I wonder what you think

[adamh]

You may have read me whining before but.............


My wife does the office and because of health issues can't do it anymore.

The Doc says if I keep working as hard as I am ( dragging a wand, moving furniture, carrying equipment ) I will be a cripple in 10 years. I will be just like my father. (see below x-rays) If I get a desk job, have surgery and take care of myself I will have a great life.

I can do two things.

Go into debt, try to expand my business ( which is a very good business ) hire guys and try to be a desk guy not a cleaner.

Sell my company, pay off everything we have, (not my house, but my parents house) and walk away with 80k in my pocket and do something else. ( less physical ) I do have a company that is chomping at the bit to buy me out.

I love this business. I love cleaning carpet. I have built this company from nothing to one of the most profitable in my area. My wife hates being tied down to the phone. She is such a good Mom and just wants to be there for the kids. She would like me to sell out. My body tells me the same thing. But I have no other skills. No collage.

If you were me what would you do?

The same Doc that did my Dads back looked at my MRI's. My Dad hasn't been able to work for 26 years. That has put a big money strain on the family.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Hire some more help and get off the truck. If you sell out you won't have any income. If the helpers hurt your business, you will still be making money. You have a good enough reputation here that people will keep calling. give Jason some more $ and a title like crew cheif and let him tell the new guys what to do.


Then again, there's always Amway.

 

[Greenie]

holy crap! What did Dad do to his back? Or was it a degenerative disease?

 

[adamh]

He worked hard, blew a disk, kept working, blew another and so on. I have 2 disks gone and that x-ray is my future it I keep this up.


Charles
Pay Jason more?????????????? he already makes more than you!

 

[dallasdj]

that's freakin horrible x-ray man...i don't understand why it's so hard on some people. It's great exercise, i mean the folks i know with desk jobs are all major overweight with problems only hardworking people should have (backs, knees, diabetes...) I feel good at the end of most of my days.

Maybe it's your diet, start eating more clean, no more fst food and buffets

get a lift buddie and a helper for 10hr and pray, pray, pray!

 

[Guest]

How about hire a guy to ride with you every day, pay him about $15.00hr.
and make him do all the hard stuff! ????


Best wishes! AL

 

[Bob Foster]

If you have a successful company its because of a lot of things that you have learned to do right or that are intuitive to you beyond your personal cleaning ability.

We all have a huge capacity to adapt and I would not give up a lot of the things that made you successful.

Go visit some larger operations. Attend the first SFS available. Staying off the truck does not mean staying away from people who can help you be more successful.

To simply add volume to the business without systems in place can be just as wearing on you as being on the wand. If your paper flow is smooth and can handle multiple trucks good. Next job is to pay someone good to come to work with you. Pay them well.

Its a hard job to give up cash flow once you have been accustomed to it. Feed the machine quality jobs by hunting them down and don't be afraid at first to pay a good tech lots of money even if he initially makes more personally than you do.

Building a good work culture around even in a small shop with systems in place will get you where you want to be.

Get off the truck and salvage your health before you get so debilitated you can't even walk or drive to go out and see people.

There are many successful 2 tech companies where the owner is not on a wand. Consider a rug operation if you have a shop - you can supervise staff right under your nose.

 

[John Watson]

For medical reasons I had to take the phone away from Helen, take her on the truck with me (Our son got hurt so I had to go back on the truck) so I could watch over her. We are a heck of a team now that we got her meds straightened out. In my opinion, If it were me in your shoes, Get crew cheifs and crews, you run the office till you get your systems in place then let it run it's self. If you haven't been go asap to the next SFS class. There is more stuff for and systems built just for your needs.. Good luck..

 

[Johnny]

Stick with what you know and love. Hire help to do the grunt work. Labor's cheap. Take care of yourself.

 

[John Olson]

The ONLY people you should consult with on this is Your Wife and The Lord.

You got the info from the Doc. You know where your cash is at. Now hit your knees with your wife and ask for God's Will...

 

[rhyde]

that's a difficult call Adam...


walking away with 80K sounds great but you cant retire on that so then what ? You like this business before really considering selling you need to find something else you'd like to do for work.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Take your wife's job and have her teach you to run the office, then hire & train tech's for the truck.

You could still get out and estimate or market, occasionally fill in should a tech not show up or you over book.

The temptation to cash out has to be killing you, but think it through before deciding. Will you be able to earn a income to suit your life style or can you accept one a little less than you've become a custom to?

Paying off everything would be awesome, but the 80-grand would whittle down eventually.

You could try it, if you don't like working in the office, then sell.

Tough decisions, good luck, which ever path you choose!

 

[Guest]

You didnt say how old you are and if you have any retirement plan. Bird in hand is worth 2 in bush.


80k isnt alot of money but it can get you into another less strenous business.

 

[B&BGaryC]

I say go big. Hire people to do the work. It'll be hard at first, but you're smart enough to make it work. Yeah, a little pay-cut at first, but in the end, you can still sell your company later. A company that runs even if you aren't there is worth a lot more than it is now.

But I'm just a 24 year old employee, so take it for what it's worth, confusing grammar and all...

 

[BradFenstermaker]

Adam that is a tough decision. Could you manage the other company after you sold? Be there right hand man and sales. Ask it won't hurt. Might even get health and bens.

Good luck

 

[Goldenboy]

Chavez would be the post I would re-read. If you still want to be around carpet cleaning get a hold of Blueline. I hope everything turns out ok.


Golden Boy

 

[The Preacher]

after the taxes are taken you'd have like 60k left, if invested right you could have a livable income if your debt free.

count the cost before you build a building is what it says in the bible, so weigh the pluses and minuses!

 

[RickL]

Skills

Adam first of all you do have MAJOR skills a college degree is just that
a degree with no skills. Running a Carpet Cleaning Business is a A MAJOR skill. I won't go in to what I did before but you really have alot of talent and don't sell yourself short. Step back and run what you have built manage and make people successful. For example I see many CC'rs offer T&G which I did, no one really asked for it NOW when I'm standing in their kitchen with a dirty Tile floor I point down and mention I do T&G 2/3 of the time i get a clean and seal. Seriously twice the success of protector and WAY easier. Anyway I wish you much success and luck in your decision.

 

[Dolly Llama]

dang Adam, that's awful
Don't think I'm qualified to offer any advise.


don't think I'd be inclined to cripple myself though,
and would start looking to get off the truck one way or another

..L.T.A.

 

[Ron Lippold]

Adam just a quick thought. Don't get mad.

What if you hired a manager and became a sales rep for blueline, With your skills you could pull that off, and I must say it would be fun. Probably good benefit's

 

[Bob Foster]

I suggest you PM or e-mail Steve Toburen (SFS) and have a heart to heart with him. I know he would look at your situation analytically and give you direction and comfort in your decision.

 

[XTREME1]

If I were in your shoes
First off $80,00 could not get ayou a livable income the most you would expect to gross per year from that is $6-8000 off the principle.

I would keep my company and mortgage my future, what I am saying is take your personality and sell it to every person who is willing to listen, good looking guy a pile of kids always works.

Hire and overpay for quality labor, make sure they do it the way you want it done. That way when your selling they are impressing.

If your the most profitable in town expand your territory and add a van on equity. You gotta feed your family some how so that makes you work harder it doesn't always have to be physical
Good Luck I hope everything works out

 

[Goldenboy]

Start a carpet cleaning board. www.adamsboard.com Charge 4 bucks a month.


Golden Boy

 

[Becker]

I'm sure he would get another job, like BL.

 

[XTREME1]

traveling around being away from your family wouldn't appeal to me.

 

[-JB-]

Adam,

I feel for you. But I would be the LAST one to want to give anyone business or life advice. The only thing I'll say is be deliberate in your decisions, don't let life decide for you. Follow your first instincts, and remember you are never given more than you can handle.

Best wishes.

JB

 

[alazo1]

Sorry about your medical issues. Other then that I wish I were in your shoes. I don't want to be doing the grunge work forever. If you're into managing employees go for it. It's a totally different gig that can be very rewarding and fun. Also a pita at times but what isn't.

Albert

 

[harryhides]

I agree with Richard.

I would add that you are selling yourself short.

You already have a lot on contacts and you may be very surprised how many would hire you in a heartbeat if they knew you were in the market.

You know how to run a business already which means that you could run any number of different types of business.

As a rapidly aging old and decrepit geezer, I'd also suggest that you look into to acquiring light duty skills that you could use to help grow your business while replacing the income you will lose by getting off the truck:-
Color repair, carpet repair, Inspections of all flooring types, specialty furniture.

Good luck, Adam, every dark cloud has a silver lining.

 

[The Cleaning Artist]

Hire some help, add a truck or two, show your face and sell, make deposits, and really consider the ideas of those that are older and wiser.

I wish you well!

 

[Becker]

It sounds like you have a great biz going.

Keep it going! You don't have to be on the truck like a hack like myself.

Sounds like it is time for you business to transform.

You can make it happen. And you can make it better than a "job"