Time spent bidding jobs.

[SilverBlue]

Owners who goof off do educate their employees rather well though, valuable experience taught in what not to do in order to achieve success. Bad business partners on the other hand are a rather expensive experience and I hope you move forward and have better luck this time Kenn. "OutOnaLimb"is that going to be your new company name?

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I have learned alot in these past few years. Alot of good techniques on climbing and arbor care in general, but mostly I have learned what NOT to do on the business aspect the hard way. But I try to learn from my mistakes, and try not to repeate them in the future. Some one on here had a really cool quote that I have taken to heart. "its not how high we climb, but how we bounce back when we hit bottom" or something along those lines.

Part of the creed that I lived by when I was in the Army, states, "Surrender is not a Ranger word" I still live by that, I have just learned a lot more patience. Thanks guys for all your words of wisdom.

Kenn

 

[OutOnaLimb]

Ha ha, Just got the joke. But seriously, my new company is A Cutting Edge Tree Care.

Kenn

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[Dadatwins]

Good luck to you when you get your biz up and running. As many here can tell you the trees are usually easy the business part can be a royal PIA. Whatever you do don't hire your old boss to do estimates he is not doin' too good at it.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

At the end of the day its down too the tree service owner if he works with you or not period ! if you dont like it go get another job[personaly iwould],but the thing he is doing wrong is not leaving you with the correct equipment ie truck and not enough crew........i spend 10 hours a week bidding /talking with customers......i think its time you moved on he doesnt sound like the type of guy i would want too work for...........as i hate being lied too..bidding all day everyday bull ****

 

[Toddppm]

I take it there are no owner operators here that don't work on the crew? I only work with my guys when I have time and want to do it. It's takes most of my time doing estimates/running around doing other business related stuff and whatever else I feel like doing for MYSELF. I wish I could do more of the tree work with them if nothing else than to stay in shape. But if I'm doing it, they don't learn as much, my boys don't have a ton of experience.

He definately should be leaving you with the right equipment if he can't be there. I don't see how he could be spending so much time bidding, if he 's such a low baller he'd be getting way more work than 25-35% of the bids.

 

[NeTree]

Ultimately, if the guys are hired on a per-hour basis, and given the proper equipment to do the job, there's really no harm. It's HIS company after all. But that's not the case, is it?

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[TREETX]

Amen, rborist

Why do you care what the owner is doing??

As an employee, it is none of your business.

As a contract climber, I would care because I would want xtra pay for supervising HIS crew.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I do sort of understand that yes he is the owner and its his show to run, however I get paid a percentage of the job cost. Therefore if he is lowballing his bids and we are spending to much time waiting on him and not getting into the next tree, then I am actually losing money. I could understand if he was running several crews but his company consists of him, myself, and what ever ground man he can scrounge up for the day. Untill I started climbing for him about 2 months ago this guy had never heard of a whoopie sling, split tail, or a port-a-wrap. And he has supposedbly been in business for 3 years. Maybe its just the time of year in this part of the country, but it does get frustrating.

thanks
Kenn

 

[MasterBlaster]

The guy is a jackleg and you need to get out ASAP!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Kenn, ther are a couple of companies in the boulder area looking for experianced climbers.

If you are interested I'll find the names for you.

 

[Dadatwins]

Sounds to me like you have made up your mind already to get away and most here agree that this guy does not sound like the best operator. Anyone spending 30 hours a week estimating and only closing 25% is not going to make it very long. What happened to previous climbers? Whay can't he at least keep groundman around? As you said you are not quite ready to go on your own yet but I would start looking very quickly for new place before something happens. In this biz it will be that much harder to find work after the screw-up even if it was owners fault for not being there. Most people will look at the person in the tree as the problem not the owner in the pickup. good luck!

 

[OutOnaLimb]

I really dont plan on working that much longer for this guy, its just that there really isnt a whole lot of tree work going on this time of year and when I moved to Colorado Springs he was the first guy to put me to work. Pretty much because he didnt have anyone, climber or ground man. So I cant really look a gift horse in the mouth. Oh well such is life, we learn more and more each day. Thanks John Paul, for your reference to the guys in Boulder, but I am about a 2 hr drive from there. As it is we are driving an hour and a half each day into Denver. I guess I just need to quit my griping and suck it up and drive on. All good things come to those who wait right?

thanks
Kenn

 

[MasterBlaster]

I dunno if I'd call that guy a 'gift horse' or not...

But ya gotta pay the bills.

 

[Stumper]

Outonalimb, Why are you driving to Denver? I'm not clear on things- If your boss is also in Co. Springs then I can't figure out why he wouldn't be selling work there-there is a ton of it!

 

[OutOnaLimb]

Hey Stumper. Thus far all the work he has come up with is in Denver. Between you, me and the fence post. We both know what kinda work is going on around here. Give me a month and I will be all over Pueblo, Canon City, Penrose and Colorado Springs. As well as the other side jobs I have lined up in Denver. Honestly, how much work do you get up there this time of year?? I have seen a lot of big Silver Maples in Canyon and Penrose that really could use some work.

Kenn

 

[OutOnaLimb]

As far as the work here goes. Last week he paid some clown $500 to spread 2,000 flyers here in Springs. Unfortunately Bozo distributed them all in new housing areas of Monument and Fountain who's only trees are about 5 years old and no larger than 20ft. Oops!!!!

Kenn

 

[Stumper]

I'm reasonably busy now.-Typically things will crank up in mid March. There is something surpassingly strange about living in Co. Springs and finding all your work in Denver. I work occassionally in Pueblo and Co springs (actually Security, Widefield and Fountain mostly) but the majority of my work is hrere at home.