trucking
 

I have a trucking company and everyone that i talk to that is in this line
of bussines is not happy. We have to deal with a ton of rules and
regulations (DOT, MTO, 48 States, 10 Provinces each one with their own
rules), stupid overpaid drivers (making $13-15 hundreed per week in their
pocket), wrecking your equipment, frying loads or tipping over trailer,
insurance companies ripping our shirts off (I pay about 15'000.00 per truck
per year, that's like 12-13 hundreed per month! and if you have a claim you
get kicked out! I'm a small company (5 trucks), the company is worth about
$600'000.00, with this kind of dough invested i make enough to pay all the
leaches out there (ripoff repairs-last year an engine cost me 22'000.00$;
tires at 300-600$ a pop; loans; insurance $6300.00 per month;
drivers-$24'000.00) so every month i make what? like $90'000.00, this is
ninety thousand dollars per month!!!, Now, I don't drink, I don't do drugs,
I don't drive a fancy car, I have 6 other people helping me with the
operations of the company, they don't steal from me (I know for sure as I
get paid with cheques and the accounting is independent-ha! another gi a
month! f....ing leach!).
My credit cards are maxed out all the time (I have an outstanding credit,
but f...ing stressfull), my bank account is constantly dry: 90 in 90 out...
What is that I am doing wrong?
I have my own mechanic (it saves me around 10 gis a month in road repairs as
oposed to previous years, and I have a good maintenace program)
Got my own warehouse (pays for itself) but I lease (can't come up with the
fricking down payment!)
I fired 4 employees last year to cut on salaries (now, the ones that are
left have more to do, so they have a full 8 hr days, so what?!, pay them
more...still saves me couple of gi's a week)
So why I can't get out of debt ( $400'000.00 and counting)?
If I sell my equipment I will pay off only part of what I owe and probably
end up with a debt of 50-60 grand (because the equipment is already
depreciated), at least now I have some cash flow...
Does anybody know what is there to do? Any good busines ideas, I don't
know...like a restaurant or a massage parlour...anything, just something.

The New Guy

trucking
 

I'm sure everybody here feels for you. I've heard the same from other
truckers and trucking outfits. PITA for sure. Hope you're not thinking of
boat building as a way to make some cash. You know what the boatbuilder
said he'd do with the money he'd won from the lottery? "I reckon I'll keep
on building boats until the money runs out."

Brian

PS: Sell the _business_, not the equipment. Income streams are worth far
more than capital equipment. Have your accountant make all the numbers
pretty, put on expensive clothing and show up in a nice car, then let some
other guy take on the hassles...shake his hand real nice like. Take your
money and buy into businesses that deal in addiction, e.g. liquor store or
cigarettes or both. No matter how bad the economy, people keep buying the
addictive stuff.

--
My boat project: http://www.advantagecomposites.com/tongass


"The new guy" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
I have a trucking company and everyone that i talk to that is in this line
of bussines is not happy. We have to deal with a ton of rules and
regulations (DOT, MTO, 48 States, 10 Provinces each one with their own
rules), stupid overpaid drivers (making $13-15 hundreed per week in their
pocket), wrecking your equipment, frying loads or tipping over trailer,
insurance companies ripping our shirts off (I pay about 15'000.00 per
truck
per year, that's like 12-13 hundreed per month! and if you have a claim
you
get kicked out! I'm a small company (5 trucks), the company is worth
about
$600'000.00, with this kind of dough invested i make enough to pay all the
leaches out there (ripoff repairs-last year an engine cost me 22'000.00$;
tires at 300-600$ a pop; loans; insurance $6300.00 per month;
drivers-$24'000.00) so every month i make what? like $90'000.00, this is
ninety thousand dollars per month!!!, Now, I don't drink, I don't do
drugs,
I don't drive a fancy car, I have 6 other people helping me with the
operations of the company, they don't steal from me (I know for sure as I
get paid with cheques and the accounting is independent-ha! another gi a
month! f....ing leach!).
My credit cards are maxed out all the time (I have an outstanding credit,
but f...ing stressfull), my bank account is constantly dry: 90 in 90
out...
What is that I am doing wrong?
I have my own mechanic (it saves me around 10 gis a month in road repairs
as
oposed to previous years, and I have a good maintenace program)
Got my own warehouse (pays for itself) but I lease (can't come up with the
fricking down payment!)
I fired 4 employees last year to cut on salaries (now, the ones that are
left have more to do, so they have a full 8 hr days, so what?!, pay them
more...still saves me couple of gi's a week)
So why I can't get out of debt ( $400'000.00 and counting)?
If I sell my equipment I will pay off only part of what I owe and probably
end up with a debt of 50-60 grand (because the equipment is already
depreciated), at least now I have some cash flow...
Does anybody know what is there to do? Any good busines ideas, I don't
know...like a restaurant or a massage parlour...anything, just something.

The New Guy

trucking
 

"The new guy" wrote in message news:9jjsb.29602 Does anybody know what is there to do? Any good busines ideas, I don't
know...like a restaurant or a massage parlour...anything, just something.

The New Guy


Well, in our house we are of the opinion that if you gotta be broke,
you may as well be happy. Both of us work for ourselves and anyone who
has been by knows we are probably as broke as anyone but we always do
what we want, punch no clocks, play with the kids when we feel like
it... the trade off is we have not had a vacation in ten years, which
is also the average age of our cars.
Life is short, you gotta' do what you love, there can be no
compromise.
Sounds like you don't mind a little hard work, just gotta find
something more satisfying...
Scotty from SmallBoats.com

trucking
 

Sure, That is easy, just get into a business that has No rent, No insurance,
No employees, limited inventory! One that allows you to work when you want,
where you want, with who you want. One that pays you for your efforts and
has unlimited income potential. And Yes there is such a deal! If you would
like to know more, email me.

Bill Sheffield

trucking
 

I always thought that if you wanted to make money you had to have money.
If you have to borrow the money, then that decreases your chances of
making money because you have to service the debt which means others
are making money from your investment.
I think that many business's have an optimum size that they can operate
at or they are either so large that management loses control or so small
that they can't compete. I'm not sure what the optimum size for a
trucking business is but it probably depends on your market area. Mabey
the inefficiency of having employees is what is sucking you dry. What
about having ONE truck and One driver? (you)
Yours is a capital intensive business and a service business. You have
to have a lot of overhead just to provide the service which after being
performed, you get paid for only once. Compare that to say, a writer,
who writes his book, finds a publisher, and then collects royalties for
years...if he is lucky...even though he doesn't have to keep doing the
work. His only overhead is a computer. Or how about a salesman that once
he has sold an account, gets a percentage every time there is a
recurring sale.
Boat designers (and everything gets related to boats on this NG, doesn't
it?) try to cash in on this concept by designing boats and then charging
people everytime a plan is sold. Sure there are ongoing printing and
advertising and mabey consulting costs, but the major work is done. If
you have a design that everyone likes and you can charge enough for it,
it might be a good business. But like anything else it takes hard work,
talent, skill and luck.
One thing you could do is hire a manager to analyse your business and
implement changes. Have him work on a percentage basis. If he performs,
he makes more money, if he fails he is fired. He has to earn his keep as
do all employees. You will be freed to pursue other options because you
won't need to be watching everything all the time but many owners are
unable to let go and delegate things and so wind up miserable
and broke when they could have been miserable, broke, and building
boats.

The new guy wrote:
I have a trucking company and everyone that i talk to that is in this line
of bussines is not happy. We have to deal with a ton of rules and
regulations (DOT, MTO, 48 States, 10 Provinces each one with their own
rules), stupid overpaid drivers (making $13-15 hundreed per week in their
pocket), wrecking your equipment, frying loads or tipping over trailer,
insurance companies ripping our shirts off (I pay about 15'000.00 per truck
per year, that's like 12-13 hundreed per month! and if you have a claim you
get kicked out! I'm a small company (5 trucks), the company is worth about
$600'000.00, with this kind of dough invested i make enough to pay all the
leaches out there (ripoff repairs-last year an engine cost me 22'000.00$;
tires at 300-600$ a pop; loans; insurance $6300.00 per month;
drivers-$24'000.00) so every month i make what? like $90'000.00, this is
ninety thousand dollars per month!!!, Now, I don't drink, I don't do drugs,
I don't drive a fancy car, I have 6 other people helping me with the
operations of the company, they don't steal from me (I know for sure as I
get paid with cheques and the accounting is independent-ha! another gi a
month! f....ing leach!).
My credit cards are maxed out all the time (I have an outstanding credit,
but f...ing stressfull), my bank account is constantly dry: 90 in 90 out...
What is that I am doing wrong?
I have my own mechanic (it saves me around 10 gis a month in road repairs as
oposed to previous years, and I have a good maintenace program)
Got my own warehouse (pays for itself) but I lease (can't come up with the
fricking down payment!)
I fired 4 employees last year to cut on salaries (now, the ones that are
left have more to do, so they have a full 8 hr days, so what?!, pay them
more...still saves me couple of gi's a week)
So why I can't get out of debt ( $400'000.00 and counting)?
If I sell my equipment I will pay off only part of what I owe and probably
end up with a debt of 50-60 grand (because the equipment is already
depreciated), at least now I have some cash flow...
Does anybody know what is there to do? Any good busines ideas, I don't
know...like a restaurant or a massage parlour...anything, just something.

The New Guy

trucking
 

Oh god...not Amway

Bill Sheffield wrote:
Sure, That is easy, just get into a business that has No rent, No insurance,
No employees, limited inventory! One that allows you to work when you want,
where you want, with who you want. One that pays you for your efforts and
has unlimited income potential. And Yes there is such a deal! If you would
like to know more, email me.

Bill Sheffield

trucking
 

Nope. Playtex Bras ... a lot more fun during the sale...

"stevej" wrote in message
...
Oh god...not Amway

Bill Sheffield wrote:
Sure, That is easy, just get into a business that has No rent, No
insurance,
No employees, limited inventory! One that allows you to work when you
want,
where you want, with who you want. One that pays you for your efforts
and
has unlimited income potential. And Yes there is such a deal! If you
would
like to know more, email me.

Bill Sheffield

trucking
 

Thank you for the advise Steve. but I don't drive trucks (don't know how)
Before trucking I was involved in 4 different types of business's, all in
the service sector. On the first one I got shut down by a major competiror
who dumped the price of the service bellow my cost, I ended up loosing 15
thousand customers across the states and in less than a month almost went
bankrupt, as the customers left me with an outstanding receivable of close
to half a mil. So after I paid off all the creditors I had left less than
100 g's and invested in 2 different ventures (service as well), but they did
not take off, so I ended up selling them in the market for what I paid for
(my only profit was that I bought 2 houses and kept the mortgage payments
current for those years. Then with that money I ventured in trucking (BIG
MISTAKE). So I think maybe service is not the place to be, maybe I should
try manufacturing (but what?), see I have the trucks to deliver the product,
plus I have access to thousands of truckers as well, to whom I don't need to
pay for 30 days if I hire them for transporting. Maybe I should get into
buying and selling some products (but what?)...
My problem is that I have no time to do research during the day...my cell
phone bill comes in a book (30 pages), I spend hours a day on the phone
closing deals (arranging transportation). Most of the people that I deal
with are brokers or farmers or truckers...and all they know is this, what
they do, as they have been doing it for years...not me man, I'm getting fed
up.
Today I got lost in the city and drove into an upscale neighborhood....the
houses were like in the movies, I did not even knew that in my city there
are houses like that. So, why is that if I work as hard as I do, I can't
afford a place like that?


"stevej" wrote in message
...
I always thought that if you wanted to make money you had to have money.
If you have to borrow the money, then that decreases your chances of

trucking
 

The new guy wrote:

Thank you for the advise Steve. but I don't drive trucks (don't know how)
Before trucking I was involved in 4 different types of business's, all in
the service sector. On the first one I got shut down by a major competiror
who dumped the price of the service bellow my cost, I ended up loosing 15
thousand customers across the states and in less than a month almost went
bankrupt, as the customers left me with an outstanding receivable of close
to half a mil. So after I paid off all the creditors I had left less than
100 g's and invested in 2 different ventures (service as well), but they did
not take off, so I ended up selling them in the market for what I paid for
(my only profit was that I bought 2 houses and kept the mortgage payments
current for those years. Then with that money I ventured in trucking (BIG
MISTAKE). So I think maybe service is not the place to be, maybe I should
try manufacturing (but what?), see I have the trucks to deliver the product,
plus I have access to thousands of truckers as well, to whom I don't need to
pay for 30 days if I hire them for transporting. Maybe I should get into
buying and selling some products (but what?)...
My problem is that I have no time to do research during the day...my cell
phone bill comes in a book (30 pages), I spend hours a day on the phone
closing deals (arranging transportation). Most of the people that I deal
with are brokers or farmers or truckers...and all they know is this, what
they do, as they have been doing it for years...not me man, I'm getting fed
up.
Today I got lost in the city and drove into an upscale neighborhood....the
houses were like in the movies, I did not even knew that in my city there
are houses like that. So, why is that if I work as hard as I do, I can't
afford a place like that?

"stevej" wrote in message
...
I always thought that if you wanted to make money you had to have money.
If you have to borrow the money, then that decreases your chances of

Bad judgment?


--


An amateur built the ark ....professionals built the Titanic.

trucking
 

Buying/selling: This means "channel partner" or "distributor". Better off
doing localized warehousing. As competitive pressures increase, you'll see
"channel partners" bite the dust and companies going to direct sales as much
as they can. Retail outlets will need to skip the middle man and deal more
with the supplier companies directly. It's a trend, not a rule. There will
always be exceptions.

Another trend that the US-effing government doesn't tell you about is how
they give big corps tax breaks for locating operations overseas:
development, manufacturing, distribution. Mainly, that means China.
Companies such as the one I work for (I won't divulge) don't even begin to
think about it ...all things go directly overseas. All the reasons that
used to be used to argue against such action are gone with the wind,
dismissed with a wave of the hand and a statement that "*This* product is
very cost sensitive. We have no choice." So when have products NOT been
"cost sensitive"? Have you ever met someone who said "Gee, it's OK if I
make lower net margin on our product!" Risk mitigation is a thing of the
past, except possibly the use of a little geographical diversification now
and then...quickly dropped if you can't find an outfit to do what you want,
at lightning speed, and at minimum cost ...can you say "Asia is the choice"?
Except for software ...that's India. Manufacturing is also becoming "east
Europe", places like Hungary. They can make homemade leather shoes, whack a
donkey with a stick to lead a wagon, and manufacture computers.

What *must* remain in the US (as *ssh*les pull the rug out from under our
gross national product, in the name of "favored trade partners" and "world
trade"), is warehousing and distribution of 'American' and other products
that are produced overseas, but needed here. The balance of labor will lean
towards small and medium sized companies rather than towards large blue-chip
companies, primarily because these outfits can't afford to move overseas.
The US and parts of Europe will remain the primary innovation centers, and
that's good ...the rest of the world has at best become good at copying and
refining, but never at innovating or invention.

Don't believe me? Do your own research and check it against my notes above.
Let me know if I'm wrong...I'd love to be. But as a professionals, my wife
and I are worried. We are paying off our house ASAP and operating on a
cash-only basis ...zero debt within 5 years. If we do that, we can live on
only 50% of our current income level, or even less if we adjust our
lifestyle. This may become necessary as various transitions and movement of
gross product moves overseas (thanks to you-know-whats like Bill Clinton and
George Bush ...yes, it's a nonpartisan effort to undermine the US economy,
one piece at a time ...Clinton, for one-world government, and Bush, for
relations with other nations ...the old form of America is gone and world
economy is with us, along with the downsized opportunities and incomes
associated with operating with a larger resource pool.) The changes that
have occurred in this country since when my career started are startling and
scary. We'll play our cards right and do OK. Even if I'm completely wrong
(hopefully am), then at worst, our plan will just make life more flexible
and easier.

Brian


"The new guy" wrote in message
.cable.rogers.com...
Thank you for the advise Steve. but I don't drive trucks (don't know how)
Before trucking I was involved in 4 different types of business's, all in
the service sector. On the first one I got shut down by a major
competiror
who dumped the price of the service bellow my cost, I ended up loosing 15
thousand customers across the states and in less than a month almost went
bankrupt, as the customers left me with an outstanding receivable of close
to half a mil. So after I paid off all the creditors I had left less than
100 g's and invested in 2 different ventures (service as well), but they
did
not take off, so I ended up selling them in the market for what I paid for
(my only profit was that I bought 2 houses and kept the mortgage payments
current for those years. Then with that money I ventured in trucking (BIG
MISTAKE). So I think maybe service is not the place to be, maybe I should
try manufacturing (but what?), see I have the trucks to deliver the
product,
plus I have access to thousands of truckers as well, to whom I don't need
to
pay for 30 days if I hire them for transporting. Maybe I should get into
buying and selling some products (but what?)...
My problem is that I have no time to do research during the day...my cell
phone bill comes in a book (30 pages), I spend hours a day on the phone
closing deals (arranging transportation). Most of the people that I deal
with are brokers or farmers or truckers...and all they know is this, what
they do, as they have been doing it for years...not me man, I'm getting
fed
up.
Today I got lost in the city and drove into an upscale neighborhood....the
houses were like in the movies, I did not even knew that in my city there
are houses like that. So, why is that if I work as hard as I do, I can't
afford a place like that?


"stevej" wrote in message
...
I always thought that if you wanted to make money you had to have money.
If you have to borrow the money, then that decreases your chances of

trucking
 

No......It's Not

Bill :)
"stevej" wrote in message
...
Oh god...not Amway

Bill Sheffield wrote:
Sure, That is easy, just get into a business that has No rent, No
insurance,
No employees, limited inventory! One that allows you to work when you
want,
where you want, with who you want. One that pays you for your efforts
and
has unlimited income potential. And Yes there is such a deal! If you
would
like to know more, email me.

Bill Sheffield

trucking
 

Brian D wrote:
Buying/selling: This means "channel partner" or "distributor". Better off
doing localized warehousing. As competitive pressures increase, you'll see
"channel partners" bite the dust and companies going to direct sales as much
as they can. Retail outlets will need to skip the middle man and deal more
with the supplier companies directly. It's a trend, not a rule. There will
always be exceptions.

Another trend that the US-effing government doesn't tell you about is how
they give big corps tax breaks for locating operations overseas:
development, manufacturing, distribution. Mainly, that means China.
Companies such as the one I work for (I won't divulge) don't even begin to
think about it ...all things go directly overseas. All the reasons that
used to be used to argue against such action are gone with the wind,
dismissed with a wave of the hand and a statement that "*This* product is
very cost sensitive. We have no choice." So when have products NOT been
"cost sensitive"? Have you ever met someone who said "Gee, it's OK if I
make lower net margin on our product!" Risk mitigation is a thing of the
past, except possibly the use of a little geographical diversification now
and then...quickly dropped if you can't find an outfit to do what you want,
at lightning speed, and at minimum cost ...can you say "Asia is the choice"?
Except for software ...that's India. Manufacturing is also becoming "east
Europe", places like Hungary. They can make homemade leather shoes, whack a
donkey with a stick to lead a wagon, and manufacture computers.

What *must* remain in the US (as *ssh*les pull the rug out from under our
gross national product, in the name of "favored trade partners" and "world
trade"), is warehousing and distribution of 'American' and other products
that are produced overseas, but needed here. The balance of labor will lean
towards small and medium sized companies rather than towards large blue-chip
companies, primarily because these outfits can't afford to move overseas.
The US and parts of Europe will remain the primary innovation centers, and
that's good ...the rest of the world has at best become good at copying and
refining, but never at innovating or invention.

Don't believe me? Do your own research and check it against my notes above.
Let me know if I'm wrong...I'd love to be. But as a professionals, my wife
and I are worried. We are paying off our house ASAP and operating on a
cash-only basis ...zero debt within 5 years. If we do that, we can live on
only 50% of our current income level, or even less if we adjust our
lifestyle. This may become necessary as various transitions and movement of
gross product moves overseas (thanks to you-know-whats like Bill Clinton and
George Bush ...yes, it's a nonpartisan effort to undermine the US economy,
one piece at a time ...Clinton, for one-world government, and Bush, for
relations with other nations ...the old form of America is gone and world
economy is with us, along with the downsized opportunities and incomes
associated with operating with a larger resource pool.) The changes that
have occurred in this country since when my career started are startling and
scary. We'll play our cards right and do OK. Even if I'm completely wrong
(hopefully am), then at worst, our plan will just make life more flexible
and easier.

Brian

Thank God there's someone else out there that has noticed what
is going on around the world, I'm not alone. Now there are two
of us.

By the way, unfortunately, you're not wrong.

Donald




--
I'm building a Steel Robert's 434. You can sneak a peek if you wish by
clicking on me link below.
http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/o/donrayp/
'USA, Home of the best
politicians money can buy'

trucking
 

Then there's the dry food to stock up on - the bottled water - the
radiation detectors. Oh: that was the Y2K scare wasn't it?

:-)

Brian W

On Thu, 13 Nov 2003 12:28:49 -0600, Donald Phillips
wrote:

Brian D wrote:
Buying/selling: This means "channel partner" or "distributor". Better off
doing localized warehousing. As competitive pressures increase, you'll see
"channel partners" bite the dust and companies going to direct sales as much
as they can. Retail outlets will need to skip the middle man and deal more
with the supplier companies directly. It's a trend, not a rule. There will
always be exceptions.

Another trend that the US-effing government doesn't tell you about is how
they give big corps tax breaks for locating operations overseas:
development, manufacturing, distribution. Mainly, that means China.
Companies such as the one I work for (I won't divulge) don't even begin to
think about it ...all things go directly overseas. All the reasons that
used to be used to argue against such action are gone with the wind,
dismissed with a wave of the hand and a statement that "*This* product is
very cost sensitive. We have no choice." So when have products NOT been
"cost sensitive"? Have you ever met someone who said "Gee, it's OK if I
make lower net margin on our product!" Risk mitigation is a thing of the
past, except possibly the use of a little geographical diversification now
and then...quickly dropped if you can't find an outfit to do what you want,
at lightning speed, and at minimum cost ...can you say "Asia is the choice"?
Except for software ...that's India. Manufacturing is also becoming "east
Europe", places like Hungary. They can make homemade leather shoes, whack a
donkey with a stick to lead a wagon, and manufacture computers.

What *must* remain in the US (as *ssh*les pull the rug out from under our
gross national product, in the name of "favored trade partners" and "world
trade"), is warehousing and distribution of 'American' and other products
that are produced overseas, but needed here. The balance of labor will lean
towards small and medium sized companies rather than towards large blue-chip
companies, primarily because these outfits can't afford to move overseas.
The US and parts of Europe will remain the primary innovation centers, and
that's good ...the rest of the world has at best become good at copying and
refining, but never at innovating or invention.

Don't believe me? Do your own research and check it against my notes above.
Let me know if I'm wrong...I'd love to be. But as a professionals, my wife
and I are worried. We are paying off our house ASAP and operating on a
cash-only basis ...zero debt within 5 years. If we do that, we can live on
only 50% of our current income level, or even less if we adjust our
lifestyle. This may become necessary as various transitions and movement of
gross product moves overseas (thanks to you-know-whats like Bill Clinton and
George Bush ...yes, it's a nonpartisan effort to undermine the US economy,
one piece at a time ...Clinton, for one-world government, and Bush, for
relations with other nations ...the old form of America is gone and world
economy is with us, along with the downsized opportunities and incomes
associated with operating with a larger resource pool.) The changes that
have occurred in this country since when my career started are startling and
scary. We'll play our cards right and do OK. Even if I'm completely wrong
(hopefully am), then at worst, our plan will just make life more flexible
and easier.

Brian

Thank God there's someone else out there that has noticed what
is going on around the world, I'm not alone. Now there are two
of us.

By the way, unfortunately, you're not wrong.

Donald

trucking
 

It's hard to talk about this stuff ...feels like I'm being a huge pessimist.
In the past, you'd hear about these things now and then, but it's become a
universal story (I mean _everybody I know_), both here in the US, in Europe,
and in Taiwan. China must be doing a helluva job bending over backwards to
attract business...wonder how many missiles they'll build with their
newfound wealth? In the past, they haven't been so ultra-concerned with
developing economic wealth so quickly ...what turned the switch on? Notice
the recent tensions between China and Taiwan ...and how China is trying to
be a 'big man on the block' and coordinating discussions between the US,
Taiwan, Japan, and Korea ...about N. Korea. Since when did *they* come and
tell *us* who we'd be negotiating with? Will the rest of the world start
hating China for being imperialistic now (rather than the US)? The world is
changing my friends ...glad I like Chinese food ;)

Brian


"Donald Phillips" wrote in message
...
Brian D wrote:
Buying/selling: This means "channel partner" or "distributor". Better
off
doing localized warehousing. As competitive pressures increase, you'll
see
"channel partners" bite the dust and companies going to direct sales as
much
as they can. Retail outlets will need to skip the middle man and deal
more
with the supplier companies directly. It's a trend, not a rule. There
will
always be exceptions.

Another trend that the US-effing government doesn't tell you about is
how
they give big corps tax breaks for locating operations overseas:
development, manufacturing, distribution. Mainly, that means China.
Companies such as the one I work for (I won't divulge) don't even begin
to
think about it ...all things go directly overseas. All the reasons that
used to be used to argue against such action are gone with the wind,
dismissed with a wave of the hand and a statement that "*This* product
is
very cost sensitive. We have no choice." So when have products NOT
been
"cost sensitive"? Have you ever met someone who said "Gee, it's OK if I
make lower net margin on our product!" Risk mitigation is a thing of
the
past, except possibly the use of a little geographical diversification
now
and then...quickly dropped if you can't find an outfit to do what you
want,
at lightning speed, and at minimum cost ...can you say "Asia is the
choice"?
Except for software ...that's India. Manufacturing is also becoming
"east
Europe", places like Hungary. They can make homemade leather shoes,
whack a
donkey with a stick to lead a wagon, and manufacture computers.

What *must* remain in the US (as *ssh*les pull the rug out from under
our
gross national product, in the name of "favored trade partners" and
"world
trade"), is warehousing and distribution of 'American' and other
products
that are produced overseas, but needed here. The balance of labor will
lean
towards small and medium sized companies rather than towards large
blue-chip
companies, primarily because these outfits can't afford to move
overseas.
The US and parts of Europe will remain the primary innovation centers,
and
that's good ...the rest of the world has at best become good at copying
and
refining, but never at innovating or invention.

Don't believe me? Do your own research and check it against my notes
above.
Let me know if I'm wrong...I'd love to be. But as a professionals, my
wife
and I are worried. We are paying off our house ASAP and operating on a
cash-only basis ...zero debt within 5 years. If we do that, we can live
on
only 50% of our current income level, or even less if we adjust our
lifestyle. This may become necessary as various transitions and
movement of
gross product moves overseas (thanks to you-know-whats like Bill Clinton
and
George Bush ...yes, it's a nonpartisan effort to undermine the US
economy,
one piece at a time ...Clinton, for one-world government, and Bush, for
relations with other nations ...the old form of America is gone and
world
economy is with us, along with the downsized opportunities and incomes
associated with operating with a larger resource pool.) The changes
that
have occurred in this country since when my career started are startling
and
scary. We'll play our cards right and do OK. Even if I'm completely
wrong
(hopefully am), then at worst, our plan will just make life more
flexible
and easier.

Brian

Thank God there's someone else out there that has noticed what
is going on around the world, I'm not alone. Now there are two
of us.

By the way, unfortunately, you're not wrong.

Donald




--
I'm building a Steel Robert's 434. You can sneak a peek if you wish by
clicking on me link below.
http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/o/donrayp/
'USA, Home of the best
politicians money can buy'

trucking
 

Oh yeah, and the 200' deep anti-nuke bomb shelter!! Wasn't there a movie
about that? Some family came out from underground after being there long
enough for radiation to subside ...they came out right in the middle of
downtown (bums, hookers, etc. on the outside). Can't remember what movie
that was, but it was funny...

Brian

--
My boat project: http://www.advantagecomposites.com/tongass


"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
Then there's the dry food to stock up on - the bottled water - the
radiation detectors. Oh: that was the Y2K scare wasn't it?

:-)

Brian W

On Thu, 13 Nov 2003 12:28:49 -0600, Donald Phillips
wrote:

Brian D wrote:
Buying/selling: This means "channel partner" or "distributor". Better
off
doing localized warehousing. As competitive pressures increase, you'll
see
"channel partners" bite the dust and companies going to direct sales as
much
as they can. Retail outlets will need to skip the middle man and deal
more
with the supplier companies directly. It's a trend, not a rule. There
will
always be exceptions.

Another trend that the US-effing government doesn't tell you about is
how
they give big corps tax breaks for locating operations overseas:
development, manufacturing, distribution. Mainly, that means China.
Companies such as the one I work for (I won't divulge) don't even begin
to
think about it ...all things go directly overseas. All the reasons
that
used to be used to argue against such action are gone with the wind,
dismissed with a wave of the hand and a statement that "*This* product
is
very cost sensitive. We have no choice." So when have products NOT
been
"cost sensitive"? Have you ever met someone who said "Gee, it's OK if
I
make lower net margin on our product!" Risk mitigation is a thing of
the
past, except possibly the use of a little geographical diversification
now
and then...quickly dropped if you can't find an outfit to do what you
want,
at lightning speed, and at minimum cost ...can you say "Asia is the
choice"?
Except for software ...that's India. Manufacturing is also becoming
"east
Europe", places like Hungary. They can make homemade leather shoes,
whack a
donkey with a stick to lead a wagon, and manufacture computers.

What *must* remain in the US (as *ssh*les pull the rug out from under
our
gross national product, in the name of "favored trade partners" and
"world
trade"), is warehousing and distribution of 'American' and other
products
that are produced overseas, but needed here. The balance of labor will
lean
towards small and medium sized companies rather than towards large
blue-chip
companies, primarily because these outfits can't afford to move
overseas.
The US and parts of Europe will remain the primary innovation centers,
and
that's good ...the rest of the world has at best become good at copying
and
refining, but never at innovating or invention.

Don't believe me? Do your own research and check it against my notes
above.
Let me know if I'm wrong...I'd love to be. But as a professionals, my
wife
and I are worried. We are paying off our house ASAP and operating on a
cash-only basis ...zero debt within 5 years. If we do that, we can
live on
only 50% of our current income level, or even less if we adjust our
lifestyle. This may become necessary as various transitions and
movement of
gross product moves overseas (thanks to you-know-whats like Bill
Clinton and
George Bush ...yes, it's a nonpartisan effort to undermine the US
economy,
one piece at a time ...Clinton, for one-world government, and Bush, for
relations with other nations ...the old form of America is gone and
world
economy is with us, along with the downsized opportunities and incomes

associated with operating with a larger resource pool.) The changes
that
have occurred in this country since when my career started are
startling and
scary. We'll play our cards right and do OK. Even if I'm completely
wrong
(hopefully am), then at worst, our plan will just make life more
flexible
and easier.

Brian

Thank God there's someone else out there that has noticed what
is going on around the world, I'm not alone. Now there are two
of us.

By the way, unfortunately, you're not wrong.

Donald

trucking
 

stevej wrote in message
You will be freed to pursue other options because you
won't need to be watching everything all the time but many owners are
unable to let go and delegate things and so wind up miserable
and broke when they could have been miserable, broke, and building
boats.


It is however hard to be miserable and building boats at the same
time... now broke and building boats, there is no other life for me ;)
Scotty

trucking
 

Once you start to get the rest of your life in order, it doesn't do much
good to spend time fretting futures. I agree ...best to go out and start
doing something with your hands, like boat building. Can't wait to have
mine done so I can get on with USING it too!

Brian

--
My boat project: http://www.advantagecomposites.com/tongass


"Backyard Renegade" wrote in message
om...
stevej wrote in message
You will be freed to pursue other options because you
won't need to be watching everything all the time but many owners are
unable to let go and delegate things and so wind up miserable
and broke when they could have been miserable, broke, and building
boats.


It is however hard to be miserable and building boats at the same
time... now broke and building boats, there is no other life for me ;)
Scotty

trucking
 

But MLM....

"Bill Sheffield" wrote in message
...
No......It's Not

Bill :)
"stevej" wrote in message
...
Oh god...not Amway

trucking
 

It seems to me like none of you guys is happy with the boat building deal...
You see, my horoscope says that I would be good in boat building, like I
would excel in that...
mmm

trucking
 

"The new guy" wrote in message ble.rogers.com...
It seems to me like none of you guys is happy with the boat building deal...
You see, my horoscope says that I would be good in boat building, like I
would excel in that...
mmm

Once you do it, you will do it for the rest of your life. Like
Brian... I don't have the heart to tell him he won't get to use his
new boat as he will be too busy planning and building his next boat!
Just don't expect to make a living on it. Since you seem to be
following your origional post it seems that you are serious in your
quest. so I will rant on.

Find a couple of hours a week, that's all it takes. Spend a couple of
hundred bucks and build a small boat for yourself and family. See if
you like building boats and then move on from there. The hardest part
about building your first boat is just getting started. Know this,
(and to any of you lurkers too). With the technology, materials, and
detailed plans available today, anyone who has ever used simple hand
tools can build a boat. Last season I guided a 17 yo girl and her dad
through a successful first build. I stopped by one day late in the
build to check up on them as most of the first help had been on the
phone and through email. I walked into the shop and found them using a
ball peen hammer, a handsaw, and a 9.6 volt rechargeable drill.. they
did not even have a claw hammer as her dad was a deisel mechanic and
those were the tools they had on hand. Understand that especially with
the calibrated pumps, epoxy is easier to use than ever, almost fool
proof. Woodworking skills are beneficial but not totally necessary.
Epoxy is real forgiving, however reasonable care and patience is still
the order of the day.

I keep the Nike theroy above the workbench in my shop. It simply says,
"Just do it". The theroy goes like this... If you have something
difficult to do, (such as start a boat) and you know it will take two
hours, you can sit around for two hours thinking of a better way to do
it, but in the long run to do it right, you will have spend 4 hours on
a 2 hour job. So follow your gut, it knows what's right, don't sit
around thinking about it, just do it.
Scotty's rant, The Backyard Renegade
SmallBoats.com