So how is YOUR business in this economy?

[skibreeze]

Renewal By Andersen replacement windows. We are down about 25% from last year, but still close to '05. Good enough to get a turbo and still have $$ in the bank, so it's all good with more time off. Some other companies have aren't doing well at all. Enercon went out a few months ago and Accent just filed for chap. 11. Smaller window co. have always had a high turnover though.

 

[bailer]

Grain farming: Timed some purchases wrong prior to the big downturn, but still even with the commodities dip, will be 5X average.

Last 2 years have been best ever by far. Have to hold on to it so I'm prepared when it all hits the fan.

 

[H20SKE]

Capital Equipment sales for Ford/LM/Land Rover Jaguar dealers.
National sales down about %15 for the year. Still better than the other OEM programs--even the imports. Forecast is for sales going down first 2 quarters of the year then picking up. We will see, I am hopeful it will come around faster than that.


H20SKE...

 

[sky7051]

Telecommunications/Fiber Optics/Television
Central Office Technician

Business is still going strong, current customers still spending and not downgrading, seeing more upgrades. Month after month setting records on new customer sign-ups. Hopefully it just stays stable.

 

[ouch]

Electrician.... I got some handtools forsale... maybe can find some wirenuts..

 

[coyoteman]

fertilizer, chemical sales. absolutely crazy busy, have had the best year ever. glad my clientel were good marketers with the recent dip in commodity prices. we'll just have to see how this coming year plays out.

 

[WFO or go home]

Biggest issue I see at the moment is the upcoming administration.

Seems like all the bigger corps and tightening their belts in preparation for the tax hikes next year.

Hope all the Obama faithful are happy with avalanche they have tripped.

A good friend of mine has 3 small stores (haircuts) and he and his wife work full time jobs besides. They make enough off the three locations to pay thier mortgage, nothing more. His father in law has been preaching the obama benefits for month's before the election telling them how much better things will be when he is in office. They finally shut him up by saying "we paid $15,000 in taxes last month and took home $1000, how much did you pay?"

Wait until the FHA crisis hits the fan.

 

[Sturgis Sledder]

Electrician.... I got some handtools forsale... maybe can find some wirenuts..

If your not opposed to moving you should check in Rapid City, SD or Gillette, they are BEGGING for electricians.

 

[dmkhnr]

General Contractor.
Shut it down last month, haven't worked in 4 months. 5 years in business which grew extremely fast, and then just stopped.
I tried buying an Arctic Cat dealership but the numbers weren't there (not even close). I was able to work it out so that I'm running the dealership, learning how it all operates and the option to buy will be there next year. I'm not making alot of money but having FUUNN, and NO STRESSSS is worth something, and I've come to the conclusion that life isn't always about your yearly income.

 

[WFO or go home]

Do yourself a favor, DO NOT BUY A DEALERSHIP. You will just be buying yourself a LOW paying full time job.

 

[Gimpster]

Do yourself a favor, DO NOT BUY A DEALERSHIP. You will just be buying yourself a LOW paying full time job.

The gospel

----- Gimpster -----

 

[NorthMNSledder]

I own/run a residential drafting company as a part time, side income job and this year I’m up 5 times what I did last year. With the new home market slow, lots of people are remodeling. I also have a division for commercial glazing and that is up 10x what is was a year ago. So it’s been a busy fall this year, but since we won’t have snow for awhile it’s OK.

 

[mtnjunkie]

Logging. We're working just as hard, but nobody's building houses. The only markets are fences and firewood. Not as profitable. Plus the tree huggers are gaining more control and shutting down more forest. Apparently they're not having financial problems, and they're lawyers are making millions. Shoulda been a lawyer! Millions of acres of bug kill and we have to fight for a few acres to thin out. Every time there's a timber sale someone sues and shuts it down for years.
I also do equine sports therapy, that's a bit slow. Nobody can afford their horses and can hardly feed them let alone pay for medical care.

 

[MtnDoo]

Skidoogirl - take a look at Summit County, Colordo, Grand County, Colorado and Vail Valley - they can't seem to get enough loggers in there. The beetle kill is massive. www.summitdaily.com www.vaildaily.com, etc...

MD.

 

[Supplicate]

Plus the tree huggers are gaining more control and shutting down more forest.

It could just be that you live 20 or so miles from one of the largest greeny dens in Idaho, not to mention that its one of the favorite play spots of some very rich people...

 

[WFO or go home]

Gimpster......CAN I GET A WITNESS!!!!!?

I do a pretty mean televangalist impression.

 

[Snoman69]

The high tech industry sucks right now. We just laid off 1500, no raises, mandatory vacation shutdown for 3 weeks, and selling chips for less than they cost to make. What I worry about is all this bailouts. Were in an industry that's over producing, and some countries are going to give our competitors free money, to keep them open, when they should go out of business. Supply and demand isn't being allowed to work.

Were in the same boat, although we haven't hit layoffs yet.... 3 weeks mandatory vacation.... Cool thing in the whole scheme is that I have the week of Thanksgiving to get my sled finished... Then I have two weeks at christmas to go ride

Wade - where do you work, Micron? I have a few buds out there. What do you do?

 

[mtnjunkie]

Ya I know we live in a bad area for environmentalists. Plus the head rangers here are morons. A lot of the problem are lawsuits going on in CA that are stopping timber sales here. There are no mills close, and they can't put in any mills or biofuel plants as the forest service won't promise enough timber to keep it operating. Although we have massive bug kill that is still spreading. It has spread over Galena and is going south, something everyone denied the possibility of. Everyone in this area would rather see the forest burn because it's natural, and then take nature walks through "pristine" burned forest. After spending millions trying to control the fire. It's always interesting to have tourists or even locals get mad when we're near a rec area. They see trees falling and me tearing up skid trails and get kinda upset. If we could just up and move that would be great, but not really possible right now.

 

[MACH]

I work for a big company Ingersoll Rand/TRANE and yes there were a few layoffs, but honestly we are busy as we are the only profit group in St. Paul headquarters. Trane sales offices hire us when they are backlogged with work, and we are going strong.

We do HVAC building automation. Lots of engineering to do, a ton of traveling especially out east.

Hopefully it stays that way.

 

[TheFlyingFynn]

Commercial Construction Consultant which I own and operate by myself. I am contracted to the 2nd largest restraunt builder in the US and am on a job till March. Had a record year so far hope they find me something else next year I just dropped $10k on a sled hope I dont regret it. I am trying to stay positive and ride this all out.