I well remember the day. My Operations Manager sagged into my office chair, looked me straight in the eye and said, “Steve, I’m not running a business here. I’m in charge of a kindergarten!” And so it is for almost all carpet cleaners who have chosen to go the “employee route”.
Check with any large cleaning firm and they will, without exception, tell you that employees are their biggest problem. So it’s no wonder that many cleaners in our industry have chosen to go the “Lone Wolf” route.

After having endured the agonies of employees, it’s no wonder that many enjoy the freedom and peace of mind that going solo brings. But along with that big sigh of relief come more than a few problems. What happens when you a) get sick?, b) go on vacation?, c) want to make more than just a “good living”? or d) want to retire?
So can you be successful without enduring the inevitable agonies of hiring employees? Absolutely. But if you fly solo you must make a few changes. Here’s a few thoughts:
1. Don’t let anyone else define success for you. A business entrepreneur without employees is viewed as a failure by many. Yet I know quite a few Lone Wolf carpet cleaners that are extremely successful … IF you define success as being a happy, fulfilled individual with the freedom to do whatever they want!

2. Can you have fun along the way? I find far too many solo operators have the “worst of both worlds”. They aren’t making the money of a big operation but they don’t have true freedom either. Why not? These miserable folks are facing two big problems of their own making:

Problem #1- Lone wolves can’t afford to take time off.
Answer #1- Charge more, a lot more. It’s called “supply and demand”. I assume as the business owner you are giving great, personalized customer service. But there is a very small supply of “you” as a solo operator. If your clients “demand” the security of having the owner working in their house they will pay more ... IF you ask them. People expect to pay more for the boss. But you must give them the opportunity! Trust me on this one. Raise your prices a lot … and do it now.

Problem #2- When lone wolves do grudgingly take time off, all they do is fret, worry and obsess about the amount of money they are losing by not being on the truck!
Answer #2- This requires an attitude change. (And a healthy bank account! See answer #1 above!) Recognize that freedom always exacts a price. Your freedom is not fretting about what your employees are screwing up while you are gone! So enjoy!
3. Get some back up. Things happen. Sickness, a sprained back, a broken truck mount or a long delayed vacation. Yet even the most loyal customer’s fingers will “keep on walking” in the Yellow Pages if you can’t give them the prompt service they are used to. So look at setting up a “Strategic Partnership”. You cover for other carpet cleaners when they are sick or on vacation and they in turn do it for you.

4. Don’t live in a “fool’s paradise”. You CAN be a success working alone. But chances are your business, without the volume and profits that employees bring, will not sell for much over liquidation value. Many owner operators make the mistake of thinking that just because they have always made a “really good living” the sale of their business will fund their retirement.

Don’t base your success on finding a “Sugar Daddy” that has just always had a burning desire to own a one-man carpet cleaning business! Few things are sadder than to watch a carpet cleaner “growing old on the wand” because he can’t afford to retire. ! (I’ll cover this topic in-depth in my key-note speech, “Cashing Out: How You Can Retire Wealthy - Step by Step” at CLEANEXPO, April 12th, 2008 on the Gold Coast.)
5. Pay yourself first. All business owners should have an aggressive personal savings and investing program. You should have a “savings net” of six months living expenses in easily available liquid funds.

After that, set a percentage of your business income that will fund your personal investment program before you pay anything else. (Including your personal salary.) Few people realize that just $100.00 per week invested with an average return of 8% will give them over $255,000.00 in twenty years! This calculation ignores taxes but still shows the incredible power of regular savings combined with compound interest. Honestly, can’t you put aside $100.00 weekly out of your combined household income? Will you … starting today?

6. Change a negative into a positive - All these years you’ve been creeping around, sort of ashamed that you work alone while all the big, faceless companies you compete with have dozens of technicians on the road. But why not glory in and brag about being a Lone Wolf? Market (and price) yourself as a proud and fussy carpet cleaning “craftsman”, obsessed with getting the job “just perfect”. Become the slightly eccentric and memorable individual you’ve always wanted to be, a perfectionist both with the carpets and the health of your customers. By repositioning yourself as “carpet cleaning artist”, passionate about your current “masterpiece” (the customer’s carpet), you will be able to …

7. Start charging more, a lot more - People are happy to pay more for the personal attention they receive when they fly first class. Yet most owner-operator carpet cleaners do not capitalize on the huge benefit they have over large companies- the “first class” experience of having the owner doing the work. With today’s personal security concerns and demand for quality, you can and should be charging more, a lot more, for the “personal attention of a master craftsman”.

Listen carefully here. As a Lone Wolf you MUST quit competing with the large companies on price. Your customers will be delighted to pay for the prestige of having the owner of the company tenderly care for their home … IF you require them to do so. After all, people always expect to pay more to “fly first class”.

8. Increase each job ticket with up-sells - IF you choose to continue as a “Lone Wolf” you can only do so many jobs per day, to really rake it in you must make more profit on each job. One easy way to put more money in your pocket is to up-sell protective finishes, deodorization and other high profit add-ons. (Much more on this essential topic in my two day “Steps to Success” seminar on April 9th and 10th pre-dating CLEANEXPO.)

Remember that “friends buy from friends”. When the customer trusts you they will purchase additional services. As an owner-operator you can capitalize on your winning personality to sell more and make more on each job. Wouldn’t it be nice to do one less job each day AND make more profit than in your bad, old “bang the job out” days? You do this by up-selling to your clients that respect and trust your recommendations.
9. Find a niche - A medical specialist always makes more money and commands more respect than the boring old family doctor. It’s the same in the cleaning industry. So instead of slugging it out with the $49.95 rug-suckers, why not look for a specialty?
Doctors have to attend school for years to specialize. But you can specialize instantly just by changing your marketing. Why not become an upholstery specialist, a “spotting consultant” or a “urine deodorization expert”?

10. Think outside the box - Have you always had a burning desire to clean carpets and upholstery forever? Or did you go into the carpet cleaning business for emotional and financial freedom, while at the same time building a secure future for your family?
If you’re not in love with pushing the scrub wand, where is it written you “have” to be a carpet cleaner? You’re in business to make as much money as possible in the least amount of time and hopefully enjoy yourself along the way. Right? So if you can achieve these goals more easily by doing ceramic and stone cleaning or hardwood floor refinishing or even by opening a different business, do it!

You can be successful as a “Lone Wolf” owner-operator in the carpet cleaning industry. But not by blindly following the marketing and management tactics of the big companies. Instead, cleverly reposition yourself with the ideas above and you will achieve the vision of Christopher Morley, “There is only one success- to be able to spend your life in your own way.”

The biggest challenge you will find as a successful “Lone Wolf”? The unremitting pressure from friends and family to “make something of yourself” and hire employees. This well meaning coercion can quickly start affecting your ego and self image, as in “Well, I thought I was happy. Maybe I’m not such a success after all.” In business “size doesn’t matter”. Success does!

We will cover how to be successful in this great industry either as a large operation or a “Lone Wolf” during my two day “Steps to Success” seminar April 9th and 10th just before the CleanExpo.