Poker- playing as we speak (or post I should say). Just practicing the technique I have been taught. Getting pretty good at it but still along way to go. Some days it seems fun and others kind of boring. Probably will start doing this for real June 1st and will keep everyone posted a few days a week. Looking into multi tabling later this week. Going to get another poker book later today (Gordon's little green book).
Poop- The plan is in place, it's all down on paper. I thought about doing it myself for about a month but just cant get myself up for it. I have a buddy begging me to get this going and I know I will be kicking myself if I don't pursue this as is no competetion in a 4 county radius for this. 90% chance I try it soon. I have no idea what to expect if I go with it. Just doesn't seem like there is alot of money in it. The start up is really cheap though so that helps.
May has been a weird month for me. I bought a new home and started moving in yesterday. The big stuff go with the movers on Tuesday and the fence gets put in. Still betting baseball everyday (about 30 bets a day_ and am in jeporday of having a losing month (down 6 units for May).
Been reading about some new ideas and I promise I will keep you and others posted if I think of pursinng them (LOL). Just wished I could pinpoint something and then go all out. Real estate seems to be something I may go harder after. This is my busiest time of the year for work and the money is GREAT right now.
Poop- The plan is in place, it's all down on paper. I thought about doing it myself for about a month but just cant get myself up for it. I have a buddy begging me to get this going and I know I will be kicking myself if I don't pursue this as is no competetion in a 4 county radius for this. 90% chance I try it soon. I have no idea what to expect if I go with it. Just doesn't seem like there is alot of money in it. The start up is really cheap though so that helps.
May has been a weird month for me. I bought a new home and started moving in yesterday. The big stuff go with the movers on Tuesday and the fence gets put in. Still betting baseball everyday (about 30 bets a day_ and am in jeporday of having a losing month (down 6 units for May).
Been reading about some new ideas and I promise I will keep you and others posted if I think of pursinng them (LOL). Just wished I could pinpoint something and then go all out. Real estate seems to be something I may go harder after. This is my busiest time of the year for work and the money is GREAT right now.
Ice this is whats killing me with this buddy of yours.
How much of a loser is he if he can't get it off the ground by himself. Lets list what you need to start.
A vehicle (no need to "buy" a truck)
flyers to start the advertising
tools to pick up dog shit
How the hell could this be a hard thing to start up.
This guy you keep talking about that you wants you to start it up must be a loser.
how does he think he will make money anyway. A business like this is strickly a side business that is done from 1 person starting it up and doing all the work.
Might have to hire some kids to pass out flyers and that would consist of your employees. Just not sure how the owner and employee will both make money. Even on paper it's impossible to expect to make money for the both of you.
I know Ice I have started 2 businesses on my own. For you to expect to make money with a small start up business without doing all the work will fail for sure.
How much of a loser is he if he can't get it off the ground by himself. Lets list what you need to start.
A vehicle (no need to "buy" a truck)
flyers to start the advertising
tools to pick up dog shit
How the hell could this be a hard thing to start up.
This guy you keep talking about that you wants you to start it up must be a loser.
how does he think he will make money anyway. A business like this is strickly a side business that is done from 1 person starting it up and doing all the work.
Might have to hire some kids to pass out flyers and that would consist of your employees. Just not sure how the owner and employee will both make money. Even on paper it's impossible to expect to make money for the both of you.
I know Ice I have started 2 businesses on my own. For you to expect to make money with a small start up business without doing all the work will fail for sure.
Fail, I highly doubt. What would happen? We can't afford garbage bags?
The question is how beneficial time to moneywise is it for both of us and can it support that.
I already have a commsion job that I estimate pays me around $50 an hour and so that is what I would have to make for me to take time out it to do this.
If we had a 100 customer base our weekly revenue would be around $1,500 after gas so paying both of us for our time is very possibile.
Why are you so much on the defence. Not sure why you feel there is not a chance of failure. Most small businesses fail Ice thats just a fact.
I don't see you making $50 an hour without doing the work yourself. Like I said in the other post of it is so easy and cheap to start why does this friend need you at all. He must not be the smartest to do it on his own. Is this the type of "employee" you want working for you.
You say 100 customers like its just that easy to get a 100 customers. How do you plan on advertising and to what kind of areas you want to target.
Ice not saying this will fail at all. Just saying for a start up small business the owner has to 90% of all the work. I know I have been there and done that.
How do you price size of yard? # of dogs? The time of when yhey want you there to do the work? Not everyone likes people walking around in thier yards when they are not home. I am sure you have done homework on this.
Hell just get a few vending machines and let them make money while you are at home.
Agree Fair but at this moment there is no client list. And to just say with 100 customers we can make this much money is thinking it's easy to get 100 customers. Fair you know as weel as I do that Michigan is a tough spot right now. Not sure what kind of market there is for this. When money is tight this service would be the 1st to go for regular folks like us.
I love the thought of people trying to go on thier own. Hell that's my goal. I have run into the bad side of the vending business.
Lander I have 2 machines in a private hunt club (no hunting goes on there) They are in a very rich area. You called it vandals, bored rich ass punt kids trying to break in for $40. I go there 2 times a week last 2-3 times I have been there the snack machine has been rocked so damn much shit was everywhere. Also they must of tried to pry it open and smash the door lock. I am looking to get another kind of machine
TRS
not at all being defensive. I never said I needed to make $50 an hour to do this. I said I needed to make $50 an hour to do this over my current job.
The guy I know trains racehorses. Has little or no money right now but someone I know and trust completely. He doesn't want to deal with being bothered with billing and advertising. Just wants to have a little part time gig and a cell phone and gas money. Some guys dont want all the headaches. Just something to supplement an income.
I highly doubt this will lose money for that matter . It becomes a question of how much is your time worth, his and mine.
As far as getting 100 customers, I have ZERO idea and that was my point. If I knew I could get 25 customers in each of the 4 counties than it would be worth spending the time, energy and money to attempt this. What ever i decide to do the amount of time and money I put into means everything on whether or not I do it.
as far as researching the whole process I have actually bough and read 2 books strictly about this subject/line of work.
I agree Ice but to start you must keep the cost low. No need to send bills in the mail. Simply put it in a plan envelope (to start) and leave it in the door. Hell you can pick the money up the same way.No need to mail anything acept advertising. Always keep cost as low as possible wherever you can. Ice I have done it on my own it was great while it lasted and I hope to return to being on my own very soon.
Just seems like sometimes you take things the wrong way.
Never fully trust anyone that has NO money.
LMAO 2 books on a dogshit business. Thats funny to me.
Just seems like sometimes you take things the wrong way.
Never fully trust anyone that has NO money.
LMAO 2 books on a dogshit business. Thats funny to me.
I would say the clientele Iceman needs is upscale. Trying to collect from the wealthy can be just as frustrating as the ones living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Iceman - maybe you could talk to local veterinarians for lists of people with dogs and get started that way.
TRS- nothing would surprise me about break-ins.
100 customers spread over 4 counties seems way to spread out, to me.
CT has 8 counties, Michigan has 83, but about 12X or so larger area, so a county is comparable, that 4 counties would be half the state for me !
I don't think I could cover that area. We had these guys doing 5 lawns an hour including driving time, so that was like maybe a mile between stops, and that allows like 5 minutes to work.
looks like you have to charge like $20+ for 5 minutes of work, that the homeowner could do themself (unskilled work).
I think you need to get the price down to like $12 or so, and get the clients close to each other,like as in a section of one county.
You cant service the 100 in a day, probably lucky to do it in 5 days (20 a day), even that might not be doable spread over an area of probably 2,000+ square miles.
Your high price for this work is going to kill you, I think you have to operate at a loss for awhile, and build it up, say screw making money at first, it will take a few years to get going, even not making money.
The huge area will kill any short term profit,IMO !
Its sort of like mowing lawns with the lawns too far apart.
vIf I knew I could get 25 customers in each of the 4 counties than it would be worth spending the time, energy and money to attempt this. What ever i decide to do the amount of time and money I put into means everything on whether or not I do it.
That sounds like a full-time job to me, for the guy doing the retrieval work !
@20 lawns in a day in that large an area, it seems 8 hours is not easy to do.
At $20 a lawn,that's $400.... guy has to get probably $150 to do it, gas might be $50 alone....wear and tear on vehicle,supplies,postage,advertising,etc.
Sounds iffy to me until established, then it can work.
That sounds like a full-time job to me, for the guy doing the retrieval work !
@20 lawns in a day in that large an area, it seems 8 hours is not easy to do.
At $20 a lawn,that's $400.... guy has to get probably $150 to do it, gas might be $50 alone....wear and tear on vehicle,supplies,postage,advertising,etc.
Sounds iffy to me until established, then it can work.
LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE 7-8 THAT ARE LISTED IN MICHIGAN ALREADY DONG THIS....I STILL DON'T THINK THAT MEANS YOU CAN'T DO IT.
COMPETETION ISN'T ALWAYS A BAD THING -JUST MEANS PEOPLE ALREADY ARE AWARE THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE.
http://www.pooperscooper.com/michigan.htm
COMPETETION ISN'T ALWAYS A BAD THING -JUST MEANS PEOPLE ALREADY ARE AWARE THE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE.
http://www.pooperscooper.com/michigan.htm
