Self Employment

>>935930
What skill do you have?

Make something -> sell something

>>935932
I don't really have any skills that I know...I mean I know how to do different things I can follow directions...I have a knowledge of basic tools,..im in a small poor town also if that matters

>>935936
Buy a 100 dollar portable arc welder, advertise yourself as a freelance welder and just be very selective about which jobs you take so you don't end up taking on a job to big for your skill level. Fix tree stands, livestock corrals, Gates and fences, tools, light (!) Machinery, etc. Charge 80 bucks an hour.

>>935954
there are a couple skilled guys with trucks and large miller welders and torches doing this in my area right now already....well actually one of them just went out of business because there wasn't enough work to support him

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> Age?
20
>What do you do?
I am employed, but I do have a side job that nets me a fair amount.
I mill pcb's and 3d print shit at my uni. Currently working on a larger three axis CNC mill to work with MDF(hopefully not)/Acrylic/metal sheets.
> Any training required?
I built/bought them for myself, but they're largely underutilized for just one guy. Know how to maintain your equipment, a tiny bit of quality control, knowing how to set the price appropriately, and meeting times you set. Advertising in the right areas also helps.
> What kind of money do you make per week?
It varies. Some weeks I'll make $20, others I've made $400. Typically $250~$200 a month.
I've also made things for friends of friends. i.e. flashing LED's for an art project, parts for a moving art piece which was given to me crudely doodled on the back of a pamphlet, drilled holes in things, custom seals/stamps, stencils, engraving, etc.
>>935936
I've heard good things about CDL driving, where a few companies will train you/pay for school. Same for some trades. Are you asking about self employment because you don't want to work for someone, or because you cant find a job in your area and can't relocate?
You also haven't told us:
>What you're interested in.
>What do you already know how to do, what can you work with/have experience with.
>What kind of capital you're willing to lose.
>Who do intend to market to/ Who will be your clients
>What other options do you have besides being self employed.
Have a picture of something I used to make at my first job in the US.

>>935957
So undercut them/him and do the small fry jobs they won't do. He charges 100 dollars an hour? You charge 60 and offer referral bonuses.

>>935980
Im not a good welder... I wouldn't pay me even $10 a hr..

Age: 28
I work as an independent contractor
I grew up working on apt buildings and flipping houses with my parents. Spent some time studying ICC code books for general contracting license.
Typically make 2000 a week, or more if I am doing a big G/C gig

>>936011
Do you physically get your hands dirty or do you have employees?

>>936015
I do both, some jobs I have more of a management role and others I do most of the work. I started my business doing handy man jobs because at 21yr old people don't have much confidence in you replacing a kitchen or bath. After 7 years I managed to get a decent client base and get better jobs once people knew I wasn't a hack.

I'm self employed, have been for 8 years.

Doesn't matter what I do, let me give you some advice from personal experience.

You need something you're good at. And I mean shit hot. When it's your own name on the line you're remembered for any mistakes or corner cutting you may try and get away with and it will cost you in the long run. Attention to detail is key.

I really wouldn't recommend self employment for someone who's unsure of what they could sell or what trade they could work in, because, well, you'll struggle to earn anything. Handy men do well but as a general rule of thumb, have really good, time served skill under their belt in many trades.

>>935930
I have 7 houses I rent out and own a small apartment building my husband's brother manages for us.
I also sell at the farmers market during summer and fall.
Husband has been making and selling knives for a decade and over the last few years I've gotten quite adept at it myself helping him clear out his backlog.

>>936037
damn that's quite a portfolio

>>936034
I don't have any expertise in anything yet...the jobs I have worked are just factory labor jobs and at a grocery store.. have bought and resold vehicles for sometime but I don't really enjoy that enough to make it a full time thing...so I don't know where to start

Here is the deal, if you have no skill you're not going to make shit. Everyone wants to capitalize off their /diy/ skills. The issues is that you need to be really good, really good at marketing, or come up with something original.

26
Online Sales
Nope
Not as much as I'd like.

On the plus side, I do like 3 hours of actual work a week, just spread out.

>>936072
I can market myself fine and I live in a community where I know mot everyone but I do not have anything to market to them

>>936138
> most everyone
not mot

>>936138
So do whatever you want and market yourself as being competent and better than other people in your area.

Basically look at high end clothing. Is it better than cheaper clothing? Almost never. People still pay for it.

By the sounds of it, you just graduated high-school and you worked a couple McDonalds jobs, maybe even a job siding for some dickhead boss.

You've determined that you hate having a boss, maybe because they're meanies, maybe because you're lazy. And either way neither of those thought processes are going to get you very far. Your clients will be harder than any boss you've ever had, and you'll have to work harder than any other job you've had.

Let's face it, you have no skills. People pay other people for skilled labor because THEY themselves don't have any skills. So first you need to get good at something, like really good and you have to be tenacious. My only advice is since you have no skills. Invest in a truck, do dump runs for people and clean up yards, sites etc.

>>936150
ok...im actually 30 sadly

>>936388

>30
>literally no marketable skills

Ever considered a job as a gravedigger? And then killing yourself once you've dug the grave?

get a grunt job in something you think you could do. learn everything about that type of work. then once you're confident and have enough knowledge and skill go out and do it yourself.

everyone says do what you love, which is right. but most people don't know what they like to do. that's when you sit down, think, and say to yourself "when have i been the happiest?" "what puts a smile on my face?" and "what could i do everyday and still enjoy it?"

you should be able to find a few things other than tuggin on yourself and eating. if you don't, then you should just go to your local community college or trade school and sign up for a course in something that sounds fun.

>>935930
If you want to keep it locally. Tow truck serivces. All you need is a winch. A shitty truck. And a trailer.

Or

Radio tower light bulb changer...

Or

Sell shit online. Feed into the hobby moms and hipster styles.. Be cringe worthy and paint wood.. (srsly you never paint wood unless its for sheer protection like house siding or its just really cheap shit or plywood/mdf)

Can you paint? Do sheet rock repairs? General around the house shit..

And my ultra favorite. Become a house nanny.. Learn to cook decent and be able to not say "fuck" every 3rd sentence.. Offer cleaning and repairs too. The trick is to take a tour of the house and find something stupid thats broken/needs repairs like a toliet that leaks because the flapper needs replacing, and be like "i can come back later with a couple of tools and fix that for you." its a good way of getting your foot in the door without getting shilled for doing a free repair. Offer deals like. $160 for 12 hour days. 20 dollars an hour for call in/late nights. Anything that needs to be repaired and requires parts is 25 dollars an hour plus the cost of parts. You can judge it by your area and fish around..

Or

If you can just get a regular ass job..

>>936066
Self employment really is not for you.

You need to find a tradesman or company who are willing to take you on as an apprentice and train you over the next 5 or so years. Ideally a trade you would be suited to and will enjoy.

>>936150
This sounds accurate. Hard ass bosses are what make good tradesmen great. They help hone the skill that is balancing time and money with skill and ability.

>>935930
>27
>farmer since 24
>nope, mostly start small and practice
>not much

>>935930
>Age?
27
>what do you do?
Finish carpenter during the day, "artist" by moonlight

> Any training required?
Nothing you couldn't pick up from being on the jobsite.

A healthy dose of skill doesn't hurt either

> what kind of money do you make per week?
$650 from carpentry. The art thing is more sporadic through out the year. But last year I was able to pull in around 10k just from my art. Would have been more but muh 20% gallery commission. But hey at that rate its a fucking steal.

>>935930
> Age?
32
>What do you do?
I own a digital marketing agency
> Any training required?
I have a degree in computer science which has about jack to do with what I do now
> What kind of money do you make per week?
The company invoices between $3-$4k a week, we're a fairly small company.

>>935974

So how are you gonna get work as a CNC miller? How do you advertise yourself and your services?

Have not been self employed for a few years now. Hopefully I can change that this year since I live in a city and not a fuckin village anymore.

I'll tell my past.
I use to buy laptops and brand named laptop chargers with changeable headers from two online stores that were located out in California, but they closed down a few months after I started.

The laptops were used/off lease systems that had Vista or XP on them, this was around when Windows 7 was still new. I tried to get laptops that had Vista on them and do the free upgrade from Vista to 7 on them. I would snag laptops for about $100-$250ish and throw anywhere between $150 to $300 depending on model, specs, and any upgrades I did.

Chargers were factory refubs I got for $30 that came with about 5 different headers and resold for $60.

I spent no more then about 8 hours a week doing this. I had a friend that ran a computer shop that I would buy parts for dirt cheap such as RAM and hard drives for upgrading that laptops if needed.

Only work I really did was clean the laptop if needed (blowing out dust, cleaning out the keyboard, and wiping them down with a cleaning wipe). Install Windows 7 and some free software such as Avast, Malwarebytes, Codecs, CD/DVD Burning Software, and some free Office Suite that I cant remember what name it was.

I stopped doing it because the two online stores went out of business and I never looked into finding new suppliers because everyone else wanted too much. But it was good money because every fuckin kid and adult wanted laptops.

Today, it would be hard for me to get back into it because the cost of laptops are cheap and everyone wants tablets. Sure I can start a business doing computer and tablet/smart phone repair and shit, but again, I live in a city. Too many fuckin people doing it, but these businesses are easy to under cut because all of them care too much.

>>935954
>Charge 80 bucks an hour.
Who the fuck is going to pay $80/hr for some hick to touch a stick to some metal.

>>936636
...Ok but im not going to dig a hole first, i'll just end it.

>>936936
do you live in vancouver?

I'm just getting ready to start an online business where I take orders for custom audio gear (nothing too comprehensive, just certain types of specialty microphones, amp cabinets, etc).

I'm currently in the process of trying to find inexpensive bulk supply of components and trying to figure-out how to legally setup a business. My profit margins are probably going to be fairly thin, even if it goes well and I get lots of orders. It's kinda scary... I effectively don't have my dayjob anymore and I'm bout to spend all my tax return on the new business ':|

Who should I speak to for advice? A lawyer? Accountant?

>>936978
Someone who acknowledges the value of an actually competent welder, ie not you.

>>937027
No, nyc

>>935930
I use to screenprint tshirts part-time, now i'm trying to make a living of it.
But i have to print anything to do it, posters, tshirt, all kind of shitty merch.

>>937028
Accountant and see if any of the local Small Business bureaus have a free 'mentor' program. Mentors will tell you if your business plan stands any chance of success, will know most or all of the potential pitfalls and so on.