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Wondering if anyone could offer any insight on opening a small residential handyman or contracting business

Veteran

Daryl Cabral Colorado Springs, CO

I'm in Colorado Springs and looking to venture off on my own with another carpenter. Nothing huge just to make some money. Looking for advice on licensing restrictions and also marketing and networking. Thanks so much
P.S doing this while getting real estate license

26 September 2017 7 replies General

Answers

Veteran

Eddie Starr Spokane, WA

Since you also mentioned real estate license, I suggest you check out the following:

https://www.reiclub.com/real-estate-clubs/Colorado.html

These are clubs of other investors, and if you have some skills like that, these would be good places to network!

Advisor

Joe Pierce Jonesboro, AR

Go to the Small Business Development Center on your nearest local campus. They can provide lots of resources

Advisor

Cedric Cook Richmond, TX

1. Call your Sec of State's business listing Office and establish yourself.
2. Contact local chamber of commerce. Networking and find out about local licensing requirements.
3. Advertise and get some business.

Advisor

Jennifer Polhemus Santa Monica, CA

Ditto re NextDoor!! Think about what your brand will be (i.e., how will others experience working with you?). Suggestions: be someone who returns phone calls within 2 (?) hours; be someone with a friendly, straightforward outgoing VM message; be someone who makes homeowners and renters feel good (NOT like they are uninformed & unprepared, which we often are :)); make suggestions about future work ("have you thought about repairing that fence in the future," or "be sure to get your door thresholds varnished once a year") that will be helpful, but not pushy. Go get 'em!

Advisor

Keith Van Sickle Menlo Park, CA

I don't know how it is in Colorado Springs but there is always huge demand for residential handyman work in my area. The best way to find work is through word of mouth--do good work and ask your clients to recommend you. One great avenue is via Next Door (www.nextdoor.com) which is like an electronic bulletin board. It is set up by neighborhood. Ask your clients if they are members (it's free). Then ask them to post a recommendation for you on Next Door. It is amazing how effective that can be. Further, join Next Door yourself and see how it works. You can post yourself, describing what you do and telling other members how to contact you.

Advisor

Joshuah Chrisman New York, NY

Hi Daryl,

Thanks for your service. I agree with William that SCORE is a great program. I also encourage you to take a look at this Forbes article that is loaded with additional resources that might help you out:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marklrockefeller/2017/01/19/7-free-resources-veteran-entrepreneurs-will-use-to-crush-it-in-2017/#181e9c11709c

Hope this helps,
Josh

Advisor

William Smith Suffern, NY

Hi Daryl,

You should contact your local office of SCORE. This is an organization affliiated with the Small Buisness Administration, that assists small buisness owners with a variety of buisness issues. The service is free. It is a national organization staffed by volunteers with a variety of buisness backgrounds.

Best of luck

Bill Smith

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