How long until you were 'successful'?

Steven Button

Steven Button

Administrator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher View Post
Hello,
I am Chris Chappell, owner of Superior Power Washing here in Corpus Christi, Texas. I am new to the business and am working on a brochure or flyer to give out. I will be doing residential and commercial, flatwork, roof cleaning and am looking for more things to clean. I am asking for help because I have not seen anything locally so I need something to use for an example to set up my own flyer or brochure. I do have some before and after pictures I would like to use. Please email me or post whatever you could to help me ou
t. Thanks for any help.

Chris Chappell
Superior Power Washing
Click to expand...


1526 Green Grove
Corpus Christi, Texas 78415
361-853-2513
chris969@swbell.net

You came a long ways Chris!!!!
__________________

Al Patterson
Pattersons Pressure Washing
Conyers, Ga
770-652-1794
Al@pattersonspressurewashing.com
Click to expand...

This reply in another thread got me wondering about how long it took you to get your business to a level that you felt it was successful and 'off the ground'?

A lot of 'us new guys' have delusions of grandeur and want to be 'big' someday... how long from startup would you consider it would or should take to be a legitimately successful business?

Obviously it takes time and effort, and an understanding of business concepts, operation and the industry... :D
 
Steven,
We took three very long years to start being sucessful. It took us that long to join a professional organization and learn how to grow a business. Most folks like us think we are doing good by being busy. We were working 24/7. Made a lot of money the first three years. Trouble is we never had any money. Too many bills and to little money. learning how to grow your business takes help. Most people start a business from scratch. We don't have the skills to do the right thing. Having a lot of work and charging $100.00 per hr. does not mean we are sucessful. We joined the PDCA, painters group, and started our training. We could paint, as most guys here can PW. It doesn't mean we are sucessful. If I knew 11 years ago what I know now, I'd run to the best PW organization and get some Fetehen Up! LOL
That is one reason I volunteered to be on the transition team for the new UAMCC. I want to share my knowledge and help others so they can be sucessful. I never want to go back to the days of plowing snow, painting buildings we not qualified to, just for the buck. It is nice being able to pick & choose our work. Having employees and growing our business. I hope my insite on being sucessful is not to far out. We are sucessful, but not where we want to be yet. We are still growing (not by employees), by profit. Thank You.
 
It really depends on what you term success. Is it getting fat and writing checks in an office, or picking and choosing the jobs you do and sending employees to do the rest? Maybe it is to have all your obligations met, or being able to be home whenever your kids are home. Maybe it is being so busy that you never see your kids or spouse. (I can't imagine that, but I know of cases) I think that I was in business full time for 5 years or so, before I started feeling successful, according to my terms.
 
Scott Stone said:
It really depends on what you term success. Is it getting fat and writing checks in an office, or picking and choosing the jobs you do and sending employees to do the rest? Maybe it is to have all your obligations met, or being able to be home whenever your kids are home. Maybe it is being so busy that you never see your kids or spouse. (I can't imagine that, but I know of cases) I think that I was in business full time for 5 years or so, before I started feeling successful, according to my terms.
Click to expand...

yeah what Scott said !
 
hey guys

I guess 'success' is gauged on many levels for different people and circumstances. I think what is termed 'successful' probably evolves as your business evolves - the natural progression as you achieve the next goal and set the next one.

It probably changes with each 'step up' you make... at this point in time success in this industry for me would involve the phone ringing and being booked solid with work (generating enough profit for growth - and that brings a whole host of other considerations!!!)

Scott & Russ, I agree with what you say with regard to being able to balance family and work. It's probably no use having a heap of work and not being able to enjoy family life.

Terry, I think you hit it on the nose with how valuable being part of a well-organized respected industry body can help - I REALLY want to see this for Pressure Washing. I'm looking forward to the upcoming RT's, as I will have an opportunity to contribute and reach out for advice and help to give my company the best opportunity to get that phone ringing and being booked up... SUCCESSFUL! :D

DJ, onwards and upwards brother!!! sitting in office making phone calls and writing checks... 'lil wayne blasting in the background and a secretary doing your dirty work.... is that how it goes?! lol :D

maybe I should add to this question... how long until you were 'successful' and you felt your business was secure?
 
This is a great thread, Steven!

For me, first and foremost my idea of success was to not be doing ANY of the actual work. I've never experienced the high net cash that an owner/op gets. I quite simply do not enjoy doing the work for more than about five minutes. I enjoy doing test samples, etc. but I just don't have the desire or patience to see something through to the end. So that was my first stop on the way to success, and it has been over four years since I've moved my lethargic butt once on a job!:)

So far this year, I have visited two jobsites (once each), and those were the only times I've even see our work. I've only seen pics. Workers do the jobs, test stains samples, deal with problems, collect checks, and are 100% in charge of customer satisfaction. I love that.

I don't make as much money as I'd like to make, but it's a trade-off. This allows me the time to work on growing biz (be it size or profit) and working ON the biz. I love doing those things.
 
Great Thread Steve.
I would say 4 to 5 years for us, and we worked like a dog during that time.
I always say "Dont leave before the miracle happens".
 
We are in our 2nd year of business. June 2006 is when we Formally started powerwashing. 2006 was hell, 2007 was great, 2008 is not as good so far as last year. I dont have nearly the residential work as I did last year, but commercial works is far excedeing. As long as the business is self supporting at this point I think we are doing okay. As far as successful in my terms, that would be my husband and I doing this full time. I dont want 5 crews running around, 2 is my goal. I just want to be happy with what I do..... I have managed other peoples companies for too long and made them rich, now its my turn to be happy.


All in all I want to pay the bills and have a little left over for some fun, be able to spend time with my family and not have to worry about the small things.
 
Jon... I like your approach - are you the sole owner of your company? Reason I ask is that it sounds like a hell of a risk leaving it in the hands of others from the outset ----- BUT I LIKE IT!! :cool:

You must have a lot of confidence in your employees as well as your own ability to manage them... I've heard it said a lot though, that to grow as a business you need to step away - recognise your strengths and work to them, recognise your weaknesses and work ON them or have someone who is better do those things!!

I was speaking to a distributor in Fort Lauderdale a while back and he mentioned one of his customers was a full time dentist but had connections in commercial and residential real estate... he invested in Pressure Washing Equipment and set up a couple of crews, but kept his full time job in dentistry. Just ran it on the side... not bad for some, eh?!

Some day I would like to be 'managing' my business, I think I will feel pretty successful by then - although when that time comes business conditions will need to be 'right' for me to step into that role.

Chris, I wholeheartedly agree with the 'working like a dog' - I think many underestimate what it takes to grow the business, many will get to a comfortable level by 'winging it', but to take it to the next level (as many of you can attest to) does take those extra hours and effort.

Nicole, for what it is worth, I thought you had been in the business for a lot longer than 2 years... I compliment you on the image you portray, come across as well-established, well-run, professional 'PowerWash Pros'!!! :p

I know what you mean about making other people rich... worked for a few large organizations where my input and workload did not match my compensation!!

'SUCCESS TO US ALL'... LOL

Anyone else... where are you at with your business currently? are you on your way to becoming successful? how long, how far are you away?

thanks for the input
 
This thread has really got me thinking, not what i wanted to do after a long day.lol
It is hard for me to say what success is. I looked back at my notes from 5 years ago and realized that i have far surpassed my goals. But even with all of that, i dont feel like i have succeeded. It seems like the more I get, the more I want.
The bar of success just gets higher and higher.
 
hey ash

Apologies for the thinking... LOL!

Congratulations on surpassing your expectations!

Pushing the bar higher is a commendable entrepreneurial attribute!

Are you as busy as you'd like to be? What would bring you more sucess - another truck, another crew, investment in better equipment, structured marketing program, branding, forging relationships with key potential clients? I guess all of the above - but is there one that has priority over another?

FOR ALL TO ANSWER
 
I want my personal life and my business to grow each and every day. I think success is not how much you make but how you enjoy it. I have been lucky in the fact my mother and father were both wonderful people. I have had other mentors along the way. I guess I weigh my success on the ability to vision and make my dreams a reality when often others think they cannot accomplish them.

My family from my youngest to the oldest gives me inspiration. My wife has stuck by my side through good times and bad. I can’t tell you how this alone can make you feel like a champ.
I consider myself fortunate that I can run this business and balance the time with my family on my terms.

To answer the original question: ALL MY LIFE for the rest of my life.


Monetary values 5years…….
 
Ashley Phillips said:
This thread has really got me thinking, not what i wanted to do after a long day.lol
It is hard for me to say what success is. I looked back at my notes from 5 years ago and realized that i have far surpassed my goals. But even with all of that, i dont feel like i have succeeded. It seems like the more I get, the more I want.
The bar of success just gets higher and higher.
Click to expand...

I am right with Ashley. The more successful I feel my business is, the more I want. I never wanted my business to grow beyond our current 2 man operation as we both like to do the work, however, it is getting to the point of hiring the "right" people or turning down work.

Success to me in definition would be for me to turn my business over to my son in 15 years or so. Seeing my father work hard and seeing the fruits of hard work created my work ethic - hopefully I can do the same...
 
it's great to read the posts from the guys with families... It puts things into perspective as far as priorities and measuring success are concerned - my situation is just me and my fiancé.

Ron, after speaking with you I can tell that you have 'real' vision, not just where you want to be, but a hard and fast plan of how to get there.

Bryan, how long have you been in the industry? Have you been in your current situation of being fully booked for long? Must be a nice feeling, stressful, but nice!
 
My personal bills are about 3k/month. When we started we said "if we can just clear 3k after expenses and taxes, we'll be golden". Hit that mark about 3 months in, and havent faultered yet. That alone makes me feel some success. I was the first in my family to graduate high school, buy a house, buy a new car, travel overseas, and not depend on a "job" for money. And im the youngest child by 7 years. I have also been with my fiancee for 6 years, since I was 16, and we work together everyday. I guess all of those things make me feel successful in a way. And success breeds success. It's a great state of mind.

"Success is not a destination, but a journey."
 
Al Patterson said:
Not every ones definition on being successful Is the same, I started becoming successful the day I quit my job, but to me its not really called successful but I have been truly Blessed
Click to expand...

This was one of my past posts on another thread
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top