To start my business now or wait until September?

[bizownersoon]

For a while now I've wanted to start a cleaning business, and before the Coronavirus my plan was to start the business slowly at weekends and then do it full time in September when DD starts school. Do you think I can still do it? Or should I just wait until September? I could do with the money though

I think it depends what sort of cleaning you will be offering and if you are in an at risk group. If it's people's homes then I don't think it's a good time to start (I think people will be cancelling cleaners). However, if you can deep clean and have the kit for hazmat suits, steam cleaning, large scale disinfecting it's probably as good a time as any.

I would wait, definitely. You might not have a choice but to wait anyway- people will now be self isolating a lot, cutting down on their outgoings (we are) and won’t be getting their homes or business premises cleaned. I’m not a business minded person but now seems like a bizarre time to start a new one.

Definitely wait. Businesses are folding daily, people are losing their jobs and a cleaner is a luxury. Let's see where we are in the next few months.

Wait.

New business is hard enough

You need to watch what's happening on a daily basis as this crisis evolves.

We are all being given the strong message that social distancing is the only way we can combat this disease and you'd be going into people's homes where there could be risk of cross infection. The average person won't want a random person in their home at the moment. It just adds an additional layer of complexity to an already stressful situation.

Do you really want to have to clean a highly infected area? What risk will that add to your family?

There's more to starting a business than simply doing the activity. Marketing, registering as self employed, setting up bank accounts and as a cleaner even applying for a dbs check. There is plenty you could do now, ready for being able to go out and clean.
Perhaps if you feel comfortable (and have the knowledge) you can make home made cleaning products during lockdown when people might not have items in due to panic buying and showing what can be used where to build social media content and get people used to seeing you

I'm a cleaner and I've already had 2 customers cancel until this settles down as they dont want people in their houses unnecessarily.

Wait until Septemeber and hopefully we'll all be in a better position by then.

I'm a cleaner and all my clients are elderly. After this week I have no customers and no income as they are sensibly self isolating. I would wait.

Another self employed cleaner here. Half of my clients have cancelled. Lots of people are wfh with dc off school so don't want/need me in.
Some elderly clients are insisting I still work, simply because they rely heavily on my help although I'm hugely concerned about exposing them to the virus and taking extreme precautions.

In short, I'm struggling and not making enough money to live on despite having a well established successful small business. I have £40 this week to spend on a food shop for the family and could cry.

Thanks for replying, September it is then! @smileyclare so sorry to hear you're still, I'm in the same situation. Tbh I've thought of applying for a job at ASDA/Tesco/Sainsbury's if I could do cleaning now, could you do the same?

Thanks biz It's difficult. I'm feeling sorry for myself today!

I have applied to my local Tescos store. It seems that you have to do that via an employment agency (?) So I've signed up to Reed and applied that way. My local Tescos are just offering something called a flexible hours contract where you have to work set hours but they change every week so could be nights some weeks Not great with children and my existing customers have such fluctuating hours!

I hope that my cleaning business will pick up again around September. I definitely recommend you trying to start up in the future.

Surely the disabled amd elderly still need cleaners?

They do still need cleaners. A couple of my clients have asked for help with shopping and will pay me for that, which will help. Only one has asked me to still come, but I am worried about the risk to her.

Wait.

I set up a business last month and have had to close for two weeks so I can self-isolate. Luckily I can take the hit financially but it's really frustrating!

My clients have been fantastic and super understanding but who knows when I'll be able to re-open.

@camouflags government advice is for the elderly and vulnerable to socially distance themselves and not spend unnecessary time with other people.

Lots won't want to take the risk of having someone in their home unfortunately. It's a big risk to their health.

Camouflags
Surely the disabled and elderly still need cleaners?

I'm both of those things so I'm in self isolation. I need to prevent catching CV more than I need a clean house so have cancelled my cleaner for the next few weeks although I will be paying her. I'm capable of keeping the loo and kitchen surfaces clean - dusting, hoovering and floor washing will have to wait.

I'd definitely say, do all the admin, set up & other prep now. I also don't think there's much harm in seeing if there's anyone in your area that needs cleaning right now. Who knows?

We’ve stopped our cleaners and most people locally have. I’m infected but more importantly we couldn’t countenance paying for someone to go from house to house carrying a virus to very vulnerable elderly people.

I’d think wait.

I would wait op, in normal circumstances it still takes time to build to a regular income. I used to work as a self employed domestic cleaner, only yesterday I was thanking my lucky stars that I packed it in a couple years ago so I am not in a financially precarious position atm. My finances improved massively when I gave it up so I must have been doing it wrong or it doesn't provide enough income for buffers.

That can change as my income is all fulltime student related so due to expire come May.

SilverySurfer You are so kind to keep paying your cleaner. Hope you can ignore the dust and stay well

Unfortunately, if I don't clean, I won't have money coming in.
I have salvaged something from my clients who have cancelled cleaning. I've offered to do their ironing on a collect and return system. They leave it on their doorstep, I collect it and return in evening. It's not much, I'm going to charge £10per hour but will at least be something. I've had 3 takers for this from my original client base.
Worth a thought for any other cleaners struggling? I'm also thinking to offer shopping possibly dog walking, basically anything to stay afloat.

@smileyclare how old are your children? In addition to Tesco/Sainsbury's, have you thought about working as a carer? I've heard it's easy to get in to, and they're always looking for carer. I was on indeed looking for carer jobs, and saw that my local Tesco is also looking for extra staff because of the Coronavirus so I've applied

Set up a service shopping for people who can’t get out , there will be a lot of demand for that now.That should tide you over till things pick up again.

Loads of supermarkets in my area are advertising for temporary staff - in shops, pick and packers, delivery drivers.

My children are secondary school age so can be left for periods on their own. Thanks biz for the tips and good luck with your Tesco application . It's awful not being able to earn enough to struggle through. I really sympathise.