I will give my thoughts on my sincere feelngs on the business we are all in and try to give you some idea on what as shaped my life and business ethic's. I know that many will respond with negitive posts and thats ok, I am not trying to change anyones feelings this is just what made be happy and successful in life.
I was a high school drop out and tried the famliy business (most of my uncles and my faher were production line workers) at Ford Motor Company which was a great payng job. After six months I knew that I couldn't be happy with my life. My father pulled a lot of strings to get me the job and being that I disapointed him with dropping out of school I felt that I had to tell him that working on a production line was not for me. He told me something that I live with even today. He said that "I spent 20 years of my life on a 30 acres of concrete doing the same type of work year after year and if your not happy get out now, it's your choice" My father retired 10 years later and lived for another 13 years.
After leaving Ford I landed a job with a small MATV company and met my future wife (still married after 25 years) little did I know the owner of the company was also interested in her and lost the job.
I when went to work for a cable company as an installer making $3.50 an hour (old pessure tap system thus my choosen screen name) in 1978. It didn't take long for me to understand that working in the north during winter as an installer would not make me happy in life. I loved the freedom of job and was a very good installer. I was also lucky to be mentored and guided from the Plant Manager who helped me plan my future in the cable industry.
I progressed through the ranks to a Installation Field Supervisor over the next several years. During that time I was married and had two young boys. An internal company oppurtunity was posted for an Installation Manager, 500 miles from my wifes and my family. I applied for the position and got it, so at 25 I moved my young family even though I took a 4K per year pay cut.
I worked for that system and operator for another 15 years and recieved my GED and spent 6 years at night school to recieve my college degree.
During the 15 years I was promoted and held several management positions in all departments from Director of Customer Service and Sales to Regional Director of Technical Operations. The company was sold in 1996 and I stayed with the new company for six months but when they started cutting labor expenses many folks that suppoted me over the years again I was un-happy.
My father passed in November and I resiged my position 2 month later remembering what he told me about being happy with my life.
I had no job a house payment, a family to support and no leads for future employment. We maxed out the credit cards to live and after several interviews I had no job after six months,
I recieved a call from an old cable aquaintance that just started his own contracting company and offered me a job. The salary was half of what I made but I believed in him to grow the business. The company sold several years later and I was taken care of in the purchase and still am working for the new owner.
I currently hold a position that is accountable for Installation Services. I have passed on several oppurtunities over the last year due low price points. I always do a business model of the oppurtunities available and if I can't make the numbers work to turn a profit I will pass. Besides the price points the most important part of a project success is paying competitive wages. Employee turnover and related expenses due to un-happy employees kill the bottomline. I would rather have 10 good projects turning 20% margins then 20 bad turning 10% the net margins are the same with the later givng you a bunch of un-happy employees.
There are oppurtunities with several major MSO's that can make all of us successful and happy with our life.
Has you said many of us have no fall back for other employment oppurtunities. So next time before you agree to work for a contractor ask them the tough questions on thier business plan and the companies vision for future growth for the contracts success and you personally. Believe it or not expeienced installers are really holding the winning hand in this card game.
I wish you all the best in the New Year.
Re: you are full of ****
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