Am seriously considering starting a cleaning company , anyone out there with relevant experience? I intend to start by doing the jobs myself and as I grow I will employ someone.

A company is an incorporated entity, is this what you mean or just starting a business as a proprietorship. An important difference.

yes as a sole proprietor, instead of company ,I should have said business

It is best to always be clear then your customers know who they are doing business with. If you have a business name, as a sole proprietor the legal entity will be 'you' dba 'your business name'

Very easy. My wife did this when we first arrived. She prepared a flyer, placed them on doors in our neighbourhood and had a full schedule in no time. She found it difficult to grow the business due to the lack of staff available but that was 3 years ago when workers were very hard to obtain in Calgary. Things may have changed now.

Thanks for the positive feedback. Do you think this line of business is not befitting a masters degree holder? My OH is against it but I really believe in having my own business .

One of the girls I worked with, started her own cleaning business a couple of years ago. Within a month she was earning more than she was as a full time shop key holder, she hasn't looked back and I believe only works a few hours a week now and earns big bucks. As they say, where there's muck there's money! Go for it!

Befitting? And what in his eyes does befit a masters degree? It's a piece of paper that indicates a level of education, not a restriction of how you should live your life.

I shoveled horse shit for 4 years after first moving here. If your OH's going to get picky about the perception of whether your education measures up to your career, I'd leave him to be the sole wage earner.

Starting is dead easy - go to a vehicle registration/licencing agency, fill in a page, pay your fee and away you go.

If there's no other regs to contend with - I can't imagine there is with cleaning, but there you have it. If your income is over 4 figures you have to report it by law, under it is optional (or so my accountant tells me) but i'm reporting regardless, as I'd hate to have a paper trail once in x years and raise red flags. Better to be consistent.

Good luck!

Do you have to be 'Bonded' to do a cleaning business? I don't know, I just remember the girl I worked with getting police check and a bond thingy.

Definitely the best thing to do. You don't earn any RRSP contribution room if you don't file tax returns.

You must have liability insurance. It is not a legal requirement, but you would be well advised not to go into business without it. Otherwise, what happens when you knock over the $10,000 piece of porcelain and spill bleach on the carpet?

You should also have accedent insurance too in case any of your employees injure themselves on the customer's premises.

This is I believe mandatory in ON. when you have employees with WSIB. It is in BC with WCB. Liability insurance covers much more than breaking a vase. If you get sued during work activities, it may well claim itself.

Talk to an insurance broker.

guys, thank you so much for your replies and encoraging words. Infact, I have decided to go for it will keep you guys posted on developments