Owner Operators

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Levi

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Does anyone have any advice or tips for keeping the stress level low in this endeavor? I bounce back and forth between having stress levels through the roof and feeling incredibly serene and blessed to have "too much work"

One thing that has helped me immensely is leaving a "swing" or "flex" day each week. I like it so much that now we are leaving 2 out of 5 working days as swing days. If, on the rare occasion, there is nothing to do on these days well, ain't nothin wrong with that...

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Levi said:
Does anyone have any advice or tips for keeping the stress level low in this endeavor? I bounce back and forth between having stress levels through the roof and feeling incredibly serene and blessed to have "too much work"

One thing that has helped me immensely is leaving a "swing" or "flex" day each week. I like it so much that now we are leaving 2 out of 5 working days as swing days. If, on the rare occasion, there is nothing to do on these days well, ain't nothin wrong with that...

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That is a solid plan, especially if you can call someone up add see if they want their job done early.
 
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That's a good feeling for sure.

Willard, when you're talking hours in a day are you including office work and the like?
 
Jobber has been a big help for me to keep track of things, which lowers my stress a lot. I can set tasks for bids, email bids, convert to jobs, invoice, and see what AR is all from my phone... very easy and a big change to how we did things 2.5 years ago. It pays in dividends during storms, keeping track of who owes what and how much we did here or there.


We also don't schedule work, but I'm told that doesn't work in a lot of places. Kinda like we rarely rake yards on removals...
 
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  • #6
Yeah, no raking would never fly here!

I need to look at jobber again, I have a hard time holding on to all the threads.
 
Levi said:
Does anyone have any advice or tips for keeping the stress level low in this endeavor? I bounce back and forth between having stress levels through the roof and feeling incredibly serene and blessed to have "too much work"....
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This may seem far fetched, and not knowing you way off base, but consider what you eat and your level of health.
 
Hard exercise works. Break a sweat.

No doubt about it, owning a business is stressful no matter what you do. Change has been good for me. I don't miss the rat race of a competitive market here. Those who are fourtunate to be only game in town are in a unique position.

Stress raises cortisol levels which is bad for you long term.

IMO a 12 hr tree work shift is to long. A recipe for an accident.
 
Stress isn't so bad.

I always step back and think about people in really bad situations. You know the sort of thing, Syrians drowning in the Mediterranean, Indian street children, then I realise I'm just a privileged little moaner.
 
Rest is key. Hard to help when you're broken.

Exercise is important for dispersing built-up stress in the body...it relaxes the mind.

I run everyday at 5pm with the dog...gives me time to sort my thoughts and plans.

Jobber is a big help for me, Like Carl said it's great for tracking, proposals and invoicing.
 
sotc said:
Quick read about cortisol, is adrenaline bad too?
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As far as I know....No

If you have a tumor in adrenal gland the yes....cause your heart rate/pressure to always be to high.

Cortisol is whole different beast. It is secreted by adrenal gland though.
 
Levi said:
Yeah, no raking would never fly here!

I need to look at jobber again, I have a hard time holding on to all the threads.
Click to expand...


If you do try Jobber, use my referral link if you don't mind! http://try.getjobber.com/referrals/?thank=Carl Rutherford SOTC started using Jobber 2 years ago from my referral link (I get a credit on my account).


Some fun facts (a least to me, a numbers nerd) based on my last 27 months using Jobber:

Invoices Sent: 278
Average Invoice Sent: $1771
Invoices Paid: 272
AR: $13150
Largest Invoice: $46k
Smallest Invoice: $50
Quotes Sent: 433
Quotes: 262 (60.5% win rate)
Jobs: 285 (13 jobs to do)
Customers in database: 421
Properties in Database: 441



Before I stared using jobber... I could use my tax records to tell you what I did, but that's about it. Jobber has helped run my business as a business vs simply a way to pay the bills.

Another benefit for me... all of those customers and their properties are in my phone and laptop. It's nice for my phone to show a name vs their phone number.
 
Just wondering, does the wife earn her own living wage?

This would be directed at anyone who would wish to answer.

In my case my GF and I live separatly, maintain our own bills.
 
lumberjack said:
If you do try Jobber, use my referral link if you don't mind! http://try.getjobber.com/referrals/?thank=Carl Rutherford SOTC started using Jobber 2 years ago from my referral link (I get a credit on my account).


Some fun facts (a least to me, a numbers nerd) based on my last 27 months using Jobber:

Invoices Sent: 278
Average Invoice Sent: $1771
Invoices Paid: 272
AR: $13150
Largest Invoice: $46k
Smallest Invoice: $50
Quotes Sent: 433
Quotes: 262 (60.5% win rate)
Jobs: 285 (13 jobs to do)
Customers in database: 421
Properties in Database: 441



Before I stared using jobber... I could use my tax records to tell you what I did, but that's about it. Jobber has helped run my business as a business vs simply a way to pay the bills.

Another benefit for me... all of those customers and their properties are in my phone and laptop. It's nice for my phone to show a name vs their phone number.
Click to expand...

Great post, Carl! Thank you for being so open with the numbers. I'm not in business for myself, but the way you talk about Jobber improving your approach to things causes me to want to investigate it in advance of the need for it. If I ever do decide to give it a try, I will use your link to do so. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the product.

Tim
 
Levi,

I work my tail off. When I need a break from the hard climbing and heavy rigging, I'll take a couple of days to do some hedge trimming, or stump grinding. I don't really take any days off, except when weather events keep me off the job. Summers are short here in North Dakota. I'll work until I feel dead, because I have a long winter ahead to recover.

Joel
 
Tim_B. said:
Great post, Carl! Thank you for being so open with the numbers. I'm not in business for myself, but the way you talk about Jobber improving your approach to things causes me to want to investigate it in advance of the need for it. If I ever do decide to give it a try, I will use your link to do so. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the product.

Tim
Click to expand...



No problem! Knowing my numbers also helps sell equipment (my labor expense in total is about 10-12% of gross).

I didn't think I needed it or even cared before I started using it. A month later a tornado hit (and again 3/30 of this year). Having my ststem worked out was a huge money maker and stress reliever.
 
Carlito is the son I wish I had...

How's your Pop's doing nowadays? Recovered pretty well from his injury?

It's been a while...
 
He can walk and drive, but he has considerable nerve damage and difficulties from the accident and the surgeries. He's better than he was for 2-3 years after the accident in a hospital bed and wheel chair, but he's still a world away from where he was. Last month made 11 years since the accident.
 
Lordy... sad to hear.

I guess things could be worse.

At least he has a good son to help him in whatever way!

:beer:
 
Yep, and my boy helps him several days a week outside and my girl helps inside and dotes on my father (and vice versa)... They ride the bus there after school as well. We live under 3 miles from them for easy access.
 
It's good having all the family so close...you know how close Alex and his crew are to me...I can see their house through the woods in the winter.

Last night as I was getting out of the car in my driveway I hear kids squealing and laughing...at 10:45pm. The boys and their cousins were swimming that late! Hearing that ruckus was my invitation to go over and visit some.:D

Doting is a wonderful thing.
 
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