Well, I thought since this place is my only hang out and my friends are here I thought I'd post this.

After 15 years of being self employed I have given up and took employment with a place that has been my customer for over 10 years. I enjoyed working for myself but the last couple of years I lost the passion to do it. My customers have become more demanding and tighter with a buck. I suppose that's just the norm for this kind of economy but I've come to the conclusion that the old adage, "Give your customer more than they expect" is a bunch of BS. Over the years because I'm basically a one man shop I had to give a little more than the bigger competitors. I usually gave more than I quoted and unless it was a major addition to the project, I'd throw in a lot of freebies. Over the years, even thought I did this, I had customers that would go down the road if they found someone who would do the job for 5% less. It wasn't short term customers either, I had customers who I did work for many years who did this.

Employees were another aspect of business that tended to drive me nuts. I'd hire people who assured me they had years of experience only to find out after I hired them they could barely read a diagram or turn a screw. If I asked them to something I didn't specifically hire them to do they'd balk and whine, never even try to do something different. The few I found who were good workers I lost when I became slow and had to lay them off for a short period. I don't blame them because they were good and someone else saw that and snatched them up.

In my new job I'll be doing the same type of work as I've been doing for the last 20+ years but without the hassles of having to find work, telling customers that I can get their jobs done even though I already have other jobs that have to get done. Every customer thought they were #1 and were a priority. At times I had so much work I didn't know how I was going to get it all done and other times, like the last month and half, I didn't have any work.

In my business I did jobs that small companies didn't have the facilities, manpower or equipment to do themselves. A lot of places used me to do overflow work when they didn't have enough manpower to do it. Other customers dropped me after they grew and could afford to employ someone full time to do the work I did for them. Now with the bad economy many of my customers who would normally send to me their work are using their own workers to do it to keep them busy so they don't have to lay them off. I've called around but while I found a few places that sounded interested no one followed through on the quotes I've offered.

While I feel bad about giving up the business, after 15 years I feel like kind of a loser, I see no other option. Also, my new employer offered me a package that in my opinion is way too good to pass up. The nice thing about this situation is by working so closely together over all these years they know what my capabilities are and what I have to offer and I know exactly what they do and what they need. I don't think I could find another place that would offer me this kind of deal, I would have to start at the bottom. It should be a rather smooth transition but I know I will still feel a little sick not being able to work for myself. When I look at it there are a lot more pluses than minuses. No more 7 day work weeks, no late night into the morning work days and if there are I will get paid for every minute plus overtime.

 

Congratulations on the job, Bob. Don't feel bad about the business failure. It happens to some of us.

 

I think you're making a wise move - " i know that you're giving up you "Freedom" but that freedom sometimes comes at too high a price.
The guy that is building my garage is pulling his hair out because he can't keep workers - They quit because he expect them to work and or they know more than he does and he has to go back and redo several days work.
He has been working 15 hr days and bringing in his father and brother in the evenings to try and stay even.
You have a family and a future to keep up

 

I have been in business for myself for 35 years. Ups and downs are part of it and always have been. On each job you have a new "boss" and that can sometimes be bad. But for the last 5 years I have had way too much work and have been able to pick my jobs and get the price I want. Maybe it is because the economy here in the Houston area is fantastic and has been for quite a while, or maybe it is because I do good work and am always on time and call if something comes up to delay my part of the job. There are many who do the same kind of work I do who make it easy for those of us who actually act professional. No matter how good some of them are, if they don't communicate with the client then they cut their own throat. Who knows, but work is great now. The job I am on now, building cabinets in a 15,000 sq ft home, will keep me busy until Spring.

 

Good luck, I am sure it will work out. Biggest challenge will probably be from being your own boss to taking orders, but at least if you know the team it will not as big of a deal.
Sometimes it is nice to be able to go home at the end of the day and forget about work instead of there really never being an end to it.
Dont feel like a failure, at least you had the guts to do it, many people will not even try running their own deal. This economy impacts us all, big or small.

 

While the customer part of business can be a BIG PIA, trying to find employees is an equal or bigger PIA. I'm small so I can't offer the best benefits but I try to make it up in other ways. I've given flexible schedules, lenient when it comes to calling in at the last minute to tell me they can't make it in that day, low pressure work atmosphere and I've even lent money and drove to employee's homes to pick them up and drop them off. But like your garage builder I've spent days and literally thousands of dollars fixing my employee screw ups. Between fixing things they have literally wrecked like cutting $1000 cable to cutting holes in the wrong place on a $1300 stainless steel enclosure. They just shrug and punch out at 4:30 leaving me to work through the night to fix their screw ups. The worst is the dopes who say they have years experience but when I check their work I find they completely screwed the wiring up and I have to spend two hours rewiring the project to make it work.

My son once told me he thought I'm unfair when I get upset when someone screws something up because I mess up. I explained to him when I screw up I spend my time and money to fix it, when someone else screws up I spend my time and money to fix it, no one else's.

I know I'm going to miss the "freedom" I had working for myself but I had little of that. Someone always wanted their job done on their schedule and every time I tried to sneak out I'd have someone telling me I couldn't because their job had to be done. At my new place I've seen their employees leave without a problem to take care of personal business. In fact I told them this morning I needed three days off in September for Truckfest and they told me, "No problem, you have two weeks of vacation to start with".

 

Hey Dick, I just realize after reading a post in you freedom post I have a lot in common with your situation. I'm kind of getting a divorce from something that at first made me happy but became something I lost my love of and came to dread. Hopefully my "divorce" will go smoothly although I'm not getting completely out of it. It will be costly, I had business debt I have to take care of and a building I know I can't get rid of just yet. I could sell it for what I owe on it but then I'd lose about $50K. We're going to hang on to it for a while and pay the mortgage. It's a nice building, 2500 sq. ft, fully insulated with a very efficient heating system so it doesn't cost much to keep it for a while. With the market I'm in there is way too much available space to compete against.

 

Like I tell my wife, who's also self-employed, when the business is good, it's really good, but when it's bad, it's really bad. There have been several times when she thought of giving up, but I keep telling her that she won't like it working for someone else and having to follow their rules.

 

Congratulations Bob!! That's a promotion from a world of misery in my opinion. Are you going to hang onto your shop for a bit?

 

Bob, it sounds like this will probably be a good thing for you. You will get a regular paycheck, while someone else is paying into your SSI, unemployment , workman's comp etc. I wouldn't think of this as a failure, your just moving into another season of your life. Let the headaches be someone else's, and the weekends be yours. Best of luck.

 

If my business wasn't the main source of family income I would just ride it out. I've had slow times before and have thought about throwing in the towel numerous times but usually something comes along and persuades me to keep going. I've just gotten too burned out.

Doc, I have to agree. You know how my work load plays with my personal activities. I think I'll have more freedom with my new job. This morning when I told them I had to have 3 days off in September they said, "No problem, you start off with two weeks of vacation." Vacation?!!
a paid vacation?!! I haven't had one of those in 15 years!!!

I'd like to sell the shop and buy a house but right now the market in this area is really soft. My building is in a business condo complex and there are two buildings that are still empty after six years. I cold sell it for what I owe but I'd lose around $50K. We're going to keep it for a while and either try to rent it out or sell it if the market picks up.

Jim, exactly how I'm looking at it. There were days I came into the shop and just literally screamed, "I HATE THIS F***ING PLACE!!!" I know it's time to move on.

 

Guys, I just wanted to add I really appreciate the replies. You guys are my friends and they mean a lot to me.

 

Good on ya Bob, Its the same here in australia, Ive been in my own building buisness for around 40 years. Some times are good others a struggle. Ive tried working for others/doing other things but always come back to my own show. Could be the same with you, its like taking a holiday so try to keep your building just in case you ever want to go back. Keep thinking positive and everything will work out. The best thing is you have a trade so you can take that any where. Good luck!! Rob

 

Good for you, and just think of all the extra time you will have for that free body shop, and helping out at the farm .

 

Maybe now you'll have more time, money and ambition to scour the area for parts trucks to drag home. Since you have a shop, you can tear them apart there and store the parts. You may be able to finance the shop's mortgage by selling parts.