atgreene
Senior Member
Good Luck!
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Where do I start???
- Thread starter BIAVAEX
- Start date
stumpjumper83
Senior Member
Good luck man, I think you will do well. Before you can do the job, you need to sell the job. Then you have to do the job.
As a young man myself ( 27 ), I rely on some older, more experienced people for advise. Retired union operators and some very experienced friends. Your uncle is a wealth of into, learn as much as you can while you can. There is also alot of good info on here.
Equipment wise I think your is very good shape to be debt free. That wil help more than you know in the slow times. If that was my fleet the only think I would do is try to trade the Super E close to even for a small dozer, say a deere 450, dresser td8, cat d4. Get a 6way blade and a winch.
Just like the car business, the best advertisement is word of mouth.
As a young man myself ( 27 ), I rely on some older, more experienced people for advise. Retired union operators and some very experienced friends. Your uncle is a wealth of into, learn as much as you can while you can. There is also alot of good info on here.
Equipment wise I think your is very good shape to be debt free. That wil help more than you know in the slow times. If that was my fleet the only think I would do is try to trade the Super E close to even for a small dozer, say a deere 450, dresser td8, cat d4. Get a 6way blade and a winch.
Just like the car business, the best advertisement is word of mouth.
RTSmith
Senior Member
Best of luck to you. Just found this thread. Feel your pain with the auto industry. Hopefully things are picking up now in the construction business. And while you'll work a bunch of hours still, hopefully you can better control your breaks to make a football game or such now.
I guess I needed to update a little more... Unfortunately we lost my uncle on dec-14-09. Everything was turned upside down really fast. We struggled to figure out how to handle everything since there was no will. I have just finaly acquired everything(had to end up paying a little bit) but I am more than happy w/ the figures. We had sold the 580E about a month ago to cover some final expenses. The wasn't anything I would use on the job just extremely handy to keep at the shop.
I've done a few parking lot patches(ca-6) in the last week. I have gotten hooked up with a good concrete finisher who wants me to do his tear outs( about 4 already this week). Just a matter of working through everything left behind and moving forward.
I have been heavily contemplating trading in the 580sl and going to a 10k or so mini ex. I have read a few posts but i think I am stuck going back to case just given the outstanding support and service of the local dealer. I have read a little on the Tak's and know a few ppl who really love their Kubota's.
I think the Mini-ex would be extremely more beneficial to me given most of the work I have and will be doing(tight spaces, waterlines, footings, etc) Ant opinions are greatly appreciated and thanks again to everyone for all of the words of encouragement.
I've done a few parking lot patches(ca-6) in the last week. I have gotten hooked up with a good concrete finisher who wants me to do his tear outs( about 4 already this week). Just a matter of working through everything left behind and moving forward.
I have been heavily contemplating trading in the 580sl and going to a 10k or so mini ex. I have read a few posts but i think I am stuck going back to case just given the outstanding support and service of the local dealer. I have read a little on the Tak's and know a few ppl who really love their Kubota's.
I think the Mini-ex would be extremely more beneficial to me given most of the work I have and will be doing(tight spaces, waterlines, footings, etc) Ant opinions are greatly appreciated and thanks again to everyone for all of the words of encouragement.
hvy 1ton
Senior Member
I don't have any experience with case minis, but looking around the internet a bit the CX36 and CX50 would be the two to look at. They are around 8,000 and 10,200 pounds respectively.
stumpjumper83
Senior Member
I just bought a tak 53 fr, and I cannot say enough good about their swing boom design. Its awesome.
Monrad
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you are fully amongst it Biavaex, well done I hope things go really well for you and your family with the business. Keep us posted.
Don't think too long...
(I'm kind of late jumping into this on..)
First off, I commend you for putting so much information into such a readable piece.
I can appreciate your situation and the replies you've received here.
With regard to liquidating or keeping the business, what do your kids want? Are they interested in working it?
This may be difficult because you've always had the excavating business. Family businesses rarely last beyond a second generation (many, beyond the first) just because the kids never had the passion for it that the parents did or, they take it for granted.
In one of the Napolean Hill books, Andrew Carnegie impressed upon Hill that if he wanted the opportunity to write Carnegie's story, he had to make up his mind now (I think he had 15 seconds). This was one trait to whick Carnegie attributes success. He would tell you that you know enough: make your choice. Don't overthink it. Easier said than done but I try to practice that whether deciding what to order off the menu or where to go with my career.
Sorry about your uncle.
Let us know.
Sockeye
(I'm kind of late jumping into this on..)
First off, I commend you for putting so much information into such a readable piece.
I can appreciate your situation and the replies you've received here.
With regard to liquidating or keeping the business, what do your kids want? Are they interested in working it?
This may be difficult because you've always had the excavating business. Family businesses rarely last beyond a second generation (many, beyond the first) just because the kids never had the passion for it that the parents did or, they take it for granted.
In one of the Napolean Hill books, Andrew Carnegie impressed upon Hill that if he wanted the opportunity to write Carnegie's story, he had to make up his mind now (I think he had 15 seconds). This was one trait to whick Carnegie attributes success. He would tell you that you know enough: make your choice. Don't overthink it. Easier said than done but I try to practice that whether deciding what to order off the menu or where to go with my career.
Sorry about your uncle.
Let us know.
Sockeye
I'm also jumping in late but I've read over the posts here and I'd like to say congrats on the decision, I think your making the right move, theres nothing better than reaping the rewards for your own hard work, if your family is at all behind you you'll make it, thats the single most important thing beside the passion to do it in the first place. I have a little differnt twist on things, your starting in tough times and in tough circumstances and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it, and when you survive this economy imagine whats to be made in good times. I"ve seen a lot that only could do it in good times but when things got tough they fell by the wayside. I'd say keep looking for tomorrow because its only going to get better from here on out. One last imput, as far as I'm concerned gm is dead and gone but nobodys bothered to tell them that yet, I think you bailed out of that in a good time to leave and get another venture started. Talk to anybody in the family that has had anything to do with the business side and do it quick and learn as much as you can. I never had that and I'm the first generation and not one of my competators would tell me anything and I had to learn or am learning the hard way one mistake at a time, you've got a golden operatunity to ask and actually get answers and I'd have given anything to be in your shoes. Good luck and get the family involved, and lastly remember if you wait until you can afford it by then its too late to do it at all.
masterwelder
Well-Known Member
Well, it has been a full year since the first post... how is it going?