Struggling through the first year in business

My partner and I went into supplier for ourselves just two years ago, but it feels care about a lot longer than that; The first year of being open is the most perilous for any business, no matter how much of a “sure thing” you suppose you have.

  • The small storefront every one of us rented has a high turnover rate, and every one of us are the fifth supplier that’s been there in the last 6 years! It’s not a bad location at all, it’s just that hard to establish a client base and get reliable income flowing in.

My partner has a degree in business, and handles the storefront and the office, so I can focus 100% on Heating & A/C repairs, then she knows nothing about Heating & A/C work, and I know nothing about filing taxes and bills and insurance, so it’s an even division of labor. I very quite care about our task, now that I can focus just on the heating and cooling tasks and not have to worry about anything else, and recently every one of us have had a surge in business, because a lot of people want to have their ventilation systems diagnosed out due to the COVID situation. My partner had the system of promoting our free Heating & A/C inspection and quote in response to heightened tension and fear from the pandemic… Everyone wants good, clean air quality, so every one of us are focusing on that, and then upselling to new, better Heating & A/C component when appropriate. Instead of focusing on making profit now, every one of us are trying to build our client base for ongoing Heating & A/C inspections and work in the future.

 

 

Cooling industry