps)
And depressed.
I lost sight of everything.
I knew financially I was screwed, and threw everything “hustle” related out the window as I started applying for job after job after job in a drudging haze where I felt empty and scared. Panicking because I knew I needed income, like, yesterday. Depressed because I felt so alone with no one to talk to. The weight of my burdens literally felt like I was being crushed each day. I started experiencing sever anxiety attacks where suddenly intrusive thoughts would bombard my head, my heart would start palpitating, I’d would start sweating and feeling panicked.
360 job applications and 4 months later, I managed to snag two pre-screening interviews, only one of which ended up being an offer. I accepted (desperately) an offer as an outside sales rep selling roofs and doing roof inspections, only to find out the owner lied to me and it’s not a salary + commission sales position like he said it was, but instead a 1099 commission only sales job where I am given no leads and have to fend for myself.
I was pissed, but I sucked it up (no time to cry about shit anymore) and have been balls to the wall knocking doors, hanging door hangers, passing out flyers, and advertising wherever I can that’s free (Reddit, Twitter, Facebook communities, etc). I can’t afford paid ads and I can barely afford gas to drive around neighborhoods. Local Facebook groups keep removing my posts and/or people keep flagging them as “inappropriate” or “spam” (probably competitors).
So far I’ve gotten exactly zero appointments booked. With no rain storms this year, plus the economy where it is, no one is wanting to spend $12k-$15k out of pocket to replace their roof.
While doing this, I’m also applying for other jobs (up to 58 applications this month so far and 40 have declined me), AND offering to clean peoples windows.
While out doing door to door, if I see a home that looks like a decent shot, I offer my window cleaning services. So far, it’s been 3 “maybe in a month” or “I’ll think about it” out of 100+ doors knocked and window cleaning offered as a service. I’ve been into a handful of businesses as well, but they have all been no’s (me not being insured is a problem). The real money is in residential anyways. It’s a race to the bottom with a lot of these store fronts. $20 per job is better than nothing, but I’m looking for leverage here since time is my enemy.
I’m seeing that here in AZ, most homes have sun shades over the exterior windows and no one cares about their windows being clean bc you can’t even see them from the outside. Looking from the inside, you can’t tell if the windows are filthy, because, well, the sun shade distorts the view.
So what now?
Well, I have about a week before rent is due.
My wife can’t stop crying. She’s been right by my side through this all, bless her soul.
I wake up every morning and look my 3 children in the eye and know there’s no choice but to fight.
It’s a race to see how fast I can add value to someone else’s life and get them to transfer me money!
There was no real point to this thread other than to get some thoughts out and vent a little. I don’t have any friends who really care to listen, so having a cool community online is the next best thing I guess
Well, unfortunately for me, life has a real sick sense of humor sometimes…
My mother ended up unexpectedly passing away shortly after I made that introductory post, and it really sent me into a deep depression. Like, big time…
I was a mess for months, and spent the last of what I had in savings for end of life services.
That left me:
Jobless
Mother-less (no real contact with the rest of my family)
Flat broke (literally like $150 in my checking account living off food stamps)
And depressed.
I lost sight of everything.
I knew financially I was screwed, and threw everything “hustle” related out the window as I started applying for job after job after job in a drudging haze where I felt empty and scared. Panicking because I knew I needed income, like, yesterday. Depressed because I felt so alone with no one to talk to. The weight of my burdens literally felt like I was being crushed each day. I started experiencing sever anxiety attacks where suddenly intrusive thoughts would bombard my head, my heart would start palpitating, I’d would start sweating and feeling panicked.
360 job applications and 4 months later, I managed to snag two pre-screening interviews, only one of which ended up being an offer. I accepted (desperately) an offer as an outside sales rep selling roofs and doing roof inspections, only to find out the owner lied to me and it’s not a salary + commission sales position like he said it was, but instead a 1099 commission only sales job where I am given no leads and have to fend for myself.
I was pissed, but I sucked it up (no time to cry about shit anymore) and have been balls to the wall knocking doors, hanging door hangers, passing out flyers, and advertising wherever I can that’s free (Reddit, Twitter, Facebook communities, etc). I can’t afford paid ads and I can barely afford gas to drive around neighborhoods. Local Facebook groups keep removing my posts and/or people keep flagging them as “inappropriate” or “spam” (probably competitors).
So far I’ve gotten exactly zero appointments booked. With no rain storms this year, plus the economy where it is, no one is wanting to spend $12k-$15k out of pocket to replace their roof.
While doing this, I’m also applying for other jobs (up to 58 applications this month so far and 40 have declined me), AND offering to clean peoples windows.
While out doing door to door, if I see a home that looks like a decent shot, I offer my window cleaning services. So far, it’s been 3 “maybe in a month” or “I’ll think about it” out of 100+ doors knocked and window cleaning offered as a service. I’ve been into a handful of businesses as well, but they have all been no’s (me not being insured is a problem). The real money is in residential anyways. It’s a race to the bottom with a lot of these store fronts. $20 per job is better than nothing, but I’m looking for leverage here since time is my enemy.
I’m seeing that here in AZ, most homes have sun shades over the exterior windows and no one cares about their windows being clean bc you can’t even see them from the outside. Looking from the inside, you can’t tell if the windows are filthy, because, well, the sun shade distorts the view.
So what now?
Well, I have about a week before rent is due.
My wife can’t stop crying. She’s been right by my side through this all, bless her soul.
I wake up every morning and look my 3 children in the eye and know there’s no choice but to fight.
It’s a race to see how fast I can add value to someone else’s life and get them to transfer me money!
There was no real point to this thread other than to get some thoughts out and vent a little. I don’t have any friends who really care to listen, so having a cool community online is the next best thing I guess
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