So, I haven't done much work on my truck for about 5 months. It is driving me crazy! Being self employed can be a real challenge sometimes. When you have work you have money but no time, and no work means no money but lots of time. Last summer I had just come off of back to back to back restaurant interior woodwork and made very good money. I had another big residential job in a high rise lined up and bought and started my '52 F1. The residential high rise job turned out to be the job that just won't end. I can't charge them more because the slowdown is because of a terrible contractor that just won't do his part. I am working directly for the owners who are very nice people who pay immediately and never have a bad word to say. Plus the husband is a car guy who actually races a couple of his cars. He has a nice shop and about ten cars including a '50 F1 that he uses as his trailer puller to take his race cars to the tracks. It is nice with a corvette RIS, jag front, 351, and some really nice mods. Meanwhile I need new fenders (mine looked decent until I decided to strip them and get the seam back between the two parts), running boards, motor rebuild, and an overdrive trans. I have done the suspension, the frame with MII and Explorer rear with new springs, the cab is great on new mounts, new radiator, gas tank in the back, new wiring, etc. I am very frustrated because work is about to get crazy again, I am wrapping up the high rise job finally, and now I have a new problem. Back in September I got a very large splinter in my right index finger that felt like it hit the bone. Over the months since it has developed into a bump so big that it looks like I have a marble under my skin. It's on the palm side centered between the first and second knuckle. Needless to say, it gets in the way of work so I finally went to the hand specialist. He says that it is most likely an epidermis inclusion - the splinter took some skin into the finger where it actually grows and a cyst forms around it. Surgery is a week from today. I am hoping to get back to work and back to work on the truck! Meanwhile I am going crazy...

 

I feel your pain , I run a mobile repair business and have 2 trucks on the road (at least one everyday) . The bright side to being self employed is a truly believe that I live a better life ! I get to see my 17 month old son grow up rather then in his bed at night when I get home .
Keep the faith brother !!

 

I know what you mean, I am self employed as well as a single parent of a teenage son.
Things can sure get interesting at times, but I don't think I could ever work for someone again. I like my freedom, lack of funds at times kind of sucks though......
Hang in there...

 

Me too! When I have work I haven't the time. When I have the time I haven't the money

 

I feel for you on the hand problems, they can get real serious real quick! I got stuck by a russian olive thorn on a finger, didn't think anything of it, but ended up in the hospital for a tendon sheath infection. Talk about painful! Take care of it, that's most important!

 

I really don't have anything to complain about - my finger will be fixed and my truck will too. I am still here, still working, and have this forum where there a lot of like minded people who love the old trucks don't mind a little whining. Thanks!

 

Man, I can relate. I also have had my own small business for over 14 years. I've had some good years but more not so good years. The only reason I've lasted this long is I don't like working with other people who drive me nuts or else I would have close up long ago.

I'm at the same point as you. I have a '37 Buick I tore completely apart and have replaced every part except the front fenders and grill surround. Kind of did backwards project, bought a parts car first and built around it:

1937 Buick Special Page

I also have my three trucks. The F-4 is on hold while I try to get the Buick back on the road, which seems like it will never happen. The panel is a streetable vehicle which needs a repaint and some minor repairs and the F-2, my main baby, needs the front end taken care of before it can go back on the road.

On top of this my kid restarted a dairy operation on the family farm and seems to need something repaired on a weekly basis. Not only does this suck away more of my time but also money.

Funny thing about running your own small business, everyone thinks your pulling in money hand over fist. I've had customers tell me I must be making a killing because of the hourly rate I charge. I invite everyone of them to come over and talk to my CFO, my wife, because at the end of the month, after billing out thousands of dollars in invoices she tells me we can't go out because we don't have the money. The hourly rate I charge looks high but by the time I pay the one or two guys I might have working for me, the mortgage and supplies, and insurances, the big killer, there's not much left. If I try to raise my rates my customers howl and go down the road to the guy who is charging 5% less and usually doesn't stay in business for long.

The old saying of "having time and no money, having no time but having money" never seems to work out for me. It's usually "having time and no money, having time and still no money". The other funny thing is people will see my small fleet of vehicles and think I'm another Jay Leno who has a fortune to work on them. Heck, the only way I can afford to play with these vehicles is to do all of the work on them myself, I mean everything, and stuff I have to pay for are done by buying parts vehicles and selling parts. My hobby is a relatively low cost because of all the wheeling and dealing I do, if I didn't there is no way I could afford even one vehicle.

 

I feel your pain, in more than one way... Hope your surgery goes well and that your back to work on the truck soon... and work/work too...

 

I hear you talking . I used to own a custom cabinet and furniture business And usually dealing directly with a residential customer was a very pleasant experience . Had an epidermal cyst the size of a golf ball on my knee back in the late 80's but I still remember how irritating it was till I had it removed . Take care of yourself .

 

Thanks for all the support on this site! I feel much better already - you guys are supporting my whining! No, not really. I rarely whine and don't like whiners so I have to take that back. This is really cool to find a place with like minded people who know and understand each other. Bobj49f2, good luck on your projects. I know that my finger will be fine as soon as they cut out the cyst, and one of my big clients is getting busy again so that means that I will be. And Bob, you are so right about the hourly one needs to charge. People look at you like you are making tons. But 40 or 50 bucks an hour when you are doing small jobs just doesn't cut it. What you really make, by the time everything is paid, is about 10 bucks an hour. Lucky for me I have a really great wife who works and understands my need to have fun working and spending on my truck (when the money is there). Thanks Moe and Allan - Allan my clients are usually the best and very easy to get along with. The designers and architects are another story as they "always know more than you". I have put a few in their place over the years, but I find it is usually better business in the long run to just let them have their way in the short run...

 

Man is everybody self employed that owns these old trucks?? I've been a homebuilder for almost 20 years and love it. I swing a hammer full time, and turn a wrench on my 49' on the weekends. Hats off to earning it for yourself!

 

Even with my complaints, I wouldn't change it. I love being self employed, even if I do have a different boss on every cabinet job that I do and have to deal with the IRS paperwork.

 

The nice thing about having customers as bosses is you can leave them as much as they want then they walk out the door. You don't have to contend with them every day. All you have to do is say "Yes, yes" and walk away.