How many of you guys are business owners?
How smaller are you than 5 years ago?
> How many of you guys are business owners?
>
Business owner still
> How smaller are you than 5 years ago?
I weigh about the same, maybe a few pounds less 😉
Business owner here too. Same size...solo.
18 of the last 21 yrs a business owner. 15 of which were/still solo. I had 6 employees in early 90's. Circa '96 came along my Geodimeter and my 1099 CAD guy. Solo since.
Me, I gained about 30 lbs, but still walk 20-40 miles a week. Unfortunately, it's not for work, but just to keep the ticker & body in shape for when somebody plugs the economy back IN.
I'm 53 pounds smaller.
My business is 50% smaller.
Work load is about 90% smaller.
Had two 2-man crews, two office people, a partner and myself that worked mostly in the office until 2007/2008. I am solo with some child labor summer help now. The partner is solo also and all but one of the employees no longer work in surveying.
GOOD NEWS: I make about the same money, get to work with my kids and have no employee's to give me a headache.
> How many of you guys are business owners?
>
> How smaller are you than 5 years ago?
Owner here. Still about as micro as you can get. My wife does the books and billing, I do everything else. At one point in 2007 I hired a friend to help with the field work, but that didn't last too long. Oh, and the dog, can't forget the dog. She guards my truck.
In Business going on 11 years now - solo from day one. Work is off about 30% from 5 years ago.
Un huh, yep
Owner. Larger than five years ago, but only because I started my firm is only three years old.
Starting to seriously think about looking for work elsewhere though. I searched on Google Maps a few weeks back and there were 52 companies that offered surveying services within a 45 drive of my home/office. That's just not going to be sustainable the remainder of the decade in an area where the only driver of business is real estate development.
Started my own solo company this month 5 years ago. My business continues to grow every year and I have attained the enviable position of turning away work periodically.
The company that I left (very good company with 13-15 employees) closed it's doors recently.
Owner
Never have run out of work yet in over 25 years.
Looking for someone to hire me for about $200K per year for the next five years so Social Security will actually have to owe me some money when I retire. My last full year's W-2 was in 1986. Self-employed and technically broke ever since.
I am a business owner.
I have a part-time helper, my brother. He works with me one, maybe two days a week, depending on the workload.
I do sub a good bit of work out to my friend, who is solo as well.
I have been in business since August 1007. I have had two full time employees (at different times) in the past, but much prefer this situation now.
I own my own LLC on the side as a type of insurance policy in the event I need a quick means of employment if my regular job gets cut. This way I am ready to go and don't have to try to start something up under stress. I have all my own equipment, except GPS. I've known fellow license surveyors who have suddenly lost their jobs and then didn't have any sort of backup plan.
Solo since Jan. 2010. (Didn't really get going until about April though)
It's been tough, but pretty well worth it. If I could keep my equipment from breaking or getting tipped over by cows I'd be in high cotton for the year.
It's been slow, and hopefully that will change. I'd LOVE to turn away work.
Carl
I have been an employee for 15 years.
After much discussion with my wife and my current employer, I have decided to start a business. I mailed out the application and check for a COA yesterday. I am not quitting my job right now as I am just starting out with occasional weekend work. We will see how things go.
16 years in business... same staff... me plus 2 part timers.
I know a lot of guys that accumulated equipment over time to be ready to hit the ground running if/when the time came.
In fact, in 2007 I was looking to buy a new vehicle and bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee rather than an Audi A4 because I figured, if worse came to worse, I could survey out of the Jeep.
Yep, 4-6 crews until late '08 I guess. Now 2 2man crews, 1 part timer and myself w/ robot.