The Handyman's Guide To Profit: Using Your Skills To Make Money In Any Economy

by A. William Benitez

"The Handyman's Guide To Profit" 2020 Revised Edition includes all the information you need to start a successful handyman business in your community using the skills you already have and basic consumer level tools. The 2020 Revised Edition is an updated version of "The Handyman's Guide To Profit" with price at only $10.95. If you were among the thousands who lost a job during the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic or accepted a lower paying job, this book is for you. As a handyman you'll never get laid off again. Regardless of the economy, homes and buildings always need repairs. When the economy crashed in 2008 millions lost jobs and many struggled for years and some were still struggling to catch up when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. I was fortunate then but years before I had a profitable writing and consulting business helping federally funded housing programs across the country. My reputation was established and I was selling books, a monthly newsletter, and traveling to help communities leverage the housing funds they received from the federal government. Unfortunately, after a national election, everything changed and all the housing funds disappeared and so did my business. Just as those who lost their jobs, the money stopped. What saved me was the handyman and carpenter skills I learned in my youth. My limited savings were dwindling and I didn’t have time to find a job. I no longer owned a truck so I purchased and outfitted a small trailer with all the handyman tools I needed and hit the ground running. After just a few ads in local weekly papers I was working everyday and making a decent living. At first most of the jobs were small and could have easily been handled by someone with limited experience and that was good because money flowed promptly. As time passed I started taking larger jobs and gradually moved from just handyman work to small remodeling jobs and finally, after renting a small shop, to woodworking which I continued for over twenty five years. Like losing a good job, a business failure can be traumatic and impose a serious financial hardship but with a few handyman skills anyone can quickly start making money. I know that first hand and my book "The Handyman’s Guide To Using Your Skills To Make Money In Any Economy - Even In A Pandemic" can help you do the same on a full time or part time basis. This time, when the pandemic hit, I was luckier because of my publishing business but it's still a struggle. The economy has improved for many and the unemployment rate has dropped significantly but many of the new jobs are low paying so it's still tough for many others. Good paying jobs are often hard to find and keep. With your handyman business you're in control. Start out with small jobs that you finish quickly to maintain cash flow and then grow as you learn more. If you have home repair skills you can start making money now as a handyman using only those skills and my book as a simple guide. In "The Handyman's Guide To Profit" you'll find twelve chapters of valuable how-to information that teaches you how *Find new customers*Price every job to ensure profit*Get paid in full for every job*Expand your skills for profitability*Use the Internet and google to increase profits*Keep customers coming back and giving referrals*Handle your accounting and taxes easily*Become a highly paid home repair expertEverything you need to know to succeed financially as a handyman. No fluff or hype, just down to earth details on exactly how to make money using your present skills. No theory. This book is based entirely on my first-hand experience. And, now the price of "The Handyman's Guide To Profit" is only $10.95. For questions contact me now at bill@positive-imaging.com . Thanks.

106 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2009

About the author

From age twelve I spent my summers and weekends working with my dad, a general contractor, building homes and buildings. I contracted my first home at age nineteen and built my own home by age twenty.

I’ve operated one-person businesses for more than 30 years. Twelve years of my life were spent working for local government managing federally-funded housing programs. I started as an inspector with a three month assignment and left as Director of Community Improvement with 78 employees twelve years later to do writing and consulting.

Writing, Publishing and Consulting

I established Rehab Notes Library, a publishing company that published a monthly newsletter (Rehab Notes) with subscribers in all 50 states, Canada and England and nine books on housing related topics. I also did consulting and public speaking on housing related topics for agencies and organizations in cities across the country.

After 1980 when most federal funding was pulled from housing activities, I took advantage of my construction and business experience and started a handyman and woodworking business.

Over Twenty-Five Years of Woodworking

For over twenty-five years, first in Tampa, Florida and then in Austin, Texas, I built hundreds of small and large cabinet and furniture projects for individuals, companies and government agencies. During these years I began writing books about my experiences.

Positive Publishing

My company, Positive Imaging, LLC at http://positive-imaging.com, does what I call positive publishing for my books and the books of other authors. To date I've published over sixty books totaling over one hundred and fifty counting all three versions, ebook, paperback, and hardcovers, and presently have several books in various levels of completion.

I've created products for self publishers including the Easy Kindle Formatting Kit at http://easykindleformattingkit.com and Easy Kindle Covers at http://easykindlecover.com. I plan to create more products based on my first-hand experience publishing books and ebooks.

Computer Experience

My computer experience dates back twenty years and began in response to poor technical support for our computer. I used home study to acquire A+ and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer Certifications. I worked for the Hyatt Regency in Austin, TX as the IT Manager and retired after 20 years in January of 2016.

During 2014 I stepped out of the business and woodworking genres to write a book on relationship. It was something I had thought about for years and had always feared doing. Relationship: Notes on Love, Mutual Respect, Boundaries, Marriage, and Divorce was difficult but fun to write and, to my surprise, received great reviews. Details available at http://notesonrelationship.com.

I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and moved to Austin, Texas where I now live with my wife Barbara Frances who wrote the novels Like I Used To Dance, Shadow's Way and Lottie's Adventure, all available at Bill's Positive Books, http://billspositivebooks.com.

Reviews

[Ben Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good overview of the business with an experienced guide

Straightforward advice from an experienced handyman. Best section is how to estimate your hourly rate. Also look at the subcontractor tax warnings.

[Susan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a "handy book" for anyone who wants to make money on their home repair skills. It is simply written and takes the reader thru the business. I was impressed by how many facets the Author covered in running a business.

[M.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the book from a Goodreads giveaway and was asked to provide an honest review. The book was clear, concise and offered a great overview of advice for anyone starting a small business for the first time, but, also, presented a solid, detailed outline of the steps in establishing a handyman business. It stuck to its stated purpose and a did not wander off topic. I would recommend it to anyone considering running a business as professional and wanting to make a profit. I can't think of anything I would change about the book.