Tell us about yourself –
My name is Richie, and I’m a father of two. I’m happy the most when i’m busy and enjoy films when I get a spare 5 minutes.
What is it that your business does-
YES TO MESS!
Whether it’s a garage clearance, too much clutter around the home, or a garden that needs emptying, I can help.
I help all kinds of people. Sometimes I offer a helping and sympathetic hand to a family sorting out the home of their mum or dad, other times it’s somebody renovating their home. I recently completed work for one client who asked me to stay on and help them decorate the property. I’m adaptable and will go the extra mile to help you, even if that’s removing the garage itself once the rubbish has been taken away!
I also tackle outside work around properties, including jet washing and the removal of debris that might have accumulated in the garden.
As a licenced waste carrier, I make sure any materials removed from your house are recycled or disposed of properly.
What made you start your business –
I was made redundant during the beginning of the pandemic and rolled with a friend of mine who is a scrapman to ease my boredom and get out the house. It became apparent very quickly that I loved it, even the messy smelly jobs. The people I met were great and being outside was something I relished. I started the ball rolling with getting the correct licences and buying a small and not so reliable van and off I went.
And how did you find managing it all through covid –
I managed well over the pandemic. I also adhered to the restrictions and wore a face mask. It was important to me to keep my customers safe especially when some of them are of the older generation. I was extremely busy as people spent time at home having clear outs and the hot weather we had encouraged garden projects.
What was the toughest moment you overcame on your journey as a self employed person –
The toughest part was the stress of getting the work in, setting up advertising and managing calls and job bookings. A particularly low moment was speaking with a customer who lost so much to covid. All I could do was lend a sympathetic ear and spend a few moments with them.
And what was the happiest moment for you –
The happiest moment was winning the top 3 best rated waste clearance business in the county. My competitors are large long running businesses with teams of men and vehicles where I’m a lone wolf and holding my ground against the big boys. It was a momentos achievement of which I’m really proud of.
Do you manage to achieve a good work life balance or is it 24/7 –
It was hard to adjust initially as I believed that subconsciously I had a boss standing over me still, but then I realised if I want fridays off….I could. So now I work 4 days a week and make sure my phones off at 6pm every night.
And is there anything else you’d like to share –
I would like to say that I would never go back to being employed again if I can help it. Being your own boss empowers you to push forward and choose your own path. With so much support out there like Coupay its easy to streamline your business. Making things easy for you to get on with the things that matter.
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