Calling All Dreamers - How Did You Break Out Of The 9-5 Rat Race?

I'm in a similar boat, except I'm trying to get into the 9-5 at the moment. I'm sick of retail. It's a tough market out there. But I'm only 24 so I'm still trying to get started.

But ideally I want to work for myself someday. I did join in with another guy in building up a website that has to do with off-roading, I'm hoping that will become successful and turn into a full time job doing what I love someday.

 

Well one day hopefully Mobtown takes off to the point where we are running it and it only, then everyone is welcome to come check us out and have a bbq. One day.

 

That's pretty nice. My company doesn't offer paid family leave.

 

What's the website? Plug it here and maybe we can support it.

 

Good catch

 

Thanks! It's still in beta at the moment, it hasn't been officially released. We're still looking for writers for it if anyone's interested! http://www.trailsoffroad.com

 

Looks great! Be prepared for some flack about those Google ads though... totally understandable at this phase because that's probably a main income generator for this, but it's surprising how many people click those (which is good for you!) without realizing the links have nothing to do with the site they were on. No harm done to them, of course, but could be seen as a hassle.

 

Nice site! I like it so far.

 

Yeah he's working on filtering them out do they're more related to the site lol. Do you mind sharing what kind of ads you got generally?

Thanks! All of us are excited about it for sure.

 

Working for yourself isn't all fun and games.. your day to day schedule can be more flexible, your hours spent working can be more fulfilling, but you also trade in 1 boss or 3 boss' for every paying customer being a boss of sorts, your general schedule isn't as flexible because money has to be made when it's there to be given.

My father took $400 and started his own business from our living room when I was a toddler, and now we're in our 27th year. Always been a small operation, though when things were booming in the 1990s we had 7 guys employed here. As his kid, we never took vacations outside of small weekend trips somewhere local because he was never able to really get "time off." He was on call 24/7 as customers always had his number for emergencies, questions, or other support needs. He wasn't home every night at the same time, didn't leave at the same time in the morning. Worked weekends when they were needed (often). We had lots of camping trips and were always taken care of, but there also wasn't a ton of availability for him as a dad.

Our situation was a little different, in that my mom was in a car accident when I was 4 or 5 and left her unable to work, so the business provided the only income and he had all of the burden to provide on his shoulders. My sister and I are 3 years apart so it wasn't a huge pain in the ass to juggle our activities, compared to kids who are further apart in age.

All that said, if you can handle the stresses that come with being wholly responsible for your own success or failure then it's a good option. It isn't what most people think it is, though.

I didn't mean to be a downer, but wanted a bit more accuracy to owning your own business and being your own boss - and also give a little perspective on what kind of struggles and sacrifice it can cause when it comes to family life. I grew up never, ever wanting to own my own company because I wanted to be more available to my kids than my dad was to me.

That said, after working for a few different companies (my shortest stint at them was 4 years, I don't like to move around), I'm back here as VP of 2 small businesses and can't imagine working for someone else again. We're a 2 man shop these days and it provides for 2 families, my first daughter was born 9 weeks ago and I have a flexible enough schedule that it makes a "traditional" employment really unappealing. It is not without it's stress and sacrifice, though. It's a lot of both, and it's a lot of taxes!

 

Great input, that whole post. Another thing that owning your own business requires... a helluva lot of self discipline. Many people don't realize how much or how little self discipline they have until they are "free".

 

First time I went, it was a "start your own business" ad, most likely because you have verbiage about that somewhere on the index page. Second time I went, it was an ad for a yogurt sale at QFC Third time was an ad for "hiking singles". That last one at least made the most sense relative to your content.

Good luck trying to get them to match better... I have found that no matter how hard you try, you're still going to get yogurt ads from QFC

 

I've been a Firefighter for about 4 years now and I love it. It can be stressful at times but very rewarding, challenging, and the work schedule is pretty awesome. My department works 24hrs on duty and then 48hrs off. We also get tons of Vacation/holidays to use throughout the year. Anytime you take one day off, you're really taking 5 days off since you have those regularly scheduled 48 hours off between work days. The work schedule is very flexible.

We work hard, train hard and get our chores/gear checks done early in the shift then chill, workout, bs, and watch movies the rest of the shift. Theres tons of time to do whatever you want on you days off. I spend my days off either at the gun range or taking care of my son so his mother can have a break.

The pay isn't amazing but I definitely make ends meat with a little to spare. Its a great job and you get to fight fire! Check it out! Its a huge brotherhood!

 

Good post. All valid points and if it were easy, everyone would do it. I did have my own business for 4 years. Owned and operated a pool and spa service company and did just fine. You're right though, I was always on call and it was impossible to take trips away in the summer months. Work all day until the sun comes up and then down, then go home and do paperwork. Very little time with the family from April to November. It didn't go under, it got to the point where I was so busy it was time to chance it, hire people and put my company in their hands or be proud of my achievements and bow out and sell the company. I sold it. I didn't want to chance having employees ruin what I built.

 

I am in the same boat as you OP.

Fiancee and I were talking about a long term plan that seems like it is going to work for us.

When I was in college, I worked as a part time plumber. I ended up establishing a few licenses along the way and have managed to keep them until this day by paying my renewals and going to continuing education classes on time.

I am one year short of experience and the next tier of licensing for plumbing. Once I obtain my next license, I have to hold it for four years (not necesarily work in it), so I can start my own plumbing company.

So what's my game plan you say?

Leave my current cubicle hell house and go back to plumbing/construction for one year.

Yeah, I would be going from engineering +$100k a year down to +$35k a year, PLUS manual labor.

Can I do it?

I have no debt. I only owe money on the tacoma. If I wanted to, I could pay it off in one lump sum right now and NO kids.

My college tuition is paid off. My other cars are paid off.

Rent? Mortgage?

My father owns a few rental homes, and I am sure he will let me live in it for FREE as long as I pay the Taxes on it and do some minor maintenance and upkeep work.

I think I have it made.

Quit my job for a year. Get my hours in, and apply for my next tier of licensure, and get back into engineering.

Wait five years, save up cash to buy equipment and establish my company and then BAM!

Ill work in engineering until I am fed up with it, and ill have cash coming in on the side from owning a plumbing compay...

What you guys think?

 

Certainly isn't the easiest way to make a living. In fact, we had a really major slowdown last year and to catch up on bills we both took a month without pay. Pay isn't guaranteed when you write your own checks, and keeping your overhead as low as possible is the safest way to hedge against lean times.

 

I would suggest working a normal job until the side job plumbing business is established and so busy that you're turning business away because you don't have the time in your part time plumbing schedule before I quit a full time job to go full time in plumbing. Depends on the demand in your area though and other things.

Lot of folks jump into a full time business before it makes full time income and end up both leaving a better situation and getting themselves into business that will struggle and possibly not make it.

Lot of variables, so this is general advice at best.

 

Of course, all businesses will have their ups and downs.

I plan to use it as cash flow for a retirement plan, and cash flow for whenever I feel like quitting my job for six months

 

Mobtown is doing very well for our first year, a lot better than we ever expected and it is mostly thanks to TW! Will it support us being full time, not yet. But, it gives us hope and motivation to continue to grow. What started out as a hobby, quickly grew into other great things.

 

Make that 29 and 2007 the rest is exactly the same. I'm ready for something of my own where i can answer to myself. I got laid off in at the end of last year and it has made me focus on my personal life a little more. Work is a paycheck and i have forced myself to pull away a little more. I don't usually take days off or vacations for extended periods of time, however i do travel on weekends a lot and despite the fact i don't take time off its hard finding a place/boss that is okay with taking off a few hours early on Fridays to get a jump on the traffic. It would be nice to know I can take off at 2 or 3 on fridays and not get flak for it later, especially when i have already put in 50+ hours.