[Jims5543]

- Where you live?
Jensen Beach Florida - 40 miles North of West Palm Beach.

- What your/your business does?
Land Surveying - 30% Mortgage financing support, 70% Builder support.

- How long you have been doing it?
Worked in this field for 20 years, owned my own business for 8 years.

- Do you have a family and/or kids?
Married for 15 years with a 12 year old and 2 year old, both boys.

- How old are you?
39

- How much do you work?
35-50 hours a week on my own schedule. I take off where needed to be there for my family though. Never miss a school function. Used to take every Friday afternoon off until recently but hope to be doing that again soon. I promoted my #1 man in the shop to VP and he does a bang up job managing the place so I don't have to be there as much. (This all has happened over the last month though)

- Do you like it (seriously!)?
I love it and hate it. The liability of the work in unreal. Compared to other contractors I do not get nearly the money I should get for all the liability I take on. The stress level can be extremely high one good mistake and someone hiring a good lawyer and I could be out of business. I love it because I do make my own hours and make good money.

- What was the defining moment that made you strike out on your own?
Took a good paying job (at the time) in West Palm Beach then realized that it was not worth loosing my family for a 45K a year while working 75 hours a week salary. I have treated every place I worked like it was my own business. An engineer friend urged me to go out on my own and he would feed me enough work to get off the ground. I never looked back.

- Are you accumulating wealth or just sustaining life?
I have tried very hard not to keep up with the Jones'. I live in a working class neighborhood. I have wanted a couple of times to sell and buy bigger in a better neighborhood, perhaps where all the doctors and lawyers live. But, what has stopped me is my mortgage. I paid 95K for this house in 1997 and its now worth 375K. People are dying to get into this area and there are no new homes here. The county will not o.k. many new subdivisions. Instead of spending like a loon I payed off my mortgage in 8 years. I have ZERO debt. I am am saving and plotting to invest in my future. Working out my retirement if you will.


- Do you have a comfortable lifestyle (buy whatever you want? within reason? unlimted?)
I live very comfortably. But I still mow my own lawn take care of my own pool, install my own fencing, etc.. (I am about to install my own upgraded windows and storm shutters) I prefer to put my money in the bank than waste it on things I can do myself.

The only reason I do not have a 930 yet is space. I have 3 vehicles plus my wifes Audi. (I own all 4 outright) I am out of room. The 2 cars I still want are a classic Mini and a 930. I also own my own office which is a house along a commercial corridor that 2 car garage houses my RX-7 and Mini. I am having a hard time parting with either one to make room for the 930. I feel an addition coming on.

- How much you make? (If you choose to answer, it can be any form: sales, net, X times what an exmployee would make doing the same job, etc.)

My business pulls down over a mil a year in sales. From 1.1M to 1.5M depending on the year. (Last year was down due to two hurricanes hitting back to back)

I used to make 70K a year then bumped it to 90 then to 150k a year over the last 3 years. My wife and I figured out the other day we are paying almost 40K a year in taxes between out personal and business profit.


When I first started my own place in '97 it was not easy. I was very slow and the money was not coming in. Money was VERY tight. After two years it was better. I was a 2 man company, a high school kid part time and I. I was grossing 150K a year until 2000 when I purchased a deceased friends 20 year old liquidated business for $25K. I basically got files and clients. I quickly realized I needed help. (He was a 2 man shop also, that is what killed him, 70 hour work weeks @ 53 years old killed him) I went from a 2 man shop to a 5 person business overnight. Made some heartbreaking bad moves, hires some real a-holes that almost put me out of business. Finally in 2005 I have the place exactlythe way I want it. I pay me employees more than any competitor so they will stay with me. It was not a easy road to travel but it has paid off very well.

If you have a sure thing, a good niche, go for it.

Good luck!