Appreciation for The Wall

ernie_3

Am not very computer literate. I really appreciate the sounding board The Wall offers. I'm presently sufferring the five year blues (in business). Plenty of work, consstant proposals, sales calls, closings and wrench turnings. Yet, the screw tightens. 80 hr wks killing me!
Best advice I've received on this from a sparkie "Raise your prices dramatically, you'll work less and make more"
I like to be the guy who makes the diference. Am I building a house of cards? Son(18) quit. Tough to work for the workaholic old man. sorry, just needed to rant.

leo g_13

a little story

Ernie, I was in the same boat sorta. Plumbing and heating, working all the time, missing my kids and wife's life. Best thing I did was get a pertener, and between the 2 of us, we convinced ourselves to do what we found passion in, HEATING with hot water. We have now dropped the plumbing end. To be honest, it has been a lot slower, yet a lot happier! we still have work, but now we can actually do it "the right way".

It is hard to get out of that mental thing where you feel that if you don't get every job, you may starve. Listen to the sparky and say hi to your son over a fishing line!

Leo G

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Larry Weingarten

one approach

I used to do everything. Wood, electrical, masonry, roofing.. even plumbing.;) Specializing though has allowed me to focus on one area and attempt to become good at it. I refer all work not in my field to other good plumbers who often refer work in my specialty to me. My rates are not an issue since my skills are not a commodity. So,learn "your" field well enough to get passionate about it. You'll work reasonable hours again and who knows, it might even interest your son!

ernie_3

thanks

Hate to come out here and whine. My best friend lost his wife at 36 last August. 3 children all under 10. I guess it helps us define who we are and why we do what we do. Thanks for the encouraging words. Specializing does sound good. Could I specialize in just counting money, you think?

Constantin

One of the cardinal sins of my previous employer...

... was that they never fired more customers. There are some folks for whom one shouldn't work, period.

Either the pay or the aggravation make the whole deal not worthwhile, yet it is so hard for most salespeople to push back when customers try to apply the thumbscrews.

I'd like to think that experience, knowledge, etc. are enough to differentiate your services from those of hacks and professionals that act like hacks. Hopefully, your happy customers will help build your business by word of mouth, along the lines of "you get what you pay for".

Good Luck and I hope EJG makes up with his son, regardless of what the son decides to do with his life.

jerry scharf_2

death is a terrible wake up call

Ernie,

I am really sad to hear of the loss. One of the great gifts this pain can bestow is the different view of life that comes out of the pain and the realization that death is always nearer than we are comfortable with.

You are on a couragous path in reexamining the values and commitments in your life. May you find the strength in your life, community and in your brothers and sisters here to find the right way forward.

jerry

lchmb

live today

for one never know's what tomorrow bring's...I was doing those 80 hour day's...had to do it all...Then I had a dear friend who was 41 go to the doctor's on a Friday for a head cold...He died 3 day's later...Specialize like the guy's tell you. Charge a fair price that allow's you to live and do what you love. Then look at your family and take them out for an ice cream!!! IMHO...

October Home

Go to Dan's Reading List

See the book: The E-Myth Revisited - Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
by Michael E. Gerber
paperback: $12
ISBN: 0887307280

It will speak to you. It is EXACTLY what you need right now.

with warm regards, Arlene

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