Any Business Owners in here???
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: New Orleans
i started a welding/safety supply years ago. put it next to a major shipyard and was able to get a few things paid for. don't know if i could do it again, but then,, i had to try something, i was unemployed, married with 1 & 3 yr old.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 62
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From: Palmetto, FL
I own a sign business.
I specialize in emergency vehicle lettering and Boat lettering. I also do Storefront signage and other vehicle lettering. (This is part time for me along with two of my sons. I do Field engineering construction inspections full time and I am also a retired Department head for local government as a Public Works Director)
I specialize in emergency vehicle lettering and Boat lettering. I also do Storefront signage and other vehicle lettering. (This is part time for me along with two of my sons. I do Field engineering construction inspections full time and I am also a retired Department head for local government as a Public Works Director)
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 125
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From: NW Indiana
Industrial Supply here. I cheated a little as this is a family business and my brother and I are 3rd generation. 90% of the time I love it and would do nothing else, 5% of the time I wonder if I should be doing something else and the other 5% of the time I ask myself if I am crazy or just insane. 
Wife is not always happy: everywhere I go, so does the laptop and cellphone. We were on vacation a few years back in Maui, and we are running late to meet up with some friends when the cell rings and it is a customer needing to order some stuff: needless to say, we were really late! But part of the biz: nobody watches the business like the ones who have the $ in it.
Woof
Bowser
Wife is not always happy: everywhere I go, so does the laptop and cellphone. We were on vacation a few years back in Maui, and we are running late to meet up with some friends when the cell rings and it is a customer needing to order some stuff: needless to say, we were really late! But part of the biz: nobody watches the business like the ones who have the $ in it.
Woof
Bowser
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Lost some where in the middle of the Ozark Mountains!
Answer to question: Yes I do own several. Plus work part time at a job. Not making the millions I need at any to cover health insurance so have to work to get the discounted HMO insurance.
Here we call GC's, "Honey Do Men" One GC even uses that as his slogan. He calls his business "Honey Do Man" slogan is "We take care of your wife when you won't." 
Originally Posted by Budha05STX
It also helps that my dad is a remodeling contractor that lets me work for him when I have no flooring jobs going on. He just landed a $1.2 million remodel that he is letting me supervise for him. So I guess I will have no life for the next year.
IMO the term General Contractor is so generic and in south Tx 1 out of 3 in the business calls himself a GC. I guess it helps that there is no licensing to actually use the term GC; Only specialty contractors, including HVAC, fire sprinkler systems, plumbing, electricians and well drilling/pump installation specialists, need to be licensed in Texas. I realize in other states it is different so I mean no disrespect to the licensed GC's out there. I know it's tough to learn the aspects and building codes of each trade you deal with.
IMO the term General Contractor is so generic and in south Tx 1 out of 3 in the business calls himself a GC. I guess it helps that there is no licensing to actually use the term GC; Only specialty contractors, including HVAC, fire sprinkler systems, plumbing, electricians and well drilling/pump installation specialists, need to be licensed in Texas. I realize in other states it is different so I mean no disrespect to the licensed GC's out there. I know it's tough to learn the aspects and building codes of each trade you deal with.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: San Antonio, Tx
Originally Posted by PSS-Mag
Here we call GC's, "Honey Do Men" One GC even uses that as his slogan. He calls his business "Honey Do Man" slogan is "We take care of your wife when you won't."
. If I were a plumber my slogan would be, "Laying pipe professionally since 1993". 
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Joined: Nov 2004
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I've been self employed most of my life. Done the 7-4 routine a few years here and there, always kept doing a little something on the side for myself. My last regular employer was about 5 years ago.
I started my own lawn and landscape business at 17, sold it at 25. By that time I had started doing tree work as well, kept the tree portion of the business and have been doing treework ever since. For the last 5 years I've been a freelance climber, subbing out mostly to other tree companies. Last summer I bought a bucket truck since I'm not as young as I used to be. Now I'm making about double what I made climbing, and I don't work as hard.
I started my own lawn and landscape business at 17, sold it at 25. By that time I had started doing tree work as well, kept the tree portion of the business and have been doing treework ever since. For the last 5 years I've been a freelance climber, subbing out mostly to other tree companies. Last summer I bought a bucket truck since I'm not as young as I used to be. Now I'm making about double what I made climbing, and I don't work as hard.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Airdrie, AB
I started my own instrumentation/electrical company about six months ago, working in the natural gas industry here in Alberta, doing controls maintenance and industrial programming, mostly for Encana Corp. Its just that simple, I went to Europe with my wife for a few weeks for our honeymoon, got home, quit my job and got incorporated, smooth sailing ever since.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Wall, New Jersey
I plan on starting my own electrical outfit specializing in traffic lights. Right now i am a union electrical 3rd year apprentice. I worked for a traffic light outfit and learned how to do it. The money is there but it is expensive to start. 2 more years till i get my liscense. I am gonna purchase a bucket truck soon and do tree work on weekends to pay for the truck and some other things so the cost to start wont be so bad. I am pumped. we will see how it goes.
Vinny
Vinny