Business in a Box: What Is Actually in the Box

A business in a box sounds like a slogan. So I am going to open mine and show you what is actually in it, item by item, in the order a new person would use it. Then I will tell you what it cost me to build, and what is not in the box. I charge in euros in Vienna, so my costs here are rounded to dollars.

What is in the box

1. A backend system, ready to run. A CRM for tracking your leads and customers, invoicing and expenses, budgeting tables, a content calendar, email templates, a daily operations dashboard and reports. I built this for my own business, exactly how I need it.
2. A website, ready to go live. A professional website deployed in your name, for your location, with SEO-optimized content and blog posts to get you started. It is not a template you have to figure out.
3. Marketing and visibility setup. Competitor analysis for your local market, Google My Business setup directions, an SEO checklist and a social media content machine with scheduling. These are the things most people spend a year figuring out.
4. The full training system. All five steps, start to finish: the Manifesto, the AR trainer, the Mastery Course with certification, and the Clear View Creator, where you document your highs and lows from beginning to end. This is the same system I use to train the people who work for me.
5. The AR trainer. The world's first AR squeegee trainer. You point your phone at a real window and it shows you where the squeegee goes. You build the muscle memory before you are standing in someone's living room.
6. Professional certification. Something to show a customer who asks why they should trust you. On the first few jobs, that matters more than you would think.
7. Pricing. How to quote, what to charge and when to put your prices up. Most new cleaners undercharge for two years and then wonder why the work feels so hard.
8. One session with me, privately. One to one, not a group call with 40 other people typing in the chat. You bring your situation and we work on it.
9. The Clear View Network. I am still working on this one. It is where people with dirty windows will be able to find cleaners certified through my training, and see who is available.
10. An equipment starter guide. Exactly what to buy and what to ignore, under $200 for all of it. There are no affiliate links in it, so I get nothing from what you choose. The tools I use are almost 100% the same as what I used from day one.

What building it cost me the first time round

I will not go through every piece, but here are two.

Invoicing. Before I built my own, I spent months learning, customizing and uploading into a paid invoicing software. In the season there were a lot of hiccups, and in the five years I used it, it never operated properly for me. It had so many buttons, features and options that I did not need. Window cleaning is a simple job, and your admin does not need to be complicated. That software also came with a yearly subscription of about $575. So I invested the time once and made one that works for this job, without the bells and whistles.

Training. That was a project of maybe two years. I invested in photography, video and video editing, then brought it all together into a course and documented the process. All together, the box has taken tens of thousands of dollars over quite some years.

What is not in the box

Finding the customers. I cannot do that for you. You need to look for your own dirty windows. I can point you in the right direction, but you need to find your own motivation to get out there.

Once you realize the movement is simple and light, then your first invoice, your first month and your first year show you the potential. Then you start looking for more lucrative customers. Bigger, dirtier windows.

Why no franchise fees and no royalties

Franchise fees and royalties are expensive and complicated, and that is not what I want for my trainees. With a franchise you report to an office, and whether you clean or not, you still need to pay those fees. I do not believe that is necessary in this industry. If you want the comparison, read franchise vs starting your own.

I want you to be proud of being trained by Orloff's and to step out into the industry knowing that it is on you. The highs and the lows are yours. You pay once and you use the tools, without being burdened by a subscription or royalties from me.

It is what I would have wished for back then. My own start was close to it. A contractor took a percentage, something like 80-20, but I was not franchised and I paid no royalties. In parallel, I built up my own customers. That is what motivates you to look after them and get them to come back.

Where to start

If you want to look inside, read about The View and let's talk. I read the applications myself.

Related guides

• The View: start your own window cleaning business
• Window cleaning franchise vs starting your own
• What it costs to start a window cleaning business
• How to start a window cleaning business

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a business in a box?

It is a business that comes set up and ready to run, instead of you building each part yourself. Mine is The View: backend, website, marketing setup, full training, certification and pricing for a window cleaning business.

What is not included in The View?

Your customers and your motivation. I can point you in the right direction, but you need to find your own dirty windows and get out there.

Are there franchise fees or royalties with The View?

No. You pay once and you use the tools. There are no franchise fees and no royalties.

How much equipment do I need to buy?

The equipment starter guide in The View covers exactly what to buy and what to ignore, under $200 for all of it. There are no affiliate links in it.