Business Owners - Side Projects/Ventures

Yes, one maxim I have is "stick with what you know". I am a surveyor, a mapmaker and I have to remind myself that the only thing we are limited to in this world is time s don't wast it. Every skill I set off to learn should compliment the other. I might have taken that to the extream.

I have an internet website that sells old surveys I have scanned in. So I learned SQL programming language, HTML and a little PHP and built a web site with a database backend. Once I got the proof of concept working I hired a website company to build it and implement the highest level of security.?ÿ I had done some computer related business ideas before but they were a total disaster. That led me to another maxim and that is "you can't manage what you don't know." I was trying to manage software design. That went over like a lead zeppelin.

Another even more related venture to surveying I have embarked on is purchasing commercial real estate. As a surveyor, I do a lot of ALTA surveys. I like to think I am pretty good at them.?ÿ When I bought a commercial piece of property it gave me a different vantage point from the customer. There was so much crap the bank, the SBA, and the attorneys threw at me. It was so overwhelming. I learned so much, as the customer. That new knowledge set has helped me with the clients that I serve now. I can explain the process so much better. I can also spot clients that are a high risk too. Like I don't need to be working with them.?ÿ

I have also gotten my pilots license. It was a good fit because a good portion of the test is navigation, and reading maps. I don't fly as much as I would like but that was a really helpful skill that compliments surveying. I highly recommend it for all surveyors. Even if you don't go all the way and get your pilot's license it a great thing to understand airspace and the mechanics of flight. I also do a lot of drone work and it is directly related to that.

My side hustle is paying golf courses to let me butcher their landscaping.

I have a weekend gig where I pay local businesses to remove their excess beer, wings, and cheeseburgers.?ÿ

That is a very wise take on the commercial real estate; having gone through the process you can better serve your survey customers! Years ago I started flight training and have quite a few hours. I always tell myself that I need to finish it out but time slips away on me. Do you own a plane or are you in any kind of flying club? Thanks for your input!

Farming and real estate ownership and sales.

Josh4, to say that you sell old surveys is quite a major understatement.

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We used to have a couple of rental house but only have one now and would never recommend that to anyone because of the real and guaranteed fact that you will have renters destroy your property.

Right now I am toying around with the idea in my mind of starting a knife and tool sharpening biznas.

Real estate investments and rental properties (I had a Realtors license, currently inactive). Also had an eBay store, did ok with it. Over the years, I have also owned a travel agency, antique business, automotive wholesaler and restorations, and two surveying firms. Anything that made a $$$... ?ÿ ?????ÿ

Farming on the old family farm so the tax man doesn't get it and working at the local cemetery.?ÿ?ÿThe cemetery jig started by helping the previous superintendent at an old cemetery that my family is buried at.?ÿ It started out by updating the old clothes maps he marked up with pencil into AutoCAD. It later turned into preforming deed research, field locations for an area that had no mapping, and created a database with the photo of headstones, names and plot locations. Then I attended a cemetery board meeting and next thing I know I was voted in as President, Superintendent, and Sexton of the cemetery.?ÿ I should of listened to my father when he said don't take the position but the previous superintended, my hunting mentor and old family friend, was getting ill so I felt I had to step up since I was the only one that knew where everything was. The position pays a small stipend but at the end of the year when I look at all the hours and head aches I put in, I should of listened to my father.?ÿ The cemetery board at the time was excited to have a new member below the age of 40.?ÿ?ÿ?ÿ?ÿ~Surveyor Cemetery Sam

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I'm not a business owner, and I didn't do it for the money, but I spent many years officiating sports.?ÿ I mainly did fast pitch softball, with a little slow pitch softball or baseball on occasion, and volleyball.?ÿ After my days of coaching youth baseball were over it was a good way for me to stay connected to the game that I love.?ÿ I retired from officiating in 2011.?ÿ I don't miss the harassment one bit, and my knees don't miss being behind the dish. I sometimes think I may try becoming a volleyball scorekeeper, but that's not in my immediate future.

Volunteer Firefighter / EMT

The pay is horrible and the hours are unpredictable!

I have family that had a thriving construction company - up to 100 employees. Their accountant recommended buying a cash business "so we can do something creative with all that income". So they bought an ice cream stand.?ÿ In 2008 that ice cream stand saved them from losing their house.

I don't have the income, interest, knowledge or energy for that, but to each, their own.

I'm too busy with the surveying business to do anything else.

My Surveying business can run itself without me for day to day business activities. I take care of all the accounting, licenses, municipal regulations etc. The activities I am involved in takes minimal time so 12 years ago I started a separate Real Estate Investment Company. I've lived in Central Florid area all my life, except for my first 6 years and know the area very well. We focus on 10 to 30 acre tracts only if they are eligible for rezoning from AG to residential. There are many areas where zoning laws leave much to be desired so it's not too difficult to obtain rezoning in some areas. When, and if, we are successful in zoning, we then market the parcel to our production builders for house, townhome, or condominium construction. A proviso in the contract provides us a guarantee to perform all surveying services incidental to construction of buildings. Florida contractors all have their own "survey crew" that handles the development of the site surveying tasks. The investment company obviously shows there is a significant difference in earnings as opposed to Surveying. After zoning we double the original price we paid. It might take a while but it will sell. ?????ÿ

Plenty of farmers in the late 1970's were too busy farming. ?ÿMany were borrowing themselves rich. ?ÿThe future was as rosy as could be. ?ÿThen the world turned to crap and a high percentage went under, losing everything. ?ÿSpreading one's risk is a sound idea. ?ÿThe challenge is to find other income streams that won't be affected in the same way as the survey business when hard times come.

I build fiberglass boats from molds I own, and guide duck hunters. Make a little extra seasonally. To supplement my Rodman salary of beans and lathe slivers. Lathe or fiberglass, either way I'm gonna pick up some pesky slivers...

we then market the parcel to our production builders for house, townhome, or condominium construction. A proviso in the contract provides us a guarantee to perform all surveying services incidental to construction of buildings. Florida contractors all have their own "survey crew" that handles the development of the site surveying tasks.

HeyZeuss .. You've become Microsoft !!   ????

Believe me it ain't a "get rich quick" deal. I've spent many nights worrying about financing, how long can I hold a parcel and pay for it while trying to sell it. One in particular we held for 6 years until it sold. Cheap property is only available in "remote" areas which haven't been subject to development. That's why we hold it for as long as necessary. Development usually catches up in a few years, then prices start rising and we can fetch a premium for a parcel that has already been rezone. Most home builders I work with always want to be the first in the area so a pre zoned parcel is what they are after. I have made a profit but it is not a windfall by any means. ???? 

There was someone who said that a number of experts agreed, Bill Gates greatest achievement, wasn't in inventing the pc, but in selling it off, and retaining the rights to the operating system. Pretty clever. ????

Did Bill Gates sell the Brooklyn Bridge too? ????