Self employment pros and corns. Any suggestions will be appreicated

[Tanya52]

Dear all,

 

I hope you would not mind me asking your piece of advice. I’m working part time as a library assistant but I used to be a domestic assistant in a hospital for a few years. It was the best job for me. I loved doing it and still miss it.

 

I have a nagging suspission that they will make me redundant this or next year. Our library is underfunded for many years: all pieces of our equipment are pathetic and Harry Potter’s furniture brings tears to your eyes . So I thought, I can try to go solo and work for myself doing a cleaning job. My first obstacle is that I don’t have a social network to find a few employers. The second is that I don’t drive because of my dispaxia.

 

I would be very appreciative for any suggestion.

thanks

Tanya

[anewman]

Tthere's nothing to say you cannot look into it. Look around, find out what people pay the big cleaning companies, how much they would be willing to pay you and if they would be happy to use your service (bearing in mind many will say yes but effectively mean no when you offer them a service). See if there are any training courses/certificates you can get that may be relevant. How much liability insurance would cost and so on. If you can get together a business plan which takes account of all possible costs and eventualities and looks like it may work and eventually be profitable then it may be something to look into. Sadly I doubt it will compare well with finding a standard employed job, particularly if driving would not be possible.

[DameBeverage]

Hello,

 

I have been self employed before. There was a plan to make me redundant so I trained in teaching aerobics and low and behold as soon as I qualified I got made redundant . I did get a part time employed job and at the same time I started teaching aerobics and also became a health and fitness adviser for one to one clients. A year later I was made redundant from the employed job so really started to market myself as self employed and did it full time. I was able to drive so I got a moped with my redundancy money to get me from A to B. I didn't earn much but enough to live on.

 

I went to business link to get some idea of what I needed to know regarding being self employed, as it is a lot of paperwork and needing to manage money and being responsible for your own tax calculations.

 

Not sure what you mean by part-time at the library, but what about doing some self employed work while you are still in employment? You could stay local. As Anewman said, you do need to do some investigations in your area if there is a space for you within the market and what the going charges are for cleaning.

 

It would be about getting known for good quality work. Once your good reputation gets around work will come your way from word of mouth, but some marketing is necessary.

 

At present I am nowhere near able to become self employed in the same field of work I did, due to ill health and physical constraints, but if you feel you would like to try, have a look into it and see if it would work in your area in the field you plan. Driving for me is what gave me more opportunities. so I think this could cause some difficulty, but this depends on the area you live.

 

It is something to think about, if you feel you want to try. Get some up to date advice, because things do change when governments change. I would like to see if I could do something self employed, but need to think hard, due to my health difficulties. If I could think of something that doesn't need too much travelling and too much contact with people then I will consider it.

 

Anyway, good luck let us know what you decide

 

DBx

[Tanya52]

Hi Newman,

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

I've been thinking about it too. I need to start with my business plan and think how much cleaning and how many clients I can handle. I can’t use these very heavy pieces of equipment but I wouldn’t need to – it’s not a hospital. I’ve an NVQ2 in cleaning, but my disability adviser promised his support in case I need a refresher. I can look after my accounts because I’m not a stranger to it too. I looks quite good. I have no idea about self-marketing but very keen to learn.

 

Tanya

[Tanya52]

Hello DameBeverage,

 

What a wonderful positive message, many thanks.

 

I’m about to finish my degree in English his summer. So I’ll have more time for my marketing research and business plan. I think that I can handle all paper work myself. I assume that nobody likes doing it but it must be done. I feel a bit uneasy about negotiating with potential clients – my social skills can be on a way. I need a sound piece of advice about it and your experience can be very precious here.

 

Thanks

TanyaX

[zeldasmum]

If you have a local chamber of commerce these I recommend signing up with these. Here is the link to my local chamber to give you an idea of the services they offer http://www.sthelenschamber.com/

 

If you google your area name alongside chamber of commerce if you have one it should be listed.

 

They offer help for business start ups, business plan help, grants about £1500 split into two payments, marketing seminars amongst others, accountants for first year, networking help and lots of other useful help. (all free)

 

Good Luck

[DameBeverage]

Hello Tanya

 

If you've managed a degree as well as working, then I see no reason why you couldn't try self employment once your degree ends. You will just be replacing one challenge (your degree) with another challenge (self employment). A degree needs a great deal of social ability, because of the group work you need to do and the contact you need to research your topic (unless you did it distant learning). All you need to do is see if you can transfer that ability into the work.

 

Personally I would never have tried if someone didn't say why don't you become an aerobic instructor (because of my interest in it and being very fit). I said no to begin with because I thought my social ability and shyness would not provide the ability, but I was annoyed with myself for even saying it. I questioned my own answer. How did I know I wouldn't be able to do it? So I booked on the training, which when my employed job was threatened it made me at least try. I miss it sooo much.

 

I do recommend that you keep your part time job going, especially in the first year of trying it out, as the first year is what allows you to see if it will work and gives you a little bit of stability. The main key is get very knowledgable about the field, the market, the self employment structure and any support that is out there, before launching and this will provide the confidence and drive to help you succeed.

 

Once I get my living environment more stable and get to know my new ability, I might look at it myself more seriously. I would have to get an employed part time job first to help me get back to a level of ability to be around people and being out and about for 8 hours??? Let's see what the year brings both of us <'>.

[anewman]

A degree needs a great deal of social ability, because of the group work you need to do and the contact you need to research your topic (unless you did it distant learning). All you need to do is see if you can transfer that ability into the work.

Not to put a downer on it but I did a degree and waded through the group work by remaining on the periphery and letting others lead and delegate, and doing the minimum necessary. Group work and presentations were the most difficult part of the courses for me, but luckily they only made up a small proportion of the course. I did poor at the group work and presentations, but still managed to do well overall. I guess it all depends on level of ability though. When it came to the project, which involved recruiting participants as I was studying Psychology, I used an internet questionnaire which completely removed the need for me to approach people - and provided an opportunity to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of research on the internet. I find it easier to communicate with people when I get to know them so I found the one on one project supervision relatively ok.

 

As we know people on the spectrum can vary greatly in ability on these skills and only an individual will know how well they can handle certain situations.

[DameBeverage]

Anewman,

 

Yes, you are right about the social concern. It is something that would need to be assessed by each individual on where they are in the present time with regards to how much they feel able to take on. Personally I see anything as an achievement, even the smallest thing, and even if you do have some avoidance coping mechanism tactics in social situations to get through, it all shows great staminar and determination to complete something that is known to be difficult, but we still do it and it doesn't stop us doing it.

 

I think, from my own experience, even small achievements feel greater, because of basic daily difficulties that get in the way to achieve. The self satisfaction though that I remember feeling after every day is what made it all worth while. I found that you do eventually get to know a kind of script, which makes it so much easier the longer you do something. In a profession or career that is needing people contact, you do learn to perhaps tolerate, but also get by from tactics set and also scripting.

 

It isn't being a downer by stating of the social problems, it is being realistic. I personally can see a great deal of achievements under the belt of the OP, that, feel it is worth seriously thinking about trying. Self employment would be a challenge, but we complete challenges everyday of our lives. Becoming knowledgable is important though in each new challenge.

 

My philosophy in life is that you only fail if you never try at all. What other people might see as failure, I don't, because I always learn something from each challenge, even if they don't turn out out the way I expected. Also, in my experience, the more you do, the more you can do, so it is about building up at your own pace, so whatever stage you are at in your life, to not run before walking. For us our conditions need to be accommodated and considered in everything we do and this is just being realistic, but it should never stop us trying.

 

I hope I've made sense. It is difficult to put things down on paper to try and explain something that is just in my head in pictures as my own map of the way I have achieved.

Edited January 10, 2011 by DameBeverage

[Tanya52]

Dear Mikeysmum,

 

My gratitude for you message and a piece of advice.

 

It's definitely what I was looking for.

Tanya :)X

[Tanya52]

Dear DameBeverage,

 

My challenge is to find a few good employers. What do I mean by good?

Give you an example. My friend used to clean for a woman who demanded to clean her 4 bedrooms house in an hour. Some people have unrealistic expectations. Speedy cleaning doesn’t give you the best quality. I takes me 2.5 -3 houses to clean my own 2 bedrooms house.

 

Another thing is negotiating my contract with a potential employer. I think that it’s very important to agree what is and isn’t my job from the beginning. I guess that the first step can be to write a list of tasks and to time them.

 

And one last thing. My other friend was cleaning for her employer for many years ( over 8 y.)and her pay rate had never changed. However when my friend had holidays, her employer recruited a casual lady for much bigger payment (1/3 over). My friend wasn’t very happy about it but said nothing. I mean can we renegotiate our contract later?

 

thanks X

[DameBeverage]

Hello Tanya

 

Now, you have brought up some great examples within the cleaning industry that does need considering. I am not familiar with the cleaning industry as such, but I have worked in the hospitality industry. I just want to highlight that you are calling clients 'employers' and also being 'employed'. Now I think in the cleaning industry I can see that clients may see you as being employed if they accept you as a cleaner in their 'home', especially if they are the ones that advertised the position and so feel they may have the control on payments they give a person and also what they demand.

 

Being employed and being freelance is different and this would need to be established within the relationship early on. If you are applying for a position that, say, was advertised, it is probable that the client would expect you to be freelance, any other way would be seen as a form of tax evasion, such as cash in hand jobs without declaring them, unless the client actually is an employer and would be paying you the minimum wage with them dealing with all the employed status tax/national insurance/P60 stuff. this would definitely have to be quizzed to clarify the situation and the post that comes available.

 

Any new business is always advised to do a business plan. To be able to do a business plan you do need to know the going rates and how many hours you plan you need to do to break even in money terms, and to do that you would need to know how long a job would take you. Also where you see yourself in 1 year and 5 years, that sort of thing, and perhaps what makes your business unique from other cleaning businesses. All this would need great thought. You are definitely on the right track with trying out how long it takes you to do a particular task and price, and thinking about quality.

 

You do need to be up to date with charges and, if you do want to provide high quality it is important to do that. Quality does mean different to people, so establish what you call quality and then provide it consistently. This would definitely be important if in future you want to go into commercial cleaning for companies, so if it was me, I would check how fast I could clean and still keep the quality you wish to provide. Having this information provides you the confidence to negociate. Something that would give you some control is that you to go to potential clients rather than just applying to an advert of theirs, get some business cards, or leaflets, as an idea.

 

If you know a number of people/friends with houses or flats that you could use as mock clients then do so. So ask them if they would act as a potential client and so they give you an idea of what conversations come up in first contact and use the practise to build your negociation skills. Also perhaps to physically clean a room to their requirements and your quality and then get feedback. I used to give some clients a feedback form, so I could learn to be even better by adapting if I viewed it would improve the service and therefore my reputation. Anyway, that's enough for now. Hope this gets your brain cells working.

 

Best wishes

DB x

[Tanya52]

Hello DameBeverage,

 

I can do a few mock cleaning sessions and ask them for references – what a great idea. I can do it for timing + their feedback. In our library we have 5 reader groups and perhaps I can find some employment by word of mouth. I would like to be a registered freelancer and to pay my NI, tax and whatever I have to pay including my small private pension.

 

My colleague told me that next week our council's executives are going to propose 2 cost cut scenarios. According to the ‘soft one’ 5 of our libraries will be closed and to the ‘horrible one’ -13. The last one means my redundancy. It can happen even before I finish my degree.

 

So much for ‘keeping frontline public services’ and ‘we all in it together’!

 

The best thing is that I’m going to finish my degree without any debts. I’ve been working here 4 years, done my NVQ2 and shall ask for references - I sure need them.

 

Would you mind if I save on my PC a couple of your messages. I’d like to read again taking some notes.

many thanks

Tanya X

[bid]

Sorry, late to your thread Tanya

 

Many years ago when my children were all very little I thought about setting up a cleaning and ironing service...I did do the latter for friends for a while.

 

One thing I thought about was how I was going to make myself a bit 'different' from everyone else. So, even though there was only going to be just me, I thought it would be good to have a business name, and get some cards made and a couple of sweatshirts printed up with it so that I came across as very professional. I also thought about how I was going to present my services...so the ironing was in traditional whicker baskets, etc.

 

I also planned to offer more services once I got going...just things like dropping off/collecting dry cleaning.

 

Well, none of this ever really happened because I promptly became pregnant with my fourth baby, but I did enjoy planning things I wanted to offer a really good, professional service that would make me stand out from the other individual cleaners. When I was pregnant with that last baby I did have a cleaner...who just gave things a lick and a promise, and brought my ironing back smelling of cigarette smoke!!

 

I think if you do a really good job, people will treat you like gold dust and want to hang on to you...good luck, and I really hope everything works out for you. I also think such a little business actually has huge flexibilty and potential...you can develop it to suit you, and stay little or expand to take over the cleaning world!

 

Bid

 

(Can't for the life of me remember now what name I thought of, but it was really catchy! )

 

ETA: there's a local cleaner here who has bright fuschia pink hair, and drives a little van with her cleaning company name 'The Pink Pixie Cleaning Company' down the side, with little fairies and pixies all over it...she wears a bright pink sweatshirt with her logo and I just think how brilliant!

Edited January 14, 2011 by bid

[DameBeverage]

Hello DameBeverage,

 

Would you mind if I save on my PC a couple of your messages. I'd like to read again taking some notes.

many thanks

Tanya X

 

Yes Tanya, you are very welcome to use the posts that you find useful. I hope they do help in your decisions.<'>

 

I am so sorry to hear about your job situation. It is going to be a tough journey for many - don't get me on the political topic about 'we're all in it together!' It is like.... You know what I mean?

 

[Tanya52]

Dear Bid,

Nice to meet you.

 

Thank you so much - every suggestion is important to me. And I think all of your ideas are very creative and have this 'feel good about my job’ factor.

 

When I see anywhere that someone is dropping some pieces of litter I made an effort not to pick it up and put into the litter box. I observed that some older ladies do it but I’m afraid that other will judge me and think that I’m ‘simple’ that wandering streets looking for litter.

 

I think I need a bit of a social skills training because I’m keen to learn negotiating with my clients about a contract. For example my clients might have pets that pooh or pee on a clean carpet of children can mess around after I’ve done cleaning than my job will be never finished. I’m perfectly capable to clean any body fluids or such but I need to set some boundaries from the beginning because it’s important. I also don’t like when people use or manipulate me ( I get angry but don’t know how to handle it) or take me for granted. I just need some social skills training what and how to say it right. I hope to find some books in my uni’s library because I need to practice it before I start.

 

Thanks

[Tanya52]

Dear DameBeverage,

 

I hope you are doing well.

 

Today I received a letter terminating my current contract. The council executives decided to make redundant all 4,500 employers and than to reemploy some under a new contract. For example in a new contract the redundancy compensation is a half of previous. So, it’s obvious that they are trying to make their ‘efficiency savings’ out of those of my colleagues who they’re going to make redundant after April.

 

We don’t take requests and buy new stock till after April.

 

It’s sad but there’s a positive side too. I’ve met some wonderful people, learnt a lot and had a nice time. It might be right time to move on with my life and take a new challenge. The library is a very safe and predictable environment for me, it’s why I love it so. I don’t take changes very easily but I’ll do the best I can.

 

Also I might be lucky and they leave me be.

 

thanks

[DameBeverage]

Hello Tanya,

 

I am sorry to hear of the redundancy. You have a great way of thinking, to look for the positives and not just a redundancy as a negative. I find that this is something I do, so acknowledging the negatives, but also trying to see the positives. You are right that it will bring opportunities that you can try. I always believe things happen for a reason to direct towards what we are meant to do and not what we are comfortable with.

 

When I got made redundant, I bought a moped with my redundancy money so that I could use it to travel between fitness clubs, which was the best investment I made. I did get another employed position (part time) so I had some stability while setting up. If you see it as a challenge then it is a positive way to take things on. It allows you to make mistakes without judging yourself too harshly. I think, in my experience, at times I have needed to learn from mistakes, and that goes with social skills too.

 

I was in the hospitality industry for 25 years, so I did learn a certain way of communicating that was sort of rehurst, even eye contact was fine as it was part of the job. I remember at college, I became year representative and the first time I went to a meeting I had everything written down what I wanted to say. I was very nervous and you could hear it in my voice and I was shaking, but I did it. It taught me a lot about not worrying too much about how others feel. I do rehurse things though and it is sensible to do so, even for the neurotypical.

 

With us I think it is putting ourselves in situations and see how we do and learn from every experience so we develop understanding and confidence.

 

'Bid' is right about the professionalism. It is a good idea to design a logo and name. I even have a name and logo for a campaign I will be doing in the near future. For my business I put a big sticker on the back of my moped, with my designed logo and saying 'reach your quest for health - ask me how' and also had this on my business cards. So a catchy line that makes people think to call.

 

You have made me really think about going self employed and now after seeing the figures of now over 2 million unemployed, I think it might be my only option. I am going to think more about it. I had an idea 5 years ago, which I might be able to adapt to my today's needs. I'll let you know.

 

Write things down and keep your ideas together with your 'to-do' business list. This will help get things settled in you mind.

 

Best wishes

 

DB x><