Small Business Owners...

[The Shottist]

www.desertstatehvac.com

I am a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor. I was lucky and got a few big jobs the first month when I started my business, so I never had to worry about cash flow and having enough capital on hand to survive the seasonal cycles. Most of my friends that also started their own businesses weren't so fortunate and had to go back to working for other people. Most people that work for themselves will tell you the freedom and perks of working for yourself make the extra hard work worth it. Don't think working for yourself means less work for more money. If you decide to start a business, plan on working 70 to 80 hours a week for the first couple of years.

 

[truckemup97]

Originally posted by The Shottist:
If you decide to start a business, plan on working 70 to 80 hours a week for the first couple of years.

Just the first couple?

Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

 

[parallel]

I started my small business as a side job in 2006. Within months I had more work than I could handle even full time. When the Architect that I worked for demanded that I no longer work on the side, I quit and opened my own firm. I do drafting and design work (mostly AutoCAD) in the Architectural, Structural, and occasionally the Civil Engineering disciplines. I also do solid modeling and consulting for various clients. I am looking to get into the BIM (Building Information Management) side of the field soon, but the software cost are prohibitive at this time.

I work from home, and when I have employees I allow them to work from their home as well. It is more hours than I ever put into a job, but I love it. I work from the time I get up in the morning until my wife and son come home, then I stop to spend time with the family, eat dinner and all of that. Once they are in their bedtime routine, I go back to work. I try to schedule my site visits and meetings in a maner that limits the mount of trips into the city I have to take. All in all... it is the best thing I have ever done.

Sure there are risks. I have done my best to minimize them, but there is always the possibility of failure. I run my business on a cash basis... no debt whatsoever (the reason I can't justify the BIM software right now), if there isn't any money after the overhead is paid, I don't take any pay. As I told my Dad when I took this business full time; those who do not take risks and who have never made mistakes, work for those who do.

My bare bones website:

WingardWorks L.L.C.