May be tossing in the towel.

I had a recent lower back RE-injury that may take me out of the game.

I refuse to have an employee where I lose the control of being there. So, In the next week or two I will figure out if I'm selling of everything. I'm extremely busy and making great money....but I may need to admit my health status is what they said it was. I'm really enjoying the business that I built in such a short time and I have it fine tuned to control it as I wish....I can speed it up or slow it down. I am looking at an offer of taking on maybe 100+ stores that pay on average $1200 per store....I may look into doing just those but that does not lessen my work load (need a worker).....they would be two or three a week.

Real sorry to hear that....lower back injuries can be terrible. That being said, I think that once you think it over you will find that throwing in the towel is not your only option.

This was set up to teach your son, so what better way to teach him then to hand him the reins and let him run with it under your wing?

We all like to be the motor of our business, but there comes a point when we have to hand over the labor to employees and we assume the Supervisor role exclusively.

Nothing says you can't be on the job, just not wrecking your back doing the work.

I will say this about a back as well, avoid surgery if you can. I messed up my lower back about 20 years ago and the doc told me that I needed surgery. I didn't, and although it did take about 5 years, I fully recovered and haven't a problem since. Lots of stretching, hanging from a pull-up bar, and physical therapy to balance the muscles in my back is what I did.

I don't know the medical situation, so it may be different, but I would not be so quick to shut it down.

you already found the hole to dig, why keep digging it yourself?

pass the shovel and manage the business

ACpower1 wrote:you already found the hole to dig,   why keep digging it yourself?  

pass the shovel and manage the business

Well said....sounds like the right approach. I don't remember seeing the General fill sand bags.

Thats why I simply refuse to clean more tha 3 jobs a day. Swinging that wand is killer on the back

It might be wrong I always figured you enjoyed thne marketing side of the biz Devon

I agree, I understand you don't want to trust just anyone but even if you are on the truck and just find someone to push that wand, that will lessen the load on your back.
And then after a while hopefully you're going to be able to trust that person to run with another helper.
Hope you feel better soon.
Get "hyaluronic acid" powder from purebulk.com and mix a teaspoon of it with super cold water, shake every 2 - 4 hours for 24 hours and then drink 2 - 3 tablespoons 3 times a day, that helped me with my lingering lower back pain.

Here is a big share of the downfall of a carpet cleaning business. It is killer on the body.

I think someone who intends to be owner/op for all their career, will have a VERY short career.

You absolutely NEED employees to do the physical labor. Your advantage as a CC business owner, it costs TOO much for some employee to just buy some equipment and start their own business.

I would NOT be afraid in a CC business, to have employees do all the work. I would pay them well, and background check them all. I'd have a good system in place for training, rules of conduct, and attendance. I'd ALWAYS be hiring, if you know what I mean.

My business, is a little different. It doesn't cost that much to get started window cleaning. To do it right and be able to handle all situations, that costs.

You already have a great model to start with, to bring on employees. Your business worth will actually be more, if you make the employee thing a go.

There are some owner OPs that have no interest in managing people and Devin might be one of them.

Put an employee on the truck to do all the labor, use that rotary extractor, and you finish the season carefully and with a back support on.

Over the winter, seek physical therapy program and fix that back....regroup for Spring.

I can't see closing down a business that is profitable just because one doesn't want to hand the reigns to employees. The owner still needs to be involved, but at some point every owner will be faced with that same reality.

Outside of the business question....take care of your health, back problems are terrible.

I mean what I said about avoiding surgery as well. I have 4 friends that have gone through lower back surgery and not a single one bounced back. They are all on disability now and can't stand up straight.

Get plenty of opinions as you move ahead and weigh your options thoroughly. Surgeons make money by cutting, that will always be their recommendation. They are not in the business of curing.

In fact, I sat through a surgery once chained to an inmate where they were removing cancerous intestine. At one point, the surgeon realized that there wasn't any healthy tissue left to attach. He turned to me and said, "I get paid to cut on the guy, not to save the guy".

One of my customer just had back surgery and given the ok to go biking 6 weeks after surgery. I've heard a lot of horror stories about back surgeries as well. I think they may have improved the techniques to make it less traumatic

I can tell that this year I have had no back issues and I believe that it's because I'm 20 lbs lighter. A big belly is killer on the back. 

SP it sounds like you may have cured the back issues you were having a few months back

I hope they have improved those surgeries. One of my friends that went through it 15 years ago had 3 failed fusions and is unable to lift more than 35 lbs now for life. He used to be a very happy guy, but after a few years of failed fusions he went down hill and now is not the same guy at all.

I suppose there are huge success stories as well out there, so it probably isn't a fair indictment. I was told after breaking my neck that I would be lucky to walk normally again let alone end up running.....finished 14 races and 3 marathons since.

Ive already had a two level 360 fusion...it was a huge surgery and thats not the part of my back thats got the problem.....I can use the wand all day without trouble....really! I dont slow at all.....I rarely let anyone take the wand....my problem is I need anther surgery and know I wont be doing this anymore if I have it done....I dont know that finding someone who will run things like I/we do will be easily found. My son was my focus and he honestly can run it right now if I wanted him to....but he is back to school where he belongs....He can handle customers, calls, invoices, trouble shooting, chems, etc...I have little to teach him in the way of this business...we do very good on the $$ end of things, its just not going to be his future. My wife is pretty much mad at me if I show any signs of pain.....so, I suffer quietly. Im really looking to have this surgery done but the results are uncertain. So, I thought maybe getting out while it was good would be the best...I hate the thought and love doing this.....im just in a pickle.

The surgery I had put me in ICU for 9 days....they hit an artery and thought I was a gonner....my surgeon threw in the towel after me. but I recovered and I'm doing well.....I have to have a bigger surgery now....It's in my Thoracic area, finding a doctor who will do the surgery was challenging. They will need to collapse a lung, remove a rib, move my heart to do the work on my spine. I wont bounce back easily.

Getting help would work but then I need to not work....I cant see that happening. I try to ignore making a decision and could continue but things are getting a little more painful. I hate that my son knows my pain tries to do everything to prevent me from working(cover my workload).....so much so it could affect him moving forward in life worrying about me trying to work without him. He wants college and has goals....I dont want to hinder that.

One of the problems with spine fusions are that they often lead to adjacent levels going bad in 7-10 years. I am sorry to hear that, but it sounds like you are making the right choices.

It appears to me that you really like building a business more anyway, so maybe consider being a business consultant. You get the joy out of turning a dud into a growing success without all the labor and worry....sounds like a perfect trade for you.

Maybe I fly you down here to get me firing again as things seem to have fallen off dramatically lately.

The point being that the key part to any business is between the ears and not in the muscles. You have the mind, time will take the other part anyway.

Man thats a crazy surgery Devon and Its easy for me to say cause im not dealing with the pain, but I would do everything I can to avoid that surgery at the very least seek two different opinions.

I Prophesy that milspec moves to Oklahoma and helps keep devons business running with QC at the top of the Biz's agenda.

I hear you Mo....Its a huge surgery and not to easy to avoid.....I havent mentioned why but I have three tumors on my spine and one is really pushing...Im falling from time to time and its not looking real good to be honest.

Milspec...No doubt! I would love to tweak someones business! I do have that passion AND love the marketing aspect as well.

My wife asked me today what I was going to do....to buy time I said I have a couple things brewing. lol

Matt....talk Rob into it and we may have the perfect soup.

If I had your business / marketing mind, I would have been crowned King already. Maybe Matt has an idea there.....

Well Rob, I'm open for suggestions....This business is trying to grow...Ive been holding it back to meet my basic needs and it's a fight to keep it from growing. This current model is just to teach my son and make money doing it. Honestly, I'm at a loss of what I'm going to do.....I can easily sell the equipment and possibly even the name BUT with the short time Ive been in business it wont look good to a potential buyer. I am however impressed with the fact I came back in after a roughly ten year retirement and was at a disadvantage to restart with all the BIG industry changes like Yellow pages out of the game, Chemical changes, Social Media, etc. I hyper focused on what changed and then seized an opportunity that really surprises me today. Rob had a great idea, I think I could honestly do some consulting....not that im a huge guru or anything...I just know business and this one in particular....even a seasoned company could use several offerings from me...I know arent widely used. Gotta run...TTYL!

Man this is tough...I keep getting calls for really nice jobs and want to really slow this train!

I think you are making this harder than it needs to be. Let's face it, cleaning is not rocket science and doesn't require a lot of brains. What it does require is the right personality and a healthy body. Managing the business takes the brains. All that you are missing is the first part.

Surely, your son has some friends who may not be going to college that you could take under your wing and have them out there cleaning in less than a week with you handling the business management aspect. Not to mention your son might want a summer job.

I will even make this offer: I will come out there for a week and help train up the kids in the field. You can show me your marketing methods and we would both benefit. I work cheap too.

I really don't think you need to shut it down.....just need to remove yourself from the truck for now until you are finished becoming the 6 million dollar man at the hands of the witch doctors. I really think that you would enjoy the building and growing of the business far more than dragging a wand around. I am sort of the opposite.

Maybe Mo or any of the others would like to do the same and we could make it a group effort. We will all reach that point where we can no longer do the job physically, you are just transitioning earlier than you planned. Nothing more than that really.

Rob is right.
What's worse?
Shuting it down? or bring in some good hard working labor to do the work; they screw it up and you have to shut it down.
OR, you find your twin that takes the bull by the horns, says"what else you got for me"? After a long day he say "that it, come on, pile it on"?!
Your gonna have to get over, obsessing over/over seeing every detail; on the job.
Like Rob said, hit the marketing like NO other in the area. And allow the cream to rise to the top. Cuz the other 1 man shows in town won't be able to run with you.
Try it, it might work out better than you think.

You might have to get yourself some alligator boots, shark skin suits, and a Cadillac once it really takes off, but it is a small price to pay.

Lol Rob, ha..ha... I can't imagine Scott in alligator boots and shark skin boots, ha..ha...
On a serious note, I agree with Matt, train some young bones and teach them to be honest and trustworthy and they will easily make double the minimum wage once they are efficient enough.