Start-up Successes and Failures

Let's hear some start-up stories! Although I've been out of the business for two years, I am beginning to think that my former twenty years of asphalt handling have seeped into my bloodstream and contaminated my brain with an addiction that no drug can satisfy. I am considering starting a company doing repairs/small jobs with no employees. Anybody tried it? Successes? Failures? Yoda-like insights?>>>

I think Woody summed it up. You would need a 10 yr. or longer referral base and dont have to spend much or anything at all on advertising. Plus not waste much time running leads that never turn into a job. With new calls we average maybe 15-20% turning into jobs and referalls are around 75-80%. However, these new leads that do turn into jobs also turn into the future referalls and the customer base continues to grow rather than shrink.>>>

I'm not necessarily stuck on repairs, but I am not ready to get back into hiring/firing/where's joe today/i need gas money/who took the compressor ordeal again. But I can see the value in having a helper or two when needed. Heck, me and a couple twenty-something know-nothings could roof a house in a couple days to a week, and I'm okay with that. I am trying to stay away from going into debt buying trucks and equipment. Woody, your point about motivation is right on target too. It sounds like you three are where I want to be: build my customer base up again, work off of referrals, put in a good day's work to be proud of, teach my kids a good craft, and stop chasing the bigger better deal. >>>

I've thought about that myself LR. Doing just repairs/small jobs. But after much consideration i dont think its a good move. There is good money in repairs but much better money in replacements. I think it would be hard to pay all your expenses on repair monies only. Especially starting from scratch. Now if you were in GKRFG's position then it might work out. We just finished 2 mid-sized replacement jobs that took 7 days total. We would of had to do 30-40 repairs to make the same profit. I looked in the local newspaper yesterday and their were like 12 guys advertising in there for repairs. So lots of competition out there. You can do replacements with just 1 or 2 helpers. If you think a replacement will take you and a helper 3 days then just tell your customer 4 days and let them know you work with just 1 helper. They will be happy when you finish in 3 instead of dissapointed. Thats actually a good selling point. That you do all the important detail work personally. So if someone wants a replacement done that you could make $3,000 off of in two days what would you do? Refer me and GKRFG? :cheer:>>>