I can’t fathom not getting what you need to start a business or working with inefficient equipment until you upgrade. But that’s just me I guess.
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Some aim to start/build a business, others’ goal is just to be self-employed…I think there-in lies the difference in perspective. If you just want to put food on the table and maybe grow someday, then you think starting small is the obvious choice. If you are viewing it as a business/investment looking to grow and yield a return, then you believe you get out of it what you put into it, and you invest in what is needed to do the job the best way. Two different things really, even though sometimes people from both groups wind up in the same place (either out of business, or very successful).
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You pretty much summarized in a few sentences more than one could ever expect to derive from a 300 page book. Outstanding post!
Ok I’ll help you fathom 
. Imagine being 22 years old newly married and just moved into your 1st house and you have a baby on the way. Currently working for another window cleaning company. Basically no money to your name and no credit. But you want to build a better life. Sell your car to get an old work van and some ladders and start knocking on doors to get some business and after awhile after a few months you expand into pressure washing and get the biggest power washer you have ever seen. A 4gpm commercial pressure washer that fits perfectly in your van! You’re so excited to be starting a legitimate pressure washing business. You make more money/hr than you ever thought possible and all your customers love you. That was me.
We all start at different places. Please don’t knock that.
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I’m not knocking it. I’m saying I can’t fathom it. Everyone has a story. I’ve got tons of hard luck stories. I also didn’t have a child or buy a house until we had a years salary in the bank and could buy our first house with a big down payment and and a mortgage we could pay off in a few years. We ate a lot of ramen and worked a lot of hours the first 4 years of marriage to accomplish that. Doesn’t change the fact that starting with good equipment will make you money faster and more efficiently than not. I’m glad for you and your family.
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Thank you 
when you say you “can’t afford to be in business” if you can’t buy an 8 gpm that is knocking it. Everyone has to start somewhere and that was a faster route for me than trying to save up for bigger equipment I didn’t know existed while working for some one else. That wasn’t going to happen. Looking back, could I have made more money if I started out with a bigger unit?? I don’t think so I didn’t have the work coming in yet to be able to do more 
. Not saying I did it right I knew very little about business back then but still. If I were to start over right now obviously yes I would get all the good stuff so I guess I agree with you in a sense but thats not “the only way” and if you can’t start there I wouldn’t say your doing it wrong
You do make an interesting point that goes hand in hand with what I said…if you don’t have the knowledge to make use of the equipment, or the marketng knowledge to make use of the time gained, then maybe the value wouldn’t be there to invest in equipment that you might just wreck not knowing any better…
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Correct. Most of the people that start a washing business here in south west Florida( I had Ian for a visit) buy the right equipment, just like was suggested before. 6 months later goes for sale. Why? I asked. Couldn’t make it in business. To much cost. Not enough clients. Spent the money on advertise and so on. I buy trailers with nice setups and sell them piece by piece. One’s way of doing life will never fit another’s one. I see that in all the books and videos by the gurus. Is your own drive and desire that will guide you to your best decision , at that time. Look back only to learn not to see what would you change since you can’t. Take the risks that your family can stomach.
My 2 cents are, start with a rental setup and see if will work for you and this is something you want to do. Good luck.
