In at the very deep end

[Grumpy Northener]

So for some time I have been contemplating what to do with the day job - it's a good company - family business - I am well respected and earn quite a decent lump along with sundry other benefits - BUT - to do the job properly its a 60 hour week minimum which depending on how good you are at managing yourself is doable - however along with the 60 + hour week is the 50,000 miles per annum that I cover in the course of my duties - the job is getting no easier either - I am heading to my mid 50's and providing I am sensible about it I have a job for life - that's if it does not kill me off first. Things had to change I had become so fed up of putting planned events off on a weekend because I had worked so many hours in the week I was too knackered to undertake them - so no time with the cars + I would like to get things done to the property (bespoke kitchen units arrived last week and I haven't even got the new floor down yet) - any how to cut to the chase I could not afford to retire but I needed something that gave me control of the work life balance situation so towards the end of April this was returned to my now ex employer

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along with laptop / fuel card / office keys etc and my 30 years in civil engineering project management of the countries waterways came to an end. Sadly my classic fleet was also reduced by one vehicle and this was sent to auction in order to finance the next move

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So in tomorrows instalment I shall reveal what I have been up to and what lays in wait for me

[rich.]

good luck mate

[3xpendable]

Best of luck GN. For what it's worth I think you made the right choice. My brother like you works all hours, and it has strained relationships with him just because he works so much and when he doesn work he cancels coming to meetups because he is too tired or his girlfriend wants to spend time with him.

So keep us posted!

[Grumpy Northener]

So when I first left my formal education I undertook a apprenticeship with a classic car company - I had already spent the last 5 years taking rusty heaps of metal apart and putting them back together and was heavily into the classic scene through a local club - but after four years I realised that although very satisfying the £25 a week wage and for the love of the job - it was never going to buy me a house let alone run a car so I departed for a career in the civil engineering industry - I did contemplate going back to restoring other peoples cars but dismissed it on the grounds that it would take out the enjoyment of restoring my own cars + the long periods involved in undertaking the restorations + cash flow etc. What I really needed is something that I could control in work volume terms along with the fact that it produced a realistic salary in a realistic timeframe and add to that it would have to be something that I enjoy doing - so stacking the shelves at the local supermarket was out before I even started - so after much research - hand over of a decent lump of money and the last four weeks in training - net result is this

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Its a franchise business - so all the upfront setup is done for me - loads of backroom support - brand leader in the SMART (small - medium automotive repair technology) repair business - established 21 years - we do what it says on the van - mobile - home or workplace - it takes a few hours - I get paid upon completion - I control my own workload / hours - hence now I retain some control on the 'work - life balance' - the whole reason for doing this in the first place - I have taken on the Newbury area territory which is at furthest point 30 mins travel time from home - so I am looking forward to the 10 - 15k miles per year and a 50 hourish week - It's a big step but has I said at the outset things had to change - Today is my first day live so here goes

[kevin]

Well done chris

And best of luck

Kev

[TerryG]

Congrats on the change of career.
If you fancy a trip up to staffs I have a focus tailgate that needs some love and a set of alloy wheels that need some corrosion treatment and a coat of paint.

[arceye]

Great stuff, and all the best with it, hope it all works out just as you would like.

[GHT]

I am heading to my mid 50's and providing I am sensible about it I have a job for life - that's if it does not kill me off first.

Well done you, we must have a chat over a beer at this year's Revival. For what it's worth, I have been a manager in the logistics industry for most of my working life. My job was to run distribution centres, be that something like an Argos warehouse or a Tesco one, they are much the same, just the product varies, (Scottish & Newcastle Brewery was a good one.) At the age of 52, on the loosing side of a takeover, I lost my job. To the victor goes the spoils. The incoming company had a young manager, I was 52, practically dead, Out you go.

The age issue made me realise that a job search would be useless, so, like you, I got myself a van and started delivering for one or two small companies that I knew quite well. A year later my brother joined me, three years after that, we survived a five figure bad debt. The single van became a dozen, they were joined by half a dozen seven and a half tonners. The whole thing grew like topsy, yet controlled.

Having a good business partner in my brother meant that we actually got time to ourselves, and what a joy that has been. So I shall follow your exploits with much interest as well as wishing you every success. If I were to offer you but one useful tip, it would be to get yourself a very good accountant.

[Richard Moss]

Good luck with the new challenge

[Grumpy Northener]

Apologies for absence on the forum for the past few weeks - but very, very busy - just getting into my stride has this is my third week completed since the launch - it's going very well - loads of work - starting to manage the hours and come up to speed with it - mileage is well down on that of previous career - so probably the best thing by way of insight is my facebook page rather than post loads of images in a thread here: https://www.facebook.com/chipsawaychrisspencer