Who has started over in a new town?

[Mikey P]

Some questions for those that have..

Why the move?

Was the new location demographicly larger or smaller?

What were the weather differences?

What image and marketing aspects of the old business were kept and what where abandoned?

Any changes to your methods or equipment?

How long until you gained a satisfactory client base?

And..

The single best new refferel source you found to work?

 

[kingjoelking]

Is Connoisseur completely sold?

 

[Shane Deubell]

Never moved in this industry but sure as hell would like to try a move to sunny FLA or something.

 

[Ray Burnfield]

Is Connoisseur completely sold?

It was sold to Davis for 4-5 times what it is worth.
Very easy payment plan though

 

[GreenTechAgain]

Some questions for those that have..

Why the move?

My wife became unable to work and my parents were getting older and needed financial help as well.

Was the new location demographicly larger or smaller?

Much smaller. I lived and worked in the New Jersey/New York metro area my whole life.

What were the weather differences?

New Jersey to Florida. I miss 3 of the 4 seasons. Not winter!

What image and marketing aspects of the old business were kept and what where abandoned?

Lot of the same marketing. Really just changed phone numbers. I get customers down here tell me they called because I am "Green". But for everyone who does call, I don't know how many may not.

Any changes to your methods or equipment?

Portable to TM. Also have been trying to gain VLM skills.

How long until you gained a satisfactory client base?

Still working on it. I have been here 4 years, but have not been able to devote the time needed to start up from no customers to a business. Despite that I do have some good repeat customers and referrals.

And..

The single best new refferel source you found to work?

A retired gentleman that I did a job for in a nicer trailer park. He has gotten me quite a few referrals.

I have only really started my re-start in the last few months.

Both of my parents have passed since I have been down here. One suddenly, one who was in long term care - about 8 months.

 

[bob vawter]

Three times.........each time i had a wife with a good job!

 

[Blue Monarch]

Some questions for those that have..

Why the move?

Wife and I are both from the Lincoln area. After living in Phoenix for 10 years, we decided to move back.

Was the new location demographicly larger or smaller?

Lincoln is WAY smaller!

What were the weather differences?

Winter is horrible here for business. Folks just don't clean as much in the winter. Phoenix was steady all year.

What image and marketing aspects of the old business were kept and what where abandoned?

I just changed the business name really. I didn't think "North-Phoenix Custom Cleaning" would fly in Lincoln.

Any changes to your methods or equipment?

No changes.

How long until you gained a satisfactory client base?

I'm still not satisfied! Most folks already have "a guy".....tough market to break into IMO.

And..

The single best new refferel source you found to work?

I have to say two are equal right now. BNI and the google.

 

[Russ T.]

Some questions for those that have..

Why the move?
Needed to be closer to the action.

Was the new location demographicly larger or smaller?
Much bigger. I'm right between a good size city (Des Moines) and a large college town (Ames...go Cyclones!)

What were the weather differences?
None.

What image and marketing aspects of the old business were kept and what where abandoned?
Branding was in place before. I came in to Iowa pretty strong after selling my biz in MT and was able to hire someone good to help us develop an image. I had the vision back then, just no customers! We used flyers and yellow pages years ago in the small neighboring towns. By now, we have abandoned paper marketing, with the exception of Fill My Schedule.

Any changes to your methods or equipment?
Where would I begin?
I broke my leg (Tibia/Fibula spiral fracture) in a motorcycle crash shortly after moving into the town we live in now. I was on my back for 3 months. I started to do a lot of thinking and research. I began to engage with TWGCCF.

I was rocking a Chem Tex Panther 20 with a 12" portly wand (no glide). I had 2 snail fans, a rake, stair tool, and a DriMaster 2 upholstery tool. I just wasn't very well equipped.

First, I got a bigger wand. WestPak 14" with 2" tube and 4 jets.

I ditched my 50 foot 1.5" diameter whip hose and went to 2".

I loved the additional airflow so went further with a Devastator in line filter.

I bought a RotoVac 360i. This was pivotal and would prove to be a tool that would change my mind about what a carpet cleaner is capable of.

RotoVac is not a good solution for me on CGD so I bought a Cimex. This was a big deal too. It made some pretty LARGE commercial jobs attainable for me even though I was alone. The first one was 40,000 ft.² at a local mega church. It's still the biggest job I've ever had.

How long until you gained a satisfactory client base?
Still pushing but we have 1 van busy all the time (not Winter as I've shied away from restoration) and I'm trying to come up with a plan to duplicate many of the things I'm doing every day, into another truck.

And..

The single best new refferel source you found to work?
Facebook and Google. Hoody has been tremendously helpful too, with being found electronically.

 

[Shane Deubell]

My wife became unable to work and my parents were getting older and needed financial help as well.


Much smaller. I lived and worked in the New Jersey/New York metro area my whole life.


New Jersey to Florida. I miss 3 of the 4 seasons. Not winter!


Lot of the same marketing. Really just changed phone numbers. I get customers down here tell me they called because I am "Green". But for everyone who does call, I don't know how many may not.


Portable to TM. Also have been trying to gain VLM skills.


Still working on it. I have been here 4 years, but have not been able to devote the time needed to start up from no customers to a business. Despite that I do have some good repeat customers and referrals.


A retired gentleman that I did a job for in a nicer trailer park. He has gotten me quite a few referrals.

I have only really started my re-start in the last few months.

Both of my parents have passed since I have been down here. One suddenly, one who was in long term care - about 8 months.

Gonna be right behind ya Ross

Just have to convince the parents to at least go down for winter.
Dont want to leave them up here during winter in the future.

 

[jcooper]

Some questions for those that have..
Why the move?

Moved home to(Northern Illinois) from Scottsdale/Phoenix after about 4-5 years. Wife has 5 brothers and sisters, I knew I was on borrowed time going into the move out there.

Was the new location demographicly larger or smaller?
Plenty of people in both places. More suburbs like in IL, AZ was more city like.

What were the weather differences?
Lol! Well, one place sucks for 4/5 horrible months every year! Other place was hot as heck, but I liked it. Being cold blows!

What image and marketing aspects of the old business were kept and what where abandoned?
None, we were small time portable and flyers, newspaper, etc....

Any changes to your methods or equipment?
Everything I need and more here, had nothing in AZ. Didn't know poop...

How long until you gained a satisfactory client base?
And..

3 years with very little money spent, at 5 years we stopped HAVING to advertise.


The single best new refferel source you found to work?
Internet(google, etc) was everything in the beginning. Family/word of mouth helped.

It sucked starting over(with no money), not going to lie.