Does anyone run another business? Or not do tree work full time?

[Cordata]

Yet another day off with a back injury, going 110% all day every day has caught up with me. 

 

I've often thought about running another business alongside my tree one to give my body a rest. I'm the main climber, do almost everything myself, and don't really have any days off because I feel like I need to keep going to make it all work.

 

I'm pretty uninterested in consultancy and surveying even though they are an obvious type of work to get into, which doesn't involve manual labour.

 

Does anyone do something else? Can't keep ruining my body at this pace, but if I could split days between the physical labour, and another thing I could make it work.

[woody paul]

If you want to carry on doing climbing you definitely need to take a brake the odd day. 

I had a customer how wanted me to top his conifers, which is a 3-4 date job, he go the hump when I said would do one day then have a break. 

Get someone to do more of the graft. 

[Shaunpaul]

You could subby a climber in 1 or 2 days a week, but then you’ve got the problem of being let down or not getting on etc, that’s if you’re used to your own company. I’d say that’s the easiest way to carry on with the potential of getting a full time climber, but would you be the groundy? Not really taking it easier on the ground humping and dragging all day.

other than that, depends on your skills/past experiences and what business you could set up and invest in, which would obviously take time to set up and get clients. Would something like a tracked mewp make life easier that you could also hire out locally with you as the operator?. Not going to generate a fortune but would help with your fatigue.

[Brushcutter]

Operated plant hire? 

Operated mewp hire?

Big chipper hire?

 

Require investment but a way off the tools. 

 

Chipper mechanic if your handy. 

[Dan Maynard]

I generally do 2-3 days a week of tree work, on the other days I'm in an office job working on industrial software. I have a bit of physio about every 6 weeks, gradually my back shoulders and arms are improving but I do get elbow tendonitis quite bad if I do the wrong thing like use an axe.

 

On the plus side it allows me time to physically recover, I think if i tried to climb full time the injuries would build up so this is allowing me to continue longer. Also, I have a ready occupation to cope with seasonal variations so no need to do fencing or grass in the summer to fill the diary.

 

On the negative side it's hard to keep track of all the things going on in two completely different worlds, projects phone calls, meetings, customers, invoices , quotes etc etc. I would have to admit both businesses could be run better.

 

If you can pull it off 2 businesses there is a huge upside but I would maybe suggest if the fields are closer it might be easier,  eg operated mewp hire it's all tree people you talk to.

[Steve Bullman]

Maybe look into starting a drop shipping website, particularly if there’s something you have an interest or expertise in 

[Cordata]

20 hours ago, Dan Maynard said:

I generally do 2-3 days a week of tree work, on the other days I'm in an office job working on industrial software. I have a bit of physio about every 6 weeks, gradually my back shoulders and arms are improving but I do get elbow tendonitis quite bad if I do the wrong thing like use an axe.

 

On the plus side it allows me time to physically recover, I think if i tried to climb full time the injuries would build up so this is allowing me to continue longer. Also, I have a ready occupation to cope with seasonal variations so no need to do fencing or grass in the summer to fill the diary.

 

On the negative side it's hard to keep track of all the things going on in two completely different worlds, projects phone calls, meetings, customers, invoices , quotes etc etc. I would have to admit both businesses could be run better.

 

If you can pull it off 2 businesses there is a huge upside but I would maybe suggest if the fields are closer it might be easier,  eg operated mewp hire it's all tree people you talk to.

 

The way you do it is pretty interesting. I can imagine doing both is a pain as you say, running different things at the same time must be challenging.

 

The problem I guess is to try to not get spread too thin, and be able to allocate time to each business effectively?

 

I love what I'm doing at the moment and if I could run it like it is now which is essentially me doing almost everything with the odd bit of help when I need it, it would be perfect. I don't think I really want to start getting teams together and send them out on jobs. Just need to think of that other way to make money on days off - I actually enjoyed work today since I was rested from taking yesterday off

Edited November 20 by Cordata

[Mick Dempsey]

12 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

Maybe look into starting a drop shipping website, particularly if there’s something you have an interest or expertise in 

I see this phrase ‘drop shipping website’ a lot.

What does it mean?

[Steve Bullman]

Selling items online that you don't stock, then having them shipped straight from the manufacturer/distributor. We do it for the bigger things on our website. For example we've sold 4 £200 toy kitchens the past week. We make £60 on each one yet will never touch or even see the product. I just have to ping an email and payment to the supplier as and when the items ordered. Im happy to do that all day long for £60 a pop!!!

[Cordata]

12 hours ago, Steve Bullman said:

Maybe look into starting a drop shipping website, particularly if there’s something you have an interest or expertise in 

 

I have looked into that a bit before since drop shipping is such a meme, but don't think I would want to do it. I'm pretty interested in making things myself, my own online shop, doing my own fulfilment etc.. Could maybe try making some arb equipment 🤔