# Going out on your own....



## miller_elex (Jan 25, 2008)

Talked about that with a friend of mine.

He said he was going down to the Hall to see what kind of advice they could give him starting up a one-man show.

I said, 'Really?!? You can't be serious, how are you supposed to stay in business with that kind of overhead?'


----------



## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

The forced medical payments were outrageous. I was told I had to "buy" something like 130 hours at $8+ per hour for medical for myself per month, whether I worked a day or not. No opting out. That's over 12K a year. My current medical package is under $2K per year.


----------



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

What does medical payments have to do with going out on your own? :blink:


----------



## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> What does medical payments have to do with going out on your own? :blink:


 
I think he wants to be a 1 man union shop.


----------



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> I think he wants to be a 1 man union shop.


How can you be a supervisor and a worker at the same time? :blink:


----------



## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> How can you be a supervisor and a worker at the same time? :blink:


 
IDK? I'll ask myself tomorrow morning when I head out to check on my guys and do a job myself...:laughing:


----------



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> IDK? I'll ask myself tomorrow morning when I head out to check on my guys and do a job myself...:laughing:


I thought you were a RAT shop?


----------



## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Black4Truck said:


> I thought you were a RAT shop?


 

I AM THANK GOD!!!! You asked how someone could be a supervisor and a worker......Pretty much sums up my job to a T.:laughing:


----------



## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> IDK? I'll ask myself tomorrow morning when I head out to check on my guys and do a job myself...:laughing:


LOL!! Isn't that the truth :thumbup:


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Some locals (those with insight) are friendly to one man shops, hoping/knowing that these may be a multi-man shop one day. Our local will work with small shops, these days, when we started it was different.


----------



## gbear (Aug 9, 2010)

I was a legal (signed with local) one man shop and worked it for several years. I know others in our area. The hard part was the fact you had to work many hours over 40 each week to do the jobs, bid the jobs, keep records, file wage and hour reports, sales tax reports, be the collection agency, and all the other stuff needed to take care of business legally. I was also a member of NECA, and they were very helpful during this. In my local you can be a one man shop, but you had better be ready to work your butt off. to make a living. Now I work my 8 and go home and relax each day. I'm just to old to fight it like I use to.

Jim


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

gbear said:


> I was a legal (signed with local) one man shop and worked it for several years. I know others in our area. The hard part was the fact you had to work many hours over 40 each week to do the jobs, bid the jobs, keep records, file wage and hour reports, sales tax reports, be the collection agency, and all the other stuff needed to take care of business legally.


Hey that is the price of operating a business open shop or not.


----------



## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

Isn't the point of starting your own business the fact that it is YOUR business?


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

electricmanscott said:


> Isn't the point of starting your own business the fact that it is YOUR business?


Your's? if union, they have some say so, Uncle Sam wants a hand in helping you (you know I am from the government I am here to help you ------- A BIG LIE),, all your employees seem to think they have a better way. Your's? I guess so!


----------



## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

brian john said:


> Your's? if union they have some say so,


My point exactly


----------



## gbear (Aug 9, 2010)

The real point I was trying to make is this. To be a one man shop requires a lot of work on the one man. You can hire non electrical people to do the books, taxes, and office tasks. But this adds overhead which limits or cuts into you ability to compete for work (raises you costs). I doesn't matter if you are union or not cost are cost. I had no trouble being a union shop. There were no constraints on me I could not live with. I built a good client base and had enough work sometimes more than I wanted (believe it or not).
I have a good reputation and work ethic, and treated customers fairly. I got to the point where I needed to get bigger or get out. An opportunity arose as my kids got out of college and now I just work with my tools. And I am very happy with my decision.

Jim


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

gbear said:


> Jim



We all make choices and I know quite a few men that made the same choice you did and are very content with their decision.

My self I could NEVER work for anyone else, I am too hard headed.


----------

