Carpet and Floor Cleaning Industry Chat Forum : Comparing businesses https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 21 Jun 2026 08:57:20 +0000 Fri, 25 Nov 2005 23:44:07 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.06 360 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=2118 <![CDATA[Carpet and Floor Cleaning Industry Chat Forum]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/ <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : Go for the landscaping ]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=56461&title=comparing-businesses#56461 Author: jtuseo
Subject: 2118
Posted: 25/November/2005 at 11:44pm

Go for the landscaping]]> Fri, 25 Nov 2005 23:44:07 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=56461&title=comparing-businesses#56461 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : Hey, thanks for your feedback...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55967&title=comparing-businesses#55967 Author: catbert
Subject: 2118
Posted: 21/November/2005 at 5:32am

Hey, thanks for your feedback everyone.

Steaminpile - I do have experience working in a restaurant, though not a quick service food business.  My experience with coint-laundries and self-storage facilities is as an investor not a day-to-day operator.  And unfortuantely, my experience with carpet cleaning and landscaping is on as a consumer.  But I'm coming out of what is primarily a corporate HR background in a number of different industries.  And I'm looking for a major lifestyle change.  I know none of this can replace having to go to work every day in each of these industries and seeing all the ups and downs firsthand, but I don't really have the time or inclination to spend years trying out each of these options.  Boy, I hope that didn't come out wrong.  I don't have a great love for any of these industries.  But they all sound perfectly acceptable to me.  So ergo these questions and a lot of other reasearch I'm doing to try to figure out which industry is the right one for me.

Michael - I do have some roots locally.  And I'm also a real estate investor with a good number of apartments.  So I have relationships with a number of real estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance agents, and some banks.  If I go the carpet cleaning route, I believe I'll be able to keep myself busy.  But I know I won't be happy with only one van, which of course raises a whole new bunch of issues I need to take into consideration.

Anyway, please keep the feedback coming.  This is just what I need to get my head around the idea of working in these industries.

]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2005 05:32:11 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55967&title=comparing-businesses#55967 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : with the right owner any business...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55958&title=comparing-businesses#55958 Author: dontlikedennis
Subject: 2118
Posted: 20/November/2005 at 11:13pm

with the right owner any business is good and profitable.

i know guys who fail at every business they start while others have the Midas touch.

]]> Sun, 20 Nov 2005 23:13:30 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55958&title=comparing-businesses#55958 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : Catbert, I&#039;m in the middle...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55931&title=comparing-businesses#55931 Author: Michael
Subject: 2118
Posted: 20/November/2005 at 8:16pm

Catbert, I'm in the middle of trying to get a new carpet business offthe ground. I have plenty of tech experience, but I've never been abusiness owner. I say this just to qualify myself: I'm working hard butI haven't yet "arrived." Regarding competition, it's not really directamong the small guys, at least not where I am. You just need todistinguish yourself and market well. The big boys, such as StanleySteemer, Coit, and Chem-Dry compete with each other much moredirectly--they market similarly in the same places and play price wars.

If you have strong roots where you live, then you can build aclientelle fairly quickly. I remember when I was a loan officer--fewpeople were interested in letting me handle their refinance (in So.Cal,there are WAY too many mortgage people--the title is practicallysynonymous with "used car salesman"), but when they found out I alsocleaned carpets, they were begging for appts. But then, in San Diego,speaking fluent English is probably enough to distinguish myself. ;)]]> Sun, 20 Nov 2005 20:16:16 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55931&title=comparing-businesses#55931 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : do you have experience in any...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55864&title=comparing-businesses#55864 Author: Steaminpile
Subject: 2118
Posted: 20/November/2005 at 4:12pm

do you have experience in any of these business'???

]]> Sun, 20 Nov 2005 16:12:00 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55864&title=comparing-businesses#55864 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : Thanks Doug. I think you&#039;re...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55855&title=comparing-businesses#55855 Author: catbert
Subject: 2118
Posted: 20/November/2005 at 3:06pm

Thanks Doug.  I think you're right that a number of these businesses could possibly compliment each other.  And that may very well be a way I'd like to go in the future.  But for now, I'm choosing from one of these five.

Obviously there are both positive and negative aspects to each of these businesses.  For example, it seems that with such a low investment needed in order to get started in the carpet cleaning business, going this route opens you up to a constant barrage of new competitors.  On the other hand, such a low initial investment may also mean that the business becomes profitable much sooner.

Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud.

]]> Sun, 20 Nov 2005 15:06:50 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55855&title=comparing-businesses#55855 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : laundry and self storage could...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55708&title=comparing-businesses#55708 Author: doug
Subject: 2118
Posted: 19/November/2005 at 6:05pm

laundry and self storage could go hand in hand with cleaning. the other 2 I am still out on?]]> Sat, 19 Nov 2005 18:05:22 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55708&title=comparing-businesses#55708 <![CDATA[Comparing businesses : I&#039;m considering starting...]]> https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55675&title=comparing-businesses#55675 Author: catbert
Subject: 2118
Posted: 19/November/2005 at 5:40pm

I'm considering starting a carpet cleaning business.  But I'm also looking at a number of other businesses.  So I'm wondering which business would bring the best return on investment.  I know that there are lots of factors that would affect ROI, but I'm just trying to understand which business has better profitability vs. investment.

Anyway, in addition to carpet cleaning, I'm conisdering
- Landscaping
- Coin Laundry
- Self-Storage
- Pizza and/or chicken wing shop

What do you think?  Thanks for sharing your views.

]]> Sat, 19 Nov 2005 17:40:15 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2118&PID=55675&title=comparing-businesses#55675