As it really been a year

[GMES]

As the title says, I decided 1 year ago to take the plunge and go solo. And what a great ride it as been so far. Some people said I was mad to try it in the middle of a recession, well to those people " what recession ". order book is looking healthy, plenty of repeat work, good customer base and the future is looking good. it is also nice to have a place like this to talk to fellow sparks and have some banter. So here's to the next year. Happy anniversary me arty:

 

[GMES]

Congrats, in my 12th year now, the first 2 are the hardest, good luck bud.

MDJ cheers and well done to you mate 12 years is good going, hope you enjoy the next 12 years

 

[JD6400]

When I first went on my own and opened the first bank account , the bank gave me a " How to succeed in business " book written by some top consultant bird . I only read a couple of pages before deciding it was a load of b----ks , but it did say that a new business will on average take 3 years before it enters the black and returns good profit , and I have to admit that when I started as a sole trader it was true , but it was also true when I then changed to a partnership and to some extent bizarrely enough again true by just going from partnership to LTD !

 

[iamelectric]

i am not being nosy and dont want to know anyones profits but say your a spark on about 30 grand a year (not me) , is it worth while starting up for yourself , is there a huge financial difference after a few year trading

 

[Richard Burns]

i am not being nosy and dont want to know anyones profits but say your a spark on about 30 grand a year (not me) , is it worth while starting up for yourself , is there a huge financial difference after a few year trading

I would align myself with Jay Sparks level, I am still waiting to make a profit after three years!

But I am lazy!:wink5:

 

[JD6400]

i am not being nosy and dont want to know anyones profits but say your a spark on about 30 grand a year (not me) , is it worth while starting up for yourself , is there a huge financial difference after a few year trading

Yes and no ! It ultimately stops with you , be it profit or loss ! We have staff that can earn more than me or my other director , but at the same time I have at least a month off at Christmas and work from Tuesday morning too Thursday night and even then I may not bother some weeks or just do one day instead , it all depends on the project size or how many we have on at the time , but because the office and yard is 130 miles away from where I now live I try to do at least 18 hour days when I am there ! When things go well , you are on top of the world but on more occasions than I care for , it may go ---- up in just the space of a phone call and you go from making a profit on a job to making maybe a £10,000 / £20,000 loss . There is nothing like being your own man , and if you have enough fire in your belly , you will make it in the end !

 

[Jimsparky]

I've been going now for nearly 5 year. I have to admit ive been busy since day one. Always worked hard, done the rubbish hours and weekends at short notice, worked away etc etc. luckily I had a good apprenticeship on industrial and control which gave me a good standing.

If you want to do it and will work hard it will happen.
Jim

 

[GMES]

If you build it they will come!

 

[Rampantchilli]

My best year I turned over 147k, just 2 of us, so make your own mind up on that.

topcat, where a bouts in west mids are you, as if I here of anything ill let you know, and if I need a hand.