wish me luck, say a prayer

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ramenth

ramenth

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It's getting close to Christmas, and the business is feeling it. Even working at a lesser charged hourly rate and demanding high quality, I knew this time would be coming. Things are starting to slow down to a certain extent. I can be running my butt off for two or three days of the week and then working on the Dip for the rest of the time. I'm gaining more and more customers, and more customers who swear be my work to the point that they are referring family and friends.

But there comes a period of time when financial security has to come first. Today I have an interview at a local dealership's body shop. Which is ironic since this is the body shop I started at detailing cars 20+ years ago, before I really knew how to do body work. The old team is gone, the old management has been replaced, even ownership has changed hands in this amount of time. But it's still the same set up, same shop.

I'll be taking on customer's pay work in my evenings and Saturdays; I really don't want to lose my customer base as most of them have come to know me. And the wife and I agreed that the money there would be put into the projects, within reason (may have to save a little longer, is all, while taking care of some old bills). It's just the security of the paycheck is needed right now, no excuses.

So, wish me luck, folks, and say a little prayer that things work out.
 
Sounds like you are doing the right thing, security first and a good second job to build your customer base working nights.

You are in no different situation than millions of other small business owners especially shop owners.
I can relate, as its feast or famine and this summer has been brutally slow.

This whole country needs prayer and hopefully come November we can get some common sense back in Washington.
 
I hope we hear back from you and our prayers are answered for you Robert :happy10:.
Sounds like you have your foot in the door :cheers:
 
Good luck to you Robert....Having a small business myself I can relate bigtime to the feast or famine issues, making payroll weekly, keeping the taxes paid, and health care is another issue alltogether. I've often thought of a steady paycheck.
Hope things work out for the best.
 
Best of success in the new job Robert. Working for yourself is nice, but the paydays can get really thin at times. Tried it, and finally took a 'secure' type of job and have never regretted the decision.
 
this is why I keep my day job, I have a handful of steady customers, but I can go days with out even as much as a tune up, prayers sent and best of luck.

Mark
 
cudaspaz said:
Sounds like you are doing the right thing, security first and a good second job to build your customer base working nights.

You are in no different situation than millions of other small business owners especially shop owners.
I can relate, as its feast or famine and this summer has been brutally slow.

This whole country needs prayer and hopefully come November we can get some common sense back in Washington.
Click to expand...


A big x2 on this one! I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors Robert ... with your expertise and experience you have nothing but success ahead of you!
 
I want to thank everyone.

I'm home for lunch at the moment (11:56 am) and the interview is in an hour. A little nervous, truthfully. But it's time to get a little spiffed up (clean clothes) and make sure I have everything I need.
 
Wishing you the best of luck. Don't forget to smile :)
 
Best of luck! I have been self employed so totally get this. It's a wise decision..
 
Got through the interview. Just like old times, pretty much. The team has changed since I was there, everyone but one guy is gone, and he definitely remembered me. Got a good word from him with the boss.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The shop is exactly the way I left oh so many years ago. New KJ wrack, though, with laser targets, so that's a plus. After my last experience with frame work, I just hope I don't have to spend a lot of time on it. (My last job had me on the frame wrack for 40 hours a week for the last six months I was there...kinda burned me out.)

What was interesting was that I wasn't just interviewed by the boss, but by the guys, too, to make sure I'd fit in. Gave me a chance to ask some free questions about the place and see if they had to fight for hours (flat rate), if things were steady, how the place was run, etc.
 
Hope it works out for you, good luck, prayers sent :cheers:

They all interviewed you? Well Robert, I met you in person and you are a great guy, you will have no problem fitting in that's for sure!!
 
I know how it is running a business. The long hours, low pay, and then by the time you pay taxes and the other crap for the government ou are lucky to break even. Then the accountant says that "you can write off your losses!" Can't eat them though..... Hang in there. Your customers will understand, the good ones anyway. I know a lot of people that would rather deal with the small shop and have it take longer because they support the small business. Keep at it....
 
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