Not Working For The 'Man' - Doing Your Own Thing

[cockerpunk]

my side gig is building studded tires for ice racing. i been building them for years for myself, but for others I started this fall, and so far business is better than expected. my plan was to have 3 customer sets done this fall before the season and on friday i should hit that.

next year, depending on schedules, i should be able to double that. I'll always be demand limited, but im working on that too.

[wdfifteen]

Captain, WOW! Sounds like you’re living the dream to me. You created an incredible career for yourself. Congratulations!

Over the years I finally learned that in this world there are “ees” and “eurs” and they have completely different outlooks on life. Those who are content to be employees will never have the yearning to go it alone, and those who are born entrepreneurs are miserable submitting to the shackles of a W2 job. It took me a long time to realize this. Many times I gave opportunities to people that an “eur” would have taken and run with, but they just couldn’t get going. It baffled me. I finally learned there are people who just don’t have that burn inside to be out on their own.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Captain, WOW! Sounds like you’re living the dream to me. You created an incredible career for yourself. Congratulations!

Over the years I finally learned that in this world there are “ees” and “eurs” and they have completely different outlooks on life. Those who are content to be employees will never have the yearning to go it alone, and those who are born entrepreneurs are miserable submitting to the shackles of a W2 job. It took me a long time to realize this. Many times I gave opportunities to people that an “eur” would have taken and run with, but they just couldn’t get going. It baffled me. I finally learned there are people who just don’t have that burn inside to be out on their own.

One of my friends is a lawyer. He had his own private practice for many years. He took a job as the city attorney for a suburb city of Oklahoma City. He now has a steady salary, and health insurance, and a 8 - 5 job. He loves it.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by lowyder993s

Well done, Cap'n!!!

Here to say Jeff and I still look back so fondly meeting you and you cohort those many years ago! We r both retired, he splits his time between California and Florida...me, retired in Nevada. No more Porsches, but still the same Ferrari. And a Can Am off roader, and a boat, and a trailer, and a bunch of guns! MUCH fun to be had this side of the pond! Stop by anytime! Best, Jim.

Thanks and great to hear from you Jim-bob, please past on my warmest regards to Jeff-bob too and you guys sound like you're winning at life

I've done a bit of shooting at my local range in Slovenia, also hoping to do a 50BMG day on a 1km long range using an Accuracy International AX50 next year which should be fun

Please stop by anytime too!

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Some good advice and stories, thanks for posting

Love your side hustle Cockerpunk, you've given me an idea for a new thread

wdfifteen, definitely not living the dream but enjoy my work which gets me up in the morning. As long as the week has more good days than bad and teams want my help I'll keep on doing 'my thing'

As a business/sales man I'm a complete amateur, still don't have a work email address, website, portfolio or have even approached companies for work

Recently been thinking with the experience and all round knowledge learned from over 30yrs of motorsport engineering/design I'm able to contribute much more to improving a teams performance than just designing a few fast car parts.

Next summer I might try to diversify a bit, a few rambling thoughts I've pondered on....

Maybe start approaching motorsport teams to see if there is any need for someone like myself to help develop their young engineers, find/identify areas of the car that could be improved, introduce new materials/manufacturing processes, cost saving opportunities etc

Basically go in more as a consultant to help raise the teams technical level beyond where they are to help improve their competitiveness

Not F1 teams specifically, been lucky to have achieved every championship result possible so nothing new to achieve now. Really liking the idea of top level racing series well out of my comfort zone like NASCAR, Le Mans Hypercar, Moto GP, Paris Dakar, Indy or even Class 1 offshore powerboats, America's Cup

Or finding suitable small composite manufacturing companies that are interested in supplying F1 teams in the new cost conscious era and help them get their foot in the door as a F1 supplier. Basically helping a company raise their game to a high enough level that a F1 team would find attractive enough to want to do business with them. This would be more of a side hustle

Interested to hear people thoughts and any advice gratefully received

[Captain Ahab Jr]

'Are you gainfully employed'thread reminded me I needed to post an update

Wow, time flies,10th Anniversary this month since I stopped working for the man

Would 100% recommend taking the plunge

Only had 4 clients, including a repeat booking, all through word of mouth

Couldn't have done it or even be alive today without Mrs Ahab's unwavering support

Below are our clients achievements and our company history.....

71x pole positions
61x fastest laps
91x race wins
186x podiums finishes
36x 1-2 race finishes
3x 1-2-3 race finishes
3x F1 Monaco wins
1x Macau GP win
2× F3 European Championships
6x F1 World Championships
Shelsley Walsh EV hillclimb record
1st International win for Jaguar in 28 years
1st F1 Championship for Honda in 31 years
Most successful F1 car, winning 21 out 22 races
Most successive driver wins, 10x races









Always better to be lucky than good and I've been very lucky

Next update in 10yrs or when I retire

[Zeke]

My cumulative time working for the man in construction over a 50 year span equals about 1 year. In each and every circumstance I got backstabbed. So called fellow employees suck and I just don't do suck.

[bkreigsr]

Watched 'School of Rock' yesterday.
Jack Black 'teaching' 10 yr-olds how to use rock to 'stick it to the man'.

Forgot how amusing that movie was.
Bill K

[gregpark]

Started working for myself in 1976 and never looked back, almost 50 years of answering to just myself. If I got a job tomorrow I'm pretty sure I'd be fired before lunch. "Wait, you're telling me what to do and how to do it?!"

[LWJ]

Wow Capt!!! Your resume doesn't exactly suck. That is remarkable.

My comments to your original question have clearly been answered by your stats. But, I was going to say that when you are a commodity that shows value, you can pretty easily turn that into revenue. I have had a nice career in sales. After I had a track record showing that I could make folks money? I was pursued and able to negotiate my terms very well.

It seems you are in the same spot. Except you have a far more enjoyable end product than I ever had!

Congrats!!!


Also. I will send you a PM on a different topic that we discussed in the past. All is well.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

'Are you gainfully employed'thread reminded me I needed to post an update

Wow, time flies,10th Anniversary this month since I stopped working for the man

Would 100% recommend taking the plunge

Only had 4 clients, including a repeat booking, all through word of mouth

Couldn't have done it or even be alive today without Mrs Ahab's unwavering support

Below are our clients achievements and our company history.....

71x pole positions
61x fastest laps
91x race wins
186x podiums finishes
36x 1-2 race finishes
3x 1-2-3 race finishes
3x F1 Monaco wins
1x Macau GP win
2× F3 European Championships
6x F1 World Championships
Shelsley Walsh EV hillclimb record
1st International win for Jaguar in 28 years
1st F1 Championship for Honda in 31 years
Most successful F1 car, winning 21 out 22 races
Most successive driver wins, 10x races

Always better to be lucky than good and I've been very lucky

Next update in 10yrs or when I retire

Wow! It seems that things worked out well, bravo!

My story is not nearly so spectacular but I'd say things also worked out. It is hard to explain the inner satisfaction of running your own gig. In the best of times and the worst of times you are the master of your own destiny. You decide how much to scale it up, scale it down to maintain a work/life balance. You decide how hands on/hands off you wish to be regarding daily activities. You decide how much you wish to reinvest in the business and how much you wish to take home.

Retired in 2021 after 42 years and if given the chance, I would do it all over again.