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I need your help, in about three years my wife will be able to support me quitting my job and change jobs or starting my own business. I want to start planning now so that I can do what I need to do by the time we get to that point.

First thing I need to do is decide what I want to do. I’m 31, and have spent the last 14 years working for the Gov (military/civilian) as an aircraft mechanic. I have accomplished very little college but have an aptitude and experience w/ many mechanical fields.

The first and easiest option would be to turn toward civilian aircraft, I would not want to go to commercial aircraft. Although, I think I want to get out of aerospace and do something different and this could always be there to fall back on.

I wouldn’t mind going to automotive if it was where my interest is, read P-cars. I could get the certifications I need and go work for a shop, but I am afraid that w/o experience I would end up as a shop boy until another mechanic dies.

The option I feel I would like to pursue the most is my own business. My interests are P-cars, aircraft (full scale & R/C), surfing & Hobie Cat sailing (not much business if I stay this far inland), & aquariums (reef mostly).

It seems that getting into the car business is pretty tough and there are a lot of different aspects of it; parts sales new/used, repair, manufacturing, paint/body, and many successful businesses seem to do all of it to a certain extent. I look at Chuck at Elephant Racing and think that I would really like to find a niche like that. Timmins is another specialty business that the west coast doesn’t really have yet, and I know I could do better than him if the market allows.

I’ve thought about a R/C or Aquarium shop or service, but both are very difficult to succeed in at the small business level, judging by the shops I’ve seen.

The best thing I have going is that I wouldn’t need to support a family right off the bat, I admire the guys that have the guts to start a business under those circumstances. I would be able to absorb a loss in order to get something off the ground but I want to do it right and not be destined for failure either. What do guys think? Any advice for a guy that has no idea what he wants to do or how to get there?