HOW TO START A WINDOW CLEANING BUSINESS
Working for yourself sounds like a dream for most people, but the transition may be harder than you think. Eleanor Roosevelt said it best, “With freedom comes responsibility.” You may be able to set your own hours and collect a lot more money per job this way, but you also need to manage the newfound responsibility you have as an entrepreneur. The tips below show how to adjust to working from home so you can start your business off with success.
The classic 9-5 schedule may not seem that appealing when you start your own business, but maintaining a rigid schedule will ensure that you tend to all of your clients properly. You need to set a schedule per day, per week, or per month, depending on the type of clients you have. Commercial window cleaners usually schedule their work on a monthly basis because they have consistent work from their clients each month. If your work varies from week to week though, you may need to set up a smaller schedule.
Just because you can do anything you want to do doesn’t mean you should. As a business owner, you have to maintain a structured workday that creates a foundation for your employees in the future. Even if you never plan to hire employees, having structure in your day will show clients that you are professional and you take your work seriously. Set aside breaks and lunch times for yourself that break up the work day, and try not to deviate too much from your pre-determined schedule. You’ll soon have great work habits you can carry with you year after year.
It’s easy to get sidetracked on the job, especially if you are working in a busy neighborhood or business center. If you need to listen to music while you work, do so in order to stay focused. You could also use foam ear plugs to mute the noise in your environment. Try not to watch birds, cars, and people around you, as hard as that may be to do. Focus on the task at hand so you can move on to the next job.
Working from home comes with the risk of bringing your work home, which can easily cut into family time. If you run your business away from the house, don’t bring any of the work into the house with you. If you operate out of your house, create a designated area for all of your equipment, files, supplies, etc. Stay out of your work zone once the work day is over, and you will have a much better experience transitioning to self-employment.