What will I be doing?

Some people love variety. They want a business that will challenge them every day. They enjoy being a jack- or jill-of all trades. And they love working with their hands.

To match these skills, many people need someone who is “handy” to do a variety of odd jobs: hauling, painting, fixing, building, stacking or trimming. So the solution is to match those who need and those who are handy. That’s actually the easy part.

What will I need to start?

To be handy is to be skilled and clever with your hands. To be a handy-
person is to have a variety of skills and to not be afraid of learning new ones. The more you learn the more you earn. To start a handyperson service you will also need some tools. You’ll need transportation such as a pickup truck. One enterprising handyperson took the back seat out of an old family sedan, removed the barrier between the seat and the trunk, and was able to haul everything from plywood and lumber to cans of paint in the space.

Gather together your tools—you may have everything you need right now. A handyperson who was asked to paint a shed purchased the equipment needed for the job and was able to use the equipment for dozens of later painting jobs.

You may also need a license or permit. Check with the state or local contractor licensing board to find out. If you must, remember that the licensing is intended to protect your customers. Make the best of it.

Who will my customers be?

As a handyperson, you will find that most of your customers will probably be homeowners. In fact, you may decide to specialize in helping homeowners in a specific part of your town. Or you may prefer cleaning and hauling jobs over painting and wallpapering. Another handyperson may decide to work for shop owners as they renovate an older downtown commercial area. And yet another might do cleanup work at a small industrial park, taking loads of scrap to the dump and used boxes to the recycler.

If your customers live in a geographic area, spend a few days taking your fliers door to door. Talk with potential customers and find out what types of jobs they need.