Who here are self employed/entrepreneurs ???

[DannyD]

Been there done that (self employed that is) You can have it.

Photographer, wedding, team, groups, dances, etc. Loved doing it. but way too many hours.

Worked 18 years in production (factory) till one email later I was totally disabled (their words)

Went on to sell insurance, that stunk

Finally went to college, got my MCSE and A+ computer certs and now work (remember totally disabled) for the largest dental company in the world, installing computer systems in offices. Best career I ever had, and starting over at 44 is no fun, but great decision.

 

[DannyD]

Indy,

still have not seen that new play toy on my place working up this ground............hehehehheheehe

I have an area that for some reason is not coming back this year.

 

[Bird]

Cactus, I've not been self-employed except for sideline businesses or jobs. However, my Dad worked a good part of his life on a salary, but then owned service stations, an auto parts store, and the bus station. Both of my brothers have been self-employed a good part of their lives; home builders and owned garages and a tire dealership. I know, in these times, there are some very highly paid "employees" who become quite wealthy, build savings, retirement plans, etc., but I never forgot a few things Dad taught me:
1. If you own the business yourself, you're going to work a lot more hours than if you're on a salary,
2. Many, if not a majority, of the "employees" know how much income they'll have each payday and they spend it,
3. If you're self-employed, you don't know exactly how much income you'll have next month, so if this is a good month, you're more likely to put some back instead of spending it all,
4. Many businesses fail each year, so there's a considerable risk, but
5. Owning a business is the best way to actually get ahead in the world financially.

 

[RobertN]

1. Elegant Harvest

2. I like variety, and working outside. Worked for years at a very good job, but always inside. Often I was in a darkened room with no window; photonic emission microscopy required total darkness. The microscopes had a complete light tight enclosure, but we kept lights low. It is nice not being cooped up in that room, although the technology was really cool!

3. Wife and I both left hi-tech. She has a biology background, and I have done some construction. Now we do landscape, walls, ect.

4. Like the changes in season, flexibility to take time off when needed. Like being outside
Dislike being tied to the weather when it rains. Or, like last year and this year; we are going directly from temps in the low 60's to the 90's. Sometimes it's a bummer when temps hit 110+ in Agust/September.

 

[Jagmandave]

I spent the first 30 years or so of my career in the Automobile bidness, starting as a mechanic - we weren't called "technicians" then - where I worked for a man who really taught me about using your head and being honest in your work. I moved thru various dealerships - mostly Porsche Audi where I went from parts helper to parts manager to service manager (later service/parts both), then when I couldn't make enough money in service they transferred me to the sales dept, where I did very well, mostly by NOT lying to my customers. I went thru sales to used car manager, new car manager, F & I manager and finally general manager.
After a late in life marriage brought me from Sunny San Diego to humid and weather laden Kansas, and after 30 years of the car biz I'd had enough, and quit altogether and took a year off. While helping a buddy of mine thru his temp agency, I met a man who was starting a new company in the frozen dough business. I assembled most of the machinery for this new business and helped get it started up, a few months later he invited me to be part of his management team, and I've been there the last 8 years as the facilities manager. Even tho the management has changed, it's still a good place to work, and as it is for most guys my age (mid 50's) the health insurance and other benefits have become more important.
After spending my entire career working for small businesses, I can see owning one is not for me. The headaches, heartaches and hours are just too much, and while I admire those who have and who still do own their own business.............I'd rather hit the lottery! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

First thing when you work for someone else it means you have a job. Everyone I know how has one hates it. I really don't want to go there.

But if I was to get a job it would probably be at Home Depot or Lowes. They're only place I know where a man can wear shorts and an apron to work and not have his masculinity questioned.

I once had an old timer explain to me that you didn't want the sharpest guy on the block working for you. You'd be training your competition. And you didn't want the dumbest one because it'd be more work getting something done with him than without him. So what you wanted was mediocrity when getting an employee.

There's alot to be said for his wisdom.

In my world it's fools or tools. I've chosen tools. I don't have the problems employees can't leave at home. And I get to work at my speed on my time schedule. If I want to take a break I don't have to consider that they are going to want one too.

I have been in the corportate world. I was the maverick. While responsible for seventy people in a national corporation we had a seminar on management. All of us there took a personality test. The results were graphed out.

The graphs represent different personality types and what other personality types worked best with them etc.

After he'd went over most of them he asked if there were anyone's out there that was different. The guy sitting next to me grabbed mine and took it up to the speaker. He drew it out on the blackboard and wanted to know if there were anymore like mine out there. There wasn't.

He then went on to explain my type of manager. It started with a profane word usually used when someone wants to describe the middle of the north end of a south bound jerk.

He then confirmed what everyone else there already knew. I was totally result oriented and single focused when on a project. If you wanted the job done on time on budget get out of the way.

But what was funny was he told us that there was only one more pattern that was more contrary than mine. It was the SOB pattern. He asked if we had any of those amongst us.

We did.

It was the president of the company. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I like taking my ideas and doing the whole thing my way.

I don't like not having the security some people who have lived their whole working lives in a company sometimes have.

But then I do get some satisfaction in Franklin's comment on security.

 

[Bird]

Harv, I think that I, like you, was one of a kind. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I understand the theory and reason for not wanting the sharpest guy on the block working for you, but that just wasn't me. I liked having "subordinates" that I thought were sharper than me, and I had quite a few during my career. I learned from them, and they took care of me, often making me look better than I was. When I was the boss, we were going to do things my way, and everyone knew it, but I wanted employees who weren't afraid to disagree, make suggestions, etc., because sometimes they had a better idea, and when they did, I changed my mind about what my way was going to be. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

And, yep, I've been in a number of those management courses and taken those personality tests. The first supervisory course I ever attended was taught by a guy that I considered the best we had, and I've always remembered him saying that there are many different supervisory types and, under the right circumstances, any of them may succeed. When he talked about the "authoritarian" type (dictatorial type), he said, "That works just fine for some people, and if that's what you want to be, you may succeed, but if you fail, you won't be a minor failure." /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[johnday]

I'm semi-retired at my own business for now. I'm a licensed Michigan General Contractor, specializing in framing. I also usually did the siding and windows. This was a part time outfit working 14 days a month.

My regular job is a power plant operator/Union Committeeperson for the last three years. It's a 24 hour a day job. Therefore, something had to give.

I found out that competent, dependable help is VERY hard to find.

On the other hand, it really makes for a nice day not having anyone to force you to their way of doing things, and the felling of accomplishment is a very nice reward. If I please myself, usually everyone is happy. Have I had bad customers? Only a couple. Some people are never satisfied if they think that someone else is the boss on their building. It sometimes come down to that in the contract, I've had to mention "no homeowner interference at this price". If they don't like it, fine, I can always go somewhere else.

I hope to quit the powerplant ratrace next year. Move to Northern lower Michigan and start another small business. New construction only, NO remodeling!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Have also thought about a cottage security business and light repair, along with snow removal and grass cutting.

Somebody, wish me luck!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PBMAX]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Somebody, wish me luck!!! )</font>
johnday, Not only luck but the best of luck....

great thread thanks all...

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

I've seen a bunch of my employees move on to bigger and better things over the years. That is inevitable. I was an "unsatisfied" employee at one point myself.... I moved on.....

Onward and upward, the American way!

I'd rather deal with employees that have the qualities to make it on their own. Self motivation, able to think fast on their feet, dependable, honest, and focused. If I only get them a year, that's a year better than having some "goof-off" working for me. In most cases, the person that's ending up as your competition, will get his "training" somewhere, and from some one. I'd rather it be ME, than .... my competition.....

You have to take what you can get sometimes, when dealing with people/employees. You can't clone yourself. Every potential employee is an individual. They'll do a certain amount of things "their way" no matter what you want or expect.

The business world is like warfare...It's fluid, ever changing. Just because you find a "perfect world", doesn't mean it will stay that way for long. I HOPE my business continues on its current path, but won't be shocked if some new law, some change in the economy, or maybe even a health issue of mine comes along and alters its course. You have to be ready to deal with that. Just like you have to deal with the ever-changing cast of characters that are "your employees".