Starting a small company while sick/injured

[Brando CalPankian]

As some of you know, I've been having heart issues since March, effectively making my body useless. I've had a lot of calls for work, but I am used to operating sole proprieter with side work. I've drummed up enough business that I've contemplated hiring an apprentice and groundsman. (Especially since fmla and unemployment broke in Washington so I haven't had a paycheck in going on 4 months) I don't have a truck or trailer or money to get one. I'm not licenced or insured yet. (Used to be) anyone have any tales/advice for this sort of thing or been there/done that? Advice for taking care of employees until I can turn legitimate? I may never get to climb again, but I can spread my knowledge and passion for the industry through my employees and clients. Thanks tree fam

 

[SomethingWitty]

As some of you know, I've been having heart issues since March, effectively making my body useless. I've had a lot of calls for work, but I am used to operating sole proprieter with side work. I've drummed up enough business that I've contemplated hiring an apprentice and groundsman. (Especially since fmla and unemployment broke in Washington so I haven't had a paycheck in going on 4 months) I don't have a truck or trailer or money to get one. I'm not licenced or insured yet. (Used to be) anyone have any tales/advice for this sort of thing or been there/done that? Advice for taking care of employees until I can turn legitimate? I may never get to climb again, but I can spread my knowledge and passion for the industry through my employees and clients. Thanks tree fam

It sounds like you need machines. Maybe get a loan for a nice grinder or a portable mill and transition into something that can pay your startup costs for a tree service?
Unless you're good enough at business to not need to ask questions, I can't imagine being able to build a tree service from nothing without a lot of physically demanding work.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

@SomethingWitty that's what I was thinking too. Before I got sick I was working towards having the capital to do it right.

 

[Reach]

Perhaps go a little different route; put the effort into your education and become a consulting arborist. Still working hands on with trees every day, but you’re getting paid for your knowledge and not your strength.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

I have the resources to do that now. That's part of what makes me competetive is my proficiency in phc and consulting. I'm stuck in the town I'm in because of my medical stuff, or else I could work for someone else. (Which is a whole different problem, nobody wants to hire someone with issues) most of the work I get is super detail oriented. I've just never really heard of anyone starting a tree business without getting their hands dirty. (Which is essentially what I'll be trying) I'll be a trainer and manager basically.

 

[Fivepoints]

The only way I see this working is for you to have enough up front money to buy some equipment or at least enough to make the payments for a while. Also enough to pay employees for a while. Don't forget about the licensing and insurance. Going to have to find some good reliable help. That doesn't come cheap if you can even find it. What are you going to do when your climber decides to quit and go out on his own or just moves away?

Adding the stress of running your own show, especially at first, is probably not a wise move health wise. It can be stressful at times no matter how much you plan and try not to stress. Just wait until an employee messes up something at customer's place and the customer is pissed.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

That's a good point. I had a client get upset because I wasn't climbing and my apprentice was it's funny how that goes. The stress is huge, and finding reliable people is hard enough without totally relying on them. Hmmmm. You made some good points.

 

[evo]

Where in Washington are you? Going legit really isn’t that hard or costly.

 

[cerviarborist]

Personally, I'd work toward leveraging what assets you have to monetize right now as a consultant/expert witness (experience, credentials, licenses etc), long before I'd throw a ton of money into acquiring production equipment, and then having to depend upon others to use that equipment properly and often enough for you to cover those associated costs, and still make a profit.

It seems that you're being called upon to reinvent yourself. Take some time to consider what your best new iteration will be. There are a lot of great little niches in this industry. One of them may be your new domain.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

Thanks cerviarborist. I really wonder sometimes if that's what's happening. (The growth and reinventing) certainly a healthier way to view it all. Haha.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

Evo I'm currently north of spokane in stevens county. It doesn't sound like it's all that hard to go legit here. Just time and money. Federal, state, local licences and insurance to start. It's just such a foreign concept (the not doing the work and only selling/training) I guess I've learned the monkey see monkey do way, no not being able to teach that way will be different. In the past I could climb with new people, now it's total instruction and watch.