Female Plumber Starting Own Business although she might regret her landrover rant.

[IDCHAPPY]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Giving Crops CPR is beyond my comprehension :lol:

 

[REDSAW]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Giving Crops CPR is beyond my comprehension :lol:

thats just lowered the quality of the thread now!

 

[Destroyer2813]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Reading this reminds me haven't seen Mrs tp for a while

 

[Masood]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Here! I just cottoned on you're offering me mouth to mouth.....


That's a first on this forum!

AFTER giving you heart attack first, mind...

 

[Masood]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Toggles, as other have already said, it should not matter a jot whether you're male or female; if you're good at your job and offer a quality service then there is a market for you.

If you choose to market yourself as offering something out of the ordinary by virtue of being a woman, then there is definitely a sizeable niche for you. Lone women, women who have had bad experiences with male tradesmen who have left them feeling intimidated, and don't forget, in that vein, the LGBT sector of society. I have a quite a large number of gay customers, male and female, as I did a job for one gay couple who found my complete lack of prejudice unusual (sad in this day and age, but that's their experience) who then passed my number on.

On the flip side, be prepared for prejudice from some sectors of society. I'm ashamed to admit that some members of my own community (Muslim) would find it hard to accept a woman working in the house. I understand some of the more traditional African people have similar views.

Basically - go for it. Be clever with your marketing and don't pigeonhole yourself. Use your gender as an advantage where you can but don't let it define or limit you.

Personally I wish you the very best - the more equality in the workplace the better as far as I'm concerned. Unless you're in East London in which case forget it, the market's saturated and all the customers are misogynists, even the women... 😛

 

[hammers4spanner]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

maybe a stupid question masood whats LGBT?

 

[Ray Stafford]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

maybe a stupid question masood whats LGBT?

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual?

 

[Masood]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual?

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender...

That is the preferred term now as it is considered to refer more to biological and psychological imperatives rather than preferences.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual?

was thinking Londons gay brigade troop lol

 

[Dotty]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

I was going to threaten you all until I read your posts properly.

I'm about to get a snog. I've even used mouth wash...

 

[rpm]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

I was going to threaten you all until I read your posts properly.

I'm about to get a snog. I've even used mouth wash...

Is it a lodge night?

 

[goz666]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

One of my best mates and his partner work together, she's ex Army, best knitter I've ever seen and I've worked with her numerous times and she's spot on, anyone tries to step in and turn the spanner for the lady better hold on to their ******** cos she will kick them hard. If you fancy working for yourself Toggles then go ahead, male or female I would only pass work to those that can, irrespective of gender.

 

[Toggles]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

The fundamentals for succeeding in business are the same for everyone. Make sure you provide a quality service, at competitive rate and people will continue to use and recommend you.
The number of jobs I get simply because I sent a price over when I said I would, turned up when I said I would and take an interest in the home or work required keeps me busy. I am never the cheapest but always do as I have quoted and make sure I respect the customers home. I'm not trying to preach but these simply basics have kept me in business over the last five years with no advertising and just word of mouth referrals, and business has never been so good for the last six months.
Good luck and don't give up, also make sure you have a good bottle of red at home for the days that don't go quite to plan!

Hi IND Nick
Thanks for the good advice, you are so right! It's how would want to be treated after all. I shall make sure I'm stocked up on the red lol 😉

 

[Toggles]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

anyone tried these?.lol

wouldnt mind a case like that...in black

LoL, Guys bought me a set back in the day for a giggle, my initiation (among other things) I refused to use them as they were pink and left them in the stores, then they started showing up in the lads toolboxes! when I took the mickey they defended them saying they were nifty for small spaces, so I started pinching them back ! 😉 Fair play to them for being so secure in their sexuality that they would use pink tools, didn't stop the other contractors taking the mick out of them though ! lol

 

[Toggles]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Hi Toggles. I would say welcome to the forum, but I see you have been a member for a while.




Thats an excellent start



From reading the rest of the thread, I'm not sure whether you are intending to

a) run a plumbing business. As a complete non-sequitur, you happen to be female or
b) you plan to run a plumbing business, specifically marketing and promoting yourself as female, and hoping to gain competitive advantage from the latter.

If its the former, then you probably have some minor perception issues to overcome, and no doubt there will be a few thumbless flipwits who think they can increase their standing by belittling you, but nothing you wouldn't get in any of the male dominated fields.

If its the latter, I think that there are probably some great opportunities in areas where there are a large number of relatively well off, single women. I can see it working in (for example) south west London, but not so much in less affluent areas. With a bit of inventive PR, I bet you could get some free marketing from local press.



Notwithstanding the above, its the same pitfalls as every new start plumbing business:

1) Failing to understand the overhead of running a business and therefore underpricing work
2) Giving credit to people who you shouldn't give credit to, and being surprised when they don't pay
3) Not keeping on top of the paperwork - particularly invoicing and credit control
4) Not understanding the difference between cashflow and profit

I reckon 99% of all the bad debts we have ever taken come down to a combination of these factors.

They are the four horseman of the self employed businesspersons apocalypse.



Only if the quality of work was at least as high as my own.



Never eat yellow snow.
And if you have false teeth, dont sneeze when standing at a urinal. Although this one is probably of limited value to you.




You're welcome.

Hi Ray Stafford,

Wow, thanks for the effort there 😉 All good advice, yes I'm female, I dont have the tackle to use the urinal and thankfully don't wear false teeth, although Id pay to see that scenario played out ! LOL
As for the yellow snow, NAh, I'll pass on that 😉
Thanks again

 

[Toggles]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Apologies if that came across as derogatory was meant as a joke ,

I dragged my bird out to fit some rads few months back after endless remarks about how easy my job was and the bird done well.

As i said already a woman here advertising woman plumber so must be scope for it .

Cant imagine how it would go down if someone advertised male plumber tho

No apologies needed Hammers4spanner, Just giving you as good back in good nature lol 😉

You're right in your comment of advertising as a male plumber, think its not needed as its still expected that a plumber is male. I'm not sure I'll use that angle anyway, yes it works for those that want a female around ( Or helps those avoid me if they dont! haha) The other concern for me, is the security angle, I could get a weirdo request a call out just because I'm female, get me in the house then what ! 🙁 Over cautious I know but its the world we live in.

Question : Why are you calling your Mrs a 'Bird' ? You know birds pick up worms don't you, Not a WORM are you !! LOL 🙂

 

[Toggles]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Why wouldn't you market it though? It's not a weakness it's a strength so to speak.

Hi gasmanrob,
Yes and No 😉 I replied to hammers4spanner explaining a concern about advertising on it. Plus I can be a stubborn moo, I would rather be recognised for quality work and service (not the type some might think 😉 )rather than being a female 😉

 

[rpm]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

Hi gasmanrob,
Yes and No 😉 I replied to hammers4spanner explaining a concern about advertising on it. Plus I can be a stubborn moo, I would rather be recognised for quality work and service (not the type some might think 😉 )rather than being a female 😉

Hi Toggles, I`ve been reading through and like your responses so far. If your serious about building up the client base then as a business you need to explore every avenue , how much and how far is up to you but being stubborn is not a good mind set to have.
Push the lady & don`t go Pink, Why? Because it`s been done, around me there is every Pink & Lady thing you can think of from sparkies to window cleaners, dog walkers being the most common.

 

[rpm]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

I have come across those wives that are all dressed up kinky and such waiting for a hunk of a male plumber 😉

You know you could sell those names & address`s on here right? lol

 

[Chalked]

Re: Female Plumber Starting Own Business

What a great thread ! And good banter.