Original Yet New to FlyingSolo

[Stephen Mitchell]

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G’day, I am Stephen Mitchell, the Mow&Wash guy of Kangaroo Island.

I joined flyingsolo way back in 2010 (after purchasing THE book) because I wanted mind-stimulation to get out of the day-job I had at the time. But because life wasn’t giving me opportunities at that time, I stuck with the day-job.

Fast forward to late 2016 when we moved our small family to Kangaroo Island. Whilst looking for work, I noticed windows in the main street very dirty – and instantly the third small business in my life was born.

The first place I offered my amateur window washing skills was about to open the following day. A tradesmen working behind the counter stood up and said HE WAS THE ISLAND WINDOW WASHER. I stood my ground and offered to help him. I won the job because he was busy. We became friends, we now regularly work together or give each other clients, and he continues to teach me when I ask for support.

It’s now late 2019, and my work diary is full – which means at least 4 hours of work per day (which is more than enough). I am now considered a professional window-washer. It constitutes about 75% of my time and income.

Being a window-washer has earned me a lot of good friends on Kangaroo Island, established a lot of regular residential and commercial clients, plus I now enjoy life a lot more and a lot better. Most importantly I get quality time to be with my young boys as they grow up.

PS. I also am a radio presenter on 5KIxFM90.7 and I help my wife run her small business – LSBeez Kangaroo Island Honey.

Stephen Mitchell Window Washer, Visual Artist, Radio Presenter, Honey Salesman, plus has heaps more going on in his new life on Kangaroo Island.

[Paul – FS Concierge]

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Welcome back Stephen.

Your story is one that many can learn from. If we adapt to change, we can thrive.

It is good to have you back.

Cheers

[Stephen Mitchell]

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Thank you Paul. It’s different here since 2010. But there are amazing new marketing, money, productivity articles that I can learn from to move forward more productively.

Stephen Mitchell Window Washer, Visual Artist, Radio Presenter, Honey Salesman, plus has heaps more going on in his new life on Kangaroo Island.

[Stephen Mitchell]

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Additional Information:

I use my Youtube Channel to post short motivational clips amongst the many videos of our new life on Kangaroo Island.

Here is a short video I produced early last week to inspire a young friend to return to the workforce.

That same day I provided her contact details with permission to one of my bigger clients, soon after she made the phone call, and two days later she had a part-time job!

Stephen Mitchell Window Washer, Visual Artist, Radio Presenter, Honey Salesman, plus has heaps more going on in his new life on Kangaroo Island.

[Stephen Mitchell]

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Life After Pain
Kangaroo Island experienced extensive fires between Dec 2019 and early February 2020. 2/3s of the island burned. Thankfully mostly trees, but also a lot of houses, two men (father and son, RIP). Whilst traveling around the island over during the months after, we noticed lots of burnt remains everywhere. Because the fires started at the West-end of the island, some houses looked OK from their East-side – but the side facing the fires were sometimes black with ash!

I didn’t get much work between February and June 2020. Not because I wasn’t allowed to – but because clients were still cleaning up. Some were rebuilding, some going thru the remains. I accepted government support, but wanted to get away from that ASAP.

In mid 2020 clients, both new and existing, started contacting me. Then my mentor and competitor asked me to join forces due to the workload. From October 2020 to early June this year – I have window-washed non-stop. We are now a team. Recently we recruited a third person into the team.

Oh, what happened during Covid-19? We didn’t stop working. Didn’t have to, nor could. In fact, I now offer pressure-cleaning for paving and concrete.

Postscript: Occasionally I window-wash at inner-town houses with ash still on their west side. It’s a reminder of what the whole island experienced. And very humbling.

Stephen Mitchell Window Washer, Visual Artist, Radio Presenter, Honey Salesman, plus has heaps more going on in his new life on Kangaroo Island.

[Paul – FS Concierge]

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Good on you for hanging in there Stephen and it feels like things are working well in the new partnerships.

Well done!

[Author]

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