MPLdyCop wrote:
Kim,

Like most businesses it takes 5-7 years to build up a good client base of the really good customers. In the early years I worked on horses and for owners I would never take on today. I worked several part time jobs and as more horses got on the books would give notice and cut back the PT hours. At the 5 year point I quit the last PT job which was 2 nights a week running a ski lift in winter. Kept that one for as long as I did mostly for the free skiing. Just do good work and the good horses will come.

Hi Kim, I know the challenges you face trying to build a business and full time job. I started pulling n clenching one day a week, working as a diesel tech the other four. Eventually my diesel tech boss told me to choose. I quit and went full time with the guy I pulled n clenched for. But you know the routine money run out went back to diesel tech full time. Still apprenticed when I could. Now I have my book of clients including my old boss, who is now retired. But I still work at the diesel job but that jobs changed in the last four years. It's got so technical and computerized my boss has to be accommodating ( shortage of guys who can do algorithm's and fix trucks!). We are working on sorting out a three day week so I can split my time equally and not have to work Sunday's. Trust me Kim it's worth all the effort. It was 103 today and running the forge. I was soaked thru with sweat, I couldn't have been happier. My only regret is I didn't start this as soon as I left college. So keep plugging away at if it was easy everyone would be doing it. By the way it's taken me five years to get here.