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Make a Great Living After the Military

Posted by on October 2, 2019 in Uncategorized
After the Military

Make a Great Living after the Military

After I left the military, I was disabled (100%), married, had a child, and was a high school drop-out. The only jobs I could find were minimum wage. I could not support my family. We struggled to pay rent and sometimes had no food to eat. I was extremely depressed and often thought of suicide. I felt like such a failure.

I was working at a V.A. Clinic, mopping and polishing floors. I also cleaned patients’ rooms. I did it well. But because I could not earn enough to support my family, I had to find another way. “I need to start a business!” I kept saying to myself. But I had no money. “What should I do?” I kept asking myself. Finally, the answer dawned on me, “Start a janitorial business!”

I had a vacuum, broom, mop and bucket at home, plus plenty of cleaning supplies and clean rags. So, I made up some cards. “Beach Cities Services” was my company name. I lived in a small beach town of 25,000 people, Laguna Beach, CA. I took a day off from work and spent it walking down all the business streets of my town and introducing myself to the various business managers and owners. I found two accounts, both for $500 a month, which totaled more than I was making at the V.A. – I was in business.

At that time, Real Estate was booming. Houses were doubling in price every year. Lots of people were selling homes and getting rich. So, I focused on them. I did not want to be a salesperson. But I did enjoy going into their offices at night when everyone was gone and getting them clean for the next day. Soon, my company was cleaning dozens of offices across my county, and eventually throughout my state; and, I was employing dozens US military and veterans to help me.

During the days, we cleaned houses realtors had for sale, and at night, we cleaned their offices. After payroll, expenses and taxes, I made nearly $100,000 in my first year. That was ten times more than I have ever made in a year before. It dramatically changed my life! I went back to school and got my high school diploma, and then I attended college. Over the years, I have earned several college degrees and attended 4 graduate schools. I also had the time to take my kids to school and pick them up. Plus, I also coached all of their sports teams. I had employees who worked and earned money for me, as I did.

It is so rare in the cleaning industry for companies to find reliable, good cleaning maintenance companies. The national average for companies to keep their janitorial company is 5 months. They are always looking for a company that can they can rely on, so they never have to think about cleaning their office again. But such janitorial businesses are almost impossible to find. But my veterans and I had all been trained and drilled at keeping everything in the military “Inspection Ready.” We did outstanding work! Our reputation and my business exploded. After 3 years, I was able to sell Beach Cities Services and buy a condo on the beach and go surfing every day. — Over the span of my life, I have built up and sold 7 cleaning maintenance companies. Now, I teach veterans how to do what I did.

I have created US Military Maintenance. We provide the equipment, training, certifications, website, and marketing to ensure the success of every veteran who gets started. Over 80 veterans have done so. Some have already sold their businesses and retired.

If you are able to use the leadership and motivational skills you learned in the military, you can build a very lucrative maintenance business very quickly. Give me a call and let’s talk.

I retired in my 50’s and started my veteran non-profit Patriotic Hearts. My wife and I have largely supported our charitable efforts from our own savings. We primarily assist US veterans with transitioning well. I never want a veteran to face what I did when I got out. Particularly, if a veteran has experienced combat, they do not need the additional stress of struggling to support themselves and their families when they get out.

We have a job board especially for veterans, HirePatriots. Thousands of companies looking to hire veterans post their jobs on our site every year. We also hold hiring events. And we have a unique job board for residents to use when they need help with chores around their homes and yards, our One Day job board. These are free job boards that we build for any city or community that wants one.

Mark Baird/[email protected]/760-847-2561/ 760-730-3734

About The Author
Mark Baird

Hello, I'm Mark Baird and I founded Hire Patriots. My wife and I are 'helpers.' We are concerned about meeting the practical needs of our US veterans and their families. We began a job board for local residents to post chores that they need help with. It has been very successful. Thousands of local US Military and veterans partially or entirely support themselves from our website. We are looking for others near US Military bases who would also like to have a HirePatriots.com website for their location. Find more information about our military programs at PatrioticHearts.org. And please make a contribution of any kind. Thank you.

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