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I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job

onhand.pro

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Re: I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job

#131

Post by Joel_Mckay »

deweywsu wrote: post #47
dsalzman wrote: post #34

Doing something similar. Bought a business in the petroleum equipment service space. Building internal tools for ourselves. Pen and paper still dominates the industry.

Would you recommend buying a business over starting one from scratch when possible?

Usually... buying proven technology, and marketing lead lists is still a gamble. However, the other YC posters are correct in the "never make what you can buy" advice... if and only if there is still mileage in the product life-cycle.

In general, there are a lot of serious rules around energy and fuel industries. Rockwell and Kongsberg technology still dominate for some very practical reasons. Seeing a few small firms fail hard in the area, I would still call it a fools errand for those looking at low hanging fruit. =3

Re: I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job

#132

Post by lotsofpulp »

tezclarke wrote: post #69
btown wrote: post #63

> That’s why selling SaaS or AI to this kind of company isn’t for me - I’d rather focus my energy on building a company from my own principles, and hire people who share them from the beginning. > When I told my manager I was leaving, he said I should start my own company and give him a call when I do. So that's what I'm doing. I love hearing stories like this, because it shows a way to be a builder without the "vent…

On "venture or nothing" - This will be my second company and this time round I have stripped right back to the problem, which is actually quite basic - pest control is a big, good business to be in and it's possible to build a very big, profitable business by doing the simple things right, consistently. It will compound over time if the basics are done right (which is harder to do than I thought before this experimen…

> which is actually quite basic - pest control is a big, good business to be in and it's possible to build a very big, profitable business by doing the simple things right, consistently.

I would have thought the opposite because pest control is the easiest thing to DIY for most people. All the insecticides and traps and knowledge for what to use is available online, there is usually no emergency so research can be done, and no technical skills to learn most of the time.

Re: I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job

#133

Post by DaedalusII »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #132
tezclarke wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On "venture or nothing" - This will be my second company and this time round I have stripped right back to the problem, which is actually quite basic - pest control is a big, good business to be in and it's possible to build a very big, profitable business by doing the simple things right, consistently. It will compound over time if the basics are done right (which is harder to do than I thought before this experimen…

> which is actually quite basic - pest control is a big, good business to be in and it's possible to build a very big, profitable business by doing the simple things right, consistently. I would have thought the opposite because pest control is the easiest thing to DIY for most people. All the insecticides and traps and knowledge for what to use is available online, there is usually no emergency so research can be do…

fumigating houses, pest control at commercial food facilities, commercial premises etc is a big dirty difficult job and involves expensive equipment and hazardous chemicals etc plus as OP noted requires exams before you can do it for 3rd parties

Re: I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job

#137

Post by diordiderot »

deweywsu wrote: post #47
dsalzman wrote: post #34

Doing something similar. Bought a business in the petroleum equipment service space. Building internal tools for ourselves. Pen and paper still dominates the industry.

Would you recommend buying a business over starting one from scratch when possible?

Depends on the industry / multiple / employees.

You want at least a year where you're systemising the owner out of the business without filling their shoes.

You'd also want some kind of break clause so you can back out if it turns out the business can’t run without the owner, or if the team won’t adapt and can’t be replaced.

Re: I wanted to build vertical SaaS for pest control, so I took a technician job

#139

Post by rambambram »

mememememememo wrote: post #66
gnarcoregrizz wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah. there absolutely are lots of very smart and capable people outside of tech. as someone who has seen the blue collar world "up close" (family businesses), its a different breed... the culture and attitude gap is enormous. shockingly so. most tech workers I know couldn't hang (don't hustle as hard, risk averse, liberal), but some skills may transfer, like problem solving and diagnosis, i.e. debugging.

Why is risk averse a thing. Blue collar jobs are just jobs unless you are going self employed and buying all the gear etc.

From above: "endless job that could kill somebody if you stop paying attention"
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