It's true,and it was customer re.ations related. Nothing to do with my shoddy work.
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- Thread starter jaydebruyne
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It's true,and it was customer re.ations related. Nothing to do with my shoddy work.
- May 23, 2015
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- Heating Engineer (Has GSR)
Leo, customer re.ations however nice always end in tears my friend, but it`s good at the time eh?
I'm in my third year now and it has been a struggle, if I hadn't of been living at family's houses and my girlfriend pretty much support me over the last 2 years I wouldn't of made it.
I massively underestimated the cost and effectiveness of advertising and you need to do it a lot when you start up most of the time for little or no reward. Now my adverts have been in mags etc for 6 months or so people ring them but before that the odd 1 or 2.
I went self employed as the wages I was offered down here are a joke £11 an hour so wasn't willing to work for that. I do enjoy it and it's nice being able choose what you want and don't want but it is a lot of hard work.
I massively underestimated the cost and effectiveness of advertising and you need to do it a lot when you start up most of the time for little or no reward. Now my adverts have been in mags etc for 6 months or so people ring them but before that the odd 1 or 2.
I went self employed as the wages I was offered down here are a joke £11 an hour so wasn't willing to work for that. I do enjoy it and it's nice being able choose what you want and don't want but it is a lot of hard work.
Advertising is just a way of losing some money through the books instead of giving to the government! Best way of getting work is still chatting to strangers in strange pubs!!!!!
Hhhhm did that sound right?
I always tell people I'm a lorry driver! Don't need or want any more work!
Hhhhm did that sound right?
I always tell people I'm a lorry driver! Don't need or want any more work!
The worst thing about being self employed for me is the hours you have to put in each day after you come home. Its not an issue at the start but once you get more or less full time booked you can easily spend 10 hours emailing, quoting, answering phones etc each week and that's 10 hours a fully employed person spends on their leisure. It will impact your life more than anything else including extra money you make.
I'm booking on average 2 private jobs daily at the mo, so after work I'm doing those. I use GES which cuts a lot of time for quotes and invoices as it's pretty quick to get stuff done on there.. it's a life saver actually!
But I'm slowly wearing myself out. I'm not really booking much for next week just to chill out a bit and recharge and actually see my daughter before she goes to bed
I've just leased, nationwide vehicle contracts.
New transit custom, fully maintained on 10,000 miles a year for £180 month. Its coming off your tax bill at the end of the day.
Ser yourself a pricelist you stick to, builders / landlords who start haggling or customers on price. Walk away from, you may think you need them as much as they want you but seriously, swerve them an stuck to your guns.
Keep people informed, if you're going to do something on a set date then do it. Become reliable, get the basics right. That in itself is your advertising, word of mouth.
New transit custom, fully maintained on 10,000 miles a year for £180 month. Its coming off your tax bill at the end of the day.
Ser yourself a pricelist you stick to, builders / landlords who start haggling or customers on price. Walk away from, you may think you need them as much as they want you but seriously, swerve them an stuck to your guns.
Keep people informed, if you're going to do something on a set date then do it. Become reliable, get the basics right. That in itself is your advertising, word of mouth.
Get a good balance, whats more important to you? Money? things on the horizon like buying a house etc.
Family? Your own time.
I've got a two year old who goes to bed at 7pm, an I make sure I see her to bed each night. I also take her to nursery, very rarely will you get me out on a job at stupid o'clock.
I do at times for certain people, but gone are the days when my life was totally dictated by customers who would be ringing down the phone "I've no hot water, needs sorting asap! I'll be home after 8pm! "
Money comes and goes, you can't get time back
Family? Your own time.
I've got a two year old who goes to bed at 7pm, an I make sure I see her to bed each night. I also take her to nursery, very rarely will you get me out on a job at stupid o'clock.
I do at times for certain people, but gone are the days when my life was totally dictated by customers who would be ringing down the phone "I've no hot water, needs sorting asap! I'll be home after 8pm! "
Money comes and goes, you can't get time back
Hhhm I always buy my vehicles! Means I carry less debt! And I have 2vans, one is always on standby for the other on to break down!
Right now money is important as I don't want to be renting forever.. but being home in the evenings to see my daughter is also important..
That's a bit excessive! Or are they French, if they are I'd buy another spare van if I was you.
Two vans, two lots of insurance, mot's, maintenance an repair costs and both are assets to your business.
One leased van, no tax, mot or maintenance cost an 100 % tax relief
I gotta big lock up, one van is off the road, and I swop them over each year, keeps mileage low! I never buy brand new either!
Only insure one at a time, and come the winter I gotta 4x4, reckon I'm gonna need it this year!
Only insure one at a time, and come the winter I gotta 4x4, reckon I'm gonna need it this year!
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