Looking for work again.....

[Jumper]

I got yapped at one too many times today so gathered my things together and walked away, literally. I had temporarily moved the truck/chipper ahead fifteen feet so the client's neighbour could get their car out of the drive (at the client's request), and my boss went ballistic because I suppose it did not have his papal blessing(note the tree was already down so it is not like I was creating a bad situation).

Either I could not drive fast enough, or I was getting lost, or I was ruining his firewood, or I could not start the saw because I was not strong enough...etc etc etc. I just got tired listening to this nausea day in day out. Yesterday I was having trouble starting the 036 and I was told my arms were weak-I said that was true as a matter of fact because my left one is held together with six bolts and 4 1/2 inches of steel. Dunno how he got the two trucks out of there because the other helper could not drive. I am sure this looked really good in front of his client and must have slowed production down a little today. I was going to quit on Tuesday anyways when he took a vacation break.

Life is too short to listen to people with other issues that take it out on the nearest perceived punching bag. What can I say-he beats his dogs. Hope I get the $600 he owes me.

This was not a very classy operation. Everything got spiked for starters. And some of the pruning jobs, well let me say I could have done better, though more slowly.

As for safety no chain saw pants, not helmets, and no eye or ear protection (not me). Ever seen someone feed brush scraps into the rollers of a Vermeer 635 with the table down with their hands??? Scary.

I think I really can do better......

 

[DDM]

Jumper maybe you should move to the U.S.

 

[Jumper]

Somewhat difficult unless you have a green card, and they do not exactly give those away these days.

 

[treeclimber165]

I agree you can do better, Jumper. And I think I can do better, too. Even though I'm a middle aged drunk (sober 14 months), I think I can be a valuable asset for a GOOD company. The problem is FINDING the good companies.
I've learned a lot in my 12 years of bouncing around, after owning my own business for 8 years. (I was just like Forrest, nobody could tell me ANYTHING!) But I'm finally at the point where I really want to start stretching my abilities, not just seeing how much wood I can hump to the truck or how many trees I can clear 'off from over the roof'. And I can't do that with a one-horse outfit. I guess I should be grateful for the work, as I have paid down over $6K of debt in the 6 months I have been back to work. I guess I need to not 'rock the boat' and start sending out feelers to my many contacts in this area. I sure wish there were companies with people like Tom Dunlap or RBTree in this area, I'd love to work with someone I could learn from.

I think you can find your place in this industry, as I can find mine. All in God's time, though. I'm probably right where I need to be at this moment. :angel:

 

[Kevin]

Is there an interstate arborist company?
There is at least one international line clearing company that I`m aware of.

 

[Jumper]

Asplundh and Davie come to mind, though the former appear to be more butchers than tree guys.

 

[Kevin]

Isn`t Asplundh line clearing?

 

[Newfie]

I'm pretty sure that Asplundh is strictly line clearing and maintainence of high tension right of ways. That is all I ever see them doing and they even garage their equipment locally with the electical company.

 

[Jumper]

Asplundh

They sure descended upon this place like a pack of hungry vultures after the Ice Storm...and they were not only doing utility type stuff. But yes for the most part they do not deal with retail type customers.

 

[Reed]

Jumper-

Sounds just like the lumberjacks turned arborists I worked for in coastal South Carolina. They abused all the ground help but as long as I tipped a few beers with them after work they treated me okay.

The line-clearing low-bidders, no matter how international or reputable the outfit is, I think it's a waste of your time to work for them. You're not military anymore, don't sign-on to any large outfit where ass-kissing promotes instead of skills used.

Can't you go independent? Word-of mouth after a few small ads placed about town? Have a trusted friend or a worker you got along with you can encourage to help you?

Trust yourself.

 

[Jumper]

Too inexperienced and no capital to speak of, not to mention lack of a serviceable vehicle right now would be real hinderances. I am looking agin actively for employment in the area I worked in the Army...Supply Chain Management-either I have not enough experience or too much it seems. Got some of the money that was owed me yesterday, postdated to Friday, but about $100 in vacation pay and my pink slip were missing-by law they are to be provided by Friday as well, but I did not really want to get into a discussion about that until after the first cheque is cashed and clears. Noticed the other guy I worked with was not there either, so maybe he quit as well.....! Sure slows down your business when you can not keep help-that is four ground guys he has been through since I started six weeks ago!

 

[treeclimber165]

Jumper,
Is there a Davey Tree R/C office near you? That's Residential/Commercial, NOT line clearance. I know they have offices in every Province of Canada. They also have a website if you want to look it up.

 

[Jumper]

Davie

There is but their office/yard is located in Carp, about a 45 minute drive away-too far for the $$$$ paid, and the traffic to and from the west end of town is horrific.

I do have a resume into a more accessable arborist who is looking for people so will see what transpires there. Pay is not too hot however; I will tell him he is offering $2 less per hour than what I was getting at the last place.

 

[Reed]

One thing that might work -

Browse through the yellow pages (commercial section of the phone book) and look for tree companies - - mainly the smaller ads signifying smaller outfits. Just stop-on by their shop at a time they'll be around and relaxed (like after a workday) and chew the fat with the guys. Let 'em know about your desires and experiences even if it's low-time on trees and high-time on the chute. Scope-out the gear they have and check the condition of the trucks, the disposition of the workers (joking and friendly or bitter and jerks), and the overall presentation of the shop (meaning the parts laying around, the brand of saws, shop manuals on the shelf, etc.) .

I'm just a bit leary of the larger companies - not that they don't do good work but it's too much "top-down" management and numbers dictating results, not the other way around.

Your posts on the board seem to indicate a special variety of person you are both professionally (even if you're not one yet) and individually. You take the time to ask the right questions and offer sound advice so it seems to me that you're one-up (maybe more) than most of the people who are looking for work in this field. Somehow just get this across to the people out there who already own and run an established business, if they're good they'll see that drive in you. I understand the frustration of being "strapped" for resources keeping you from independence but if your drive to eventually work on your own (with some help of course) can be realized soon if not right now. One thing I tried to do after loosing my own hard-earned equipment back east (helping a cancer friend until I went broke) was to take and set-aside a mere $20 bucks a week and pretend it wasn't there. Tom Dunlop also helped me more than he realizes by sending me an old crusty pair of spikes (I do mostly take-downs now so irons are a large part of my forte). I got that help from this very board, so don't hesitate to ask as I believe we're all experienced with the "feast or famine" nature of being independent. Since you're retired, look for someone around your part of Ontario that may have been in Service same time you were - I bet they also don't like the stagnancy of retirement, maybe there are some skills out there?

The big outfits pay enough to make it until the next payday - unless you have free living quarters, I don't think you'll make enough to get a vehicle and feed yourself and become independent in short order before burning-out from the work itself. Big companies are big because they go non-stop, a good thing for someone 21 yrs old but not us older folk - we done did our bull work and even though we can still "shape-up" and get buff, it hurts a bit more each morning. To enter independence doesn't necessarily demand a new 4-WD four-door truck and shiney new equipment, it can be done with a $1,000 truck and two saws of any reliability and some rope and a saddle to start with - just bite at the jobs that demand no more than those resources, a bit more each time. A small outfit taking you under their arms can hone your skills I believe much better than an international conglomerate with uniforms and fancy titles and some disgruntled workers (inevitable with big outfits).

I'd just like to see you get some income that's rewarding as much as this work is unique. I've been through the biggies, worked for the Feds, but nothing is as rewarding as me deciding in the morning if I really want to go out and work that day or not - or to decide if I don't want to do a particular job based on my preferences, not needs. My helpers (when I need them) feel the same way. We're here once and only once - life is it then it's over, so go for it, get some confidence in yourself, and go sell what you'd like to do to some tree outfits, the good guys will listen, I know I would.

 

[SpikedSupra]

This could be a stretch...

Jumper,
Oakwilt is right when he says that only a small amount of capital is needed to go independent in this field. An old work truck, a couple saws, rope, and a saddle is all you would really need to get something started. Thats how I am doing it. If you have any faith in your business skills you may want to consider a small business loan. I would only suggest that if you have confidence that if you did get entreprenuerial that you would be able to find clientel and I dont know how easy it would be for you to get a loan because I am not fully aware of the details of your situation. He also mentions that there may be talent out there that would be willing to go into a partnership and that could work leaving you with only needing half of the seed capital to start. Should you go independent you wont even need to spend money on advertising. This business FLURISHES through word of mouth. I dont know if any of these options are feasible for your situation but I am trying to pave an avenue that you may be able to take. Oakwilt has a lot of good ideas and I am basically here to reiterate yet give my own small twists on it. I hope the best for you.

EDITED; NO RELATION TO THE TOPIC AT HAND

Please keep personal comments off the forum. That's what they invented e-mail, and IM's for.

 

[DDM]

Re: This could be a stretch...

Originally posted by SpikedSupra
Jumper,
Oakwilt is right when he says that only a small amount of capital is needed to go independent in this field. An old work truck, a couple saws, rope, and a saddle is all you would really need to get something started.

I Beg to Differ Did you Forget about The Commercial Tree Liabilty You will Need What costs me a Few Grand a Year that I must Figure into my Overhead which will make my Price higher than yours?

 

[SpikedSupra]

Liabilty insurance

Well if Jumper did get his own thing started he wouldnt need even close to the liability insurance your company has. I am only going to carry a couple hundred thousand because thats all my operation calls for. This is relatively cheap as opposed to having millions.

 

[DDM]

I only Have 1 Million.

 

[SpikedSupra]

How much does that cost you David?

How much does one million in liability cost you for your business?

 

[DDM]

2450.00 a Yr That # sticks in my Head.
Its not the easiest thing to get Either.
It was only 975.00 Last yr. I had 0 Claims No employees and it still went up that Much! Must be a 9-11 thing.