# One Job Leads To Another...



## Ray C (Feb 17, 2014)

So, a tradesman in the neighborhood took a leap of faith and became my first official customer...  He's a plumber and wanted some nice aluminum cabinets on his F350.  I took measurements, drew-up some sketches (in CAD) and gave him an estimate.  He went with some simple designs.  I cut it up, welded it together and told him to come pick it up...  

He was pleased and said, you saved me $2000 and the quality was 3 times better than store bought... -Now do my other three trucks...

Here's a photo of my first real supply of aluminum stock paid for under the name of the business.  5 sheets of 4'x8', 3/16 aluminum diamond plate.  This is enough to do the other three trucks...  And the nice thing is that each sheet leaves a nice juicy piece of drops for me to play with...

Wish me luck guys, www.cmf-llc.com is off and running -this is do or die for me...




Ray


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## Dave Smith (Feb 17, 2014)

Ray--you definately don't need any luck---you already have skill and good communication and very nice quality---that will keep you in business, and we are praying for success---Dave


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## Kevinb71 (Feb 17, 2014)

Here's wishing you the very best in your new venture. As Dave said you have the skill, just don't forget that now all the items that used to be for fun are costs! I had a partner that didn't remember that. NOT FUN.


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## Ray C (Feb 17, 2014)

Kevinb71 said:


> Here's wishing you the very best in your new venture. As Dave said you have the skill, just don't forget that now all the items that used to be for fun are costs! I had a partner that didn't remember that. NOT FUN.




Oh yeah...  I don't claim to be a financial genius but, I got a grip on "checkbook 101".   The last budget I ran on my old project was just under 8 million -and I was the lucky one who had to sign-off on everything and make sure it got put in the right account.  Oh, the arguments with the people in finance... you wouldn't believe...  At least they were there to help me -and now I'm doing it on my own.  I've already learned that my accountant (Yvonne) is a very important person in my life right now...  She calls me 2x a week just to make sure I'm not screwing things up -bless her heart.

Since this whole thing started a couple weeks ago, I spend 70% of my time on the phone or on quickbooks.  Late at night, I go in the shop and actually make stuff...


Ray


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## stevecmo (Feb 17, 2014)

Congrats Ray!!!


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## johnnyc14 (Feb 17, 2014)

Congrats Ray. Something tells me you are going to be very busy with your new business!

John


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## itsme_Bernie (Feb 17, 2014)

Dave Smith said:


> Ray--you definately don't need any luck---you already have skill and good communication and very nice quality---that will keep you in business, and we are praying for success---Dave



+1 Dave Smith

...  Good luck man!  I wish I lived closer to you!  I would be happy to take promo pics for you (that's my biz)



Bernie


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## dickr (Feb 17, 2014)

Nuff said !  We got another winner           Congratulations ! ! !


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## n3480h (Feb 17, 2014)

Best wishes, Ray.  Have to admire a man who is willing to go it on his own.  You're obviously quality orientated, and that is rare enough these days that you should get a lot of repeat business and great referrals.

Tom


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## valleyboy101 (Feb 17, 2014)

Hi Rat,
The best of fortune in your new business!  Are you going to show us a picture of the tool boxes?
Michael


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## Dranreb (Feb 17, 2014)

Well done Ray, there's nothing like running your own show, you'll be good at it and you'll love it! 

Good luck in all your endeavors..

Bernard


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## Ray C (Feb 17, 2014)

valleyboy101 said:


> Hi Rat,
> The best of fortune in your new business!  Are you going to show us a picture of the tool boxes?
> Michael



LOL...  I will on the second go-around...  On the first one, I did the whole shebang in 3 days.  1 day, draw the CAD.  1 day retrieve the metal and cut it to size.  1 day to weld it all together.  So busy, I forgot to take pictures and most of it was done between the hours of 9pm and 1am.  He has his own hinges and is installing his own lock hasps.  


Ray


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## ricsmall (Feb 17, 2014)

good luck Ray, Im quite sure youll do well on your new endeavor.

Richard


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## thomas s (Feb 17, 2014)

Good luck Ray


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## xalky (Feb 17, 2014)

Ray C said:


> LOL...  I will on the second go-around...  On the first one, I did the whole shebang in 3 days.  1 day, draw the CAD.  1 day retrieve the metal and cut it to size.  1 day to weld it all together.  So busy, I forgot to take pictures and most of it was done between the hours of 9pm and 1am.  He has his own hinges and is installing his own lock hasps.
> 
> 
> Ray


Ray, congrats on your first job!) Now, it's a business!

People tell me all the time that I should take before and after pics of my remodeling jobs. I never do! It's so "old hat" to me, that i just don't think about doing it. I like to get in, do my job, and get out.... On to the next one!  

I too, will be trying to ease into doing fabrication work, very soon. I'm gonna try to take pictures of my fab jobs, so that I can show them to new prospective customers. I love doing this kind of work, so why not do something that I love to do. 

I wish you great success in your new venture, Ray!

Marcel


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## drs23 (Feb 17, 2014)

Go get 'em Ray! 

I was scaired when I started my H-D performance, maintenance & tuning shop. Your advantage is you don't have to have a "Store Front" in order to purchase from vendors. In my case I was $125k in it considering the "Store Front", initial vendor "buy ins", lifts, tire machines, you name it before I was able to turn the first wrench. Thinking about it made me physically ill so I just Ostriched Up and buried my head in the sand and ran with it. The last 14 years I wouldn't trade for anything.

I've kept honest books and if the plan works to fruition like it did in the beginning I'll be able to turn the whole enchilada and retire with a considerable profit and the whole time it's afforded a comfortable living .

Best wishes.

NOW, GO GET 'EM!


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## Ray C (Feb 17, 2014)

Thanks for the kind wishes everyone.  I've always desired to be self-employed but, issues of a comfortable, predictable life (with health and benefits coverage) for my wife/kids overshadowed my personal desires.  Now, the kids aren't kid's anymore.  My wife's part-time job now offers her medical benefits and I'm not too old to take my turn at grabbing the brass ring.

The real deciding factor was during a job interview were a 30 year old "manager" was interviewing me.  -Now mind you, my background for the last 30 years, is in electrical engineering, physics and computer science.  -And during this "interview" little sunny boy was telling me all about himself.  I kept asking him if he could give a better description of the nature of work and problems that his company faced -so I could determine if I was the right candidate to help the company.  -And this kid kept on telling me all about himself.  So when he was done talking (during my interview) he asked, do you have any questions about "my organization?".   Oh boy, it took all the restraint I could muster to not paddle this kid's a$$.  And I new right then and there... I shall try my hat at self-employment.  I'm not blind to the issues and work involved...  I have a lot of varied work experience and was raised in a working-class family and worked a million PT jobs to get my first college education.  As for technology...  Been there, done that.  BTW, I was among the very first engineers to work on what is now, modern day cell telephone systems.  -Numerous patents in the area -and FWIW, I hate cell phones.  

I had to give this a shot and so I shall.  If need be, I'm also setup to do my own tax withholding so, I can farm-out as a brain-for-hire contractor to help make ends meet. 

So, does anyone want to hear about "My Organization"  -Sheesh... Gimme a break!


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## therbig (Feb 18, 2014)

Funny story, Ray, and infuriating, too, I bet!  So you didn't want to find out about "his" great "organization?"  I bet the two of you would have really loved working together!!! 

I wish you the best of luck with your new company, Ray!  The first paying customer is a really big deal, and it's an even bigger (and better) one when you get it all to work out well.  Customer happy, you didn't have to pull off anything crazy, all good.

When there are crises, don't forget that we are all cheering you on.  Call on us for help anytime - also on the business stuff, which some of us do for a living...

Tom


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## Ray C (Feb 18, 2014)

therbig said:


> Funny story, Ray, and infuriating, too, I bet!  So you didn't want to find out about "his" great "organization?"  I bet the two of you would have really loved working together!!!
> 
> I wish you the best of luck with your new company, Ray!  The first paying customer is a really big deal, and it's an even bigger (and better) one when you get it all to work out well.  Customer happy, you didn't have to pull off anything crazy, all good.
> 
> ...



For a split second, I felt mad and frustrated -followed by relieved because it only took an instant for my brain to send the "happy signal" down my body:  "Time for self employment".   I had several prior interviews with similar themes but this kid was completely full of himself moreso than all the others.  He was just pleased as punch with himself.  Yeah, we would have gotten along fine .  Couldn't tell you how many people I brought to tears in 2 sentences or less...  A kid like this would need to be put on suicide watch after I got done with him...

Topic shift:  A common theme I notice while interviewing...  It seems companies put young whipper-snappers in "management" positions these days with lot's of young "talky females" and/or totally green, not so smart and energetic "metro-males". I'm guessing the puppy dogs enthusiastically do what they're told for an extra cup of puppy chow a day.   In my 30 years in the professional work force, "management" had to have wits and guts.  What the heck happened?  Corporate America is in serious trouble...  Maybe this has to do with that bad education system we've been hearing about...

Ray


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## chuckorlando (Feb 18, 2014)

Thats awesome man. I have been self employed for about 15yr. I am only 35 so bout half my life. I learned early on that a man can only be my boss, if he can teach me. It would take about a year for me to decide I should be my bosses boss and move on to a new location.

It can be real hard and real sweet.  Theres nothing like the flexibility of being your own boss. Your own hours, doing the work you want and not the work your told. 

The down side is aint no such thing as paid time off. ahahahaha

Awesome dude.


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## Sandia (Feb 18, 2014)

Ray, good luck on your new endeavor. With your ability and experience, I feel certain you will do well.

Bob


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