Yes, I run my own business. It is a cleaning business. I know it doesn’t sound exciting. But it is a solid way to make money and to pay my bills.
What type of cleaning business do I run? I run a commercial cleaning business. I clean businesses, mostly rental properties. This includes vacant homes and apartments.
How Did I Get Started?
I got started because I needed some extra money. I knew a few people who were working as cleaners and I thought I could do this.
My first job was working for an insurance company. It was a weekly gig that didn’t pay very well.
Then I tried cleaning home’s for people. I soon discovered I did not enjoy this. Working in other people’s home’s made me nervous. I did not like the responsibility of working around people’s belongings.
I then discovered that people who own rental property needed cleaners. They needed help with cleanouts and they needed full time cleaners to clean lobbies of apartment complexes. Since I did not mind getting my hands dirty, I knew this was the job for me.
What Did I Need To Get Started?
Here in Ohio, I needed workers compensation and business liability insurance. Most companies prefer you have a million dollars worth of coverage. It sounds expensive, but it really isn’t. Plus, you can use both of these payments as part of your business expenses on your taxes at the end of the year.
What else did I need?
I needed some simple tools, some equipment and things like that to get started. Here is a small listing of what I had at the start.
A truck for hauling (luckily I all ready had it) A computer to take care of invoices, and other business papers A printer to print the invoices, my flyers, etc. A name for my business Business cards Business flyers A vacuum cleaner A carpet shampooer Lots of cleaning supplies Plastic boxes to store the supplies
Canvassing For Jobs
Next, I began canvassing for jobs. I got in took with local land owners, apartment managers and anyone I knew in the realty business. I told them what I did and what experience I had. Slowly, I began building up my client list.
What Mistakes Have I made?
My biggest mistake was when I try to start in the private sector. The other mistake I made was trying to find jobs through property preservation companies. So far, none of them has really been worth my time or energy. Although, others have stated they have made money by working for these types of companies.
Do I recommend This Type Of Work To Others?
You can only enjoy being a cleaner if you: actually like cleaning, don’t mind getting dirty, can work well with people, can work well without supervision and can handle a bit of manual labor.
Is This My Life’s Dream?
No, becoming a cleaner is not my life’s dream. My life’s dream is working full time as a writer and being able to live off of that salary. But for now it is a way to pay my bills and is a business venture I enjoy.