I've never worked for anyone other than myself - never once punched a clock. Even when in high school, I subcontracted with a USA Today distributor via my mother's signature and ran my own boiler-room hawking subscriptions over the telephone from an insurance agent's offices which I rented after hours, just to get access to their phone lines.
@duodec Ah yes, the good old days . . NO ONE had caller ID yet, people actually answered the phone, they didn't hang up (even if it was during dinner they were polite), you could get a full pitch in and they'd kick off a credit card number over the phone without thinking twice. Everyone was low hanging fruit in the early 80's - plus, USA Today was brand new, and everyone wanted to read it. Easy, fast money.
I have worked for myself for 34 years. Total freedom and I do what I want when I want. I make great money and answer to the best boss in the world, my wife...... of course when she is happy we all are happy!
I have a small business where I make a specialized motorcycle harness...it's fun, helps people and puts (a little) cash in my pocket to support my Meh habit.
i have a very small business making tabletop games. we currently have one game and working on a second. its more like a hobby with a logo than a company at this point.
You left off "Yes, who needs the aggravation?". My wife is a vet and we own a clinic. We originally hoped it would support us both but since I can't help with the medical part because I can't deal with blood and since I hate the public too much to be receptionist, I have to have a separate job and still do the finances for the clinic. Some days it's good and some days we want to burn the place down. (Not, of course, when there are any animals there.) My wife has put together a tremendous staff, though, so that helps make it good.
I bought a small business in '90 & sold it in '98. I'm still living off of that investment, it generates over $8000/month to me! After buying the business, I built a second location, bought the original real estate, sold the business and rented the properties to the new owners. I love triple net leases!
I'm surprised to see so many "no, who needs the aggravation" responses. I've owned my own business for most of my adult life, and while I wouldn't say it's 100% unicorns and kittens every day the aggrivation level is tiny compared to the usual dealing with bosses, co-workers, commuting, the possibility of being fired or outsourced, and so on. There's also less money worry, which is a major point of stress for most people. What do you folks imagine that owning a business is like?
@Starblind There were only two "no" responses and one of them explicitly indicated that a "yes" was in the future. I fully see the pros AND cons of owning your own business, but have chosen a different path.
Had my own dot com. I did the engineering, product design, sales, taxes. Went after the wrong market at the wrong price, other than that, it was genius!
I owned a brick and mortar bridal shop for about 3 years. It was really great, and I'd love to own something again someday. However the debt of starting a retail biz is a bit frightening and has been enough to dissuade me from going down that path again thus far. I closed the shop up before becoming profitable. Retail has way too much overhead, yo. I'd do it again though. Hindsight is 20/20 and I see the mistakes I made now.
My wife and I have owned our own business for almost 5 years. I quit my job last year to tend to the business fulltime and have loved every minute of it.
what my friend said to A Mediocre Brewery: "Oh man, and we could have our own puppet and make videos about how we sold out of beer before California got any, and make a rage inducing heat map about it"
I backed into a little side work running a photo-booth for money I can spend on stupid stuff usually for said photo-booth without feeling guilty. Its a self perpetuating monster though, "If I do these two weddings I can buy that crazy printer I would never buy with well MY money".
Oh and being first party to a never ending stream of blackmail photos....that too.
I've never worked for anyone other than myself - never once punched a clock. Even when in high school, I subcontracted with a USA Today distributor via my mother's signature and ran my own boiler-room hawking subscriptions over the telephone from an insurance agent's offices which I rented after hours, just to get access to their phone lines.
@Pavlov So you're the one who kept calling at dinnertime?
@duodec Ah yes, the good old days . . NO ONE had caller ID yet, people actually answered the phone, they didn't hang up (even if it was during dinner they were polite), you could get a full pitch in and they'd kick off a credit card number over the phone without thinking twice. Everyone was low hanging fruit in the early 80's - plus, USA Today was brand new, and everyone wanted to read it. Easy, fast money.
Does freelance count? I want to be a translator someday.
I have worked for myself for 34 years.
Total freedom and I do what I want when I want.
I make great money and answer to the best boss in the world, my wife...... of course when she is happy we all are happy!
Yes and as a general rule I try to have more than 12 items to sell on any given day.
@mrimdman
@snapster @jont @Jennifer @Harrison @Shannon @Marissa @Jereimiah
I own a photography business. Doesn't everybody?
I have a small business where I make a specialized motorcycle harness...it's fun, helps people and puts (a little) cash in my pocket to support my Meh habit.
i have a very small business making tabletop games. we currently have one game and working on a second. its more like a hobby with a logo than a company at this point.
You left off "Yes, who needs the aggravation?". My wife is a vet and we own a clinic. We originally hoped it would support us both but since I can't help with the medical part because I can't deal with blood and since I hate the public too much to be receptionist, I have to have a separate job and still do the finances for the clinic. Some days it's good and some days we want to burn the place down. (Not, of course, when there are any animals there.) My wife has put together a tremendous staff, though, so that helps make it good.
Thankfully, not since I mowed lawns while I was in high school.
I bought a small business in '90 & sold it in '98. I'm still living off of that investment, it generates over $8000/month to me! After buying the business, I built a second location, bought the original real estate, sold the business and rented the properties to the new owners. I love triple net leases!
I'm surprised to see so many "no, who needs the aggravation" responses. I've owned my own business for most of my adult life, and while I wouldn't say it's 100% unicorns and kittens every day the aggrivation level is tiny compared to the usual dealing with bosses, co-workers, commuting, the possibility of being fired or outsourced, and so on. There's also less money worry, which is a major point of stress for most people. What do you folks imagine that owning a business is like?
@Starblind There were only two "no" responses and one of them explicitly indicated that a "yes" was in the future. I fully see the pros AND cons of owning your own business, but have chosen a different path.
@DrWorm Are you getting better on the drums?
Had my own dot com. I did the engineering, product design, sales, taxes. Went after the wrong market at the wrong price, other than that, it was genius!
I tip my hat to anyone who has had the courage and belief in their idea to take the personal risk in starting their own business.
I owned a brick and mortar bridal shop for about 3 years. It was really great, and I'd love to own something again someday. However the debt of starting a retail biz is a bit frightening and has been enough to dissuade me from going down that path again thus far. I closed the shop up before becoming profitable. Retail has way too much overhead, yo. I'd do it again though. Hindsight is 20/20 and I see the mistakes I made now.
My wife and I have owned our own business for almost 5 years. I quit my job last year to tend to the business fulltime and have loved every minute of it.
Along with my 'real job', I build custom Keezers and I'm currently evaluating the possibility of opening a microbrewery.
@marklog I'd love to have a VIP tour when DogFinger brewery opens.
@JonT with the right amount of financing, you can have naming rights. Let's get your boss involved. I wouldn't mind A Mediocre Brewery either...
what my friend said to A Mediocre Brewery: "Oh man, and we could have our own puppet and make videos about how we sold out of beer before California got any, and make a rage inducing heat map about it"
@marklog that guy sounds hilarious, I wonder if he's on meh too
@evbarnstormer nah he's a douche.
I backed into a little side work running a photo-booth for money I can spend on stupid stuff usually for said photo-booth without feeling guilty. Its a self perpetuating monster though, "If I do these two weddings I can buy that crazy printer I would never buy with well MY money".
Oh and being first party to a never ending stream of blackmail photos....that too.