Keeping The Wife At Bay

C.C.R.

I've been working for myself for about 1 1/2 - 2 years now. I've never had any customer be anything less than completely satisfied with the quality of work I do (or anything else for that matter). And I've never had to advertise and alot of my work is repeat customers. I just invested a good chunk of change on the business; ads, extra ins., bus.cards, postcards,etc. all within the week. The problem is the phone hasn't rang in about 2 weeks. Whats the wife say, "That's it, it's over, go get a "real" job." She knows how to enjoy the busy times, but doesn't know how to roll with the bad times. Is the business a flop if you have to go work for someone else to make ends meet?

Cole

No, I know a lot of us got started that way.

This fits perfect right now: "If it was easy, everyone would do it."

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Patty

C.C.R., How have you gotten all of your past customers the last two years? Was it through referral? Advertising? Was it subbed out to you from a GC?

You should try to contact all your past customers to touch base with them, say "Hello" and see if they need any other work done. Then, I would also try to network with other businesses that sub out work. GC's are always looking for reliable subs to do business with. Next, I would recommend advertising through co-operative direct mail or the local newspaper(s). Let people know you exist. Realize that the same people that don't need work done TODAY just might be your bread and butter TOMORROW. Get your name out there.

And, if you need to make some money to pay bills and have to work for someone else until your business is strong enough to support you, so be it. There are lots of guys who worked 16 hour a day to feed their families while launching a new business. No one said it was going to be easy, but in the end, it might well be worth it!

KENNEDY

Alot of times it can be feast or famine. If you got the time, hang flyers on doors. You probabally can print up something decent off your home computer for cheap. Always set aside some $ from the good times to get you through, and yes, your phone will ring again.

copusbuilder

Gotta love those wives. Mine just got a part time job subbing at a school for $35 a day?
She comes home and says I only really worked five hours. Not bad ehh?

I stay silent thinking how they manage to have a 48 year old women working for less than minimum wage and she is happy about it

I recently sold some plumbing fixtures and made an additional $1237.00 dollars and when I told her she repied "good we can use it".

Apparently I am missing something because we are having one of our best years ever

Guess it is some kind of defensive self worth thing I will never understand? I try and look at her many good qualitys and just wish I never let her get the books

Bottom line is......I think you have to do what you feel is right. If she works with you it will be a much more enjoyable ride. Just keep her from the books

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Melissa

That's tough. I say that to my husband sometimes too. Like last Saturday. He's been working a lot of Saturdays lately, and I finally got fed up. It was a beautiful day, everyone else was enjoying it but us! The self employed! So he got his ass home real quick. We're been going 3 1/2 yrs. I agree it's tough in the beginning and especially tough at times, and us wives worry a lot.

I would look into where you are advertising. I have noticed that when we advertise in more rich neighborhoods, we're lucky to get 1 call! But when we advertise in the more middle class neighborhoods, we get a lot more calls.

Tscarborough

An internet board is not the place to seek justification or advice on a situation as fundamental as this. Everyone's situation is different, so my advice would only be to discuss the issue at length and make your determination based on what will work for you and your family.

lxdollarsxl

Dont let it get you down, i had a rut like that, which lasted about 2 months, i was begining to wonder if the phone would ever ring again. Ive been in business here in the States for little over five years, and have never advertised. But as someone else said its feast or famine, this last week ive picked up 3 new houses all over 3800 sq ft to paint, and had to turn down 2 others. The phones on the go all the time now. Such is life everyone wants everything done at once.

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A+Carpenter

I like this reply. Never seek justice from the net for your own personal soothing.

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go dart

run thru your bids file and call leads 3 months or older. offer a 250.00 discount on the better jobs you may of been too busy to service. tell em they got lucky!

slickshift

Two weeks
Yipes-she's thin-skinned
Really for the first year and a half you should have dry spells longer than that
Way to go!
Not to cover a slow period*
It's smart
If you were all booked and still couldn't do it, it might be time for a re-evaluation

*In fact, if you said to me "I want to start my own business" I'd say "keep the job you have now for as long as you can while starting up"

Please tell her you have a real job, it's just that you don't have any customers right now
You still have the job though

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copusbuilder

Why not?

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A+Carpenter

If you really have to ask this question Mark your not the person I thought you where.

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copusbuilder

I might not be the person you think I am but I am pretty sure I could be the person I think I was?

Just seems to me that a person that is in a quandry should ask a question like this? It only becomes a problem if you take the replys to seriously.

Ther is a thread named "your thoughts appreciated" where Janrickey posted.

Thanks for your words of wisdom. I think it was just nerves... There is a huge difference in building homes for someone else and starting out on your own. Hearing from others who have been there, sure does help. We are holding tight with our price!
Thanks again

Of course it was not me with the words of wisdom but someone or two helped him reach a decision. Much like the poster of this topic the feedback was helpful. Telling a person not to post a topic is bizarre in my humble opinion

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ProWallGuy

I just look at the old lady with a glazed look in my eye (while sitting on the checkbook) and keep repeating "Everything's fine. Everything's fine." She walks away after awhile.

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rservices

every bit of my bis. has been walking threw the door (the old fashon way)
hang around one of the big box store and look for confused people..give them your card. flooring is a good place to start..most people are scared of tile, laminate, hard wood... If you see one of the store employees talking to a customer get close and hear what there sayong chances are about 90% they are giving the wrong advise, thats when you go in for the kill

copusbuilder

Been there done that. Laying awake at night thinking....do I keep them or let them go? Somehow always seems to work out but can get close at times.

But like you, I bite the bullet and pretend all is fine!

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C.C.R.

Thanks everyone, for the advice it is greatly appreciated. I definatly got some good ideas. (I'll definatly be going with the "sitting on checkbook with glazed look)
Seriously, I'll definatly be taking the good advice to heart. That's why I came to this site, to get advice and tips from the seasoned vets that have already been through what I and, I assume most other newbies, are dealing with.
As for the couple that said I shouldn't be asking questions like that I apologize I thought that's what we do here.(ask questions,share ideas, etc..) I'm not looking for anyone to stroke my ego,( that's what all my past customers do) I was just looking for some realworld advise, and I got some so thanks again.

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nealglen37

Follow your gut, and buy a cheap set of earplugs.

briselec

Certainly not. I'd much rather do some subcontract work for another contractor than lower my prices or take on work I don't like doing.