Well today is the first day of my unemployment/self employment. Left my job of 12 years to open my own electrical contracting shop. Kind of funny I have worked for someone else ever since I was 16 or so, now I will find out the other side of things. Woke up this morning wondering what the he!! I did, but about a half hour later I got a call from a guy with a few days worth of work for me and maybe more. That call made me feel alot better! My opinion is that if you are willing to work hard and honestly you will never starve, I hope I am right. The good side is that my wife makes enough money to cover all of the day to day bills and has good insurance, so it is not that much of a gamble in that way. so here goes nothing!
- Thread starter Greg K
- Start date
TomH in PA
Well-known Member
Doesn't sound like unemployment to me. Treat yourself like the most valuable employee you'll ever have.
good luck. Put all bids in writing. Be nice to inspectors. I did this 15 years ago. Cost a lot for insurance, eprmitts and union fees that I did not expect. Only 3 employees l alky, 1 nice guy but not too smart. 1 who didnt do anything. Killer for me was job I did and then someone unlicensed added to and I got blame for whole job and had to work a month free and buy materials. Watch for banks and real estate that want you to certify entire building to be free from electrical defects in writing. Dangerous. Positive side many rewarding and satisfying jobs and helping people stay in their homes. Dave
Hay hay hay
Well-known Member
3 rules
1) Do what you say you are going to do.
2) Do it WHEN you say you are going to do it.
3) Do it at the price you quoted.
If you do that, you will beat 90% of your competition for quality of service and your business will likely florish.
1) Do what you say you are going to do.
2) Do it WHEN you say you are going to do it.
3) Do it at the price you quoted.
If you do that, you will beat 90% of your competition for quality of service and your business will likely florish.
Hay hay hay
Well-known Member
Just got to add this. My 3 rules are so simple and seem so easy to follow. But they are not.
I am so fed up with drunks, druggies, bums, thieves, liars, skips, flakes etc etc etc.
So tired of hearing about the little businesses that make the American economy go. Most are little because they are mostly incompetent, never call back, and refuse to make an effort to do anything except go to lunch....and steal my tools.
So sorry I hurt these trojan laborers feelings, I know how hard they toil. BUT, they are reading this while someone is paying them $30/hr to work....not surf the net....which is what they are really doing.
That is why you can be successful, if you follow the 3 rules.
I am so fed up with drunks, druggies, bums, thieves, liars, skips, flakes etc etc etc.
So tired of hearing about the little businesses that make the American economy go. Most are little because they are mostly incompetent, never call back, and refuse to make an effort to do anything except go to lunch....and steal my tools.
So sorry I hurt these trojan laborers feelings, I know how hard they toil. BUT, they are reading this while someone is paying them $30/hr to work....not surf the net....which is what they are really doing.
That is why you can be successful, if you follow the 3 rules.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
I have been self employed/retired for three years now.This is the way I operate and it has given me more work than I need.
1 Treat people right.
2 Never lie to anyone.
3 Anything I can't do. I tell the customer so and find them someone that can.
4 Give them a fair price.
5 Show up when I say I will.
6 Back up my work.
7 Treat people the way I would want to be treated.
8 Don't all ways charge for all jobs. If someone brings me a job that only takes a few minutes. Say less than 15 minutes. I don't charge.
Has been working for me and I have more work than I need.
1 Treat people right.
2 Never lie to anyone.
3 Anything I can't do. I tell the customer so and find them someone that can.
4 Give them a fair price.
5 Show up when I say I will.
6 Back up my work.
7 Treat people the way I would want to be treated.
8 Don't all ways charge for all jobs. If someone brings me a job that only takes a few minutes. Say less than 15 minutes. I don't charge.
Has been working for me and I have more work than I need.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
You are not unemployed, you are just getting started. You just had 12yrs. of school now you have a chance to prove you can make it on your own.
This advice will take a while to settle in,if you can t make money on a job stay home. It is cheaper not to work than work and cost you money. No I don t mean that little job for the widow down the road, I mean the guy in town that has money and thinks he should keep it while you pay him to do a job.
Was invoved inan accident yr ago last Oct which I ended up with perminent 20lbwieght resistriction of my left shoulder and arm! Am being forced into early retirement (62yrs old and not ready to call ir quits))due to the resistriction! First time since 14yrs old that wont have had a job, dont think am ready for this emotionly or finacially!!!!!
Was invoved inan accident yr ago last Oct which I ended up with perminent 20lbwieght resistriction of my left shoulder and arm! Am being forced into early retirement (62yrs old and not ready to call ir quits))due to the resistriction! First time since 14yrs old that wont have had a job, dont think am ready for this emotionly or finacially!!!!!
Debra Kerlin
New User
My husband made the same decision years ago.
Glad he did it....was doing the work he loved,
never got rich, but made enuf to keep the wolf
from our door and was happy And, if you never did this,
you would always wonder if you should have, if
you could have made it okay, and all those
other 'what ifs'. Enjoy your new 'retirement'
Hope you do well.
Glad he did it....was doing the work he loved,
never got rich, but made enuf to keep the wolf
from our door and was happy And, if you never did this,
you would always wonder if you should have, if
you could have made it okay, and all those
other 'what ifs'. Enjoy your new 'retirement'
Hope you do well.
just another old geezer
Member
I totaly agree with what Billy Shafer's advice, I would just like to add one thing. In todays world a lot of people expect to be kept up to date and informed of the progress of a project. a voice mail or e-mail at the end of the day saying," accomplished x,y, and z today, on schedual and the specal (switch, part, etc) you wanted is in and will be installed tomorrow", can work wonders with customer relations.
in contracting, a very good rule of thumb is to get all deals in writing up front. Spell things out specifically whats in and whats not in. Some people out there delight in getting free work. Be very careful with that. Just like renting a house, talk payment up front then deliver your end of the bargain fast and right. Lastly, don't leave any work incomplete.
Sparktrician
Member
Greg, where abouts are you located? It will soon be 5 years that I have started my buisness.....or I should say my wife and I. I am a electrical contractor also. There is a lot of good advice here.....I am in south western ohio. Best of luck to you....will be rewarding and annoying....
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Here is one simple little tip that will set you aside from the rest......return your phone calls promptly.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
The paper work, keep GOOD records for Yourself and the inevitable TAXMAN.
What makes you money... The Client. keep your word.
Not like the morons I have in my area here in Oz..
What makes you money... The Client. keep your word.
Not like the morons I have in my area here in Oz..
was sitting here on hold on phone. lot good suggestion but there a couple that i think are even more important, and they are make sure you keep your parts suppliers paid . and all you taxes paid a lot good small business fail because they don't keep current with taxes and suppliers. and make sure you get paid a bad non-paying customer is worst then no customers. also good records i found that when i started using quick books my cash flow was better main reason i wasn't getting everything billed out , its those .50 cent parts that add up.
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