How long have you been in the Biz?

[TreeGuyHR]

Hey tree guys and gals:

Three questions. Let's tell how long we have been doing what, and a word or two on our satisfaction at present and maybe something learned. Let's keep it brief.

Pruned since I was 7, chainsaw at 14, climbed (with a rope and saddle!) at 26, started my company under its present name five years ago.

Not happy yet with my profit margins, but am optimistic and like the work (except for a lot of the office work!)

Charge what you are worth.

 

[arborealbuffoon]

Started cutting wood for money at age 10 with an old logger who was a neighbor. He taught me how to saw, file chain, like sardines, and chew some Beach Nut.

Sawed logs in the Black Hills over many years in my youth, prior to the buncher/feller/harvester era.

Came back to Iowa for a university degree, and ended up working for a tree service because Burger King sucked so bad. Started climbing in my mid twenties, only after many many hours of chainsaw time on the ground.

Started a legitimate tree service of my own in 1991, and worked that for over 10 years. Made a lot of money for the banker, the yellow pages guy, the insurance company, #### Cheneys pals, and the local auto parts store. Ended up still owing the bank once I finally sold my chipper. Small market, lots of low-balling hacks payin cash to the help with no WC. Same old story. Oh, and I normally was back-logged over a month!

Sorry for the long winded post, but I also made the surgeon some dough with the 31 day hospitalization followed by back surgery on my L4-5 disc.

Now, I still climb many times a month, try to keep 5 or 6 pro saws alive, and haul brush in a Toyota pickup by myself. I keep a lot more of the money this way, but it is NOT what I had hoped to be doing as I approach age 50.

Support the Truth! After it makes you really mad, it will set you free........

 

[imagineero]

You guys are just counting it in silly ways. I climbed my first tree when I was 5. I climbed out of my mother's womb the day I was born etc etc...

 

[TreeGuyHR]

You guys are just counting it in silly ways. I climbed my first tree when I was 5. I climbed out of my mother's womb the day I was born etc etc...

I'm impressed. That would mean you down climbed head first

 

[mckeetree]

You guys are just counting it in silly ways. I climbed my first tree when I was 5. I climbed out of my mother's womb the day I was born etc etc...

No joke. I thought this was meant to be a serious thread then I read started pruning at 2...did my first take down at 7...etc., etc.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

I DID start this as a serious thread -- and I did prune my first tree at 7. It was one limb -- but I made a nice cut.

I am interested to hear, in brief, the responses to my three Qs : how long, howzitgoin, and have you made any insights to share. I figure others here are as well.

A bit more on me: No business background before i took the plunge, lots of education. I joined ISA, ASCA, and SAF. Going to meetings is expensive, but you learn a lot.

Insight? I really have two...

Charge what you are worth (which is a difficult concept to internalize, and full of judgement calls based on experience when making each bid)

Trees are always bigger once you climb into them or get them on he ground than they first appear-- kind of related to my first insight

Trees

 

[expertech]

28 years of being a tree surgeon. Wish I could pass it on to my son as my father did me but after all I have seen and done, I'm afraid to. That's what I have learned. This is a very dangerous business and in my family the line of tree climbers will stop at me and I hope to god I survive it long enough to retire an old grey man. Some of us here have more experience than others but this old tree climber has the highest respect for all you pros out there with the courage to do what we do.

 

[treemandan]

Started cutting wood for money at age 10 with an old logger who was a neighbor. He taught me how to saw, file chain, like sardines, and chew some Beach Nut.

Sawed logs in the Black Hills over many years in my youth, prior to the buncher/feller/harvester era.

Came back to Iowa for a university degree, and ended up working for a tree service because Burger King sucked so bad. Started climbing in my mid twenties, only after many many hours of chainsaw time on the ground.

Started a legitimate tree service of my own in 1991, and worked that for over 10 years. Made a lot of money for the banker, the yellow pages guy, the insurance company, #### Cheneys pals, and the local auto parts store. Ended up still owing the bank once I finally sold my chipper. Small market, lots of low-balling hacks payin cash to the help with no WC. Same old story. Oh, and I normally was back-logged over a month!

Sorry for the long winded post, but I also made the surgeon some dough with the 31 day hospitalization followed by back surgery on my L4-5 disc.

Now, I still climb many times a month, try to keep 5 or 6 pro saws alive, and haul brush in a Toyota pickup by myself. I keep a lot more of the money this way, but it is NOT what I had hoped to be doing as I approach age 50.

Support the Truth! After it makes you really mad, it will set you free........

I'm speechless! Good job! Thank you!

 

[treemandan]

I DID start this as a serious thread -- and I did prune my first tree at 7. It was one limb -- but I made a nice cut.

I am interested to hear, in brief, the responses to my three Qs : how long, howzitgoin, and have you made any insights to share. I figure others here are as well.

A bit more on me: No business background before i took the plunge, lots of education. I joined ISA, ASCA, and SAF. Going to meetings is expensive, but you learn a lot.

Insight? I really have two...

Charge what you are worth (which is a difficult concept to internalize, and full of judgement calls based on experience when making each bid)

Trees are always bigger once you climb into them or get them on he ground than they first appear-- kind of related to my first insight

Trees

If we charged what we are worth nobody would hire us and yeah yeah about the rest so zip it cause you allready know the answer to all the other stupid questions you're going to ask. You want serious? Seems you got it before you even asked.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

If we charged what we are worth nobody would hire us and yeah yeah about the rest so zip it cause you allready know the answer to all the other stupid questions you're going to ask. You want serious? Seems you got it before you even asked.

I won't ask more -- promise. I just put the three out there to see if anyone wanted to talk story, as they say.

 

[expertech]

I won't ask more -- promise. I just put the three out there to see if anyone wanted to talk story, as they say.

You from Hawaii?

 

[TreeGuyHR]

No. But I've been there a few times.:msp_tongue:

 

[arborjockey]

Yeah from there.

And you! Hood river huh. I cut up there a couple times 2.

My dad logged for a very short time of his life. That gave him a love of trees that was instilled in me. I spent 2 years studying to be a master tech mechanic for Honda after high school. But a couple of years after graduation a buddy of mine ask me to drag brush. I never went back to that job. I pretty much lost my wife and girlfriends to traveling and cutting. Cant stay still. Theres always some different climate with different trees. My library is packed with old logging books and tree related what ever. For 11 years its become all I think, talk, and do. (Well I did stack some cell towers for a little while but thats because the money was to good to passs up.) I wear a red flannel and black carharts 6 days a week and Im on vacation. I pray every day my health stays good. Because I want to be an one of those ......

RARE OLD CLIMBERS.