Hello from Homer, Alaska!

Hello, I recently bought the cleaning company that I worked at the last two years. In addition to a couple of nightly cleaning contracts I have several weekly clients. I also provide on call services for carpets & upholstery, windows and floors.

Most of my working career has been a mixture of public administration, commercial fishing and military service as a reservist. I have been interested in the cleaning business for several years because the range of variable expenses is narrower and more predictable than many other businesses.

Hey, cool and welcome, Homer......since I didn't see you're name.

I'd love to hear about your com. fishing, and wonder if you ever mined for gold up there?

Ah yes, my name is Malcolm Brown. Never did any mining but fished off and on for several decades. Sometimes the money was good but family separation and lots of wear and tear on the body gets old. The overhead is much higher in fishing and so is the risk. I don't have to worry about my cleaning equipment going to the bottom of the ocean.

Wow, I just looked up Homer and saw.....

50k in population
and
7 months out of the year with average minus 0 deg. temps.
Sounds like it could be a ruff place?

Do you use portable or TM equipment?

Actually Homer has about 10-14,000 people in a 30 mile service area. The minus zero temp must be referring to Celsius, as our temps are constant freeze-melt from late October to early April.

I use portable equipment, not sure when I will have the volume for TM to be cost effective.

Malcolm did you buy Colbys biz.?

No, I bought Jesse Classen's business. Who is Colby, does he have some stuff for sale?

Colby just sold his biz. he was from Alaska

That is awesome sir! How cool is it for a tech to buy out the company after a few years....that is getting it done.

Welcome.

Malcolm, welcome to the forum

Hey Malcom do you have more carpet or hard surface in Alaska?

Mo wrote:Hey Malcom do you have more carpet or hard surface in Alaska?

Good question. I asked the local carpet/flooring store manager and he said there is more carpet in our area but the percentages of hard floors are increasing.

We now have cleaners from Hawaii to Alaska. Having bicycled in Alaska and Canada a few times (in the summer) I've always maintained if I didn't live in Hawaii I'd choose Alaska. I may be insane however. In 1996 my son and I biked from Anchorage to Seward and took the ferry to Valdez before heading North up the Thompson pass. Gorgeous is the only word that comes to mind. Welcome to the forum.

Rainbow Rider wrote:We now have cleaners from Hawaii to Alaska. Having bicycled in Alaska and Canada a few times (in the summer) I've always maintained if I didn't live in Hawaii I'd choose Alaska. I may be insane however. In 1996 my son and I biked from Anchorage to Seward and took the ferry to Valdez before heading North up the Thompson pass. Gorgeous is the only word that comes to mind. Welcome to the forum.

The advantage you would have if you moved to Alaska is that you are already used to exorbitant shipping or the usual "we do not ship to Alaska or Hawaii"  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime.

All we need now is someone from Alberta and we have it covered.

Homer Building Maintenanc wrote:

Rainbow Rider wrote:We now have cleaners from Hawaii to Alaska. Having bicycled in Alaska and Canada a few times (in the summer) I've always maintained if I didn't live in Hawaii I'd choose Alaska. I may be insane however. In 1996 my son and I biked from Anchorage to Seward and took the ferry to Valdez before heading North up the Thompson pass. Gorgeous is the only word that comes to mind. Welcome to the forum.

The advantage you would have if you moved to Alaska is that you are already used to exorbitant shipping or the usual "we do not ship to Alaska or Hawaii"  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime.

I'm already used to see all kinds of disclaimer on advertisements "Price higher in Ak and Hi" man I feel for you guys

I've had some progress getting weekly full service cleaning accounts. I have acquired three and will get a fourth at the start of next month. I lost one of the three I started with in September because the tenants became DIYers to save on rent.
Window cleaning demand is minimal now so I'm switching my marketing to carpets and floors. Did carpet cleaning at an office last week and got an upsell to clean and polish 92 SF of tile (entry, breakroom and bathroom. My FB ad got me an out of town carpet cleaning job for next Saturday. I also have two small resi CC jobs and an office CC job in a holding pattern.
I did my first marble floor tile restoration/sealing job this week and am looking forward to doing more. I was very apprehensive but I watched lots of Youtube videos and used Lustro Italiano Etch Remover and Black Diamond Granite Plus! Cleaner and Sealer.

Sounds like things are going well up there in Alaska....good job!

Love it when things snowball.