The absolute number one best business to start
Full service car wash.
You see, you probably thought I’d wimp out and not really name one. I mean come on, how can you pick just one business that’s the best for everyone. Isn’t it conventional wisdom that we all have unique personalities & gifts & styles?
But I’ve decided. There is just no question at all in my mind. You want to start a business but you’re not sure what kind of business to start? It’s a full service car wash.
Now you’re mind is whirring & you’re wondering …”Well, ok, that’s interesting – and unexpected. Um … wow. Ok … uh … all right …” And instead of asking the expected question of “Why a full service car wash?” you go with, “Why NOT a self service car wash?”
Good question. Let me ask you a question in response. What is the number one challenge that is unique to home based business owners? I say ‘unique’ because the number one issue for all businesses, large & small, is profit. You know, revenue over expense. Bringing in more money than you send out. Listen to this past week’s StartupNation Radio show to hear Jeff Sloan talk about this with terrific insight in response to a caller asking about how to maximize profits in her business.
(sidebar: if you’re not listening to StartupNation Radio, you really really should. It’s easier than ever – you can simply click on a ‘Listen Now’ button on the specific radio page on the website to hear it immediately over your computer speakers, or you can subscribe to the podcast like I do & then listen later on your iPod while you’re doing the dishes. Every single show is chock full of detailed information on starting & growing your business. We get emails every day from people who tell us that they’ve been inspired by the Sloan brothers and are starting their own businesses. You simply just gotta check it out.)
The answer to my question is:
So the best business to start will have a small team of people that you can personally select & individually get to know and care for. You’ll take great pride in the fact that your business is helping to support their children’s education and braces and a new baseball glove for their birthday. You’ll want to hear about the dance competition of the 6 year old daughter of your office manager. You’ll mentor the 17 year old who spends the summer working at your business part time while deciding what to do with the rest of their life.
No, it’s definitely not a self service car wash.
There is more to talk about regarding this selection of the best business to start, but I’m gonna let you all finish the argument. It’s like in debate class in school. With the premise of: “A full service car wash is the best business to start”, you fill in all the reasons that I’ve left out.
You don’t agree with me? Of course you don’t! How many people are gonna say that a full service car wash is the best business to start? That’s not the point.
The point is, that whatever you decide is the best business to start, is the best business to start. Am I contradicting myself? Well, what do you think – am I?
March 15th, 2006 at 9:51 am
This is going to sound a little Martha Stewart-like but the best business to start is the one that fuels your passion. If you have a thing for the site of sparkling cars rolling out of the car wash, then that’s the business for you (I was going to say Parking Garage in NYC, myself).
Isolation is the thorn in all business start ups, whether you go it alone or with a small team. I say that because the entrepreneur [i]is[/i] isolated by his/her very nature. You alone conceived your idea and you alone can see the vision.
Yes it is nice to have a small community around you, but even then there are times when people [i]don’t get[/i] you.
On the other hand, you are never not around people, I work alone in my home office (no offence to my resident Labrador) but I have vendors, advertisers, illustrators, media, etc. folks to deal with everyday.
Hopefully, you are getting energy and ideas from everyone who touches your business.
And if you’re really lucky, you’re logging in to S.U.N. everyday for even more of a feeling of community and education.
March 15th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
Well said, Kim.
I would feel sorry for the customers who used my car wash. I tend to rely on God to wash my truck. Nothing beats a good downpour.
Matt S.
March 15th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
And then there are days when the only friend you have is the Food Network…(crickets chirping today…lol).
Matt it’s supposed to snow here in nyc…
March 15th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Although isolation is certainly a problem for many home-based entrepreneurs, we were surprised to find from our recent Home Office From Hell contest that this was not the biggest problem by any means.
Interestingly enough the #1 problem is lack of respect. Although home businesses are now much more accepted than they were a few years ago, most home-based entrepreneurs find that they are not taken as seriously as their "real" office counterparts.
With comments such as:
When potential clients hear that I work out of my home, they respond with "Oh, so you’re not a REAL business."
“No Mom, I really do have a job and I’m still not unemployed.”
My friends think that ”I work from home” is code for ”I never miss Oprah” or ”I lounge and pop bon-bons all day”.
when my customers realize I work from home they negotiate for lower prices because they think I have no overhead.
My family always asks me for SMALL favors throughout the day as if I had no job.
My husband really thinks I need to get a "real" job.
having relatives drop in on you, just to hang around "since you don’t have a real job"
having to convince your neighbors that your not a drug dealer or a fugitive.
These are just a few examples of the "lack of respect" comments that we have received.
They say perception is reality and although we have come a long way, home-based entrepreneurs still have a long way to go before that perception changes in a meaningful way.
March 15th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
Jeff I have walked more neighborhood dogs because people think I’m home watching Oprah during the day, or I that I ‘d gotten fired from my "real" job.
But these comments you’ve mentioned tell me that there should also be pride…when I receive comments such as these…I am more than happy to tell people about The Pet Set (www.the-petset.com)…as soon as they hear the dog connection, they tend to look at me differently.
And by the way, there is NOTHING wrong with watching Oprah.
March 16th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
In discussions with my customers I speak about my business in terms of our "virtual offices". I operate a good portion of my business activity from my home office, and a good deal from outside my home as well. I’m involved in several business networking organizations, I have speaking engagements, I meet with customers and prospects and take advantage of various other opportunities to promote and market my business.
I operate a security company that includes security guards (and other physical security services. In addition, we offer a full suite of background screening services for emloyment and tenant purposes.
While part of my business has a somewhat local customer base, the other part is offered nationwide. I have a team of people that work with me and for me - all from "virtual offices". For example, I have several sales agents located in economic growth areas around the country. I have customer service representatives who also work from "virtual offices". Our systems are structured in a way that supports this. And, our systems are also safely housed in a location where they are safe and supported 24/7 with numerous backups in place. All of these issues were considerations for me when I began to plan for this business.
My point is, for my business a home based office makes the most sense. Where would I put an office? Guards work on all different posts - they don’t need an office to come to. And, why would I want to limit a sales office to one geographic location? And, where would I house my systems and how do I plan for redundancy and backup?
I don’t hide the fact that I work from a virtual office. I think it demonstrates a sound business decision. When selecting a vendor, I look at expertise and service as the key factors - not the location of their office. So, if there are still folks out there who think less of a busines because it’s home based, then they are potentially missing out on opportunities to working with some terrific businesses!
So, I’m kind of off point now so I’ll get back to it. Being a home based business owner does not necessarily mean you’re isolated. Or, less respected.
March 16th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
Linda very true in your case and a very sound approach. I have never felt disrespect…I think it’s possible that we bring that on ourselves during those rare moments of self-doubt.
I think for me the isolation that is being discussed tends to happen at the beginning stages of development up through the launch period…especially since I’d been in the corporate environment for 20 years…it was a culture shock.
But like you, my business is virtual, (except for those customers who refuse to get a computer…lol) my home office is headquarters.
March 17th, 2006 at 9:41 am
The link above didn’t work. Let’s see if [link=http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1725982&page=1' target='_blank']this one works[/link]?
March 17th, 2006 at 10:34 am
I agree with Linda that the way to beat isolation is getting out there in the community! I belong to numerous networking groups; I usually have to be fairly picky and can’t attend everything. However, I have one group in particular that meets on a weekly basis (Leads club). I consider this my weekly ’sales’ meeting and the other members as my co-workers. We stay in touch via email throughout the week as well.
I’m in the process of hiring 2 more consultants and truthfully, that’s my least favorite aspect of running my business so I think I’m better off working alone!
I saw Primetime last night too; that was a great one! I’m so glad they didn’t show the pictures of the one girl that fell short 2 lbs - I was so relieved for her!
I too was thinking of the game theory in respect to my own business and realize that I already do that, to some extent. I know exactly how many clients need to close each month in order to remain profitable and if I start to slip, the pressure rises and I step up my calls, networking, marketing, etc…This consistently works for me.
March 17th, 2006 at 11:04 am
Lauren your approach fits in well with Joel’s "Grassroots" marketing blog for today.
I do not have a sales background so I have to work a little harder than some to leverage new leads. But I’m working on it…I truely believe in my product and that helps me with my pitch.
March 17th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
As a previous owner of a full service car wash, I can tell you that it is probably one of the worst types of businesses to start…bad weather, too many employees, high startup costs, equipment problems, zoning problems, etc. As a matter of fact, virtually noone is building these anymore. Ten years from now they may not even exist. That being said, the new paradigm for car washing is called the Exterior Express. Thousands of new investors with no prior experience are jumping into the car wash business to grab market share with this new format. It’s as revolutionary to car washing as digital cameras were to traditional film.
March 17th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
I love the "virtual office" term! Never heard that one before - but I’m going to use it!
When thinking about what’s the best business, people should also take into consideration their own personality. Are you a "people person" or a "project person"? Do you have excellent written communication skills, verbal, or both? Are you trend savvy, artistic, mechanical, nurturing, efficient, a teacher, musical, a problem solver, financially minded, a people leader, self-motivated, etc.? There is something (a niche) you’ve been naturally created for.
Myself, I’m a project person for sure. So for me, the constant interaction isn’t necessary for my psyche. And having a home office (virtual office) with an internet website business is perfect!
I feel the same as Kim - have to work hard at selling because it isn’t the best fit for my personality and experience, but believing in my service’s value helps a lot.
March 17th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
As a business owner who has worked from home and has also had leased offices (multiple at one time), I can tell you nothing beats working from home, provided the conditions are right:
Be clear about your work area and keep personal stuff out and vice-versa
Be very assertive with friends and family about business hours and obligations…they will get it.
Be goal oriented and go at it…if things are slow then switch to priority task oriented activities
Use technology to your fullest advantage
Ward off isolation by joining relevant web conferences, schedule teleconferences, run mail/library errands as a routine
Great Advantages:
Save lots on office lease and expenses - PROFIT!!!
Save commuting time - more time for you so take a power nap!
Avoid commuting traffic stress!
Enjoy the flexibility
Eat good healthy food
Schedule in regular excercise
March 17th, 2006 at 5:34 pm
So I’ve been going through this and I couldn’t really see how a car wash would be the "best" business (too dependent on the weather). I think the best business would be helping other startups. How you work out making money in the process would take some creative thinking that I’m not yet willing to tackle, but money isn’t everything. Think about it…when you help startups you get to talk to many different people about a variety of different businesses so you aren’t alone in your home all of the time. You can apply your business knowledge to help other people (and if you don’t have the knowledge, it’s a good reason to get it). Each time a business that you helped succeeds, you know that you were a part of that (nice little moral boost). And if a business doesn’t do too well, you know that you tried as hard as you could…the rest lies on the owners shoulders (this is assuming you tried your best). When you think about it, once you’ve helped enough businesses, you will have that much bigger of a network to call upon when you have your next business idea. Seems to me Startup Nation might have the best business.
March 17th, 2006 at 9:54 pm
Very interesting comments. I have had a housecleaning business for 24 years in a small rural community. I started out with and idea and a passion (real important) and worked very hard to keep it all toagether. I now have 13 employess (mostly good days, but some not so good days, too!) I do not feel isolated because of the fact that I see these people every day. But, I have many, many times felt alone in what I was doing. At this stage of the game I am ready to find my exit strategy. I know this should have been part of my business plan (?) but life got in the way and I do not have a plan. Any suggestions?
March 17th, 2006 at 11:57 pm
Hi Pat..I think you are right, isolation doesn’t always mean being stuck alone in your home office…sometimes it can simply mean that you are alone with your thoughts.
I would ask…is there a way to stretch or reshape your original business model. Are there a few really good customers whose homes you could clean in a more robust fashion, perhaps giving you the opportunity to work with less employeesl, while taking some time to think about your next steps?
Or is there a way in your community to convince some corporate offices about how great your services are so that you can have a different venue, meet different clients?
Or are you saying that you want to get out of the cleaning business all together?
I rent a home on the Jersey Shore each year (yes, Joisey) and at the end of my stay, a cleaning service comes in to prepare the home for the next tenants. During the off-season, many of these services simply have one or two clients who pay extra for top to bottom cleaning…maybe there is something in that thought process?
March 18th, 2006 at 7:48 pm
I think it is important for home-based entrepreneurs to figure out what’s important to them and where they want to see themselves and their business in 5, 10, 20 years down the road.
As evidenced by some of the above comments, many home-based entrepreneurs love working from home. They are happy right where they are, they’re making a good living and they (for the most part) do not want to expand or grow their business to the point where they’ll need to move out of their home office. They have made a life-style choice to remain at home, even if that means putting the brakes on their business by not hiring employees or taking on too many clients.
This group of entrepreneurs have created a life-style blend of having a successful (albeit, relatively small) business and being able to remain at home with their spouse, kids & pets and there is certainly a lot to be said for that.
Then there are those home-based businesses that see their home office as a temporary, but necessary, first step to creating a larger business. They want to minimize their overhead while they grow their business and they know that once they’ve reached the point that they need to hire employees that they will probably have to move out of their home office and into a "real" office.
These are the home-based entrepreneurs that want to create a large, or in some cases, a world-class company and follow in the footsteps of Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Steve Jobs of Apple, Michael Dell of Dell Computers, Richard Branson of Virgin, Bill Gates of Microsoft …and yes…Martha Stewart–who all started as a home-based business.
There are also some home-based business that have figured out how to grow their businesses larger than the typical home-based business while still allowing themselves to enjoy many of the benefits of remaining at home.
Linda and her "virtual offices" are a good example of that, but I suspect that if she continues to enjoy good success, that eventually she will need to move to a "real" office. That time may come when it becomes operationally more efficient to have the various components of her business operating under one roof. This is especially true of the administrative functions - accounts receivable/payable, payroll, insurance, legal, advertising, IT, etc. I would imagine that functions like sales will still need to be spread out geographically.
Like most things in life, there is no right or wrong answer. It all depends on what’s right for you. Obviously the decision might be different for someone in their 20s or in their 50s or maybe not –Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken first started franchising his business at age 65!!
Anyway, just some thoughts for a Saturday night!!
May 16th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Let me tell you something, Jeff from 3-15-06. Lack of respect cannot be the #1 problem for those who are self employed. Or more accurately it wouldn’t be for me. When someone chooses to be self employed, I’m sure a lack of respect is the last thing on their minds. With impending bills and the uncertainty of profits from day to day, I, personally, would be more conserned with what the bill collector has to say rather than my neighbors. For me, I can’t wait for the day when my neighbors are going to think that I need to get a "real job" while they are getting in their cars to go to their 9-5. Helping someone else achieve THEIR dreams and get gas for THEIR planes. While I sit at home watering the lawn in the middle of the day, and making money with my online store. Please think ill of me for sitting at home enjoying life while the 9-to-5′ers give their lives to someone who can pull the plug on their future at the drop of a hat.
No, I want them to think ill of me for sitting at home learning how to make the Barefoot Contessa’s granola, and making money at the same time.
Shout-out to my Food Network Peeps!
May 16th, 2006 at 6:40 pm
I must say, I am looking forward to the day when I can lease a small amount of space to create a "real" office. Yes it’s a pleasure to be able to work from home at the moment…but I am looking to grow my business.
November 9th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
I have a home office and an office at the brokerage I work for. The isolation and lack of interaction I was glad to hear someone else comment about. And yes, people say I don’t have a "real job" as a real estate agent!