Time to hang up my spikes

[scott83]

16 minutes ago, Nathanzac said:

1 hour ago, scott83 said:

Apologies if I'm being negative but I've lived and breathed tree work for 17 years and had my own business for nearly ten. I find it abit annoying that someone 6months in expects work to literally fall in his lap. You need to work on a better business plan to succeed. Hopefully I've put some fire in your belly by saying you won't succeed!! 

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I understand what you are saying but I'm certainly not expecting work just to fall into my lap. I've paid out for a website, I've paid to keep my gumtree ad to the top of the search, have a Facebook page so am trying to get my name out there. If I'm honest my initial post was clearly out of frustration. I need to work out other ways to bring in money until the work picks up

Well it sounds like you made some positive steps forwards, I suggest you call every tree surgeon in your local area and offer your services as a subbie to create some cash flow and keep the business afloat. Build your business around this and try and build client list till you can knock the subbie work on the head. This will take years tho and will require a lot of hard work and determination! 

[jfc]

I can't add much to what has been said already. Lots of wise words in there. Takes time to get good and earn decent money as either an employee or sole trader. You have to be in a situation where you can afford to have the time to build it up. Hope you can keep going until then.

[bluebedouin]

30 minutes ago, Nathanzac said:

 I can't see where I'm going wrong?

Not necessarily wrong but maybe do more.If you really want to continue in arb work then perhaps do what Eggsrascal suggested & look further afield.That screenshot I put up earlier was advertising a job in Coventry.About 4 hours drive away from Plymouth.Go up on a Sunday,work the week come back Friday night.

I used to live in Southport & work out of Shoreham.Six to seven hour drive (depending on traffic).But it was a bloody good wage.(That I couldn't get in Southport)

Edited February 28, 2018 by bluebedouin
Extra info

[Nathanzac]

Neither can I to be honest mate.
Where are you?

Horrabridge Mark, just outside Plymouth

[bumble B]

14 minutes ago, Nathanzac said:

47 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

Neither can I to be honest mate.
Where are you?

Horrabridge Mark, just outside Plymouth

With a bit of luck there might be a couple of people on here who could help you out, if you were closer to me I'd try. Your first post was frustrated but with a bit of advice you have a clearer picture of what you should be doing. You need to bin this 12 hour day and get a fresh perspective, keep plugging away at it and good luck to you.

[Nathanzac]

Thanks for the great advice and words of wisdom. I will stick with it and work my socks off to make it succeed. Thanks again

[Vespasian]

I'd stick at it and find something else to do besides tree work..   make tree work your No1 priority but get somethin else on the boil at the same time..

 

And on the off chance you're a bit to keen, learn how to say no...   if a jobs out the way, or to much trouble then fk it..  let someone else do it..

 

 

 

[Mark Bolam]

Beat me to it Bumble B.

Very refreshing to hear someone listen to advice and not say they want £35k PAYE early in their career, blah blah blah.

I haven’t got any contacts down there mate, wish I had.

I know the corporate giants like Glendale, Ground Control and such aren’t to everyone’s taste, but a stint with them could stand you in good stead in the future.

[eggsarascal]

I can only tell you how I did it. I started on the roads being a "cone donkey", traffic management. Got into drainage through that job then worked for a utility company for ten years honing my skills, took voluntary redundancy when I couldn't bare it any more. Started on my own, I was struggling to get work, so  I rang about , (all over the country). Pulled a caravan or drove a motorhome to wherever the work was, yes it's a ball ache but there was no way I was going to loose face, and go and work for someone else again. Starting from fresh isn't easy. I'm in the process of changing some of the things I do, it's a right pain the arse for me because advertising is something I'm shit at. Give me a contact number and I will be able to get the job. I'm going to see one of those website wizards on Friday to try and push my new venture....... He's going to have his work cut out when I turn up on his doorstep!

[Mark Bolam]

Having met Eggs, I can confirm the last bit.

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