When looking to launch a business, you can either go it alone or you can choose a franchise. Fish Window Cleaning® has been franchising for 45+ years, and we’ve talked to many people who were comparing these options in making their entrepreneurial decisions. Here are some of the factors that come up as either pros or cons of franchising versus going solo.
Owning a business doesn't have to mean being cooped up inside. At Fish Window Cleaning®, the ability to work outdoors is a factor that has attracted people to discuss franchise ownership with us. Running an outdoor business is different from businesses that are mostly indoors, especially when it comes to revenue generation.
Window cleaning is not a nationally licensed profession. Therefore, it’s not required to get a window cleaning license to own and operate your business. However, to open a window cleaning business, license requirements include business formation, employee, tax, and operational licenses and permits, which vary by state.
If you’ve learned of a window cleaning business for sale and it’s piqued your interest, you may be well on your way to becoming a business owner. Before you make an offer, there are some aspects of buying a business you should know. There are two ways to consider the value of a business: assets and revenue.
A lawn care business can seem like an attractive way to get a jumpstart on your entrepreneurial goals. It doesn’t have a high skill standard to meet, nearly everyone has a lawn that needs to be cut and it’s an opportunity to work outdoors. However, a lawn care service as a hobby or side gig is different from creating a sustainable and financially rewarding business. Even with a lawn care franchise that provides a proven business model, there are some factors to consider that may surprise you.
There are many features of a window cleaning business that make it a good investment. For example, it doesn’t involve a lot of equipment and if you do your job well the customers will keep asking you to come back, ensuring recurring revenue and strong customer retention. In looking at how to start a window cleaning business you have two options: start a business from scratch or become a franchise owner.
Owning a franchise focused on property maintenance can be a good fit for people who want to spend more time outdoors and run their own schedules. While all franchises provide a business model, there are always pros and cons for different types of property maintenance work.
When it comes to chooseing a window cleaning franchise, there are some franchises like Fish Window Cleaning that are almost 100% dedicated to window cleaning, while others, like the Men In Kilts franchise, offer window cleaning as part of an outdoor maintenance package. Fish is also significantly more established in the industry with more time dedicated to franchising and thus, more franchises across the U.S. The Men In Kilts franchise is fairly new to franchising and has less than 10 units franchised thus far.
When inquiring about a franchise opportunity, you will go through several steps. The first will be an initial request for information from the franchisor, usually by completing a form on the franchise. From there, you could have a quick call with a member of the franchise development team to review some initial questions or common issues. At this point, you might choose to pursue another kind of franchise opportunity, or you might decide to proceed to the next step, which is the franchise application form.
Making the decision to transition from working for someone else to working for yourself is a big step. To ensure you make the best decision financially and personally, it’s helpful to know a few of the pros and cons. A pressure washing franchise can seem fairly straightforward as a business opportunity, but there are a few considerations you should be familiar with that could impact your decision.