Resigning after 25 years today.

[JodyH]

As of this morning I'll be joining the ranks of the unemployed.

I've been employed in one capacity or another for the same company since 1991 (no I'm not that old, I just started young).
For the past few years I've had two part time side businesses and one of them has pretty much forced me to make a decision.
Do I stay where I'm at at making a steady living for the next 20 years or do I take my business to the next level and hopefully be retired very comfortably in <10 years (or broke and looking for another steady job in 5).
It's kind of weird quitting something you've done for over half your life.

Wish me luck boy's, I'm jumping out of this plane with only one arm in the parachute harness and no reserve.
:cool:

[JM Campbell]

Good luck man! I've been teetering on the edge as well.

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[fixer]

Good luck Jody. I think you are 'getting out' at the right time (oil is 29/bbl)...and I am jealous.

[JodyH]

I told the wife to fully expect me to be drunk by 10am today.
The company has a habit of walking you out and paying two weeks instead of letting you work.

[RJ]

Best of luck!

Sometimes it is better to jump than be pushed, that's for sure.

[Josh Runkle]

Good luck man! I've had some similar circumstances of future financial uncertainty based upon some very carefully made, very specific choices in the last few years...

Betting on yourself is certainly harrowing, but has certainly freed me up to pursue my dreams.

Now, in the last week I've suddenly had some very unexpected life circumstances that have flipped everything on its head, and yet, I'm still much happier for having bet on myself.

Your persona via the Internet seems to be one that I would bet on being successful as well.

Best of luck in your endeavors.

[camsdaddy]

Quiter!

Just kidding that's awesome and brave. Rarely does something awesome happen while you are sitting in the safety of the sidelines. Way to put it out there

[voodoo_man]

Fortune favors the bold.

[LSP552]

Good luck Jody!

[GJM]

Times of professional uncertainty often lead to the most growth. Kind of like being on a long climb that you don't know whether you will get up.

Just don't tell us you are becoming a gun writer.

[LittleLebowski]

Good luck, man.

[John Hearne]

Good Luck!

[Crawls]

Good Luck, Jody. That step takes some guts, and I wish you success.

[Irelander]

Good luck Jody. You da man!

[Dagga Boy]

Those willing to take risks are the ones who have a greatest chance at really making it. Takes serious balls to take that risk. I wish you luck.

[farscott]

Good luck. In any event, it is better to have tried than to wonder for the rest of your life, "What if?".

[rauchman]

Good luck to you! You will kick ass in whatever you do.

3 of the guys in my band have their own construction businesses with their work being primarily in NYC. From the sounds of it, the unions are shafting the smaller outfits. Ironic that just last night, my band mates were all talking about packing it in and looking for a new venture to start.

Must be something in the air.

Again, all the best to your new venture!

[JAD]

I worked for my previous company for 21 years, straight out of college, writing my last five job descriptions. They got big and corporate (which is partially my fault), it sucked, and I jumped ship to run a whole continent for a little family-owned German company. Very risky, but so far it's been a really good move -- I see my kid a lot and I haven't been angry at work in eighteen months.

[RoyGBiv]

I stepped out 11 years ago and have only regretted it a handful of times. :D (JK.... Never!... Well, except maybe when two of my bigger customers declared bankruptcy in 2008/9). Sounds like you already have your feet under you with an existing business that you know is profitable and have plans to grow. That's 75% of the worry you can cross off the list. The rest is just hard work.

Congratulations and good luck! :cool:

[Cheap Shot]

Respect and good luck

[jc000]

Congrats to you! I took the leap May 2014 and it's been terrifying! But luckily I'm still alive with two great partners, a highly supportive family, and some really phenomenal work behind us and on the horizon. You will do great!

[breakingtime91]

Very cool. Let us know what your business is about when you get a chance

[JDM]

Very cool. Let us know what your business is about when you get a chance

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160115/bc72c59b22d6920ee5492ebaae09be0a.jpg

[breakingtime91]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160115/bc72c59b22d6920ee5492ebaae09be0a.jpg

:cool: now he needs pf.Com body guards. Hk mandatory

[ubervic]

I told the wife to fully expect me to be drunk by 10am today.

I recommend deploying a fresh bottle of Bulleit.
Less filling AND tastes great.

[BN]

Good luck. :)

[GJM]

I will laugh like heck if they counter him with an "offer he can't refuse," like a free HK every month, and he stays.

[Clay1]

Congrats, life is short, go balls deep and live life!

[Cecil Burch]

Best of luck Jody.

Knowing you and your work ethic, I have no doubt at all the new venture will succeed.

[11B10]

As of this morning I'll be joining the ranks of the unemployed.

I've been employed in one capacity or another for the same company since 1991 (no I'm not that old, I just started young).
For the past few years I've had two part time side businesses and one of them has pretty much forced me to make a decision.
Do I stay where I'm at at making a steady living for the next 20 years or do I take my business to the next level and hopefully be retired very comfortably in <10 years (or broke and looking for another steady job in 5).
It's kind of weird quitting something you've done for over half your life.




Wish me luck boy's, I'm jumping out of this plane with only one arm in the parachute harness and no reserve.




I have never met you, but I have been reading your posts long enough to know that you will succeed just because you are not a quitter. Quitting is the biggest reason all worthwhile endeavors collapse - especially marriages and businesses. Please keep us up to date - and, if there's any way we can make things better for you by patronizing your business or ?, let us know. You will do well.

[Chuck Haggard]

Good luck brother. I know it's odd making such a move. Leaving my job after 28 years was, among other things, weird feeling.

[BehindBlueI's]

Good luck. I watched the struggle of running your own business with several folks in my family, and hope the rewards for the risk come to you.

I'll admit I sometimes forget not everyone is a cop and when I saw the title I thought "Huh, he must have really stepped on his dick to have to resign instead of retiring..." :D

[Drang]

Congrats, dude! Best of luck!

[JodyH]

Done...
Supervisor just dropped me off at the house.
I have a cold beer in my hand.

As to what I'll be doing full time?
EPA mandated Infrared VOC detection (methane leak detection from oilfield, mining or industrial locations).
Industrial infrared electrical, mechanical and process inspections.
Soon to be a IR camera sales and training rep.

5461

[StraitR]

Nice! Heard those work well on coyotes. Can I buy you a beer while we discuss a longterm loaner? ;)

Congrats, and good luck Jody!!!!

[HCM]

Good luck !

[Drang]

"So, what do you do for a living?"
"I'm a Swamp Gas Detector."
"-"

;)

[FPS]

I also wish you the best of luck. I remember taking that plunge myself. Running my own business has been extremely rewarding it sometimes nerve wracking but I would never trade it.

Thanks also for all your great contributions to this board. I have read a LOT of your posts

[WobblyPossum]

Good luck man. A decision like that takes serious balls but based on reading your posts, I think you'll tough it out and succeed.


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[Wondering Beard]

Good luck! :-)

[voodoo_man]

...I could use an IR camera...

[LOKNLOD]

We have a FLIR program, and the guys who run it are in my dept...

[BN]

When I worked for the phone co. we had somebody come in periodically to find hot spots, bad connections etc.

[JodyH]

...I could use an IR camera...
In the past month I wire transferred over $150k to FLIR.
Professional level IR is some cool shit, but you gotta pay to play.

[JAD]

EPA mandated Infrared VOC detection (methane leak detection from oilfield, mining or industrial locations).
Industrial infrared electrical, mechanical and process inspections.
Soon to be a IR camera sales and training rep

Dude, that looks FUN. Tell us what your territory is, I will have leads.

[Arbninftry]

Good Luck,
You are now the master of your own destiny.

[JodyH]

Dude, that looks FUN. Tell us what your territory is, I will have leads.
Primary area is the Permian Basin, secondary is the Eagle Ford.
My customer base is oil production companies that are getting raped by state or federal regulators.
There's a whole lotta rapin going on right now.
With royalties and taxes down the state's gonna make up the shortfall with fines.

[JAD]

Good hunting.

[Dagga Boy]

Seriously......if there is any help you need for an employee (minion), I have run a lot of FLIR stuff, and I am within four hours from the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford.....and basically unemployed and always looking for work.

[MD7305]

Good luck, Jody. You guys are so smart and have neat jobs. Pilots, Engineers, FLIR gurus....I should've thought harder about my major instead of being influenced by too many episodes of cops.

[Mr_White]

Good luck Jody!

[GJM]

While Jody would never fall into this trap, I know some guys that got into mischief with FLIR at an aviation trade show, looking at girls in dresses with the FLIR.

[JM Campbell]

While Jody would never fall into this trap, I know some guys that got into mischief with FLIR at an aviation trade show, looking at girls in dresses with the FLIR.
How do you think he got started in it? [emoji41]

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[JodyH]

I know of a entire fire department truck crew that was terminated over an incident with a IR camera and a women's college lacrosse team.

What fun is looking if you don't record things for later viewing?
What fun is having a recording of things if you don't share?

Who would have thought that all FLIR recordings have time/date/GPS/camera serial numbers embedded in them?

Oooops.

[MRW]

Good luck with the new endeavor.

[StraitR]

Rape is no good.

[OnionsAndDragons]

Dude... That's just sweet.

You are going to KILL IT!


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[SecondsCount]

Good luck Jody!

I've been doing this job for 15 years and I think I only have a another 3-5 left in me. I have some ideas that I may just have to quit and run with.

[JodyH]

I recommend deploying a fresh bottle of Bulleit.
Less filling AND tastes great.
Good idea.
I poured myself a tumbler of Bulleit Rye on the rocks this evening.

[fixer]

Primary area is the Permian Basin, secondary is the Eagle Ford.
My customer base is oil production companies that are getting raped by state or federal regulators.
There's a whole lotta rapin going on right now.
With royalties and taxes down the state's gonna make up the shortfall with fines.

lol...sounds like we might be working together someday...

[Mike C]

Good luck JodyH.

[Little Creek]

Good Luck!

[Clobbersaurus]

Good luck!

[Notso]

God, FLIR used to be so fun. The things we would see with that. I remember looking for bad guys one night and all we found was a momma bear and poppa bear bumping uglies. There was much fanfare and the video went up to the general the next day as part of the evening Intel. He was not amused. A week later we all had classes on what to record, how to record it and how to not curse while recording. The stuff we did then- I'd never make it today. So lame. We'd run those things up on "open house events" to amuse the kids but really we would just kick them all out and start scanning the crowds ourselves! And with today's temperature resolutions, I can't imagine the detail! *note to Jody, don't hire me, I would just use it to watch people or animals and we'd be in court two days later.

[BaiHu]

Good luck brother! I'd love to have a thread discussing your time in oil. It's been an investment hobby of mine for almost 20 years. I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories as to how we got here and see if they match up to mine. Another thread or PM you?

[Welder]

Hey JodyH,

I don't get on here much due to work and other interests, but I do appreciate your comments and had taken the time to type out some thoughts from a fellow small-businessman (myself) that might be able to help you out in some small way in exchange for all of the thoughts and info you've given to me and others. But then I did something on this laptop and it all disappeared, ne'er to return. Rather than type it all up again, I'll do a cut-and-paste of a reply I made on weldingweb...the thread was about a guy starting his own business and my post had some thoughts about what it was like. I know the middle part doesn't cross over to your situation, but maybe some of the first and last parts would be helpful. When I started out on my own, there were lots of pats on the back and congratulations but no direct advice on what to expect and what to focus on, and that would've been helpful to me. Here's a link to the whole thread just to prove it really exists:

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?555441-Starting-a-moblie-welding-business&highlight=

And here's a cut-and-paste of my post:




I guess the answers to these questions depend on you. What does a "mobile welding repair company" do, in your mind? Who are your customers? What does the "repair" mean in your description? Are you doing mechanical repairs? Or just repairing cracked and broken welds?

I will tell you this much.

1) I would not go into a partnership, period. If I couldn't hack it on my own and employ my friend, I'd let my friend own the business and I'd be the employee. There are enough blurred lines and question marks when starting a business without ownership and decision-making rights being involved.

2) I have owned SA-200's. They are fine for specialized work that involves just welding. They fall down when you need very much generating capacity, or when you start adding up the fuel bill, or when you start adding up the unnecessary weight for the functionality involved. I have not owned any SA-200's for several years now. I have not missed them.

3) I have owned several Trailblazers, with two of them on my trucks presently. The spectrum of work I do involves onsite ag repair, new equipment assembly, construction equipment repair, one-off equipment modifications and fabrication, and general commercial and industrial equipment fabrication and repair. I have not wished for anything more than the Trailblazers have provided. The TB325 EFI with Excel power that I own is by far my favorite welder. I only keep the older 302 out of stubbornness. Not that it does anything wrong, but I hate to hear that engine screaming just to power a 4.5" grinder or a halogen worklight set. The 325 does all of this at idle, not to mention welds at low RPM's also.

4) As far as truck sizes go...there are days that I get by OK with the F350 with 8' utility bed on it, and there are days that the International doesn't have enough deck space and tool storage area for what I need to carry. I would not consider a 1/2 ton pickup for this job. If that was all I had, I'd sell it and buy an old 1-ton dually to get started with. 2WD or 4WD wouldn't matter near as much as having the weight carrying capacity. Most places that are worth going to, will have the equipment to pull you out (or in) if you get stuck on their property or jobsite. Gas or diesel engine....I went with a gas engine for the F350 and haven't regretted it a bit. Diesels are a status symbol for 95 percent of the people who own them, and status symbols are always more expensive than necessary. It's gotten to the point that when I see somebody driving around in a diesel pickup, I automatically assume they have more money (or debt) than sense, until and unless they prove otherwise.

5) As far as building a custom bed goes, that's up to you. I have modified factory beds to do what I want. I would certainly not go and build something I could just as easily buy. Once you hang your shingle out there, you need to be ready to go to work, not putzing around reinventing the wheel. If you have so little work that you have time to build your bed in daylight hours, you would be better served by using that time to knock on doors in my opinion.

6) Lastly, I feel like what I'm about to say gets beat to death on every thread like this, but it just has to be said. Knowing how to weld or repair equipment is by far the easiest part of owning your own business. Any mechanic or welder can do that, and there are tens if not hundreds of thousands out there doing it every day. Managing your finances, meeting and keeping customers over the long run, learning how to properly estimate a job, learning how to sell your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses (everybody has some of each), getting all the paperwork right including taxes and insurances, etc....those are the hard parts. It can be done, but it is a long row to hoe as they say.

I will have been in business for myself 10 years as of next April, and it has been a wild ride. Only the last two years have seen me noticeably making more right decisions than wrong and beginning to reap some benefits from all of that labor. I guess you could say that I've devoted the best years of my life to the business, and it has come first over almost everything except for my marriage. I haven't worked a standard 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday since I can remember. Most weekends are spent on equipment maintenance and paperwork. I don't mean for it to sound all bad, but I do want you to understand that if you own your own business you are always working. Even if you're on vacation with your family, your mind is back home on what has to be done to keep that business afloat and moving ahead. It's difficult if not impossible for me to disconnect from my business, as I expect it is for any business person who really wants to succeed.

I really do wish you luck, and it sounds like there are at least a few small business owners here who I know would be happy to share advice or just commiseration if and when necessary. :)

[Hot Sauce]

Good luck dude!

It's a wise choice I think. You can always go back to your old style of job if in a couple of years you don't like your situation for whatever reason. But you don't wanna be kicking yourself later down the line for playing it too safe.

[CCT125US]

Alright I have got to ask. What type of investment would a company have to make in order to spot a CHL holder in a crowd?

[JodyH]

Alright I have got to ask. What type of investment would a company have to make in order to spot a CHL holder in a crowd?
Picking a concealed carrier out of a crowd with IR cameras? It'd be difficult especially if they were wearing loose clothing.

[JodyH]

Day one... excellent.
If the pace of incoming work doesn't slow down it looks like I'll be hiring another tech and investing another $200k into this venture with a month or two.

What's the old saying? "If you owe the bank $10,000 the bank owns you. If you owe the bank $10M you own the bank."
:cool:

[Mike C]

Alright I have got to ask. What type of investment would a company have to make in order to spot a CHL holder in a crowd?

I have to admit I was curious about the same thing.

Glad things are working out for you JodyH. Congrats man.


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[UNK]

Done...
EPA mandated Infrared VOC detection (methane leak detection from oilfield, mining or industrial locations).
Industrial infrared electrical, mechanical and process inspections.
Soon to be a IR camera sales and training rep.

5461
Interesting work. Looks like that first leg is running pretty hot.
Mechanical and process..Does that include vibration analysis and fluid testing?
Harmonics detection might compliment the IR testing.

[butler coach]

Congrats and good luck. That pic is great.


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