Jim Blasingame says to operate your home-based business like a car rental company.
2 AT A GLANCE
A look at preparing the next generation to take over a family-owned business.
2 CROSSWORD
Take a coffee break from work and challenge yourself with our crossword.
3 ESSEX ECONOMICS
A series of guest columns by business executives on various trends in the region.
5 START UPS
Newly incorporated firms launched in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.
6 PRIME PROPERTY
A look at recent commercial property transfers in the city of Windsor.
8 PRIME HOME
A look at recent residential property sales in Windsor and Essex County.
9 PRIME HOME
A look at recent residential property sales in the Chatham-Kent area.
10 BUILDING PERMITS
A compilation of construction activity in the Windsor and area market.
hatham-Kent businessman Don Tetrault has added another milestone in the growth of his Tatro Group of Companies. He has moved all of his 20something companies under one roof in Chatham’s Bloomfield Business Park
The park is located just off the interchange of Highway 401 and Bloomfield Road, where all serviced land has now been sold but which still offers sizable acreage of undeveloped land.
For Tetrault, the move is a return to near where his business was located 20 years ago. Being at Bloomfield “gives us great exposure on the 401. And we’re all under one roof, so I can monitor things a lot better,” he said.
Tetrault’s businesses have long been focused on truck and industrial equipment sales and leasing, but grown to include business management, real estate
Continued on page 4
Chatham-Kent businessman Don Tetrault at Titan Forklifts, one of his 20 area companies now located at Bloomfield Business Park off Highway 401. By Ron Stang
AT A GLANCE
JUST THE FACTS:
• In a series of surveys, Family Enterprise Canada found there are four important issues for families seeking enterprise longevity without negatively affecting family relationships.
• The first is the emotional connection to the source of the family’s success; the family business and other assets owned by the family are very important.
• Another issue is alignment across generations professionally – what matters in the business – and emotionally – what matters in the family.
• Also at play is intentionality over transitioning ownership, whether selling, partially exiting or fully handing down the company.
• Another important insight is how critical it is to embrace family learning and to obtain professional advice during the process.
ACTUALLY, WE’RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO’S GOOD AT MULTI-TUSKING, NOT MULTI-TASKING.
BUSINESS BOOST
“There are five basic principles to show that managers care. Don’t devalue a salesperson’s worth. In addressing an action or behavior that needs to change, always take the salesperson aside for a private talk. Dressing down a rep in front of other people hinders progress and is counterproductive to building a better relationship and stronger sales ability.
“Listen with understanding. When a salesperson wants to discuss something, make yourself available both mentally and emotionally. Listen to understand all the issues involved, not just the ones you find relevant. This may be difficult, but it will be rewarding for both of you. Talk to salespeople with compassion. When you have something to say, be honest but respectful. By respecting them, you build a team of people who can be open and honest with you and their customers.
“Acknowledge positive efforts and good intentions. Whenever a salesperson on your team invests time and energy into improving performance, acknowledge it in a positive way. Recognize effort as well as solid sales performance.
“Help uncover the talent in every salesperson. Motivate them to reach higher. Set little goals in small steps that, in achieving these small goals, will give them a feeling of accomplishment and growth.”
Various Account Executives in 201 Super Sales Tips, edited by Gerhard Gschwandtner, McGraw-Hill.
VOLUME 28, ISSUE 3 • JULY 2024
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nadia H. Shousher
ART DIRECTOR David Cowx
CONTRIBUTORS Jim Blasingame, Dale Dauten, Paul March, Devan Mighton, J.T. O’Donnell, Ron Stang, Joe Symchyshyn
Windsor Business is published monthly by The Page Publishing Corp. and is distributed through Canada Post to every business address in Windsor and Essex County and Chatham-Kent. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. Copyright The Page Publishing Corp., 2024.
Ihave decided it’s more than past time to get myself to swindler school. You know, where I can learn how to be a shyster, criminal, fraudster, con artist and crook. And best of all, to that base institution of lower learning where I can learn “the system” so well I would be untouchable.
My crimes would be swept under the mantle of oblivion. My audacity would be rewarded with tax breaks, welfare and employment benefits. Free perpetual education and housing allowances, income supplements and travel, all paid for by the honest taxpayer mired in their own abused misery. Undeserved, but oh-so attainable, merely because I would know how to work it.
I want to learn the secret to ripping people off with impunity, learn how to cackle in glee as various government agencies and creditors search for proof of my misdeeds but come up empty handed, because I (through my studies) will have learned how to hide all of my ill-gotten gains. And yours, too.
I want to be able to charge unsuspecting and troubled “clients” for every possible thing, including breathing, walking, dialing a phone. Even my waking up in the morning should generate income of some sort. And why not? What should these clients be to me but cash cows, existing only for my mercenary pleasure, the means from which I will eventually reside in the Cayman Islands or some other tax criminal’s haven?
What I would lose in ethics I would more than make up for in the accumulation of fees, charges and administrative add-ons that get buried in the legalese but, nonetheless, would make me rich.
Hey, many of those with “professional” designations do it all the time; all those letters and titles after their names just legitimize their ability to scam the public.
I hereby vow that, once I find that nebulously located but so very effective Swindler School of the Con Arts, I will enroll and apply myself diligently to the single-minded pursuit of greed and corruption. I will graduate with low honors and do my utmost (or least-most?) to finish at the very bottom rung of my class. I expect to be in good company.
I mean, where do all the politicians go? The money launderers? The tax evaders and drug mules and sexual predators? The counterfeiters, forgers, thieves and crooks? They have to learn those skills somewhere, and regular life with regular people just doesn’t seem to cut it. Oh, the glory of the stolen dime. It gives one-upmanship a whole new meaning.
So, are you with me? Who among us hasn’t been the poor schmuck taken by the institutions and professionals set up to “protect” our interests? They say if you can’t beat them, join them. Maybe it’s time.
Nadia
H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
JULIE BEE
Avoid the unpaid consulting trap
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably done your share of pro bono work: helping a friend or volunteering for your child’s school. You’re happy to help; after all, these projects don’t take up large swathes of time.
But what about the pro bono work you do on a regular basis? Many entrepreneurs spend countless hours doing work with no reward. While you do need to show potential clients your business can deliver a quality product or service, it’s easy to let this stage drag on. You share advice and ideas hoping you’ll close the deal. But instead, the prospect continually picks your brain, and you get nothing in return. So, how do you stop giving away so much of your time and expertise?
Practice your new mantra: “My time is valuable.” Before you set boundaries with clients, you have to change your own mindset. It’s easy to assume if a conversation isn’t costing you materials or product, it’s not a huge deal. Not so. Never forget your time is a valuable asset. Set a time limit on unpaid work or initial consulting. Set expectations up front and be consistent with every prospective client, by letting them know how much you’ll charge for your consulting time. And give them an idea of how much the actual project is likely to cost. Being up front about the expected budget will help you weed out tire-kickers who may not be serious or who can’t afford it.
Proceed on a case-by-case basis. You don’t always have to shut people down if they don’t immediately commit, but you do need to recognize when discussions are likely to drag on so you can shorten the cycle.
Watch out for brain-pickers. When you’re in a social setting where people know what you do for a living, it’s inevitable some of them will want to “pick your brain” or “get your professional opinion.” If you’d rather not spend your off-hours giving away free advice, have a few responses prepared. Walk away if you need to. Eventually the takers, time-wasters and chronic complainers will wear on you and drain your time, energy and mental health. Scout them out early and don’t be afraid to pass on their business if you believe it will take up too much of your professional bandwidth.
If you want to end the unpaid consulting cycle, it’s up to you to set the boundaries. Very few people are going to say no to a continued stream of free ideas.
Julie Bee is the author of Burned: How Business Owners Can Overcome Burnout and Fuel Success Visit https://www.thejuliebee.com
Custom forklift company in Chatham-Kent relocates
Continued from page 1 and development. Tetrault is part of a group revitalizing the former Navistar truck plant site and the Downtown Chatham Centre shop-
ping mall.
Born in Dover Township, Tetrault has never had reason to leave
The Maple City. “I’m 45 minutes from the Detroit border, an hour and 15 minutes from Port Huron,” he said.
One of his newer and expanding companies is Titan Forklifts, which Tetrault opened in 2016 and which competes with the big players in a competitive forklift mar-
ket. Titan is unique in that it custom-designs forklifts for its customers. The design engineers are based in Chatham, and the company sources parts from the U.S., Germany and Japan for assembly in China.
Rotimi Osuntola, Titan’s consultant and business manager, said they studied what its competitors are doing and found most stick to conventional-template manufacturing. This opened the market for Titan to design custom-made combustion or electric forklifts.
“We are the only company that provides a five-year warranty in the industry,” he added.
Said Tetrault himself, “I wheel and deal in forklifts – new and used ones – so decided to create my own
name on a forklift and have the original manufacturer put the componentry I want in it.”
Titan now has customers throughout North America and hopes to expand sales in the Middle East.
Earlier this year, MarkWide Research forecast the Canadian forklift industry will keep growing at 4.2 percent, driven by general manufacturing expansion, demand for eco-friendly EVs and forklifts to service increased automated material handling.
Stuart McFadden, CK’s economic development director, said “Tetrault is probably one of the larger land holders in the area, as far as commercial and industrial buildings.”
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL AND DALE DAUTEN
Dear J.T. & Dale: A company that I would love to work for just posted a job I’d be a great fit for, but the salary posted is $20,000 lower than what I’m making. The job description clearly states the salary is not negotiable. Do you think it would be bad if I went ahead and applied then interviewed and, if they chose me, I could try to negotiate because they’d see how great I am for the role? — Jacki
J.T.: Yes, I think that’s a bad idea. The company is being very transparent about the salary and making it clear they do not have room to negotiate. For you to go through the entire hiring process only to tell them you want more money would not make a good impression: You might even be seen as lying and thus not trustworthy.
DALE: That’s a solid plan. I’d suggest one variation in the approach: Instead of saying some version of “I know it’s not negotiable but I’m hoping to negotiate anyway,” you could state upfront you think you’re a perfect fit but have an obstacle with the salary. Then say, “If you can’t find someone ideal for the job at the salary level you now have, perhaps you’d consider me as a backup.” This is an agreeable way of telling them you think they’ve mis-priced the job.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I was recently told by a recruiter that my work history looks like I’m a job jumper. In the last 10 years, I’ve had four jobs — three years in the first job followed by one year followed by two years followed by four years. I would think the fact I’ve been at this job for years wouldn’t make me be seen as a job jumper. What can I say to combat this? I was caught off-guard and didn’t know how to respond. — Andre
DALE: This surprises me. In the Time of No Time, staying at a job for four years seems like real stability. Should it come up again –which seems unlikely – you could, with a smile, point out in your last three jobs you were there one, two and four years, a pattern which suggests the next job will be eight years. Still, it is an odd question. I’m guessing the recruiter is working with a hiring manager who’s had a lot of turnover and gave specific instructions to find someone who’ll stay a long time. That alone worries me about the position. High turnover is always a concern, but also, you want to work for someone who’ll be moving up, not
for a dead-ender.
Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a career coach and the founder of workitdaily.com. Dale Dauten is the founder of The Innovators’ Lab, a business consultant and author. To send questions, visit questions to jtanddale.com.
START UPS
THE FOLLOWING WINDSOR, ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT COMPANIES WERE RECENTLY ISSUED CERTIFICATES OF INCORPORATION UNDER ONTARIO’S BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT:
• Al Zahran Construction Inc.
• All Things Contracted Inc.
• Banastar Investments Inc.
• Basso Social Inc.
• Bigwig Art Prints Inc.
• Canada’s Next Great Startup
• Canadian-Haitian Community Care Alliance
• Deschamps Windows & Doors
• Donfrank Investments Inc.
• El Patron Barbershop Ltd.
• Farah H. Investments Inc.
• Fineway Inc.
• Fivnic Technologies Inc.
• Great Installation Inc.
• Harjiit Logistics Inc.
• Highpeak Bookkeeping Inc.
• Jalaram Canada Trade Inc.
• Kaiser Logistic Inc.
• Kevin Kane Construction Inc.
• Krave Micro Markets Inc.
• KS Enterprises LaSalle Inc.
• LaSalle Pickleball Association
• Leamington Auto & Industrial Supply Inc.
• M.C. Land Holdings GP Inc.
• Malden Automotive Ltd.
• Maple Alliance Group Inc.
• Marshall Insight Executive Coaching & Consulting Inc.
• MK Health & Safety Consulting Inc.
• Ms. Panda Cleaning Inc.
• Navna Construction Inc.
• Neu-Temp HVAC Services Inc.
• Next Level Digital Media
• North Shore Construction Group Inc.
• North Star Freight Logistics
• Obstinate Construction Inc.
• PB09 Logistics Inc.
• Pelka Health Care Services Inc.
• Perfect Spaces Interiors Inc.
• Poseidon Pools & Landscape
Continued on page 12
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE WINDSOR AREA:
Address: 2380 Wyandotte St. W.
Selling Price: $1.65 million
Vendor: 2353754 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 444 Janette Ave.
Selling Price: $1.766 million
Purchaser: 2342046 Ontario Inc. SOLD
Vendor: Algo Capital Holdings Inc.
Purchaser: 1818765 Ontario Ltd.
Address: 780-790 Ottawa St.
Selling Price: $1.303 million
Vendor: Canadian Auto Stores Ltd.
Purchaser: 1000688081 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 6011 Tecumseh Rd. E.
Selling Price: $1,094,760
Purchaser: 1000278790 Ontario Ltd. SOLD
Vendor: 2108436 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: Morton Dr.
Selling Price: $19,977,200
Vendor: Windsor Salt Ltd.
Purchaser: 100078535 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 5265 Howard Ave.
Selling Price: $1.3 million
Vendor: Faith Community Church-LaSalle
Purchaser: Khemara Buddhist Temple
SOLD Address: 1726 Huron Church Rd.
Selling Price: $4.6 million
Vendor: Scott’s Acquisitions Inc.
Purchaser: Kazel Holding Inc.
PRIME PROPERTY
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE ESSEX & CHATHAM-KENT AREAS:
SOLD
Address: Fort St., Amherstburg
Selling Price: $1.5 million
Vendor: Greater Essex County District School Board
Purchaser: Allaron Inc.
SOLD
Address: 4644 4th Concession
Rd. E., Harrow
Selling Price: $1.26 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Silva Homes Inc.
SOLD
Address: Conc. 12, Part Lots 1 & 2, Essex
Selling Price: $1.59 million
Vendor: Drouillard Farm Ltd.
Purchaser: South Essex Grain Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 4 Dufferin St. N. & 33
SOLD
Pearl St., Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $4.19 million
Vendor: 1015176 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: 1000871511 Ontario Inc.
Address: 408-412 Queen St., Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $1.6 million
Vendor: 1000414136 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: 15909643 Canada Inc.
SOLD
Selling Price: $880,000
Address: 1912 Mersea Rd. 7, Leamington
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: 1000498578 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 335-337 Talbot St. E., Leamington
Selling Price: $1,916,500
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Tri-B Acres Inc.
SOLD
Address: 5929 Pain Court Line, 23898 Winterline Rd., Grand River Line, Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $6,662,732
Vendor: ALO Development Corp.
Purchaser: Keystone Evergreen Holding Inc.
PRIME HOME SALES
Where: 1427 Felix Ave.
Property Size: 47’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 2 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,269
Listed For: $444,000
Sold For: $444,000
Where: 1439 Lincoln Rd.
Property Size: 30’ x 116’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,936
Listed For: $299,999
Sold For: $320,000
Where: 1735 Gladstone
Property Size: 30’ x 117’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,551
Listed For: $199,900
Sold For: $280,000
Where: 446 St. John St.
Property Size: 51’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,375
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $484,000 SOLD
Where: 3981 Whitney Ave.
Property Size: 52’ x 100’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,696
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $525,000
Where: 3380 Dandurand
Property Size: 76’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,995
Listed For: $499,900 Sold For: $525,000 SOLD
Where: 2815 Radisson
Property Size: 75’ x 120’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,898
Listed For: $549,900 Sold For: $552,100 SOLD
Where: 1645 Ferndale Ave.
Property Size: 40’ x 161’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,424
Listed For: $400,000
Sold For: $428,000
PRIME HOME SALES
SOLD
Where: 150 McLeod Ave., Amherstburg
Property Size: 100’ x 133’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,672
Listed For: $449,900
Sold For: $452,000
SOLD
Where: 451 Elmstead Rd., Lakeshore
Property Size: 60’ x 250’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,527
Listed For: $643,999
Sold For: $655,000
SOLD
Where: 807 Cedar Island Dr., Kingsville
Property Size: 47’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 1
SOLD
Where: 410 Dunn Rd., Essex
Property Size: 80’ x 198’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $3,533
Listed For: $639,900
Sold For: $635,000
SOLD
Where: 1250 Ridge Rd., Harrow
Property Size: 196’ x 202’
# Bedrooms: 6
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,400
Listed For: $649,900
Sold For: $751,000
SOLD
Where: 20 Helen St., Tilbury
Property Size: 60’ x 126’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,216
Listed For: $259,900
Sold For: $260,000
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,695
Listed For: $549,900
Sold For: $528,000
SOLD
Where: 3013 Rowley Park Dr., Kingsville
Property Size: 80’ x 150’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $5,827
Listed For: $749,000
Sold For: $740,000
SOLD
Where: 51 Cheyenne Ct., Leamington
Property Size: 70’ x 124’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $5,270
Listed For: $659,900
Sold For: $650,000
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL
• Nowtran Ltd. is building a new repair shop on Colborne St. Value of construction: $4 million.
• 2457478 Ontario Inc. is building a new warehouse on Superior St. Value of construction: $260,000.
• Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is doing renovations on Grand Ave. W. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Henry Wall Holdings Inc. is doing mechanical work at an agricultural business on Middle Line. Value of construction: $256,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• Shama Estate Inc. is doing renovations to an apartment building
on Erie St. N. Value of construction: $55,000.
• Individuals are doing an addition to a single-family residence on Oakdale Rd. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Timbertec is building a singlefamily residence on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $600,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on St. Clair Rd. Value of construction: $1.2 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on St. Clair Rd. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building two units of a semi-detached on Brighton Pl. Values of construction: $400,000 each.
• Individuals are renovating a single-family home on Maxwell St. Value of construction: $150,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on West Bothwell Rd. Value of construction: $518,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a residence on Owen Ave. Value of construction: $109,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Foster St. Value of construction: $350,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $760,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Prince Albert Rd. Value of construction: $295,000.
• Rumble Homes Ltd. is building a single-family residence on Middle Line. Value of construction: $850,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Post Point Lane. Value of construction:
$550,000.
• Maple City Homes Ltd. is building a single-family home on Ironwood Trail. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Mi Cazza Construction Inc. is building a single-family residence on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Forhan St. Value of construction: $300,000.
• Rumble Homes Ltd. is building a single-family residence on King St. W. Value of construction: $600,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE COMMERCIAL:
• Individuals are building a greenhouse on Howard Ave. Value of construction: $18,000.
• Greater Essex County District
School Board is installing playground drains on Mayfair Ave. Value of construction: $10,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Lafferty Ave. Value of construction: $150,000.
• Individuals are constructing an Accessory Dwelling Unit on Bouffard Ave. Value of construction: $370,720.80.
• Individuals are constructing an Accessory Dwelling Unit on Reaume Rd. Value of construction: $160,000.
• Greystone Building Group is building a single-family home on Mayfair. Value of construction: $563,259.
• BK Cornerstone Design Build is erecting three units of a threeunit townhouse on Tullio Lane. Values of construction: two at $529,180 and one at $770,057.
• 1603965 Ontario Ltd. is buildings two units of a semidetached dwelling on Mayrand St. Values of construction: $495,980 each.
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a single-family residence on Huron St. Value of construction: $239,721.08.
TOWN OF ESSEX COMMERCIAL:
• 2442747 Ontario Ltd. is changing the use of a property on South Malden Rd. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Green Sun Rising is adding solar panels to a roof on Woodland Dr. Value of construction: $35,000.
• Individuals are doing commercial renovations to a space on Talbot St. N. Value of construction: $65,000.
• Individuals are erecting a pole barn on an agricultural property on County Rd. 18. Value of construction: $150,000.
• Liftow Ltd. is building an industrial storage building on Talbot Rd. N. Value of construction: $1.184 million.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Snake Lane. Value of construction: $348,000.
• Individuals are doing renovations to a single-family home on Windsor Ave. Value of construction: $170,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Prado Ave. Value of construction: $347,000.
Michael Campoli Owner Steven Caruso Sales Manager
Your home-based service is like a car rental firm
There are millions of homebased businesses today, and many sell personal services rather than a tangible product. How do they establish a price for their work? Unfortunately, they often do it poorly.
If you sell a product you begin with your cost and calculate your price based on the margin you are using. But there are several other issues. Are you going for high volume, low margin and marginal service? Or lower volume, higher
margin and a high level of customer support? And we can’t leave out demand and competition. I’m not saying it’s easy to price a tangible product, but it is easier than pricing a service.
Beverley Williams knows all about it. She was a home-based desktop publisher prior to founding the American Association of HomeBased Businesses. Beverley says, “When you are putting your pricing together, don’t look back.” She means don’t think about how much
you made per hour or per week at your last job. That amount, and the one you should be charging your clients, are totally unrelated.
As a personal services business owner, you are not likely to be able to bill 40 hours a week, especially in the early stages. You charge more than an employee because you can’t bill for your service every day from 8 to 5. You still have to prospect, deliver proposals and have initial meetings you may not bill for.
And there is all the other stuff every business owner must do: networking, planning and administration. When you own a business that delivers personal services, and when the only delivery person is you, you are a 100-percent extension of yourself. So, your only income leverage options are to work more hours, or charge more per hour or project.
If you made $15 an hour as an employee, as a personal services provider you probably should
charge $45 to $60 an hour. This is where you may say, “Who’s going to pay me $45 an hour?” The answer is nobody, if you have that attitude.
Beverley says don’t underestimate what you represent to your clients, warning some prospects will think, since you work out of your home, you don’t have any expenses. She says to remember you are charging for your expertise, not your location.
Here’s why you’re worth more:
1. You know how to do things your clients don’t.
2. You know how to do things your clients don’t have time to do themselves, even if they knew how.
3. Your clients don’t have to adopt you; they rent you. And then send you home when your work is delivered.
Take a lesson from the rental industry. Say a rental car costs $50 a day. That works out to $1,500 a month for a car that you could own for $350 a month. But you didn’t think like that when you rented a car. You had a special need, the rental company delivered the product and provided a valuable service just in time, and you gave it back when you were finished. Just like when a company rents you.
James Labiak (Client
Write this on a rock: When you price your personal services, think like a rental car company.
Jim Blasingame is the author of The 3rd Ingredient, the Journey of Analog Ethics into the World of Digital Fear and Greed. Visit jimblasingame.com.
Continued from page 5
• Roseland Landscaping Inc.
• Shaar Auto Repair Ltd.
• Skyview Building Solutions
• Takedown Distribution Inc.
• Top Shelf Landscaping & Property Maintenance Ltd.
