Interviewing owners with a few questions about your business

Conversation
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Hello I’m Brandon

I have been a window cleaner for about 7 years now and I am looking to take the next step into starting my own window cleaning business. I am currently taking entrepreneurial classes to help change my mindset to become a successful business owner. As a part of taking this class I am supposed to interview a couple business owners and have them answer some questions about their business. I called up a couple local window cleaning companies and they did not have time to talk to me. I just wanted to see if there was anyone on here that would be willing to answer these questions, if so it would be much appreciated!

  1. How did you get started in this business?

  2. What problem does your business solve for people or what need does it fulfill?

  3. What services/products do you offer?

  4. Who are you main competitors?

  5. Why do you think people choose your your product over your competitor’s? What do they like best about you?

  6. How did you find your first customer?

  7. Who are your typical customers today?

  8. How do you market your business?

  9. Is your business self supporting? How long did it take you to break even?

  10. What do you like and dislike about being a business owner?

Fell free to private message me or post publicly about these if anyone would be willing to answer them. Thank you!

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Any business owners out there !? :slight_smile:

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  1. How did you get started in this business?
    Worked 3 summers for another window cleaner and then decided to branch out on my own.

  2. What problem does your business solve for people or what need does it fulfill?
    It’s a service industry. For the customer it probably fulfills the need for general maintenance, property image, and personal satisfaction

  3. What services/products do you offer?
    Check my website on this one http://www.windowcleaningspecialties.com

  4. Who are you main competitors?
    I have about as much work as I can handle and turn down A LOT. I really only have one other competitor, and truthfully there is room for other competition, I see lots of windows that need to be cleaned in the lower end of the market.

  5. Why do you think people choose your your product over your competitor’s? What do they like best about you? 90% of my work comes from references, I take a lot of pride in my work. I really enjoy developing a personal relationship with every customer and people like that you are interested in their lives.

  6. How did you find your first customer? Stole it from my previous employer because he like me better. We had a lot in common and that is why I approached him.

  7. Who are your typical customers today? A large majority of them are small business owners or working for successful businesses. Quite a few are retirees that simply made a lot of money.

  8. How do you market your business? Website and Google page.

  9. Is your business self supporting? How long did it take you to break even? Not including my time, it realistically took one job. I had less than $100 in supplies.

  10. What do you like and dislike about being a business owner? It’s a very self satisfying industry, you get immediate satisfaction when it’s done and so does the customer. I’m a numbers guy, so it’s exciting to monitor business growth. Last week I looked at my bucket of water and thought "holy #@$!, I’m making $80/hr. with not much! I hate payroll taxes, accounting, and chasing down payments.

3 Likes
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Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions @Wagonhound ! Your answers are great and I
appreciate it a bunch! My goal is to start early next spring, so I may have have to pick your brain If i hit any roadblocks. Thanks again my friend :slight_smile:

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I like your setup very clean!

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  1. I bought the business that I had worked at for two years.

  2. They don’t have the skill, time or equipment to do what I do.

  3. Multi service cleaning company. More than 99% of the gross revenue was janitorial when I bought it but I diversified into WC, carpet cleaning and floor maintenance, all of which I call my “day jobs.”

  4. Main competitors: a WC company has been in my small town since 1984 but she is having a hard time keeping her employees, an out of town company does cheap but sloppy storefronts, a few others offer WC as an additional service to their usual house cleaning or handyman services but they don’t advertise.

  5. Why choose me? Probably availability and good referrals (small town reputation and word of mouth is invaluable). I don’t know if I’m the most expensive but I know I’m not the cheapest (thank goodness!).

  6. First customer: my insurance company called me to clean their windows.

  7. Typical: residential and business owners and lodging establishments. I rarely connect with storefront customers due to the low priced out of towners.

  8. Market: word of mouth, FB ads with pictures that are updated a couple of times a month, networking at Chamber of Commerce meetings.

  9. Been making a modest profit and a living wage (I am an employee of the S-Corp for which I am the sole shareholder) since the beginning.

  10. Like: Freedom.
    Dislike: the amount of effort and time it takes to find good employees. Too many fake job seekers in my town that apply for jobs only to sustain their social welfare benefits.

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  1. How did you get started in this business?
    AT 17 JW.Org brother taught me
  2. What problem does your business solve for people or what need does it fulfill?
    Safe cleaning windows with out ladders
  3. What services/products do you offer?
    Window cleaning pressure washing soft washing
    Caulking
  4. Who are you main competitors?
    About 20 other window cleaners and now maid services
  5. Why do you think people choose your your product over your competitor’s? What do they like best about you?
    50 years experience OSHA certified
  6. How did you find your first customer?
    Went to door business’s
  7. Who are your typical customers today?
  8. Homes
  9. How do you market your business?
    Google Phone book FaceBook
  10. Is your business self supporting? How long did it take you to break even?
    Yes 6 months
  11. What do you like and dislike about being a business owner?
    Love the hours and dislike getting work
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thanks for replying @HBM & @philleepoo this is valuable information and helps me out alot :slight_smile:

1 Like