Why don't more people do carpet cleaning?

authenticentrepreneur

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Andy Authentic
I am going to start my business......from what I can tell not easy but doable.

Any ideas about why more people don't give it a try?

It seems to have the potential to be lucrative, to be a stepping stone to offer more home services as one builds relationships with customers who trust them.

Some ideas I have thought of:

1) Some people really have issues with taking shit from people/the public (beneath their dignity).....one will eventually have some unreasonable customers who will mistreat you.

2) The work may have a certain blue collar stigma attached to it (there is a reason why many young men who grow up upper middle class go to college, get lots of debt and may or may not get a decent job from it.........rather than becoming a plumber right out of high school which would involve very little or zero debt and virtually guarantee a job......the reason the cultural/due to the blue collar stigma of some jobs).

3) It seems to be a job almost only for men (although I am sure that some female carpet cleaners do exist). That automatically eliminates half of the population.

4) Shyness/being intimidated about going into strangers' homes AND the intimidation of being a business owner......at 38 I have much more confidence than I used to. However at say 22 or even 28 I may not have had the confidence to start a business and to have the level of confidence and assertiveness that may be required.
 

Desk Jockey

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Rico Suave
It's hard work and most people don't want to work hard. It can be rewarding but at the end of the day most people love the money but want an easier way of earning it.
 

authenticentrepreneur

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It's hard work and most people don't want to work hard. It can be rewarding but at the end of the day most people love the money but want an easier way of earning it.
Would most people be too tired to exercise (go to the gym) after a day of carpet cleaning?
 
F

FB19087

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and tons of people get into carpet cleaning.....although I'm sure it is area dependent new ones pop up here all the time.

a better question would probably be why so many come and go.........capital and customers
 
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Mike Pailliotet

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and tons of people get into carpet cleaning.....although I'm sure it is area dependent new ones pop up here all the time.

a better question would probably be why so many come and go.........capital and customer

Gingivitis
 

randy

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There is a 25% turnover every year. Approximately 25% go out of business and 25% start up. My advice is get your marketing really dialed in from DAY ONE. Capture your customers emails and have quarterly specials, upholstery cleaning etc .

Don't get carried away with diversification ! There are people that will sell you on the idea of a rug plant, air duct cleaning, flood restoration, insulation installation, selling air purifiers and vacuums, window washing and even house watching / sitting service. Resist the urge to rollout 16 zillion services. Learn to walk before you run. I would clean carpet & upholstery and ALL hard floor surfaces to start and leave it at that for a while. Specifically I would work very hard at getting commercial work. Offices, dentists , churches, daycare centers and assisted living places.
 

Mike Pailliotet

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And showers..
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Willy P

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Would most people be too tired to exercise (go to the gym) after a day of carpet cleaning?
In my mid forties up until I hit around 55 I would do a 5 mile run in the morning, work all day and weight train for an hour to an hour and a half after supper. I.d do three days on with the weights and one day off. Some weeks I would do 5 on and 2 off. I was in amazing shape but it took a lot of devotion. 64 now with a bad heart but I still work every day. Being well paid for instant gratification is awesome.
 

BIG WOOD

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Matt w.
think about this. being a good carpet cleaner doesnt make you a good business owner.
I agree.

How well does the owner of ZR clean carpet himself? I doubt he's ever ran a cc van. It must be nice
 
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