@Chris And wow that’s a funny story! haha.
So sorry for your loss. What would you say are the pros and cons to working solo? Being a sole proprietor?
Yes definitely. I believe it’s just a side effect based on losing my partner recently. It’s such a thrill however to be solo and in control 100% of your own business! 
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I like working at my own pace, my own flow, I set my own hours. I work at homes on Lake Erie here in Ohio, working a pace, enjoying the view, and giving 100% quality, that all changes when another is added to the mix. For me the occasional jobs I do with other experienced/professional window cleaners is a nice break, but once I am working all who work with me know to leave me alone, and do not ever speak to me and break my pace, lol. I do not mind working alone so much, it all depends on the other, the important part is not how I handle working with other, it is how others handle working with me, by my rules and standards. I have a few select who work with me, and work well, we produce high volumes of work in short periods, for me when I work with others it is because a job is large and the desire is to get it done fast. I have an established method with every aspect of my window cleaning, from store-fronts to residential, and commercial. When others are brought along to job-sites I am in charge of they are told by their employer the rules I set, and they usually hate those rules. I do not allow headphones in or outside. I do not allow smoking during the work day, after these two rules I usually find out who wants to actually work at work. I was taught by my father a few rules, once followed the days work can usually be done in 25% of the time most guys take a day to get done. I am thinking of hiring an employee this year, not sure I even want to but I give away enough work to cover a couple guys. When that special guy comes around with common sense, a long term goal in life, and a plan that finds him actually focusing on positive growth and development, seeking out knowledge and gaining experience, one who can see how beneficial a strong work ethic is, well, does that kid/guy exist?
You say you have “a few select who work with me” - Do you mean employees or other experienced business owners window cleaners?
Can you also tell me a bit about your established method? Is it just the no headphones / no smoking during the work day?
I like how you say “I like working at my own pace, enjoying the view, and giving 100% quality and that it all changes when another is added to the mix.” When I first started out on this business, my now ex partner landed a $600 residential home. Now this was big to me to see that he could land such a big customer, etc. Which is why I partnered up with him but later that caused some issues that I didn’t like.
I remember that as we were doing the house he played music and so I played the music, we talked a lot, etc. The customer came out and she didn’t seem to mind but looking back now since I’m doing this solo, I will not allow this to happen again. I want to try her up this coming spring again, maybe I could land the customer but yes the rule of no smoking and no headphones or music holds true.
I want to thank you for your detailed response as it gave me more clarity on the pros with working on this solo. I have absolute control and I can dictate the pace of the business. I fucking love it haha.
Im solo, and i live with my headphones in. If i am inisde i usually do leave one out though so i can hear people, or when i am doing doors on my route. I find talking to my customers helps to not feel alone during the day. I just try to be sensitive to their time when i do.
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I like discussing the pros and cons of business decisions and techniques on the forum. When I discuss them with my wife she falls asleep 
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No employees, nobody has ever accepted my rules and also had the needed common sense, already present ethics handed to them by their parents, and or the knowledge and wisdom enough to understand the flow of business in regards to safety, quality, progress/production, and earnings. Most employees come to the table desiring one thing, a paycheck, and they do not bring skills or knowledges past down from their families.
I work from time to time with other window cleaning business owner/operators, on different projects, most are water-fed. Even then we hardly work the same building, the only time we ever work in pairs is on stairwell work or high inside window walls. That is for safety purposes, to adhere to standards and codes.
I hardly ever work with others on residential, having come from a generational background I have been handed and had gratefully accepted 2 generations of window cleaning knowledge and experience, the wisdom handed down to me finds me desiring 100% detail, quality, safety goes without saying always. I handle as many as 5 homes in a days time, can throw down on some extremely larges homes, combining water-fed with old technology/methods, an arsenal of ladders and poles, just generally speaking one must have the proper equipment and in my opinion a great deal of equipment choices.
My rules… - Do not be late, ever. Always be 5 minutes early.
- Do not smell like cigarettes, do not smell like a brewery, do not smell of a foul body odor, do not smell like weed, do not smell like you are ready to meet a Playboy Playmate.
- No headphones. No music on residential jobs. A small portable on Commercial jobs outside only, no music inside. No music on Store-Front work.
- No cell phones permitted on person during the work day. All employee private business is to be done on personal time. I carry a basic cell phone that is used for immediate family to contact an employee should an emergency arise, the real reason cellular devices were implemented for use with motor vehicles.
- Dress code… Clothing will be clean each day, shirts tucked in, belt worn, no shorts, proper footwear, long hair in a ponytail. Clothing worn at all times!
- No smoking during the work day. Not even on commercial jobs!
- Like my father told me… I am not your father/friend when we are at work… I am your boss. Do not expect me to be fatherly or friendly at work, expect me to be your boss, expect me to lead you, to lead the day, to get our work accomplished in a way that we are all done earlier, we all earn more money, the business grows, and we all prosper from the hard work we put into everything we do at work.
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very well
A little strict, dontcha think?
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bwahahaha
I think I can relate. I work solo 95% of the time. From age 18-22 I was single, but still living at home. I had a rough time with anxiety, depression, & loneliness while being self employed. I’m honestly not sure how I would have faired if I had been living on my own during that time period.
Looking back, I wish I had put a little more effort into getting to know myself, what makes me tick, how I could function a little better, and been more at peace with my singleness. I love my wife dearly and can’t imagine being with anyone else, but we both would have benefited if I had taken a little more time to grow up and get to know myself.
So I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t rush into any new relationships, either romantic or professional. Take this time to grow personally & spiritually, learn new healthy habits and life skills, and enjoy being your own boss.
Oh, and one last thought: most experts say now that the male brain doesn’t reach full physiological maturity until around age 25. (I wish I knew that when I was 21 
) So try not to do too many life altering or brain-stunting activities between now and then 
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I was lonely at work once. Then I remembered how my disdain for working with people led me to self employment. I gave myself the afternoon off to play golf and recover.
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was more the office politics and trusting someone else’s decisions that affected my job security
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Nope, my business to run as I choose.
Maybe, one can hardly tell on here?
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