Quote:
Originally Posted by GregWeld
NVR --
Another good post... on "bidness".
Reading all these good posts on here dredges up some good memories. I've owned and operated 3 of my own businesses - and sit on the board or am an investor in others. So I'm only tossing in my usual .00000003 worth of opinion - and none of our opinions is worth much except to take the info and digest it. In the end - everyone can open a business and some will stay in business and make a living for many years - some will fail within a year - one out of 10 might be considered 'successful'. Some of the best businesses are the ones that can be replicated (franchised)... hot rod building is NOT one of those. Some businesses can find a way to build more things faster and cheaper... hot rod building is NOT one of those. So for me - to hear the guys that speak to the passion side of the business... that is the clearest message and probably the best advice that can be offered. If you can get out of bed every day - and go do something that you love to do - to whatever "level" that is... and pay your bills... and be proud... then that's probably something you should be happy to attain.
I liken this to Steve Rupps comments about a camera purchase... when he said -- "the best camera is the one you have with you". How simple - and how true... owning the best camera is worthless if it's at home when you want to take a shot... in that case the best camera might be your cell phone.
So here's the advice I'm going to put forth.
Go ahead and give your ideas a try. Start a shop or start a project - and see where it goes. What the hell do you have to lose... if it works out.. Great! If not - you've learned something... But you're never going to have the perfect opportunity - or the perfect time - or enough money etc. So might as well just get down and dirty and get acting on your dreams. Just don't hawk your house - your wife - or anything else that affects OTHERS... It's like gambling - you've also got to be smart enough to know when to fold if things don't go as planned (which they NEVER will in business!). Start it out any way that works for YOU. But start - otherwise you're never going to know.
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Here Here Greg, well put. You cant vision income upfront. Its a gamble on a yearly basis. As long as you have work and love your job in the end thats all that counts. I started from scratch 20 yrs ago bought 2 other construction companies along the way to collaborate with mine and venturing into a distribution company of construction products within the next two weeks. Is it serious profit, NO, but I enjoy it. Once your company has its limits you either need to be comfortable with it or look into adding on to it. (labor with product) The biggest thing I've learned in business is not to carry all the reigns. Business owners have a tendency to be controlling and with that said you will end up doing all the work yourself and have no free time to enjoy life.