How many here own their own business?

[Jaynelson]

I own the agency contract for a gas station....4-6 employees depending on when. Been doing it for 2 years now. Lots of work, lots of stupid crap to keep up with....goverment regs, company regs, enviro regs, the list goes on.

When I can keep good staff and all I have to worry about is promotion, inventory, keeping customers happy, etc....love it. When everything goes south, the hours go north and not as much fun.

I recently had an employee go haywire and steal a bunch of chit....that was a real downer. Definetly showed me how much the goverment, the cops, the insurance company and the parent company are on my side when times are tough....i.e. not at all. Workin your arse off and people are trying to figure out how to screw you over.....not a good feeling.

 

[sledhead_2002]

Imperial Seed Ltd.

Ag sector, contract seed production of forage and turf seeds. I contract with companies from Europe, USA and South America, (mainly EU). Then contact here in Western Canada with producers, multiply the seed here, process and package seeds, and ship back to contractor for re - sell there. 12 staff, me and another on the road, and remaining at plant, also have a high end pet food store at location

 

[hilinerider]

natural gas engine and compressor sales, rental and service
6 employees, cover montana and northern wyoming, primarily the bighorn basin, cover lots of miles, need to have one of the majors from texas buy me out like my old boss did so i can have the toys and time that i truly deserve

 

[cek]

Export / Import trucking company and freight brokerage. I have a few really good employees that make life pretty good. We have a good time.

 

[GODEEP]

Export / Import trucking company and freight brokerage. I have a few really good employees that make life pretty good. We have a good time.

Right on, thats how I look at it with my guys. You have to have fun!!

My guys are all very good and skilled in their own ways. but we all have fun doing what we do.

I feel bad for all the guys out there that have to work for an azz hole, or be an azz hole to run thier businesses.

 

[Good to Go]

I own the agency contract for a gas station....4-6 employees depending on when. Been doing it for 2 years now. Lots of work, lots of stupid crap to keep up with....goverment regs, company regs, enviro regs, the list goes on.

When I can keep good staff and all I have to worry about is promotion, inventory, keeping customers happy, etc....love it. When everything goes south, the hours go north and not as much fun.

I recently had an employee go haywire and steal a bunch of chit....that was a real downer. Definetly showed me how much the goverment, the cops, the insurance company and the parent company are on my side when times are tough....i.e. not at all. Workin your arse off and people are trying to figure out how to screw you over.....not a good feeling.

It's a feeling that's hard to explain...

 

[Good to Go]

Right on, thats how I look at it with my guys. You have to have fun!!

My guys are all very good and skilled in their own ways. but we all have fun doing what we do.

I feel bad for all the guys out there that have to work for an azz hole, or be an azz hole to run thier businesses.

True that.. choose your customers carefully. And I'm to tired to be an azz, and enjoy what I do way to much to have a bad employee ruin it.

 

[lucky13]

welding contractor, mainly do stainless pipe and tube, i have 5 good employees and pay them extreamly well

 

[bullfrog123]

J&R Brokerage llc
Truck/ transportation freight brokers, (wife and I only)

If you can handle working with your wife all day long life can't get any better than what I have now. Another bonus is I can fratanize with the help and not worry about a sexual harrassment lawsuit hehehehe. Make it fun no matter what job you have or why do it.

 

[greenskeeper]

J & K landscaping.....judy & keith...........been doing it about 5 years part time,I am 72 and wife is 65.........last year we went full time with 10 employees we work 6 months and take the winter off for riding sleds and atvs,,,,,,this year we are back at it full time.....best is I get to sleep with the boss,,,,,,,,,,but have been doing it for 45 years

 

[BigFish BC]

We've rebuilt some switchgear for Rio Tinto.
They ended up going to Gillette for Dragline use.

cool, we merge with rio about 5months ago & we are now the biggest aluminum producer in the world ,i still dont know all the things rio has its hands in but they are huge.

 

[kosstro]

business

Last summer I started a small Roofing and exterior contracting company. I started subcontracting and quickly moved onto my own, thank you BC building boom! I am a full-time student, so I sub-contract and do some contracts after school/weekends while at uni. and I'm going into my second summer on my own full-time now. I'm trying to balance exams with lining up contracts, and hiring an employee, a bit time consuming! I'd rather work on my own but it just isn't practical for roofing, so I hired myself a gofer, no more garbage pick-up for me.

I love having my own business, nothing like paying your way through full-time university, debt-free, and having a truck and sled! (well...a really crappy sled)The only downside is having your buddy phone you to go out drinking at 8pm on a saturday and you're still on a roof, and have been for the past 40 odd straight days, lol, but it's worth it!

*****Shameless self-promotion******
anyone needing a roof in the southern interior or kootenays of BC, give me a shout! Competitive rates and references available!

Koss exteriors
( 250) 342-9479

 

[redlineguy]

Own a Tool & Die Machine shop, I have 9 employees, We do work in the Auto, Aero Space, Medical and Mold industry's, Make Gages, jigs, fixtures, progresive Dies, Production stamping aswell, pretty much anything.









.

 

[sledhead_2002]

Agree with you guys 100%, employee retention is a major issue these days and keepinghte good guys canbe tough. I buy a lunch once a month if we have good attendance, and no issues for the month. the team is strong and solid, I work with them in the plant, bagging, or doing whatever and that is a good thing, letting them see the boss working side by side doing the jobs that they do! Really helps with the team idea when u walk in their shoes!.. As for the free lunch, so far this yr, im 4 lunchs in, about 350.00, and a happy team! what else are you guys doing for employee benifets?

 

[motomikey]

silverlake mfg.------aluminum sled decks!

 

[redlineguy]

I put 3 to 5% of there pay into a 401K, I do health ins...Up again this year between 12 and 18% per person, Lots of overtime if they want it, X-mas bonius and Mid year bonous somtimes, Very layed back place to work...More like a Country club...cores they proly don't see it that way










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[Dawson]

I am 72 and wife is 65.........best is I get to sleep with the boss,,,,,,,,,,but have been doing it for 45 years

Oh gross.

 

[NDflatlander]

I'm a judicial law clerk soon to be full fledged lawyer when my tenure with the judges is over.

During the summer since I was 18 I started doing custom farm work for farmers around the area. I started by buying a rotary mower and using one of my dad's mower to mow CRP now 8 years later I have 4 tractors and mowers and 2 Wishek disks and 4wd tractors that I do custom tillage with in the spring and fall. I think I've done alright starting off from nothing and working my way up to this while doing it during school. It's fun being young and having equity and being able to buy toys and afford them.

Like everyone else said it is tough to find help in a rural area, but even harder to find good help. It seems as though everyone thinks they are entitled to good pay even if they're not worth it. Now that I am working full-time my dad oversees the operation during the week and I'm there a few nights and every weekend. It seems as though we are babysitting adults instead of actually being their bosses. I wonder how some people have made it as far as they have in life...

 

[sledskiing]

By day a sales consultant. I consult with small venture backed start-up companies on how to grow and scale their business.

By night/weekends. I own www.powersportsxchange.com and www.sledmods.com cuz i luv talkin toys

 

[PCDOC]

I started a computer sales and service business back in 2000 - PC Doctor. I didn't sleep for the first year worrying about EVERYTHING. Now I just take it in stride and deal with whatever comes up. Being your own boss is the best gig ever. Couldn't imagine working for somebody ever again. Plus I can pick up and head west at the drop of a hat. The downside is not many of my buddies can do the same

And yes the government sucks even worse when you own a business.