today's ponderings

scrapykunas · March 9, 2006

today, as well as many others previous to this, i have felt somewhat trapped by my current situation with no balls to change it. I'm employed at a great company with little to no responsibilities and tons of free time (as you can see as i type this and play solitare) but it's a dead end job b/c I don't want to move up in the "ranks" i have a degree in drafting I no longer have use for b/c I now hate the construction related jobs. this has killed my determination to become an architect. now I sit in an office pondering what move to make. go back to college and start a new degree in something unrelated to construction and other things like high stress deadlines and repetitive tasks? but what do I choose? and I've been talking about leaving for over a year now. the end of the year bonuses are great though. this year is full of work too, due to KAtrina. hmmm new boat?

anyways, I love to open a restaruant, and they are in demand right now. actually everything is in demand. 2/3rds of the coast's businesses where on the beach. but restaruants are so hard to stay afloat I've heard. plus it would include alot of late working on my part the first 5 or so yrs, & training endless amounts of untrusting workers as they come & go through the constant revolving door of cheap labor.

UHHH! oh well.

Elwood 2000 · March 10, 2006

I have always thought of a nice restaruant, but a frind of mine owns one. This is what he told me. You must basically live there. It is a mostly cash business and there will always be employees feeding friends or family for free and taking money out of the register. If that is not going on, they are eating for free themselves! Turnover is high, training is constant and in the real world, any restaraunt is only as good as their last meal, not the previous 20 that were great. If service is poor or the food is not perfect on that last meal, people will talk bad and maybe not come back. It is an uphill business all the way and you fight for every inch.

His thoughts pretty much steered me clear of the idea a long time ago.

As for your current delima, personally, I say milk the money for a while and hord it up. Real Estate is a good place to put money. Rentals especially in the right market. I say research that area. If the numbers work, it is income that just keeps coming in. Buying and selling houses hoping for an increase in value will run dry one day and pretty risky. Of course, there are foreclosed houses, and other distressed property to get into, but if you do some research, understand the numbers and have a good market for it, rental properties are a good way to go. If you get enough rolling, you can quit your job and keep rolling with real estate.

Don't get greedy, or try to hit the home run. Thousands of people have landed in bankruptcy court trying to hit the grand slam in real estate. If done smartly and at a pace, it will make you a millionaire over time.

Daubs · March 10, 2006

I too would avoid restaruants like the plague. Elwook is right, you would have to live there to make it work. And to live there, you had better LOVE that line of work, because it would become your life.

I too have pondered a decision like yours for a while. But fortunately my job(s) have been feast or famine -- crazy busy, or pretty much dead. Best advice I can give is find something you are really good at and like, if not love, to do. I'm not saying you should make your hobby your job, but just find something you do well and stick with it.

If you have been in construction long enough you are probably what I would classify as a "seasoned veteran." Ever thought of consulting in that field? Or setting up your own business along those lines?

Another great debate to get in to...do you want to be employee or the boss. Employee gets good $$, less stress, job security. Boss has more stress, but gets to make decisions..and rakes in more $$ in the long run.

Tough decision. Wish you well.

Bob T · March 10, 2006

Maybe this doesn't apply...or maybe it does...

6-7 years ago I was kayaking in lake superior with a great old guy who also happened to be a retiring college counseler....and at that time I was unhappy with my career. I asked him how to pick a direction I would be happy with.....

To this day, I believe it was the best advice I ever heard about career choices...

He said to me, "Figure out the kind of people you like to be around and find a career that will allow you to do that."

Later,

Bob T.

March 12, 2006

Do you know how to make a million dollars in the restaurant business? Start out with $10 million!

J/K! This seems like the perfect time to follow your heart and do whatever it is you've always wanted to do. If that means starting your own business, try it. At the very least, you can say you did it. How many people end up unhappy because they didn't follow a dream?

scrapykunas · March 13, 2006

I did not mention before I am only 27.

it does seem an oppurtune time to find a career i'd enjoy.

thamks everyone for your input. it helps.

Wingnut · March 14, 2006

He said to me, "Figure out the kind of people you like to be around and find a career that will allow you to do that."

Later,

Bob T.

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That doesn't work for me...I don't like to be around people.

Park Ranger it is then.

General Lee 01 · March 15, 2006

He said to me, "Figure out the kind of people you like to be around and find a career that will allow you to do that."

Later,

Bob T.

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