I love this thread, I love these type of businesses where they deal with customers/clients. This is the real deal, this is the real business. Way to go TS, I'll pray for your success in whatever business you are getting into (as long as it's a legal business).

@edyek

My business is currently running well at the moment, I even supply plastic, hangers, liquid detergent and fabric softener to other laundries as well.

I do dry cleaning for other 6 laundries too but for now I have reached the limit (can no longer accept dry cleaning from any new laundry).

Now I'm in the process of learning the methods of cleaning hotel/hostel linen and bedsheets using proper procedure, chemical and machines. My friend in Kuala Kubu Baru is doing such and getting a hefty RM40k per week from linen/bedsheets.

40K looks big for those makan gaji people, but it takes more than just the gut, sacrifice and determination to do business. People always think that by doing business, cash flows into their account freely while they sleep at home. That's wrong. This is the typical mindset that brings his/her business down !

5-star hotels have their own laundry for their linen, these contracts normally comes from 2-3 star hotel/hostel, private college hostels and institutes.

Other laundries could easily do the dry cleaning but they don't want to waste their sweat for this complicated type of cleaning. I'll do the job for them. I do the dry cleaning by myself actually, I never allow my staffs to touch any dry cleaning items. This dry cleaning, if you do properly, it might beat the price of any hotel contract.

Yes 5 star hotels do send their linen to laundries but I would say only about 5%. The volume is indeed huge even their own laundry cannot cope with the works. But the bad thing about 5 star hotel is that they want things to be cleaned as new that gives too much hassle to the contractors (that's quite impossible btw), that's the reason they don't really trust 3rd party laundry and that's why they set up their own laundry.

I really admire your siggy, they are nothing but the truth !

renting business can be considered as a side income, however you have to concentrate to a business where you can commit most of your time successing it. renting a property you may consider it as your bonus income.

Just do any buiness that you are capable of and you are way better compared to your employee. That chef runs away situation is a good example. From what I know, starting a business with partners is like suicide.

My point of view about a beneficial business partner - someone who does a job not the same as what you are doing, I take myself as an example. I operate a laundry outlet and my friend sets up new laundry. Together we provide training to newcomers where he teaches machine installations and operations while I teach those laundry steps and procedures. Independently, we are able to expand our businesses respectively without intefering each others' operations.

If the partnership you mean like you and your friend operate the same business and doing the same job, there will be WAR later on.

Correct, as a boss, we must know every operation from labour works to management skills. We can still operate it even the employee runs away although it's a bit tiring (I've had this experience before) but the business runs as usual. All (I mean all with no exception) employees are not trustworthy at all. All bosses must be ready for this.

@Jamzz & @IGax2000

Yes we have to search for local worker first but we all know that locals are the real scumbags (not all but most of them) and I'm not siding on the foreigners neither. You see the situation here, a cheap foreign labour accepts a RM600 salary per month compared to a RM1000 per month for local for doing the same work. Yes all business owners are able to give that amount but you people have to take note that most businesses hire foreign worker to cut their costs. As their costs can be cut through that, they can reduce the price of their goods and services. Compared to the business owners who hire 100% locals with RM1000 payout monthly, surely they can't survive it if their price of goods and services are similar with those who hire foreign labourers. If they increase the price just to cover the salaries of the locals, nobody would come and buy goods and services at their shops/outlets. We as business owners must also imagine ourselves as a consumer, in general, we will go shop at outlets where the price is the cheapest disregarding who works either local or foreigner. We as consumers really don't care. It's the price that matters. I wish my employees are all locals but for now, it would kill me as my rivals around me only hires Indonesian/Bangla workers to run their businesses. I got no choice. They problems with locals, you know, they are smart, they know how to lie, they like to skip coming to work with millions of excuses, they want long long holiday ( dad is getting married again, mother's friend is sick, friends's birthday party, fever, cold, cough, H1N1, AIDS, HIV and so on but all are bullcrap ). I wish the government allow the business owners to increase their price just to give job opportunities to locals and prevent foreigners from getting in. But again if this rule is enforced, many bosses will take advantage to increase the prices but maintains their illegal foreign workforce instead of replacing them with locals. This problem until now I can't figure out how to solve it.

still no respon for this !

That one was what I posted earlier...not edyek. But whatever it is, there's still no solution !

when the business grows, you MUST hire somebody.

[quote=vogipike,Jan 14 2010, 09:28 PM]
[quote=edyek,Dec 19 2009, 12:24 PM]
The purpose I open this thread is to gather all business owners to share their experience in Small and Medium cash flow business. This will be a guide to someone out there who intends to invest in small and medium business. I share mine 1st.
2. Laundry
Capital : 10k (I take over from someone who owes money to the loan shark, and he needs money urgently.)
a. Take over all the shop which includes 2 heavy duty washing machine , 3 heavy duty dryers, 2 iron and board, etc.
Partner : None
Location : Apartment area (Approx. 5,000 units). The only laundry available as there are only 2 rows of shoplot own by the same owner and I pay slightly higher rent to the owner and signed an agreement with him not to rent to any other laundry.
Monthly/Daily Income : RM 4 per kg (all kinds of clothes). Average income RM 25,000 per month. (Do not include contract wash from nearby reflexology centre, cafes and restaurant)
Workers : 10 workers. RM 400 per person. With commission RM 0.50 per kg and includes lunch
Duration : Manage it for 2 years and sell it off.
Opinion : Good cash flow business. For walk-in business, find location with medium/heavy populated residential area.

Hi...

I'm interested in starting a laundry business in Kuching Sarawak. Since you are in the laundry business. Which supplier do you go for purchasing your detergent and chemicals? Could you recommend me your supplier?

[/quote]

My friend supplies laundry machines and I supply plastic materials/hangers/detergent/softener

Friends, if you are still studying, just keep on studying until you get the degree. A degree for me is just like a license and does not mean you have to work forever with your degree. I was a graduate in Geology and I have worked in the oil and gas sector for many years as a geologist and other positions but I end up doing a laundry business. How far deviated from my previous occupation where people are flocking to work as an offshore personnel as their dream job. I find that doing business is much more fun than working but bare in mind, the challenges are still there and keep on coming.

This post has been edited by am_eniey: Jan 25 2010, 08:17 PM

advice from me, if you people wants to start a business that requires a 100k capital, you should have 200k in hand just to be safe.

I want to hire monkeys and elephants to help me doing business because no local wants to work. The government are closing all services permits because they don't understand how hard a small business owner like me to run and maintain a business. Politicians are there to talk only. They know nothing about life as a civillian !

you sell baju batik or something....sorry to interrupt !

Theory is less than 5% that what is really going on in real business.

you plan to do it full time ?

if it's not full time, you can forget about such business !