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Be trustworthy, honest, and respectful

      That expertise, the knowledge and skills to meet challenges and problems and overcome them, is necessary for anyone planning a business venture. The good news is that you can learn almost everything you need to know. You can learn from this book, you can learn from talking with other successful businesspeople, you can take courses, and you can read other manuals. The Internet offers a world of knowledge; stores run do-it-yourself seminars; TV shows provide information on home renovations, organization, and maintenance; and self-help tapes and DVDs are available at your local library. The sources of information are almost endless. And, of course, professional help in areas such as accounting and legal advice are available when you need them (see section 6. of chapter 2).

      Your first step is to think carefully about what you want for your business. If you decide that starting a handyman business is for you, the next step is to take action to ensure your goals become reality. A clear understanding of the risks and rewards of running your own business is a good place to start your thinking process.

      3. Advantages and Disadvantages

      The handyman business, like any business, has its upsides and its downsides. As a handyman, you will work fairly independently, set your own hours, and choose your own customers. But you will also be responsible for finding your own work, estimating how long it takes, and dealing with a new boss (your customer) with every job.

      There are pros and cons of running your own handyman business. For example, an advantage is that you can work independently. A disadvantage is that you are solely responsible for all the work. Another advantage is that you can set your own pay; the disadvantage is that you must sell yourself and your skills to every new customer.

      4. Part Time or Full Time?

      The wonderful thing about having your own business is how flexible it can be. As the owner of your business you can decide when, where, and on what you will work. You will also decide for whom and for how much money. The key is finding the right balance of working the way you want and making enough money to meet your goals.

      Handymen and women are often part-timers. The handyman business is often a great fit for retirees who are too young to stop working entirely, but who don’t want the nine-to-five grind any longer. As a part-time business it also works well for anyone caring for other family members, be they children or elderly parents, and who wants or needs to work part time outside the home.

      But the handyman business can also be an extremely lucrative full-time job. Let’s look at the two options.

      4.1 Part time

      Running a part-time handyman business, and by that we mean less than about 30 hours per week, can work very well if you have other responsibilities that just don’t allow you to work full-time hours. You may choose to work two or three days a week, or you may choose to work only when your time allows (e.g., when your spouse is on shift, or when the children are in school). Whatever works for you, you can be successful if you consider yourself — and sell yourself — as a professional.

      Time management becomes a challenge if you choose the part-time option. As a handyman you are likely to run into jobs that will require long hours to complete and that must be done in one session. For example, a customer might need a staircase painted, and won’t appreciate your disrupting the home by taking three days to complete an eight-hour job. Any jobs that require the power or water supply being turned off are other obvious cases when your schedule should not overly inconvenience your customer. If you choose to work part time, consider carefully how you will meet this kind of challenge and be clear about your schedule up front. One solution might be to team up with another part-time handyman and share some of the jobs, expenses and, of course profits.

      As a part-time handyman, you will need to invest in the same amount of money and energy in starting and developing your business as a full-timer. You will need the same inventory of tools and equipment for completing jobs, a vehicle to get you around, and home headquarters in which to keep your records. A part-timer will likely get the same variety of jobs and will need a similar wide range of skills and abilities as a full-timer. Finally, marketing your business will require the same kind of attention and care as a full-time business.

      4.2 Full time

      Full-time handymen and women are professional and their work should show it. As with those who choose to work part time, a real commitment must be made by full-timers not only to working for customers as they hire you, but in managing your business. Working full time means that you can realize the full potential of your business. You can make a very good wage if you can manage your customers and your business. Full time means scheduling work for yourself, 30 to 45 or more hours per week. Some weeks will be lighter and others will be heavier, but on average you can expect full-time hours and a full-time income.

      Scheduling has its own challenges for those with a full time commitment. You must be accurate with your estimates of how long a job will take. You must also be able to let customers know that if they have additional work they want you to do once you are on site, you may or may not be able to squeeze it in.

      Full-time handymen often have a tendency to never take a day off, a vacation, or even a statutory holiday! As a self-employed person, it’s always tempting to work that one extra hour or day for the extra income, or because you’re not sure when the next job will be offered to you. But be aware, for the sake of your business and your personal health, working full time does not mean all the time.

      How you handle your schedule is up to you and your situation and goals. Consider carefully; if you don’t give your needs the consideration they deserve, you will not be happy in your job, nor are you likely to be successful.

      2

      Getting Started

      1. Your Goals and Expectations

      Whenever you start a new venture or project, it is important to evaluate your expectations and assign realistic goals. By organizing your thoughts and making written goals, you will improve the chances for success tenfold. This chapter explores how to establish and achieve your business goals to set you on the road to success.

      People often avoid goal-setting and tumble through life quite adequately. That is a luxury you cannot afford when starting your own business. Tumbling through life may be fine; tumbling through a business could spell disaster.

      Think seriously about what you want from your business, both from a personal and a financial perspective. Do you want to work two days a week and make a little extra spending money, or seven days a week and make a fortune? It’s up to you. Just remember, you won’t get anywhere if you don’t know where you’re going.

      If you are interested in starting a new handyman business, your first goal is to research the market and prepare for start-up. If you have already put your toe in the handyman waters, you may be looking to expand or professionalize your current business, in which case your goals may include identifying what works and what doesn’t in your current set-up. You might need to think about investing in training, equipment, or advertising to meet your goals.

      Before you go any further, ask yourself these questions:

      • Why are you reading this book?

      • What goals do you have for your business?

      • What do you want your business to look like in two, five, or ten years?

      • How will you know when you have accomplished your goals? (That is, what will be your measure of success?)

      To answer these questions, write down your goals and the interim objectives needed to reach them. Be as specific as possible. Keep in mind that goals can, at times, be moving targets and that adjustments

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