How's business?

[tsgstl]

We have almost past our best feb ever and its only the 9th!!!
Jan was record for us
We are even seeing commercial real estate pick back up. Last year was terrible, I lost my Dad (my employee) to a horrible month long battle of cancer mid year and all you have to do is look at my books to see how it effected us. I am not jumping for joy yet, but things are looking up. Almost every one of our customers seems more optimistic as of late. The stock market and housing market are both looking much better. If it gets any worse I don't think we will make it which is horrifying but as of this second things are looking the best they have for about 5 years.

good luck everyone, I know there has got to be MANY in my situation.

 

[allamericantrade]

I have this place on the monitor while I'm at work almost all day, but visit from time to time throughout the day. Sometimes, I'll stay on for a while while working on other projects, talking on the phone, quoting or just delegating.... with delegating being the key factor.

I have so many interruptions a day, that getting my chores done each day isn't easy, so s101 helps me get back into the groove again. I get far more done come about 4:30 to 8 at night. No distractions except for s101, but that's a nice distraction.
.

+1

It gets so busy here I have two monitors on my desk and another in veiw that I need the distraction of being on S101 to keep me going at times.

"All work and no play make jack a dull boy All work and no play make jack a dull boy All work and no play make jack a dull boy All work and no play make jack a dull boy All work and no play make jack a dull boy"

 

[Mikeifg]

Pretty steady here. Had our best year last year by 60%.

 

[signswi]

Gino
I'm just curious. Not beef at all. It is anyting wrong with asking questions?
I don't need to talk about making real money in this business. I do this......at list I'm happy with what I'm making now. It wasn't about this.
I'm unable to be busy in my shop and be on internet all the time. I just want to know how this can be possible.
I use subcontractors....it is like to have employees but less problems. More comfort.....for me. Each person is different. I can afford this. No problem.
I use some merchants from this forum. Very happy with them.

Work on your business, not for your business.

Humans also need breaks, without breaks and microbreaks your productivity crashes.

 

[Gino]

Gino
I'm just curious. Not beef at all. It is anyting wrong with asking questions?
I don't need to talk about making real money in this business. I do this......at list I'm happy with what I'm making now. It wasn't about this.
I'm unable to be busy in my shop and be on internet all the time. I just want to know how this can be possible.
I use subcontractors....it is like to have employees but less problems. More comfort.....for me. Each person is different. I can afford this. No problem.
I use some merchants from this forum. Very happy with them.

Sorry, but it didn't come across this way until you set a different flavor to your storyline. I took it as your questioning if people are truly busy or not for being on this site 24/7 as you put it.

It seemed more like a jab at people's honesty, when you don't even have time to take a crap or have to swoosh someone out the door to get some work done.

Now, your comment about a subcontractor being like an employee.... it is absolutely false. There is no way these two types of workers are the same. If you treat them as such you are violating many work codes. Pretty much across the country and not all that much different state to state is..... with an employee, you can tell him/her when to start work, how to do said work and supply all tools of the trade, while paying their FICA and any benefits you want or need to, including workman's comp and unemployment. With a sub, you can only tell them you have work for them. You can not boss them around, tell them when you want it done, how to do it, supply them with any tools, vehicles or other means to do said job. Subs are totally independent of your business and must act on their own or they are and will indeed be considered employees if handled otherwise. Then, you will have to go to court to defend yourself as to if you are indeed treating subs like employees or not. The IRS does this to stop 'under-the-table payments and cutting them outta the picture.

With most of our subs, they know they have to do things a particular way and need certain specs which I will set up, but it's in the job description box on their quote/job order. They pretty much know if I set something up with them, I can't wait 4 days or I'll look for someone else right quickly. So, in that sense, we do work together, but do you supply your subs with year-end paper work for taxes ??

You might've been doing this for years, but that still doesn't make it legal. However you want to run your business and not have time to take a crap is up to you, but I would invite you to re-think about advising others to follow suit as to your business model. Suggesting doing this.... could in fact, eventually hurt someone.

So, to your original question, there's no problem with asking questions, but when you serve up bad business plans, please don't be offended if you are questioned right back without taking offense.

 

[FireSprint.com]

Best January Ever by alot. Slowed down in February a little, but yes I am 97% sure it's the calm before the storm.

 

[brush1]

Work on your business, not for your business.

Humans also need breaks, without breaks and microbreaks your productivity crashes.

I'm working for both.

 

[brush1]

Sorry, but it didn't come across this way until you set a different flavor to your storyline. I took it as your questioning if people are truly busy or not for being on this site 24/7 as you put it.

It seemed more like a jab at people's honesty, when you don't even have time to take a crap or have to swoosh someone out the door to get some work done.

Now, your comment about a subcontractor being like an employee.... it is absolutely false. There is no way these two types of workers are the same. If you treat them as such you are violating many work codes. Pretty much across the country and not all that much different state to state is..... with an employee, you can tell him/her when to start work, how to do said work and supply all tools of the trade, while paying their FICA and any benefits you want or need to, including workman's comp and unemployment. With a sub, you can only tell them you have work for them. You can not boss them around, tell them when you want it done, how to do it, supply them with any tools, vehicles or other means to do said job. Subs are totally independent of your business and must act on their own or they are and will indeed be considered employees if handled otherwise. Then, you will have to go to court to defend yourself as to if you are indeed treating subs like employees or not. The IRS does this to stop 'under-the-table payments and cutting them outta the picture.

With most of our subs, they know they have to do things a particular way and need certain specs which I will set up, but it's in the job description box on their quote/job order. They pretty much know if I set something up with them, I can't wait 4 days or I'll look for someone else right quickly. So, in that sense, we do work together, but do you supply your subs with year-end paper work for taxes ??

You might've been doing this for years, but that still doesn't make it legal. However you want to run your business and not have time to take a crap is up to you, but I would invite you to re-think about advising others to follow suit as to your business model. Suggesting doing this.... could in fact, eventually hurt someone.

So, to your original question, there's no problem with asking questions, but when you serve up bad business plans, please don't be offended if you are questioned right back without taking offense.

Never ever try to be psychologist. It is not for you.
Don't judge people if you don't know them, and don't really know what they are doing and how.
Have more respect and just try to be a little friendly.
It is just different way to do business. I don't see anything wrong from sucontract jobs. We all do this. We can't do 100% production. It will be often someone who will do work for us. My subcontractors are completly independent company. I think it is great to have good realtionship with another businesses and it is possible to work this way without breaking law.

 

[brush1]

"But there are some of us who work very smart and not hard".




I think working smart is also hard work.