How did you start your business/get your very first order?

[Mw Roofline]

I got a job as a UPVC fascia and soffit fitter 15 years ago on about £40 a day, did it for 6 months till I knew how do do it by myself. I bought a white van for £250, a set of second hand ladders and loads of tools from the pound shop.

I designed a new flyer on my parents PC, thought of a random name 'Mw Roofline' and convinced my mum and dad to let me use their landline number for the flyer, got 500 leaflets printed and spent a day on my mountain bike posting them in various residential areas.

Got one phone call from my first customer, Mr Semper. Did the job in 2 days and bagged me £250 profit which felt like winning the lottery. Spent that on sign writing and some more leaflets. Told the dole office I was self employed and no longer needed my dole money and the rest is history.

 

[ColJack]

sounds good..
fortunately your trade isn't regulated as far as I know so you don't have the extra overheads like registration that sparkies, gas fitters and window fitters etc would have..

 

[noseall]

Me Grandad got me a job with a local builder at the age of 15 having just left school.

Learned bricklaying and plastering as a hands on labourer with said builder.

Did my first weekend foreigner for me ma and earned my board and lodge for the week.

Lots of people started asking me to do jobs at weekends but they had to pick me up as i had no licence at the time. By the time i was 21 i had quite a customer base of my own but stayed loyal to my old gaffer.

Stayed with my old gaffer 'till he retired. He gave me the van and some tools as part of my severance package. Started out doing small jobs but soon got a taste for building extensions.

The last 10 years has been more or less non stop extensions whilst squeezing in 'other work' i.e. patios, garden walls, re-roofs, plastering, fencing etc, in between the bigger jobs.

I have since learned how to build a roof from scratch and do quite enjoy the whole roof building thing, i.e the math's and design behind it etc.

 

[jctilingservices]

served my time as a tiler, moved on with a few different companies, last one i was with i was`nt happy with quite a few things, especially the wages and the way he used to mess customers around, (private and sub-contract)

Had a few quid saved up, had all the tools i needed so i just bought a van, got it sign written up, few hundred fliers made, contacted a few companies i had subbied for with my employer told them i was now on my own and did they have any work, got loads, hit the tile distributors and violla, been self employed ever since, best thing i ever did

 

[misterdubya]

Was my Dads apprectice for 2 years learning gas / plumbing. Saved every penny to get registered on my own, once my NVq2 &3 plumbing was done. Did NVq2 Gas Install & Maintenence in conjustion with NVq3 plumbing over that time and did 60 hours a week for the old man on top of that.(£4 an hour). We worked together for a bit afterwards but I wanted to go my own way and my dad kept telling me I needed more experience.

1st job was replacing a 3 port and all trv's in a bungalow. Baptism of fire that one - blocked cold feed and air locked to buggery.

Worked all day for about £30 profit as I thought my dad overcharged and I told the custard Id do it for £100 less. A lesson learned.

The next job.... well thats for another thread called your '2nd job' I guess.
But, Ive never looked back and the amount of times he is asking for my help now suprises me. The amount of Worcester CDi's divertors Ive changed for him is astounding - I charge him a fortune for doing them now - still cant do them in under 2 1/2 hours though.

Mr. W.

 

[onlyfitidealboilers]

I can do em in 50 mins!! shape up!

 

[lawrance]

38 mins. Get wid it!

 

[lostinfens]

Went to Wickes & got a load of "good idea" leaflets. Then bought a trowel & a ball pein hammer & Bobs yer uncle!!

 

[multitask]

FIVE minutes- and you tell that to the kids today and they don't believe you!

 

[Paintmate]

I started the the hard way ..... studied 60 minute makeovers on TV and Cowboy builders, and never been out of work since. Needed a fast van tho

 

[danechip]

I started the the hard way ..... studied 60 minute makeovers on TV and Cowboy builders, and never been out of work since. Needed a fast van tho

LOL, my sides hurt !

 

[ophelia624]

seems all above have much experience .
i just start my job after finish my education last year . for me , everything is a little bit hard.
my bf is business man. so , i just help him do some translate thing when he here with me . still remember that first time i contact with factory which makes dog cushion. not happy . as i lost that order. because that factory service is a ****. always drived me mad .
now i do purchaser .want to do some small business by myself. he he . want to ship some cbm to uk, as i love . i just notice that i need be positive to get something.

 

[aludraught]

Self employed now after working for same company for 10 years as design manager for aluminium building products never looked back since. First job was a ball breaker but vey very good money. Last 12 months have been great and just set another business selling aluminium products first job for this company was a nice aluminium wall coping system.

Suprising how many contacts come to mind when you work for yourself.

Happy Days

 

[Norcon]

You can never work for yourself unless you're diying.
And diying is a very poorly paid job.

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

First plumbing job - fitting a washing machine for a neigbour at silly price. Fitting first boiler another story!