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Getting the other half interested..... Post New Topic | Post Reply

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quentin
Posted: Feb 21, 2007 01:21 PM
Getting the other half interested.....
OK, I am trying but the other half is not on-board with the idea. I am in the Dayton Ohio area and also do not know of the market around here. I don't really see much going on with foam around here but may have missed something when I have looked around for the competition.

1) Anyone have an idea what the market around this area is looking like?

2) Anyone else have problems getting their wife/husband interested in the idea when you started up. My wife is primarily worried about the debt involved in starting up and it is her main contention against it.
Posted: Feb 21, 2007 01:55 PM
Well now, lets see here, do you have a business plan? If not then get one! You will have a much better chance if you have properly analyzed the prospective market and client base first. You might even sell yourself out of the idea in the process. Then again with a proper BP you may have a much better idea how to sell the other half. Then your next opportunity is selling the prospects on your idea of foaming their projects. To me it is all in a days work, to others it is a real struggle. I hope this helps you out a little. Kenneth
quentin
Posted: Feb 21, 2007 02:22 PM
I have been working an a BP and also have a meeting with the head of the local SBADC to get some help on that. My being a service connected disabled vet seemed pretty important to him since the various levels of government around here are not meeting the 3% requirement for those businesses. I see some real potential since there doesn't seem to be anyone doing or promoting it around here and the building industry is still doing pretty good around here.
Posted: Feb 21, 2007 04:30 PM
Is your disabled status going to make it difficult for you to perform difficult and demanding work? This is a business that involves a lot of grunt work. Or perhaps you wanted to start the business with employees to do the grunt work. I am in pretty good shape and I find this very demanding.

Now on to your question about convincing the "other half". I did not have an issue, we talked about it and knew that is was a very good business opportunity. There have been other ventures I wanted to consider before the spray foam which she was against for one reason or another. You have to decide what would be best for you!

The foam is tough to get into, but I think once established will be a really profitable and successful business.

All the best of luck!

Tim
Granite State Spray Foam Co.
quentin
Posted: Feb 21, 2007 05:46 PM
Thanks! We are planning to have a talk about it tonight since I am NOT going to go through the 6 month hunt for more work under my pay rate in this area again just to get a 3-6 month contract.

My disability is a bad left shoulder and nerve damage equivalent to a hernia as the best comparison. One reason I went out t someone doing the work was to check the weight of the equipment and I believe I can handle that. Even moving the heavy equipment shouldn't be a problem since it isn't a constant but intermittent part of the work.

Since I am right handed the left shoulder shouldn't be a big problem and I do have some friends that would be interested in doing the wok too so we can trade off as needed. I also work best when being paid by the job I have found. I am the type to go in, do the job right the first time and leave if I can.
quentin
Posted: Feb 22, 2007 09:08 AM
OK, we had a long talk and she is willing now after discussing everything. A few conditions need met first but I am working on those. Mostly financing it and making sure I can get the work BEFORE I buy the stuff. I will be doing some work on that today though. Should be easy enough since there is a TON of construction going on around here, the local state college I am working at, the local base got a LOT from the BRAC and local housing is still booming.
Thomas Kasper
Posted: Feb 22, 2007 10:00 AM
It's a good sign the building is going good. We have had a slow down this last year, mostly remodels and additions now, but the FOAM PHONE is starting to ring a lot. I think location is a big part. You can just tell by driving down the road, who would buy foam and who will not. We haven't gone to run down houses or went to trailer house parks. They resort to hay bails for insulation.

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