I worked as a plumber for over 10 years. The company I was with got acquired by a larger one, and after a few years, they shut down the entire plumbing department, laying off around 10 workers, including me. I was faced with the choice of either finding a new job in a small(ish) town, competing with 10 other plumbers for the same position, or finally doing what I’d been thinking about for years: starting my own business.
I didn’t want to focus solely on plumbing, so now I’m essentially what you’d call a handyman. I take on a variety of home improvement projects according to my skills, and I absolutely love it. Not only is there no one telling me what to do, but the variety of jobs I get to do is immense. No two days are ever the same.
On top of that, I actually receive gratitude for the work I do. Practically all of my customers so far have been visibly satisfied with the quality of work and service they’ve received, which makes my job extremely fulfilling. I actually feel like a useful member of society now. To be honest, I’m quite surprised by the amount of positive feedback I’ve gotten. I’ve always known that I have extremely high standards for the quality of my work, but I never considered myself a particularly likable person. I might need to reconsider that as the evidence to the contrary keeps piling up.
Of course, there are downsides. I took a significant pay cut, and the long-term success of my business remains to be seen. But so far, things look promising. I’m not looking to get rich, grow my company, or hire employees, but if I can maintain my current standard of living and never have to go back to working for someone else, I can safely say this has been one of the best decisions of my life.
As a homeowner it’s often difficult to find someone who will do good work and not rip me off. I usually just end up figuring out how to do a lot of work myself, but I’m busy so projects get delayed. It’s encouraging to read a story like this. I hope someday I can find someone like yourself to build a relationship with to get more updates done around the house.
I’ve worked in IT for 16+ years and have not managed to rise to any worthwhile position (still doing helpdesk). If I had your gumption and belief in myself I could make it, I would do the same thing.
Unfortunately, I’m a coward and convinced I’m a talentless hack, so I’ll be working for crumbs until pension age (if I make it that long, that is).
I applaud your entrepeneurship and confidence and wish you all the best and all the success you deserve!
I was a nervous wreck for months while getting the preparations done to start up. Never been that anxious before. I just had to do it because I knew I’d regret if I didn’t.