Wanna go Pro?

I can't imagine why I would want to turn something that relaxes me and I enjoy doing into a stressful, have to get it done yesterday, need to work 20 hours a day job...
 
What are you talking about? The dough is rolling in here. Wait, I got the flow wrong, it is going the other way. Never mind.

I wonder if the guy also knows that when he goes into business for himself and opens a shop, hes going to have to start paying taxes, liability insurance, all kind of city and local charges(fees) , have inspectors looking up every crevice,fire dept inspectors, sanitation inspectors, you name it, the govt makes up an inspector for that, people stopping payment on checks because they are unhappy with this or that, heat, electric, water bills, etc.....yeah, everyone thinks being in business for yourself is so pleasant.
I came to the conclusion after 30 + years that being in business puts a target on my back.
Govt targets you as a source of regular income, insurance companies know without them youre finished, so they raise rates at an astronomical pace, and the rest of the world's attitude when its time to get paid finally, is you cant get blood from a stone.when I got it, youll get it.

One happily retired business owner now.
 
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well its not just woodwork,, that will get quilting as well..a quilting job that has over 300hrs in it hand sewn was only valued at 200dollars and 75 of that was material money..so its not just wood working that is being hit by the new attitude.....unfortunately...
 
I did say that America was built by dreamers. True, but that statement alone ignores the fact that many-many never achieve the dream.
Larry cited quilters. My avocation passion of history and old guns finds many highly skilled craftsmen and artisans who build historically correct guns. Some of these guns take three or four months to build. The builder often is paid only about $3,000.00 for the finished product. That is a lot of money to pay for a custom rifle but the builder stays poor.
 
That's funny and sad, all at the same time, Jim. :rolleyes:

I do suspect "Those guys are dinks" just might become my new catchphrase, though. :p
 
Hilarious!

Hilariously sad, depressing, realistic look at the truth.....

I started in the business just before the 32 MM system took over so had a couple of years that were good, and then it tailed off until the CNC set got better. Wish I had a friend like that back about 1979.......

I am that guy now, and I try to talk every young man that wants to do it into going back to school. None of my friends that are craftsmen are getting rich, most are struggling in this economy.
 
I posted that because it rang so true (unfortunately).

I've never tried a woodworking business - never was tempted to mix business with my pleasure, but have owned and run several businesses over the years.

I wish somebody would've talked to me prior, like the guy in that video. I had no idea what I was getting into prior to my first venture into business. (Truthfully, I doubt I would've listened, though...:doh: )

The extent of licensing, insurances, liabilities, inspections, and other requirements are nearly unbelievable at times. My property management business required business liability, office liability, errors & omissions liability, bonding (both me and the employees), also-named-insured riders for the clients, workers comp insurance, etc, along with state and federal tax registrations, state corporation fees/taxes, county and city (five different cities!) licensing, fire and safety inspections (by both the government and the insurance carriers), monthly filing - and paying - of receipts taxes, employee federal and state withholding taxes and Social Security/Medicare taxes, and a whole bunch of other bureaucratic rigmarole. It's a wonder I ever had time to actually DO any business!
 
The extent of licensing, insurances, liabilities, inspections, and other requirements are nearly unbelievable at times. My property management business required business liability, office liability, errors & omissions liability, bonding (both me and the employees), also-named-insured riders for the clients, workers comp insurance, etc, along with state and federal tax registrations, state corporation fees/taxes, county and city (five different cities!) licensing, fire and safety inspections (by both the government and the insurance carriers), monthly filing - and paying - of receipts taxes, employee federal and state withholding taxes and Social Security/Medicare taxes, and a whole bunch of other bureaucratic rigmarole. It's a wonder I ever had time to actually DO any business!

I try to never write them all down on one piece of paper, It would make me have a auction.

Picked up the mail yesterday and the state added another $300 a year to my cost through a manditory continuing education program. Last year it was the EPA and their Lead Certification, and I just recieved someting from the DEQ that I have to get approved, with the appropriate fees of course, if I build anything within 500 feet of a waterway, never mind that the planning and zoning already hit me up if I am within 500 feet of a waterway. I always build within 500 feet of a waterway........

I am in the process of writing a letter to our new governor, but I keep having to shorten it up.....
 
Very true and to the point. I think back over the years to the hard time's, the learning times and what it took to build my reputation to what it is today and if I had to do it all over again I would. So why tell someone with a dream not to follow it? why not encourage them and give the the wisdom you have learned over the years so they see the short coming and pit falls. Then they will realize what their in and understand so they don't make the same mistake again. New guys in the trades will go through hard times but with a heads up they will have a better understanding of what happened and how to deal with it. Jarrod is lucky to have me teaching him and he see's my low points and councils me sometimes and I let him see these things for a reason, I want him to think of all options.
 
I try to never write them all down on one piece of paper, It would make me have a auction.

Picked up the mail yesterday and the state added another $300 a year to my cost through a manditory continuing education program. Last year it was the EPA and their Lead Certification, and I just recieved someting from the DEQ that I have to get approved, with the appropriate fees of course, if I build anything within 500 feet of a waterway, never mind that the planning and zoning already hit me up if I am within 500 feet of a waterway. I always build within 500 feet of a waterway........

I am in the process of writing a letter to our new governor, but I keep having to shorten it up.....

you must have the 32 hr version of the lead program huh.. and they lead the rest to think yu needed a rrp cert to get the license renewed and now that doesnt do it yu need at least 3 hrs of cont ed to reup...
 
...Picked up the mail yesterday and the state added another $300 a year to my cost through a manditory continuing education program...

Oh yeah, I forgot to include that one! I had Bi-Annual license renewal, and that required 80 hours of continuing education documentation - and a $450.00 fee.
 
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