ian.cant Posted August 17, 2004 Posted August 17, 2004 Brian, its a big step and plenty to think about, and yes its scary at times but like Pete said the worst that can happen is if you fail you have to find another job. I packed in being employed on a friday and started off the following week with no cash, pinched our lasses car, bought a roof rack and a decent drill and went subbing. Been building it up since then, yellow pages ad's etc, leased van, took on my son, still subbing but business is growing. To be fair all my kids are over 16 now but ive only had my own house for 4 years and i'm 43 now. I had no idea about running a business but you learn quickly and can get plenty advise if you want it, in trade and just in general. I dont generally touch alarms, mainly CCTV as its more profitable, gonna have to bite the bullet though to expand. Good points! Achievment, no body else's shoot to put up with but your own, no real pressure except what you create, punters treat you with more respect, plenty work around right now so lots of subbie work to be had if its a tough start, employers treat you with more respect also, you fancy a day off you have a day off, you wanna earn more cash you can do some extra work............so the list goes on. Bad points! Waitng 30 days for payment, having to find the money to pay the taxman twice a year, all the pain in the ass phone calls from marketing co's & charity's etc...... i'm sure there are plenty more but i always look for the silver lining. My advice is......if you know people who will employ you as a subby then go for it, the rest will come if you want it to happen, you will only get out what you put in as they say!
Smart Electrics Posted August 17, 2004 Posted August 17, 2004 links DTI INLAND Revenue Customes (VAT) Nice and boring
Guest dale Posted August 17, 2004 Posted August 17, 2004 I take my hat off to those of you who have left companies and started on your own... I still cling to the job that pays the way as its too scary and im not a strong enough person to start on my own full time. Especially Alastair.... good luck with the new venture mate.. im sure you will do well as you have a good head screwed on your shoulders. I often think about going full time into the industry but I would have to throw away 5 years of uni and training getting into the IT field, to then change direction at the last hurdle and go into security engineering. Even though 90% of the time I prefer to be installing things (nowt better than a big SDS drill!) than sitting and programming and repairing computer systems, but as they say... you make your bed... you lie in it.
Brian c Posted August 18, 2004 Author Posted August 18, 2004 linksDTI INLAND Revenue Customes (VAT) Nice and boring 20761[/snapback] cool thanks If you don't know......ask.
Brian c Posted August 18, 2004 Author Posted August 18, 2004 Brian, its a big step and plenty to think about, and yes its scary at times but like Pete said the worst that can happen is if you fail you have to find another job.I packed in being employed on a friday and started off the following week with no cash, pinched our lasses car, bought a roof rack and a decent drill and went subbing. Been building it up since then, yellow pages ad's etc, leased van, took on my son, still subbing but business is growing. To be fair all my kids are over 16 now but ive only had my own house for 4 years and i'm 43 now. I had no idea about running a business but you learn quickly and can get plenty advise if you want it, in trade and just in general. I dont generally touch alarms, mainly CCTV as its more profitable, gonna have to bite the bullet though to expand. Good points! Achievment, no body else's shoot to put up with but your own, no real pressure except what you create, punters treat you with more respect, plenty work around right now so lots of subbie work to be had if its a tough start, employers treat you with more respect also, you fancy a day off you have a day off, you wanna earn more cash you can do some extra work............so the list goes on. Bad points! Waitng 30 days for payment, having to find the money to pay the taxman twice a year, all the pain in the ass phone calls from marketing co's & charity's etc...... i'm sure there are plenty more but i always look for the silver lining. My advice is......if you know people who will employ you as a subby then go for it, the rest will come if you want it to happen, you will only get out what you put in as they say! 20759[/snapback] Thanks for your advice. That's another option for me to think about. seems a bit o f a safer way to go it alone. If you don't know......ask.
Guest Posted August 18, 2004 Posted August 18, 2004 I packed in being employed on a friday and started off the following week with no cash, pinched our lasses car, bought a roof rack and a decent drill and went subbing. Been building it up since then 20759[/snapback] That's pretty much what I did, I had bought most of my tools while I was an apprentice though so when I went self employed it was just a case of chucking the tools in the car and going for it. I found subbing for the first few months a great help, it gave me a bit of time to sort other things out, like advertising and getting the behind the scenes stuff sorted, rather than chasing round after lots of small clients and leaving no time to organize yourself. The best piece of advertising I did was to place a half page advert in my sisters school PTA magazine, along with my Dad. Both of us have had plenty of calls from this and for a tenner I think it was the best bit of advertising we did, timed it just right too as I spent the first 6 months changing batteries in Scantronic panels all over the estate!
jb-eye Posted August 18, 2004 Posted August 18, 2004 Started as self employed in 1979. I hate people who take a look now and say "it all right for you". The facts are, i am OK now but given my time again i would stay employed with regular income. I should never of put my family through self-employment. It is also true to say that younger people today have never had bad times. As an example if i dismiss an engineer today i know they can walk straight into another job. I remember when 8-9 companies used to fight for the same job. I pray that those days never return. Jef Customers!
Brian c Posted August 18, 2004 Author Posted August 18, 2004 really? you would not do it again given the chance? you don't recommend it, then? If you don't know......ask.
Guest Adrian Posted January 23, 2005 Posted January 23, 2005 Hey Brien You've come a long way in a short time since these posts Congrats Adrian B)
Brian c Posted January 23, 2005 Author Posted January 23, 2005 Thanks mate. Tell me about it! I'm yet to see if the gamble pays off, however! If you don't know......ask.
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