Good News !!

[davedarragh]

"Post It Notes"

Dave, any respect I previously had for you, is just simply, gone. Please point out, anywhere I told you what to post or not to post. Hey, Dave, you tell me. Great friend of Norms. What, exact, pertinent, piece of advice, did you offer him????? Other than the sickening, useless, rah rah rah cheerleader theme??????? I NEVER, told you, to post or not to post,,,,,,,,,,, I,,,, told YOU, not to tell ME, to either post or not to post. Big difference.


I am still waiting, to see you, give your friend Norm, any kind of useful advice whatsoever,,,,, Other than a cheerleaders rah rah rah rah . Dave???? Waiting.

JS: Let me preface this with I'm not here to argue, attack anyone's character, or bicker over frivilous ideologies. Read your last sentence in Post #40.

Having said that, I provide viable information to those who ask.

I draw from 35 years of experience, good times and bad, and try to keep things above board. I'll also be the first to admit, I've been cynical, sarcastic, and degrading in some of my responses.

You can also read Norm's "FCAW" thread, and I provided him with information regarding running E71T-11 wire.

I never claimed to know it all, done it all, or see it all. Not only do we learn from our own mistakes, we can learn from other's as well.

With that, we all live in different States, and some in other Countries. What may work in NorCal, may not work in Phoenix, or Canada. It's what ever works for the person, at the time, where ever they may be.

Oh, by the way, I do a lot of business with Fresno Oxygen (RAM Welding Supply), great people, great service.

Fair enough?

Dave

[spgtti72]

Interesting to see that you can use a public welding forum to pump your ego and self proclaimed superiority JSFAB. Without any consideration for the circumstances behind Norms decision to start his business you were able to trash HIS decision and brag about your own supposed successes.
The way you recommend building a business is textbook and for all purposes the way alot of people feel. Fortunately this is only one of many ways to go about it. Not all people hit it right the first time, or will ever, but without trying will never know. Try thinking about all the innovations that came from people who weren't financially secure or maybe considered by others to be too old to absorb the risks.
This isn't a how to, this is life and everyone has the freedom to succeed or fail at any of their pursuits.
However when the chips were down Norm went out and found a way to keep going while you hid behind a keyboard and criticized him. I bet your proud.

[JSFAB]

Dave, reading this,,,, I still ask you. Please point out, any useful, pertinent advice, you have ever offered Norm. Note, cheerleeding is not, useful, pertinent advice.

[davedarragh]

Relative Information

Dave, reading this,,,, I still ask you. Please point out, any useful, pertinent advice, you have ever offered Norm. Note, cheerleeding is not, useful, pertinent advice.

The same I convey to anyone else who may ask.

Dave

[nfinch86]

Interesting to see that you can use a public welding forum to pump your ego and self proclaimed superiority JSFAB. Without any consideration for the circumstances behind Norms decision to start his business you were able to trash HIS decision and brag about your own supposed successes.
The way you recommend building a business is textbook and for all purposes the way alot of people feel. Fortunately this is only one of many ways to go about it. Not all people hit it right the first time, or will ever, but without trying will never know. Try thinking about all the innovations that came from people who weren't financially secure or maybe considered by others to be too old to absorb the risks.
This isn't a how to, this is life and everyone has the freedom to succeed or fail at any of their pursuits.
However when the chips were down Norm went out and found a way to keep going while you hid behind a keyboard and criticized him. I bet your proud.

spgtti72, Well spoken, Thankyou.

jsfab, Loves to attack, put down, other people !!

I GAVE UP ON HIM LONG AGO !!
He's God's gift to the business world, He says he can't Weld, but he sure can RAMBLE ON ! Ha, Ha. What a Joke !!

........... I'm Just Trying to Survive, .......... Norm

[reggie]

A lot of what goes on here is self inflicted.We all now know Norms story..think back, go through threads,another guy wanted to start welding biz(SS EXOTICS) Norm replied stating he hasn't made a profit in 4 yrs ..but yet tells this guy to go for it.When you get JFAB who gives a wake up call,the witch hunt starts.Honestly whose answer can cause more financial ruin....

[nfinch86]

Good luck norm, hope the new job works out.

Stickman, Thanks;

I'll give it everything that I have !!

................. Norm

[spgtti72]

A lot of what goes on here is self inflicted.We all now know Norms story..think back, go through threads,another guy wanted to start welding biz(SS EXOTICS) Norm replied stating he hasn't made a profit in 4 yrs ..but yet tells this guy to go for it.When you get JFAB who gives a wake up call,the witch hunt starts.Honestly whose answer can cause more financial ruin....

Wow, yeah, hopefully not everyone structures their life changing decisions around what some random guy posted in a forum.

Also a big difference between a making suggestion and being an arrogant know-it-all jerk on a BB.

[stick man]

A lot of what goes on here is self inflicted.We all now know Norms story..think back, go through threads,another guy wanted to start welding biz(SS EXOTICS) Norm replied stating he hasn't made a profit in 4 yrs ..but yet tells this guy to go for it.When you get JFAB who gives a wake up call,the witch hunt starts.Honestly whose answer can cause more financial ruin....

you know I normally don't get involed in these threads, but couldn't let this one pass bye. JFAB is the type of guy that says whats on his mind nothin wrong with that, right or wrong thats his take. But you to comment on how much money a man's going to work for aint cool. who gives you that right. Ive got a man working for me at less than 20.00 with close to 30 years in the trade, and Iam only 36. so does that make him a johnny come latly? NO sir it makes him a man needing work. So maybe you should stop and think before you type. Cause I'd be willing to bet you if you was to say that to ol norm to his face you'd probaly have about 5 decades on IRONWORKER in that A$$. Norm take the work you can get do the best you can do and don't worry to much about silly stuff you read in cyber world. especially from people that ain't never had to make a payroll on friday.

[Sberry]

We are just all babbling opinions here, some good in most of them.

[Sberry]

Finally, over my years of being in business, and observing others in business,,, I will make one very simple, direct statement. Competence, or expertise, in a trade, any trade, is NOT an indicator of success in business. Just because you are a great welder, has no bearing on whether your business succeeds. "Business sense" is more important. Myself, I am a relatively lousy welder,,,, but I've been making money in business for over twenty years. Plenty of guys, I've seen, started, better technically than I, dropped out after a couple years.

This part is worth re-reading.

[crawdaddy]

Ditto that,

Most business's that fold can all DO THE WORK they fail because of bad decisions, burning bridges,too much debt,trying to get large too fast, bad book keeping,drug or alcohol problems.Case in point I knew a guy with a large plumbing company approx 20 service trucks,next thing you know I see his ads running on T.V.(expensive) then he decided to close his company and buy into a national franchise.Next time I ran into him he was working as an employee for another company IMO he tried to go big time too quickly.Mike

[arraflipper]

Not Quiting

Norm, I told you that you had the right attitude and now it looks like things are improving for you. Sounds like a win win situation. You keep your business and the fellow you are working for gets a great welder, to help him keep work in house. As for the remark that you are 60, well so am I as of June. I am busy and can work if I want everyday of the week. At my age I should be thinking about slowing up and retirement probably. Instead I am looking at a completely different business that is for sale, in town. Has had great growth and is making money. Who knows, as long as I feel good I will continue to work, as I really can say I enjoy working. Not ready to be having dirt put over me yet.

Good luck, and keep us informed as to how everything is going.

[FusionKing]

Norm, this would be a good move for you even if things were better.
You will now get some welding exp. working for an independent guy
Hopefully you will have a lot more in common than you know.
Try to learn all you can about all the biz stuff as well.
My helper is basically gone now. He welded great but just didn't have the attitude I needed to see to let him work alone and make decisions on methods of repair.
Too many guys just wanna lay a bead and call it good. I ain't got no use for that attitude. All my competition thinks that way. Half of my former customers want that. Then they all wonder why it failed again. (the work and the relationship!)

Just don't be nieve enuff to think that there won't be friction between you having your own gig and working there. It's bound to happen. Otherwise then your deal at home is dead and buried.
Hopefully you will bring a whole bunch of new ideas and methods back to your shop.
I would imagine your new boss is hoping you will be so happy there you will become full time in the back of his mind as well.
No matter how it goes I wish you the very best of luck, and hope you prosper enuff to get ahead. I also wish you luck in enjoying what you do as well.
We all know we are not going to get rich in this trade but few jobs are more satisfying if you like metalwork.

[crawdaddy]

One nice thing about working for someone else is you can still keep your business and since the pressure is not so great,You can cherry pick some of the more profitable projects and reject the duds get some cash and rethink your business strategy.Maybe get some new advertising meet some new referral sources,You can also watch and learn what your current employer is doing to get new business.Mike