# Transitioning from 9-5er to home based business



## NewlandNubians (Jul 10, 2003)

I have been trying to talk my husband into leaving his 9-5er with the state and starting a home based business as an animal damage control agent. How do you fully research a potential home based business like this? I think he would really excel at this. He has great people skills, he is a hard worker self starter, and is real good handling wild and domestic animals. He can also do minor house repairs. He and I both are good at selling and handling calls. I can do our taxes myself, I already do the farm taxes (we farm part time too). I really do think he could do this and make a great income and be happier than he is working for the state. I guess I'd need to specifically predict how the transition would work income wise and how do you figure out the demand for this in your local area.


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## MaineFarmMom (Dec 29, 2002)

A business plan is a great place to start a new business. It will make you do a lot of research. Write the plan as though you were going to have to convince a bank to give you money (prove how you'll create an income).


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Not only is there an income transition, there's a psychological transition. Expect it to take a while.

After I left the teaching field and had no set schedule, I felt that no matter what I was doing, it was the wrong thing. I had lists and was organized, but the mind set is so different that I was very frustrated for a long time.

I'm going to address an issue that you didn't ask about, but alluded to in your opening sentence. You said you were trying to talk him into this. If he's not 100% gung ho and willing to make the leap from guaranteed paycheck to the unknown, then pressuring him isn't helpful. 

Most home based business fail. Most start ups fail. It's an unfortunate fact of business life. Make sure you do your homework on this and have a year's worth of cash set aside for all your living expenses, home owners insurance, health insurance, car insurance, liability insurance, property taxes, fees, licenses, etc., before you make this decision.


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## MorrisonCorner (Jul 27, 2004)

Expect it to take a LONG while. Minimum prudence dictates being able to live without drawing from your new company for at least 6 months, and most people recommend a year. Most people who are starting a business don't have this kind of cash in back of them.. so they max out credit cards and end up in a cash flow crunch. Right now that would be a very bad idea.

If you can back into this business, by doing it part time right now, that would be an excellent way to test the waters, see if this is something he really enjoys doing, and you'd be able to see if the business is viable.

But before you do anything call a reputable insurance company. You're going to need liability insurance in a big way, business insurance, and life/health/disability insurance on the principle breadwinner. And you want better than a million dollar policies in your business insurance. Why? Because you want your insurance company fielding a lawyer to protect themselves.. and in protecting themselves they'll by extension be protecting you. But this plan screams insurance.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

Very good advice given so far!!!!

I would consider starting this as a part time business for weekends and evenings, then move it to F/T when you get it up and running.

Don't forget that retirement savings and health insurance are going to be issues at some point.

Clove


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## sonie716 (Sep 6, 2006)

my dh worked for the state of michigan for almost 10 years. He finally quit last october. I told him time and time again, he would do great in computer repair(thats what he went to school for and did at the state), and that we should open our own buisness. Then it came down to me realizing its not his idea, nothing is changing. Let me just back off. Everyday he would come home and complain about work, and I would just say to him, hunny when ever you want to leave I am 100% behind you. I knew it had to be his idea. It took him about 6 months and he left. We started our business. We lived off of his 401k. Thats all gone now, and the market is bad. No one has money to spend on there computer. So he is back to work in a factory. Its a job and it pays the bills for now. We still have to business on the side.


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## Guest123 (Oct 10, 2006)

There has been some GREAT advise given here! It took me 18 years of running my business on the side before I felt comfortable in quitting my full time job as a teacher. The last 8 years I was making more money on my side business than I was teaching, but health insurance, and a guaranteed paycheck is hard to leave. In this economy I would be very, very hesitant to give up a good job unless you have a couple of years worth of money set aside. You never know what could happen. Also, you can start a business and still keep your full time job. 40 hours full time /20-25 hrs part time business. This will give you an idea of what it is like to own your own business because you will be working 60+ hours a week. I don't think I will ever go back to working a full time job for someone else because I really ENJOY all of the things I am doing now so I don't mind 70 hour work weeks march through november. But if you are struggling to start a business, don't have enough start up capital, and are working 70 hours a week, it can be extremely stressful and take a toll on family.


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## magnolia2017 (Dec 5, 2005)

Very good advice given here. I only have one concern.

Does your husband have health insurance at his current job? Have you looked into the costs of purchasing insurance on your own? 

These would be issues I'd address first as you don't want to find yourself hurt or sick with no insurance (trust me I know).

Maggie


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## NewlandNubians (Jul 10, 2003)

That's all good advice, thanks. I'm not trying to pressure him to leave. I won't go into details - he has interviewed for other jobs and is looking. He believes animal damage control work is something he would be great at but is afraid of taking the plunge. Basically I need to do all the research fully to figure out how this transition would occur, what all would need to be done (thanks for info on insurance) to prove that it CAN be done before he would even consider it. We are already farming as part of our income that we depend upon so we are fully aware of "feast or famine" type lifestyle and can handle that to some degree. We're not saddled with debt but do have a small construction loan to consider as well as would need to consider other options like others mentioned like health ins. business ins. etc.

The biggest thing that would hold him back is the fact that he is the sole breadwinner for a family of four. We have two small children. As a child his parents were involved in a failed business venture so that has definitely held him back but after he has told me about the business his parents were involved in and how it was handled, it was understandable they failed. 

Personally I think he could integrate this work quite well into the farm. He could turn more profit on the farm if he had more time to devote to the farm, so in times of slow work he could be working on the farm more. I guess I need to talk to other ADC people to find out what are the slow times vs. the 70 hour work week times. I really don't think it would be a major lifestyle change because he's already farming part time and working 40 hours a week at a regular job so he's gone gone gone anyways. Personally I'd love the idea for some selfish reasons too, I miss handling calls and doing paperwork, I used to work in an office and quit to be a stay at home mom. That's another reason why I think this thing would work - we were both somewhat scared when I was thinking about leaving my job to stay home full time. We thought we needed the money. Same thing happened to my friend when she had her first child. You think "how can I make it on one income?" but after I left we noticed no real difference. In some ways we're less broke now than we were when I worked!

I think I might have a heart to heart with my big brother - he has a machine shop business and it's been very successful. Maybe he could help me out some too.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

What IS animal damage control?


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## Guest123 (Oct 10, 2006)

Rose, you beat me to the question!! I was wondering the same thing.


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## NewlandNubians (Jul 10, 2003)

It's like if you have a squirrel get into your attic, or a racoon living in your basement, or a groundhog digging under your foundation, or bees take up residence in your wall. Animal damage control folks take care of those types of problems. Some folks can deal with it, some can't. Not all folks have the have a heart traps laying around and not all folks want to mess with regular traps. And you can't shoot an animal in town limits sometimes... Many folks wouldn't want to deal with wild animals even if they did catch them.


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

Never, never, never under estimate the value of health insurance offered by a current employer.

DO NOT just count the hourly rate, figure in sick leave, vacation time, possibly a company vehicle if provided.

These are ALL things you will have to cover if self employed.

In other words, it's not just the hourly rate you will have to cover, it's the unseen hourly benefits that you won't have.

It isn't easy but it is doable but the old expression of build it and they will come, does not apply.

I've been self employed for 10 years now and hopefully I'll succeed. :banana02:


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## Guest123 (Oct 10, 2006)

If you are "solo" remember if you do not work, you do not make money. Short term and long term disability insurance is a must. One illness or injury can put you in serious financial situation. Also, if you have an existing health problem, it is very hard and EXPENSIVE to get insurance on your self. I had a "minor" heart attack at age 36, at that time I was still on school insurance where I taught. Later, when only self employed, I looked into insurance for just myself, and most would not even except me, the others were big $$$$. They call them "BENEFITS" for a reason.


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

I agree with treasureacres comments.

I didn't mean to be gloom and doom but a lot of people do not consider the hidden benefits

I retired from my day job in Sept of 98. I had saved up a nest egg to get my business into high gear. Two weeks after, Oct 5th to be exact, I broke both of my knees in a fall. Yes OUCH

Well I was laid up for 7 months before I could even drive. Luckily I was covered by Cobra for the actual medical bills for the fall but I had ZERO income, could not collect unemployment, "because you left on your own free will" after paying in to the system for 30 + years.

When I was actually able to work again, to get to a job that is, our start up nest egg was all but $120.00 gone. Our bills were up to date but we had to start from scratch again. Now, 10 years later following a ton of hussle and scrimping, we are doing ok but still don't have health insurance.

BTW my wife is self employed too.

We can't actually draw retirement for yet another 7 years.

Sorry bout the gloom and doom.

L


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## Guest123 (Oct 10, 2006)

I don't think you are doom and gloom, you are honest and realistic. People need to hear this type of stuff so they can make a wise decision.


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## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

NewlandNubians said:


> It's like if you have a squirrel get into your attic, or a racoon living in your basement, or a groundhog digging under your foundation, or bees take up residence in your wall. Animal damage control folks take care of those types of problems. Some folks can deal with it, some can't. Not all folks have the have a heart traps laying around and not all folks want to mess with regular traps. And you can't shoot an animal in town limits sometimes... Many folks wouldn't want to deal with wild animals even if they did catch them.


It certainly seems to me that this type of business can be and should be started as an evenings & weekends operation. You will be able to see if there is a market for it. When you are overwhelmed with work, THEN quit the regular paycheck.


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## Win07_351 (Dec 7, 2008)

I've been self employed for 20+ years. My advice would be STAY WHERE YOU ARE.

By the time you slay the insurance beast with a family of 4, plus the liability and pay all the taxes you're not left with much.

It doesn't really sound like furnace repair in the north either (as far as keeping steadily busy).


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