Van

Discuss Van in the Canada Tile Advice area at TilersForums.com.

M

Mr Tiler

ive left it alone abit to let the comments sink in a little before replying and I just think your too quick to judge guys. believe it or not I actually don't expect to be spoon fed or handed the greatest job in the world... I just want to stick at what I have set out to do from this time last year. now as for experience I can bet every penny I earn this year and next that most guys on here who didn't have a career handed down to them by parents or going to college for 5 years have done jobs with less experience than I have now and even ripped people off. so go and judge them before you come to me ive tried my best to get as much knowledge as possible in a short space of time. im not a dole dosser wasting tax payers money most of it has gone on tools and to say that I have had to learn most of what I know today off my own back I don't think that's lazy at all im more than capable of ripping out a full bathroom and doing it just as good as half of them out there no not you guys obviously because you have spent years mastering what you do and ive been doing it 12 months. lets just see where I am in 12 months time so I can then analyse weather or not it will be a good idea to get another job in the meantime while I carry on learning...
 
M

Mr Tiler

Yes, stay on topic peeps, Put a car on the road to keep costs down, then use the remaining money to print leaflets, bombard your area with them when you have quiet days, get a large STAND OUT advert in your local shops... it will happen, and remember before and after photos
we have already been round with the flyers last week mate also been keeping an eye out for people with skips on there drives/gardens bit of a long shot but they are people who have work done on there houses so always good for the future lol
 

AliGage

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Ash. I will start by saying you won me over and Im full of encouragement for you to succeed.
Life throws poo your way and always when your in a position not to cope with it or finance it.
I've lost my business in the past due to a relationship breakdown. My ex cleaned me out and i went from gaining a mortgage on a spacious four bedroom house and turning over 6 figures with ease a year to being homeless and penniless. 5 years on and Im not back where i was. Only just getting out of rented accommodation now. Being a cats whisker away from bankruptcy is soul destroying. Hurts even more when you can't provide for your kids. So i know in a way how you feel.
If you want this to succeed it will take all the strength you don't have to do it. It does for everybody that starts out self employed. Especially when you're starting from nothing.
The one thing i had when i was in your position which you don't is experience. Not just in tiling but running a business. Being self employed is like working two jobs. The admin can be just as exhausting as your day on the tools.
If you haven't got some funds already behind you then until someone is willing to take you on as a labourer then GRR is probably right.
Do the agency work for an income. Say your bills and get a cheap run around to get to work and cart the family around.
Evenings and weekends get leaflets out. But you have to bare in mind the phone still might not ring for six months after the drop. I did a leaflet drop almost two years ago in and area down here and i still get calls now from people that have it pinned to their fridge. There is a trick with the leaflets im happy to share....

Spend a bit more money and get A5 glossy print on a good quality paper. Feels better in the hand when they pick it up. Also fold the leaflets im half before you go dropping. Fold them perfectly! and here's the important bit . . . .




. . . . hide the advert. Fold the leaflet so they have to open it to see what it is. A good quality paper won't show them what's printed. You then have their undivided attention. Curiosity gets the better of everybody in the end.

Use holidays, weekends and evenings to do your tiling work and bank your earnings. Use the income from tiling to fund the business not the household. Spend that money on tools or removing the business.
Do it that way and give it twelve months and you won't need the agencies anymore. Won't quite be rich but you'll be in a better position to go it alone. Provided the business has shown signs of growth. But your diary will tell you that. :thumbup:
 
D

dave l and l

as deano has pointed out there are a few vans out there that you can get. obviously you are not going to change your mind and get a job, so get out there and get on with it, small jobs first and take your time,
the phone wont just ring because you are self employed you will need to advertise inlocal paper, in magazine, in shops, and tell as many people as you can. but you need to be good to get busier
 
Ash. I will start by saying you won me over and Im full of encouragement for you to succeed.
Life throws poo your way and always when your in a position not to cope with it or finance it.
I've lost my business in the past due to a relationship breakdown. My ex cleaned me out and i went from gaining a mortgage on a spacious four bedroom house and turning over 6 figures with ease a year to being homeless and penniless. 5 years on and Im not back where i was. Only just getting out of rented accommodation now. Being a cats whisker away from bankruptcy is soul destroying. Hurts even more when you can't provide for your kids. So i know in a way how you feel.
If you want this to succeed it will take all the strength you don't have to do it. It does for everybody that starts out self employed. Especially when you're starting from nothing.
The one thing i had when i was in your position which you don't is experience. Not just in tiling but running a business. Being self employed is like working two jobs. The admin can be just as exhausting as your day on the tools.
If you haven't got some funds already behind you then until someone is willing to take you on as a labourer then GRR is probably right.
Do the agency work for an income. Say your bills and get a cheap run around to get to work and cart the family around.
Evenings and weekends get leaflets out. But you have to bare in mind the phone still might not ring for six months after the drop. I did a leaflet drop almost two years ago in and area down here and i still get calls now from people that have it pinned to their fridge. There is a trick with the leaflets im happy to share....

Spend a bit more money and get A5 glossy print on a good quality paper. Feels better in the hand when they pick it up. Also fold the leaflets im half before you go dropping. Fold them perfectly! and here's the important bit . . . .




. . . . hide the advert. Fold the leaflet so they have to open it to see what it is. A good quality paper won't show them what's printed. You then have their undivided attention. Curiosity gets the better of everybody in the end.

Use holidays, weekends and evenings to do your tiling work and bank your earnings. Use the income from tiling to fund the business not the household. Spend that money on tools or removing the business.
Do it that way and give it twelve months and you won't need the agencies anymore. Won't quite be rich but you'll be in a better position to go it alone. Provided the business has shown signs of growth. But your diary will tell you that. :thumbup:

One of the best heartfelt pieces of personnel information and advice I have read on this forum. :hurray:
 

CJ

TF
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Ideal :thumbsup:
 

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