Clientele is everything. I hate to type cast but the more affluent type are the ones I have had better luck with. And not new money yuppie types where their new-found social status has screwed with their ego too much. My best customers are the type that have earned thier money the hard way, and their time really is worth a lot, and they have the keen business mind to realize it. To bicker and whine about price is not worth the time it might cost them to try to find someone else. They know enough of what they want and let you figure out the details because to put too much thought into it is taking their $2000 per hour mind and wasting it on drivel.
To service these types (residential) you need to be neat and clean and on time. Good truck, little if any rust, no oil leaks etc. inside organized. I've had people tell me they chose their contractor based on how well the inside of the truck looked. You have to know manners and ettiquette and a good command of the english language. (fortunatly spelling is less important.)
On the other side, don't work for people who want to skimp on everything, have a shady feel, and have no respect for a highly qualified, responsible and proffesional service man. You'll be busy getting the wrong referals, and it will keep you from working for good people.
Of course this all assumes you have the qualifications, skill, finess, knowledge, experience, expertise, people skills, and instincts to pull all this off. If not, start working on those.
