CHARLES'S ANSWERVIEW ALL 90 ANSWERS
Charles Tips, Personal startups in retail an... (more)
81 upvotes by Ahmed Jabran, Salman Merchant, Christopher Bettridge, and 78 more.
Let me tell you briefly about the purest capitalist/entrepreneur I ever knew. Way back, I was a partner in a retail business. We lost our regular window washer. Just when I was about to go through the Yellow Pages, in walks the biggest nebbish I ever met (and I mean that). He was 5'2, maybe 20, with curly strawberry locks and wearing cranberry corduroy pants at least five years past their disco prime that I immediately associated with the Rajneesh movement of that time. He was carrying a paper grocery bag and proudly showed me the dog-eared books in it, on the Godhead and spiritual enlightenment and mystic whatever. He asked very straightforwardly if he could clean my windows. I said sure.
Then he asked if he could be paid in advance. Why? So I can go buy the tools I'll need. I was ready to boot him, but he looked too pathetic to be using guile on me and I had dirty windows. Come with me I said. Four minutes later, we were at the janitorial supply store--top-grade stuff. I had an account. I outfitted him and after looking at the tab I told him this and one more window washing are covered by this purchase, but this stuff is now yours.
He was slow as a snail but meticulous. I knew the three other stores on the block were missing our old guy too, so I introduced this goofy young guy and vouched for his work. He cleared something like $60 in little more than a couple of hours that afternoon, plus a complete professional set of tools. Soon I was seeing him all over town.
Next thing, he comes in wearing a suit to give me my first paid washing... a tacky, tacky suit, but a big upgrade for him, and he introduces me to his protégée, who will be doing the work. Only, naturally, I am to pay him--cash, of course. Over the next few days, I spot at least three different of his franchisees around town (who worked much faster than he did--guess he was a tough boss). I did a quick calculation--the guy had to be clearing more than $200 a day--maybe double.* For all I knew, he was doing the same thing in other shopping areas nearby and making LOTS more. I don't know if he was giving it to his ashram or indulging in a Men's Wearhouse sartorial horror fantasy, but I looked at my $7 an hour store clerks, all of them college graduates, and wondered where we went so thoroughly wrong with education.
My nebbish friend's knack can be applied to 'most any undertaking.
* $200 then = $450 now.
Then he asked if he could be paid in advance. Why? So I can go buy the tools I'll need. I was ready to boot him, but he looked too pathetic to be using guile on me and I had dirty windows. Come with me I said. Four minutes later, we were at the janitorial supply store--top-grade stuff. I had an account. I outfitted him and after looking at the tab I told him this and one more window washing are covered by this purchase, but this stuff is now yours.
He was slow as a snail but meticulous. I knew the three other stores on the block were missing our old guy too, so I introduced this goofy young guy and vouched for his work. He cleared something like $60 in little more than a couple of hours that afternoon, plus a complete professional set of tools. Soon I was seeing him all over town.
Next thing, he comes in wearing a suit to give me my first paid washing... a tacky, tacky suit, but a big upgrade for him, and he introduces me to his protégée, who will be doing the work. Only, naturally, I am to pay him--cash, of course. Over the next few days, I spot at least three different of his franchisees around town (who worked much faster than he did--guess he was a tough boss). I did a quick calculation--the guy had to be clearing more than $200 a day--maybe double.* For all I knew, he was doing the same thing in other shopping areas nearby and making LOTS more. I don't know if he was giving it to his ashram or indulging in a Men's Wearhouse sartorial horror fantasy, but I looked at my $7 an hour store clerks, all of them college graduates, and wondered where we went so thoroughly wrong with education.
My nebbish friend's knack can be applied to 'most any undertaking.
* $200 then = $450 now.
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