Not too many people sticking their heads out of the 20th floor to chat?
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well I do have some ink and a beardā¦ Do I qualify?
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Iāve been tempted to say, āIt was part of a work release program.ā
Iāve been asked, āWho told you, you could clean windows?ā
I threw my squeegee down and told them, āBack off! I just started, grandma!ā
Ha Ha, naaā¦Lord, I apologize for that one there. 
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Wow. Glad I got into window cleaning then. Still waiting thoughā¦
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Same here. I met my wife at a doctorās office I was cleaning the windows on. I clean these windows every 6 months and never wanted to ask her out in front of her coworkers.Then one morning I was cleaning the windows and she was the only one there. I finally decided to ask her out and we have been married a little over 3 years.
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Because Iām 64 people will ask how long I have been doing it, thinking I must have retired from a career of some kind and gotten into window cleaning.
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Havenāt been asked how I got into WC but have had a few ask how long I have been doing it.
They are always surprised when I tell them how much I like it. they are so conditioned to being/dealing with untrained people who donāt know what they are doing and just making a mess.
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Wow I canāt believe most of you guys get asked this so rarely. I get it constantly! (And how longā¦but thatās always accompanied by why/how.)
Everyone always either wants to know whatās in my seceret sauce or they really feel the need to declare that they want to take me home with them. Nobody ever asks how or when I got into it.
āDo you want to stay for a glass of wine or dip in the poolā? I get that all the time
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i havenāt gotten that one yet
I literally just started. But i have been told 100s of times āclean windows. Mow lawns. Etcā so i decided to looked into it. Bought a squeegee. Practiced. Asked a few places if they needed windows done. Enjoy working for myself and hopefully 1 day be able to give half the advice most the vets have givin me thus farā¦
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ya, iām 61 and people sometimes think itās a retirement job. i wish!
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I am a teacher. I worked as a manager in Facilities Management and Walmart before becoming a teacher 4 years ago. Besides that it is very similar to leavingnc: after having my fourth child and listened to Dave Ramsey for the last couple of years I need to get gazelle crazy about my families future. Every window owner Iāve met is happy-for the most part.
Any advice for someone that is starting (today is the official first day) like you did? Iāve really only got a month of cleaning experience over several years! I know it is possible to be successful but man Iām taking a leap.
donāt be lazy.
put out 5,000 flyers
ask for people to review you online
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Clear and to the point. Perfect advice.
Thereās a series of videos from a business advisor about paradigms and what it takes to shift your paradigm. In one he discusses the concept of ākaizenā which is a Japanese manufacturing principle tied into continuous improvement. The take away is that if we continuously improve, we will make it harder and harder for competition to catch us. Every day, try to improve something in our business. It could be technique, advertising, follow-up, biddingā¦and on-and-on.
There will always be new competition, but if we are improving in some way every day, we wonāt ever really need to worry about them.
The key is to work hard, and ādonāt be lazy.ā Thatās some of the best self-employment advice I could ever hear.
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Reminds me of Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Haha
Spent well over a decade caring for buildings at a medium sized institution. Went from building to building until I was in the last building for over 10 years. The problem was a micro managing, control freak boss who was totally consumed with power. Because of that, people told me this person felt threatened by me because I knew so much about cleaning. That included thousands of panes of glass. I was threatened to be laid off or fired often. The work load was huge and impossible to do because of under staffing. So every day it was do what you can do and go home. Never get done. Never able to do the job good enough. Was the highest paid cleaning staff with 2 raises in ten years. In the last year, was told my work was terrible and the big boss approved firing me if it didnāt improve. One fine Friday, I was exhausted, physically and mentally. That Saturday morning, I decided to toss a 30k salary with huge benefits. I said, well Einsteen, if you quit, what do you really love to do? I have always loved and had a knack for window cleaning. Had my own small business years ago and made some great money at just a very part time level. Now I have my own window cleaning business with some operating capital. I do want to do other things, but meanwhile, I get to do what I love. When I quit, I did leave them in a lurch to show them just how much work I was doing and that it will take three to four people to do what I was doing. I was totally tired of giving my very best and having it poo-pood day after day like it was nothing, so that other people could look good. I treated my staff with love, care and great respect; encouraging them and praising any kind of good effort. Long write, I know, but thatās how I came to have a window cleaning business doing what I love to do and, yes, I think, I have a gift for. Thanks
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My boss gave a set of books like the e-myth and 7 habits of highly effective people to get a raise and now Iām a competitor.
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I used to work for his window cleaning company on cape before he started his Nantucket business, got my start on cape cod too.
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