Do you know what SDS sheets are?
Starting a small business can be daunting, there are so many things that we don't know right away. My business is a residential and commercial cleaning service and we have only been in business a year and about 6 months. I never heard of SDS sheets until I became a cleaner. I learned about this after I became IICRC certified. So what exactly are SDS sheets and why you should always have them with you while at a cleaning job, especially if you are using your own cleaning supplies? SDS sheets or Safety Data Sheets, previously known as a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) are for hazardous chemicals used on the job. The SDS sheet will contain the manufacturer's name, the ingredients, is it toxic or not, what to do in case of emergency - first aid measures, how to handle and store the product, exposure controls, personal protection, transportation, disposal and more. SDS sheets must be on file at your office and on the job site. So as a residential cleaner, should I have SDS sheets? As a precaution, I always have a copy of the SDS sheets for all the cleaning products I use on a job, when I go to a client's home or office. Even for household cleaning supplies that I use, if it has an SDS sheet, I have a copy of it. I keep it in a plastic folder and put it in one of my caddies. Note this only applies, if I am supplying the cleaning products, on some jobs the client especially commercial clients will supply their own cleaning supplies and the client is then the one responsible for having the SDS sheets available. A good practice is to ask your commercial client if they have SDS sheets and where they are located in the event you have an accident on the job site and only you or your staff are on site. Note: that you may not be required to have a SDS sheet if the product has the same purpose, duration, and frequency as a consumer product. How can I find SDS sheets? Go to Google or any other search engine you use Type in the name of the chemical: SDS (type in the name of the chemical colon then SDS) Review and make sure it is the correct SDS sheet. Print and put in your folder. Did you know know about SDS sheets prior to this post? Do you update your SDS sheets folder frequently or annually? Do you have any other helpful suggestions for start-up cleaners that want to make sure they stay OSHA compliant?
2025 Best Year Ever
With this year ending in a new year beginning, we should be starting to think about planning for the upcoming year. What are some of your tools you use for planning for the year to come and also daily planning. Do you have any cool tricks that you use to help you in setting goals, and breaking down, goals into smaller action items, and taking those action items and making them happen. Please share your tips, tricks and or traps things that have worked and have not worked.You Didn’t Buy Freedom. You Bought Responsibility
A lot of people think starting a business means they’ll finally have freedom. Their own schedule. No boss. No rules. But here’s the reality check: If you stop working, the money stops. If you miss a call, the customer walks. If you push a job back, you have to make it up later. You didn’t escape the 9 to 5. You just traded one boss for twenty. What have you all done to stay flexible ?Built a $1M Contracting Business in 4 Years
I have only been contracting for 7+ years now, but from the beginning I did not want to end of like the majority of the businesses I saw. Out of shape, back hurting, always complaining about work. Just the unapologetic rough side of contracting. I thought, this couldn't be the solution. So I started from the beginning putting myself in rooms with people who do better than me in every aspect of my life. Family, health, business, finances you name it. I was the smallest guy in every room and it squashed every ounce of pride I had in myself, but in a healthy, I want to grow sense. What I learned shocked me, this wasn't a business issue, it's about the urgent need for a blue-collar leader. - We need more contractors who are trained to lead. - More tradespeople who know their worth. - More builders willing to pass the torch. The skilled trades don’t have a labor shortage.We have a leadership gap. If you hyper focus on leadership qualities, your business will blow up as a side effect. Thats why I'm so proud to be in this community of leaders. Can't wait to learn from you all in this new venture I'm in. Read our story. Learn how we unlocked the secret to scale. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnour/2024/11/27/urgent-need-for-blue-collar-revival-shift-mindsets-invest-in-skills/?The Hardest Thing in Entrepreneurship? Looking in the Mirror.
Hands down, The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in business… was look in the mirror and ask myself: ➡️ Where am I actually going? ➡️ And am I the person to get us there? We talk a lot about growth, but most people can’t define what success even looks like for themselves. This is when so many get caught up in business, rather than on the business. Is it freedom? Is it hitting 350k, 500k, 1M in revenue? Is it peace of mind and time with your kids? And don’t forget: Your business can’t grow if the person leading it refuses to. What are you working towards ? Half way through 2025, keep it up.What Flying Taught Me About Business
One of my favorite things to do any day I get 1–2 hours free, is head to the airport in Danbury, CT and fly. Sometimes it’s a lesson. Sometimes it’s just being up out there just to think. But what surprised me is how much flying taught me about business. To get a plane in the air, you need 3 things: Speed – You have to build enough runway momentum Lift – Once you hit the right speed, you rise Momentum – After you’re up, you have to keep steady energy to stay in the air The Funny thing is business is the same. You can’t fly without direction either. That’s where the GPS analogy comes in. I created this graphic to help remind myself of what's needed when im about to start a new venture in business, or if imm feeling stuck, lost or going nowhere. What do you do when your stuck?Contracts with customers vs Contracts with yourself
You’d never start a job without a contract, estimate or anything in writing, right? So why are you trying to build a business… run a team… or chase your goals… without a contract with yourself? It's so funny how business taught me so many different life lessons and how they all play a part. So I created this breakdown for myself whenever I want a new goal, or ones starting their own business. Do you all think business plans are valuable ?Did You Know the Oldest Business in the World Is a Contracting Company?
“Where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15 years?” Take a minute to think about it .... Now let me hear it please. Before we begin, I'll be giving a little history lesson, so if this isn't for you. I won't take offense... Guess what, if you have a vision, if you have a plan, you are already ahead of the curve. If you dont .... Then you are not alone ! Most of the time, the answer is… “I just want to make it through this week.” Or, “If I can survive the year, I’ll be good.” You are doing everything you need to stay alive and I solute you. But thinking like that holds us all back. It keeps us stuck in survival mode, making the joy of contacting a threat. Always reacting, never building or planning for the future. So we did the research. Turns out the oldest company in the world, not just in trades, but in any industry, happens to be a contracting company. Kongo Gumi. Japan. Founded in 578 AD. For over 1,400 years. Let that sink in. In the U.S., it’s DF Pray, since 1830. Still building today. Here’s the point: If it’s been done — it’s possible. The question is: Are you building something that can last?
