I do residential window cleaning for a living, and I have to admit that I am surprised that I haven't seen a woman window cleaner in many years. I have met a lot of women who clean houses, but only one window cleaner, and that was the lady I sold my Jacksonville route to in the late 80s. As I recall, she was very fit and could clean circles around me. And you have to be fit to make a living doing commercial window cleaning. It is the competitive realm, and you have to be fast and durable to make good money.
Since I moved to the residential market, I find that there is almost no competition, and the pace is much more relaxed. And the money is way better! That is why I have been surprised that I have met no single mom, working while the kids were in school, pulling down $40/hour as a residential window cleaner. I have met plenty of house-cleaners, but they usually make $15 or so, and the work looks harder to me.
Well, here is where I start the pitch. For about $200 you can get enough professional window cleaning equipment to have your own business that you can work anytime and just about anywhere. You can get it from me, or you can get it from someone else, but the advice is still free...
SqueegeesByMail.com is my blog with its associated vidcast that I upload to youtube. I am making the videos, and will soon have my own store where you can purchase the things you need. And I know what they are because I have been in the business for 26 years.
Why am I doing this? Because I am 48 and looking to diversify my income. And I can do that because I am self-employed and I make my own schedule. I will probably always clean windows at least a few days a week because it helps me keep my weight down from what it would be if I sat in front of a computer screen all day. I also get to listen to audiobooks all day! And I would hate to pass up the opportunity to make over $1,000 a week working part time while being educated and entertained.
So think about it. You pack the kids off to school and start work at 9, get off in time to meet the kids at home at 3, and you make $1,000 or more per week. You lose some company health insurance, but take some time to shop for what that would cost you to buy on the open market. Consider what you are not paying for after-school care, or just the added benefit of being home when the kids are. Isn't it worth it?
The risk? Are there slow seasons? Would it be your dumb luck to quit your job and start a business at the beginning of that slack time? To be sure, there are times when the demand is higher than others. But there is no time when there are no customers!
Most of my customers are what I call event oriented. They are getting their windows cleaned because they are having a wedding shower, a Bar Mitzvah, a faculty party, or they are selling the house, or just bought the house. The reasons are endless, and they have no season. Once I went ahead of a chamber orchestra that was doing a fundraiser at a series of big, window-wrapped houses.
This is a big decision. Take some time to think about it. But don't put it off indefinitely. At the very least, start visiting the site and learn all you can. But then you need to do something! Success does not go to those who just wait for it. It goes to people who take initiative.
Check out my page full of email correspondence that I have had with people who had questions before getting started. And keep up with the blog! I would like to help you get started, even if you never buy anything from me.
Good luck and God bless you,
Don Marsh
Gainesville, FL
http://donaldmarsh.com
http://squeegeesbymail.com
Find all my YouTube videos about
starting a window cleaning business here:
http://www.youtube.com/dontwc