Need a little help guys...

[Brian Hamilton]

Thanks for all your words guys!! As far as my education, I graduated High School and went right to work to help support my family (mom, brother, step-sisters) because my step-dad was a lazy sombitch. We moved from Alabama to Texas because he said he had all this computer experience and Austin, Texas was going to be the next Silicone Valley. He was right! But he lost his job after only 2 years and NEVER got another one. So Brian, being the badass he is, decided he was going to help out by giving my mom most of what I made at my job. Everyone needs a little play money though. SO I have been working since 1997, solid.

I know the importance of a higher education, my problem is I never saw anything that interested me enough to dump a TON of cash into learning about it. If something interests me, I start hanging out with those people associated with that thing and absorb their knowledge and experience like a sponge. LOL This works well in most cases, but in automotive it worked extremely well. But the bad thing is, you learn a lot about most things, but some things you never learn anything about. I didn't understand timing untill only a couple years ago and I'm still not completely up on it, but on the flip side, I can tell you all about forced induction, fuel system design, and stuff like that. You know, the COOL stuff. Hehe.

I guess I just need to find that career that I love and that I can make a decent living at. My whole life I wanted to make $100k a year. That's been a goal of mine FOREVER. I know it's not a ton of cash, but something about a 6 figure income just gets me. I guess it's that allure of $100,000.00... I mean look at all those 0's!! With my education and experience though, it seems that this was one of the only careers in which I could attain that level of income. It seems that yet again I have decided to persue a new career at the worst time imaginable. Go me!

I was looking at getting my rotary wing license to be a commercial helicopter pilot. I thought that would be a really cool job and they pay really well. Then upon investigating the cost associated, it's hard to shell out $60k for an education.

Whoever said money can't buy happiness, obviously wasn't completely broke...

 

[Chris Headon]

Brian
What Steve C said about your present employer is right. If he isn't paying you a retainer and you are not getting commission because nothing is moving then in reality you are not working for him. he should be aware of the situation and open to allow you to make money somewhere else while still being in his employ. I had to negotiate quite afew deals in my favour when I was younger and working for a big firm, the majority of people did not think to ask but I negotiated an early morning shift for me that increased output at the same time as increasing access time for others on the equipment. I had reduced working hours and a little more money; win win, but the management had not thought of it. If you can go to your employer with a deal that he thinks is good for him but works to your advantage, then he should go for it. Decide what you want to do and offer that as a complete package, do the work for him so he has no decision to make, I find by doing that you always get the result you want. Best of luck.

 

[Gregg]

Brian, I do not know the requirements to become a mortgage broker, but it may be worth looking into. I know the real estate market on purchase/sale is dead but based upon the low interest rates and Obama's plan the refinancing industry is hot right now. At least up here it is.

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Yeah, one of my really great friends is a Mortgage Broker. The guy I worked for actually. LOL He's doing OK, but he also sees the light at the end of the tunnel. Today I've been hitting listings pretty hard, I've contacted about 20 FSBO's and trying to make something work. Seems that the market right now is in the <$500k price range, at least around here. I actually just spoke with a lady about a nice property right near the track I'm planning the Ford Track Day at on the 6th of June. The home sounds wonderful and I'm going to try to grab a listing and go check it out this week maybe. That would be a great place for a true car nut, they said you can see the track from their back balcony. I wonder how great the view is...

 

[Ron Earp]

Brian, one thing to be cautious about is to make sure you’re not always chasing the next big thing. I’ve had a few friends like that over the years that were always onto a new plan, "the next thing", and looking for money. Coincidentally, or not, these folks were involved in insurance, brokering, and real estate (Scott, if you’re reading this, hello!). In my humble opinion there is no easy path to success. For every person one can cite for an example that found an “easy path”, 100,000 were waylaid and failed.<o></o>
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Find something you like, focus on it. Excel in it. Don’t let go of it. Don’t get distracted. The money WILL come if you excel and are successful in your chosen path.<o></o>
<o> </o>
If you want to fly rotorcraft become a pilot. Join a flying club. Work at a local field and work your way up from there. If you’re passionate about it you WILL find a way to make it happen. But if it is just a passing fancy or pipe dream you’ll fail. <o></o>
<o> </o>
Do heed the advice about planning for a family and having your “house in order”. Kids are tough, fun, but tough. Your life needs to be in order before you bring another one into it. You’ll be miserable sitting up at 4am with an infant if you’re wondering what you’re going to do for a job or where the rent is coming from. <o></o>
<o> </o>
You’ve got a lot of enthusiasm. Focus it and make something happen.<o></o>

 

[David Sturch]

Brian,
Try taking up a trade. Employers tend to get subidized for apprentices. It also makes you marketable anywhere in your state or country, even outside your country. Millwright (IMM), Industrial Electrician, Tool and Die, Welder Fitter . You may have to travel but you can work in any industry in the future once you get your ticket.
Dave

 

[Ian K]

Brian,

Where exactly in Texas are you again? I have some contacts at various Universities -
TAMU, UTEP, etc.

Ron and others have it right, family first. I am underpaid by far compared to the
private sector, but I have solid employment security and a great benefits package.
I even have a friend looking to get in from the private sector, and she was making
well over 100K/yr - she sees positions that pay just over 100K and says that it
would still be a pay cut. When I was up in the Bay Area, I was approaching six
figures pretty quickly, but stalled when my boss retired, my new boss and I never
got along, and two restructures changed many facets of my job. So, I took a big
pay cut to come back to San Diego, and I have been slowly crawling my way back
up the ladder. Of course, we now have two kids, and my wife is a stay at home
mom for the most part (significant loss of income there). And, since we lived in
Sacramento, the cost of living has gone up.

Why do I mention this? Well, for one, I made these choices based upon the family
first mantra. Commuting from Sacramento to Oakland five days a week was bad
for my health and family - there were days when I wouldn't even get to see my son,
I would leave at 5AM before he woke up, and get home at 7:30PM if all went well,
and he would be asleep. So, the move to San Diego, to get closer to work, and have
nearby family support was a major factor.

But, secondly, I can put this in perspective with my educational background. Yes,
I have a 4 year degree from a major university of some reknown (well, OK, it took
me almost 6 years). However, my degree is in Drama. I started down the Electrical
Engineering/Computer Engineering route, but I got sick of the long hours, and had
some family and personal crisis to deal with. And, I was working full time just to
stay in school. At one point, I was almost kicked out for poor grades. After the
turnaround, and getting my degree, I was still stuck - not much work out there for
a Drama degree. So, I worked for campus in a student-to-staff position, followed up
by two rehires as a non-career hire, and then went on to manage a pub for little
money (under $30K). I finally decided (with much prodding from my future wife) to
go back to school at night in a non degree hands on certification program doing IT.
I was able to parlay that into some volunteer work on campus (about 10 hours/week)
while managing the pub, and that volunteer work led me to a career position. Again,
I was only making about the same as I was making managing the pub, but, after
about 2.5 years, I took the job in Berkeley/Oakland, and more than doubled my salary
in a year. Now, I am home by 5:30PM pretty much every day, and get to spend
quality time with the kids. And, I leave the house at 7:15AM, most of the time both
kids are up.

So, my advice, find something that you like. Something you can see yourself working hard
for, something that you can see yourself doing every day, something that you could
make a decent living at. It doesn't have to be your true love, but something you can
wake up to every day and say, "Hey, this isn't too bad, I kinda like it". See if there is
some sort of hands-on or certification program available. See what financial aid options
are available, or how much you can get loanwise (I, unfortunately, had to use credit
cards at first - it took some time to pay it off, but I did). And, you can still work on real
estate on the side - I have a few friends that do exactly that.

Ian

 

[Chad]

I wonder if Fran is hiring at RCR?

Who cares how much you earn when you have the coolest job in the world.

 

[Keith]

I promised myself I wouldn't but hey ho... :blank:

Sit down, be still, look around and chill..
What is precious ? To yourself and not to others,
And when you know what is precious to yourself,whether it be made of steel, bricks or flesh and blood,
You will sleep happier..and when you sleep like that, you sleep peacefully,and when you sleep peacefully...
You wake in the morning, you wake...
Not with a feeling of despair,
But with a determination to fight for all that you truly hold precious..............

Works for me mate....

 

[Brian Hamilton]

I wonder if Fran is hiring at RCR?

Who cares how much you earn when you have the coolest job in the world.

Uh, yeah. That would absolutely be the most spectacular job I could ever think of. Something where I am around creative people all day having great ideas and making them come true. Somewhere that has all the machines and knowhow to make anything come to fruition. If only the shop wasn't in the fuckin arctic circle!!!! I'm a Southern Boy and my white ass would friggin freeze up there. Not to mention the wife already said, "Uh, yeah if he opens a southern branch." LOL

I promised myself I wouldn't but hey ho... :blank:

Sit down, be still, look around and chill..
What is precious ? To yourself and not to others,
And when you know what is precious to yourself,whether it be made of steel, bricks or flesh and blood,
You will sleep happier..and when you sleep like that, you sleep peacefully,and when you sleep peacefully...
You wake in the morning, you wake...
Not with a feeling of despair,
But with a determination to fight for all that you truly hold precious..............

Works for me mate....

Keith,
I've been doing that a lot lately. I think what really got me going on this whole tear is the sales meeting we had where my broker basically preached the end of the world for about 30 minutes. Got me scared and got me really down on myself for putting my family in this situation where I was destined to fail, again. I got home and looked at my wife, and she said she loved me and always will. She said she realizes I'm a dreamer and always will be looking for the best way to provide more for our family, even if it is a little out there. LOL I'd still like to get a stable career with a stable paycheck, but apparently with my education (or lack thereof) I'm again destined to low pay. Unless I get a badass opportunity, but we'll see.

Guys, I really appreciate all the help you've given me. Lots of kind words and encouragement go a long way. :thumbsup:

Too bad none of you are gonna be at the track event in a couple of weeks, I'd give ya a big hug! LOL

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Well guys, things are looking up. I made a few calls this week and listed 2 properties right at Motorsport Ranch in Dallas (Cresson).

One is a building lot RIGHT ON THE TRACK. It's up for around $70k, haven't gotten the guy to give me a firm price yet. It sits on the apex of "Big Bend Turn" which is on the northwest corner of the track if I'm not mistaken. There are these stand alone condos which are built there that range in price from $150k - $300k depending on the floorplan and options. Really sweet deal.

THe other is a 3,600+ sq ft home on 6+ acres that is right across the highway from the track. It's got a 4 car garage and sits on an awesome lot. The home is a Tilt Wall construction which means there's a 2x6" framework which is stuffed with insulation, then the exterior is 5" thick concrete which is lifted into place and attached to the framework and then cemented together. This makes the home extremely energy efficient and also blocks out just about all the sound from outside. You can see the track from their backyard and the upstairs patio. It was awesome. It's up for $330k.

Anyway, not trying to peddle my wares, but I guess when I start stressing out, things kinda seem to come around. Now I need to sell some of these. Hahaha

Laters,

Brian

 

[Jack]

Best of luck with them Brian! Hang in there...

 

[Brian Hamilton]

:thumbsup:

Trying!!

 

[WEGENER Engineering]

Hi Brian
I am sorry to hear that you are at such a crossroads in your life. You got some valuable advise from some of the best guys on this forum and I should leave it at that but I still feel compelled to add my not so humble opinion.
What seems like ten lifetimes ago I lived in a modern glasshouse on a hillside overlooking Pasadena, Calif.
After the divorce I was broke living in a rented airplane hangar. I had been self employed all my life but the helplessness in dealing with the court system killed my spirit. Selling off what was left of many prized possessions big and small I reached a point of no return and went out and got a job as a car salesman. It could have been life insurance or real estate. All those jobs are the same. You are going nowhere - fast. So I quit and here is what got me back on track.
I had a few rare old model kits left which I traded for a '68 BMW 4door sedan. The BMW I sold for $600 which allowed me to buy a used Apple computer. I listed everything I owned on ebay and it got me enough to rent a shop on a main street in a little town. My goal was to buy and sell vintage sports cars and motorcycles but I still had to sell on ebay to make ends meet. People buy everything you list if its cheap enough. I would ask friends for old garage junk and would get a box of crap. Still in the end such a box was worth $200. After a while I got a wholesale account for motorcycle parts and a business license. Now I was making $2K-$3k on ebay and I was able to scour the backyards for old cars and did so with some success.
Well you get the idea. In 2007 I was able to buy a polished Kirkham which although I could only afford to enjoy for a short time made me feel pretty good about myself again.
So in a nutshell here is my advice:
Quit the Real estate racket. If you were considered a valuable employee they would cough up some dough to help you out.
Without an education you can only make serious money by being in sales for yourself.
Get a 9-5 at the auto parts store and have some income.
Use that income to buy stuff to sell on ebay. Let your entrepreneurial spirit take you from there.
There is no recession. It is only in people's heads. Yesterday they had a big 500 mile desert race here. We watched the tech inspection at the high school. Race cars, dualies, trailers - no recession in sight.
Sure nobody buys real estate or a second house or a new truck but people will always follow their hobbies. And those are the people that do not lose their jobs because they are focused. Find a niche that you like and sell to it. I like british motorcycles and Ford powered sports cars. Works for me. Always did.
I will gladly answer any of your questions. Just PM me.
Hang in there Kid!
Mike

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the words of advice. Sounds like you've got a nice little shop going on there! I was actually speaking with a few of my friends about that exact same thing. Selling vintage/hotrod autos. We'd pick up a decent car like a 60's Mustang, drop in a new drivetrain, new suspension, disc brakes all around, new paint, etc. Basically clean it up and bring it to modern performance specs and then sell them. My buddy was looking at going to some of the auto auctions around and snagging up some classic metal and starting the inventory. He works at Dell and has for over 10 years and his position won't get cut. He's also got some liquid capital to play with. I also have a friend in California who wants to start a performance and exotic car dealership and service shop. Pretty much sell nice used BMW, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc. as well as service each model with AFFORDABLE prices. Plus do a little customization such as wheels, bigger brakes, stereo equipment, suspension, exhaust, ECU tuning, bolt on performance parts, etc. We're all big car nuts and we think these would be killer jobs.

There is a recession, it may be in people's minds but if you'll look at the stock market, it's extremely evident that there is a financial plumet. It will come back, but it'll take a little time. Now isn't the time to start either of those businesses, but it is the time to purchase things. Real Estate is a buyers market. Auto's are a buyers market (people wanting liquid cash instead of another project). Texas is one of the last stable economies in the country. We didn't get overly inflated housing prices (California, Florida, Arizona) and we haven't been hit so hard by anything else really. I have been getting buyer inquiries from all over the nation on our properties, only problem is, they can't sell the properties where they're currently at for any sort of decent price. Oh well.

I think I'll stick it out guys. I don't want to quit since I've invested so much time and money into this job. If I keep building my client list and inventory of listings, once this economy turns around, I'll be poised to make some serious bank.

Laters,

Brian

 

[Marcus]

Brian,

I´m certainly in no position to give advice on anyone´s life.

But the many good posts in this thread (Mike´s and Ron´s in particular) all contain two fundamental truths:

1.) Being an adult means knowing that no one is there to help you out of a mess. It can only be you.

2.) All there comes from nothing is nothing. So hoping for the market to recover, hoping for a friend to invest money, hoping for the holy spirit to enlighten you, hoping for the world to turn into a better place etc. etc. won´t lead you anywhere.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Best wishes,
Marcus

 

[Randy V]

No advice here...

Just a point to ponder as it's caused me to do many times;

If you always do what you've always done - You'll always get what you've always got.

All the best to you Brian...

 

[Ian Anderson]

Brian

A couple of things from someone about your age!
1) Do something that people always need Basics are Food, clothing and undertaking.
2) It takes a certain kind of person to do the undertaking bit - but lets face it you'll always have business in a reasonably sized town / village
3) Clothing - difficult to match the buying power of Wallmar but not impossible - I know we sell to them!
4) Food well we all need to eat and perhaps you can combine it with something else. (And I don't mean a drive through funeral service) So how about a bar / diner operation with a slant on cars / vehicles and offer your local car clubs somewhere to meet and show off their rides. Yes it's hard work and long hours but it COULD be a way forward to your hobby, a residence (Above the shop) and a way to earn your keep.

Just another idea

IAn

 

[Brian Hamilton]

Brian

A couple of things from someone about your age!
1) Do something that people always need Basics are Food, clothing and undertaking.
2) It takes a certain kind of person to do the undertaking bit - but lets face it you'll always have business in a reasonably sized town / village
3) Clothing - difficult to match the buying power of Wallmar but not impossible - I know we sell to them!
4) Food well we all need to eat and perhaps you can combine it with something else. (And I don't mean a drive through funeral service) So how about a bar / diner operation with a slant on cars / vehicles and offer your local car clubs somewhere to meet and show off their rides. Yes it's hard work and long hours but it COULD be a way forward to your hobby, a residence (Above the shop) and a way to earn your keep.

Just another idea

IAn

Hahaha! Drive through Undertaker!! Bring out your dead!

Really though, this town does need a nice bar/pool hall. My wife and I have a great idea for one loosely based on our favorite place in Austin, but the startup would be expensive (for us to afford). That's the only reason we haven't done that yet. I know it'd take off like crazy, mainly due to the fact there isn't really a bar here other than Chili's. No shit! In a town of over 35,000 people the only bar is in friggin Chili's. (Chili's is a resturant where you get burgers and southwestern food and BBQ for those of you who don't know.) Anyone wanna give me a call and listen to a pitch and become partners? LOL

Laters,

Brian

 

[Dave Wood]

Realize first that living for the better doesn't have much to do with money. You're focusing too much on money.

I have to agree 100%. My life has always continued to get better, from the day after I graduated High School and for the last 40 years. You can ask anyone, money was the least of my focus. I always told my kids as they were growing up...I don't care WHAT you decide to do...just do what YOU enjoy, because you'll wind up doing it all your life. You can make a lot of money in jobs that you hate to go to and be miserable compared to someone that does what they enjoy....and makes far less.