Hello:

Does anyone have any experience with Nexstar? Is it worth the $21000 1st year and $7000 per year after? Thanks for your help.

My guess is the 21,000 it a good deal, for the person selling it, heck, that can pay for one nice vacation.

in all seriousness, it depends...

their system works, if you believe it and follow it.

in LK's area, there is a Nexstar company that is probably doing $10mil/yr between their plumbing/hvac/electrical...to them it's worth it.

just look at it like this...nothing in life is free, you pay one way or the other. You can pay $ to get all the information in a timely fashion...or you can pay with time, and get the information slowly as you make mistakes...

It amazes me how many parasitic organizations that are out there all trying to capitalize on the people like us who actually do the work and make the money.

If the expense is minimal compared to what it does for you in sales, it's worth the investment. If the expense puts you under, it isn't. Both have probably happened to Nexstar companies. It took me 20 years to change to flat-rate. My sales have increased well since the change. I made improvements in sales & marketing and sales have increased well. If I had known then what I know now, I would have earned at least $10,000 more per year. Who knows what else I'll learn by myself. I should be pretty good by the time I retire.

Dave

I have noticed that employess of these flat rate companies are un happy and looking for new jobs,I think with their system the employees see all the prices for the jobs.

Could someone ellaborate a little more on what Nexstar is?

Trevman...it depends on the company. Remember, each company (whether Nexstar, ESI, Mr. Sparky, Mr. Electric, etc) is independently owned, not corporate. So the pay and actual job requirements are up to the individual company to create.

I will say, that if done correctly, it's a great system for all involved.

I personally know technicians who earn $100,000+ per year doing residential service work.

Where the issue is, and where the unhappiness occurs, is that these techs see the money the company is earning (because they know all the prices) and think they should earn more. Or that they can go out on their own and earn all the money.

They don't fathom, and haven't been taught, what the companies true operating expenses are. They don't know that the company spends $300,000 yr in advertising to generate enough calls to let them sell what they sell.

The other issue that pops up a lot is burnout. Most guys will do this type of system for a few years, then get burned out. (note, these guys will go out on their own for a few years, and get burned out as well...then go work for someone else) So they look for a job where they don't have to do as much. Just show up, pull some wire, and go home.

It takes a different type of person to be a service technician for one of these companies. Not everyone has the drive or the desire to do it. If you are simply looking to go to work, do what you are told, collect a paycheck and go home...you will be miserable doing this type of work.

My point? There are a few reasons guys are unhappy at these companies.

www.nexstarnetwork.com

if i didn't know any better, i'd say "spoken like a true employee"

ITO, you are a smart man (I think), how educated or trained are most electricians at running a company?

most guys go into business without the knowledge they need. There are only a few ways to get it...

1) work for another company in a capacity that allows you to learn on their dime - most guys never do this.

2) learn from the school of hard knocks, on your dime. - most guys go this route...and most fail by going this route.

3) go to "school" and get educated. - this could be college, trade organization schools, or through groups like Nexstar. It all depends on the market you are going after.

But one way or the other, you need to acquire the skillset required to run a company. How you do it depends on what you find valuable...