About Us: I was trained as an employee.
PROFIT-vs-WAGE
I, like everyone else, was trained from birth to become an employee and earn a wage. Nobody told me that there was another way, or showed me the difference between Profit vs Wage! In my junior year of high school, I began working part time as a machinist and also took a vocational class for machining. My dad told me that “it would always put food on the table”. I was best in my class and always excelled in my abilities.
To make a long story short, I became the lead CNC turning foreman at Abbott Lab near the headquarters (NYSE: ABT) on the 2nd shift in the machine shop at age 22. Prior to that I was the #3 lead machine builder of automated machinery that produced custom assembly machines for companies all across the nation. This included travel to meet with clients and set up the final builds on location. I didn’t get paid well at all because of my age. I hated travel because I was young and wanted my free time to chase girls and be with my friends! Yet I had to do it because my boss owned my time and if I refused I would lose my job.
I was trained as an employee, but I always was discontent with being owned by my employer. I did ‘t like being told when to show up, when I could eat, when I could go home, when I had to do overtime, how much money I can earn, etc.. Also working 50 weeks at the employer’s beck & call, just so I can have 2 weeks for myself (as long as my selected 2 weeks fit their schedule), just felt wrong to me. The more I improved my skills, the more my time was desired by the employer. Another issue is that an employer only wants to pay you just enough to pay your bills, so you have to keep showing up to “keep your train on the tracks”. No matter what, you’re going to be limited on your income potential, and get taxed at the highest rate than any other way of making money!
Time To Wake Up
So I realized at age 22 that being controlled by an employer was NOT going to be my life long struggle. When I made this decision I placed a call to my very first employer (which was a family friend), and asked if he could use my skills for a while. I did this because I would ‘t be tied up so much that I couldn’t explore entrepreneurial opportunities. The owners name was Bill and we’re still great friends to this day 28 years after quitting employment with him. Since he was a friend, quitting was hard, but it doesn’t have to be hard. Knowing “why” quitting your job is right for you is what’s important. (Your “why” is what guides you, so know it and listen to it.)
I had a desire to buy, rehab, and sell a house. This was back in 1992, way before any of the Flipping shows were on TV. I was married with a newborn son at the time. EVERYONE told me I was taking on way too much risk. Daring to go out on my own and invest in real estate was crazy too everyone. This was another realization. “Be careful who you surround yourself with”. If everyone is negative about you trying to improve yourself, You are hanging around the wrong people! However I had made a decision, and that’s the key to becoming an entrepreneur!
One Big Payoff
I paid off our personal home with the profits from that first investment!!! Quickly, I found another property to invest in and gave Bill notice that I was going solo. He gave me his blessing and I have done many real estate deals since. I have also found other opportunities which have provided me with profits and experience. I believe it’s important to be able to see opportunities, not just for profit, but also for the experience and knowledge they can provide.
- I was a ski instructor, not for the money , but for the experience of working face to face with people (and free lift passes).
- I took classes to learn more about stock trading. I did make significant money while I was trading, but I felt it took too much time from my son at the time. It was also stressful and ultimately felt a bit like gambling.
- I’ve read and studied many of the great entrepreneurs. I’ve attended many of the largest entrepreneurial seminars, and from these trainings, I’ve found that the best information I’ve recieved is, “Retranning One’s Mindset”. It’s difficult to get an exact answer unless it’s coming from yourself having the right mindset.
- I’ve been involved in network marketing and attained a level higher than most. The problem with that comment is that most don’t make a profit. Even with traveling several times a year to events and all the other costs associated the business, I paid for a high end BMW convertible and made some profit beyond that also. The biggest win for me was working with my team and meeting new people, along with the sales and ethics training (not for my NM company, but from external, unbiased sources).
- My son Brac and I have bought and sold many boats, cars, motorcycles, and atv’s as a hobby. We enjoy and use whichever of these items we want. Most hobbies cost you money, but mine make me money.
- I love real estate. At the time of writing this, the market is topping out and I am armed for the big sale coming.
- Now Brac and I are building a few websites. We are focusing on providing great content to people who are needing answers and encouragement in order to reach their goals.
I Was Trained As An Employee, BUT I BROKE FREE!
Skip ahead a bit… I made sure to educate and encourage my kids from a very young age, to see the opportunity that entrepreneurship can provide them. I’ve decided to encourage and educate as many other people as possible, who desire more out of life than being owned by and employer.
With the partnership help from my youngest son, it’s my hope that we can encourage and guide many people to take action toward making a profit vs earning a wage. With that, also gain the most important thing in life, and that is “complete control over your own time“.