changes

I hate unions. America can't afford them anymore. They had a place, once upon a time. Times have changed, laws have changed, America has changed. Those blood suckers rob the economy. I've known a lot of union guys. Most of which wouldn't last a day on my job. I don't know what the Canadian unions are like, but I have strong feelings againt American unions.
 
best of luck with whatever changes happen.

holding onto a quarter of your revenue blows.

Have you analyzed your business to see what money goes where, or are you going more by 'feeling'? Does CA just have crazy business taxes and regulations?
 
thattreeguy said:
yeah things change
i dont have it in me to chase the work like i did
and im waiting to repair a hernia in my gut, that will require 6 weeks of time off from work
i have a great climber, but everyone else is just riding my coat tails
i dont feel like people appreciate how much i put into this business from the clean up crew to the clients

last year i started to let my climber cut most all the jobs, and nobody really noticed the change in pruning, so i guess ive been wasting the gift of fine pruning on people who dont know the difference between production and full on super sweet handsaw work
i think after i pay off last years taxes, i may just pull the plug
the joy of climbing big scary ass trees has been replaced by constant worry over taxes ins and non stop bill cycles
i think im gonna sell my rigs and keep some toys and 1 set of climbing and rigging gear.

honestly about 2 months ago i nearly killed a guy who ducked the tape and walked thru the work area...texting, i hurt my back and neck holding the block of wood, long enough for him to clear the area before i dropped it, he came thru again, and i had a anxiety attack like no other before....i didnt like the response inside myself

this tree was one of the worst to be in, over 150 ft, top died at 130, so 4 limbs grew into dominant tops, pushing up to 150 maybe 160, and to be tied into 1 top while flying out all the others, blocking down the wood, everything, missing potted plants we couldnt move, it was all just horse shit , and since that job ive had no satisfaction in doing this anymore

i mean seriously i could sell plants at home depot all day and probabally get more respect and appreciation than to work my ass off, for a lilttle bit after all is been paid

this work makes your body old, and i accept that

but really i just dont have much care left in me, and i think maybe after 23? yrs is that right i started climbing full time in the summmer of 89....im gonna do something different

not sure yet what that will be, but i know god will provide

willy touched on it in adrians contract climber post...this state sucks to own a business in, i gross over 220k a year and take home 40 to 42k after all the bs
well shit i can do almost that standing on terra firma, and only do an 8 hour shift, and then spend time with my family

when im well rested and my body doesnt hurt im a pretty good dad, but when im tired and i hurt im an asshole

these out of town clients think they can be rude, and ya know, im really close to just throwing some blows, i will not be yellled at for cutting down stump regrowths..(the last of the redwoods) or called names by out of town dope growers who think they are the shit

i have no idea what lies ahead for mee, im simply taking it 1 day at a time

but if someone wants to walk into a very steady market, they can here
but its like running on a hamsters wheel, sure it keeps going round, but how long do you want to keep running?

as god reveals his plan for me, i'll share it, but as of the moment im blowing out myu biggest jobs,, settling my debts and going from there,

there will be an older bandit 250 , a small 1 ton dump, 3 sets of climbing gear, and maybe even a nice whisper chipper up for sale soon, i think my boom is gonna go to the guys that got me in this industry, if im gonna lose a few bucks on it, im gonna let it go to someone who will love it like i do,

with love and respect to my tree house family
Click to expand...

Having someone to share the load has helped me a lot. Someone else to do some of the climbing, and paperwork, and bidding, and errands has been well worth it. Maybe you have been wasting your talent on those that don't appreciate it. They will be happy customers with production pruning, as you put it. Let them have what they want. Save your talent for those that appreciate it.

Its hard to see thing done not as well as you could do it, but people usually make more money managing things than doing things themselves.

Sharing the load can make more time for the family, and you can possibly make money by giving someone the opportunity to help you and make money for themselves. Its surprising to me how I can go to the mailbox some days and pick up an envelope from someone I don't know, and have a check inside, and a thank you note for work well done.

Constant worry over bills might indicate that you're a better tree man than bookkeeper. Having someone help with that might be a good business move, if you don't have that, or enough of that, at the moment. CEOs don't worry about paying the insurance bills, they have someone analyze, summarize, report, and recommend things to them, and then make decisions.

Of course there is the balance between paying too many people to do to many things, and doing too many things to do it yourself, and have time for non-business things.


I don't see you mentioning selling a loader. Do you have something, or contract that out?

Can you specialize in ornamentals, maybe get a nursery going? I've been thinking lately of getting a Japanese maple nursery on line at my house, along with some other ornamentals. Every removal might be an easy installation, making money on the plant, the installation, and the follow-up care.

Again, Best of Luck with your transitions.
 
And comp, and emissions and...

20120514-162021.jpg
 
Well......................................that is one thing I can't claim:lol:

Except in winter. We hardly get a 7½ hour day in, before the subarctic darkness sets in.
 
You can get all those perks outside of a union and not have to bleed the American economy. Only problem with a non union job is you can be fired for sucking, not working hard, being on drugs, etc. The unions do certainly protect you should you choose to do/be those things.
 
I thought that was what he was saying, it is hard to fire someone. There has to be a limit to the protection. Now, leaning on a shovel, that is hardly grounds for dismissal.
 
When you are leaning on the shovel, you are planning the dig.

Perfect example of plan the work, then work the plan.

Some jobs take a lot more planning than others. :)
 
In my town, the unionized firefighters are paid to go to the YMCA and get some sort of exercise or training and then they spend time walking around the block, presumably to get in shape. They aren't hardcore busy firefighters like you might find in, say, Bronx NY. They are underworked in a fairly quiet suburban town.
 
No worries. I have union buddies that can show up to the paper mill, shoot some heroin, break a machine because they are high, and be provided with top notch rehab for 30 days by their employer. They don't do that, but its an option.
 
I don't think that Willie's image is quite accurate. It doesn't show the route of guys jumping into the sea.
 
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