How long have you been at it?

Just curious to see how much experience we have on this board. How long have been in the cleaning business? My 7 year anniversary was in September. Time flies when you're having fun

Counting Today?

You counting the days?

In and out since 1987, but as an owner/operator it will be 5 years in November.

Cleaned my first carpet 4 years ago this month. I remember thinking I'm not gonna like doing this. Now all I do is clean and hang out with POSTING FREAKS on a carpet cleaning forum.

My father raised me cleaning carpets and I've been doing it full time since I graduated high school. So 18 years full time.

Kinda like, Mike. I Started shortly after HS in Oct '86, so I been full time cleaning for 27 yrs I guess.  

Difference is, my Dad raised me running a motorcycle shop (Yamaha Dealership), but he sold it in '84 and shortly after I was tired of working for the new owner. Then found ad in the news paper for cleaners wanted making $600-1000 a wk and also free training, so I moved on.   

Kind of eye opening, to learn so much from some of you with so much less experience.  

But that's good I guess, we never stop learning...........unless we 'know it all' :farao: 

Eleven years. I was VP of Marketing and Sales for a janitorial company that cleaned shopping malls for the eight years prior. I was on a plane over 100 days a year and in a different hotel room about 200 days a years during most of those years except when pulling 20 hour days during account start-ups cleaning, hiring and training. I was on a red eye flight from the west coast back to the east coast on 9/11, and a week prior was on one of the same flights that was taken on 9/11. Shortly after that decided that cleaning carpets was the easiest path to getting off the road & sleeping in my own bed every night. Best decision ever made.

I started in February 2007

Been doing the O/O thing for a year.

Been at it for a short 33 yrs. Time just passes by.
My youngest son started with me more or less full time with me last year.
Wonder how long he will last ?. He is very good a it. Fast learner but also excellent skills when dealing with customers. Big, big asset in this industry.
He definitely understands that he is in the SERVICE industry.
One other thing that he has in his favour these days is all the different types of equipment, tools etc. at his disposal today. Perhaps there is another thread here.
Cheers
George

Have been cleaning carpets for 17 years. Started as a contractor and have been working for myself for about 12 years.
How time fly's!

Off and on for 9.5 years .. I can almost say "I have been cleaning for over a decade!"  

20 years in July. I consider that a badge of courage, so to speak; considering my dad couldn-t hold a job for any longer than 3-5 years.

Started on April 1, 1986 for myself. Worked for another company about a year and a half prior to that.

Pro Touch wrote:Counting Today?

You counting the days Eric:D

Larry Henson wrote:Started on April 1, 1986 for myself. Worked for another company about a year and a half prior to that.

Holy Moly Larry I graduated High School in "81. You don't look like an geezard:D


I feel like a rookie around you guys. It sure is nice to see a lot of guys thriving in this business

O/O since 1985. I was half way through an MBA and had 16 years working for Dept. of Navy and just couldn't stand sitting behind a desk anymore.

Started in April of 1988, still at it fulltime-- Started working for a cleaning company-- with portables-- than went out on my own 3 months later

Judging by the length of time a lot you guys have been in the business, I beginning to think carpet cleaning is good for your health.

I've heard that the more control you have over your working environment the less stress you're exposed to. Maybe the combination of the cleaning activity and less stress is what keeps carpet cleaners young and active. Maybe I'm full of shoot 

Mo wrote:Judging by the length of time a lot you guys have been in the business, I beginning to think carpet cleaning is good for your health.

I've heard that the more control you have over your working environment the less stress you're exposed to. Maybe the combination of the cleaning activity and less stress is what keeps carpet cleaners young and active. Maybe I'm full of shoot 

No contest, even a bad day working for yourself is better than your best for the wrong person. You have the ability to avoid rush hour traffic, no early mornings unless you want them, no weekends unless you want to, no memos, no forced dress codes, etc. The only negative to self-employed is that you cannot punch the clock at the end of the day and forget everything, but if you are a creative and hard working person, you were never able to anyway.