The road to being your own boss!!!

[likeitorlumpit]

Other than holiday jobs as a student I only worked 6 months for a firm (garden centre). I've never regretted being self employed but then again I always intended to be so it just seemed to be natural when it happened.

I started in November which sorts the men from the boys as if you can get through your first winter then summer is a breeze.

I was lucky to have a partner who earned good money to help us through the first few years but we didn't get the toys and went without holidays for quite some time. After that things seemed to improve but we often had credit cards completely maxed out and only able to relax when a cheque arrived and made things OK- and I mean maxed- often into the £10,000 region. If you can exist like this then you will be fine. If that level of debt relying on someone to pay- and you can't really chase too soon with some organisations- feels manageable then go ahead.

I also think you lose that comradeship you get as an employee because you are unfortunately 'the boss' . So look at that too.

Regarding money- look at Silky Fox- bike/chainsaw/climbing kit= maybe £800-£1200 makes it easy entry. BUT you WILL need his enthusiasm.

[Albedo]

Other than holiday jobs as a student I only worked 6 months for a firm (garden centre). I've never regretted being self employed but then again I always intended to be so it just seemed to be natural when it happened.

I started in November which sorts the men from the boys as if you can get through your first winter then summer is a breeze.

I was lucky to have a partner who earned good money to help us through the first few years but we didn't get the toys and went without holidays for quite some time. After that things seemed to improve but we often had credit cards completely maxed out and only able to relax when a cheque arrived and made things OK- and I mean maxed- often into the £10,000 region. If you can exist like this then you will be fine. If that level of debt relying on someone to pay- and you can't really chase too soon with some organisations- feels manageable then go ahead.

I also think you lose that comradeship you get as an employee because you are unfortunately 'the boss' . So look at that too.

Regarding money- look at Silky Fox- bike/chainsaw/climbing kit= maybe £800-£1200 makes it easy entry. BUT you WILL need his enthusiasm.

 

Is this allowed...surely this is a clear case of giving a sensible answer to the OP......Where's the mod's when you need them:001_smile:

[Gray git]

Had the flip side of my last post today.

was booked to do a climbing dismantal for a local company today but at 3am this morning ended taking my 19month old boy into hospital with complications arising from extream constipation( long story of differing doctor advise) so at 7.30 had to call the lad and say sorry i could not make it as had to look after little lass and take her to school for her 2nd day after starting then pick her up again at 12 as they only start on half days.... result no work done today=no money in and prob the same again tomorrow as son and wife having to stay at hospital tonight also this has not looked good with the lad I was climbing for.

Some days your up some days your not.

 

Edit: Just had a call to say i have lost a job to someone i know works for someone ells and will be useing all his employers gear van saws fuel to do the job on a saterday:cursing:

Edited September 5, 2012 by Gray git

[Albedo]

It’s quite possible that I can be cheaper than half of you lot (because I do it myself), Do a better job (I’ve been doing it longer than most of you and served my time unlike half you lot), and make more profit (low overheads).

[Albedo]

Sorry graygit, I'm just getting down and dirty with this and ignored your post.

 

Hope your kid is ok.

[Andy Collins]

Blimey, switch on the smug mode

[skyhuck]

Other than holiday jobs as a student I only worked 6 months for a firm (garden centre). I've never regretted being self employed but then again I always intended to be so it just seemed to be natural when it happened.

I started in November which sorts the men from the boys as if you can get through your first winter then summer is a breeze.

I was lucky to have a partner who earned good money to help us through the first few years but we didn't get the toys and went without holidays for quite some time. After that things seemed to improve but we often had credit cards completely maxed out and only able to relax when a cheque arrived and made things OK- and I mean maxed- often into the £10,000 region. If you can exist like this then you will be fine. If that level of debt relying on someone to pay- and you can't really chase too soon with some organisations- feels manageable then go ahead.

I also think you lose that comradeship you get as an employee because you are unfortunately 'the boss' . So look at that too.

Regarding money- look at Silky Fox- bike/chainsaw/climbing kit= maybe £800-£1200 makes it easy entry. BUT you WILL need his enthusiasm.

 

:scared1:

 

Not my experience, my wife does not work and has not done for the last 18 years and we have 4 children. We have never used credit cards and have only had a business overdraft for the last 12 months.

 

Personally I think if you work hard and are sensible with your money a decent climber will easily support his family, by running his own small crew.

[Gray git]

So do I, nowt worse than someone who is too small to tell you what is wrong with them.

No matter how good bad work gets however you are employed children take priority and these unforseen days have to be taken into consideration....

[skyhuck]

If you don't wish to argue, don't make statements like this accusing people of stuff then writing off an entire ethnic group.

 

With regard to your later remarks on undercutting...

 

There are loads of regular members of arbtalk who don’t personally have the skills to climb and take down a tree, they have to employ someone like me to do it for them.

 

Therefore I can do any tree cheaper than any of them or at least make more profit from it if we are the same price. I’m doing the work myself and not paying others to do it for me.

What you call undercutting is just down to various choices on how you run your business. If all those members on here want to compete with me they are going to have to learn to climb a tree themselves for a start.

 

Furthermore it’s my opinion that everyone has a right to go out and quote work if they think they can do it. It's about putting food on the table. I resent nobody and I mean nobody their right to do this.

 

Edit I think your last post was quite good by the way even though I don't agree with all of it... are you a climber yourself?

 

Or they can just employ a climber who's better or cheaper than you

Edited September 5, 2012 by skyhuck

[Albedo]

Blimey, switch on the smug mode

 

I'm expecting some flack mate:001_smile:

 

How about this then, I've said this before but not on arbtalk...

 

 

If you ain't a climber you ain't a tree surgeon..