Family life and a Start up business?

cody willard

cody willard

Participating member
Location
Tulsa
I have a question to all you people out there who had a family, wife and kids, and started a company.

I love my wife and kids more than anything on this earth, there are my true passion them and our Lord, but as far as a passion for a career it would most definitely have to be tree care, and though I'm only 25 I've worked in the industry almost full-time for eight years, and by "almost full-time" I mean, I worked after school when I was 17 and during the summer break, then when I hit 18 I was working 60 hours a week. I'm a certified arborist, and have been studying the last two years to get my BCMA, so, so far this is obviously the trade I'm going to do most my life.

The problem arises that within the Tulsa Oklahoma area there's very little if any chance of me ever making more than 18 an hour anywhere after I get my BCMA. Yeah I can live off 18 an hour me and my family, but we have big dreams, not necessarily big material goals, but we're wanting to adopt internationally in the next three years which will be about $40,000, and we want to pay our house off in the next 10 years. It's over the years really irks me that I've worked a good chunk of my life as an arborist, and I can still put in an application at a local cement plant and start out making more there then I making now with zero experience in cement.

I have noticed that so many people I know who started a tree service and were successful ended up in divorce, usually due to the business eaten so much family time up. I do know a few companies that are large scale, where the owner and his wife are still together 20 years later though.

But I was wondering what are the secrets to keeping the family happy and the company happy?

Do you believe growing the company slowly over 10 to 15 years is best on the family or growing it quickly?

Anybody have any either advise or tips, or even stories about that are similar to the subject for that matter?
 
I don't own a company but had to scale back my work related activities to actually be a father and husband. Mind you I still work over 40 and teach two nights a week but have made a point to get more active in things like coaching and family trips. Otherwise, you'll work yourself to death and miss all the good stuff going on at home.
 
I started, worked for, and ran a fleet service business. I owned it for 5 years. It did eat up some of my life. I managed it a few ways, and I'l list them. But first let me say that everyone is different and every family is diffferent. My stuff may not work.

First set expectations with your family and others. Sometimes you wait to get paid, and there is no money coming in for a time. Arrangements have to be made, and it isn't the end of the world. Putting groceries on a credit card one week because you will get paid $10,000 next week is ok as long as it can be planned out. It can seem scary to family members because they feel like its the end of "having enough money". Things will go wrong. You will work late and get up early to be successful. Sometimes you will work 80 hours in a week with nothing to show for it like an overtime check.

Set limits for yourself. I can work an 80 week and be productive. It is because I can see the end. I know next week will be easier, or I'm getting a day off. But I can't work 80 hours a week week after week, month after month. If you don't set limits and see the breaks you will get burned out. You will start to become inefficient and waste time to loose time. or you may get hurt. It is a viscous cycle.

Some off time and family time can be sacrificed, some can't. Pick the important times and don't miss them no matter what. Tell your family when you set one of these dates, and let them know that this is a time you won't miss for anything short of a hospital visit. When they see they are a priority on these agreed upon dates, it helps them remember it is all for them. I have literally called the competition and had them finish late jobs for me at a loss to keep my promises to my family.

Learn to do everything. I can do accounting work, file taxes, hire employees, arrange a workers comp claim, hire employees, and investigate insurance coverage. I can bid and schedule jobs, buy equipment, maintain equipment, manage credit, make collection runs, set up new clients, and execute a marketing plan. But just because you know how to do everything as a small business owner doesn't mean you should. As you learn how to do each piece peel them off and hire them out unless you want to do them. If your contractors screw up, you can let them go because you know how to handle their jobs. You business isn't at risk. On the other hand, as you farm out things you don't want or like you can do more of the things you so like. And my knowing what is involved in each aspect of your business you know how much work it takes to do the job. That way you know if you are getting overcharged, and you know if the job is getting done right.

I got bamboozled by an accounting firm that decided at the last minute that they would not do my taxes because I was not a big enough client. Complete nonsense. I had to figure it out on my own in a few short days. It as hell for a week, but I learned it actually wasn't the rocket science I thought it was. What I discovered was that the work was worth no where near what I was paying. When I got a new accountant, I didn't pay nearly as much and I could check to make sure they weren't screwing it up.

Since I've already written a book ... a few other things. Never bid a job that makes you work for free. Save the free work for when you screw up so you can make it right. There is no such thing as buying a client by working for free, or at least I've never seen it work unless it is written in a contract.

If there are multiple bids, never be the lowest unless you can still make a real profit. I was never the lowest price unless I was the only price, but I almost never lost a job I bid. The people and business that only operate on cost will forever only operate on cost. Do you want to work for them?

Don't be afraid to fire customers. If they are angry, cantankerous, significantly unreasonable, or just crooks just get out of the situation gracefully and don't do business with them again. Too many small businesses end up with the jerks because the jerks need a new business to prey on. They are not good clients. I got so good at this that I had jerks giving me referrals, not knowing that I would never work for them again. Of course the jerks should be a very small percentage of your customers that will suck down a lot of your resources.
 
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I could also write a book on this. But one thing I have noticed in successful business where family is concerned is to have their support....and involvement. If your all in it together then your never away from your family and you all reap the rewards. I have more to add later as well.
 
This will be a very interesting thread.
Having owned a construction business in the past and now moving into in arboriculture working for someone with my own set up on the side, I'm finduit hard to give time to the wife.
I work upwards of 80hrs a week trying my best to get our name out there and set up for the future.
It seems impossible for the wife to understand that what I'm doing is for our future.
 
Moderation is huge. Knowing your limits and being honest with each other is key. I have always been entrepreneurial, since I was 18 and have built two businesses since then. I also have been married for 12 years and adopted a 15 year old 2 years ago. When I married I worked In a very tough position, and that fact alone was more trying on the two of than anything else. We survived it and relocated about 3 months later to an awesome job where we live now. After a year or so people stared asking me to help them with their trees. And 16k (really just 5 months) later my accountant said it was no longer "helping people" it was a business. We built the business slowly for 8 years with double digit growth every year until 2015, while working full time. In '15 we began the adoption process and we sagged for a year, because I was a dad now and had family obligations. In early '16 we decided to leave the full time employment and run our business.
Probably the roughest times were balancing the job, business and family and having the wife help with the books. And then not having her help with the books (I know it sound funny but to me it makes sense). Everytime we have made a big change it is because we communicate and talk it through. Figuring out what's best for family, us as individuals and lastly the business.
 
ROYCE said:
I could also write a book on this. But one thing I have noticed in successful business where family is concerned is to have their support....and involvement. If your all in it together then your never away from your family and you all reap the rewards. I have more to add later as well.
Click to expand...

There is another side to this though. When your wife is involved with the business it is very hard to leave work at the "office". The problems or issues tend to come home and continue on through dinner and the evening. At least that was the case for me. If I had it to do all over again I would not have my spouse involved in the business. It was not good for our marriage.
 
jed1124 said:
There is another side to this though. When your wife is involved with the business it is very hard to leave work at the "office". The problems or issues tend to come home and continue on through dinner and the evening. At least that was the case for me. If I had it to do all over again I would not have my spouse involved in the business. It was not good for our marriage.
Click to expand...

It's a balance. It was a pain when she did all our paperwork, but when I went full time I took it all over. The customer gets a quicker response and better service but in the busy times I'm spending 8-10 hrs in the field and 4-6 on the computer at home, which half of it she could handle with no issues. But my wife got a job and I can't even get her to go to the post office these days!
 
flyingsquirrel25 said:
...I can't even get her to go to the post office these days!
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I feel your pain. Mine's the same way, but she pulls in some good money... so, I had to include that in my morning routine. These small towns don't deliver any more, so gotta check the box or I might miss out on some important rope sales. :raro2:
 
Scheffa said:
This will be a very interesting thread.
Having owned a construction business in the past and now moving into in arboriculture working for someone with my own set up on the side, I'm finduit hard to give time to the wife.
I work upwards of 80hrs a week trying my best to get our name out there and set up for the future.
It seems impossible for the wife to understand that what I'm doing is for our future.
Click to expand...
Don't let your lawn dry up and die, while working hard to gather compost, fertilizer, mowers, aerators and such for a magnificent future lawn.
 
ROYCE said:
I could also write a book on this. But one thing I have noticed in successful business where family is concerned is to have their support....and involvement. If your all in it together then your never away from your family and you all reap the rewards. I have more to add later as well.
Click to expand...
Nothing beats a supportive and active wife/partner. I'm insanely jealous of those who have that. IMHO, you have that, the sky's the limit. Not for me. :(
 
1. Profit first attitude. You run the business, and it does NOT run you. Take your pay out of the gross before you make any business decisions, or burn out. The business has to fend for itself.

2. Market yourself according to your skill level. Do not compete with the "do you even helmet man" companies. Establish value by showing ANSI documents, and communicating work impact and final cleanup with the customer.
 
I love it when the wife works with me. We have been married 10 years now . I'm 29 and Trees are my way of life and a family tradition she has excepted that and has definitely impressed me through out the years. I was born into this industry but I've been "self deployed" now for 3 years due to a kinda sink or swim family illness .Ive got to say that the industry in my position can get stress full between estimates bids and still actively working and stress fully timing and stratagising each job and keeping equipment up. But you've got to make that money hand over fist and make your licks count. !!!!Value $$$$ your every second My grandpa always said cause winters a coming. !!!!Understanding, Support and most importantly our friendship is our advantage
 

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It's quite probable that the ratio of divorce for business owners is the same as the rate of the general population. Also, keep your whole family involved,
not only in the work activities, but also in the dreams. If they truly understand the potential rewards, their support should follow.
 
My observations are that money is usually the wedge that drives apart relationships---marriage being no exception.

Fast growth requires large debt....large debt stresses the average individual out.....when the bumps in the road come (and they will come), the wheels fall off the wagon, so to speak
 
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