Owner/operators...balancing time ???
- Thread starter climbhightree
- Start date
- Location
- SE UK
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even if you sub out and make less money, who cares.....you've near on eliminated all the stress from the job.
As matt well knows
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That is true Steve.........
even if you sub out and make less money, who cares.....you've near on eliminated all the stress from the job.
As matt well knows
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That is true Steve.........
- Location
- SE UK
I work fulltime everyday with my staff and do the admin in the evenings and weekends. There is allways advantages and disadvantages to being self-employed but generally i think having your own business wins. It give you the flexability to work harder to earn more money to feed life's little accidents LOL
yeah too true, i had another of those accidents recently....6 minutes fun and my expenses have gone up drastically
- Location
- SE UK
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yeah too true, i had another of those accidents recently....6 minutes fun and my expenses have gone up drastically
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Didn't mean that LOL but same difference I guess.
yeah too true, i had another of those accidents recently....6 minutes fun and my expenses have gone up drastically
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Didn't mean that LOL but same difference I guess.
- Location
- SE UK
Eric, I agree with most of your last post. Similar to here.
- Location
- healdsburg, CA
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Frans mentioned earlier that he does the work, then he's off to do bids, then gets home late, does paperwork and any follow up stuff including maintenance. The larger businesses the boss would be doing all of that during the day. Then like me he's off bidding on Saturdays ... too bad if ya kids have sports events etc, I dont think it's a healthy lifestyle.
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I agree, I am lucky in that my work is a hobby for me in the sense that I really enjoy it. And I am lucky enough to have a mate that also has her own very demanding hobbies.
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Over here expedience to get to bids is paramount. You risk losing many of your bids if you are not there that day. If some-one has rung you at 9.30am and you put them on for a bid the next day after your work at 5pm you risk a call back around 3pm that says dont bother coz some-one else already has the job.
To try to combat that my wife takes the inbound calls and tries to cement the bid, if it's near where I'm working and can fit it in before dark I'll do it that day.
To balance your time you need to share your workload, and in doing so you share the responsibility of managing your business, that takes the right people with the right attitude, people like that are hard to find. That role is sometimes called team leader or foreman.
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Well said.
No one really wants to complain about the rigors of owning your own business, but the reality is it takes alot of time and effort. Some thrive on it and some break down under the strain.
Frans mentioned earlier that he does the work, then he's off to do bids, then gets home late, does paperwork and any follow up stuff including maintenance. The larger businesses the boss would be doing all of that during the day. Then like me he's off bidding on Saturdays ... too bad if ya kids have sports events etc, I dont think it's a healthy lifestyle.
[/ QUOTE ]
I agree, I am lucky in that my work is a hobby for me in the sense that I really enjoy it. And I am lucky enough to have a mate that also has her own very demanding hobbies.
[ QUOTE ]
Over here expedience to get to bids is paramount. You risk losing many of your bids if you are not there that day. If some-one has rung you at 9.30am and you put them on for a bid the next day after your work at 5pm you risk a call back around 3pm that says dont bother coz some-one else already has the job.
To try to combat that my wife takes the inbound calls and tries to cement the bid, if it's near where I'm working and can fit it in before dark I'll do it that day.
To balance your time you need to share your workload, and in doing so you share the responsibility of managing your business, that takes the right people with the right attitude, people like that are hard to find. That role is sometimes called team leader or foreman.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well said.
No one really wants to complain about the rigors of owning your own business, but the reality is it takes alot of time and effort. Some thrive on it and some break down under the strain.
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mangoes...i have the same prob, constantly feeling guilty about not spending enough time with the little 'un, now i have another on the way to add to things! but i think its unavoidable when setting up a business to work every hour you can. i think the people with this mentality are the people whose business's are most likely to succeed.
7 years down the road i oughta have more time for me, at least thats what im hoping!
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keep hoping because 7 years down the road you will be doing the same thing! The only thing that will change is that your kids will be 7 years older.
mangoes...i have the same prob, constantly feeling guilty about not spending enough time with the little 'un, now i have another on the way to add to things! but i think its unavoidable when setting up a business to work every hour you can. i think the people with this mentality are the people whose business's are most likely to succeed.
7 years down the road i oughta have more time for me, at least thats what im hoping!
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keep hoping because 7 years down the road you will be doing the same thing! The only thing that will change is that your kids will be 7 years older.
I don't post very often, but I am really loving the idea of this post.
We fact a lot of the same challenges as many of you. Poor employee ethics, balancing time between doing the work and running a business, now with our first little one expected in the Spring, trying to figure out how we will make family the priority.
For right now I have been handling the phone calls and have just started to take over the scheduling of estimates and jobs. It really took a load off of my husband. I have always been actively involved on the business side of things - marketing, advertising, bookkeeping, etc. I've really had to start to get more directly involved, therefore acting as personal assistant.
My husband runs day to day operations - works with his climber on each job, takes care of all equipment, does estimates, etc.
A couple of things we've realized will have to happen in the near future in order to survive - not financially, but mentally and emotionally:
Newer equipment - the pain, downtime and expense of maintaining old, outdated equipment is not worth the financial savings of making it last "just one more year".
Appropriate equipment - having to dump the chip truck 2 - 3 times a day = needing a bigger truck. The down time costs way too much money. Etc along those lines.
Becoming better employers - not only seeking out good guys (and not just hiring someone because you're desperate) but also having solid employee plans so that they know what our expectations are, what the benefits of working for us are. That would include regular reviews with a raise schedule (both financially and in responsibility), education perks (safety courses, arboriculture courses, support on becoming ISA certified, having a library of books and DVDs they can access, etc), supply company logoed gear, bonuses when the company does well and they've contributed to it, and so on.
Willingness to let go - I think one of the hardest things we all face is giving up control of day to day business - both in doing the work and interacting with the customers. After all, no one will do the job like we do, and no one will care for your company the way you do. I think that's just something we have to realize and then get over, then figure out what we ARE happy with and move are expectations to that level. I would also include in this making the decision to either run the business or run the job. If you want to run the business, then you need to hirer someone to do the job (which is what we will be doing in the Spring - bringing on a groundsman to my husband can step back and focus on the business end of things and act more as foreman), or vice versa.
So, this may not be exactly what this thread was started for, but I'm hoping it ties in nicely. If you are at a place where you are not happy with the amount of time and energy you are putting into your business then you need to stop and think about where you enjoy putting your time and find a way to be successful doing that.
Our newest goal in life is to "Work to Live, NOT Live to Work".
Natalie
We fact a lot of the same challenges as many of you. Poor employee ethics, balancing time between doing the work and running a business, now with our first little one expected in the Spring, trying to figure out how we will make family the priority.
For right now I have been handling the phone calls and have just started to take over the scheduling of estimates and jobs. It really took a load off of my husband. I have always been actively involved on the business side of things - marketing, advertising, bookkeeping, etc. I've really had to start to get more directly involved, therefore acting as personal assistant.
My husband runs day to day operations - works with his climber on each job, takes care of all equipment, does estimates, etc.A couple of things we've realized will have to happen in the near future in order to survive - not financially, but mentally and emotionally:
Newer equipment - the pain, downtime and expense of maintaining old, outdated equipment is not worth the financial savings of making it last "just one more year".
Appropriate equipment - having to dump the chip truck 2 - 3 times a day = needing a bigger truck. The down time costs way too much money. Etc along those lines.
Becoming better employers - not only seeking out good guys (and not just hiring someone because you're desperate) but also having solid employee plans so that they know what our expectations are, what the benefits of working for us are. That would include regular reviews with a raise schedule (both financially and in responsibility), education perks (safety courses, arboriculture courses, support on becoming ISA certified, having a library of books and DVDs they can access, etc), supply company logoed gear, bonuses when the company does well and they've contributed to it, and so on.
Willingness to let go - I think one of the hardest things we all face is giving up control of day to day business - both in doing the work and interacting with the customers. After all, no one will do the job like we do, and no one will care for your company the way you do. I think that's just something we have to realize and then get over, then figure out what we ARE happy with and move are expectations to that level. I would also include in this making the decision to either run the business or run the job. If you want to run the business, then you need to hirer someone to do the job (which is what we will be doing in the Spring - bringing on a groundsman to my husband can step back and focus on the business end of things and act more as foreman), or vice versa.
So, this may not be exactly what this thread was started for, but I'm hoping it ties in nicely. If you are at a place where you are not happy with the amount of time and energy you are putting into your business then you need to stop and think about where you enjoy putting your time and find a way to be successful doing that.
Our newest goal in life is to "Work to Live, NOT Live to Work".
Natalie
Mangoes
Participating member
- Location
- Greater Toronto Area
http://www.arborcanada.com/arboriculture_newsletter%20-%20final%20version.pdf
Interesting concepts in this newsletter directly relating to your/my challenges and struggles.
Interesting concepts in this newsletter directly relating to your/my challenges and struggles.
Thanks Butch.
- Location
- Bay Area, California
Re: Owner/operators...balancing time ??? *DELETED*
Post deleted by Tom Dunlap
Post deleted by Tom Dunlap
TreeCo
Carpal tunnel level member
[ QUOTE ]
Ekka, I have not been on this forum for very long....
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Welcome to the site MTCinc. Have you taken a look at Butch's site yet?
www.masterblasterhome.com
Ekka, I have not been on this forum for very long....
[/ QUOTE ]
Welcome to the site MTCinc. Have you taken a look at Butch's site yet?
www.masterblasterhome.com
- Location
- Longmont, CO
Mangoes is right. Being self employed is a lifestyle. I am thankful I live in a country where I can be financially independent.
I will never go back to working for someone else. Especially a corporation.
I got good things coming every day, and a planet full of idiots amongst it, I sort chit from clay fast.
Overdemanding is expecting workers to show up is it? Even on their first day.
Overdemanding is expecting workers to show up on time is it?
Overdemanding is workers knocking off at 1pm whining about doing more after the miniloader lifts everything for the day is it?
Overdemanding is having to tie all the knots coz wannabe's with experience cant read or learn after having the books a week?
Overdemanding is having to start flooded saws after incompetants cant start them ... everyday?
Overdemanding is having to check the fuel and oil caps everytime coz wannbe's cant do them up right flooding ya socks with bar oil?
Overdemanding is having to forget about having a drink sent up to you coz wannbe cant tie the bottle to the rope in under 5 minutes?
Overdemanding is having illiterates follow you everywhere coz they cant read a road map is it?
Overdemanding is expecting the last person who fuelled the saw to fill it with bar oil too?
Overdemanding is expecting the bar nuts to be done up when a saw is sent up with a new chain?
Overdemanding is expecting the rake up done by the employee not the boss?
Overdemanding is expecting the employee to stay and tie down the truck rather than leave early and let ya Mrs do it?
Overdemanding is expecting a faller to cut a notch!?
Overdemanding is expecting unqualified employee to not advise customers on trees and results in appology for false information from boss?
Overdemanding is expecting employee to pack up tools whilst boss talks to customer not other way around?
Overdemanding is expecting larger saw sent up to be tensioned and sharp?
These are some typical and daily examples. Afterall, who the hell wants to work with an incompetant bullshitting fool who knows little, breaks stuff and cant learn ... just fire fast, and hire faster, eventually the odds come round.
Overdemanding is expecting workers to show up is it? Even on their first day.
Overdemanding is expecting workers to show up on time is it?
Overdemanding is workers knocking off at 1pm whining about doing more after the miniloader lifts everything for the day is it?
Overdemanding is having to tie all the knots coz wannabe's with experience cant read or learn after having the books a week?
Overdemanding is having to start flooded saws after incompetants cant start them ... everyday?
Overdemanding is having to check the fuel and oil caps everytime coz wannbe's cant do them up right flooding ya socks with bar oil?
Overdemanding is having to forget about having a drink sent up to you coz wannbe cant tie the bottle to the rope in under 5 minutes?
Overdemanding is having illiterates follow you everywhere coz they cant read a road map is it?
Overdemanding is expecting the last person who fuelled the saw to fill it with bar oil too?
Overdemanding is expecting the bar nuts to be done up when a saw is sent up with a new chain?
Overdemanding is expecting the rake up done by the employee not the boss?
Overdemanding is expecting the employee to stay and tie down the truck rather than leave early and let ya Mrs do it?
Overdemanding is expecting a faller to cut a notch!?
Overdemanding is expecting unqualified employee to not advise customers on trees and results in appology for false information from boss?
Overdemanding is expecting employee to pack up tools whilst boss talks to customer not other way around?
Overdemanding is expecting larger saw sent up to be tensioned and sharp?
These are some typical and daily examples. Afterall, who the hell wants to work with an incompetant bullshitting fool who knows little, breaks stuff and cant learn ... just fire fast, and hire faster, eventually the odds come round.
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